Thanks to the advocacy of Curatorial Assistant Emily Falke, who had studied with the artist at CSU Bakersfield in 2000, and support from many other students, staff and faculty, Susannah Israel showed 18 figures at the reopening of the new BMOA in 2002. 

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     The show was titled "Oil & Cotton: A Season In Bakersfield" and represented the influences and inspiration of the people, place and community she found there. Israel maintained these ties to the community and continued to visit and exhibit in Bakersfield at MOMAS Gallery and Todd Madigan Gallery, for many years.