THOUSAND OAKS, CA - An exhibit featuring art by masters including Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and David Hockney will run through Sept. 28 in the William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art at California Lutheran University.

The opening reception for “Resonating Images II” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20.

The free exhibit features a wide variety of works reflecting life from the middle of the 20th century through today by many significant artists. Leslie Sacks Fine Arts loaned pieces by Cubist movement co-founder Picasso, pop art leader Warhol, and Chuck Close, an artist known for his highly inventive techniques for painting the human face. President Bill Clinton presented Close with the National Medal of Arts in 2000, and President Barack Obama appointed him to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The show also features two recent pieces by Hockney, one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century.

One of the exhibit’s artworks is “La Familia,” a 1992 charcoal-on-canvas by Fernando Botero. The Colombian artist depicts daily life, milestones, historical events and the natural world in a figurative style combining fine details and exaggerated volume. The result is art conveying scathing criticism, irony and humor.

The exhibit also includes works by Ernie Barnes, Sandow Birk, Rebecca Campbell, Rafael Coronel, James Doolin, D.J. Hall, Constance Mallinson, Peter Milton, Larry Rivers, Doug Webb, Ruth Weisberg, Robert Williams and Jerome Witkin.

Curated by Jeff Phillips, the artworks are on loan from artists as well as the California African American Museum, David Hockney Studios, Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Koplin Del Rio Gallery, La Louver Gallery, Mixografia and the Museum of Latin American Art.

Events sponsored by The Ann Peppers Foundation Arts Education Series will be scheduled throughout the course of the exhibit.

The Rolland Gallery is located on the north side of Olsen Road between Campus Drive and Mountclef Boulevard on the Thousand Oaks campus. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and by appointment. For more information, call 805-493-3697 or email rollandgallery@callutheran.edu.

Bikes of all styles, makes and models will join the July 28 Summit to Sea Poker Run & Rally and ride the historic route taken by the likes of Steve McQueen, Von Dutch, and Bud Elkins. Ridin from sunny Santa Paula - home of the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival - through Ojai, past Lake Casitas and coming down to the sea, returning to Santa Paula for a rockin’ rally with vintage bike display, toe-tapping live music, tri-tip BBQ, air show, and Firestone 805 Beer Garden.

In this far-from-typical school fundraiser for the country school with under 100 students (kindergarten to sixth grade), that has been the heart of the Upper Ojai community for a century, the Summit Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (501c3) will raise funds that pay for teachers’ aides, an all-school art program, campus enhancement, and other programs to enrich the learning environment at the school.

On Sunday, July 28, in partnership with the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival, Summit Elementary School PTO volunteers will welcome motorcycle riders of all types of bikes to the first Summit to Sea Poker Run and Rally. Riders will cruise on the 50-mile course taking them on scenic back roads from the Summit in Upper Ojai down to the Ventura sea returning to the fields of the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival in Santa Paula to play their hands and other surprise prize-winning cards, and kick back to the rockin’ tunes of RedFish and Hard 6.

Registration starts at 9 am in Santa Paula just off highway 126 at the Limoneira fields- 18249 East Telegraph Road - located behind the 76 gas station at 55 North Hallock Drive. Riders will receive the course map and Poker Run stops and will then cruise through Santa Paula up scenic highway 150 through the Upper Ojai Valley in view of the Topatopa mountains. Riders will loop through the back roads of the Ojai Valley and head down to the sea for a coastal Ventura ride as they head back to Santa Paula for the rockin rally.

Back at the rally, vintage bikes of all kinds will be on display, including the World’s Oldest Indian motorcycle from 1902 (courtesy of David Hensen from The Shop). The rally will also include a tasty tri-tip BBQ, vendors and ice-cold Firestone 805 on tap. After hard-rockin performances by Hard Six, a local Ventura favorite, and RedFish, known as the band “uglier than The Beatles cuter than the Rolling Stones,” the day wraps with an air display by the Santa Paula Airport Association, including historic plane fly-bys, aerobatic stunts and sky divers.

