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Vol. 9, No. 11 – March 2 – March 15, 2016 – Mailbox

Hello Sheldon,

Are you aware of the repair to the Ventura Promenade that is happening currently? Three of the palm-trios have not survived the recent storms and ocean rise. So, Ventura is dutifully now working on moving rip-rap and boulders to protect what is left of the walk/bicycle path.

Also, the cobblestones brought in to protect the Walk are now distributed along the shoreline and past the Pier. There is not much beach left.

Who says there is no Global Warming?

Suzanna Ballmer

This is in response to Breeze publisher’s comments in last issue regarding the WAV.

Sheldon:

You may not be aware that the WAV theatre-gallery is always open on First Fridays and offers visitors brochures with maps of studio locations as well as a large board with pushpins showing which studios are open.

WAV as a group has taken part in other city wide venues including all the Art Walks (and we pay the necessary fee to be listed in their promotional materials). We display our art works in the WAV gallery and other galleries and venues as well. As individuals, we have our own projects. Several of our musical groups perform regular gigs here and on the outside

Among events last year at the WAV, there was a several weeks’ long charitable event “Earth Spirit” with a juried art exhibit and numerous guest speakers for the environment. This was filmed and will soon be a documentary.

I have new works in my studio not yet in my web site. So perhaps you’ll pop over to see them next time you visit the WAV.

Yours sincerely,
Frances Spencer
WAV resident artist/playwright

Breeze

The real winner of Super Bowl 50 were those who saw and heard Lady Gaga sing our National Anthem.

As the members of our military forces stood at attention and our fighter planes flew overhead, we for a few brief moments were a young nation again. We felt what it was like to be free, to be powerful, to overcome all odds, to endeavor to be great and to achieve greatness.

And for a few brief moments, the vision of George Washington, General of the Army of the Potomac stood at Valley Forge in the midst of his men, in the middle of a brutally cold winter.

With bloody feet and lack of food, they continued to fight on, when, as Rudyard Kipling wrote; “when there was nothing left within them except, the will, to hold on”.

And for a few brief moments, we were the men and women who crossed the great plains of this nation in covered wagons and held our children at night, not knowing whether they would be safe, and in the morning drove past the skeletons along the trail of those who did not make it.

And for a few brief moments, we saw our soldiers braving the hazards of the war in Europe and in Asia and the memory of those Marines who raised our flag on Iowa Jima came to mind.

And then, for a few brief moments, we pictured the rows of crosses in France, row upon row, where American blood was shed In order to defend the world against Nazi terrorism.

And for a few brief moments we realized what it was like to feel good, to know what it meant to be an American.

And for those few brief moments it made no difference who you were, whether you were rich or poor, or the color of your skin, for in those few brief moments, we were all one, we were Americans.

And thank you Lady Gaga, for those few brief moments, let us never let go of those feelings. You awakened in this nation what the politicians cannot do, the awareness of what made this country great.

And as you so beautifully sang: “Oh say does that Star – Spangled Banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave”, you rekindled our belief, once again, in the promise of America.

David Pies

Citizens for SOAR renewal

If you are like me, sometimes you are in a hurry and duck out of your favorite store or meeting place to avoid signature gathers with petitions. I just want to alert everyone that for the next two weeks you might want to pause and take the time to sign the SOAR initiatives, which stand for Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources. You need to sign two–the one for Ventura County and one for your City, signing your name the way you are registered to vote, in order to get SOAR on the November 2016 ballot.

By signing the petition you make it possible for people to vote on whether or not protected agricultural land or open space areas can be rezoned for development. This does not stop development, but gives citizens the choice to decide yes or no.

The current City and County SOAR initiatives are set to expire at different times. This new initiative will renew SOAR and get all the SOAR initiatives throughout the County on the same schedule, with the uniform sunset date of 2050.

Given the limited water and land resources in our cities and county, and increasing pressures for development, it is important to let voters weigh in on whether converting agricultural or open space land is in the best interest of the community at large.

This is an all-volunteer grassroots signature gathering effort. The people with petitions are your friends and neighbors who are all taking time out of their own busy lives to help renew the Ventura County SOAR initiatives.

So, as you are rushing to complete errands or chauffeuring kids to their next engagement, please take a few moments to help these SOAR signature-gathers give us a say in whether our communities should rezone land for more development. This is a democratic means to preserve our valuable open space and agricultural resources now and in the future.

Diane Underhill

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
~ George Bernard Shaw

Morris Graves Museum of Art and the Humboldt Arts Council solo show of paintings and works on paper by Ventura artist Erik ReeL

The Morris Graves Museum of Art and the Humboldt Arts Council will be presenting a solo show of paintings and works on paper by Ventura artist Erik ReeL from March 12 to April 1. ReeL was heavily influenced by Morris Graves and his compatriots, Mark Tobey and Kenneth Callahan from an early age; these artists were major factors in his choice to pursue painting and art.

