UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry Professor Emerita Robin Garrell will showcase her artwork at the annual Sylvia Winstein Emeriti/Retirees Arts and Crafts Exhibit, to be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the UCLA Faculty Club (formerly the UCLA Faculty Center).
This campus event, organized by UCLA’s Emeriti/Retirees Relations Center, highlights the creative talents of retired faculty and staff from across the university. For Garrell, the exhibit marks not only a new chapter in artistic expression, but also a reconnection with Sylvia Winstein and her family’s legacy.
Garrell joined the department in 1991 and held a joint appointment in Bioengineering starting in 2013. She served as Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate Division at UCLA from 2011 to 2020. From August 2020 to September 2023, Garrell served as President of the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (CUNY).
“This will be my first time exhibiting,” Garrell said. “It feels like coming full circle after designing the department’s Saul and Sylvia Winstein Café Commons decades ago, in which art by members of the department community is featured.”
The Saul and Sylvia Winstein Café Commons, located in Young Hall 3037, was established in 2004 to honor the legacy of Professor Saul Winstein, a pioneering organic chemist, and his wife, Sylvia, who was a dedicated supporter of the department.
At the show, Garrell will present a selection of oil and gouache paintings, along with a mixed media piece. Her participation honors both her ongoing creative pursuits and the legacy of community art at UCLA. While she is the only current or former Chemistry & Biochemistry faculty member exhibiting this year, the show has been a meaningful platform for many – including the late Professor Jim Turner, former UCLA Assistant Vice Chancellor of Graduate Studies and husband of retired UCLA chemist Gloria Turner. Gloria was a long-time valued member of the department who helped run Professor Richard Weiss’ research group.
“Jim was a really nice person and an outstanding artist,” Garrell recalled. “Much of his work related to Australian Aboriginal style, with infinite numbers of paint dots. Really fine work.” Turner had exhibited at the show for many years and was previously honored as a featured artist.
The May 20 event is open to the public, and RSVPs are encouraged but not required. Additional details can be found at the UCLA Retirees website.
“I hope people will stop by the exhibit!” Garrell said.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penjen@g.ucla.edu.
