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

The perfect holiday entertainment, Little Women recounts the much-beloved story of the four March girls: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, as they grow to adulthood in 19th-century New England. In the Ventura College Theatre for two weekends: Dress Rehearsal Thursday November 13, 8 p.m., free, Performances: Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15, and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 20, 21, and 22, all at 8 p.m., and Sunday, November 23, at 3 p.m. Tickets: General: $9, Students, VC Staff, Seniors: $7.

Set in Concord Massachusetts in 1863, the March girls consider a Christmas without any presents. America is in the midst of a terrible Civil War. Their father serves the Union as an Army Chaplain in a military hospital in Washington, D.C. Their mother, with Meg and Jo’s help, struggles to make ends meet as a nurse at a local hospital. Meg tutors a wealthy family’s children; while Jo earns a small stipend caring for her cantankerous Aunt March. Younger Beth, too sick to work outside the home, tends to the housecleaning with Hannah the maid, and the youngest, Amy, with dreams of wealth and social status in mind, attempts to improve her vocabulary with curious results. The play encompasses five years in the trials and tribulations, gains and losses – emotional and material – of the March family. Through it all we experience the compassionate way they sustain each other. It is another era, another time, and another culture whose values we just might want to reconsider.

For more information, contact Professor Judy Garey at 654-6400 ext. 3236 or by email at jgarey@vcccd.edu or Public Information Officer Alisa Moore at 654-6462 or asmoore@vcccd.edu.

Still Life in White, by Dave Hicks, Cast detail from his exhibit in Gallery 2
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VENTURA: In November and December, the Ventura College Galleries will host:
• In the New Media Gallery, Nov. 11 – 14: Open Tues. – Fri. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Tues. and Wed. evenings, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
STUDENT ART SALE, All media available and works make terrific gifts!
• In Gallery 2, Nov. 11 – Dec.11: Open Monday - Friday, Noon - 4 p.m., Artist’s reception: Nov. 13, 7 p.m.—9 p.m.
COMPOSITIONS, A Ceramic Installation by Dave Hicks, who says, “My work is centered on an exploration of form and composition. Working my way through a composition, one object at a time, allows me to keep the process fresh and organic. At times there is a plan for the overall outline. Other times, I just react to the material, creating small pieces that will later assemble into complex compositions, which are unscripted and at times chaotic. Bringing order to chaos and forming relations for the unrelated…”
• In the New Media Gallery, Nov. 19 – Dec. 11 - Open Mon. – Fri., Noon - 4 p.m. Artist’s reception is Nov. 20, 7 pm – 9 pm, in front of the Gallery
SMALL IMAGES EXHIBIT
Ventura College’s Friends of the Arts is having its Twelfth Anniversary invitational and membership exhibit/sale to benefit the VC Art Student Scholarship Fund. The “Small Images” show includes works many current and past Ventura College art faculty and students. The artworks are small in size and reasonably priced.
VC Friends of the Arts, working with the VC Foundation Office, is a not-for-profit club designed to raise scholarship funds for students majoring in the arts at Ventura College. Membership includes professional artists from the community, present/past faculty and alumni of Ventura College. Any interested persons are welcome to join.
Both galleries are open generally Monday through Friday, Noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Call Gallery Director Kate Martin at 648-8974 or email her at kate@katemartin.com for more information.

VENTURA: The Ventura College Arts & Lectures Series presents FASHION FOR FILM: A Conversation with Ruth E. Carter, an African-American costume designer best known for her two Academy Award nominated films Malcolm X and Amistad, and her work with Director Spike Lee, on Thursday, November 13, 10:30 am, in the Circus Theatre (small theatre in the VC Theatre). She will bring costumes, her portfolio and present a power point on the impact of costuming on film. There is no fee for admission, and the public is invited.

For additional information, please contact Professor Simon Waltzer at 654-6400 ext. 1264 or Public Information Officer Alisa Moore at 654-6462.

