July 29, 2013 - It’s here! It’s here! The 2013 Ventura County Fair, “Boots, Barns & Banjos” opens Wednesday, July 31st at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Here for its 138th year, the Ventura County Fair is a longtime county tradition that cannot be missed!

The Ventura County Fair opens with “Dollar Day”, sponsored by Pepsi! On opening day, admission to the fair is just $1 until 3 PM. For just $1, you can see top-notch exhibits, horse shows, participate in contests and see fun, free entertainment. It’s a great value!

Arrive early and see the fair’s traditional “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony”. Winners of the Ventura County Fair’s poster contest will cut the ribbon, marking the opening of the 2013 Ventura County Fair.

As you enter the fair, you’ll immediately see, hear and smell your favorite fair features! You’ll hear the familiar sound of the infamous Tune Bandits at the Main Gate Stage. The smell of delicious funnel cakes, cotton candy and popcorn fill the air. Fair favorites like Uncle Leo’s Kids’ Tractor Pull, the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs and Hypnotist Tina Marie all make appearances on opening day. Join the fun and have a grand time.

Be sure to check out the Ventura County Fair’s newest attractions. The Youth Expo, sponsored by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, will feature a children’s hay maze, which is great fun for young fairgoers. Sample the brand new “Pig in a Poke”, which can be found at Cruisers Food Stand on Kelly Court. At first glance, this snack appears to be an ice cream sundae. Look closer and you’ll realize it’s a pork and mashed potatoes meal!

While you are at the fair, don’t miss Motorsports. Beginning at 6 PM in the Grandstand Arena, this amazing show will feature motorcycles and quads. Motorsports requires an additional $5 ticket for adults, and children ages 12 & under are admitted free. Motorsports is presented by Gold Coast Toyota Dealers.

End your night with an amazing fireworks show. At 10 PM, a fabulous fireworks extravaganza will burst in the night sky, right over the ocean. This great show is the perfect ending to a fun day at the fair.

The 2013 Ventura County Fair, “Boots, Barns & Banjos” runs from July 31st-August 11th. For more information, visit www.venturacountyfair.org.

PIRU, CA - Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) will host a low cost rabies clinic from 7 p.m. -8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13 at the Ventura County Fire Department’s Piru Fire Station 28, 513 N. Church Street, Piru. Six dollar rabies vaccinations will be provided to animal owners on a cash only basis.

In addition, the clinic will offer additional vaccinations - canine DHLPP & Parvo, canine bordetella and feline FVRCP - for $20 each and the rattlesnake vaccine for $40 each.

Dog/cat licenses and dog spay/neuter vouchers will also be available. Licenses are $20 for spayed/neutered animals, $75 for unaltered animals and both cash and checks are accepted.

For more information, please visit www.vcas.us/ or call (805) 388-4341 Option 6.

For more information, call 1-888-223-PETS (7387), 805-388-4341 or go to www.vcas.us/.

CSU Channel Islands Professor Jerry Clifford will discuss “The Physics of Art” in a free presentation from 5:30-7 p.m. Aug. 22 at Harbor Village Gallery. It is third in a series of free art appreciation events sponsored by the nonprofit Buenaventura Art Association and the first in the seaside gallery at Ventura Harbor.

Clifford has taught a college course by that name for many years at CSUCI, along with mathematics, applied physics and astronomy courses. Using classical and modern artworks, he will examine how artists employ light and color to affect our perception, often through their careful observation rather than scientific training.

He also will discuss the nature of light, the basis of color and its use in images, and take a look at eyesight and how the brain processes images. Learning some of the science involved can help everyone’s understanding and appreciation of art and may provide helpful insights for working artists.

The talk is open to BAA members and all interested members of the public. Admission is free, but seating is limited and reservations are necessary. To secure a place, RSVP to 648-1235.

The gallery at 1591 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor Village is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily except Tuesdays and remains open until 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information about Clifford’s presentation or BAA and its galleries, call 648-1235 or visit the website www.buenaventuragallery.org.

Ventura artist Hilda Kilpatrick will demonstrate alla prima oil painting, a wet-on-wet method that yields fresh, expressive canvases, in a free session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. August 10 at the Buenaventura Art Association’s Harbor Village Gallery.

Kilpatrick’s painting will be raffled off at the end of the demonstration. Tickets are $15, and the winner need not be present.

