The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum and the Santa Paula Art Museum announce three more in their series of monthly linked Gallery Talks. Visitors will learn about unique exhibits and collections from artists, curators, educators and collectors. The Second Thursday Talks start at 2:00 p.m. at the Agriculture Museum, followed by a second talk at 3:00 p.m. at the nearby Santa Paula Art Museum.

On Thursday, February 14, 2013, at 2:00 p.m., Jon Peterson, a farmer and farm equipment collector, will speak at the Agriculture Museum about the museum’s vintage tractors. A 1922 Holt Caterpillar Two Ton that worked on a Santa Paula dairy, a 5-ton 1914 Yuba that plowed fields in Somis, and a 1929 Twin City 21-32 that has lived and worked its entire life on a Las Posas Valley ranch, are just three of the machines he will discuss. At 3:00 p.m., at the Art Museum, artist Gail Pidduck will speak about the 5th annual “Art About Agriculture” exhibit. The co-founder of the Ag Art Alliance and a life-long farmer, Pidduck specializes in rural landscape paintings.

Gallery Talks in March focus on posters and portraits. On Thursday, March 14, at 2:00 p.m., Shelly Foote, who curated exhibits and cared for collections at the Smithsonian Institution for 30 years, speaks at the Agriculture Museum about “When Gardening Was Patriotic,” an exhibit of World Wars I and II posters. At 3:00, photographer John Nichols talks about the exhibit he and painter Gail Pidduck created for the Art Museum, the “Santa Paula Portrait Project.” They set out to capture the images of ordinary citizens and ended up with a portrait of a small-town community.

The subjects of the Thursday, April 11 Gallery Talks are fabric art and stone carving. Quilter Pat Masterson will speak about twenty contemporary “Farm Fresh Quilts,” at 2:00 at the Agriculture Museum. Sculptor Michele Chapin, owner of Stoneworks Studio in Ventura, will talk at 3:00 at the Art Museum, about her stone sculpture exhibit, “Old Hands, New Works.”

Both museums are within walking distance of each other and parking is free at both. Each museum charges its own general admission, and members can attend free at their respective museums. Light refreshments are served, and no reservations are necessary. For additional information and monthly schedules for the Second Thursday Gallery Talks: go to www.venturamuseum.org and www.santapaulaartmuseum.org, or call the Agriculture Museum at 805-525-3100 and the Art Museum at 805-525-5554. The Agriculture Museum is at 926 Railroad Avenue, and the Santa Paula Art Museum is at 117 N. 10th Street, both located in downtown Santa Paula, California.

The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, free for Museum of Ventura County members, and for children ages 5 and younger. Paid events include free admission to the galleries, and the first Sundays of every month are free general admission for the public.

SANTA PAULA, CA – On Sunday, February 10, 2013, visitors to the Santa Paula Art Museum will have a special opportunity to see an artist-in-action and witness the creation of an original oil painting. From 1 to 3 p.m., the Museum’s Great Hall will be transformed into a casual working studio for oil painter Gina Niebergall who is featured in the current Art About Agriculture exhibit. Admission to the demonstration is free with regular paid admission to the Museum, which is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, and free for students of all ages and SPAM Members.

Gina Niebergall was born and raised in Ventura, California. She received her formal art education at Cabrillo Junior College in Aptos, California and her B.F.A. from the University of California at Santa Barbara College of Creative Studies. Her love for the unique qualities of the southern California landscape - from ocean to oaks to desert and farmland – manifests itself in her extraordinary ability to capture depth, color and light in her paintings. Her works document fleeting moments in life and landscape as both are constantly changing. During the demonstration, Niebergall will also share her perspectives on art, technique and subject matter.

Reservations for the event are not required. For more information, contact the Museum at (805) 525-5554, or email info@santapaulaartmuseum.org. The Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060. The Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM, and Sundays, 12 PM – 4 PM.

The Buenaventura Art Association has announced the winners of its 27th annual Open Competition. Their works were chosen by juror Katrina McElroy, a Moorpark College art instructor, from entries submitted by artists from throughout Central and Southern California.

The two- and three-dimensional pieces are on exhibit through Jan. 26 at the organization’s Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara St. in downtown Ventura, which is adding Sunday, Jan. 20, 12-5pm to its schedule to allow more people to see this show. More than $1,500 in cash prizes and BAA membership benefits were awarded at a Jan. 12 reception and ceremony.