Online pre-registration before July 15: $35 ($45 with a passenger) gets you registration in the Poker Run, entrance to Rally and eligible for High/Low prizes, door prizes and raffle ticket for each paid rider supporting Turning Point Foundation mental-health services for veterans. Free event pin for first 100 registrants. After July 15, price will be $45 per rider/$55 with passenger. General admission to Rally is $5. Kids 10 and under are free. Sponsors include Firestone 805, The Shop, Johnny Angel Chop Shop, and Cal Coast Motorsports.

California State Old Time Fiddlers District 8 will meet Sunday, July 14 and 28, 2013 from 1:30-4:30pm at the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. Join fiddlers for an afternoon of playing, listening and dancing to Country Western and Bluegrass music. No admission or parking charge. Refreshments available. For more information and to find out about upcoming workshops go to calfiddlers.com or call 805-797-6563.

Join the Museum of Ventura County for an exciting ArtWalk Ventura weekend special exhibition, Art on the Edge, with exhibits featured throughout the Museum, in the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Pavilion, and on the Plaza.

Saturday, July 20 from 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. watch a live demonstration by artist Paulo Ruvalcaba on the Museum Plaza and meet featured artists Ryan Carr, Courtney Sprigg, Dominica Sanchez, and James Norwood in the Pavilion. Keep the party going from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. on the Museum Plaza when the Next Generation presents an outdoor screening of the 1998 comedy written and directed by the Coen Brothers, The Big Lebowski. Bring your lawn chair or blanket to enjoy evening of an adult humor! $20.00 per person includes a nacho buffet, popcorn and a no-host bar. Reservations required by calling (805) 653-0323 x 7.

Sunday, July 21 from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. on the Museum Plaza watch as sculptor John Perry creates numerous configurations with his famous Equilique figures! Perry will be showcasing the various ways these acrobatic figures can be arranged and stacked to create hours of fun! Also on display will be some of his more traditional sculptures of animals, birds, and fish. Ryan Carr, Courtney Sprigg, Dominica Sanchez and James Norwood showcase their work in the Pavilion.

During the entire ArtWalk weekend the Museum galleries will be open with free admission. Catch the summer exhibitions: Shooting for the Stars, Celebrity Photographs by Guy Webster; Quiet on the Set! A Century of Film in Ventura County; and Charlie Chaplin shorts in our temporary Art Deco-inspired movie theater.

Meet the Artists:
Paulo Ruvalcaba is an illustrator for the film, video game, and book publishing industries. He also teaches classes on painting from live models at the new Gallery 1880 in Midtown Ventura and directs weekend plein-air excursions.

Ryan Carr is an alumni from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where he earned his BFA (2008) in Illustration. He currently resides in Ventura and enjoys nature and drawing in fine lines.

Courtney Sprigg is a 20-year-old college student and artist who is extremely proud to be a bookworm and is always in the process of executing a new oil painting.

Dominica Sanchez is a California visual artist currently living in Canton, OH. She works primarily with ink, oil stick and graphite on paper.

James Norwood studied Fine Arts at CSUCI. He is a former teacher trained in sculpture and casting.

John Perry was born in Bath, England at the outbreak of WWII. He received no formal art training but at a young age a rare bone disease left him bedridden for 18 months with idle time to perfect his sculpting skills. Later in life he perfected resin casting and created his famous Equilique figures.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323. The all-volunteer ArtWalk Ventura is a weekend of coordinated exhibits, sales, artist demonstrations and events at galleries, studios, and other venues. To learn more, go to www.artwalkventura.org for details.

VENTURA, CA - ArtWalk Ventura, Ventura County’s weekend celebration of the area’s thriving arts community, returns for its 20th year on July 20-21. ArtWalk Ventura has long been a signature event of Ventura, drawing thousands of cultural tourists from all over California.

The two-day event will take to the streets of Ventura’s historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District as venues will be transformed into high-end art galleries and studios for patrons’ viewing pleasure. Artwork of more than 500 esteemed regional artists, including this year’s Artist of Distinction, Gerd Koch, will be on display throughout the weekend.

