“No Barking” an acrylic by Janet Mackaig is just one of her recent works that will be at the Ventura College Gallery 2.
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Ventura College galleries feature unusual perspectives for first spring exhibit

• Jan. 22 – Feb. 14, Gallery 2, Noon – 4pm, call 805-648-8974, “Is This Insanity or Reality?” Works by Janet Mackaig , Free

• Jan. 22—Feb. 14, New Media Gallery, Noon – 4 pm, call 805-648-8974, “The Tourists are the Attraction” Paintings by Stan Benson, Free

VENTURA: The Ventura College Galleries inaugurate their spring 2009 shows with two exhibits featuring the unique perspectives of artists. In Gallery 2, the touching paintings of Janet Mackaig will be featured while in the New Media Gallery, oil on wood panel painter Stan Benson’s works will be exhibited. The exhibits run from January 22 through February 14. The reception for the artists is Thursday, January 22, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the patio by Gallery 2, and the press and community members are welcome to attend.

Janet Mackaig lives and works in Santa Monica. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from CSU Los Angeles, where she has done post graduate work. She has also done post-graduate work at UCLA. About her work, Ms. Mackaig says, “The content in these works of art have separated life into segments or situations. They resemble stream of consciousness writing. There is no consciousness logic. The paintings have strong personal intent, looking beyond the obvious. The artist is a world traveler seeking interesting adventures. A record is kept through photographs and back in the studio they can be used as a reference. Each painting has its own life or story. They are usually memorialized in the form of a poem. I am a painter, printmaker and poet and my paintings and prints are storytelling but not necessarily obvious as such. The poem can be written before the painting or after, it does not matter because the stream of consciousness becomes alive in the painting. Colors and materials belong to the conscious mind and are just a reference and helpful guide into the painting and the adventure into the unconscious.”

Mackaig has had 39 solo exhibitions, including shows in Laguna Beach, San Marcos,
Los Angeles, Walnut, Mt. Jacinto, Merced and Ashland, California; Alamosa, Colorado; and Anchorage, Alaska. Her works are held in more than twenty public collections from California to New Jersey, and she has most recently won juried exhibitions and awards in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Indiana, among others. For more information on Ms. Mackaig, visit janetmackaig.com.

When discussing the role of the viewer, Mackaig noted, “Disassociating with comfortable art and becoming disconnected makes you feel uneasy. Maybe, viewing ‘disconnected’ art gives the viewer a new sense of reality. Perhaps the artist jolts viewers so they question, what is going on in this world? We need to question. I like to think of my work as a visual haiku.”

Stan Benson, in “The Tourists are the Attraction,” brings to The New Media Gallery works done on natural wood panels as a background. His paintings of situations he has observed while traveling as a tourist will form the gist of this show, but his works include an incredible range of styles including what he calls Old School, Abstract, and Computer Art. Works from his amazing scope can be seen at http://www.home.earthlink.net/~stansart/ where there are six elevator floors of his work for the viewer to enjoy. For the exhibit at Ventura College, it should be noted that as an allusion to the simulated authenticity of tourism, he stains the wood creating a simulated marquetry effect. The sepia tones capture the nostalgia of travel memories while the wood hues are reminiscent of the many hues of mankind. He works with the unique pattern and texture of the wood, often adding paint or collage, to create representational paintings with a touch of abstraction.

The Gallery Hours are Monday through Friday, noon to 4:00pm. For additional information and changes on hours, call Kate Martin, gallery director, at Ventura College, (805) 648-8974 or contact her by email at kate@katemartin.com.

John Parker
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John Parker Chair
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Norman Kirk
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Norman Kirk Chair
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The Ventura Music Festival’s 15th Season Art exhibition features a collection of 15 handcrafted chairs all to be auctioned off at its key fundraiser for the year on March 14, 2009.

In the past four years, the Ventura Music Festival has partnered with the local art community to help raise funds for the Festival. This year, in honor of its 15th anniversary, the Festival’s art exhibition celebrates each year since its founding by commissioning 15 one-of-a-kind “Musical Chairs.”

Each handcrafted chair features a unique perspective as artists feature their own style and interpretation of the Festival’s theme – Ruskaya: Music…the Soul of Russia. Interested parties also can now place bids on chairs prior to the auction through the Festival’s website at: www.venturamusicfestival.org.

Prior to the auction, all 15 chairs will remain on display at various venues throughout Ventura County.

