Art major Curry has grown from sculptor to mentor

At age 32, senior A&M-Commerce fine art major Val Curry is classified as a "non-traditional" student, but there's nothing more non-traditional than his artwork. In Curry's quest for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, his emphasis is sculpture, but taking advance painting this semester has furnished him a new medium to work with.

"I feel like I've grown a lot in this class and the goals I've set out for it, achieved them and enjoyed it, and have a new set of tools I can work from," Curry said.

Originally from Pontiac, Illinois, Curry moved to Texas in 1996 and hopped on the community college circuit. He attended Brookhaven and Richland Community Colleges (RCC) off and on. Curry said that since the energy in the art students at RCC wasn't high, he struggled to find drive and direction.

That is until he found a mentor in RCC Gallery Director Randall Garrett. Curry said Garrett helped shape and mold his artistic style. Now at A&M-Commerce, Curry has found himself giving fellow students artistic advice.

"Looking back at it, I think an important aspect being an artist or any profession is having a mentor," he said. "Maybe that's the role I kind of informally take when I learn some stuff along the way and share that with other people."

Senior A&M-Commerce fine art major Eric de Llamas takes advance painting with Curry and said he has come to admire him.

"He's been really inspirational to us," Llamas said. "I look up to Val. He creates this really amazing atmosphere and this feeling of camaraderie."

Llamas also said he relies on Curry to help him with projects.

"If I have a problem or any issue, he's the guy I go to help me resolve it," he said. "He has this foundation of knowledge that I can grab onto and learn so much from."

Curry said he has been able to stay motivated to attain his goal of earning a degree since he enrolled at A&M-Commerce in fall 2008.

"Since I've been here, I've been super-focused and really good at setting and meeting my personal goals," he said.

Curry said the advance painting class gives off positive energy, which allows the students to feed off of one another's creativity. Students in the class spend often remain in the Art Building working late into the night. Drawing upon their enthusiasm and dedication, Curry and other art students teamed up at create an Art Club.

"Sam England and I came up with the idea about getting something going," he said. "The past few of semesters I've been here, people tried to start it every semester and it didn't work out for whatever reason."

Curry said the members formulated a simple plan.

"(We thought) let's just make it what we are doing already and call it the Art Club," he said.

So far, the Art Club has held regular meetings, cookouts and put on two student shows this semester. Curry said he is very pleased with the club's initial success.

"This semester, it's been super," Curry said. "I feel like it's exemplary and ideal. It's almost like a magical time."

More information about the A&M-Commerce Art Club can be found on their Facebook page or through contacting Curry via his website valxcurry.com.