Dallas College is known for its exceptional School of Creative Arts, Entertainment and Design. But the faculty at North Lake Campus do more than just teach.

“When you make art, you are transcending time and space,” says Graphic Arts Professor Byron Black.

Each year, the North Lake Gallery showcases work from professors across the program, giving students a chance to see their instructors as practicing artists.

“This is an opportunity to stay current and to show our students what we’ve made,” Black said. “We make work too. We’re not just teaching them to make work.”

This year’s exhibition features a wide variety of mediums from traditional oil painting to digital collage and even decorative bookbinding.

“We strive to put fresh work out there for the faculty exhibition,” said Black. “What led me to these particular pieces that I’ve put in has to do with the loss of a very good friend and mentor, Bill Crawford, who is directly responsible for me having this job.  That’s unusual for me. I usually don’t necessarily bring my personal life in such a direct fashion into my work. But this time, I wanted to show that one off, and I wanted to share it with the public.”

The gallery opened in March, and all exhibits will be on display through May 1. It is located on the second floor of the A Building, at the North Lake campus.

“It is our connection to the universe, to each other,” Black said. “Artists teach humanity how to be human.”