Through February 15:

Affinity Bank & Trust, 101 S. Chestnut Street, Ventura

First California Bank of Oxnard, 300 E. Esplanade Drive, #102, Oxnard

Santa Barbara Bank, 250 S. Mills Road, Ventura

Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street, Ventura

Fox Fine Jewelry, 210 E. Main Street, Ventura

San Buenaventura Artists Union Gallery, 330 S. California Street, Ventura (through Feb. 8 only)

Studio Channel Islands Art Center, 519 South C Street, Oxnard

February 16 – March 6:

Rabobank, 300 S. Mills Road, Ventura

Weaver Wines, 14 S. California Street, Ventura

Primavera Art Gallery, 214 E. Ojai Avenue, Ojai

Tower Club, 300 E. Esplanade Drive, #1455, Oxnard

Red Brick Gallery, 328 E. Main Street, Ventura

Crowne Plaza Hotel, 450 Harbor Blvd., Ventura

March 6 – 13:

All 15 chairs will come together and remain on display at Discovery Gallery, Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau, 101 S. California Street, Ventura

Annual gala and fundraiser, March 14

The Ventura Music Festival’s annual gala and fundraiser, themed White Russian Nights is March 14 at the Four Points by Sheraton in the Ventura Harbor. Guests will enjoy a festive evening of fine dining, wine and entertainment, including a live auction of 15 Musical Chairs. Visit the website www.venturamusicfestival.org or call (805) 648-3146 for more information or to purchase tickets.

ATTACHED ARTIST PHOTO AND BIO

ALL 15 chair and artist images are available upon request from PR@consortium-media.com.

Artists Norman Kirk and John Parker are just two of 15 local artists participating in the Ventura Music Festivals art exhibition, “Musical Chairs.” In all, 15 chairs were created to celebrate the Festival’s 15th anniversary season. Norman Kirk’s chair photo courtesy of Schaf Photo. John Parker’s chair photo courtesy of Photo by Derek.

About the Artists

Norman Kirk: A resident of Santa Paula, artist Norman Kirk is best known for his watercolor paintings. A signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West and the gold Coast Watercolor Society, he studied the classics at the Cleveland Museum of Art and continued his studies at the Los Angeles Art Center School of Design, UCLA, Chouinards, De Paul University and Ventura college where he has also taught watercolor painting since 1982.

He has been the cover artist and program book illustrator for the Ventura Co. Design House since 1994 and was a combat artist during WW II. His paintings have won countless awards in juried shows and has works presented in galleries and museums throughout California.

A lover of music and a passion for painting have overlapped and intertwined in ways that are difficult to explain throughout my life,” Kirk says. “My personal expression of the chair, titled ‘Adagio,’ contains images of composers, musicians, instruments, and other symbols representing the world of music. They are depicted with a combination of collage, original painted compositions, and unified with brushwork woven through the juxtaposed imagery.”

John Parker: John Parker, a visual artist, musician, graphic artist and resident of Ventura, is inspired to create art by modern art masters such as Modigliani, Picasso, Gustav Klimt and European poster art of the early 20th Century.

He has created graphics for local events such as Downtown ArtWalk and now serves on the Board of Directors at San Buenaventura Artists Union Gallery. This year marks his fourth season creating signature art, brochures, ads and all graphics for the Ventura Music Festival.

When describing his chair, Parker says “Listen! Has the music stopped? When it does.....have a seat! Here, where light and darkness meet, where day and night cast purple shadows on the street. A swirling phantasmagoria of color and rhythm surround you, hypnotizing you into dream....but wait! The music has started again....you must rise up and dance!”

Buenaventura Art Association announces a “Call for Entries” for their 23rd Annual Open Competition at the Buenaventura Gallery. The exhibit will run from Jan 20 – Jan. 31 with the bring-in for the artists on Sunday, Jan. 18 and Monday, Jan. 19 from 11 am – 2 pm. The awards ceremony (with over $1,000 in prizes awarded) will be on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 4 – 7 pm. Dennis Reed, Dean of Fine, Performing and Media Arts and Los Angeles Valley College will the juror.

Dennis Reed taught drawing and painting for twenty years, mainly at Los Angeles Valley College. He is a writer and curator who has organized one-person exhibitions of artists Doug Harvey, Emerson Woelffer, Walter Askin and Richard Pettibone, to name a few. He is perhaps best known for his work in photography, having organized exhibitions for such institutions as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Corcoran Gallery (Washington, DC), the Oakland Museum, and The Huntington.

He has written numerous essays and two books, Japanese Photography in America, 1920-1940, for the Japanese American Cultural Center, and (co-authored) Pictorialism in California: Photographs, 1900-1940, for the Getty Museum. His most recent essay is The Wind Came from the East, was published in 2008 by Stanford University in the book, Asian American Art, 1850-1970.

He is a collector of art and photography, and his collections has been shown at such museum as the National Gallery of Australia, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the DeYoung Memorial Museum, the Houston Museum of Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, to name a few. In 2006 the Santa Barbara Museum of Art presented two exhibitions highlighting his collection of photographs. The January 2008 issue of Art on Paper magazine included an article profiling Mr. Reed. In January he will assume the role of Chair of the Photographic Arts Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Buenaventura Gallery is located at 700 E Santa Clara St. in downtown Ventura. Hours are Tues – Friday from noon – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information and entry form, visit their website at www.BuenaventuraGallery.org. Buenaventura Art Association celebrates 55 years of bringing art to Ventura County!

