Michael Hart

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - California Lutheran University will present its first PRISM Concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 1, in Samuelson Chapel.

The University Wind Ensemble, chamber ensembles and instrumental soloists will perform at the free concert. The non-traditional program will feature a continuous rotation of music without applause, allowing the audience to hear the complete spectrum of wind and percussion music.

Michael Hart, CLU’s director of bands, will conduct.

Donations will be accepted.

Samuelson Chapel is located south of Olsen Road near Campus Drive. For more information, call the Music Department at (805) 493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/music.

VENTURA, CA. – The devastating earthquake and tsunami that recently struck Japan shocked and touched people throughout the world. To some, the tragedy might seem a world away, but a Ventura youth theater company is preparing to remind local residents that they are all part of "one world" by holding a performance to benefit quake victims.

Performance Theatre for Young Artists will present "One World," a musical theater variety show, at 6 p.m. April 23 at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Road in Ventura. All proceeds will go directly to aid earthquake survivors through Direct Relief International. Founded in 1948, the Santa Barbara-based organization has helped people throughout the world who have endured tremendous hardships improve the quality of their lives. In addition to offering health care for impoverished people, the group has responded to emergencies such as the earthquake and cholera outbreak in Haiti, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

"I was horrified at what happened in Japan and felt so much empathy for the people," said PTYA Director Marta Dewey."I really wanted to do something to help. I think the show will be a great way for kids in our group to help others in need, no matter where they live in the world. It reminds us that we are all just one race –the Human race." Dewey said she researched Direct Relief International and chose it because all of the money donated will go directly to the cause.

With cast members ranging from age 8 to 20, the benefit will feature musical theater numbers and inspirational songs, as well as acting and dance routines. Two PTYA pianists, both Japanese Americans, will also perform. Performers will include current and past PTYA cast members and students in Dewey's voice classes. "Performers and their parents are really excited about the benefit and the people it will help," she said. "Our main goal is to raise as much money as we can to donate to the relief efforts, and treat our audience to a wonderful show."

Suggested donations at the door are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and children 17 and younger. People who want to donate to the cause but cannot attend the performance can make a donation at the PTYA web site, www.ptya.org.

A California Nonprofit Organization, PTYA provides education, training and experience to young Ventura County artists by offering workshops, and community theater and other performance activities. Through these programs, children learn and develop acting, singing, dance, literacy, technical theater and performance skills. They also build their self-esteem and self-confidence, and experience in teamwork, decision-making, communication and other important life skills. PTYA's office, rehearsal rooms, stage, music room, and set and costume shops are located at 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura, CA 93003.

For more information about PTYA, go to www.ptya.org or call (805) 653-1962. For more information about Direct Relief International, go to www.directrelief.org or call (805) 964-4767.

SOLITUDE is the theme of this year’s photography exhibition at the Ojai Center for the Arts. The eighth annual juried show depicting moments of peace, calmness, singularity, loneliness or isolation encourages any photographic style including landscape, documentary, manipulative, etc. The show opens June 11 and runs through July 6, 2011.

Last year more than 50 works by nearly as many photographers were displayed at the Art Center. This year we expect that more artists will compete to have one or more of their works in the show.

Photographers are invited to submit their work on June 9 or June 10. Detailed submission information can be found on the Photography Branch page at the Art Center website at http://www.ojaiartcenter.org/photography.htm

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 4 pm. Admission is free. There will be a reception Sunday, June 12 from 1 to 3 pm. Refreshments will be served. The Art Center is located in downtown Ojai at 113 South Montgomery Street.

"Tanimura and Antle" by Luis Peña, oil on wood, gold leafing

Studio Channel Islands in Old Town Camarillo presented its Award for Excellence in Art Studies on April 7th to Luis Peña, a California Lutheran University art major. The award was presented by Pat Richards Dodds at a ceremony at the Art Center Gallery.

In a strong show of support for the scholarship recipient, CLU was represented by President Chris Kimball; Joan Griffin, Dean of College of Arts & Science; Michael Pearce, Chair of the Art Department; Lynn Creighton, Senior Lecturer for the Art Department (and current exhibitor at Studio Channel Islands Gallery); and Terry Spehar-Fahey, Art Instructor.

Luis Peña’s work, together with runners up Samantha Richman and Cody Yan, will be on display at the gallery throughout the month of April.

