In the now thriving Sacramento art scene, theft has been a recurring problem among college artists.

Since 2005 American River College students and instructors have been seemingly targeted as victims of art theft. Within the past year the problem has become increasingly worse, with three pieces taken weeks apart from each other.

On Aug. 15, 2005, Craig Schindler, an instructor at ARC had a painting titled, "Para Las Mujeres Victimas de Cuidad Juarez" [translated as "For the victims of Cuidad Juarez"], taken from the Kanakos Gallery, a gallery located on the campus of ARC for students and faculty.

Schindler said the painting was a tribute to the women being victimized and found dead in the deserts of Juarez. The proceeds from the sale of the painting were to go to Amnesty International's funding for awareness of Juarez Mexico.

Student Denise O'Connor had two charcoal pieces titled "Jane" and "Reclining Nude" taken from the Mar. 15 showing "From Realism to Abstraction" at the H Street Phantom Space.

"Obviously, I thought they were good enough to exhibit in a student art show, but I can't help but thinking the subject matter may have made them of especial interest to someone," said O'Connor.

O'Connor did not anticipate her works being lifted, so unfortunately she does not have any photographs of her stolen pieces.

Student Ronda Chatelle had a matted photograph titled "World Traveler" taken from the same H Street Phantom Space just two weeks later on Mar. 28.

Chatelle has printed postcards and distributed them on the ARC campus and among the art community in hopes that her photograph will be returned to her.

Once again in March, at Formoli's restaurant on J Street, instructor John Stuart Berger had a piece titled, "Don't Fuck with Karly," stolen on the last day of the showing.

According to Berger, a fraudulent check was given as payment for the painting. After the check was found to be fraudulent, Berger was unable to reach the people responsible by phone or mail.

"I wanted to think that it wasn't done under malice, but after all this time my mind is beginning to shift the other way," said Berger.

One piece of art was returned to instructor Joy Bertinuson after she had a wood-burning titled "Stigmata" lifted from the Del Paso Boulevard Phantom Gallery site approximately two years ago. Bertinuson's piece was generously returned to her after a student at ARC recognized it and brought it back.

"I did feel strangely complimented that it was my work that was stolen," Bertinuson said. "Historically, the work of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch is one of the most sought after by thieves. In fact 'The Scream' has been lifted on several occasions. But I don’t think most artists share the feeling of being complimented at the theft of their works, particularly when they are still missing."

As the art community grows in Sacramento, so does theft and the fear among artists that they may be the next victims of lifted art.

Berger recommends, "If you're hanging at someone's house and see this painting on their wall," referring to his stolen painting, "it doesn't belong to them. You might want to mention to them, 'I bet you got a hell of a deal on that painting, wink wink'."

If any of these pieces are found please contact the American River College Art Department at: (916)484-8433  or The Sacramento Press at (916)443-6825 and they will be returned to the artists.