Ashwood & Loma Vista, Ventura.
Performed During Dudley Open House Dates
All shows 30 minutes repeated unless otherwise noted
(For information call 644-3286)

Sunday, January 4, 20098 1pm to 4pm
Escape-Leinengen and the Ants, January 14, 1948

Sunday, February 1, 2009 1pm to 4pm
Sherlock Holmes-The Adventure of the Red Headed League, October 12, 1947

Sunday, March 1, 2009 1pm to 4pm
The Bob Hope Show, June 10, 1952

Sunday, April 5, 2009 1pm to 4pm
Inner Sanctum-Terror By Night, September 18, 1945

Sunday, May 3, 2009 1pm to 4pm
Sherlock Holmes-The Case of the Lucky Shilling, January 18, 1948

Sunday, June 7, 2009 1pm to 4pm
My Favorite Husband with Lucille Ball, April 23, 1950

Saturday, July 4, 2009 11am to 4m
Fibber McGee and Molly, June 24, 1941

Sunday, July 5, 2009 1pm to 4pm
Fibber McGee and Molly, June 24, 1941

Sunday, August 2, 2009 1pm to 4pm
Lights Out!-Cat Wife with Boris Karloff, April 6, 1938

Sunday, September 6, 2009 1pm to 4pm
Sherlock Holmes-“The Adventures of the Engineer’s Thumb, January 25, 1948

Sunday, October 4, 2009 1pm to 4pm.
Orson Welles Mercury Theater-“The War of the Worlds”(1hr), October 30, 1938

Sunday, November 1, 2008 1pm to 4pm
The Life of Riley, Jun1 1946

No shows in December due to Dudley House Victorian Holiday Boutique.

The artful pairing of memorable stories and imaginative illustrations inspires Picture This! The Magic of Children’s Books, on exhibition at the Museum of Ventura County from April 4 through July 5, 2009. A free public opening reception honoring the featured illustrators and authors is on Friday, April 3, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Designed for both children and adults, the exhibit features dozens of original illustrations and writer’s notes, which follow the highly collaborative process. Included is work by Caldecott Medal winner, author and illustrator Simms Taback of Ventura, and by illustrator Maya Christina Gonzales, authors and illustrators Mary Ann Fraser of Simi Valley and Carol Heyer of Thousand Oaks, and authors Alexis O’Neill of Simi Valley, Amada Irma Pérez of Ventura, and Jody Fickes Shapiro of Ventura.

Parents and children can create their own illustrated books, and a comfortable reading nook provides visitors of all ages a place to enjoy the featured books. Children’s book illustrations created by local high school students are on display June 5 through July 5. Special events surrounding the exhibits include a talk by author and illustrator Simms Taback, winner of the prestigious 2000 Caldecott Medal for children’s book illustration; book signings and readings; and new Toddler Tuesday sessions which include a story time and art projects.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 89 S. California Street in downtown Ventura; open Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission except for some events. For information, call (805) 653-0323 or go to http://www.venturamuseum.org.

Trina Boman

Applications are now being accepted for the second year of the Henry Schwab Ventura County Violin Competition. The competition is open to young violinists up to the age of 25. Sponsored by a grant from the Henry and Miriam Schwab Family Charitable Trust, the competition seeks to encourage young violinists and help them with their education. $3,000 in prize money is awarded to the contestants who compete in two events. First, a preliminary audition will be held January 24, 2009 in order to select four finalists. The finalists will compete on May 24, 2009, by playing a concerto with the Ventura College Symphony. The public is invited to the May competition. The 2008 winner was then-16 year old Trina Bowman of Thousand Oaks.

For further information or to request an application, call 805-525-0144.

Background on Henry Schwab: The event, the Henry Schwab Ventura County Violin Competition, honors Henry Schwab, who began violin study in New York at a young age. His talent prompted his parents to send him to Europe in 1924 to continue his training. He studied in Vienna, graduating with highest honors. His study continued in Berlin with the world-famous professor Carl Flesch and later with the Russian virtuoso, Spiwakowsky. He studied in Paris under French master Jacques Thibaud. After taking a degree from Normale de Musique, he returned to the United States for a brilliant career as a concert violinist, concertmaster, teacher and collector of instruments. Maestro Schwab passed away at the age of 100 in 2006, and his wife Miriam has established this competition in his memory.

Additional Information on the Competition: The contest has two categories: for violinists up to the age of 17, upon the recommendation of their music teacher, and for those 18 – 25, either upon the recommendation of their music instructor or enrollment in an accredited college or university. There is a $30 entrance fee. The preliminary competition is January 24. Candidates must play two selections, both from memory, for the panel of judges. Competitors must bring a score for the judges and supply their own piano accompanist. Auditions will last no longer than 20 minutes. The evaluation will include accuracy, musicianship and style. Two finalists will be selected from each category to continue in the May 24, 2009 competition. The May competition will require two rehearsals with the Symphony and a live performance that will be open to the public.

