Kay Zetlmaier’s collection of oil paintings “Land and Sea, Our Beautiful Coastline” will be exhibiting at the Harbor Village Gallery from Wednesday, June 16 to Sunday, July 11, 2010. An Artist Reception will be held on Friday, June 18, 2010 from 5 – 8pm.

One is thrown into nature’s adventures as their eyes are awakened touring Kay Zetlmaier’s exhibit of lively oil paintings. Her works are full of movement and expression, coming fresh from the scene, illuminating her plein-air style. Warm and expressive brushstrokes reveal influences of Monet and Joaquín Sorolla. Framed California’s coastlines are portrayed in full exposure with a range of passion and excitement from powerful, crashing waves to bright and serene vistas.

Zetlmaier grew up in California enamored with nature and art. A passionate Californian she greatly enjoys living in Ventura, so close to many inspiring, beautiful sites. With an appreciation for education, Zetlmaier’s studies include a Bachelor’s degree from CSU Long Beach, a Masters from CSU Dominguez Hills, as well as various workshops and classes by Connie Peterson, David Gallup, and others. She has worked with watercolors, acrylics and through the past five years her work has concentrated in the medium of oil. An inspiring Californian plein-air, Impressionist, David Gallup, has been a vital mentor to her, teaching her to run free with color, harmony and personal expression.

Zetlmaier’s character is full of adventure and passion and has shared her zeal for art as an art teacher at Ventura High School for over twenty years. Her adventures don’t stop in California or in the classroom, she has been fortunate enough to travel around America’s amazing landscapes, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Alaska, bright Mexico, cool Canada, and even Europe’s intriguing historical sites throughout Italy and Greece.

Zetlmaier’s exhibit of oil paintings truly quenches your soul’s thirst for beauty and adventure.

This is Zetlmaier’s second solo exhibit with the Buenaventura Art Association.

The Harbor Village Gallery is located at 1591 Spinnaker Dr., entrance # 3 in the Ventura Harbor Village, next to the big lawn. Open Monday through Thursday (closed on Tuesdays) from 12 to 5 p.m. and Friday, through Sunday from 11a.m. to 6p.m. For more information, call the gallery at 805-644-2750 or visit www.harborvillagegallery.com or www.buenaventuragallery.org

Tammy Woodford and Christy Smolenski are offering a jewelry wrapping workshop with silver, semi-precious stones and gems on Saturday, June 5,, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Harbor Village Gallery. The cost is $25 for Buenaventura Art Association Members and $30 for the general public. The price includes all materials and tools. Participants will go home with a full set of tools and one piece of hand-made (by you) jewelry - necklace or bracelet!

Smolenski is currently the Featured Artisan at the Harbor Village Gallery’s Artisan Store and is featuring hand-crafted jewelry and beach artwork. She has been working with jewelry for the past fifteen years, following the passion and instruction from her mother. Woodford has been practicing jewelry-making silver jewelry for many years and has been a member of the Buenaventura Art Association since 2008. Recently, she led a jewelry demonstration for Ventura Harbor Village’s “Mom’s Night Out” on May 6, 2010.

Sign up for the workshop at the Harbor Village Gallery or call during Open Gallery Hours. You can also pay online with PayPal via the Buenaventura Art Association’s home page.

The Harbor Village Gallery and Artisan Store is located at 1591 Spinnaker Dr., entrance # 3 in the Ventura Harbor Village, next to the big lawn. Open Monday through Thursday (closed on Tuesdays) from 12 to 5 p.m. and Friday, through Sunday from 11a.m. to 6p.m. For more information, call the gallery at 805-644-2750 or visit www.harborvillagegallery.com or www.buenaventuragallery.org

Peggy Foote Dark grew up in Ventura in a family of devoted cooks, and following that tradition, eventually founded The Kitchen for Exploring Foods, one of Southern California’s premier catering firms. On Sunday, July 11 at 3:00 pm, Dark comes to the Museum of Ventura County’s new event pavilion on Main Street to sign the book “Fabulous Parties: Food and Flowers for Elegant Entertaining,” which she wrote with florists Mark Held and Richard David of Mark’s Garden. Along with food tasting, the event includes Dark’s discussion about the book, which adapts the principals of planning lavish large events to the more intimate scale and budget of home entertaining. She also plans to talk about how her career was influenced by her family and her hometown of Ventura.

