Huong Nguyen worked under the mentorship of chemistry professor Grady Hanrahan to develop a model to assess pesticide exposure in low-income communities, a project she will present at the Festival of Scholars. Credit: Brian Stethem/CLU
Enlarge Photo

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The Seventh Annual Festival of Scholars at California Lutheran University will showcase the work of undergraduate and graduate students from Monday, April 29, through Friday, May 3.

Scholarly work by students in all disciplines will be presented in individual and panel presentations, interactive poster exhibits, musical and theatrical performances, and creative work displays. The many sessions will include screenings of students’ original films, a performance by the Honors String Quartet and faculty presentations on sabbatical projects.

Featured graduate program research projects include Camarillo economics student Kristen Keogh’s study of the potential effect of World Series results on incumbents in gubernatorial elections. Simi Valley education student Deborah Greene will share her analysis of how the use of a flipped classroom where second-graders watched video lectures for homework in math affected achievement.

Business major Madison Pardi ofSan Diego and global studies majors Daniel Chell of Brookings, S.D., and Kerissa Hollenbach of Bellevue, Wash., will report on human trafficking issues in Thailand. During a travel seminar to the country with faculty member Akiko Yasuike, the students visited several local and international organizationsfocused on preventing human trafficking and rehabilitating victims and evaluated their effectiveness.

Psychology major Danielle Foster of Cupertino will present the reward-based system she developed and tested to improve the behavior of a preschool-aged child with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She and other students will also share the results of their investigation into the impact of gratitude and spirituality on life satisfaction.

Projects presented during the Science Showcase will include a study of cross-contamination in reusable shopping bags, a model developed to assess pesticide exposure in low-income communities, and a comparison of bacteria growth among regular, capped and electric toothbrushes.

“Loving as Madness in Film” will include the screening and discussion of two very different Oscar-nominated films about love. Presentation of student abstracts and discussion will follow showings of “Don Juan DeMarco” and “As Good as It Gets.”

Students from the History and Literature of Music class will present formal papers with Robert Cutietta, dean of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, serving as guest commentator.

For a complete schedule of events, go to callutheran.edu/fos. CLU’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship (OUCRS) is presenting the free festival. For more information, contact the OURCS at 805-493-3795 or ourcs@callutheran.edu.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) invites the public to join in its second annual Earth Extravaganza from Friday, April 20, to Wednesday, April 24, on the CI campus. The multi-day event celebrating Earth Day and Arbor Day with a combination of festivities and service is free and open to the public.

Hundreds of CI students, faculty and staff are expected to participate in the Earth Extravaganza events, which include a creek restoration project, a ladybug release, planting of CI’s new Palm Arboretum, a national “Tree Campus USA” award presentation, and an Earth Day Festival with bands, information booths and demonstrations.

The event schedule is as follows:

Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to noon – Meet in El Dorado Park (next to El Dorado Hall) on the CI campus to participate in restoration activities on Long Grade Creek. This multi-year effort by students, faculty, staff and community is restoring the watershed and natural habitat for the Least Bell’s Vireo, an endangered bird.

Monday, April 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Join in the Earth Day/Arbor Day Festival at CI’s El Dorado Park.

· 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Take a guided tour of the new El Dorado Arboretum (next to El Dorado Hall). Or bring your smart phone and take a virtual tour by scanning QR codes on the tree plaques.

· 11 a.m. – Musical guests the Art Rockers

· 11:30 a.m. – “Tree Campus USA” award presentation. The National Arbor Day Foundation will present President Richard Rush with a plaque honoring CI’s designation as a “Tree Campus USA,” an honor bestowed on 150 campuses nationwide with superior commitment to campus forest management and conservation.

· 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Ladybug releases. Help preserve CI’s rose gardens by releasing ladybugs – a natural way to combat damaging garden pests like aphids and spider mites without the use of pesticides.

· 12:30 p.m. – Musical guest Andrew Healy

· 1:30 p.m. – Musical guest Mantis Militia

· All day – Enjoy demonstrations and informational booths by CI’s Operations, Planning & Construction office, Green Generation Club, Environmental Science & Resource Management Program, and the Surf Rider Foundation. Browse eco-friendly vehicles, products, plants and merchandise, and learn about student, campus and community efforts to protect the Earth.