The application for the Competition is available on the College website – www.venturacollege.edu – under the Public Relations section of the home page in the viewer’s lower right side of the screen. The completed application should be mailed with the entry fee check to the college at Ventura College, attn: Dr. Burns Taft, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura CA 93003.

APPLICATION (PLEASE PRINT)
Henry Schwab Ventura County Violin Competition
Name (Print) ____________________________________________________
Address ________________________________________________________
City ______________________ State ___________ Zip __________________
Email _____________________________ Phone(s) ______________________
Age ____________ Date of Birth _____________________________________
Name of Violin Teacher ______________________________
High School/ College ____________________________________
Selections to be played at the Preliminary Audition
1) Classical Selection: ____________________________________________________________
2) Concerto: ____________________________________________________________
TO BE FILLED OUT BY THE INSTRUCTOR
Name (PRINT) ______________________________________________________
Signature __________________________________________________________
Address ________________________________________________________
City ______________________ State ___________ Zip __________________
Email _____________________________ Phone(s) ______________________
Teacher’s signature____________________________________________________
Applicant’s signature___________________________________________________
If under 21, parent’s signature is required: _________________________________
Entry fee is $30. Please make the check out to Ventura College. Mail application and entry fee (checks or money orders only) to
Ventura College
Attn: Dr. Burns Taft, Music Dept. (Violin Competition)
4667 Telegraph Road
Ventura CA 93003

Peter Case
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Santa Paula Theater Center presents its first of five concerts of the year. "An Evening With Peter Case and special guest Crosby Tyler", Sat. January 10th. The doors open at 8:00 PM, concert starts at 8:30 PM. Tickets are $25.00 each. This is a kick off for Peter Case’s year-long European tour.

After 30-plus years as one of America’s most enduring and treasured songwriters, Troubadour prince Peter Case has made his most direct and affecting work to date. Case’s first album of original material since 2002, Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John is naked and aching calling to mind the best of the one-man-and-a-guitar ethos that has acted as the backbone of American songwriting since the early 20th century.

Case began his career as a teenage street musician in L.A. during the heyday of punk before forming the seminal power pop bands The Plimsouls and The Nerves. Going on to work with legends like T-Bone Burnett, Ry Cooder and David Hidalg Case has been honored with a three-disc tribute album by legends like Victoria Williams and Dave Alvin. Despite the accolades from his peers, Case is still focusing on making quality new music.

Guest Crosby Tyler performs a fusion of 60's pop mixed with a versatility of songwriting against a backdrop of urban Americana.

Stay informed by checking the Santa Paula Theater Center website for the most current play productions front and back stage and the four additional concerts through out the year. http://www.santapaulatheatercenter.org/

Are you working on a project you just can’t complete? Are you stuck in a rut, not feeling fulfilled? Then clear your calendar on Saturday, January 24 and sign up for either a morning or afternoon session of a workshop called Unlock Your Creative Potential!

During the 1½ hour-long workshop, Brecia Kralovic-Logan, a Santa Barbara-based ceramic and fiber artist, writer and creativity coach, will share her easy to learn method for developing creativity, which can be applied to any field or endeavor. Each workshop session is limited to 24 students, and is held at the Museum of Ventura County, 89 S. California Street, Ventura.

Cost for the creativity workshop is $15 for the general public; $10 for Museum members. RSVP by January 16 to (805) 641-1876 ext. 305 for either the 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or the 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. workshop. Both sessions will cover the same material.

Arnold Schwarzenegger
California State Governor

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding the death of Robert Graham:

“Maria and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Robert Graham. Robert was an amazing sculptor who forever shaped the presence of sculpture art throughout California and the world. His work was truly influential and he will forever remain an icon in this state. Our thoughts and prayers are with Robert's wife Anjelica and his entire family during this difficult time.”

Graham was inducted into The California Museum's California Hall of Fame on December 15. Graham’s work has been the subject of over eighty solo exhibitions and three retrospective exhibitions in the United States, Europe, Japan and Mexico, and is included in many national and international museum collections. He also designed the "Spirit of California" medal for the California Hall of Fame, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Gates and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C.

OXNARD, Calif.—Channel Islands Harbor celebrates the migration of the Pacific Gray Whale with the 13th Annual Celebration of the Whales. Pacific Gray Whales offer plenty of opportunities for sightseers as they migrate through the waters of the Santa Barbara Channel on their way to the lagoons of Mexico. Whale watching excursions begin Dec. 26 and run through Apr. 15, 2009.
“It’s a magnificent sight to see these majestic creatures travel through our waters,” said Lyn Krieger, director, Channel Islands Harbor. “As part of our celebration, visitors have the unique opportunity to see these animals up close by participating in one of our whale watching excursions.”
Whale watching excursions to the Channel Islands National Park are offered daily. Businesses at Channel Islands Harbor offering these sight-seeing excursions include Captain Hook’s Sportfishing, (805) 382-6233; Channel Islands Sportfishing, (805) 382-1612; and Island Packers, (805) 382-1779.
For more information, call the Channel Islands Harbor Visitor's Center at (805) 985-4852.