The technique, also known as direct painting, sidesteps the usual underpainting and gradual building up of colors with layers. Instead, the painting is completed while the pigments are wet, usually in one session. Famous painters who employed the style range from Paul Cezanne and John Singer Sargent to Caravaggio and Hieronymus Bosch.

Kilpatrick plans to talk about the alla prima (Italian for “at once”) method as she begins the painting and for the first half-hour or so, then will take questions while she continues to paint and as viewers come and go.
She worked in pastels in her native Peru, Kilpatrick said, and began to seriously develop her skills as a painter after moving to the United States. She has been painting since 1998 and has had many solo exhibitions and show awards. Landscapes are a favorite genre, influenced by the early California painters and the Impressionists. “By capturing places on my canvas, they remain timeless,” said Kilpatrick.

Regular hours for the gallery at 1591 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor Village are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily except Tuesdays and it stays open until 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information about Kilpatrick’s demonstration and raffle tickets or the nonprofit Buenaventura Art Association, call 648-1235 or visit the website www.buenaventuragallery.org.

The Ag Art Alliance presents

The Sixth Annual Art About Agriculture Exhibit
November 9, 2013 to February 9, 2014
$500 in Prizes

Art will be on exhibit at TWO museums
Santa Paula Art Museum
117 N. 10th Street
Santa Paula, California
www.santapaulaartmuseum.org

and

Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Avenue
Santa Paula, California
www.venturamuseum.org

The Ag Art Alliance was formed in 2007 by Gail Pidduck and John Nichols. The purpose of the exhibit is to promote Art About Agriculture by exploring all the facets of agriculture from workers to water, from machinery to fields and to the food that goes on our plates.

For more information, and to learn more about the exhibit through video interviews with the curators, artists may visit:

http://www.santapaulaartmuseum.org/art_about_ag.html

Eligibility

Art about Agriculture CONTINUED »

VENTURA, CA - Members of the Ventura community can take part in two special events at Foster Library. These events are free and fun for the whole family.

August 2nd at 7:00 p.m. “The Hidden Treasures of Korean Art and Modern Korea” Two documentary films focusing on Korea will be shown. The first film illustrates the artistic and cultural achievements of Korea's past, and the second film shows Korea's industrial achievements since the Korean War. Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project (KSCPP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to raising awareness of Korean history and culture. A reenactment of a traditional Korean wedding will follow the screening. Traditional Korean food will be served.

August 11th at 4:30 p.m. “What is the Electric Car?” A free screening of this exciting documentary will take place in the Topping Room. What is the Electric Car? is a new feature length documentary about Electric Vehicles (EVs) which are now on sale & arriving in showrooms in 2013. This entertaining film will trace the early history of EVs and continue forward 100 years later to follow the re-birth of an entire industry. This film is not just for EV enthusiasts or those passionate “Green” consumers, but will be an exciting journey for all audiences to go “Back to the Future!” EVs will be on site, you don’t want to miss this opportunity as Ventura is part of a nationwide Ride the Future tour.

For more information on E.P. Library visit www.vencolibrary.org/locations/epfoster or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/epfosterlibrary.

The mission of the Ventura County Library is to meet the general reading, life-long learning and informational needs of the people of Ventura County, with special focus on children, youth and families. E.P. Foster Library provides books, DVDs, music, programs and more to people of all ages. A free library card can be applied for and used at any Ventura County library location.

Friday, July 26, 2013
5:30 to 7 p.m.
Rotating Gallery
FREE to OVM Members
$7.00 at door for Non-members

In conjunction with the Ojai Valley Museum’s current exhibition, “Ojai Collects: Selections from Eight Ojai Private Collections,” the museum will host a PowerPoint lecture and book signing by world renowned, Santa Barbara based, painting conservator Scott Haskins. The title of his presentation is “Practical Tips for Collectors – Due Diligence When Buying and Damage Prevention.” A professional associate of the Ojai Valley Museum, Mr. Haskins is the conservator who restored the Jesse Arms Botke mural sections that are permanently displayed in the Sanctuary Gallery at the museum, and that once graced the lounge at The Oaks of Ojai hotel. We are delighted to have him return to share his knowledge about, and passion for, fine art conservation.

Scott Haskins’ childhood attraction to both art and science are happily merged in his professional life as an art conservator specializing in paintings. His passion for this field began in 1975 while studying for a master’s degree through an Italian painting conservation program. He was 23 years old. In 1978 he earned his master’s degree and moved back to the states where he held a faculty position at BYU in Utah, conserving the university’s art and history collections. In 1984, while at BYU, a group of private investors invited him to set up an art conservation lab in Santa Barbara, which he did, calling his new enterprise Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (aka FACL). He works his worldwide projects from this local base.