Wednesday, April 24, 10 a.m. to noon – Join students, faculty, staff and the Master Gardeners Club in installing the new Palm Arboretum behind Yuba Hall.

All events are open and free to the public. Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Signs will be posted on campus to help guide visitors to Earth Extravaganza events. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road parking lot in Camarillo with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

For more information, contact Austin Eriksson, Student Assistant, Operations, Planning & Construction, at 805-437-3507 or Austin.eriksson680@csuci.edu.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is celebrating 10 years of education, innovation, growth and community enrichment during the 2012/2013 academic year. We salute our faculty, staff, students, alumni, supporters, and partners who continue the CI mission of a student-centered education emphasizing international and multicultural perspectives with interdisciplinary and experiential service-oriented learning.

Together, we are solving the problems of today, preparing the leaders and innovators of tomorrow, and contributing to the vitality of higher education.

CSU Channel Islands – A Decade of Distinction

Backstage at SPTC (Santa Paula Theater Center), announces open auditions for Lit From Within (a collection of one act plays). All roles are open and many actors may be cast in more than one play.

Auditions will be held Sunday and Monday, April 21 and 22, at 7:00 p.m. at the Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. 7th Street. No appointment necessary and no need to bring a photograph. Auditions will consist of readings from the scripts which may be found on the website at www.santapaulatheatercenter.org, and will also be available at the auditions. If you have further questions, please call producer John McKinley, at (805) 708-6469.

Run Dates: Three consecutive weekends beginning Friday, May 31, and closing Sunday, June 16, nine performances total with a special Thursday performance on June 6. No performance Saturday, June 8. Rehearsals will commence immediately.

The following is a!--break--> list of the plays with character breakdown, and possible other roles for which the same actor may be cast; however, it’s not all inclusive, and even if additional roles may not be recommended as indicated, all possibilities will be considered.

CAFÉ

A writer in a coffee shop gets more than he bargained for while trying to “pin down” his story and “flesh out” his female character.

Barista (Male, 20’s) May also appear as Michael in Faith.

Brian (Male, 20’s to 30’s) No other roles recommended.

Melissa (Female, 20’s) No other roles recommended.

Jacob (Male, 20’s) No other roles recommended.

Phil (Male, 20’s-30’s) Played by the same actor portraying Brian in this same play.

THE LIST

A conversation between two women never turns political or religious… just racy sexy.

Karen (Female, 20’s to 30’s) No other roles recommended.

Maddy (Female, 20’s to 30’s) No other roles recommended.

Richard (30’s) May also appear in Skin Deep or Greek Goddess of Mount Punctus.

THE GREEK GODDESS OF MOUNT PUNCTUS

A young goddess who spurned Zeus’ advances is banished and two suitors are sent to compete for her hand.

Ellipses (Male, prime of life) May also appear in Skin Deep

Parentheses (Male, prime of life) May also appear in Skin Deep

Apostrophe (Female (prime of life) May also appear in Skin Deep

1 male offstage voice (Zeus) (To be recorded.)

THE HUNGER

A growing pandemic ultimately finds itself on the nearest doorstep.

Natalie (Female, 25-35) No other roles recommended.

Sarah (Female, 25-35) No other roles recommended.

Irene (Female, 25-35) No other roles recommended.

FAITH

Two woman defend what they believe, and then must examine its consequences.

Sarah (Female, 40’s-50’s) No other roles recommended.

Darcy (Female, 40’s-50’s) No other roles recommended.

Michael (Male, early 20’s) May also appear as Barista in Café.

SKIN DEEP

A woman trying to find happiness must make a choice, as well as a sacrifice.

Teri (Female, mid 20’s to mid-30’s) Open to other roles in casting.

Tyler (Male, mid 20’s to mid-30’s, athletic) May also appear as Parentheses in Greek Goddess of Mount Punctus.

Bryan (Male, mid-20’s to mid-30’s, Teri’s overweight gay friend) May also appear as Ellipses in Greek Goddess of Mount Punctus.

Scott (Male, 20’s to 30’s, nerdy) May also appear in Greek Goddess of Mount Punctus or as Barista in Café.

