Since the dedication of the Anna and Kemper Carter Center for Visual Arts and Imaging Technology at Penn Valley in March 2003, the gallery, tucked away on the building's first floor, has housed the artwork of many local artists. Currently on display is the artwork of local arts advocate, activist, and artist Linda Lighton.

The name for her current work, Boundless Joy, came to her as she was exploring various ideas for an exhibition that she was going to curate. The exhibition was to be centered on one idea that Lighton would ask artists from around the world to interpret. She considered such ideas as "black," "desire," "sex," "respect," and "justice." Finally, Lighton decided on "boundless joy" when she heard a discussion by the Dali Lama. She felt that boundless joy was what everybody ultimately wanted.

"Boundless joy... I think of it almost as an orgasm and it just keeps going out and touching one person and touching another - boundless - like an echo. For me, that [boundless joy] looks like a supple spine. A lot of people think that those shapes are phallic, but that's my idea of a supple spine.

"I tried to get a lot of motion in those figures. They're shining, dancing the rumba or the samba, or vibrating with some kind of joyful energy that would reach out and touch people," said Lighton.

Lighton's work has been displayed in 46 solo shows and 117 group exhibitions around the world, including countries like Korea, Japan, Latvia, Spain, Switzerland, and Hungary. With this experience, she lends a bit of insight to students who are not certain how to transition from doing student work to having an accomplished career as an artist.

"I really think getting a degree helps. There's so much networking between the educational people. It is so critical. I encourage everybody to get some kind of degree. It's meaningful to people. It made me feel better," she said, adding, "you can only find joy through commitment. So, to be happy, you have to have done some work to be happy about."

Lighton studied ceramics and painting at The Factory of Visual Arts in Seattle, Washington from 1971-74, and graduated with honors from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1989 with a BFA.

Lighton's artwork instills a bright message that breaks the sinister stereotype that artwork is known to carry. She expressed her belief that the days in which an artist was characterized by depression and alcoholism are over.

"That's what this show is about. Like Van Gogh who had to cut off his ear and be crazy. There was all that fantasy and [he] never sold a piece of work, except one to his brother. Artists have worth, they have just as much worth as doctors. "What is the worth of a culture? It's their culture! A great culture has artists and they need to be respected and paid. That's my goal as an artist, as a person in a community right now - to let artists be paid. I think we need to get our priorities in order," Lighton said.

During her lifetime Lighton has lived on an Indian reservation, seen firsthand the aftermath of the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, and raised a daughter - which she claims is her greatest accomplishment. Looking at Lighton, we find a woman who has traveled the world and come back with an exhortation of happiness by simply following her heart.

"Just do what you want to do, and you'll be happy doing it," she said.

Lighton's work will be on display in the Carter Art Center through March 14, 2008. For gallery times, visit the Carter Art Center website at http://mcckc.edu/pvart/.

Copyright 2008 Metropolitan Community College