RANCHO SANTIAGO COLLEGE PRESENTS GRAPHICS EXHIBIT

Gene Isaacson, acting director of the Rancho Santiago College Art Gallery in Santa Ana, says his habit of collecting art has grown from “a mild interest to a passion. And from a passion to an incurable disease.”

A portion of his collection--about 50 works representing a mere 25% of his graphics collection--is on display at the college. The exhibit, at 17th and Bristol streets, runs through Friday.

“Tradition and Change: Corot to Miro; Albers to Albuquerque” is a crash course in art history covering the last 120 years, with contemporary art by Robert Rauschenberg, Jim Dine, Larry Bell and Eric Orr, among others. Also included are such masters as Pablo Picasso and Camille Corot. “My taste is directed toward color and abstraction,” said the tall, sandy-haired Isaacson, who has been teaching at the college for 21 years. “I’m not too fond of classical images. I like nonobjective art.”

In the exhibit space, which resembles a comfortable living room, sprawling abstracts and pristine oil paintings are extended a few inches from the wall with the help of wooden floats. The paintings are surrounded by plants, some of Isaacson’s furniture and a few of his antique clocks.

The display was constructed by Isaacson and the students in his exhibition design and installation class at Rancho Santiago. The gallery’s next exhibition, “New California Painting: Dealers’ Choice,” will open Feb. 24.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m; Monday through Thursday evenings, 6 to 8 p.m.