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Must-see Guide to ArtWalk Ventura
By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 10th, 2013
Event kicks off with “Convergence” benefit on July 19
VENTURA, CA - ArtWalk Ventura will take to the streets of Ventura’s historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District on Saturday, July 20, from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday, July 21, from noon until 5 p.m. That weekend, shops, restaurants and storefronts will be transformed into high-end art galleries and studios showcasing the talents of more than 500 regional artists in the thriving arts community. The following is a guide of the must-see attractions for this year’s cultural event: · Focus on the Masters presents “Convergence” – The electrifying kick-off event will feature a breathtaking performance by Ventura County Ballet Company’s DAnce ART the evening of Friday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m. The ballet ensemble will dance to live classical music performed by Grammy-nominated composer Miguel del Aguila and master violinist Yue Deng, as projections of paintings by Koch bathe the dancers in expressionistic color and texture. Advanced tickets only may be purchased at www.focusonthemasters.com. · Gerd Koch Exhibition – Gerd Koch, a trailblazer of the Ventura County art scene for more than 50 years, has been honored as ArtWalk Ventura’s 2013 Artist of Distinction. His art exhibition will be on display at the Vita Art Center. · PODS® Mini Galleries – Donated by Steve Yapp, owner of Your Local PODS® Service Provider, 16 PODS® containers will be converted in mini art galleries, each one uniquely designed by local artists. The storage containers will be placed throughout Downtown and Ventura’s West End, connecting the mini galleries with more than two dozen traditional galleries. A few of the PODS® containers on display have been transformed by muralist MB Hanrahan and John White, as well as a PODS® container that has been designed by Patagonia as a tribute for its 40th anniversary. · Chris Jensen Portrait Gallery – Chris Jensen, the man behind the lense who took portraits of 40 featured ArtWalk Ventura artists, will have his photographs on display in a PODS® Mini Gallery located at Bell Arts Factory. · Street Festival – Sponsored by the Ventura Auto Center, the street festival will feature live music, art, vendors and an eco-friendly automobile display on Thompson Boulevard, outside the WAV, located at 175 S. Ventura Ave. This free, family-friendly festival is open to the public and being held in conjunction with the WAV, a state-of-the-art artist community that offers affordable living and work space for more than 80 artists from 21 countries, who are painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians, writers, actors, filmmakers and more. · Bowl Hop – ArtWalk attendees may purchase a $25 beautifully hand-crafted artistic bowl. In return, patrons will receive a punch card to “hop” around to fine restaurants in Ventura and sample delicious cuisine. All proceeds from Bowl Hop will benefit Project Understanding, a 501(c)(3) charity that provides hope by developing and directing resources for the purpose of transforming lives and community through justice, mercy and compassion. · Bell Arts Factory Acoustic Garden – A major sponsor of this year’s ArtWalk Ventura event, the historic Bell Arts Factory will host live music throughout the weekend and feature three exhibitions: The Artists’ Union in the Janet Addision Community room, Vita Arts Center’s “Artist of Distinction” exhibition featuring Gerd Koch, as well as Mike Nava’s art display in the Tool Room Gallery. Food trucks will also be on-site providing delicious fare to patrons. For more information about ArtWalk Ventura, visit http://artwalkventura.org//. About ArtWalk Ventura |