LIT FROM WITHIN

A Collection of One Act Plays

May 31 through June 16

Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 4 pm

No performance Saturday, June 8

Special Thursday performance June 6, 8 pm

Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for Seniors, Students and Military.

Recommended for Mature Audiences.

Box Office: (805) 525-4645

Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. 7th Street, Santa Paula

SANTA PAULA, CA – Mark your calendars for the highly anticipated Third Annual Fine and Decorative Art Auction to be held at the Santa Paula Art Museum on Sunday, May 19, 2013. The silent auction begins at 3:00 p.m. with the live auction to follow at 4:30 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum. Admission to the auction is $15 for Museum Members and $20 for the general public.

The Museum’s Auction Committee, responsible for carefully vetting the items up for auction, is very excited about the award-winning quality of art being offered this year and is continually adding more to the offerings. A catalog of the auction items is available on the Museum’s website, www.SantaPaulaArtMuseum.org/auction.html, and will be updated as more items are added over the coming weeks. There are works in oil by local favorites Cornelis Botke, Lawrence Hinckley and Douglas Shively. Also up for bid is a gorgeous painting by Ventura artist Gina Niebergall, which was painted in front of a live audience at a demonstration held at the Museum this past February.

There are scenes by Dana Bartlett, past president of the California Art Club and founder of the California Watercolor Society whose works are quite sought-after, and James Guilford Swinnerton, who created one of the earliest comic strips and who was a favorite employee and personal friend of William Randolph Hearst. Another treasure is a seascape by Christian Von Schneidau, a renowned early-20th century impressionist who had Hollywood celebrities like Mary Pickford as his regular patrons. The auction will also include sculpture, early American lithography, delicately handpainted chinawear, and antiques. Wine and gourmet hors d’oeuvres will also be served.

All of the items up for auction are donated from respected private collections. The auction is a wonderful opportunity to donate fine and decorative art from your own collection to benefit a worthy cause. If you are interested in donating an artwork for the auction please contact the Santa Paula Art Museum by calling (805) 525-5554 or email info@SantaPaulaArtMuseum.org.

SANTA PAULA, CA – Michele Chapin is bringing her artistic spirit and wisdom to the Santa Paula Art Museum on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. The award-winning stone sculptor, teacher and community arts activist will discuss her perspectives on art and her passion for sculpture. Admission to the talk is included in the regular price of admission to the Museum, which is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors and free for students and SPAM Members.

Chapin, who currently shares the Museum's Old Hands, New Works exhibit with painter Susan Petty, will reveal how she pushes a piece of stone past what is structurally possible to create works that are captivating in both color and form. With a personality that is equally captivating, Michele’s talk is guaranteed to be an engaging one. 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. with quilter Pat Masterson who will present the museum’s newest exhibit, Farm Fresh Quilts.

No reservations are necessary and guests are welcome to attend one talk or both. 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 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 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.

The Ojai Studio Artists (OSA) are proud to announce the addition of five new members to their ranks on this, the 30th year of the Ojai Studio Tour, one of the longest running art groups in the country. The five candidates were voted into the membership and will participate in the 2013 Ojai Studio Artists Tour on October 12-13. The new members are Brian Berman, Jeffrey Crussell, Pamela Grau, Doug Lochner and Devin Oatway.

Brian Berman has been sculpting since 1991, working in cast glass, various metals and stone. "It is my intention that each sculpture brings healing and renewal to the times we live in," Brian explains, "As well as a peace message to future generations." A recent transplant to Ojai, Berman has taught stone carving in the Pacific Northwest as well as symposiums around the country since 1994. He was selected by the Societe Nationale Des Beaux-Arts for an exhibition in the Louvre, Paris in 2008 and his sculptures are in private and corporate collections throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe.

Jeffrey Crussell is a designer, illustrator and photographer who has worked as an architect and artist most of his life. He has a BS in architecture and a MFA in Studio Arts, with emphasis in photography and sculpture. "My work has a blend of both color and dimension," Crussell explains, incorporating multiple mediums such as painting, photography, drawings and sculpture in his finished pieces. From 2007 until 2011 Crussell was the Executive Director of the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, a successful non-profit alternative exhibition space. He also established Crussell Fine Arts which presented several exhibitions each year of emerging artists from around the world in alternative “pop up” venues. To date, he has over 50 solo and group shows to his credit. He and his wife, Pamela Grau, also a new OSA member, recently moved to the Ojai Valley.