Sunday November 9th will see the gathering of the members of the Santa Paula Society of the Arts at the R/R depot - corner of Santa Barbara and 10th St., Santa Paula.
President Judy Dressler will open the meeting at 2 p.m. with news of our sharing the building next to the Santa Paula Coffee Company for the Holiday season while the renovation of the depot is under way.
The meeting will be turned over to Vice President George Appel to introduce the demonstration artist for the day, Don Fay of Santa Barbara, who always presents a very interesting program.
Visitors and guests are always welcome and light refreshemnts will be served.

Did you know that the city of Ventura has streets named Jethro Tull and Crooked Palm Road, and that Anne, Kalorama and Crimea are all streets named after ships that either crashed into the Ventura wharf or went aground nearby?

The personality, history and quirks of a city are contained in the names and layouts of its streets, and no one knows that better than author David W. Hill, whose new book, The Streets of Ventura, reflects 18 years of research on the city’s growth. A Ventura resident since 1932, Hill will sign copies of his book on Friday, November 21, from 12:00- 2:00 p.m. at the Museum of Ventura County, 89 S. California St. in Ventura. The edition is limited to 500 copies, and is available exclusively through the Museum store. Copies are $18.95, and can be reserved by calling 653-0323 ext 16.

The unique publication contains the origins of street names as well as their recording dates (learn which streets no longer exist), an index of all tracts and subdivisions from 1869 to 2003 (the most recent recording), a history of the city from its 1866 incorporation to the present, historical maps from 1855 to 1975, and 35 pages of historical photographs.

“Drawn to Water” is Kay Zetlmaier’s soulful journey reveals the artists profound relationship with the natural beauty of the sea. Working en plein air, this solo exhibit will be primarily a collection for works painted on a road trip from between Oregon and California with her companion – her standard poodle, Koko. The exhibit runs from November 11 – Dec. 6 with an opening reception on Friday, November 14 from 5 – 8 pm.
Kay has an extensive education in painting. An undergraduate art major at Cal State University, Long Beach, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in 1972. Postgraduate honors came later in life with a Masters degree from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Her thesis titled, “Transcending Personal and Social Norms to Paint with Autonomy” was an exhibition of the nude male and female in union with the landscape and was shown at a private venue in Ventura County. It’s no wonder Kay’s profound personal relationship with nature would evolve into the blending of the two for her project “There is a relationship of sensuality, depth, color and movement between man and his environment, and I wanted to represent this”.
Kay fell in love with California’s natural splendor during her childhood years as her parents would make a point of taking her on trips to places of interest and beauty. The majestic Yellowstone Geysers, the cliffs and falls of Yosemite, and the striated hues of the Grand Canyon were among the many natural wonders imprinted in Kay’s soul.
The past two decades, Kay's work has migrated toward working more and more on location as she seeks to capture sublime moments in landscape. Along with the inherent challenges and rewards of working directly from nature, Kay finds a special pleasure in going out into nature on hikes and seeking out new locations for her work.
Today, Kay splits her time between painting in her beloved Ventura County and traveling to the world's most scenic places to seek out new experiences and inspirations in her work. Still, she finds time to give back to the community that gave her so much. Passionate about art and concerned with the lag in today's art education in America, Kay has worked tirelessly over the past twenty years passing on her knowledge and enthusiasm for art and art history to high school students in Ventura County. “Teaching is my vehicle for advocating the importance of art in the lives of our future. Through the creative process students’ problem solve and think conceptually. Art promotes uniqueness, teaches tolerance, makes us aware and keeps our lives in balance. Teaching is an investment in our future as a nation, bringing inspiration and knowledge to wonderful thirsty minds”.
Aside from the artistic stimulation Ventura County offers, Kay has found inspiration from world traveling. Trips abroad to Europe, Canada, Mexico, Italy and Greece, greatly add to her cache of information and artistic knowledge. Whether combing ruins of Pompeii, absorbing the Tuscan countryside, observing glaciers, or strolling the Aegean Seashore, Kay’s personal adventures, home or abroad are represented in her beautiful work.
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.

