A retrospective exhibit titled “A Creative Life: The Art of Edward Harvey” is on display now through May 16 in the Hancock College Ann Foxworthy Gallery.

Works from the late artist’s 2004 show, along with sculpture, airbrushed and digital paintings, and eight never before seen animations which Harvey called “moving paintings,” comprise the exhibit.

Four years ago, after more than 25 years as a teacher, artist and Hancock fine arts instructor, Harvey battled cancer.

His medical diagnosis required surgeries and chemotherapy, challenging him physically, artistically and philosophically.

Despite the fact that both the illness and treatment took their toll, Harvey had been creating new work. He asked Marti Fast, a fellow instructor and director of the college’s art gallery, if she could mount a show of his digital paintings at the college. But there was a problem — the gallery was booked for the spring and would not re-open until after a two-year remodeling project.

“That’ll be great, but I don’t think I’ll be around to see it,” Harvey dryly commented.

That realization stirred Fast to action, and she and fine arts department chair, Steve Lewis, decided to replace the scheduled art exhibit with Harvey’s first one-man show. And that’s when things really began to move.

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Painting on a computer, Harvey added piece after piece to the show list. A new Epson printer allowed him to turn out large prints using archival paper and inks. His output was prodigious.

With only a 30-day time frame from start to opening, Fast began to wonder if she had enough wall space and how in the world she would get everything framed in time. But each time a challenge arose, people volunteered to help.

Then she had the idea of interviewing Harvey to have a record of his thoughts and ideas. And that brought Hancock colleagues Casey and Susan Case into the process.

After the first interview they all agreed, “We’ve really got something here. Let’s see where it goes.”

The months of interviewing Harvey became 22 hours of footage from which the Cases and editor Kevin Bailey produced a 50-minute documentary. “A Creative Life — Who is Ed Harvey” was accepted into the local showcase of the 2008 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, and was shown in April 2008 as part of the Legacy Project sponsored by the college’s Community Education program.

By popular demand, two additional screenings of the documentary have been scheduled at 7 p.m. today at the Lompoc Valley Center, Room 3-114 and at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 15 at the Forum (Room C-40) on the Santa Maria campus.

These screenings are free to the public but pre-registration is encouraged and being accepted at the Lompoc Valley Center and Santa Maria campuses by noon on each day of the event. Reservations will be taken on the night of the event on a space-available basis only.

For more information, call the Community Education office at 922-6966, Ext. 3209.

The Ann Foxworthy Gallery is located within the Academic Resource Center, building L-South, on the Santa Maria campus. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.

For information, call the fine arts department at 922-6966, Ext. 3252.