Attendance is $15 for the general public, $10 for museum members. Call 805-653-0323 x 10 to make reservations. The event is being held in the Museum of Ventura County’s newly constructed Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Pavilion, part of the museum’s renovated 100 East Main Street location in Ventura.

Peggy Foot Dark, a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara, co-founded The Kitchen for Exploring Foods in Pasadena in 1984, a catering and gourmet take-out business with a devoted Southern California following. Mark Held and Richard David are the owners of Mark’s Garden in Los Angeles, recognized in 1999 by the London Financial Times as one of the outstanding florists in the world.

On July 3, the Museum of Ventura County returns to its renovated facility at 100 East Main Street, Ventura, with a free admission celebration on the 4th of July. Go to www.venturamuseum.org for more information.

The Rancho Camulos Docent Council will be holding their annual Artists’ Day for plein air painting on Tuesday May 25th at the museum. All artists are invited to attend between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to paint, draw or make photographs. The donation of $25 will be used to make further improvements on the museum property.

This is the only time each year when this historic property is reserved for the exclusive use of artists.

Costumed docents will be there to add to the general ambiance of the day. The newly restored fountain near the chapel gives the feeling of Early California. The rose gardens surrounding the adobe are now at their best. Rancho Camulos is the perfect setting for plein air work.

Morning refreshments and lunch at noon will be served to those who attend. Reservations are suggested. Please call the office by May 22 at 521-1501.

EAT is the theme of this year’s photograph exhibition at the Ojai Center for the Arts. The seventh annual juried show celebrating food and eating encourages any photographic style including photojournalism, agrarian landscapes, food stills, photomontages, etc. The show opens June 5 and runs through July 7, 2010.

Last year more than 40 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 3 or June 4. Detailed submission information can be found on the Photography Branch page of the Art Center website (http://www.bearwoodimages.com/photobranch).

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 4 pm. Admission is free. There will be a reception Sunday, June 6 from 1 to 3:30 pm. Refreshments will be served. The Art Center is located in downtown Ojai at 113 South Montgomery Street.

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Writer/Contributor: Elise DePuydt

Join former artistic directors and actors Paul Backer, John Slade, Jaye Hersh, Susan Kelejian and Claire Haider for a rich and colorful look back at the Ojai Shakespeare Festival. This group presented its first play in the historic Libbey Bowl in 1981. Enlivening the gathering, the Madrigali Renaissance Voices will perform some of their entertaining stories and songs. . Everyone is welcome to this interesting and enjoyable afternoon.

The presentation is in conjunction with the Ojai Valley Museum's exhibit Ojai's Libbey Bowl, which runs from April 29 - July 11. The Ojai Shakespeare Festival is one of numerous local groups that have enriched the Ojai community using the cherished Libbey Bowl venue. The Ojai Valley’s love for Shakespeare dates to before 1900 when a group of Thacher School wives formed the Shakespeare Reading Club, which is still in existence today.

This gathering will be held at the Ojai Valley Museum, 130 W. Ojai Avenue. The event is FREE to 2010 museum members and $8 for non-members. Seating is limited, reservations suggested. Reservations for non-members must be paid in advance. Call the museum at (805) 640-1390, to make a reservation or for additional information.