Active in the Southern CONTINUED »

Santa Paula, CA – The Agriculture Museum will be hosting a free Farm Animal Fair, on Sunday, May 5, 2013. This family-friendly event takes place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will feature young cattle, goats, sheep, and swine. Visitors will learn about the upbringing of these animals and have the opportunity to get up close and touch them. Members of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) from Santa Paula High School, along with their FFA advisor and agriculture teacher, Alex Flores, will answer questions and explain the details of caring for these animals. Visitors of all ages are welcome to this free event.

All of the FFA students who are bringing animals to the event are currently studying animal husbandry at Santa Paula High School. The program involves raising healthy animals for three to 10 months and concludes with a showing at the Ventura County Fair in August. The students are looking forward to talking about their animals, as well as the benefits of the FFA program.

Farm Animal Fair is part of the Museum’s ongoing series to encourage agricultural awareness, Free First Sundays. These events take place every first Sunday of the month and include free admission to the general public for all exhibits and events.

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.

California State Old Time Fiddlers District 8 will meet Sunday, April 14, 2013 from 1:30-4:30pm at the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. New members are welcome to join the 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.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will present a free symphony concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, in Samuelson Chapel.

“The Evolution of a Concert II” is the University Symphony’s final performance of this year’s project works, Claude Debussy’s “Petite Suite,” orchestrated by Henri Büsser, and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5, Opus 107. “Petite Suite” is a collection of four movements originally composed for two pianists at the same piano. It has been transcribed many times for differing instrumental ensembles but this is the most notable one. Symphony No. 5 or the “Reformation Symphony” was originally composed in 1830 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, a central document in the Protestant Reformation.

The program will open with Richard Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll.” Wagner composed the laid-back ode to domestic tranquility in 1869 as a present for his wife for her 33rd birthday. The private piece waswritten for a small ensemble of 17 players but was later expanded to full orchestra and sold to a music publisher due to lack of funds. It stands as a historic testament to the couple’s love and immortalizes the name of their only son, Siegfried.

The Honors String Quartet will perform Antonin Dvorak’s String Quartet in F Major, Opus 96, No. 12. The quartet features the following: Derek Andrzejewski, a biochemistry and molecular biology major from Thousand Oaks, on cello; Rebecca Cardone, a political science and global studies major from Katy, Texas, on viola; Antonio Foreman, a music major from Agoura Hills, on violin; and Melissa Walker, a biology major from Porterville, on violin. Music professor Daniel Geeting will conduct.

Dvorak’s String Quartet in F Major is sometimes referred to as “The American” due to its unmistakable American musical flair. The composer, who taught in New York for some time, wrote this piece and his most popular work, “The New World Symphony,” while on vacation in the Czech community of Spillville, Iowa. Both works were premiered at Carnegie Hall during the 1893-94 season.

Veteran faculty member Daniel Geeting will conduct.

The chapel is located south of Olsen Road near Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Donations will be accepted. For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit callutheran.edu.

Gayle Childress – “Gaylin at 8”
Enlarge Photo

Fred Whitman – Serenity #2
Enlarge Photo

Carlos Grasso – “Sacred Place”
Enlarge Photo

Brian Berman – “Light Fall II”
Enlarge Photo

Marta Nelson – “Thai Spirit House”
Enlarge Photo

Eilam Byle – Fire Within
Enlarge Photo

The eleventh annual Ojai Studio Artists group exhibition at the Ojai Valley Museum is organized this year as a celebration of this artist collective’s thirty-year existence - 1984 through 2013. Titled “Reflection,” the show concretely reflects upon OSA’s impact on Ojai’s art scene in Ventura County, as well as upon the Southern California region.

“Reflection” combines “a trip down memory lane,” exhibiting archived ephemera from the seminal year 1984, juxtaposed with 67 works of art representing the OSA membership of 2013. In addition, many of the artists have written statements expressing why it is important to be an OSA member and the meaning of the group to the Ojai community. These reflective statements are placed next to the respective artist’s work. Consequently, the overall group show has an historical perspective and provides insight to the value of visual art in Ojai over the span of thirty years.

