The Museum of Ventura County is pleased to congratulate and announce the recipients of the 2020 Bonita C. McFarland Arts Education Scholarships. The Bonita C. McFarland Scholarship is named for a generous benefactor to the arts in Ventura County. The funds for the scholarships are generated from an endowment, held and administered by the Museum of Ventura County.
2020 Scholarship Recipients:
- Amelia Compton from Camarillo attending the California Institute of the Arts
- Jullianne De La Cruz from Oxnard attending Moorpark College
- Elaine Sanders from Ventura attending her final year at Cal State University Northridge
- Yasemine Zografos from Thousand Oaks attending Cal State University Northridge
The total amount awarded was $10,000.00. Award recipients were selected by a committee consisting of Museum personnel and members of the Museum’s Fine Arts Committee. Awards were based on artistic merit and commitment as demonstrated by the application, letter of recommendation, essay, and examples of the applicant’s prior work/projects.
Continuing through November 30, 2020 the Museum of Ventura County (MVC) and the Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBG) hosts 14 regional artists in their first collaboration. Sculptures and installation works have been installed in the Botanical Gardens nursery and lower trails and in the Museum’s outdoor Plaza along Main Street. This exhibit showcases works by the following artists: Emma Akmakdjian, Gloria Bradley, Kevin Carman, Bijan Fan, Wrona Gall, Sooz Glazebrook, Carlos Grasso, Paul Lindhard, Bob Privitt, Sudad Shahin. Additional works by artists Tanya Kovalesky, Marianne McGrath, Carole Shaw Sutton and Amy Sharp will be installed in mid-September.
This collaboration was initiated by VBG Executive Director Joseph Cahill and MVC Deputy Director Denise Sindelar in recognition that the Gardens and the Museum’s outdoor Plaza would provide an excellent venue for the community to safely explore and experience outdoor art installations. Jurors selecting the exhibiting artists included Christine Beirne, Ojai Studio Artists, Barbara Brown, Board Member VBG, Matthew Furmanski, Professor CSUCI, Michael Pearce, Professor CLU, Peter Tyas, Executive Director Studio Channel Islands and Denise Sindelar, Deputy Director MVC.
The funding to support the art installations was provided by the Bonita C. McFarland Endowment through the Museum of Ventura County. All art sales will 100% benefit the exhibiting artists. Patrons interested in purchasing works may contact Denise Sindelar at [email protected].
During the run of this exhibit MVC members may visit the Gardens free of charge and when the Museums reopen VBG members will receive free admission to both the Ventura Museum and the Santa Paula Agriculture Museum. Members of both organizations are encouraged to support this exciting first collaboration.
Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. Dogs are welcome on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Fridays, the Gardens are free for everyone. Monthly scheduled guided tours are also free. Children under 18 are always free. Additionally, many major holidays are free except for July 4th due to fire danger. EBT cards are welcome. For those out of town visitors or those who are not members, the admission fee is $7 per day, per person. For more information, visit venturabotanicalgardens.com.