Channel Islands Harbor serves as a center of recreation, boating, shopping and water sports activities. The harbor is home to three yacht clubs and nine full-service marinas that provide berths for 2,150 boats. It also hosts the Ventura County Maritime Museum. Located at Fisherman’s Wharf, the museum is a cultural center dedicated to the interpretation of maritime history through interactive exhibits and educational outreach.

Paquito D’Rivera

As part of its ongoing student outreach mission, the Ventura Music Festival announces its Second Student Music Competition, selecting one Ventura, Santa Barbara or Los Angeles high school student to play a number on stage with Latin-jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera, a nine-time GRAMMY Award winner.

D’Rivera will perform in Ventura on February 14, 2009 at Ventura High School.

High school students may enter the competition by providing a CD or MP3 of their recording via U.S. mail or through e-mail. Entries must contain the following information:

Student’s name and age

Student’s home address, phone number and e-mail address

Name of school, student’s music teacher, phone number and e-mail address

Name of recording and composer for contest entry

Mail CD’s to: Ventura Music Festival, Attn: Jenny Toder, 472 E. Santa Clara Avenue, Ventura CA 93001; or e-mail an MP3 to: Mary Braitman at: mary@braitmanconsulting.com. Entries must be received by January 15, 2009. Winner will be notified by telephone and/or e-mail. All entries for the competition will receive discount tickets to attend the concert.

For more information, visit the website at www.venturamusivfestival.org, or call 805-648-3146 or 805-647-5278.

About Paquito D’Rivera
Born in Cuba in June 1948, Paquito D’Rivera immigrated to the USA in 1980. Since launching his career, he has made more than 30 albums as a solo artist in the fields of jazz, bebop and Latin jazz. He tours worldwide with his various ensembles, including the Chamber Jazz Ensemble, the Paquito D’Rivera Big Band and the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet.

D’Rivera has also written and interpreted a large number of classical works and has played in a variety of formations and composed works – from solo pieces to a symphony. Collaborations include solo appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. One of the highlights of his career is the recording of his three chamber-music works by famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma at New York's Carnegie Hall in 2003.

Ann Scanlin, President of the Ojai Valley Museum Board of Trustees, met with valley teachers and museum docents to discuss the latest exhibit at the museum. She gave them interpretive materials that they can use to prepare their students for this exhibit and the enrichment programs that the museum will provide to enlighten students about the culture of Native California. The exhibit is a beautiful collection of art, sculpture, basketry, and poetry created by Native Californians. “I believe this will be a wonderful experience for my students and the community,” noted Ron Schindel, sixth grade teacher at Oak Grove School.

The teachers attending were from MatillijaJunior High School, Mira Monte Elementary, Oak Grove School, Thacher School, Villanova Preparatory School and both campuses of Ojai Valley School. The teachers had a chance to preview the exhibit and to network with each other. Steve Gard, American History teacher at Matillija Junior High School remarked, “It is wonderful to meet teachers at this phenomenal exhibit. I’ll pass it on to our English Department. Wonderful!”

Students will be able to tour the exhibit and receive enrichment activities appropriate to their grade level. Teachers who wish to participate can drop by the museum to preview the exhibit and schedule a tour. Museum hours are Thursday and Friday, 1 to 4, Saturday, 10 to 4, and Sunday, 12 to 4. Please call the museum office, 640-1390, to let staff know when you will be stopping by. The museum is interested in connecting with teachers, students and parents to provide them with events and programs that will meet their needs. An advisory committee is being formed with representatives from each valley school to help the museum with this process

Beginning January 4, the Museum will present Sunday afternoon programs, each weekend through January 25. These presentations will include Julie Tumamait speaking about locations and culture of the Chumash Villages in the Ojai valley; Judy Vander sharing Shoshone music and dancing: Bob Lopez discussing the Chumash culture in Ventura County as well as a program with one of the artists whose work appears in the exhibit.

Pianist and Attorney Miriam Arichea will solo with the Ventura College Symphony Orchestra on December 6 at the VC Theatre at 8 pm.

The upcoming Ventura College Music Department holiday musical events include the Symphony Orchestra on December 6, New Composers Concert on December 10, Jazz Band on December 11, Chamber Music Recital on December 12, and Master Chorale concerts on December 13 and 14.