Entrants for the scholarship must be college art majors with a goal of becoming full time artists. This year, California Lutheran University was invited to submit the portfolios of promising art students. The Award is based on the Scholarship Committee’s evaluation of the quality of the art work rather than the student’s financial need.

The Award for Excellence in Art Studies was created in honor of founding member and award presenter Pat Richards Dodds whose work is often on display at the Gallery.

The awards ceremony preceded Studio Channel Islands monthly “Meet the Artist” presentation featuring Susan Cook, Susan R. Kaufman and Lynn Creighton discussing their shared exhibit titled “Celebrating Life”.

Studio Channel Islands Art Center and Gallery is a non-profit organization with a fine arts gallery located at 2221 Ventura Boulevard and Artists Studios located directly across the street, at 2222 Ventura Boulevard. Gallery Hours: Tuesday 11am – 3pm; Wednesday – Friday 11am – 5pm; Saturday 10am – 3pm. Artists Studios are open to the public every Thursday through Saturday 11am – 5pm.

A bushel of lemons once hid the visionary talent of the late Santa Paula folk artist Maura Flores Olney. Learn her story and see her intriguing handmade dolls and other works of art in Revelation:Rediscovering the Art of Maura Flores Olney, opening May 6 at the Museum of Ventura County, and running through June 19.

During her lifetime Olney worked as a lemon grader in the Limoneira packing house and as a nanny for the daughters of Alfrida and Milton Teague. Olney had little formal artistic training, but was admired by family and friends for creating handmade dolls inspired by people she knew, movie stars and the folk art of her native Mexico. Thanks to her benefactress Alfrida Teague, who recognized Olney’s special talent, the artist went on to attend art school in Pasadena and spent time as an artist-in-residence at Padua Hills in Claremont, California.

For the past three years, museum Curator of Collections Anna Bermudez has been researching Olney’s story for this exhibition, which includes dolls from the museum collection, as well as paintings and historical materials from the artist’s family.

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 is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.

This is a year of many firsts for the 37-year-old Scandinavian Festival, which will be held April 16 and 17 at California Lutheran University. They include the following:

Danish interns provide 21st century marketing edge

The Scandinavian Festival’s first interns, CLU business administration students Dorthe (June) Clemensen and Michelle Frausing of Denmark, are bringing 21st century marketing techniques to the event. Through the university’s tri-continental degree program, they took classes at Shanghai Finance University and Copenhagen Business College and are now finishing their degrees at CLU. Drawn to the festival that celebrates their homeland, they asked the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation if they could assist with the festival for their Event Planning course internship. They created a Facebook page and linked it to Twitter and helped arrange for presale tickets to be sold online for the first time. They also designed magnets with the dates of next year’s festival that will be distributed at the festival, secured radio advertising spots and participated in all the planning sessions.

Festival performer visits schools

A Scandinavian Festival performer is presenting assemblies in local schools this year in advance of the event for the first time. Storyteller, singer and musician Ross Sutter will take his act to three schools in Moorpark and Thousand Oaks. The school assemblies are slated from 8:15 to 9 a.m. Thursday, April 14, at Wildwood Elementary School in Thousand Oaks; 1:45 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Weathersfield Elementary School in Thousand Oaks; and at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Friday, April 15, at Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology in Moorpark.

New gammal dans extends celebration into evening

A gammal dans, or old-time dance, has been added to the festival this year, extending the celebration into the evening from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16. A variety of performers will play old-time Scandinavian music as people dance the snua, schottiche, polska and hambo.

Rock musician and classic violinist to perform as duo

Kaivama: Finnish-American Excavators is a new act to the Scandinavian Festival. Sara Pajunen is a classically trained violinist. Jonathan Rundman is a troubadour songwriter who plays a variety of instruments and has collected raves from Billboard, The New York Times and other publications. Together they put a unique spin on traditional and Nordic tunes. Their first album is slated to come out in June.

For more information on any of these stories, contact Karin Grennan at kgrennan@callutheran.edu or (805) 493-3512.

Camarillo, CA. - CSU Channel Islands (CI) and the New West Symphony have announced that the Symphony will collaborate with CI in a multi-media presentation for “Music to See,” the next Masterpiece Series concert of the New West Symphony 2010/2011 season.