ReeL states, “For me, this exhibition and showing in this particular museum is like coming full circle. It is a great privilege to be exhibiting with the organization that takes care of a collection and estate that contains work by artists that had such an impact on my development, including two Tobeys as well as many fine works by Morris Graves. Erik ReeL is a contemporary American artist living in Ventura. His work addressing post-conceptual issues related to mark making and signification. For more of his art go to erikreel.com

Exhibit at 636 F Street, Eureka, California.

Ventura County Potters’ Guild First Annual March Mermaid Madness

Mesmerizing Mermaids . The month of March

Artist Demonstration March 12, 12 – 3 pm

Join the Potters’ Guild at the First Annual March Mermaid Madness. The mystical Mermaids have migrated to the Ventura Harbor Village for the month of March. So come celebrate the Mermaids at the Ventura County Potters’ Guild Gallery with 3 Featured Gallery members. Hannah French creates colorful and whimsical mermaids that will make you smile. Ellen Williams’ mermaids are delicate and shy while Genie Thomsen’s are playful raku fired sculptures. Raymond Harris adds to the collection with his taunting sirens on mugs

Saturday March 5th from 12-3pm, Artist Sandy Swanson will demonstrate and display her mermaid plaques in front of the Pottery Gallery.

Sunday March 13th, the Gallery will provide ceramic mermaids and fish pendants for the children to color and take home between 1-3pm. (While supplies last.) So come, children of all ages to see our mermaids and all the other beautiful pottery our talented artist create.

The VCPG Gallery is open daily from 11am-6pm.
Ventura County Potters’ Guild Gallery
Ventura Harbor Village
644-6800

Empowerment: Works by Modern to Post Modern Women Artists

Empowerment: Works by Modern to Post Modern Women Artists from the collection of Ann Bittl

Including work by:
Alice Neel
Louise Nevelson
Mary Cassatt
Elaine de Kooning
Lee Krassner

Opening Reception: Friday, March 4, 2016 from 6-9 p.m.
Exhibit Dates: March 4 – 27, 2016
Gallery hours: M-F 10-4 pm Sat. & Sun. by appointment

Art History Happy Hour: Sunday, March 13 from 4-6 p.m.
with Ann Bittl discussing Women in the arts, Modern to Post Modern and Sharon Beynon discussing modernism and literature.

Although women artists during the modern period until the latter half of the 20th century, entered the mainstream in the visual arts at a greater number than before; they were still the minority in most museums, institutions, and the art world.

The exhibition not only examines these artists as to creative endeavors, but also the means by which they altered society’s perception of the very nature and practice of art itself.

Vita Art Center
432 North Ventura Ave. Studio 30
www.vitaartcenter.com

Ventura County Handweavers & Spinners Guild, Rich Deppe and Carl Friedlander at Focus on the Masters Artist Spotlight Mar. 6

Focus on the Masters popular Artist Spotlight Series will introduce two members of the Ventura County Handweavers & Spinners Guild, Rich Deppe and Carl Friedlander at their next Artist Spotlight interview on Sunday, March 6 at 4:00 p.m. at Brooks Institute (5301 N. Ventura Ave.) Each of these fabric artists comes to his work on different paths. Each has a story to tell.

Rich Deppe’s involvement in fiber arts dates to his early childhood, when his grandmother introduced him to knitting, at which he proved very adept. His fascination with knitting disappeared by his teen years but re-surfaced some years ago. He knits and weaves but for Rich the most interesting aspect of fiber art is spinning the fibers themselves. Carl Friedlander, a retired computer scientist, is well-known for creating prayer shawls worn at Jewish religious services. His fiber art gene seems to have come from his maternal grandfather, a superb tailor. Although Carl does weave beautiful yet utilitarian items such as table mats, runners, and material for clothing, it is his work as a man of faith that is perhaps most impressive.

Please join Focus on the Masters as Mary Galbraith, moderator, chats with these two artists.

Free to FOTM Members – $10 General public, $5 students and seniors.

AfterGLOW Fundraising Event: Join for a celebratory supper hosted by Jo Ellen Lee and prepared by Old Broads Catering Company immediately following the interview at the FOTM Archive & Library, 505 Poli Street, Suite 405. Maps will be given to paid guests at the interview.

The AfterGLOW is $25 for FOTM members, $35 for non-members. Paid reservations are essential & required prior to March 6 for the AfterGLOW. For RSVP & tickets visit: FocusOnTheMasters.com or call 805.653.2501.