Writer/Contributor: Michelle Ellis, Ojai Museum Director

In Ojai, California, an outdoor landmark of world-renown will be razed to the ground on June 21, 2010 and reconstruction will begin immediately thereafter. Beginning in 1957, Ojai’s Libbey Bowl amphitheater has gathered international music and theatre groups attracting audiences from southern to northern California, and from east coast to west coast. As a tribute to the past, present and future of Ojai’s Libbey Bowl, the Ojai Valley Museum will mount an historical exhibition showcasing the highlights of the Bowl’s first 50 years, and the plans for its reconstruction and future use.

The exhibit, entitled “Ojai’s Libbey Bowl/Past, Present, Future,” will run May 6 through July 11, 2010 in the changing gallery of the Ojai Valley Museum. The 2500 square foot exhibition space will be filled with original ephemera, photographs, and 3-dimensional artifacts describing the activities hosted at the Libbey Bowl between 1957 and July 2010. Completing the “Past” and ‘’Present” components of the exhibit will be premier examples of Libbey Glass manufactured between the 1890’s and now. The glassware will demarcate the decades represented as well as pay homage to Mr. Edward Drummond Libbey’s philanthropy in Ojai.

To illustrate the “Future” of the Bowl, architectural drawings and a maquette (small model) for the re-built structure will be on view. Also exhibited will be the maquette of the “1% for art” public work realized by musical sculptor, Trimpin. The Seattle-based sound artist will install his commissioned, kinetic, motion-activated “Sound Arch” at the entry of the new Libbey Bowl, slated to open in July, 2011.

The “Ojai’s Libbey Bowl/Past, Present, Future” exhibition is a collaboration between the Ojai Valley Museum, the Save Libbey Bowl Campaign, and the many non-profit lenders to the show. Notable appearances at the Bowl by Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copeland, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Pierre Boulez will be recognized in the exhibition. Mementos, including programs, t-shirts, posters,candid snapshots, formal portraits, and costumes will represent the myriad events that have been held at the Bowl. The gallery will chronicle the music, storytelling, poetry, film, Shakespeare festivals, theatre productions, Mexican Fiesta, Rock & Roll concerts, Chumash celebrations, Memorial and Veteran’s Day salutes held at the Bowl, under the California sun or evening stars, over the years beginning in 1957.

This exhibition is an historical perspective. It is a concrete appreciation for the arts presented at the Libbey Bowl; and it is a purveyor of what the Libbey Bowl will be.
The exhibition is funded in part with grants from the Smith Hobson Family Foundation and the Ventura County Community Foundation Heritage Fund and the membership of the Ojai Valley Museum.

The Ojai Valley Museum will host a Gala Opening Reception on May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. It will be catered with a no-host wine bar; entertainment will be provided. Tickets are $30.00 and are available by reservation only by calling the OVM at (805) 640-1390 or by e-mail at: ojaimuseum@sbcglobal.net

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SANTA PAULA, CALIF - The Santa Paula Art Museum is pleased to announce the opening of From the Classics to Plein Air, an exhibition of art from Ventura artist, Tony Jankowski. The Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street in historic downtown Santa Paula. The exhibition will run through August 15th. The opening reception will be held on May 15th from 4-6 pm. Reservations are encouraged by calling 805-525-5554 or emailing SantaPaulaArtMuseum@verizon.net. Opening exhibit admission is: members: $15 non-members: $20.

Tony Jankowski was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Lithuanian parents. His mother, a former teacher, exposed him to European Masters, and encouraged him to draw and paint at an early age. At age five, he painted his first watercolor. Jankowski took up traditional oil painting at age 13. His paintings have been shown in galleries throughout the United States and Central and South America.

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Patti Post’s exhibit of recent works titled “Coming into Fullness” shows at the Buenaventura Art Galley from May 25 to June 19, 2010. Opening Reception is Saturday, June 5 from 4-7pm.

Let the beauty we love be what we do. - Rumi

What Post does, is what she loves and it is beautiful. Creating for Post is more then pen on paper, ink to press and brush strokes on a canvas. “To create is to be alive,” says Post, a dogma representing the skills and beliefs she has learned, shared and taught for a life time. Her prints and paintings share the significance of the numerous lives she has touched and accomplishments she has made.