Jack Reilly, CI Professor and chair of the art program, has selected five students from the department who will create art works in various media depicting scenes from Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, one of the works on the program. The students include Erika Craig, Kelly Denton, Nan Kane, Jonathan Lareva and Ashleigh Norman. A slide show of the art works will be created and projected in the auditoriums during the performances. The art works will also be on display in the lobbies of the performance venues.

Reilly commented, “These talented art students are thrilled to participate in this innovative and creative endeavor with the New West Symphony. As a group, these students represent CI’s finest and hopefully this collaboration will lead many more interactions with the surrounding creative community, which is at the central mission of our art program.”

New West Symphony music director Boris Brott speaking about the collaboration said, "I am thrilled to be able to realize my conception of this program with the enthusiastic partnership of Professor Reilly and the very excellent artists whom he has chosen. This community engagement benefits both the Symphony and the CI art program.”

The New West Symphony Masterpiece Series concert, “Music to See,” takes place on Friday, April 29, 8 p.m. at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, on Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and on Sunday, May 1, 4 p.m. at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica. The complete program includes the Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofé and Scheherazade by Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov. Tickets priced from $25 to $110 are available by calling 866-776-8400 or on-line at www.newwestsymphony.org. $10 student rush tickets are available beginning 30 minutes prior to the performances.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research.

California State Old Time Fiddlers, District 8, meet Sunday, April 10, 1:30-4:30 at Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. This will be last meeting until May 22. Fiddlers will not meet Easter Sunday or Mother's Day. Don't miss this opportunity to listen or dance to country, western, or bluegrass music. No parking or admission charge. Refreshments available. Info: 640-3689, 517-1131, www.calfiddlers.com.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - Actress Melissa Gilbert will talk to California Lutheran University students and the community at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21, as part of the “Conversations With … “ series.

The third in a series of informal discussions with actors on their craft will be held in the Preus-Brandt Forum on the Thousand Oaks campus. Actor, writer and director Markus Flanagan, who teaches at CLU, will be the moderator for a one-hour talk followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Gilbert, the youngest person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is best known for playing Laura Ingalls on the television series “Little House on the Prairie” from 1974 to 1983. She received the Young Artists Award for Best Young Actress in a Drama Series in 1983 and 1984 for her work on the series.

With Hollywood connections in her adopted family and a natural ability for entertaining, Gilbert started appearing in commercials as a child. Since the late 1970s, she has starred in more than 45 television movies and miniseries including “The Miracle Worker,” “Splendor in the Grass” and “Choices of the Heart.” She played Ma Ingalls in “Little House on the Prairie: The Musical” from 2008 to 2010. She has appeared in several television shows, from “Babylon 5” to “Nip/Tuck.”

Gilbert served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition. She released her autobiography, “Prairie Tale,” in 2009.

Flanagan, a 24-year veteran in the industry, has appeared in 10 movies and more than 100 TV shows. He also lectures for acting programs throughout the country.

Flanagan’s 2007 book, “One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor’s Survival Guide,” explains how to make it in the business of acting while staying sane and focused. The “Conversations With …” talks at CLU take the same approach, providing theatre arts students and other aspiring actors with advice from professionals.

Donations will be accepted. Proceeds will benefit the CLU Theatre Arts Department.

Preus-Brandt Forum is located south of Olsen Road near Mountclef Boulevard.

For more information, call (805) 493-3415 or e-mail dramadpt@callutheran.edu.

Guy Webster circa 1968

Photographs of 1960s rock stars from the collection of renowned celebrity photographer Guy Webster are on exhibition at the Museum of Ventura County from May 6 through June 19, 2011. Rock’N’ Roll! Guy Webster: Photographer and Collector concentrates on Webster’s innovative work in rock-and-roll photography, and features images of such legendary 1960s performers as The Mamas and the Papas, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones. A number of photographs in the exhibit have never before been on exhibition. Rock ‘N’ Roll also includes a selection of rare vintage Italian racing motorcycles from Ojai resident Webster’s collection.

Webster discusses his life and work in How I Shot the Sixties and Survived, Thursday, May 26 at 6:00 p.m. in the Museum of Ventura County’s Pavilion. A reception for the artist will immediately follow the event. Admission is $15 for the general public and $10 for museum members. Reservations are required (805-653-0323 x 315).

During Webster’s wide-ranging career, his magazine photographs have appeared worldwide, capturing personalities from Igor Stravinsky to Barbara Streisand, from The Doors to Bill Clinton. He continues to shoot today’s artists, writers, athletes, and musicians, as well as the fashion and entertainment industries.