“Transcendence,” an oil painting on canvas by Erika Craig, was judged Best of Show and earned top prize of $400 for the young artist, an Honorable Mention winner in the nonprofit association’s 2012 Emerging Artist Cup student competition.

First place among the two-dimensional entries was “Glance,” a digital print by Julia Bagdasaryan, who earned a Merit Award in last year’s student competition. Second went to “Bonsai Paradise” by Erik Abel, who used acrylic paints and mixed media on a wooden panel.

Third place in 2D was awarded to Patti Post for a charcoal on paper drawing titled “Entering Elysian Fields” and Honorable Mention to Susan Colla for “Jacks Nude,” a pencil drawing on illustration board.

In the three-dimensional category, the first-place winner was “Chair #2,” constructed of walnut and beech woods by Scott Shoemate. An assemblage by Sylvia Raz titled “Three Women Walking Their Pets” won second place, and “Black Sands Lily,” a marble sculpture by JoAnne Duby, took third. Honorable mention in the category went to Bob Privitt for “Sandblasted Domaine,” a mixed media piece.

The Buenaventura Gallery is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, visit www.buenaventuragallery.org.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) will host Gary Zimmerman, Senior Economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, on Thursday, Feb. 7, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the Grand Salon on the CI campus. Zimmerman’s presentation, “The Outlook for the U.S. Economy and Federal Reserve Monetary Policy,” is open to the public by reservation.

Facilitated by CI’s Planned Giving Advisory Council, the event includes a continental breakfast, economic outlook presentation, reception, campus tour, and parking. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at www.csuci.edu/impact/legacy-giving or by contacting Catherine Sanchez at 805-437-3701 or catherine.sanchez@csuci.edu. Once on campus for the event, participants should follow signs for shuttles and parking.

Zimmerman joined the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in 1973. As an economist, his research, analysis, and outreach activities support both the Economic Research and Public Information Departments. From 1996 to 1999, he served as the FDIC’s San Francisco Regional Economist.

Zimmerman’s research has focused on economic and banking topics in the 12th

District, which includes the nine western states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington — plus American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is the Federal Reserve’s largest district, ranking first in the size of its economy.

Zimmerman has written articles on the regional economy, the high-tech sector in the West, and the cyclical behavior of industries like high-tech, aerospace, and construction. Other published research has covered community bank performance, banking industry competition, and foreign banking activities in California.

Zimmerman earned his B.A. and M.A. in Economics from Cal State East Bay (Hayward). He also has been a guest professor at the Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (Economics University of Vienna) in Austria. Prior to that, he lectured on banking and financial institutions at the Graduate School of Business at Cal State University, Hayward.

“We are thrilled to have Gary Zimmerman join us again for a third year,” said Howard Smith, member of CI’s Planned Giving Advisory Council and Chair of the event. “He’s one of the best presenters on the economy. He has the great ability to articulate in layman’s terms what has happened to the economy in the past year and where the Fed thinks the economy is going in the coming year in terms of interest rates. Anyone in business would benefit from his presentation.”

For more information on planned giving to CI, visit www.csuci.edu/impact/legacy-giving.

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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

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THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will show a documentary that explores end-of-life issues at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at Muvico Thousand Oaks 14.

“Consider the Conversation: A Documentary on a Taboo Subject” will be screened as part of CLU’s Center for Equality and Justice Reel Justice Film series. A panel discussion will follow.

The documentary is an intimate story about the American struggle with communication and preparation for life’s end and includes the perspectives of patients, family members, doctors, nurses, social workers, clergy and national experts from around the country.

After the screening, professionals will address different aspects of death and field audience questions. Panelists are Jamie Banker, director of counseling psychology at CLU; Amyra Braha, certified grief counselor and Fellow in Thanatology, a certification for specialists in death, dying and bereavement; Dr. John Horton, general practitioner; and Karen Pavic Zabinski, regional director of ethics for the Providence Health Care system. Ann Sobel, executive director of Our Community House of Hope, will offer greetings and Colleen Windham-Hughes, assistant professor of religion at CLU, will moderate the discussion.

