Delta College campus
 
Press Release
Delta College Logo
San Joaquin Delta College
5151 Pacific Ave., Stockton 95207
Media Advisory
For More Information Contact:
Jan Marlese
L.H. Horton Gallery Director
(209) 954-5507
jmarlese@deltacollege.edu
http://gallery.deltacollege.edu

For Immediate Release
01/06/2016

LH Horton Jr Gallery presents
Rowland Hal Cheney (1943-2015)
Retrospective Exhibition
January 26 - February 11, 2016
Opening Reception: January 28, 5-7pm

Rowland Cheney Art Examples

(Stockton, CA) Delta Center for the Arts L.H. Horton Jr. Gallery presents a tribute retrospective exhibition featuring the art of Rowland Hal Cheney, January 26 - February 11, 2016. An opening reception is planned for January 28th from 5-7p.m., and is free to the public.

Artist, educator, father, husband and horseman, are all fitting titles for Rowland Cheney. Rowland would say “Life and Art converge in my world. My Art is a blessing from God that helps me bring my spirituality, family, passions and a broad range of interests together.” Cheney had a profound passion for his work with Kiger Mustangs, nature, wildlife, and above all, "God and family." Rowland worked in a wide range of media, including bronze, oil, watercolor, and prints. He was recognized as a "complete" artist, with a gift to work effectively in any medium.

Signature to Rowland’s creative works are rousing monumental commissioned public art bronze sculptures:

Harvest of Progress located in Tracy, California, at the Downtown Park Plaza on 6th Street and Central Avenue, is a 16-foot bronze sculpture that represents and pays tribute to the farmers of the Central Valley. The piece was commissioned by the City of Tracy through its Public Art Program, and was dedicated on December 6, 2013.

Celebrate the Harvest “Is a love story,” wrote Rowland in his artist’s statement. The depth of his insight into this 18-foot bronze sculpture evident. “It is an image generated from the relationship that exists between earth and vine from the beginning of time. The vision here is that of a young, turn-of-the-century couple who symbolize that relationship. She is the epitome of the gentile, nurturing elements of life. Her bare feet allowing the essence of the soil to flow through her as she joins her husband in the vineyard. Caressed by the vines and surrounded by the aroma of grapes, she brings to him the taste of life that is wine. He is the tiller of the soil. Imbued with the will to provide and the strength to prepare, he represents the soul and vision of the industry. Together they toast the harvest season, one another, and the abundance of their lives. They are the caretakers. Joined, they move forward into the future as one, celebrating the fruits of their labors.”

Celebrate the Harvest is located on the corner of School and Oak Streets in downtown Lodi. It was commissioned by the City of Lodi through its Art in Public Places Program, and dedicated on October 16, 2009.

Mr. and Mrs. William Micke life-sized bronze sculpture honors the donors of the land for the Micke Grove Park and Zoo in San Joaquin County, and was commissioned in 2007. The sculpture is placed under a giant valley oak tree inside the zoo, with the figures of Mr. Micke standing alongside Mrs. Micke, who sits on a park bench.

Wisdom through the Ages sculptural montage of wildlife, includes the Kiger Mustang and Sand Hill Crane. Both animals are notable in Rowland’s artistic subject matter. As stated in his web site, these creatures are “highly symbolic and reflect the spiritual aspects of man’s search for wisdom.” This 12-foot bronze is located at the Senior Center in Dublin, California, and was dedicated in April 2005.

Leaving and Coming Home Sand Hill Crane bronze sculpture, appropriately sited at the Lodi Amtrak Train Station, greets travelers during their workaday world sojourns, in addition to being a winter home for these majestic birds. The bronze sculpture stands 10-feet, and was commissioned by the City of Lodi Art through its Art in Public Places Program in 2002.

Several small-scale models of the public works will be on display in the exhibition, including Leaving and Coming Home, Celebrate the Harvest and Wisdom through the Ages.

In addition to Rowland's public art sculptures, he was commissioned by universities, businesses, and communities to create bas-relief wall mounted bronze as commemorative plaques for individuals and public spaces. For example, a commemorative plaque for the actress Janet Leigh was commissioned by the City of Stockton - a replica of which will be shown in the exhibition. Rowland also received many corporate commissions, including sculptures of horses for the Breyer Company that produced toy horses based on Rowland’s original creations. His art was instrumental in the preservation of wild horses, referred to as Kiger Mustangs, through the sale of his Messenger Series of bronze Kiger Mustangs. Several toy horses and an original drawing from the Messenger Series will be on display in the exhibition.

Born in Utah (1943), Rowland was educated in California at Chico State, and earned his MFA at U.C. Berkeley. Rowland lived on a working ranch near Lodi, California, with his wife Cheryl, who passed away in 2007, and their four children. He maintained an art studio and raised Kiger Mustang horses on the ranch. Rowland taught sculpture, drawing, and printmaking for 35 years at San Joaquin Delta College. He inspired the creative development of many art students and colleagues. The Delta College community is deeply saddened by Rowland's passing. He was among nine people lost in a tragic tour plane crash in Ketchikan, Alaska, on June 25, 2015.

Delta College is honored to present the artwork of Rowland Cheney. The L.H. Horton Gallery is extremely appreciative of his children, Marin Whitaker, Zachary Cheney, Jessica Watson and Joshua Cheney for lending the artwork to exhibition. We thank the Cheney family for their time and energy to bring this retrospective to fruition.

Please join us for a celebration and tribute to the life and art of our beloved colleague, Rowland Hal Cheney.

Images Available Upon Request
###