Dara Engler uses her oil paints and watercolors to create dramatic self-portraits that represent things that have happened to her in life.

Throughout October, students can view these portraits and more by Engler at Bry Art Gallery.

An art reception honoring Engler, a former art professor, took place Thursday at Bry Art Gallery. Her exhibition opened Sept. 30 and will be presented through Oct. 24.

For Engler, creating her artwork is a huge process. For one painting, she repainted the figure and the head three different times before she felt it was right. It took eight months to complete it.

“Some of them go a lot more quickly, you just never know,” said Engler. “And I tend to work on little things at the same time as large works to try and balance the type of work I’m doing so I get breaks from the big things and do things that take a little less time. ”

Engler has always had a love for art and decided in childhood that she would one day become an art teacher.

Engler doesn’t believe that all artists are teachers, but that all art teachers are also artists.

“I mean how can you help someone figure out how to get through things in their own work if you’re not going through the same thing,” Engler said.

Michelle Mccally, a senior art education major, went to the reception to show support for her favorite professor.

I’ve always liked her work because she uses herself and she distorts what she looks like a little bit,” said Mccally. “After a while if I see an artist that does only herself I’ll feel like it’s really vain but the way she changes everything gives it a different perspective.”

Engler worked at ULM for four years and teaches all levels of painting and drawing. She is currently in Ithaca College in New York.