New to ArtWalk’s free, self-guided tour is the addition of PODS® Mini Galleries, with 16 PODS® containers being converted into mini art galleries, each one uniquely designed by local artists. The transformed PODS® containers, generously provided by Steve Yapp, owner of Your Local PODS® Service Provider, will be placed throughout Downtown and Ventura’s West End, connecting the mini galleries with more than two dozen traditional galleries.

“The PODS Galleries are a great addition that brings an entire new dimension to ArtWalk,” said Mary Perez, ArtWalk Ventura organizer and owner of Vita Art Center. “The creative ingenuity of the artists is exciting to see as they will have a new medium to explore, transforming the storage containers from plain white boxes to artwork, art installations and mini art studios.”

Kicking off the illustrious affair will be a special multimedia benefit event hosted by Focus on the Masters on Friday, July 19. “Convergence” will feature an electrifying performance by Ventura County Ballet Company’s DAnce ART. 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.

Also new to ArtWalk Ventura this year, under the generous sponsorship of the Ventura Auto Center, will be a street festival with 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.

ArtWalk Ventura attendees also will have the opportunity to participate in Bowl Hop, in which they 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.

“We are always excited to bring this sensational event to life every year as we get to share the fantastic work crafted by our vibrant arts community,” Perez said. “ArtWalk is a great way for our community to praise and appreciate the stunning artwork these world-class artists residing Ventura County can produce.”

For more information about ArtWalk Ventura, visit http://westsideartwalk.org/.

Event Info:
What: ArtWalk Ventura
When: Saturday, July 20, noon – 8 p.m. and Sunday, July 21, noon - 5 p.m.
Where: Ventura’s Historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District

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://westsideartwalk.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.

Guy Webster, photographed by Liza Gizara, 2009.

Get up close and personal with renowned celebrity photographer Guy Webster at the inaugural event in the Museum’s new Salon Series. Enjoy wine and hors d'oeuvres in the gallery featuring his exhibit, Shooting for the Stars: Celebrity Photographs. Then gather round as Guy shares his personal and intimate memories of the film and television stars, who were often both subjects and friends, he photographed during his long career.

This Salon Series will be held on Friday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. $45 for non-members and $35 for Museum members with seating is limited to 50 guests.

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. Admission to the exhibitions is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. 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.

Recurves Archery Bows: Richard Flores Collection, Archery Bows – 1940 to Current
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Paul Suttman Bronze – “The Hat”: Anonymous Collector
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New Guinea Mask: Matzkin Collection, New Guinea Art: Sepik River
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Mickey Mouse -OVMuseum Installation Detail: Valerie Greenberg Collection, Mickey Mouse & Disney
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Kienholz - “Kienholz TV”: Anonymous Collector, American Art 1968-1980
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Jasper Johns - “Fools House”: Anonymous Collector, American Art
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The Ojai Valley Museum opens its third exhibition for 2013 on Saturday, June 29th, to celebrate the “individual passion for collecting.” “Ojai Collects” includes significant works from private collections housed throughout the town of Ojai. Many of these pieces have never been shown in public prior to this exhibit. The eight collections included in the show represent personal passions for: Popular Culture, American Art 1968 – 1980, New Guinea/Sepik River Carvings, Archery Bows, American Bronzes, Southern Outsider Art, The American West, and Contemporary Glass Art. They will be installed in the Rotating Gallery.

Museum Director and Curator of “Ojai Collects,” Michele Ellis Pracy, visited the homes of the eight Ojai based collectors and selected the exhibited works in order to give visitors of all ages an educational and specially unique museum experience. Each private collection in the exhibit has wall texts and object labels illuminating the subjects and objects displayed.

In essence, the eight Ojai residents are sharing selections from their stellar collections amassed over many years. These individual collectors are sharing their own personal museums with us over the summer months.

Included in the private collections are works by American modern art stars such as Claes Oldenburg, Edward Kienholz, Jasper Johns and Frank Stella, among others; etchings by Edward Borein, describing the American West and cowboy culture; pieces by premier glass artists Dale Chihuly and William Morris; and Mickey Mouse and other Disney collectibles. All are pieces that have never been organized into an exhibition in this manner, and rarely, if ever, seen by the public!

The exhibition runs through Sunday, September 13. The opening reception will be on Saturday, July 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

The museum is located at 130 W. Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA. Admission: free for current 2013 members, adults - $4.00, 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.