Among the 60 exhibiting artists, eight members are highlighted as “Honorees.” These artists were essential to the birth of the OSA collective in 1984 and have remained active throughout the ensuing years. The honorees are: Kent Butler, Gayel Childress, Bert Collins, Bernadette DiPietro, Kristina Grey, Marta Nelson, Elisse Pogofsky-Harris, and Nancy Whitman.

Ojai Valley Museum Director and Curator of “Reflection,” Michele Pracy, visited the studios of the Honorees to select work for this celebratory exhibit. Pracy chose eight paintings based on the quality of the work. Interestingly, the dates of execution of the honorees’ art span the years from 1984 through 2013. The rest of the participating artists are exhibiting new works in all media, fused by the shared concept of OSA as a community of artists that has had a powerful and positive collective artistic voice for three decades.

The Ojai Studio Artists will host two free receptions at the museum. The Opening Reception is Saturday, April 13, from 5 to 7 p.m., with a no-host wine bar. The Scholarship Award Ceremony and Reception will be June 2, from 4 to 6 p.m. and will be held in the back courtyard of the 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.

The museum is located at 130 W. Ojai Avenue, Ojai, California. 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.

For more information, call the museum at (805) 640-1390, ext. 203, e-mail ojaimuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum website at: www.OjaiValleyMuseum.org

Find us on Facebook at Ojai Valley Museum

Photo by Justin Bastien
Enlarge Photo

Photo by Justin Bastien
Enlarge Photo

Photo by Justin Bastien
Enlarge Photo

Photo by Justin Bastien
Enlarge Photo

Photo by Justin Bastien
Enlarge Photo

Ojai, CA - The Ojai Photography Club welcomes free-lance photographer Justin Bastien, to its April 16 meeting, 7:00 PM, at Help of Ojai’s Little House, 111 Santa Ana Street, in Ojai. Bastien specializes in outdoor sports, adventure, lifestyle and environmental photography.

Before critiquing club member photos, Bastien will address the group and present various photographic images from around the world covering outdoor sports, travel and portraits. In addition, he will show a short film and a few commercials. Visit his website at: http://justinbastien.com/

Bastien travels extensively, creating commercial, assignment and stock images for a wide variety of international clients. His insatiable passion for travel, adventure and the endless pursuit of fun influence his unique point of view and the subjects he photographs. His international roster of clients includes: Acura, Brooks, Canon, Competitor, Discovery Channel, Ford, Gerber Knives, Men's Fitness, Maui Jim Sunglasses, National Geographic, Patagonia, Runner's World, Sierra Club, Surfer, Trail Runner, Triumph Motorcycles and Wolverine.

Before critiquing club member photos, Bastien will address the group and present various photographic images from around the world covering outdoor sports, travel and portraits. In addition, he will show a short film and a few commercials. Monthly presentations, like Bastien’s, are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service outreach and 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/

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The California Lutheran University Theatre Arts Department will present “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom” from April 25 through May 5.

The award-winning play by Jennifer Haley will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, April 25, 26, 27 and May 2, 3 and 4, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5, in the Black Box Studio Theatre.

In a typical suburbia neighborhood, teenagers are addicted to a new online video game featuring houses identical to the ones in which they live. The gamers must smash through an army of zombies to escape. As the line between virtual and real begins to blur, the players and their parents realize that fear has a life of its own.

The dark comedy deals with absentee parents using video games as a babysitter and kids becoming addicted to a violent game inwhich they cannot distinguish reality from the virtual world. With mature themes, some profanity and sexual innuendo, the play is not recommended forchildren younger than 13.

The teenagers are played by Jessie Black, a psychology major from Temecula; Matthew Case, a theatre arts major from Thousand Oaks; Lara Emery, a biology major from Austin, Texas; Graham Jameson, a communication major from Rancho Cucamonga; Karly Loberg, a psychology major from Oceanside; Ben Michaels, a theatre arts major from Redlands; Nolan Monsibay, a music majorfrom Burbank; Cooper Smith, an English major from Trabuco Canyon; and Samantha Winters, a theatre arts and history major from Ventura.