Attorney and accomplished local pianist Miriam Arichea will solo with the Ventura College Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, December 6 at 8 p.m. in the Ventura College Theatre. This concert marks the 10th time that Ms. Arichea has been a featured artist. Her brilliant performances have endeared her to regional audiences. Ticket prices are $5 for students, seniors and staff and $10 for general admission. They are available for purchase at the door, the evening of the concert.
Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos are perennial favorites of the concert going public. His third concerto is especially brilliant, earning the nickname “Rach 3” and having the reputation of being exceedingly impressive and difficult. Ms. Arichea joins the ranks of the world’s top artists as she brings this gorgeous music to life.
John Biggs, a world-renowned composer living in Ojai, has written many orchestra works. The Symphony is featuring his evocative piece “The Ballad of William Sycamore.” This music celebrates a quintessentially American tale, and is enhanced by Ron Rezac, an actor seen often on regional stages, as the narrator.
Rounding out the program is a joyful arrangement of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” presented in many ways to capture the full measure of its seasonal message.

The New Music Composers Concert featuring faculty members Robert Lawson, Miquel del Aguila and their students is December 10, the Ventura College Jazz Band will perform on December 11 and the Chamber Music Recital is December 12, all in the Ventura College Theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students, staff and seniors. All tickets are available at the box office on the nights of the performances.

The Master Chorale will have two holiday performances. On December 13, their concert, Cambridge Story and Song, will be performed at the St. John’s Seminary Chapel, 5012 Seminary Road in Camarillo at 2 p.m. All tickets are $15.
On December 14, the concert will be held at the San Buenaventura Mission, 211 E. Main Street, in Ventura, at 4;30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for priority seating and $15 for general admission. For tickets to either Master Chorale show, please call 654-0995 or email vtachorale@yahoo.com.

For additional information, call Alisa Moore at 805-654-6462 or the Ventura College Theatre information line at 805-654-6392.

Michelle Inguez

The Fall 2008 Dance Concert, PLANET DANCE, will be presented on December 18 – 21, 2008 in the Ventura College Theater. The concert will include ‘eco-conscious’ student dance work and feature an original ‘rockoperetta’ composed and written by local artists Loren Evans and Tamara Sue Varney. The shows are at 8 pm on Friday and Saturday nights and there are 3 pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $8 for seniors and Ventura College staff and students and $10 for general admission.

The focus of this production is to raise awareness towards ‘eco-consciousness’ and to support solutions towards sustainable living. We can work together to help our community grow with as small a carbon footprint as possible.

The rockoperetta, Reboot Earth, visits the environmental vs industrial struggle. The main characters are educated young adults active in their respective professions. Max is an environmental attorney and Penny is the voice of a large real estate developing firm who meet in city planning hearings over and over again – opposing one another. They, unbeknownst to each other, play an internet game together in the evenings as an unbeatable team. In the end our characters grow as individuals and the communities that they represent benefit from their enlightenment. Choreographed by Dance Director CathyJean Butter and VC alumni Kristin Littlefield, the performers are students of the Ventura College Dance Performance class, VC Music students, and guest alumni. We are hoping to be able to include our VC IT specialists for a digital project.

For additional information, contact the Theatre Information Line: 805-654-6392 or CathyJean Butter at 805-341-6394.

OXNARD, Calif. — Areas surrounding the Channel Islands Harbor will sparkle extra bright this holiday season as neighborhoods, marinas and shops compete in home and dock decorating contests. The contests take place during the month of December in conjunction with the 43rd Annual Parade of Lights at the Channel Islands Harbor.

Eight neighborhoods will compete this year for individual prizes in three categories – Whimsical, Most Creative and Best Decorated Overall. For more information on the home decorating contests, contact Susan O’Brien at 805-207-9579.
The dock decorating contest is open to boaters in all public marinas in Channel Islands Harbor, Westport and Seabridge. The contest is judged on total participation from the boats on each dock. The winning dock is treated to a catered dock party. For more information on the dock decorating contest, contact Gary McLaughlin at 805-815-4520. Judging for both the home and dock decorating contests takes place from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. Businesses in Channel Islands Harbor will also decorate the street and watersides.
The public is welcome to enjoy the beautiful light displays. The Channel Islands Water Taxi is a great way to cruise the bay and see the homes, condominiums and apartments. Bicycles and walking are the best way to cruise the beaches.
Channel Islands Harbor serves as a center of recreation, boating, shopping and water sports activities. The harbor is home to three yacht clubs and nine full-service marinas that provide berths for 2,150 boats. It also hosts the Ventura County Maritime Museum. Located at Fisherman’s Wharf, the museum is a cultural center dedicated to the interpretation of maritime history through interactive exhibits and educational outreach.