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.

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. Find us on Facebook Ojai Valley Museum

The Artists Guild of Fillmore is presenting their Third Annual Art Exhibit on the Shively Wall at the Blanchard Community Library, 119 N. 8th Street, Santa Paula. The Show runs for two months, it opened June 1 and will close July 25, 2013. This is a collaborative effort between the Artists Guild of Fillmore, Santa Paula Society of the Arts and the Blanchard Community Library. Show hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 12 noon - 8; Wednesday 10 - 6; Saturday 10 - 2; closed Friday and Sunday

The Guild consists of local Fillmore artists who create art in a variety of media and artistic styles that melt into cohesive color, energy and pattern. The public is invited to come and view the Exhibit.

Mark your calendar for August 31 through October 2, 2013 when more of the art work of the Artists Guild of Fillmore will be highlighted at the famous Ojai Art Center,113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai.

The Buenaventura Art Association will present “The Birds of Bob Privitt: Dreaming of Flying,” an exhibition of his drawings, assemblage and sculpture, in a solo show July 16-Aug. 10 at its downtown Ventura gallery.

Privitt, who lives in Thousand Oaks, taught art at colleges and universities for 40 years before retiring in 2004 from Pepperdine University in Malibu, where he capped 25 years with a two-year stint as artist-in-residence.

In creating his art, Privitt said, he gravitates toward “subjects dealing with the human condition.” He uses some conceptual methods of Dada and Surrealism to explore the psychological balance between “reasonable” and “irrational,” but does not consider himself a Dada or Surrealist artist.

“I am merely an observer of the human condition, with its myths, dreams, future hopes, flights to freedom, and the balance between positive events and negative actions,” he said, hence this show highlighting “birds and the possibility of a flight to freedom.”

Privitt will attend an opening reception 4-7 p.m. July 20 and, ever the teacher, will present a special talk at a 5-8 p.m. reception Aug. 2 during First Fridays Ventura. He’s titled the 6:30 p.m. presentation “Why I Put What I Put Where I Put It, or ‘Bob! What Were You Thinkin’?’ ” and said that, “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.”

Privitt’s works have been chosen by jury in more than 100 national and regional exhibitions and earned awards in more than a third of them. His drawings and sculptures are in many public collections, including those of several universities and the City of Thousand Oaks. Examples can be found online at mediasquirt.com/privitt.

About two dozen of his artworks will be in “The Birds of Bob Privitt” in the Clauphine Dooley Gallery at the Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara St. 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.

Cell Series by Ricardo Rodríguez
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Bones Series by Ricardo Rodríguez
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Ojai, CA - “Where is Photography Today?” is a question Ricardo Rodríguez will ask – and answer – on Tuesday, June 18, when he visits the Ojai Photography Club’s regular meeting.

Rodríguez studied photography at the University of Puerto Rico. In 2010, he obtained his Masters in Fine Art at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California. After earning his MFA he taught photography at Ventura College.

Rodríguez utilizes photography to explore the different ways he can approach reality, and usually he shows photography combined with installations. Since the beginning, he has been interested in creating conceptual work, and he is particularly interested in blurring the line between reality and representation. His work has been recognized in his native Puerto Rico, as well as in Korea and the United States. Recently his work became part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California. Currently, Rodríguez is the gallery curator of Tool Room Gallery in Ventura and teaches photography at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada Flintridge, California.

The program begins at 7:00 PM, at Kent Hall, located at Help of Ojai’s Little House, 111 Santa Ana Street, in Ojai. After his presentation, Rodriguez will critique images submitted by club members. Monthly presentations are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service outreach and visitors are welcome to attend.

The Ojai Photography 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. For additional information please visit: http://ojaiphotoclub.com/ and http://www.ricardorodriguez.net/

Ventura, CA - On Sunday June 23, 2013, the community of Ventura will get the rare opportunity to meet a true rocket scientist. Dr. Marc Rayman will give a fascinating and entertaining presentation on the Dawn mission and its use of ion propulsion as well as its two exotic destinations. He also will share the excitement and profundity of controlling a spacecraft in deep space.