Date: November 20th Opening Reception
Time: From 7-9pm
Location: New Media Gallery, Ventura College 4667 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, CA

Ventura College’s Friends of the Arts is having an “Invitational and Membership” Art Exhibit and Sale to benefit the Ventura College Art Student Scholarship Fund. The “Small Images” Exhibit will run from November 19th through December 11th at Ventura College’s New Media Gallery.

Guest artists this year include: Renate Collins, Gerri Johnson-Mc Millin, Tom McMillin, Marjorie Moskowitz, Sylvia Raz, Teal Rowe, Leslie Thompson, Stephen Schafer, and Sylvia Torres.

The opening reception will take place Thursday, November 20 from 7-9pm at the New Media Gallery. The public is invited. There is NO admission charge. Refreshments will be served. Gallery hours are from 12 noon-4pm Monday through Friday.

Opening night Reception has Free Parking on campus without a permit in the West and North lots off Loma Visa Road ONLY. Parking on campus at any other time requires a permit which may be purchased for $1.00 from the machine in front of the Administration Building off Telegraph Road.

Ventura College Friends of the Arts, working with the Foundation Office, is a non- profit organization designed to raise scholarship funds for students majoring in the arts a Ventura College. Membership includes professional artists from the community, present and past faculty, and alumni from Ventura College. Any interested person is welcome to join.

CONTACT: Donna Carver, PR and Marketing for Ventura Friends of the Arts “Small Images” Scholarship Fundraiser Art Show and Sale, for more information 402-0247.

VENTURA: Through November 2, the Ventura College Galleries are exhibiting:

In Gallery 2: Fascination with the Exotique, curated by Art Historian Ann Bittl. Exploring Non-Western art and culture as a means of seeing the world in our era of globalization, this exhibition is an introduction to African, American Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian, Islamic and Pre-Columbian art as a form of cultural and social expression. The works are also for sale.

In the New Media Gallery: One Book One Campus III: A Faculty and Student Collaborative Exhibit - A collection of works by Ventura College Faculty and Student artists and photographers visualizing the Orwell work, 1984, which is the subject of the 2008 One Book One Campus One Community project.

Both galleries are open Monday through Friday, Noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Call Gallery Director Kate Martin at 648-8974 or email her at kate@katemartin.com for more information.

VENTURA: Love can be exhilarating, fickle, deceitful, all-encompassing, and drive you to do crazy things just as much today as it did 200 years ago. The Ventura College Opera and Musical Theatre (VCO&MT) takes a fresh, fun and exciting approach to the music of Mozart's famous operas including Cosi Fan Tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni.

Mozart in Love consists of scenes from five of Mozart's operas. These are woven in an exploration of love itself by the narration of Mozart, and he even gets into the action by playing Basilio, the trouble making music teacher, in the Marriage of Figaro scene.

The script and the arrangement of the scenes were done by Director Angela Rasmussen who teaches in the music department at California Lutheran University.

Partially funded by a grant from the City of San Buenaventura, VCO&MT brings the rarely performed Mozart in Love to the Ventura College Theatre for just three shows: October 31, dress rehearsal, 8 p.m., free to students. Performances are November 1, 8 p.m., and November 2, 2 p.m. Tickets: General Admission is $10, Cost for Students, Seniors and VC staff is $5.

For additional information, please call Elizabeth Helms, program director at 805-654-6309, by email at kennethhelms@sbcglobal.net or online www.operaworkshop.info.

CAST LIST-- MOZART IN LOVE
All singers are in the three Choruses
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Jeff Wallach (Camarillo)
1. From Cosi Fan Tutti
• Ferrando, a young officer in love with Dorabella: Dan Beale (Oxnard)
• Guglielmo, a young officer in love with Fiordiligi: Kenny Larsen (Ventura)
• Don Alfonso, an elderly bachelor: Ken Johnson (Thousand Oaks)
• Fiordiligi, a lady of Ferrara: Laura Wargo (Santa Paula)
• Dorabella, her sister: Ellen Debord (Ojai) CONTINUED »

Trina Boman

VENTURA: Trina Boman, a young violinist from Thousand Oaks, will solo with the Ventura College Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, October 25 at 8 p.m. Trina won the 2008 Henry Schwab Ventura County Violin Contest against three other finalists. The competition is sponsored by a grant from the Schwab Family Trust. Tickets, at $5 student, VC staff and senior, or $10 general admission, may be purchased at the Ventura College Theatre only on the evening of the concert.