The parents are played by Sarah DeLaGarrigue, a theatre arts major from Agoura Hills; Kelsey Goeres, a communication major from Santa Maria; Jeremy Hanna, a theatre arts major from Thousand Oaks; Aubrey Kaye, a computer science major from Camarillo; Chris Malison, a theatre arts major from Visalia; Melanie Parson, a theatre arts major from Valencia; andTommy Schofield, a theatre arts and communication major from Edmunds, Wash.

Department chair and veteran drama professor Ken Gardner directs.

“Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom” is the winner of the 2009 Primus Citations Award from the American Theatre Critics Association. Haley, of Los Angeles, is the winner of the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for her play, “The Nether.”

The Mainstage Production is part of CLU’s Seventh Annual Festival of Scholars.

Tickets are $10. The Black Box Studio Theatre is located in the Theatre Arts Building on Memorial Parkway near Pioneer Avenue on the Thousand Oaks campus. For information, call the Theatre Arts Department at 805-493-3415.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The annual spring art exhibit showcasing the work of graduating art majors at California Lutheran University will run from April 25 through May 18.

An opening reception for “Sprezzatura” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 26, and a “meet and greet” will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in The William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art.

“Sprezzatura” means “the art of appearing effortless” in Italian. When used in describing art, Sprezzatura refers to the bravado an artist demonstrates in creating a piece, whether through a dashing stroke of paint, a fluid sculpting of clay, or a swift and precise capture of an image photographically. The students hope to display a sense of this quality in their work, presenting a show that looks beautiful and painless but took the last four years to achieve.

Lauren Cabral of Santa Paula will exhibit high-contrast charcoal and graphite drawings inspired by her emotions. Felicia Castro of Port Hueneme explored a surrealistic theme in a variety of mediums. Joseph Clarkson of Virginia Beach, Va., assembled works ranging from traditional to graphic styles inspired by his love of the sea, facial hair and the human form. Andrew DeGoede of Gig Harbor, Wash., based his series of representational realism paintings on the lost paintings of Johannes Vermeer. Chelsea Fletcher of Goleta will exhibit a sculpture and other works inspired by her love of nature. The paintings and photographs of Brittany McGinley of Woodland Hills focus on her Mexican heritage and the human form. Allison Milward of Arnold will showcase charcoal and graphic pencil drawings of her friends and family. Nicole Tracy of Palmdale will exhibit paint and pastel works focusing on the humanform in candid moments.

CLU’s Art Department is sponsoring the free exhibit and receptions. Art is available for purchase.

The William Rolland Gallery is located in William Rolland Stadium north of Olsen Road near Mountclef Boulevard on the Thousand Oaks campus. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and by appointment by calling 805-493-3697.

For more information, contact Kristi Colell at 805-797-3018 or kcolell@callutheran.edu or Andrew DeGoede at adegoede@callutheran.edu.

Curiosity about world cultures turned Tasia Erickson into “a virtual traveler” and the Ventura painter turns her online explorations into art. “Exotic Places and Faces,” an exhibition of her recent pastel paintings, will run April 23-May 18 at the Buenaventura Gallery in downtown Ventura.

“I have always been fascinated by other cultures and especially the people,” Erickson said. “I want my solo show to take everyone away to these amazing places.”

Scenes and people of India, Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Vietnam and Morocco are on the itinerary this time, she said. “I had planned several other countries but ran out of wall space in the gallery.”

Erickson will be on hand to guide tours during an opening reception 4-7 p.m. April 27 and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 28, unusual Sunday hours for the gallery. Her show opening coincides with Paint Ventura, an art celebration that weekend centered on Main Street, and “I wanted to be sure that the general public could find us at BAA. I felt it important to be open at that time.”

She has been making art “since I could hold a pencil,” majored in it in college and spent her work life creating it, first as a cel painter and special effects artist with the Hanna-Barbera Productions animation studio and later as a watercolor portrait painter, clothing designer and jewelry maker.

But not until retiring and moving in 2009 to Ventura did she discover pastels, through a friend’s gift of classes.