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 is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.

Make the best of your vegetable garden by preserving the fruit of your labor.

Canning is an activity that can be enjoyed with family and friends. Done safely, it’s an economical way to preserve your favorite foods at home. Understanding the science behind food preservation is key.

Visit the UC Hansen Agricultural Center for another Saturday at the Farm on April 30th. This month’s featured speaker, Dr. Hany Khalil, Food Science and Nutrition Professor at Cal Poly—San Luis Obispo will present: Fruit and Vegetable Preservation—Safety and Quality Consideration. Learn the basic principals of home canning to produce safe and high quality preserved foods. 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Space is limited, reservations for presentation required. Call 805-525-9293 ext. 214 or email:sbmiller@ucdavis.edu. Send checks payable to: UC Regents. Cost: $5/person. UCHAC is located at 14292 W. Telegraph Rd in Santa Paula.

The UC Hansen Agricultural Center will be open on April 30th from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Faulkner House tours, self-guided garden tours, and Master Gardener plant sale will also be available. If you would like to participate in these activities, no reservation required. For more information visit our website at www.uchansentrust.org.

Admission to the farm and parking are free.

The first public showing of stone sculptor G. Ramon Byrne’s life size musical instruments opens at the Museum of Ventura County on Friday, May 6, 2011. The Composed In Stone exhibition highlights Byrne’s suite of eight instruments, conceived and carved over the past five years and only recently completed. The exhibition continues through June 26, 2011.

Byrne’s silent symphony reflects his passion to transform hard surface into shapes that speak of sound and touch. A third generation stone mason and artist, Byrne works out of Ventura’s famed Art City, where he has made his artistic home since 2005. His work is installed in public and private locations throughout California and in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Byrne began sculpting in the 1970s as an apprentice to Big Sur’s renowned wood sculptor Edmond Kara, but moved quickly into stone carving. He has worked as an instructor and demonstrator for the annual Sculptors Symposium at Camp Ocean Pines, Cambria, California, has facilitated stone sculpting workshops at the Esalan Institute in Big Sur, and teaches privately. He is also an active member of the Artists’ Union Gallery in Ventura.

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 is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.

Channel Islands Harbor presents Gypsies in a Trunk, the all-volunteer troupe of actors who perform free fairy tales for the young and the young at heart. They will be performing “Rapunzel: Tangled Tale of Split Ends” at 2 p.m., May 1 at the north end of Harbor View Park, located adjacent to Marine Emporium Landing and the Farmer’s Market.

Gypsies in the Trunk will also perform a variety of other productions at Channel Islands Harbor.

June 5 “Sleeping Beauty”

July 3 “The Princess and the Pea”

Aug. 7 “Aladdin”

Sept. 4 “Rumpelstiltskin”

All performances are at 2 p.m. at the north end of Harbor View Park. For more information, visit www.channelislandsharbor.org. You can also visit Gypsies in a Trunk’s website at www.gypsyplayers.com.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - An exhibit showcasing the work of senior art students at California Lutheran University will be held from Monday, April 25 through Saturday, May 14.

The opening reception for the Senior Art Exhibition will be at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 30, in Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture on the Thousand Oaks campus.

The students in the show either majored or minored in art. They are history major Sheila Barrera of Simi Valley, communication major Maxwell Buchanan of Scottsdale, Ariz., multimedia major Rachel Ferguson of Newbury Park, art major Kristiann Lopez of Forest Grove, Ore., art major Tuan Nguyen of Thousand Oaks, psychology major Amy Shibel of Los Angeles, art major Christy Sutphen of Oxnard, art major Lindsey Tucker of Santa Clarita, art major Chloe Warden of Hollywood and art major AiHua Zhou of Newbury Park.

The exhibition includes ceramics, drawings, mixed media, prints, photography, paintings and sculpture.

CLU’s Art Department is sponsoring the free exhibit.

The Kwan Fong Gallery is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is located in Soiland Humanities Center south of Memorial Parkway near Regent Avenue.

For more information, contact Kristi Colell at kcolell@callutheran.edu or (805) 797-3018 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/kwan_fong.

Isabella sketching

The Museum of Ventura County’s Art Start program returns this summer and is now open for registration. The July 11-15, and July 18 – 22 sessions from 9:00 am to noon, are designed for students currently in 3rd to 5th grades, of all artistic abilities and interests. The Art Start program is designed to encourage students to discover and experiment with different art media and techniques. Local artists visit several days during each session to discuss their art and demonstrate, while the museum’s exhibitions and art collection provide inspiration.