The ambitious and exciting Dawn mission, launched in September 2007, is one of NASA's most remarkable ventures into the solar system. The spacecraft has recently completed a spectacular exploration of Vesta and is now traveling to Ceres; these were among the last uncharted worlds in the inner solar system prior to Dawn. They are the two most massive residents of the main asteroid belt, that vast collection of bodies between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres is so large that it is included in the category of dwarf planets, along with Pluto. The alien landscapes Dawn reveals provide humankind with a new perspective on the solar system. Remnants from the time that planets were formed, Ceres and Vesta hold clues that will help scientists understand the dawn of the solar system.

Dawn orbited Vesta from July 2011 to September 2012 and returned astonishing views of this fascinating world. It is the only spacecraft ever to orbit an object in the asteroid belt and is the first ever targeted to orbit any two solar system destinations. Such a mission would be impossible without the use of ion propulsion, a technology that has mostly been in the domain of science fiction, but which was tested extensively on the Deep Space 1 mission, paving the way for Dawn.

For additional information about the event contact Sara Roberts, Senior Librarian at (805) 648-2715.

E.P. Foster Library is located at 651 E Main St. Ventura, CA.

“Wonder Valley” by Mary-Austin Klein, oil on duralar mounted on board, 33.5” x 23.5”, Collection of the artist.
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SANTA PAULA, CA – The Santa Paula Art Museum’s newest group show features forty artists whose works examine the issue of the recognizable character of California, both the place and the people. The highly diverse ensemble of artists and artworks reflect the many “faces” of California’s complex identity. An opening reception will be held Saturday, June 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. where guests can meet the artists while enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres. Admission to the reception is $10 for SPAM members and $15 for the general public.

“Face of California” called upon artists to illustrate their first impression of California, leaving it very much open to their individual interpretation. The assemblage of works that resulted is nothing short of extraordinary. The show features forty pieces of art, ranging from works in oil like Mary Austin Klein’s breathtaking “Wonder Valley”, to Roe Anne White’s incandescent photography, to Sylvia Raz’s charismatic sculpture “The Tios are Coming”. Taken as a whole, the show is an ode to landscape, landmarks, light and life. With its warm and inviting imagery, the exhibit is perfect for summer viewing, and the show runs through October 20, 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.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The 17th annual Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival at California Lutheran University will open with “The Tempest.”

Directed by J. Michael Arndt, performances will begin at 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 28 through July 14 in scenic Kingsmen Park. The festival grounds open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking and entertainment.

“The Tempest” is a magical fantasy set on an island ruled by Prospero, an exiled duke who uses his magic to shipwreck his usurpers and bring them ashore. The play opens with a massive storm aboard a ship, which will be conveyed through staging without the aid of lighting effects since it will be still be daylight in the park.

One of William Shakespeare's last plays, “The Tempest” is often viewed as a personal reflection on his life in the theater and a poetic farewell. Comedy, revenge and romance mix with spirits and monsters in this play, which seems to be taken mostly from Shakespeare’s imagination.

“The play contains some of the richest characters, most beautiful poetry, largest abundance of music, and magical spectacle seen in any of his plays,” said Arndt, the artistic director of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company.

Kingsmen composer Chris Hoag created an original score with new songs written specifically for the show.

The cast contains six actors who are also Shakespeare directors, including Harold Dixon, who plays Prospero. The former chair of the theatre arts department at the University of Arizona, Dixon has performed in regional theater productions across the country. Eighty-year-old Robert Nairn, a native of Scotland who first appeared with Kingsmen in 1999, will be the oldest actor to ever take the Kingsmen stage when he performs as Gonzalo.

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.

General admission is $20 for adults and free for those under 18. Premium box seats are $90 and side box seats are $75. Box seats accommodate six adults. 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.

June 21nd, 22rd & 23th – 9am to 4pm
Thousand Oaks Community Gallery

Three full days of instruction on the execution of the basic techniques used in creating the State Flower of the
Hawaiian Islands, the beautiful Hibiscus.

Painting will be done on a 20” x 20” canvas, either standard or gallery wrap.