“I am fascinated by pastel and the freedom it gives me. The pigment is pure and therefore the color is vibrant. I adore color,” Erickson said. “My work celebrates people and their cultures through this luminous medium. I want to celebrate the diversity of the human spirit.”

Her Internet wanderings for inspirational images take months, she said, and “That search is daunting.” She explores royalty-free sites, looking at thousands of pictures to find “the perfect photos” to incorporate in her paintings. “And then I researched the history of the place or person to be sure I have an appropriate description of the painting. This way the viewer can learn what I have learned.”

Erickson also paints closer to home, from her own photos of Ventura County locales and those of friends and relatives. One photo from a sister became “Graceful Presence,” a dramatic pastel portrait of a belly dancer that earned a third-place judge’s award and second-place people’s choice ribbon in Santa Paula Society for the Arts’ current 76th annual Art and Photography Show.

But the “Exotic Places and Faces” that caught her eye and spurred her curiosity will come to colorful life in the Ventura show in 30 pieces ranging in size from 10 inches square to 24 by 30 inches. The paintings are done in soft pastel on sandpaper, with acrylic underpainting on some pieces.

The Buenaventura Gallery, at 700 E. Santa Clara St., is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, visit the Buenaventura Art Association website at www.buenaventuragallery.org. The gallery phone number is 648-1235.

Ventura College Santa Paula welcomes the fine art of Rima Muna - "Transformation." A "Meet the Artist" Reception will be held on April 16, 2013, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Please review the attached postcard for more details about the artist. Appetizers will be provided by El Pescador in Santa Paula. The Exhibit runs through May 16, 2013, and can be viewed Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Ventura College Santa Paula Site is located at 957 Faulkner Road, Suite 106, in Santa Paula. Free parking is available. If you have event questions, please call 805-525-7136.

www.venturacollege.edu/santapaula

Ventura, CA - On Tuesday, April 16, 2013, Library staff from the Ventura County Library System will participate in a global reading commemorating the 50th anniversary of the publication of Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from 5-6PM.

At this free event, library staff and volunteers will read Letter from Birmingham Jail in conjunction with Birmingham Public Library and hundreds of libraries across the globe. In addition to the reading, the library will also have live video and a book display honoring Dr. King.

For additional information about the Letter from Birmingham Jail: 50 Years Later event

Contact Sara Roberts, Senior Librarian at (805) 648-2715.

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

The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.

SUBJECT: E.P. Foster Library commemorates the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail

CONTACT: Sara Roberts, Senior Librarian, (805) 641-4414

DATE: April 16, 2013

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The California Lutheran University Community Leaders Association will hold its third annual Hats and High Tea from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 28, at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley.

The tea will raisemoney for student scholarships and educational grants at CLU.

Guests will enjoy high tea including sandwiches and other light fare in a garden-party setting overlooking the golf course. The afternoon will include a beverage reception and musical and theatrical entertainment by CLU students Lacie Goff of Enfield, Ill., and Patricia Jaramillo of Van Nuys and harpist Vonette Yanaginuma. A silent auction and raffle will be held. Jim Rondeau, director of operations and programming for National Public Radio station KCLU will emcee.

Attendees are encouraged to wear their finest tea party attire capped off with a fancy hat. Table sponsors and party hosts will decorate each table in a festive theme. Several awards will be presented, including ones for most creative table setting and wildest and most elegant hats.

CLA was founded in1963 to stimulate the community’s interest in CLU’s academic, athletic and cultural programs. Members organize fundraising and social events throughout the year to support academic departments and student scholarships. The organization has provided more than $1.8 million through the years.

Scholarship recipients are selected for their community service, leadership potential and academicachievement. The grants purchase classroom materials, equipment and technology.

Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center, MyCorporation, University Village and Wood Ranch Golf Club are premiere sponsors. Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation, is the event chair.

Tickets are $50. Sponsorships are available. For reservations or for more information, visit www.callutheran.edu/cla or contact the University Relations office at 805-493-3151 or fielding@callutheran.edu.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - CLUFest 2013 will showcase the best in multimedia created by California Lutheran University students in an exhibit from April 23 through May 18.

“The Universal Language of Multimedia” will be on display in the Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture. A receptionwill be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 28.