Scott Haskins established FACL, Santa Barbara, with an expert’s conviction that fine art conservation and restoration are necessary professional services within the art field. He works exclusively on paintings: paintings on walls (murals), paintings on canvas (easel) and art on paper. And, although he might advise on caring for the following, he “does not restore books, furniture, stained glass windows, old cowboy boots, antique cars, ancient documents, mummies . . . just paintings.” His laboratory provides services to large and small museums, art collectors, government collections, public art maintenance projects, auction houses, historical societies, corporate collections and the world of individuals who inherited paintings.

In addition to painting restoration, Scott Haskins’ FACL provides other services, including analysis of condition/authenticity; art related insurance evaluations – damage assessments; expert witness/legal testimony; and art collection consultations. After the 1994 earthquake in Northridge, Haskins was inspired to add another dimension to his areas of expertise – “to educate people about what they can do to save their valuable possessions when there is a physical disaster such as earthquake, fire or flood.” His soft cover book, “Save Your Stuff From a Disaster,” is a down to earth handbook about protecting and preserving a large array of treasures, including photographs, negatives, compact disks, ceramics, glass, rugs, sculpture, furniture, paintings and other collectables. Haskins will sign and sell his book immediately following his presentation.

If you have “things” you collect and “things” you cherish, you should be in the audience on July 26th to learn from an expert on the buying and preserving of “all things collectible.” Seating is limited and reservations are suggested. Please call (805) 640-1390 x 201. OVM members are Free of charge; Non-members are $7 at the door.

The Ojai Valley Museum, established in 1967, is generously supported in part by museum members, private donors, business sponsors and underwriters, the Smith-Hobson Foundation, Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, City of Ojai, Rotary Club of Ojai, and the Ojai Civic Association.

The museum is located at 130 W. Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA. Admission: free for current 2013 members, adults - $5.00, children 6–18 - $1.00 and children 5 and under – free. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Tours are available by appointment. Free parking is available off Blanche Street at back of museum.

For more information, call the museum at (805) 640-1390, ext. 203, e-mail ojaimuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum website at: Ojai Valley Museum.org or find us on Facebook Ojai Valley Museum

Artist Bob Privitt will be giving a special presentation titled “Why I Put What I Put Where I Put It, or ‘Bob! What Were You Thinkin’?’ ” on Friday, August 2nd, 6:30pm, at the Buenaventura Gallery in Ventura. One in a series of artist talks presented by the Buenaventura Art Association this year, the talk will take place during First Fridays Ventura Gallery Crawl.

Privitt, whose solo show “The Birds of Bob Privitt: Dreaming of Flying,” will be on exhibit at the downtown Ventura gallery at the time of the talk, is a Professor Emeritus from Pepperdine University in Malibu. He taught art at colleges and universities for 40 years before retiring from Pepperdine in 2004, where he capped 25 years with a two-year stint as artist-in-residence.

Privitt's ever-present sense of humor is evident in the title of his talk. He acknowledges that people are often mystified by the style of art he often works in, assemblage, which is a form of sculpture using "found" objects. “Using examples of work in the exhibition, I will show how to develop an understanding of an artwork through the process of analytical deconstruction.

“I’m interested in the juxtaposition of disparate elements to create new meaning,” he said of his intricate and thought-provoking works. “I have long been intrigued by images and shapes which seem to have simple and obvious meanings, but upon further examination prove to have multiple and even contradictory meanings.”

Admission to the talk is free. The Buenaventura Gallery is located at 700 E. Santa Clara St., Ventura. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information about the show or the nonprofit artists’ cooperative Buenaventura Art Association, contact the gallery at 648-1235 or visit www.buenaventuragallery.org.

The Ventura County Arts Council has begun a Strategic Planning process and we are seeking input from key community members. You have been selected by the VCAC Board of Directors for the valuable perspective you can offer our agency based on your participation and experiences within your respective field of arts interest.

We value your judgment and would therefore like to get your answers to a few questions that will let us know how well we are addressing the cultural needs of the county, based on our mission as stated below.

Here is the link to the short survey:

We value your judgment and thank you for taking the time to provide guidance to the Ventura County Arts Council. The responses we receive will determine the programs and services the Council provides to the community over the next 3 years. All responses will be confidential and information will be shared without any reference to the individual that provided the response.

