Denise Rogers is a professor of art history at San Diego Mesa College, manages the college’s World Art permanent collection, and is the curator of “Africa in Context,” currently on display through Feb. 23 at the college in celebration of Black History Month. By Lisa Deaderick | February 4, 2023 As a young girl growing up in southeastern San Diego’s Shelltown neighborhood, Denise Rogers spent time flipping through the pages of Time and Life magazines her mother kept on their coffee table. At the time, she just enjoyed the pictures from galleries in New York, Paris, and Italy. Later, after an introductory art course prompted her to change her major from fashion design to art history, she found a career path that allowed her to pair her love of both history and art.

“Why We Collect,” an art exhibit featuring work from renowned artists of the 20th century, will open at the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery Thursday, Oct. 13 with a reception at 4:30 p.m. in D-101, followed by a panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. in G-102.

Curator Kraig Cavanaugh is an adjunct instructor at Mesa College who teaches art history and color theory. He describes the idea of the exhibition as a grassroots effort to make art more accessible to students and the local art community, and to show that you don’t need to be rich to be an art collector.

"Mesa hosted renowned attorney and art-collector William Lerach on Thursday, November 19, for a lecture on his expansive international collection of indigenous art."

Sacred sculptures from San Diego Mesa College’s permanent African art collection will be on display at the San Diego Central Library Auditorium October 4 through December 17. The public is invited to attend the opening reception of “Guardian Spirits” on Wednesday, October 7.