Becky Guttin, an artist from Mexico City who now lives and works out of San Diego, will have her work displayed on campus from March 10-April 13 at the Mesa College presents “Above Us Only The Sky” an art exhibition being held in the Mesa College Art Gallery .
When asked if there is any other artist that Guttin reminds her of, gallery director Alessandra Moctezuma had drawn a blank. After thinking it over she says that Guttin is just so original no one really comes to mind.
Moctezuma says that Guttins “work is more raw,” her sculptures are made up of industrial materials like re-bar and glass and wood and cardboard as well as plants and other materials that nature provides for her use, but nothing is random with her though, everything material she uses has a special meaning to her and the project.
Art is “just my way of life, I could not see myself doing anything else,” Guttin says. Every piece of art that she has made are all her favorite and they are all are a part of her. She puts herself and everything she has into each piece she makes, and then she is on to the next one
Guttin is a very hands on artist, she stains and welds almost all of her own work. All of the materials that are used in the sculptures are all recycled, or as Guttin says “rescued.” She rescues one person’s trash and transforms it into a treasure for all to see.
Everything Guttin makes is very original and one of a kind, no series of sculptures or anything that is based on previous works, they are all independent original ideas. Not bad for someone who never went to art school.
Guttin says that she “finds beauty in things that are forgotten.”
Guttin is the second artist this semester to have an exhibit here at Mesa College and her art has set the bar high for whoever is to follow her. Guttin creates sculptures, drawings, photography, jewelry, installations and video.
After making the career jump Guttin had her first show in 1976 and since then she has not stopped. Guttin has had many solo exhibitions throughout California and Mexico. Her work has even made trips across the Atlantic being displayed in European countries like England, Spain, and Italy.
After high school Guttin was faced with a dilemma most people at that stage face, now what? Guttin went on to college and got a degree as a language teacher in Hebrew and English, but Guttin said that that was not working out and that her hands were growing more active and always wanted to do something with them. Not long after she gave her teacher a phone call and the rest is history.
Guttin’s father, Rafael Mareyna who is also a painter, saw that his daughter had shown promise at a young age. In Guttins teen years she had made a self portrait that had amazed her teacher so much that the teacher insisted on giving Guttin her business card and told Guttin to call if she any plans to pursue art, at the time however she did not.
Guttin wants to say thank you to everyone on staff at Mesa College that is involved in the show. And a special thanks to Alessandra Moctezuma for allowing her to display her work on campus.