MISSION: The Ventura County Arts Council supports and strengthens the arts throughout Ventura County by fostering a healthy environment in which the arts and culture can thrive and be accessible to all.

We are grateful for your time and assistance.

Todd Collart
President, Board of Directors

Margaret Travers
Executive Director

Most kids are familiar with guacamole, but how many have grown their own avocado tree, starting with an avocado seed? Kids and their families are invited to learn how the large seed they usually remove from inside an avocado can grow into an avocado tree at the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum on Sunday, August 4, 2013, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

During the free event, called “Grow an Avocado,” kids will work with the Agriculture Museum’s Education Coordinator and be given all the supplies they need to start their own plant. They can take home their seed along with instructions about proper care published by the California Avocado Commission. Sample avocado seeds started a month before the event will show kids what they can expect to see at home in the future. Avocado recipes will be shared with visitors.

“Grow an Avocado” is part of the Museum’s ongoing series of Free First Sunday activities for families and children. Designed to encourage agricultural awareness, these activities take place from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. every first Sunday of the month. Admission to the Agriculture Museum is free all day on Free First Sundays and includes admission to all Museum exhibits.

The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located in historic downtown Santa Paula at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, California. Hours are 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. General admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children ages 6-17. Free for Museum of Ventura County members and children ages 5 and younger. Paid events include free admission to the galleries, and the first Sunday of every month is free general admission to the public. For more information, go to www.venturamuseum.org or call (805) 525-3100.

Exhibits will come alive at the Museum of Ventura County during the new docent-led gallery talks. Each week knowledgeable Museum docent will highlight current exhibits and share their stories and research on a variety of topics including the Chumash Indians, Mission era and pioneer stories, and the history of Ventura county film making to name a few.

Talks will be held in the Huntsinger Gallery at 2 pm. These special talks will be held on the first, second and fourth Wednesday of the month. The third Wednesday Gallery Talk will be lead by Curator. Admission for the Wednesday Gallery Talks is included with general admission. $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. Seating available if needed.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Paid events include free admission to the galleries, and the first Sundays of every month are free general admission for the public. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.

SANTA PAULA, CA – The Santa Paula Art Museum is thrilled to announce that the band “Gathering” will return to the Museum with their “deeper well” tour on Sunday, July 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Singer, songwriter and guitarist Bill Bartels will be joined by fellow band members Eric Brown on harp, conga and percussion, Gregg Cassity on guitar, and singer/songwriter Teddi Cassity. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will accompany the group’s acoustic blend of styles, harmonies and genres. Admission to the concert is $10.00 for SPAM Members and $15.00 for the general public.

Members of Gathering describe themselves simply as a group of friends who have come together to make music from the heart. Bill, Eric and Gregg play acoustic blues and folk, and as Bartels said, “Teddi can sing anything.” They create original songs, and also cover their favorites from Lyle to Bruce, Odetta to the Weavers, to Bonnie and some of the graces. Mostly they play what strikes them, and the music is uniquely their own. It will be a very special performance and should not be missed.

The Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060. The Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sundays, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. For more information, please call (805) 525-5554, or email info@santapaulaartmuseum.org.

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
ArtWalk Ventura is a free, self-guided tour of dozens of galleries, studios and pop-up venues in Ventura's historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District and Downtown that features the work of the finest regional artists, drawing cultural tourists from all over. The event is now run by an all-volunteer group which has added new life to the event. For more information about ArtWalk Ventura, visit http://artwalkventura.org/, or email ArtWalk Ventura event organizer and owner of Vita Art Center Mary Perez at maryperez@vitaartcenter.com. Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/VenturaArtWalk.

The Ventura County Pottery Gallery will feature its sculpture artists in a group exhibit from July 13 through July 31, 2013. This collection shows a wide range of diverse styles of ceramic sculpture that the gallery's 21 artists create. Gallery artists are from Ventura and Santa Barbara county including Ojai Valley.

Photo by Mark Jansen
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Photo by Holly Jansen
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Photo by Holly Jansen
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Photo by Mark Jansen
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Photo by Holly Jansen
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Photo by Mark Jansen
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Photo by Mark Jansen
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Photo by Holly Jansen
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Photo by Mark Jansen
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Ojai, CA - The Ojai Photography Club welcomes Mark and Holly Jansen, of Jansen Photo Expeditions, to their July 16 meeting at 7:00 PM, Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 Santa Ana Street, Ojai.