This film is the first in what will be a two-part series created by Burning Hay Wagon Productions, a company founded in 2009 by long-time Wisconsin friends Terry Kaldhusdal and Michael Bernhagen. Kaldhusdal, a fourth-grade teacher and filmmaker, and Bernhagen, a healthcare business development professional turned hospice advocate, have both lost loved ones to severe chronic disease in the past 10 years and struggled to make sense of what was happening. Their personal experiences combined with Bernhagen’s work in the hospice field led them to produce a pair of documentaries with the goal of inspiring a culture change that results in end-of-life care that is more person-centered and less system-centered.

Entirely funded by private donations, “Consider the Conversation” premiered in front of a sold-out audience of 755 two years ago. It was released on DVD through Amazon.com in March and donated to PBS stations via the National Educational Telecommunications Association. It won 10 major awards including one for journalistic excellence and four for use of film for social change and viewer impact. It inspired the Wisconsin Medical Society to launch the statewide, collaborative advance-care-planning initiative Honoring Choices Wisconsin.

Muvico Thousand Oaks 14 is located at 166 W. Hillcrest Drive.

CLU’s Center for Equality and Justice and Graduate Psychology programs and Our Community House of Hope are sponsoring the freeevent. For more information, contact the center at cej@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3694.

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Kevin Wallace, Director of the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, will speak about Teapots: functional and dysfunctional. His talk is in preparation for the upcoming juried Teapot Show for members of the Ventura County Potters’ Guild. The opening reception is April 27 from 2 pm - 5pm. The public is welcome to come meet the artists. The show runs through Jun 2, 2013. More information can be found at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts www.beatricewood.com/exhibits. The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts is open to the Public Fri, Sat, & Sun 11 am – 5 pm at 8560 Ojai-Santa Paula Road, Ojai, CA 93023 805/646-3381.

Following Wallace's talk are Master Potters Larry Carnes and Richard Franklin with over 80 years of combined experience between them. Franklin will give a slide show on his collections of teapots from national and international artists. Carnes, owner of The Pottery Studio, 1804 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA 93023 805/646-5684, will show some of his teapot collection and talk about what makes a great teapot.

A hands-on Teapot Workshop is scheduled for February 2 & 3 at Westmont College, 955 La Paz Road, Santa Barbara. This two-day workshop will include hand building and wheel throwing from 10 am to 4 pm each day. The fee is $60 for members of the Ventura County Potters’ Guild (non profit) and $80 for non-members. Wonderful opportunity learn first hand or observe. Please contact Richard Franklin, 805/646-2770 R_YFranklin@msn.com for registration.

Doors open at 7pm, January 28, 2012
Talk starts at 8 pm
Refreshments, FREE

For more information, call 805-985-5038

Camarillo, Calif., Jan. 15, 2013 – The CSU Channel Islands Choir invites the public to become part of a diverse group united in the joy of singing. Auditions for the campus/community choir will be held by appointment through Jan. 28. Those interested in auditioning should contact the choir’s instructor, Dr. KuanFen Liu at 805-278-0375 or downbeatplus@gmail.com.

Rehearsals begin Monday evening, Jan. 28, on the CI campus. All voice types are invited to audition, though there is a special need for tenors and basses. This semester, the choir will perform “Gloria” by Francis Poulenc and Mozart’s “Kyrie, K. 341” with the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra in Camarillo and Ventura.

The choir is offered as part of the University’s Performing Arts Program and is a weekly class that meets Monday nights from 7 to 9:50 p.m. in Malibu Hall 140. Community members compose more than two-thirds of the choir, creating a diverse range of ages and expertise that enhances the student’s experience in the classroom. Each semester, the curriculum covers a wide range of musical genres and periods from Medieval to the present time, and offers members the chance to perform publicly throughout Ventura County as well as on the CI campus. Enrolled students can find the class in the course catalogue under PAMU 307 University Chorus 1. Students do not need to audition to participate in the class but will need to sing for the instructor to determine vocal range and placement.

The choir is led by Professor KuanFen Liu. Dr. Liu holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, a Master of Music in conducting from the Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in voice performance from Tunghai University in Taiwan. She has conducted the choir since its inception in 2004.

Visit the choir’s website at http://choir.csuci.edu to learn more about the class and upcoming events. Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA) is the sponsor of the choir. CICA is a 501 (c)(3) organization that serves Ventura County, bringing music education and performance to the local schools and community. Community members pay a fee of $75 to CICA each semester of participation. For more information, contact Joan Rust, President of CICA, at 805-484-6601 or joan@rust.net, or visit http://cicachoir.org.