Ms. Boman will play Mendelssohn's Concerto for Violin and Saint Saens’ Havanaise for Violin with the Symphony. She won the contest playing the Mendelssohn composition. Both are exciting works that display the dexterity and skill of the performer. (Please see Ms. Boman’s biography below.)

Mozart's 40th Symphony is one of his greatest. Written during the very last months of his life, it stands as one of the most successful symphonic compositions of all time, enlivening all the emotions.

Fiesta Tropicale by Lopez rounds out the program. It is a medley of great Latino melody using all the color of the orchestra and a lively percussion back up. Also on the program is Puttin' on the Ritz featuring the nine percussionists of the Symphony.

The public is invited to attend.

BIO: Trina Boman

Trina Boman (17), is a junior at Thousand Oaks High School. She is a student of Melissa Phelps-Beckstead. She started playing the violin when she was 4 years old as a student of Diana Ray-Goodman. Trina is a member of the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra. CONTINUED »

First Fridays Ventura continues with a variety of exhibits and receptions for the public to attend. Every participating gallery/studio will have yellow balloons out front – so follow the balloons for an art-filled evening. Get “stamped” from five participating galleries and be entered into a drawing to win a gift certificate to a gallery of your choice!

Bell Arts Factory –Bell Arts Factory - Visit our resident artists in their open studios. Their jewelry, paintings, ceramics, stained glass and other art pieces provide unique gift-giving opportunities.

The Community Room will be exhibiting scenic oil paintings by Hilda Kilpatrick, photography of Ventura by Linda F. Peterson, watercolors by Rex Kochel, and photography by Brooks student Stacy LaMascus.

Our Tool Room Gallery will be transformed by artists Sarah Kalvin and Alicia Morris Soto into a chapel-like setting dedicated to honoring Dia de los Muertos. Sarah will exhibit ceremonial garments from Chiapas, Mexico, along with photos from past celebrations. Alicia will create an "ofrenda" or altar where community members are invited to bring offerings for the souls that have touched their lives. The Gallery will be open 5-9 p.m. October 31 through November 2, and on 1st Friday, November 7th. Bell Arts Factory 432 N. Ventura Ave. Ventura 805.258.1160 www.BellArtsFactory.com

Buenaventura Gallery – “The Human Adventure” is inspired by Jablonski’s never-ending fascination with the reactions of people to conditions of life. The facial expression and body language that show these reactions are the subject matter of her exhibit. The exhibit runs through Nov. 9. Closing reception during First Friday Gallery Crawl. Buenaventura Gallery 700 E. Santa Clara St., Ventura 805.648.1235 www.BuenaventuraGallery.org

Discovery Gallery – Ventura County Potters’ Guild “Burnt Earth” juried exhibit at the Discovery Gallery from November 7 through December 3, 2008. The juror is Susan Gerrard from The Museum of Ventura County. Opening reception Friday, November 7 from 5 – 7 pm. The Ventura County Potters’ Guild was founded in 1957 to promote the art and craft of ceramics in the community and to provide a forum for local potters to share their experiences and knowledge of clay. This knowledge is passed on through guest speaker presentations, member's show and tell, informative newsletter, workshops, shows, sales and a library that features both books and videos. The Guild is comprised of professional and recreational potters and ceramists; instructors from local high schools and colleges; as well as people simply interested in ceramics in and around the Ventura County area. Discovery Gallery (inside the Ventura Visitors Bureau) 101 S. California St., Ventura. 805.648.1235 www.BuenaventuraGallery.org CONTINUED »