Beginning to celebrate the newest chapter of her life, Post has recently retired from 41 years of teaching Fine Arts to the young, the mature, the mentally handicapped and to an array of countless eager students. The list of workshops, seminars, lectures, online classes and class room studies Post has on her resume is taller then she is, as are the awards and recognitions. Awards range from Teacher of the Year on a School, District and State level to featured guest on Disney Salutes the American Teacher Awards.

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Ron Zolkover’s collection of oil paintings “Golden Days and Starry Nights” will be exhibiting at the Harbor Village Gallery from Wednesday, May 12 to Sunday, June 13, 2010. Artist Reception will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 5 – 8pm.

Zolkover leads us on a guided tour of our golden state’s striking landscapes. His exuberant brush strokes capture warm western lights and fresh summer days. Created outside in a plein-air style, his paintings are fresh from the scene.

A passionate Californian native, Zolkover has spent some time sailing and surfing, “The sea has permeated my entire being,” states the artist. His work reflects his innate connection with the sea and nature. He strives to catch lively impressions of his surroundings and the moment. Painting has become a refuge and obsession, releasing his creative side, bringing a new level of enjoyment to his life.

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OXNARD, CA –- Strike up the bands of the 27th Annual CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL May 15 and 16, where all day fun includes two Festival stages alive with a medley of concert performances throughout the weekend at Strawberry Meadows of College Park (3250 S. Rose Avenue) in Oxnard.

The concert stages will be jammin’ non-stop with everything from classic rock and Beatles tribute, to smooth jazz, Latin funk, Elvis, and rhythm & blues, among others. It all kicks off each morning with the downbeat of the Oxnard High School Marching Band when they welcome patrons at the entrance gates.

In addition to the amazing live entertainment, the celebration of fun includes arts & crafts, rides and attractions, gooey contests, Strawberryland For Kids, the Strawberry Promenade, the new “Green Scene,” and more. Admission ranges from $5 to $12. Hours are 10:00a.m. to 6:30p.m.

Saturday May 15 Festival Stage, presented by your Southern California Ford Dealers
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Become a kid again—make your own art project, and hear the story behind a unique quilt made of T-shirts, at the Museum of Ventura County during First Fridays Ventura’s evening gallery crawl May 7.

The museum has an active evening planned that night, to coincide with their current exhibit of art quilts. From 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., hear Laura Peck show and talk about the story-quilt she created from souvenir t-shirts she and her husband collected on their travels. From 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., you can join award-winning quilter Pat Masterson in a quilt-inspired art project for adults. Admission to the museum is free.

During First Fridays Ventura on June 4, the museum will again present quilt-inspired art projects for adults.

The Museum of Ventura County, at 89 S. California Street, is one of many art spaces throughout downtown and midtown Ventura that stay open evenings on first Fridays of the month. Some participating locations offer art receptions, demonstrations, lectures, performance art, or music as part of the relaxed experience. Most remain open until 8 p.m., some until 9:00 or later. To find a location map and information about May 7 exhibits and events at participating venues, go to www.FirstFridaysVentura.com .

The Museum of Ventura County is currently showing Becoming Art at the Seams, a Juried Exhibition of Contemporary and Art Quilts by artists from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The museum is at 89 S. California Street; for further information, call 805.653.0323, or go to www.venturamuseum.org.

The following is a list of the major events taking place at Ventura Harbor Village, Ventura, California for calendar year 2010. For more information, contact Jennifer Talt Lundin or Stacey Reed at 805-477-0470; jtaltlundin@venturaharbor.com.

Gentle Outdoor Yoga – Saturdays through November 6, 2010 – 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Experience Gentle Yoga along the water’s edge every Saturday now through November 6, 2010 on the Ventura Harbor Village Main Lawn from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Gentle Yoga replenishes the body and soul while improving muscle tone, flexibility, strength, stamina and helps to reduce stress and tension.
The cost is $5 per person and mats are provided upon request.