T-shirt, snacks and all art materials are included in the registration fee, which is $85 for the general public, $70 for museum members. Scholarships are available. Registration forms may be downloaded under education resources at www.venturamuseum.org, or picked up in the Museum of Ventura County lobby, 100 East Main Street in Ventura, from 11 a.m. to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. For further information contact education@venturamuseum.org or call (805) 653-0323 ext. 300.

The Arts Council of the Conejo Valley, "The Voice of the Arts," features a new exhibit in The Galleria at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 W Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, 91360. The title is "The Voice of the Arts Presents". This invitational show will have original works of art by thirteen artists who are board members of the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley and their invited guests. Co-Curators of the Galleria are Thousand Oaks artists, Janet Amiri and Connie Tunick.

Exhibition dates are April 7 - June 28, 2011. An Artists' Reception and installation of the new board of directors of the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley will take place Saturday, June 11, 2011, 4-6 pm; the public is invited to attend free of charge.

Artists from Thousand Oaks are Janet Amiri, Juliette Chayet-Cole, Judith Crowe, Cotty Kilbanks, Heidi Ritterbush, Victoria Sonstegard,and Connie Tunick; Westlake Village artists are Gordon Durich and Geri Schonberg; Rich Brimer and Kristi Colell, Camarillo; Theodora Ilowitz, Newbury Park;and Danielle Rabano, Los Angeles.

The show can be viewed daily from 9 am until 5 pm, and there is no charge. For more information call (805) 381-2747 or go to the web site: www.conejoarts.org.

Justin Kawika Young

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - California Lutheran University students are holding a luau and concert to raise money for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 21, on the Grace Hall basketball courts.

All Attached for Japan will feature Hawaiian singer/songwriter Justin Kawika Young. Young is the guitarist for pop singer Colbie Caillat and his 2007 album is called “All Attached.” The event will also feature hula dancing and a presentation on the tragedy in Japan.

Admission is free. Catered Hawaiian food will be available for purchase.

CLU has many Japanese students studying in its undergraduate and graduate programs. Members of the Hawaii Club, Asian Club and Friends, and Action Abroad Alliance joined forces to organize the fundraiser to help the people of Japan.

Tickets for the buffet are $3. A food ticket and raffle ticket can be purchased together for $5. Raffle tickets will be sold individually as well. Anyone who donates to the cause will receive a wristband honoring Japan.

All proceeds will be donated to an organization providing aid to Japan.

Grace Hall is located at the south end of Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus.

For more information, contact Melissa Harbison at mharbiso@callutheran.edu or (719) 360-3973.

The Museum of Ventura County is now accepting registration for Chumash Youth 2011. The two sessions are June 20-24, and June 27-July 1, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and open to students currently in 3rd or 4th grade. Sessions are limited to 15 students.

This junior anthropology program helps children learn about the traditional culture of the Chumash Indians, Ventura County’s indigenous Native Americans, through Chumash songs, stories, and games, as well as hands-on activities. Children make their own arrowhead, learn to make plant fiber string, a clapper stick instrument and other projects using traditional methods. During each session, Chumash elder Julie Tumamait-Stenslie visits to share legends and stories of her people.

T-shirt, snacks and all materials are included in the registration fee, which is $50 for the general public, $40 for museum members. Scholarships are available. Registration forms may be downloaded under education resources at www.venturamuseum.org, or picked up in the lobby of the Museum of Ventura County, 100 East Main Street in Ventura, from 11 a.m. to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. For further information contact education@venturamuseum.org or call (805) 653-0323 ext. 300.

A new 80's musical written by FHS's own Josh Overton! This fun musical features some most excellent singing and dancing to tunes you'll remember from this gnarly decade. The hair styles and costumes are easily worth the price of admission!

The show opens this Friday, April 1st at 7pm. Other performances include: Saturday, April 2nd at 7pm, Sunday, April 3rd at 2pm, Friday, April 8th at 7pm, Saturday, April 9th at 7pm, Sunday, April 10th at 2pm.

Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, $7 for adults, and $15 for our new Anytime Ticket - good for unlimited admissions. Come see this Totally Rad show as many times as you want! Contact Josh Overton at 276-6070 or Janet Foy at 524-2757 for more info.