The Jansens have been teaching and guiding photographic workshops since 2005, taking their clients on photographic tours throughout the American West and the world. Their Ojai Photography Club presentation on landscape photography, “It’s All About the Light,” will take members and visitors on a photographic journey that is all about learning to catch the light at perfect moments. Join us for stories and images of their favorite places and discussion of correct use of light, ISO settings and apertures. See the following for images, Jansen biographies and full information on these two adventurous and spirited photographers: http://www.jansenphotoexpeditions.com/Pages/default.aspx

Monthly presentations are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service and education outreach. Visitors are welcome to attend.

The club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Only members may submit images for critique. More information is available at: www.ojaiphotoclub.com/

VENTURA, CA - The Ventura Family YMCA will host their 13th Annual Fun and Fitness 5K on July 27th at the Ventura Family YMCA starting at 8:00 a.m. Event proceeds will help to fund the Ventura Family YMCA Open Doors Programs which ensures that no one is every turned away from the YMCA due to their inability to pay.

The event includes a 5K run or walk around the city of Ventura followed by a pancake breakfast all who participate. Awards will be handed out to the top three places in each division along with amazing raffle prizes throughout the day! Most importantly this is a wonderful opportunity to have fun with family and friends while supporting the Ventura Family YMCA. All pre-registered participants will receive a 5K T-shirt and the first 100 people will receive a YMCA goodie bag. Also, participants will be able to use the Ventura Family YMCA facility before and after the race.

Pre-registration is $30 for individuals and $65 for families and can be taken at the Ventura Family YMCA or online. Race day registrations will be $35 for an individual and $80 for a family.

To register for the Ventura Family YMCA Fun and Fitness 5K visit ciymca.org/ventura or for more information contact Patrick Lynch at 805-642-2131 ext. 22 or email Patrick.lynch@ciymca.org. Come see how we've been building
strong kids, strong families and strong communities in Ventura since 1887 and join us in a new generation of health, family and friendship at the YMCA!

About the Y
The Y is one of the nation's leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Ventura Family YMCA serves over 20,000 individuals annually through facility memberships, before & after school childcare, day & resident camps, youth sports, swim lessons, teen programs, and many more healthy lifestyles and community enriching programs which nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation's health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Through it's Open Doors program, the Y ensures that no one is ever turned away due to their inability to pay and facility memberships without contracts or join fees makes the Y accessible to all. The Ventura Family YMCA is located at 3760 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, CA 93003. Log on to ciymca.org/ventura.

Moorpark, CA - The Moorpark Morning Rotary Club Announces the 4th Annual Moorpark Beer Festival. This annual community fundraiser will take place at 5pm on Saturday, October 12, 2013. Presale tickets are sold at a 20 percent discount and will be available shortly online at http://www.moorparkbeerfestival.com/tickets.

“We are excited to once again bring this great community event to Moorpark” remarked Lilly Canterbury, Chair of the Moorpark Beer Festival. “This event is a great opportunity to bring the community of Moorpark together with our neighbors in the region and to raise money to support our local schools and nonprofit organizations.”

This year the Moorpark Beer Festival will feature a new venue: Moorpark College. This new venue will feature a 100,000 square foot festival space, large VIP area and ample parking in the college lots.

The Moorpark Beer Festival is the annual fundraiser of the Moorpark Morning Rotary Club. Started in 2010, the event has become a staple in the Moorpark community calendar and funds the Moorpark Morning Rotary Club’s philanthropic efforts throughout the year. All of the proceeds of the Moorpark Beer Festival will benefit the Moorpark Morning Rotary Club Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which uses the funds to support local schools and community organizations. Last year, the Moorpark Morning Rotary Foundation gave $25,000 in festival profits to 20 local schools and nonprofits.

Hazy Afternoon by Robert Clunie
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SANTA PAULA, CA – The Santa Paula Art Museum is taking a look back at the works of adventurous artist Robert Clunie. Clunie lived and worked in Santa Paula for 25 years beginning in the early 1920s. The retrospective spans 40 years of Clunie’s art and includes his famous Sierra scenes as well as unique and rarely seen pieces from private collections. An opening reception will be held Saturday, July 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Admission to the reception is $10 for SPAM members and $15 for the general public.

Robert Clunie was born in Scotland in 1895, and his natural artistic talents were obvious from a young age. He came to the United States in 1911, settling first in Michigan. By 1918, he knew he had found his true home in California. Clunie’s connection to Santa Paula is owed to the beautiful Myrtle Ireland, whom he met at a Ventura dance when Myrtle was still a senior at Santa Paula High School. They were married in 1919.