Doga – Yoga for Dogs – First Saturday of the Month starting May 1 through November 6, 2010 – 10:30 a.m.
Man’s best friend is joined with their owners for Doga held every month on the Ventura Harbor Village Main Lawn. A popular craze taught in Los Angeles and New York, the classes function similar to a regular yoga class and focus on gentle stretches, breathing and massage. The cost is $5 per class.

Ventura Suburban Kiwanis Health Fair – Saturday, April 24, 2010– 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ventura Suburban Kiwanis Health Fair provides fun and informative booths promoting health and well being for all ages. Proceeds benefit the pediatric ward at Ventura Community Memorial Hospital. Admission is free.

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The curtain for Alice in Wonderland will open Friday, April 23 at 7:30P.M., and runs two weekends, at The Sespe School Auditorium 627 Sespe Ave. Fillmore, Saturday April 24 at 7:30P.M., Sunday April 25 at 2:00P.M., Friday April 30 at 7:30P.M., Saturday May 1 at 7:30P.M., and Sunday May 2 at 2:00P.M.

Alice in Wonderland is a journey into a world of complete illusion. The Director, Stephen Burhoe in his Sespe Players Directorial Debut has taken this Lewis Carol play, set in the 1800s, and added his own flair for comedy. It is a combination of Lewis Carol's two books, Through the Looking Glass and Alice in Wonderland, adapted for the stage by Eve La Gallienne and Forida Freibus. Using magic secrets and puppetry, Stephen Burhoe has set the stage for a very entertaining experience in live community theater. Stephen is an acting coach and teaches Theater Workshops in Ventura County for over ten years.

Alice in Wonderland will be the largest production Sespe Players, Inc. (Fillmore's own Community Theater group), has produced since restarting in 2004.

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Come to the Ojai Center for the Arts and share a medieval experience with the Ojai Madrigal performing traditional Renaissance and medieval music -- a cappella madrigals, folk songs, chants and carols, almost all of it written prior to 1650.

This is a rare chance to hear the group perform on a stage in our storied theatre. Be in the audience and hear each soaring voice as they blend and intertwine in delicate harmonies, sometimes haunting, sometimes playful, in rich unison and complex counterpoint.

Madrigali seeks to bring this once wildly popular music back to life, not in some stuffy academic setting, but full of spirit, color, drama, and emotion s, romantic, fanciful, bawdy, and joyous.

The Madrigalis, under the direction of Jaye Hersh, turned 20 last year. Known for there participation in the Ojai Shakespeare Festival productions at Ojai’s Libbey Bowl they have traveled as far as Barcelona, Spain and Siena, Italy to joyfully perform their music.

"It's what many would consider Renaissance music," said Hersh. Hersh said their repertoire covers all different kinds of music, sacred and secular and that “madrigali was written for the joy of music. One of the first notated songs was a ten part round that we still sing today, providing the tune for 'Three Blind Mice', 'Row, Row, Row You're Boat', and ‘Frere a Jacque’."

The troupe will perform at 7:30 p.m. with tickets on sale at the door, $12 for Adults and $10 for Seniors, Students, and Art Center members. For more information call 272-5293.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University’s wind and jazz ensembles will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, April 30, in Samuelson Chapel.

The concert will begin with the 50-member Wind Ensemble playing favorites from its repertoire, including Peter Mennin’s “Canzona” and Andrew Boysen’s “Variations on a Theme of Sousa.” A highlight will be the “Concertino, Opus 107” by Cécile Chaminade with flute soloist Wyndi May, a CLU senior majoring in music and flute performance.

Michael Hart, who will become CLU’s director of bands in fall, will conduct the Wind Ensemble in the “Circus Bee” by Henry Fillmore. Music professor Daniel Geeting will conduct the other pieces.

CLU’s Jazz Improvisation Ensemble will improvise on tunes from the American songbook with adjunct faculty member Peter Woodford directing.