Linda Taylor’s solo exhibition, “Poetic Prints” will be at the Buenaventura Gallery from Dec. 9 – Jan. 3, 2009 with an artist reception on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 4 – 7 pm. “Poetic Prints” are original and unique prints created by Taylor and inspired by poetry. Each image uses a variety of printmaking processes, some utilizing multiple processes to create a single image. “Poetic Prints” is a result from Taylor’s belief that poetry and the creation of prints allow interpretation by the viewer (or reader) not negating, but assisting the original inspiration of the artists or poet.
Taylor’s journey as a printmaker is not a short one: it is a life-long passion that she pursues with enthusiasm and creativity. “The beauty of the handmade papers and the intensity of the printing inks are intoxicating,” says Taylor. “As a printmaker, I am fascinated with the various ways printmaking allows the artist to discover details of the physicality of materials. It is a process of thought balanced with action – of construction and destruction. Printmaking leads to a variety of explorations.”
Taylor noted that sometimes there can be some confusion as to what constitutes an original print. An original print is the direct result of an action created by the artist – whether it’s a drawing, carving, etching onto a plate that is then run through the press. A print that you can purchase at most retail stores is basically a photograph of an original piece of work created by an artist – the artist didn’t have any direct involvement or physical action to create that print.
According to Taylor, the print artist cultivates an inquiring open mind to utilize images and ideas as tools. Printmaking has rules, but rules beg to be broken – and those broken rules can lead to marvelous results!
Taylor discovered the printmaking process at San Diego State University and decided to pursue that creative process indefinitely. She began her career as a high school art teacher and returned to get her MFA from UCSB in printmaking and drawing. In 1977, Taylor taught briefly at Ventura College, initiating the stone lithography program there and eventually was hired to teach at Nordhoff High School where she remained until she retired in 2004.
Since retirement, Taylor has established an open-access print studio called “Spotted Dog Studio” at her home in Ojai. She works in all print processes – her favorite is monotype.
Taylor is an Ojai Studio Artist and was an Artist-In-Residence for the Museum of Ventura County. Her prints and drawings are included in many private and public collections across the United States.
The Buenaventura Gallery is located at 700 E Santa Clara St. in downtown Ventura. Hours are Tues – Friday from noon – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information, visit their website at www.BuenaventuraGallery.org.

Catherine Moore’s exhibit, Colors will be at the Discovery Gallery from, December 4 – January 2, 2008 with an opening reception on Friday, December 5 from 5 – 7 pm. for First Friday’s Ventura Gallery Crawl.
Moore’s paintings are a conduit for communicating with intuition and spirit. When the connection is made, the vision is created. Whether planned or spontaneous, her goal is to dig deep, retrieve the essence and pass along to the viewer.
For instance, some of her paintings she creates environments where the viewer has an opportunity to float through the painting and participate in the interpretation. Others use elements of mythological symbols to tell the story of powerful female archetypes walking in two worlds guided by compassion and wisdom.
Moore’s art is an evolution of her many artistic interests and careers. Her eclectic background includes an AA in computer graphics, certification in digital multimedia, fine arts workshops with Zig Jankowski, Nancy del Pesco, Stephanie Elise and Karen Mc Lean, theater production with the Alacama Theater and others. She owned CP Graphics and worked in video production for Paradise Film and Video. She has taught the art of and created murals in Goleta, Ventura, and Ojai Unified School District. Her paintings have been accepted into juried shows in Santa Barbara, Montecito and Ventura where she received honorable mention as well as two first place awards.
Moore is currently a full-time artist, pursuing her life-long dream of exploring her creative spirit. She presently has a studio at Bell Arts Studios in Ventura, is a member of the Buenaventura Artists Association, & the Artists Union Gallery.
The Discovery Gallery is located at the Ventura Visitor’s Bureau, 101 S. California St in downtown Ventura. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm; Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information, call the Buenaventura Art Association at 805-648-1235 or visit their website at www.BuenaventuraGallery.org.

"Corner Morro Bay" by Jessie Arms Bottke
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"Liberation" by Catherine Day Barroca - bas relief oil paint on wood panel.
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Catherine Day Barroca’s new direction in bas-relief paintings on wood will be featured in the painter and printmaker’s first major exhibition, With the Grain: Catherine Day Barroca, opening at the Museum of Ventura County on Sunday, December 14.The exhibit runs through March 22, 2009.

Complimenting the Day Barroca exhibition is California Travels: Cornelis and Jessie Arms Botke Prints, 1922-1953. This selection of 25 works by the famous Santa Paula artists includes two new museum acquisitions, being shown for the first time. The Botke prints are on display December 14 through February 1.

Day Barroca’s large bas-relief paintings on wood combine elements of printmaking, painting, and sculpture. Her exhibition also includes etching, woodblock, and lithograph prints. Visitors will be able to touch copper plates, woodblocks, and a lithographic stone, and see the prints she made from them.

Since 1998, Day Barroca has taught in the Ventura College Art Department, where she was once a student. Born in Panama, raised in Oxnard and Germany, she is now a Ventura resident. Day Barroca’s work is often inspired by her multicultural heritage and travels, and reflects her interest in families, nature, and the historic Ventura Avenue community of Ventura.

