James Cobb, a recognized artist, musician and new media and digital imaging teacher at the Lake, is showcasing his and eight of his students’ artworks in the series titled “Digital Masterworks & Tattoo Legend” at South Texas College (STC) in McAllen.

Cobb has been teaching new media and digital imaging courses for the last three years, and before that he was a full-time artist. His expertise ranges from oil painting to digital media.

The “Digital Masterworks & Tattoo Legend” show is made up of two series titled “Our Children” and “The Secret Lives of Sticks and Stones;” both series are digital prints.

The series “Our Children” includes a collection of 10 images of children with digitized tattoos that cover their bodies to convey different subjects such as botany, religion, popular culture and zoology. This series is also accompanied by a soundtrack from Cobb’s band Six-Fing Thing and an audio interview of the children photographed.

The series “The Secret Lives of Sticks and Stones” is made up of abstract images created using Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator software.

“Showing my students’ artworks is the most rewarding part of this exhibit,” said Cobb.

Chris Burrell, one of the students whose artwork is being showcased, said that the inspiration for his art “is the people close to me who make me how I am.”

Both Cobb and Burrell said that they feel that there is not enough exposure of students’ artwork on campus. “Some students around campus who aren’t art majors don’t pay enough attention to the art we’re producing,” said Burrell. Cobb also mentions this problem, “there is not enough exposure, it is important to see what other students are doing.”

The exhibit began on April 17 and will continue until May 17 at the STC Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd., McAllen.

The exhibit will then make stops at the Mid-Valley campus in Weslaco and the Starr County campus in Rio Grande City.