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

Olav Njølstad

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The 2013 Nordic Spirit Symposium at California Lutheran University will explore the contributions of Scandinavians to a better global society.

“Scandinavian Peacemakers and Humanitarians” will be held Feb. 1 and 2 on the Thousand Oaks campus. The public is invited to join in the spirit of a symposium, which blends music, dining and the free exchange of ideas to enhance the pleasure of learning.

Professors from the United States and Norway will discuss the peacemaking and humanitarian roles of Scandinavians on Friday evening and Saturday in Samuelson Chapel. Some of the most prominent peacemakers have been residents of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and Scandinavian-Americans.

On Feb. 1, Christine Ingebritsen, professor of Scandinavian studies at the University of Washington will open the evening session with a lecture on the niche the small countries of Scandinavia havefound in world politics. CLU history professor Paul Hanson will talk about Norway’s peacemaking role in the Middle East.

On Feb. 2, Carl Emil Vogt, a researcher at the National Library of Norway in Oslo, will illustrate how Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian polar explorer and national hero, became an important figure in the League of Nations’ international humanitarian work. Olav Njølstad, a history professor at the University of Oslo, will discuss the Nobel Peace Prize and its relevance in today’s world.

Herbert Gooch, CLU professor of political science, will explore how U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren, the son of poor immigrant parents, took the United States closer to fulfilling the promise inscribed on the Supreme Court building: “Equal Justice Under Law.” Other presentations will cover Nobel Peace Prize recipient archbishop Nathan Söderblom and innovative international mediators Folke Bernadotte and Dag Hammarskjöld.

A reception will kick off the event at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Scandinavian Center. The symposium will conclude with dinner and entertainment by mezzo-soprano Ingrid Isaksen at 7p.m. Feb. 2 in the Lundring Events Center.

CLU and the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation are sponsoring the symposium. The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and the Norway House Foundation in San Francisco provided grants.

For prices, schedules and registration, call 805-660-3096 or email nordicspiritsymposium@hotmail.com. People can register for the symposium before each session, but reservations are needed for the Friday reception and Saturday lunch and dinner. The early-registration deadline is Jan. 18.

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Hear the beautiful melodies, enchanting rhythms and romantic lyrics of authentic Mexican Bolero music on Friday, February 8, 2013, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., as three popular music groups give a live concert at the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. Admission to the concert is $10 for the general public and $5 for museum members. Refreshments and a no-host bar will be available. Doors open at 7:00 and seating is first come, first seated. Admission includes entry to all Agriculture Museum exhibits.

The groups on tap have honed their singing and playing skills for decades. Jerry Lugo and his “Trio Los Unicos” have been together for more than a decade, as have Michael Leal and Albert Rodriguez of “Dueto Los Amigos.” Lencho Moraza and Xavier Montes of “Dueto Santa Paula” have played together since 1976. Moraza also sings the main vocals for “La Familia Moraza” and Xavier Montes is a harpist who plays throughout California.

Bolero music has its roots in 19th century Cuba and became popular in Mexico in the 1940s and 1950s when songs like “Sabor A Mi,” “Cerca del Mar,” and “El Reloj” were made famous by groups like “Trio Los Panchos,” “Los Dandys” and “Los Aces.” Bolero music is not widely performed today and it is a rare treat to hear musicians who specialize in it. The music requires great skill to perform. Musicians, usually in trios or duos, play melodic scales and unique rhythms on stringed instruments as they sing close harmonies. Sometimes, because of the Cuban influence, congas, bongos and maracas are added to the mix. All three groups performing on February 8th will present traditional ballads, and these songs of love, desire, courtship and heartbreak will make for a romantic evening.

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

Fused-glass artist Fran Elson and author Amada Irma Perez are the featured speakers in the new series An Afternoon of Arts & Letters, beginning at the Museum of Ventura County on February 10. Admission to both afternoon programs is $5 for the general public and free to museum members.

In an illustrated session from 1:00-2:00 p.m., Elson answers the question she is asked most often, “How do you do that?” She discusses and demonstrates the wide variety of techniques she uses creating glasswork in her studio in Somis, such as fine art pieces, jewelry, tableware, home décor and accessories. Elson will also answer audience questions. Examples of Elson’s work will be on display and available for purchase from noon to 4:00 p.m.