In 2001 she completed “Portrait of a Neighborhood,” a 100-foot-long mural in the interior of the Casa de Anza Library on Ventura Avenue. Day Barroca’s work is featured in art collections such as those of the Museum of Ventura County, the City of San Buenaventura, the City of Oxnard, and the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, Kansas. She directed the Ventura College Art Galleries from 2001 to 2005, and holds a Master of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking from the University of Kansas.

The Museum of Ventura County is at 89 South California Street, in downtown Ventura. The museum is open Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission, except for some events. For information, please call (805) 653-0323 or go to http://www.venturamuseum.org.

OXNARD, Calif.—Channel Islands Harbor kicks off the holidays with its 43rd annual holiday Parade of Lights 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Dec. 13, with the parade beginning at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to enjoy a full day of holiday activities and then watch a festive display of sparkling lights pass by on decorated boats.

“We hope to make this Parade of Lights at the Harbor a memorable one,” said Lyn Krieger, director, Ventura County Harbor Dept. “It’s really meant to be a family day of fun, getting everyone in the holiday spirit.”
Kids can play in 25 tons of snow falling at the north end of Harborview Park, off Harbor Blvd. near Marine Emporium Landing, beginning at 10 a.m. There will also be horse-drawn carriage rides, a holiday artists’ market, exhibitors, food booths, live music, children’s hands-on art, activities, games and rides, gigantic inflatable fun zone, face painting, water taxi rides and much more.

Santa and his reindeer will ride through the sky to mark the beginning of the parade. The parade starts in front of Peninsula Park and heads to the Main Channel, turns at Hobie Beach, loops in front of the launch ramp then heads back to Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club and repeats the route for second run. The parade can be viewed from parks and walkways that line the route as well as from most Harbor restaurants.
Several hundred Santa to the Sea run participants will be headed to Channel Islands Harbor as they finish their half marathon run. The race begins in front of the giant Santa off the 101 freeway and ends at the Channel Islands Harbor Marine Emporium Landing. The race is sponsored by Garden Acres Mutual Water Co.

To participate in the parade, call Michele Gilmour at (805) 382-3013 to register your boat. To adopt a boat to be in the parade, contact Bill Conroy at the Ventura County Maritime Museum at (805) 984-6260. Any size boat can register for the Parade of Lights. For more information on registering your boat, visit www.channelislandsharbor.org.

All registered boats will receive two tickets to the Parade of Lights Awards Ceremony Brunch at Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club the following morning, 10 a.m., December 14. Additional tickets are available for purchase, and the brunch is open to the public. In addition, parade participants can take part in various decorating contests and compete for awards.

For more information on the Parade of Lights visit www.channelislandsharbor.org or call (805) 985-4852.
Channel Islands Harbor serves as a center of recreation, boating, shopping and water sports activities. The harbor is home to three yacht clubs and nine full-service marinas that provide berths for 2,150 boats. It also hosts the Ventura County Maritime Museum. Located at Fisherman’s Wharf, the museum is a cultural center dedicated to the interpretation of maritime history through interactive exhibits and educational outreach.

Bryson Gerard’s ceramic art and assemblages come together in a sculptural exhibition “Anoxia: A Fetish Retrospective” at the Harbor Village Gallery from November 19 through December 15, 2008 with an artist reception on Friday, November 21, 2008 from 5 – 8pm. In addition, an ornament competition (with the proceeds benefitting Food Share) and a small images exhibit are also at the Harbor Village Gallery.

Gerard quotes playwright Thornton Wilder in his biography: “style is but the faintly contemptible vessel in which the bitter liquid is recommended to the world." The styles of Gerard’s ceramic creations do fluctuate slightly in size, shape, color and function. From angled vases tinged in earthen glazes to small “medicine pots” who just might be vessels holding the bitter liquid being quenched by this world’s vanity or on the other hand could be filled with life’s sweet secrets. Beyond ceramics, Gerard’s skillfully crafted assemblages also suggest an element of holding more then the eye can see. The wit, craftsmanship and muses Gerard combines in all of his works captivate and some even flirt with the indulgence of functionality.

Gerard began his higher education in the Fine Arts at Pasadena City College and Cal State Long Beach. He achieved his Masters at Cal State Los Angeles after ceramics and photography independent study for a year in Japan. Gerard spent close to 30 years in the working with special effects, miniatures and props in Hollywood, leaving when technology evolved and computer generated imagery took hold. Currently living in Thousand Oaks and member of the Ventura County Potter’s Guild, Gerard is enjoying the return to creating original art, “forever on the look out for the best way to squeeze out the beauty of the moment.”

The Harbor Village Gallery is located at 1591 Spinnaker Dr. in the Ventura Harbor Village next to the Main Lawn. Open everyday except Tuesday from 12 to 5 pm. For more information, call the gallery at 805-644-2750 or visit their either website at www.harborvillagegallery.com or www.buenaventuragallery.org