Local students taking art courses at Contra Costa College have put together an art show featuring work from 30 artists open now through Nov. 15 in the Eddie Rhodes Gallery.

The show “Ageless Expressions” gives local students interested in art a chance to share their artwork. The exhibit is open from Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Art Building.

A reception and potluck will be held in the Building on Friday, from 3 to 5 p.m. where the public will be able to take a look at some of the artists’ work, get a chance to meet and greet the creators of many of the art pieces and enjoy some food and drinks.

The work of the students are reflections of the artists lives, artist Ellen Sasaki said.

Some of the artists who are participating in the show are at a professional level and even showcase their work throughout the nation.

“We, artists, want to share our work and inspire others to express their own ideas through the visual arts,” Sasaki said.

Jiajun Lu, fine and media arts adjunct professor, said many of the artists have been attending classes for at least a year although the program has been around for at least 12 years. His students travel  from all over the Bay Area, from Vallejo to Alameda, to attend his courses.

They put their hard work and effort into their pieces because it is simply something they enjoy doing.

Joanne Uomini, a retired physician, said, “It’s like a vacation. Everyone in the class is still open to learn which is why the name for the show ‘Ageless Expressions’ came to be.”

Uomini said her art career started after her husband gave her a set of watercolor paint.

She used art as an escape from reality and later decided to take her skills to the next level by joining the art classes held on campus.

Now Uomini, along with many other local artists, get to share their work of art through  the “Ageless Expressions,” exhibit.

Most of the art shown in the gallery is created during the art classes, which have a live nude model provided for artists.

Although, other artwork, done outside of classes, is also permitted to be shown in the gallery.

The artists of “Ageless Expressions” enjoy working with various media like oil, pastel watercolor, clay, acrylic and  mixed media. The artwork mediums displayed in the show are left to the artists discretion.

Many of the students within these courses are older residents returning to campus to continue their life-long education in art.