At 3:00 p.m. author Amada Irma Perez of Ventura presents “The Exquisite Art of Writing: Rediscover Romance and Enhance Family/Friend Relationships.” She promises “afternoon tea and a delightful writing experience” and will share intimate details from her letters, journals and diaries while guiding participants in new ways to express their sentiments. A selection of journals and writing implements will be available for purchase in the Museum. Perez is a former bilingual educator and has written numerous children’s books.

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.

Meet macro-photographer Dan Harding at the Museum of Ventura County on Free First Sunday, February 3 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., and find out how he captures the detailed images of tiny sea life on view in the current museum exhibit Tidepool Discoveries. The informal talk and all museum galleries are free to the public that day.

Harding combines technology and an unusual perspective to share his passion to protect and preserve these creatures. His process involves temporarily placing them in a small aquarium on site, so they can be returned quickly to their found location after being photographed. He also designs and constructs special underwater camera housings for other shoots.

Harding, who lives in Santa Paula, began scuba diving in the kelp forests of the Channel Islands when he was just 15 years old. This fascination with sea life evolved into degrees in marine science from San Diego State University, and a teaching career in the U. S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and locally in Ojai. Harding’s photography has appeared in numerous publications including National Geographic’s Your Shot and the Peterson Field Guide of Coral Reefs of the Caribbean and Florida, as well as in exhibits and displays at Channel Islands National Park; Pepperdine University’s grunion research program; the California Oil Museum; and others.

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.

SANTA PAULA, CA – After careful consideration and lengthy deliberation, the three judges of the Fifth Annual Art About Agriculture exhibit, on display at both the Santa Paula Art Museum and the Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum, have selected the winners. All of the 87 agriculturally-themed works in the show were considered for a variety of honors and $500.00 in prizes was awarded by judges Marla Burg, professor in Art History at Ventura College, Anne Graumlich, curator of the Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum, and Meg Phelps, professor in Art History at Ventura College and museum educator at the Santa Paula Art Museum.

The judges awarded Best of Show to Chris Provenzano’s “Trabajadores”, an impressive set of carved limestone figures who welcome visitors to the exhibit at the Art Museum. Hilda Kilpatrick’s “Flower Field, Santa Paula” was determined to be the Best Thematic Representation of the show, which encourages viewers to look at agriculture and its significance in our daily lives through the eyes of artists. Awards were also given to John Krist’s “Frost Blankets on Mandarins” for Best Composition in Light and Form; Jane Clare Salvati’s “The Grapes of Cali” for Best Use of Media; and George Lockwood’s “Farm Fresh” for Best Use of Light. Honorable Mentions were also made of Michael Torres’ “Gallo #2”, Gail Pidduck’s “Goat in Field”, Sharon Weaver’s “Vineyard Afternoon”, Kay Zetlmaier’s “Sunday in Salinas”, and Karen Anable-Nichols’ “Waiting for Lunch”.

Art About Agriculture runs through March 17, 2013 at both museums, so don’t miss your chance to see the award-winning works. The Santa Paula Art Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street in Santa Paula. The Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM, and Sundays, 12 PM – 4 PM. Admission is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, and free for students and SPAM Members. For more information, contact the Art Museum at (805) 525-5554, or email info@santapaulaartmuseum.org. The Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue in Santa Paula and is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 AM – 4 PM. For more information about the Agriculture Museum, please call (805) 525-3100.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - A Bulgarian portrait artist will work with students and community members as an artist-in-residence from Feb. 1 through March 2 at California Lutheran University.

The oil paintings of Ignat Ignatov will be exhibited in the Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture during his residency as part of the 2012-2013 Artists and Speakers Series. A receptionwill be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9.

During his month-long residency, the Kwan Fong will be transformed from gallery to studio as Ignatov paints portraits of gallery visitors. Community members are invited to watch and learn as he creates new works and shares his technical ability with students.

At age 13, the Bulgarian native’s promising talent in drawing, painting and sculpting gained him one of only 30 positions to the renowned School of Arts in Tryavna. He was then accepted into the traditional Bulgarian University of Arts, where he studied under the demanding atelier approach to fine art.

Ignatov used the proceeds from the sale of his art to finance his move to the United States in 1997 and he became a U.S. citizen. He continued his studies at the California Art Institute inWestlake Village, Associates in Art in Sherman Oaks and the American Animation Institute in North Hollywood.

