SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – David Burke’s “What’s Left Behind” is officially on display in Lake Tahoe Community College’s (LTCC) Haldan Art Gallery, where community members, students, and faculty came together to celebrate the exhibit’s opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 8. 

An Oakland-based artist, Burke has developed a one-of-a-kind, unconventional style using materials such as ink, resin and acrylic while leading a double life as a renowned muralist creating highly realistic, giant-scale paintings. He describes his work as “large scale, fractured landscapes that portray instances where industrial and natural forces coexist harmoniously or collide in destructive ways.”

Yet before he became the artist he is today, Burke and Julia Marianelli, LTCC’s newest head of the Art Department, were grad school friends at Temple University in Philadelphia. 

“Six weeks ago, Julia reached out to me and said that they were looking to have a fall show here and asked me if I’d be interested,” Burke told the Tribune. “I said ‘yes’ because I love Tahoe, and Julia and I have had a long friendship that goes back 30 years.” 

Marianelli, in addition to being a professional artist, has spent years working at LTCC in various roles including teaching and community education before taking on her current position. 

“I knew [Burke] would be a great person to hit up for exposing the students to a different kind of perspective on artwork,” said Marianelli. 

Intertwined throughout the exhibit are recent works by Burke along with his 26-year-old “Building Blocks”, 64 8-by-10 paintings on panels that were created for his thesis exhibition in Rome. Following the exhibition, he boxed the paintings up, shipped them home, and in storage they remained, untouched, until this summer. 

Marianelli described Burke’s “Building Blocks” as cellular, saying they’re like little petri dishes where Burke used twisting and turning techniques to explore the material he was working with.

“When Julia asked me about this show, I thought, ‘Oh, this would be an interesting opportunity to bring this work back out and see how it exists in the world,” Burke said. “I think it’s really important as students to see how the work that you’re making now can be seeds for what you do in the future.” 

Burke touched on naming the exhibit “What’s Left Behind” as a way to articulate thoughts regarding what we, as humans, leave behind in terms of a legacy and our impacts on the environment. On a personal level, Burke said he felt in awe of the fact that his previous boxed creations are still here, allowing him to reflect on the last 30 years of a life in the arts.

While Marianelli acted as the driving factor to get Burke’s work to the Haldan Art Gallery, it was Elizabeth Vargas who was responsible for curating the exhibit. From where to place the art to how it all flows together, Burke gave Vargas complete control over how his work would be displayed.

“This was my first time being the gallery director,” said Vargas. “I’m super excited, but there’s some fear in wondering, ‘Am I doing the work justice? Is this their vision?’. I had plenty of conversations with Dave early on about what he envisioned, and he said, ‘I trust you. This is what the work means to me, but you’ll find your own meaning in displaying it.'” 

Working with her close friend and gallery assistant, Brianda Ortega, the pair brought the space to life. 

“Bri and I did our undergrad together, so as we were working with paintings [Burke] hadn’t touched in over 25 years, I was like ‘Wow, this could be us in 20 years’. I felt like I had to do this with the most love that I can for it.” 

Throughout the exhibit, there is clear intentionality within each piece’s placement with Burke saying he was very impressed with Vargas’s creative choices. 

“She did a great job,” Burke said as the room echoed praises for Vargas’s talent. 

Moving forward in her new role, Vargas wants to continue bringing attainable forms of art to the community. 

“This gallery operates very similarly to a museum. We’re free admission which makes art accessible to people,” Vargas said. “We really take our time in here. We’re so proud and so excited to share these things with others.” 

“What’s Left Behind” will run through December 4 and is completely free for students and community members who are interested in stopping by to view Burke’s works. 

“I hope everyone gets a chance to come, take their time and move around the show and look at all the details,” Marianelli added. 

Haldan Art Gallery is currently open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed Fridays and Saturdays.

You can view Burke’s work, including murals by Hungry Ghost Productions by visiting dburke.org. 

LTCC is located at 1 College Drive in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.