“Ramona Days” - OCTOBER 18, 2008, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Helen Hunt Jackson’s classic California novel, Ramona, comes to life at Rancho Camulos, a National Historic Landmark, fondly known as the “Home of Ramona” The 1884 book which is still in publication spawned the first California tourist boom, inspired several movies, plays, pageants, books, advertising spinoffs, and controversy. It is Helen Hunt Jackson’s birthday and we are celebrating all things Ramona. There will be FREE admission, parking and activities for all ages: Living history, drama and tales, historic displays and presentations, arts and crafts fair with demonstrations, music, dance, antique farm equipment, hayrides, animal encounters, food, museum and garden tours, unique shopping opportunities, free children’s activities and more. There will be entertainment throughout the day including Ramona play scenes performed by the Hemet cast, performances by Los Californios, and the Inlakech Cultural Center Musicians and Ballet Folklorico. View Griffith’s 1910 silent film starring Mary Pickford shot on location at Camulos and listen to contemporary accounts of life in the Santa Clara River Valley. Proceeds from raffle, membership, sponsorship, and free will donations will benefit nonprofit Museum’s preservation, restoration & education efforts. Come in costume and character if you choose. Bring your Ramona memorabilia for “Show and Tell”. A unique event not to be missed! Check www.ranchcamulos.org for details. The Museum is located on Highway 126, 2 miles East of Piru, Ca. Phone 805-521-1501 Note: Contact us regarding sponsorship, volunteer, vendor, and exhibit opportunities.

SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR FEATURES
Rancho Camulos Museum – the little museum that could
Hemet Ramona play cast returns to the Home of Ramona
All things Ramona: the books, the movies, the plays, and the memorabilia
Ramona Memories – Ramona Day’s participant Dydia Delyser’s book on the impact of Ramona on Tourism and the shaping of Southern California
Rancho Camulos Coloring Book – Talented Canyon Country Teen’s contribution to National Historic Landmark
You’ve heard of Helen Hunt and Janet Jackson; now learn about Helen Hunt Jackson, a remarkable American Women.
Ramona Day’s – History can be fun especially if you come in costume and character and participate in “Show and Tell”

Rancho Camulos Museum Contact Information
5164 East Telegraph Road / P.O. Box 308, Piru CA 93040
(805) 521-1501
On Highway 126, 2 miles East of Piru and 10 miles West of the I-5 at Santa Clarita
www.ranchocamulos.org / ranchocamulos@earthlink.net

"Rock the Oaks" is back! The ninth annual concert featuring local bands performing for Conejo Valley teens will be held at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza’s Janet & Ray Scherr Forum Theatre at 7:30 pm on February 27, 2009. "Rock the Oaks 9," sponsored by the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Foundation, offers local bands a chance to showcase their original music. Application deadline for "Rock the Oaks 9" is 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 7, 2008. Bands can obtain an application from:

· The City of Thousand Oaks website, www.toaks.org

· Information Desk, 2nd sec­ond level of City Hall

· Civic Arts Plaza Box Office, 3rd level of City Hall

· Or at the Fabulous Thousand Oaks Teen Center

The Thousand Oaks Youth Commission is looking for four local bands to perform 30 minutes each of original music at the concert. All musical styles/genres will be considered, and there are no age limitations. The Youth Commission will review applications and demo tapes or CDs to determine audition candidates following the application deadline.

Call (805) 449-2743 or (805) 449-2788 or e-mail YouthCommission@toaks.org for additional information.

Lemon Gourd.
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Hayday.
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In The Carrots.
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The Ag Art Alliance is proud to announce the winners of the “Art About Agriculture” art exhibit which will run through November 16th at the City of Santa Paula’s California Oil Museum, 1001 E. Main Street in historic downtown Santa Paula. The winner of the prestigious Limoneira purchase award is Hilda Kilpatrick for her “Fillmore Fields”. First place went to Suz Rawn for her “Lemon Gourd”, Second place went to Gail Pidduck for her “In the Carrots” and third place went to “Hayday” by Roger Conrad. There are six honorable mentions: “South Mountain and Strawberry Fields” by Susan Petty, “Ventura Ag Patterns” by Bill Dewey, “Parsley Harvest” by Robert Diehl, “Artichoke” by Gail Faulkner, “Vase I” by Nate Pidduck and “Afternoon Patrol with Oranges” by John Fielder.