The chapel is located south of Olsen Road off of Campus Road on the Thousand Oaks campus. Additional parking is available at the corner of Olsen and Mountclef Boulevard.

Donations will be accepted for the “Wind Ensembles Play Favorites” concert. For more information, call the Music Department at (805) 493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/music.

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The Art of Erin Gafill, a San Francisco painter with family roots in Carmel’s historic art colony beginnings, will hold an opening reception Sunday, April 11 for her current work on view at the Ojai Center for the Arts, 113 S. Montgomery.

Gafill’s exhibit entitled, “The Passionate Landscape,” features her expansive, vibrant scenes of the Central Coast, from Tomales Bay in the north to Big Sur in the south.

“These works were inspired by my great-great grandmother Jane Gallatin Powers, who was a California plein air painter,” said Gafill. “My painting process itself begins with drawing what I see every day, the trees, the hills, the shape of sky and sea. Using bold brushstrokes and a full-spectrum palette I hope to convey the sense of awe I feel when confronted by the spectacular and powerful natural beauty of this region.”

Gafill’s roots go deep in California history. Galfill’s great-great grandmother had the first artist’s studio in Carmel establishing an art colony there with her husband Frank. Gafill’s grandparents Lolly and Bill Fassett, were also area art pioneers who built one of Big Sur’s most famous landmark, Nepenthe Restaurant, a legendary watering hole for artist, poets, writers, and bohemians.

An internationally collected and award-winning writer, painter, and teacher, Gafill was chosen as the first American artist-in-residence of the Japanese Hamada International Children’s Art Museum. Her work created there is now displayed at the Monterey Museum of Art. She is also the cofounder of Big Sur Arts Initiative, a nonprofit arts education organization dedicated to nurturing art and culture in the Big Sur community.

You are invited to meet the artist at the reception 1-3:00 p.m., April 11. Her exhibit, “ The Passionate Landscape,” continues until May 5. The Art Center is open Tuesday though Sunday 12-4:00 p.m.

For more information call 644-0117 or go to ojaiartcenter.org

Kidz Snap

KIDZSNAP and ELEMENTS are two youth photography and digital collage exhibits on public display at the City Corps building at 77 California St. on Saturday, April 17 during the City of Ventura’s Spring Art Walk. KidzSnap from 1 – 5 pm and Elements from 5-9 pm There will be refreshments and musical entertainment by Dew Watts Right and Land' n Sea will be offered to all ages who attend.

KIDZSNAP: is a children’s photography program offered by the Buenaventura Art Association. This program delivered over 100 disposable cameras into the hands of ten Ventura classrooms. The young artists were instructed by local photographers, Linda Peterson, Erin Mason and Lisa Dodge on how to use their camera, look for a good photo and take a successful photograph. Each budding photographer will not have seen their images until ArtWalk! The KidzSnap program was funded by the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF)’s ArtsLIVE Grant Program as well as donations from Carlos Avila of Photographix and Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau. The KidzSnap exhibit will offer a digital slide show as well as one 8”x10” printed photo by of each participating photographer.

ELEMENTS: Earth, Air, Fire and Water, is a Digital Collage program facilitated by arts educator Lynne Okun. Fifteen teenage members of City Corp took classes on the basics of photography, Photoshop and i-movie software. Ventura’s City Corp youth, volunteer many hours of time and energy to other organizations through out our community. This project was designed to give them an opportunity to be young artists who create individual ideas and images as well as work together on an abstract project culminating in a event all of their own. ELEMENTS was funded through the City of Ventura’s ArtsLIVE grant from the VCCF. Both programs and their debut weekend will bring together friends, family and community to experience visual creations through the eyes and hearts of Ventura’s youth.

For more information visit www.buenaventuragallery.org , call Buenaventura Art Association at 805.648.1235 Or visit www.venturaartwalk.org or www.venturacitycorps.org.