The exhibit will include projection media, 3-D printing examples, original audio productions and graphic designsselected from the portfolios of multimedia majors. CLUFest recognizes CLU’s most talented and promising student graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, digital filmmakers and computer artists.

The gallery is located in the Soiland Humanities Center on the south side of Memorial Parkway at Regent Avenue on the Thousand Oaks campus. It is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Multimedia Department is sponsoring the free exhibit. For more information, contact Tim Hengst at 805-493-3241 or thengst@callutheran.edu.

CLU Jazz Ensemble

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University students will present a free spring jazz concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21, in Preus-Brandt Forum.

The CLU Jazz Ensemble will perform hard-swinging jazz and lush ballads by American composers and arrangers Sammy Nestico, Neal Hefti, Bill Holman and others.

Hefti, who died in 2008, wrote the theme for the 1960s television show “Batman” and for the movie and television versions of “The Odd Couple.” A prolific composer and arranger of big band music, Nestico is most known for his arrangements for the Count Basie orchestra. Holman’s arrangement of “Give Me the Simple Life” was recorded by Ella Fitzgerald on her 1969 live album “Sunshine of Your Love.” Holman is also credited with brass arrangements on The Fifth Dimension’s 1969 album “The Age of Aquarius.”

Peter Woodford will direct. He has been playing guitar professionally since 1969 and played with The Doc Severinsen NBC Tonight Show Band for 19 years. He has accompanied an array of musical artists whose styles include jazz, classical, rock, pop and country. His eclectic career encompasses recordings, television shows, commercials, motion pictures, theatrical productions and concerts. He also works as a fretted instrumentalist for various orchestras in the Los Angeles area.

Preus-Brandt Forum is located south of Olsen Road between Mountclef Boulevard and Campus Drive. Parking is available in the lots at the corner of Mountclef and Olsen.

Donations will be accepted. For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/music.

Storyteller Stina Fagertun

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The Scandinavian Festival will have several new features including a children’s Olympics and performances by Norway’s Best Storyteller of 2011 when it returns to California Lutheran University on April 20 and 21.

The annual festival highlighting the Nordic cultures will run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 21, with music, dancing, food, lectures, demonstrations, vendors and activities for young and old. A Nordic church service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday in Samuelson Chapel.

With a continued focus on providing affordable family fun, the 39-year-old festival will host the first Sven and Ole Olympics this year. Children can compete for medals in several activities including a relay, three-legged race and troll trot.

Storytellers Stina Fagertun and Robert Seutter, aka True Thomas, are also new to the festival. Fagertun, a Saami woman who won Norway’s Best Storyteller award in 2011, lives in Tromos, one of the northern most cities in the world. She has been telling her tales and sharing the music and dancing of Arctic Norway not only in her native country but also in Canada and the United States for the past 10 years. Seutter, a Westlake Village resident whose science fiction novel “Brass Jack: Little Lost Princeling” was just released, will tell his “Men from the North” tales.

Another newcomer, Minnesota seamstress Sue Sutherland, will demonstrate bunad and folk dress sewing. Other craft demonstrations will include woodcarving, knitting, hardanger embroidery, weaving, Viking artifacts, rosemaling and bobbin lace.

For the first time, musicians will gather for a stämma, playing together informally, on April 20. Retuning to the festival will be the ABBA Girlz Band from New York. They will perform twice daily backed up by former professional singers Aleta and Sonya Buckelew from Thousand Oaks. Also performing will be the Skol-Olle Band, a combination of two well-known Minnesota Scandinavian bands.

Food booths will offer Scandinavian fare such as Viking dogs, lefse and aebleskivers. Cooks will demonstrate how to make the delicacies.

Festivalgoers can try their hand at Dala horse croquet, play an ancient Viking game called kubb and visit a Viking village and Saami sliddastallan (community gathering). Crafts for children will includesanding butter knives and decorating head wreaths.

Admission is free for children 3 and younger, $1 for children 4 to 11, and $8 for those 12 and older. Parking is free. The Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring the event.

CLU is located at the corner of Olsen Road and Mountclef Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. For more information, visit http://www.scandinaviancenter.org or email Sandy Grunewald at sgrunewa@callutheran.edu.