There will be a template outline provided for the drawing of the Hibiscus. It will be available in both right hand and left hand positions.

A larger or smaller canvas can be used, but the template will fit a 20” x 20” as shown in the photo.

Techniques that will be part of the workshop include:
Creating a scumbled background
Creating folds and shape in the petals
Use of shadows to create depth in the flower
Creating complementary yet unobtrusive leaves
Option to paint any color Hibiscus you desire

This unique workshop is being offered at a very attractive rate of only $110 for all three days. There is no single day rate. A list of all necessary and recommended supplies will be e-mailed to all those who sign up for this workshop. Required supplies will be at a very minimum. Please fill out the attached form and send to the address listed below along with a check for $110. Limited enrollment, so don’t delay. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Ron at (818) 468-6677 or e-mail to rkprod1942@att.net

California State Old Time Fiddlers District 8 will meet Sunday June 9, 2013 from 1:30-4:30pm at the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. Come on out for an afternoon of playing, listening and dancing to Country Western and Bluegrass music. No admission or parking charge. Refreshments available. For more information and to find out about upcoming workshops go to calfiddlers.com or call 805-797-6563.

VENTURA COUNTY, CA - Ventura County Ballet Company’s (VCBC) DAnce ART, a traveling dance ensemble composed of the company’s finest ballet dancers, and Focus on the Masters (FOTM), a non-profit art appreciation program that documents, preserves and presents the works and lives of accomplished contemporary artists, will combine its talents to introduce a unique, awe-inspiring, one-time event called “Convergence” that will kick-off the annual ArtWalk Ventura on Friday, July 19.

A first-of-its-kind concept masterminded by nationally recognized photographer and FOTM Founder Donna Granata, “Convergence” will be a live, multimedia benefit performance event featuring dance, music and fine art at its best, celebrating the spirit of collaboration and a shared passion for the arts. Downtown Ventura’s location at 20 N. Oak St., made available by owner Robert Gurfield, will set the stage for the event that will combine the skills of accomplished ballet dancers, renowned visual artists, an expert choreographer and world-renowned classical musicians.

The audience will be CONTINUED »

Interior designer Karen Grace will discuss “Art, and Why It’s Important in the Interior Design of Your Space” from 5:30-7 p.m. June 20 at the Buenaventura Gallery in Ventura. It is the second in a series of free art appreciation presentations by the nonprofit Buenaventura Art Association at its downtown and Harbor Village galleries.

She owns Karen Grace Interiors, a Sherman Oaks-based design firm that for 13 years has specialized in “designs that renew the spirit” by combining “color, patterns and textures to create rooms that stimulate the senses.” Her clients live in the greater Los Angeles area, Ventura County and Las Vegas.

Grace will describe the many forms of art, their roles in interior design, and how to choose and use artworks to enhance your living space, whether it’s a home or office. She said her presentation will focus “on selecting the art not only that you love, but that will better create the environments you want.”

She also will talk about choosing a piece of the right size for your space and how art can influence the design mood of a room. Grace is a member of the Interior Design Society and certified Window Fashions Professional.

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

The Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara St., is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more about BAA, visit www.buenaventuragallery.org.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – May 29, 2013) The Summer Theatre Camp presented by the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company and California Lutheran University will return for its 28th year with a new curriculum.

The more engaging and comprehensive curriculum was designed to provide campers with additional opportunities to try acting techniques on stage while helping them better understand Shakespeare’s times and his plays.

The camp’s new assistant director, Aaron Anthony Bonilla, was instrumental in developing the new curriculum. The North Hollywood resident led camp workshops while serving as an acting apprentice for the company two years ago and returned last year as the lead teacher. He also has designed a new teacher-development program for the apprentices who teach in the camp. A graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts, he has spent 12 years devoted to theater production, performance and education.

Michael McCambridge, an associate professor of education at CLU who has more than 40 years of experience in education and drama, returns as camp director. Barbara Wegher-Thompson, who teaches and choreographs at CLU and has been involved with the Young Artists Ensembles, will again teach “Musical Theatre.”

Two-week morning and afternoon sessions begin June 17 and continue through Aug. 2.