He has become a respected member of the Southern California community of portrait artists and has made a career as a teacher and demonstrator of alla prima, a style where the painting is completed while the paint is still wetrather than in layers. He works in oil paints, producing richly colorful portraits and imagery of Eastern European daily life.

He is a signature member of theCalifornia Art Club and was a finalist in the figurative category of the 2010-2011 International Art Renewal Center Salon. Since 2005, he has taught painting classes at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art.

The Kwan Fong Gallery is located in the Soiland Humanities Center, which is on the south side of Memorial Parkway on the Thousand Oaks campus. It is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

CLU’s Artists and Speakers Committee and Art Department are sponsoring the residency and free exhibit. For more information, call Michael Pearce at 805-444-7716 or visit www.callutheran.edu/kwan_fong.

Sarah Bancroft, curator of the critically acclaimed traveling exhibition Richard Diebenkorn: The Ocean Park Series, will speak about the artist’s career on Sunday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m. at the Museum of Ventura County. The presentation is $10 for the general public and $5 for museum members. Admission includes the exhibition ISLAND TREASURES: Artworks from the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, featuring 17 works by Diebenkorn. For reservations call 805-653-0323 x7.

Bancroft will explore the noted American painter’s artistic journey through cycles of representation and abstraction, culminating in his highly abstract Ocean Park Series, produced between 1967 and 1988 while living in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica. All but two of Diebenkorn’s works in ISLAND TREASURES are dated earlier but already show his progression toward abstraction. A sequence of four pieces illustrates how his sketch of an island view out a bedroom window evolved into an abstract painting.

Bancroft is a curator at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach. Her aforementioned traveling exhibition was the largest ever retrospective exhibition of Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park Series. The retrospective debuted at the Orange County Museum of Art in the spring of 2012 and subsequently traveled to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

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 galleries. 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.

Rancho Camulos National Historic Landmark Museum has expanded its docent led tour schedule and will have public tours Saturdays at 1, 2, and 3 in January. Tours can be arranged at other times by reservation. Entrance to the non-profit museum which is on private property is only allowed with a docent escort. . You should check the website, www.ranchocamulos.org, before going in case of closures due to weather or special activities.

Rancho Camulos…Where the history, myth, and romance of old California still lingers… is a unique place to bring the family and out of town guests. If you belong to a club or other group, you can make a reservation for a special group tour that will fit in with your schedule and special interests. Teachers and others working with youth groups are encouraged to schedule an interactive tour to learn about California history.

Rancho Camulos is the only National Historic Landmark in Ventura County. Here the early Californio lifestyle is preserved in its original rural environment. What began as part of the 48,000 acre Mexican land grant, Rancho San Francisco, that included all of what is now Santa Clarita, was deeded to Antonio del Valle in 1839 and is still a 1,800-acre working ranch. Rancho Camulos was also the setting for "Ramona," the 1884 novel by Helen Hunt Jackson that generated national interest in the history of Hispanic settlement in California and the impact on Native Americans. The museum is a 10-acre portion of the ranch where visitors tour the 1853 Spanish Colonial adobe, 1920 Spanish Colonial Revival adobe, 1867 winery and chapel, 1930 schoolhouse, and beautiful grounds, and then view the 1910 silent film “Ramona” starring Mary Pickford that was filmed on location at Rancho Camulos. The suggested donation for the tour is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children over 5. The museum is located on Highway 126, 10 miles west of the I-5 freeway near Piru. INFO: (805) 521-1501 or www.ranchocamulos.org
During December, shop at the docent gift shop for unique gifts, art work, books, and local honey and salsa and enjoy the holiday decorations. Consider purchasing as gifts, $10 charity drawing tickets for an authentic Navajo rug. Only 500 tickets are being sold. You will be supporting the museum’s historic preservation and education efforts and the lucky winner will have a very beautiful and valuable work of art. This authentic Navajo rug which is a Burnham Pictorial with a Rug in a Rug center (60"X83”) by Desbah Shonie from Blue Gap was purchased from this year’s Hubbell Auction will also be on display. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival on April 21, 2013.