Clunie is best known for his breathtaking paintings of the Sierra Nevada. Most summers found him at his campsite at 11,000 feet in upper Big Pine Canyon, painting feverishly from morning to dusk. This retrospective is special however in that it also includes some of his more unusual work including early depictions of Ventura County and portraiture. The exhibit runs through November 3, 2013.

The Santa Paula Art Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street in downtown Santa Paula. The Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m. Admission is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors and is free for Museum members and students. For more information, please contact the Museum at (805) 525-5554, or email info@santapaulaartmuseum.org.

Publicity Images: “South Mountain” by Robert Clunie, 1928, oil on canvas, 24” x 28”, Private Collection; “Hazy Afternoon, The Minarets from Minaret Summit” by Robert Clunie, 1929, oil on canvas, 41” x 47”, Private Collection.

Exhibit opening reception, July 12, 5pm at the California Oil Museum. A showing of the newly restored film, Safety Last!, a 1923 black and white silent on July 12, 7pm at the Universalist Unitarian Church in Santa Paula. Reception is free; film showing is $5 suggested donation.

The exhibit at the California Oil Museum will be consisting of 30 photographs along with rare items from the family’s collection including posters, scripts, awards and more. Showing of the film, Safety Last! will be at Santa Paula’s Universalist Unitarian Church located at 740 East Main Street. Don’t miss this rare treat to see the newly restored 2K digital film transfer with musical score by composer Carl Davis from 1989, synchronized and restored under his supervision and presented in uncompressed stereo.

The comic genius of silent start Harold Lloyd is eternal. Chaplin is the sweet innocent, Keaton the stoic outsider, but Lloyd – the modern guy striving for success- is us. And with its torrent of perfectly executed gags and astonishing stunts, Safety Last! Is the perfect introduction to him. Lloyd plays a small-town bumpkin trying to make it in the big city, who finds employment as a lowly department –store clerk. He comes up with a wild publicity stunt to draw attention to the store, resulting in an incredible feat of derrring-do on his part that gets him started on the climb to success. Laugh-out-loud funny and jaw-dropping in equal measure, Safety Last! Is a movie experience par excellence, anchored by a genuine legend.

Who: Harold Lloyd: The King of Daredevil Comedy

What: Photograph exhibit and film showing

Where: California Oil Museum and Universalist Unitarian Church in Santa Paula

When: July 12. Opening reception at 5pm, Film showing at 7pm.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Twelve years after playing Hamlet on the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival stage, Brett Elliot is bringing the Bard’s famous tragedy back as director.

“Hamlet” will conclude the 17th annual season at California Lutheran University with performances at 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from July 19 through Aug. 4 in scenic Kingsmen Park. The festival grounds open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking and pre-show entertainment begins at 6:15 p.m.

“Hamlet” is the story of a young Danish prince who seeks to avenge the death of his father in a court filled with manipulation and deceit. Set in 1601, the year it was written, the Kingsmen production highlights Hamlet’s internal, spiritual struggle as he confronts his terrifying destiny. Featuring Elliott’s characteristic fight choreography, the briskly paced but thoughtful traditional rendering is designed to offer plenty of fodder for sophisticated fans while remaining an accessible and engaging introduction for young people and newcomers.

Elliott, who the Los Angeles Times called a “convincing” and “forceful presence” in the title role in 2001, wanted to revisit Shakespeare’s masterpiece as director after the success of his productions of “All’s Well That Ends Well” and “Romeo and Juliet” on the Kingsmen stage.

Ty Mayberry will make his debut with the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company as Hamlet. He also played the role at the Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre of Houston and directed the play in Los Angeles. Ted Barton, who has performed at the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre and with many Shakespeare companies around the country, will also appear in the festival for the first time. Kingsmen veterans Elyse Mirto, Marc Silver and John Slade help round out the cast. Harold Dixon, a University of Arizona professor emeritus of theatre who has performed in and directed multiple Shakespeare productions, returns after playing Prospero in the 2013 festival’s first show, “The Tempest.”

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company is the professional theatre company of CLU. In addition to producing one of the area’s most popular outdoor theatrical events, it provides apprentice programs, an educational tour program and summer youth theater camps.

Guests should bring low-back lawn chairs or blankets to sit on and warm clothes. General admission is $20 for adults and free for those under 18. Box seats, which accommodate six adults, are $75 or $90. For information or advance lawn box reservations, call 805-493-3014 or visit http://www.kingsmenshakespeare.org. Individual tickets are available only at the door.