In “Beginning Shakespeare,” children aged 8 to 12 will learn about the Bard, textual analysis, vocabulary, stage movement and combat techniques as they prepare to present scenes on stage. Training for 8- to 16-year-olds will continue with “Advanced Shakespeare I” and “Advanced Shakespeare II,” covering Shakespeare scenes, stage combat and acting techniques in more depth and concluding with the presentation of challenging scenes. In “Acting Techniques,” students 12 to 16 will study voice, movement, improvisation and stage combat while preparing to perform prepared scenes and original work. “Musical Theatre” for 12- to 16-year-olds will cover vocal technique, auditioning and other aspects of the genre and culminate in a performance of selections from a musical.

Classes will be held in the CLU Theatre Arts Building.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company, the professional theater company of CLU, presents the annual Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival each summer, coordinates apprentice programs for professional and aspiring Shakespearean actors and provides an educational tour program in local schools.

For more information, visit http://www.kingsmenshakespeare.org, call 805-493-3455 or email campshakespeare@kingsmenshakespeare.org.

Registration is available online.

Museum Educator Meg Phelps

SANTA PAULA, CA – From ancient figurines, to medieval manuscripts, to avant-garde modernism, artists have been abstracting their imagery in the pursuit of focusing their ideas. On Thursday, June 13 at 3:00 p.m., art historian and Santa Paula Art Museum Educator Meg Phelps will explore the visual strategy of abstraction, its application through art history, and the ideas behind the artistic impulse. The in-gallery discussion will also consider the abstract styles of artists Susan Petty and Michele Chapin, whose works are currently on exhibit. Admission to the gallery talk is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, and free for Santa Paula Art Museum members and students.

Meg Phelps is an experienced lecturer in art history and art appreciation. She received her M.A. in Art History from UCSB and has taught at Ventura and Moorpark Colleges for 17 years. Phelps has served as the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Museum Educator for the past three years, designing educational programming and providing outreach services to local schools. With her refreshing approaches toward art and art education, Phelps’ presentation promises to be smart and entertaining.

The discussion is part of the Second Thursday Gallery Talk series shared by the Art Museum and the Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum. The Ag Museum will be hosting their own talk at 2:00 p.m. about the history of the Oxnard Beet Sugar Factory, led by curator Anne Graumlich. Admission is charged separately at each museum. No reservations are necessary, and light refreshments will be served.

The Santa Paula Art Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street in downtown Santa Paula. Contact us by calling (805) 525-5554. The Art Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m. The two museums are within walking distance of each other and parking is free at both locations. The Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue in Santa Paula. The Ag Museum may be contacted at (805) 525-3100.

Featured next in the Buenaventura Art Association’s downtown Ventura gallery is “It’s All About the Hike,” an exhibition of oils on canvas and canvas panels by plein-air painter Sparkle Taylor set to open June 18.

“I’ve always loved the California impressionists — the great paintings done from the late 1800s through the 1940s,” said the Simi Valley artist and graphic designer. “I like the small, jewel-like color sketches that traditionally were done as information-gathering for a large piece. They are so fresh and immediate! … It was my enjoyment of this work that inspired me to attempt this kind of painting.

“My show is named ‘It’s All About the Hike’ because I paint outdoors in the same envelope of light as my subjects,” Taylor said. “It’s work to get there — I carry a pack with everything I need to make my paintings. I go out at dawn, because the early morning light is my favorite, and very special.”

She added, “I think it’s important to put out this effort. It’s my ‘thank you’ to the universe for this world of beauty we are presented with every day.”

The payoff for viewers is bright, colorful and boldly painted glimpses of “our local natural areas and town scenes,” more than 30 of which will be on display in her solo show that runs through July 13. Sizes range from 6 by 8 inches up to 24 by 30 inches. Taylor will attend an opening reception 4-7 p.m. June 22 and will also be available during Ventura’s First Fridays Gallery Crawl July 5, 5-8 p.m.

Examples of her painting and design work can be found at www.sparktaylorartanddesign.com.

The Buenaventura Gallery, at 700 E. Santa Clara St., is open 11am-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, call the gallery at 648-1235 or visit www.buenaventuragallery.org.