Special January activities CONTINUED »

“Space Between” by Carolyn Ryan - http://www.carolynryanart.com/
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“Answered Prayer” by Susie Swan - http://www.susieswanquilts.com/
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“Beato, Duchamp, Picabia" – 1917 – Beatrice Wood Center Archives
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Portrait of R.E. - Tapestry by John Nava from collection of Ventura County Museum
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1884 Crazy Quilt – Private Collection - Photograph by Roger Conrad
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“Buddha Six Supports” - Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo - http://threadsofawakening.com/
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“Sonny and Chair” by Frances Bulwa (1921 – 2007)
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Beatrice Wood portrait “Young At Heart” by Photographer Jill Stattler
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The Ojai Valley Museum opens its 2013 exhibition schedule on Saturday, January 19th with two distinct and original exhibits, “Fiber Arts Master Pieces” and “Beatrice Wood, Duchamp & Chess.” The exhibits will run through Sunday, March 31, 2013. The opening reception on Saturday January 26, 5 to 7 p.m., is open to the public and is free to 2012-2013 museum members and $5 for non-members at the door.

The museum’s Rotating Gallery presents a group exhibition titled “Fiber Art Master Pieces,” displaying the fiber artwork of fourteen contemporary regional artists. Their two and three dimensional works encompass techniques in pieced silk, appliqué, hand or machine quilting, crochet, tapestry, knitting, mixed media, crewelwork, loom weaving, embroidery, paper, and batik. Antique quilts, borrowed from Ojai families, are juxtaposed with the contemporary fiber artworks.

Fiber Art is defined as artworks made of natural materials that communicate some sort of message, emotion or meaning. The focus of the exhibit will be on various manipulations of tactile materials and on the manual labor involved in creating the works. Whether antique or contemporary, every piece in the exhibit can be appreciated close-up, as a whole and from a distance as well.

The exhibit showcases Ojai and Ventura County fiber artists in the following categories: Contemporary Quilts and Textiles by Kyle Crowner, Carolyn Ryan, Valerie Schmidt, Suzie Swan, Lynne Woods; Portraiture by John Nava, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo; Sculpture by Fran Bulwa, Gerri Johnson-McMillin, Linda Taylor; Wearable Art by Bernadette DiPietro, Ruthie Marks, Lise Solvang, Ginny Rockefeller, Lynn Woods, Fran Bulwa.

Individual fiber art pieces on exhibit include: a (non-wearable) ball gown fabricated of hand-made paper; woven sculptures of yarn, or with thread and beads; crocheted, knitted, loom and hand woven pieces of wearable art; tapestries, either hand-pieced or machine/computer generated; and utilitarian rugs and quilts. Each object will entrance the viewer with materials, techniques, and visual delight.

Antique quilts from the Haggerty and Thacher families of Ojai and from the textile collection of Dorothy Combs are also displayed along with a loom, spinning wheel, quilt rack and other tools used by fiber artists.

This exhibition surrounds the viewer with a wide range textures, patterns and color. Wall texts, artist’s statements and object labels describe fiber art techniques, histories of individual pieces and the inspiration for making the art work.

Simultaneously on exhibit in the Alcove Gallery is an installation by Ojai artist Valerie Freeman titled “Beatrice Wood, Duchamp and Chess.”

The exhibit is in homage to Beatrice Wood, in recognition of her friendship with Marcel Duchamp and in celebration of her 120th birthday on March 3, 2013. Freeman has sculpted an oversized ceramic chessboard and equine chess set that fills the 10’ x 10’ Alcove Gallery space. Environmental artist and ceramicist Tom McMillin assisted with the firing of one set of the pieces with Wood's secret luster glaze and fellow artist, Larry Carnes, assisted Freeman in the firing of the faux raku pieces.

In addition to the chess set installation as a symbol of Ojai’s most famous ceramicist, wall texts illuminate the history between Wood and her mentor, Marcel Duchamp. Kevin Wallace, Director of the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts wrote the text about Beatrice Wood and Freeman added text describing her concept, process, and purpose of the chess set.

The installation includes portraits of Beatrice Wood and her friends, on loan from photographer Jill Sattler and the Archive of the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts.

A video monitor, installed above the chessboard, displays looped interviews by those involved in the Alcove exhibit. A virtual chess game played by two (yet un-named) famous people will also be on view when the match is scheduled. For Valerie Freeman, “It’s more than a chess set. It’s a way . . . to stimulate thinking, to stimulate the intellect, and to support the arts and education

The Ojai Valley Museum and the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts will host a birthday party for Beatrice Wood on her actual birthday, March 3, 2013 at the museum. Special invitations will be sent out.