The purpose of the exhibit is to promote Art About Agriculture by exploring all the facets of agriculture from workers to water, from machinery to soil and to the food that goes on our plates.

Art About Agriculture features art by 35 artists working in both two and three dimensional media who create art that in some way draws its inspiration from our agricultural heritage and/or contemporary agriculture. That inspiration includes, but is not limited to, depictions of rural landscape, farm animals, farm products, rural life, and art that in a more abstract way deals with issues and ideas related to agriculture.

The Ag Art Alliance was formed in 2007 by Gail Pidduck and John Nichols. Jennifer Heighton joined them recently. For more information on the exhibit and future activities visit www.agartalliance.com.

WHAT: Ag Art Alliance 2nd Annual Exhibit “Art About Agriculture”
WHERE: California Oil Museum, 1001 E. Main St. Santa Paula, CA
EXHIBIT DATES: September 6 – November 16, 2008

Fillmore’s annual art walk is growing! In its new incarnation as the Fillmore ArtHarvest, artists and performers will take to the streets, creating a festival atmosphere to showcase both local and regional talent.

Beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, 2008, downtown Fillmore merchants and artists will transform Central Avenue between Main and Sespe Avenues into a pedestrian-friendly art space for all to enjoy.
Musicians will be performing at sidewalk level to provide an intimate experience for all visitors.

Downtown businesses will also be opening their doors to sponsor fine artists, potters, sculptors, photographers, gourd artists and jewelers. There will be multiple opportunities for guests to meander in and out of
shops, sample artistic wares and refreshments, and to take advantage of the local shopping scene.

Concurrent with the fine arts displays is the Chalk Art Festival and a hands-on art center. Chalk artists are invited to demonstrate their talents on the beautifully laid out sidewalks in front of the Fillmore
City Hall at 250 Central Avenue. Registration starts at noon right in front of the Hall. Bring your own pastels (no oils or hairspray, please) or they can be purchased at the registration table for $10.00 a set. All
artists, young and old are invited to participate. Call Colors at 524-2200 for more information.

Just across the railroad tracks at the corner of Central and Main, all are invited to enter a hands on art space with booths offering art activities for only a dollar each. Kids and adults can learn how to weave “God’s Eyes” or create a bashura banner among other activities.

Musicians will be performing at multiple locations up and down Central to add to the festive atmosphere. Performers will be announced at a later time.

One way or another, all guests can go home with beautiful artistic works, music CDs, tasty, local foods and goods, and with having had a satisfying, small-town “Fillmore experience.”

Sponsored by the Fillmore Downtown Merchants Association.

Nov. 1st - Downtown Ventura Alive with Several Festivities!

Between the Museum of Ventura County’s 8th annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Community Celebration, and Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc’s 5th annual traditional Día de los Muertos Aztec event, downtown Ventura is the perfect place to bring the family on Saturday, November 1. Both events are free.

This year, the museum’s most popular event is being held November 1 from 12:00 –3:00 p.m. at the Albinger Museum, 113 East Main Street, next to Mission San Buenaventura. The celebration includes traditional folk craft projects, face painting, and music by Mariachi Costa de Oro. Families can try their hand at decorating sugar skulls and masks, or make papel picado banners, papier-mâché butterflies, and paper flowers or skeletons. There will also be 12:30 and 2:15 p.m. performances of ceremonial Mexican songs on traditional instruments made by students at the Vita Art Center. Ofrendas (altars to honor the dead), created by local schools, artists, and community groups, are on display October 31 through November 7, at the Museum of Ventura County’s 89 S. California Street site, also in downtown Ventura.

Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc’s Día de los Muertos Aztec event is also being held Saturday, November 1, in downtown Ventura’s’ Mission Park on Main Street, across from the Albinger Museum, from 1:00 – 8:00 p.m. It includes live entertainment, musical and dance groups, a Mexican mercado, authentic traditional Aztec dance performances, and ceremonial processions. Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc is dedicated to preserving and promoting understanding of Mexica/Azteca culture, history, traditions, ceremonies and dances.

The tradition of Día de los Muertos honors the dead who are said to come back to walk among the living on November 1 and 2. Colorful ofrendas are built to honor departed relatives and friends, and include objects they enjoyed in their lifetimes. Humorous skulls (calaveras), and skeletons blithely going about worldly business are the dominant symbols of the holiday. Día de los Muertos has roots in pre-Columbian as well as Catholic religious beliefs. Celebrated in many parts of Mexico and Latin America, Día de los Muertos is now popular in the United States among Latinos and non-Latinos alike.

Artist Dianne Bennett

"Vaya con Dios" by Dianne Bennett, oil on metal.
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Ojai artist Dianne Bennett reuses found metal to create the small painted retablos and assemblages on exhibit and for purchase at the Museum of Ventura County during Ventura’s Harvest 08 ArtWalk weekend. Meet the museum’s ArtWalk artist on Saturday, October 18, from 1:00 - 7:00 pm, and on Sunday, October 19, from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m., at the Museum of Ventura County, 89 South California Street, near the corner of California and Santa Clara Streets in downtown Ventura.

Bennett often creates her pieces by reusing discarded materials. She describes her works as devotional objects that venerate the natural world, inspired by painted láminas and devotional art of Mexico, India and Asia, as well as by popular art of other cultures.

Bennett is also one of the artists featured in the museum’s invitational exhibition Between Heaven and Earth: Entre Cielo y Tierra, running through November 30. Linocuts and woodblock prints by the internationally known Artemio Rodriguez are also on museum exhibition during that same time.

For further information call Museum of Ventura County at (805) 653-0323 or go to http://www.venturamuseum.org.

As part of a series of events celebrating “The Big Read,” a community-wide reading initiative, the E. P. Foster Library in Ventura will present Alice Greenfield McGrath, on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth R. Topping Room at the E.P. Foster Library in downtown Ventura.
The “Big Read” book selection is Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya. The book is set in the 1940’s, a decade when big social changes were sweeping America.
In this special program, Ventura resident Alice Greenfield McGrath will talk about her own involvement with the notorious Sleepy Lagoon case.
This event is co-sponsored by the City of San Buenaventura and the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library and is free to the public. Light refreshments will be available.
The E.P. Foster Library is located at 651 E. Main Street in historic downtown Ventura. The Elizabeth R. Topping Room entrance is on Main Street, just west of the main entrance to the Library.
For additional information about The Big Read, visit the library website at www.vencolibrary.org.

Author Amada Irma Pérez leads a discussion of the award winning bestseller Bless Me Ultima, at the Museum of Ventura County on Saturday, October 11 at 2:00 p.m. The book by Rudolfo Anaya is a coming-of-age novel of a young boy in New Mexico in the 1940s, and was chosen by the City of Ventura to be read by the community during October’s Ventura Big Read.

A resident of Ventura, author Pérez has been a bilingual educator, literacy consultant and presenter for more than twenty-five years. Her teaching experience includes kindergarten through university, and her bilingual children’s books are designed to encourage multicultural understanding. Her first book, My Very Own Room/Mi Propio Cuartito, won the Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award and is given to every newborn in San Antonio, Texas through the Library Foundation‘s “Born to Read” program. Her second book, My Diary from Here to There/Mi Diario De Aquí Hasta Alla, won the Pura Belpre Honor Book Award. Her most recent publication is Nana's Big Surprise/Nana, Que Sorpresa.

Perez’s event at the museum is one of several associated with Ventura Big Read .The Ventura Cultural Affairs Division, in partnership with the Ventura County Library, was selected by the National Endowment for the Arts to take part in the Big Read, an initiative in which an entire community is encouraged to read the same book at the same time and participate in discussions on its themes. For more information, go to www.cityofventura.net/bigread.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 89 S. California Street in Ventura.