Quinton P. Bemiller, professor, Art at Norco College, has been selected by his peers to deliver Riverside Community College District's Distinguished Faculty Lecture. Being selected as the lecturer is the highest honor faculty can bestow on a colleague. This year will make the 59^th year the lecture has been held.

Bemiller will present his lecture—Art is Hope—twice. First, at the Henry W. Coil, Sr. & Alice Edna Coil School for the Arts Concert Hall (3890 University Ave., Riverside) on Tuesday, April 16, at 3:30 pm and then at Norco College on Thursday, April 18, in the Board Room at the Brenda and William Davis Center for Student Success Building, at 12:50 pm. A reception will follow each presentation. Admission is free and open to the public. Parking restrictions will be enforced; please see metered machines for fees and regulations.

“I am honored that my colleagues have selected me to deliver the 2019 Distinguished Faculty Lecture," Bemiller said. “It is both humbling and inspiring to follow the illustrious faculty who have presented their lectures over the last 58 years."

Bemiller is on pace to receive his doctorate in May from California State University, San Bernardino in Education Leadership. He graduated from Pasadena City College and attained his bachelor's degree from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley College in Fine Art. He returned to Southern California to attend Claremont University, earning a Master of Fine Art. He has taught art since 2000 and came to Norco College in 2012 as an associate faculty member. In April 2017, Bemiller became a tenured professor.

His artworks can be found at the Boston Public Library, Lesley University and in over 50 private collections.

“I often say that nobody chooses art as a career—it chooses them," he said. “Many times, artists are simply people who turn to art out of necessity. In some cases, it is a matter of personal survival. Other times, it is the only thing that makes them whole. In turn, the art they make can significantly impact the lives of others, too. In a world incessantly focused on money, power, and status, it is through poignant stories of artists that we most deeply understand our humanity."

His lecture, Art Is Hope, will focus on the positive impact of art in the lives of diverse people.

“I will speak about my own art and the role it has played in shaping my life. I will share personal family stories about how art has provided a foundation for healing in the worst of situations. I will look into the lives of disenfranchised individuals whose spirits were uplifted by the grace of art," Bemiller said.

“I will show how art has saved lives, and when life was no longer possible, I will show how art has brought consolation in times of death and despair. I will highlight artists working towards social justice, and provide a deeper appreciation for the noble work that artists do."

In addition to his teaching assignments, Bemiller serves as Norco College's art gallery director.