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 2012 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: Ojai Valley Museum.org Find us on Facebook Ojai Valley Museum

California State Old Time Fiddlers District 8 will meet Sunday, January 13 from 1:30-4:30 pm at the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. Join fiddlers for an afternoon of listening and dancing to Country Western and Bluegrass music. Bring an instrument and play along. Ron Sexton's workshop will comprise of a continuation of Music 101, including arrangements, chordal structure, the importance of scales, and....hands on teaching of one or two songs that can be performed on stage that day or at a later meeting. No admission or parking charge. Refreshments available. For more information go to calfiddlers.com or call 797-6563.

The Ventura County Rose Society will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, January 24, 2013, at the Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center at 5100 Adolfo Rd., Camarillo.

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for advice from Consulting Rosarians and refreshments, and our speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 pm.

The VCRS meeting will feature Tom Carruth, the new Curator of the Rose Collection at the Huntington Botanical Gardens will speak on "The Future of the Huntington Rose Gardens". Tom Carruth retired from Weeks Roses as the formost Hybridizer of over 100 new roses such as 'Julia Child', 'Memorial Day', 'Hot Cocoa', and 'Fourth of July'. Tom is an excellent speaker and he has wonderful plans to renovate the Huntington Rose Garden and share them with us.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact: Janet Sklar at 818-337-9970 or Dawn-Marie Johnson at 805-523-9003. Our website is www.venturarose.org

Our date for February is February 28, 2013 and our speaker will be David Bassani, President of the San Fernando Valley Rose Society, and a professional landscaper and Consulting Rosarian, who will talk on "Water-wise Hints for the Water-saving Rose Gardener."

Our date for March is March 14, 2013 and our speaker will be Connie Estes who will talk on "The Language of our own Greek and Latin for the Modern Gardener".

Watch how artist Norman Kirk brings a painting to life at the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum on Sunday, February 3, 2013, from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. Kirk will set up his easel, prepare his palette and transform a blank piece of paper into a rural California landscape on the museum’s monthly Free First Sunday, when all exhibits and events are open free to the public.

Kirk’s watercolor commissions include those by the International Olympic Committee, the Ventura County Design House, and various California vineyards. His work is held in private collections throughout the country, as well as being exhibited and collected by Southern California museums which include Museum of Ventura County. Kirk taught watercolor painting at Ventura College for 18 years and is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society. He studied at Art Center School of Los Angeles (now Art Center in Pasadena) and Chouinard Art Institute (now California Institute of the Arts [CalArts] ).

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

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Camarillo, CA - The Art Program at CSU Channel Islands (CI) is pleased to announce its next exhibition in the Art Gallery at Napa Hall: “Joe Fay – Recent Drawings,” which runs from Jan. 31 through March 1. An opening reception will be held Thursday, Jan. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

Fay will exhibit two different series of drawings, all created within the last year and a half. His “Christo Project” drawings decry a controversial art project proposed by the artist Christo that would suspend large fabric panels over parts of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Fay opposes the project, as he believes it threatens wildlife and alters the river’s ecosystem. The drawings are a humorous, personal protest, portraying the animals’ and other citizens’ responses to alteration of the river.

The “Wild Bird/Animal” series is Fay’s interpretation of these particular birds and animals. An avid outdoorsman, he witnesses these creatures regularly on hiking, fishing and backpacking trips. Using the animals’ basic shapes, Fay creates bold and uniquely colorful and personal images, rather than realistic renderings. His intent is to bring about a greater awareness of nature.

Fay currently resides and maintains a studio in Livingston, Montana. He holds a bachelor’s degree in art from San Diego State University. He began his career in Los Angeles, where he was one of the founders of the downtown Los Angeles artist loft culture of the late 1970s. In 1982, Fay received the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Young Talent Purchase Award. His work is widely exhibited and can be found in numerous public and private collections, including the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Santa Fe Museum of Fine Art, and numerous others.

The Art Gallery at Napa Hall is located on Ventura Street on the CI campus. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road 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. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

For additional information, contact the CI Art Program at 805-437-8570, email art@csuci.edu, or visit http://art.csuci.edu/gallery. To learn more about the artist, visit www.joefaysart.com.

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