Tickets available online at: www.FocusOnTheMasters.com or call 653.2501

Beverly Cunningham exhibit at the Womens’ Center-Poinsettia Pavilion

Beverly Cunningham always has an ongoing exhibit at the Womens’ Center (Poinsettia Pavilion). A portion of each sale is donated to the Pave the Way campaign to restore the Pavilion. She loves to paint in a loose impressionistic style with vibrant colors. She enjoys flowers and the possibilities they provide for abstraction.

You can see more of her wonderful art at BeverlyCunningham.com

U.S. Navy Seabee Museum Brown-bag Luncheon Learning Series Mar. 4

The U.S. Navy Seabee Museum will hold a Brown-bag Luncheon Learning Series on Friday (March 4th) at noon. The topic is “More than just roads and commodes: The history of the Naval Shore Establishment 1800-1941, Part One.” Join museum archivist Gina Nichols for the first installment of a two-part series on the history of the Bureau of Yards and Docks. This event is FREE and open to the public. No RSVP required. Feel free to roam the galleries as well and learn about Seabee history.

Ventura City Firefighters respond to ¼ acre fire in Ventura River

On Feb.25 , at 1:45am Ventura City Firefighters responded into to the Ventura River Friday morning for a ¼ acre fire that was the result of an unattended vagrant encampment fire. The fire spread through the brush and consumed vegetation surrounding the waterfront and burned towards the train trestle. Firefighters contained the fire in an hour and a half. Firefighters discovered numerous encampments filled with trash and various debris. No suspect was located. The fire was located in the State Parks and is within the State jurisdiction.

March is American Red Cross Month

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton and is the United States premier emergency response organization. The American Red Cross is part of a worldwide organization which offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war.

The American Red Cross is not funded by the government. They rely on donations of time, money and blood to keep the organization running.

Over the years, the American Red Cross has expanded its services. These include:

Disaster Services – The Red Cross responds to approximately 70,000 disasters in the United States every year, ranging from home fires that affect a single family to hurricanes that affect tens of thousands, to earthquakes that impact millions. In these events, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, health and mental health services to help families and entire communities get back on their feet

Blood Services – In the United States around 4 million people give blood to the Red Cross, making this organization the largest supplier of blood and products in the country. The American Red Cross serves more than three thousand hospitals throughout the United States

Communications between Military Members and Families – the American Red Cross facilities communications between those serving in the Armed Forces in important events around the world and their family members back home.

Health and Safety Services – these include health and safety training in wide range of areas. From CPR and blood borne pathogens training to HIV/AID education. From swimming and life guarding to American Red Cross Preparedness programs which help people lead healthier and safer lives.

International Services – these include helping vulnerable people worldwide to prevent, prepare for and respond to:

Disasters, life-threatening health conditions, complex humanitarian emergencies

Volunteer Services – there are various opportunities to help the American Red Cross.

Youth Services – The Red Cross have been partners with the Junior Red Cross since it was founded in 1917.

Nursing – over 30 000 nurses are involved in paid and volunteer capacities at all levels and in all service areas throughout the American Red Cross.

Ventura County Chapter 836 Calle Plano, Camarillo, CA, 93012 (805) 987-1514 http://www.redcross.org

Learn about “twice as nice” volunteers Eleanor and Richard Guzik , who don’t just spend their time volunteering for the American Red Cross. In 2000, when Richard’s mother received hospice care from Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association, they were so taken with the level of compassion and love; they decided to become hospice volunteers themselves.

Volunteer Coordinator Maddy Hazard states, “When I thank them for all they do on top of their other commitments their response is always that being Livingston Hospice/Bereavement volunteers will always remain a priority because they feel it is just that important. Such commitment is at the heart of our wonderful volunteers and we are grateful beyond words.”

Learn more at http://www.lmvna.org/about/team-livingston/eleanor-richard-guzik.html

In Good Health,

Gloria Forgea, RN, MBA Director of Community and Professional Relations

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association

Ventura County Community College District holding Public Policy Hearing on Accreditation Mar 2

The Ventura County Community College District plans to hold a Public Policy Hearing on Accreditation at the Ventura County Office of Education (5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo, CA), Wednesday, March 2. The three colleges in the District (Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura) are preparing required self-study documents in anticipation of their accreditation site visits from the Association of California Community and Junior Colleges planned for late September/early October.

The invitation is extended to members of the Citizens Advisory Council, students, college constituents, and the general public. All are welcome. The hearing will cover the current ACCJC accreditation standards, reports from members of the VCCCD District Council on Accreditation and Planning, and public discussion on the District’s service to the respective communities. A brief reception is planned for 5:30 p.m. and the public hearing will follow at 6:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

“This invitation is extended to the public, because the District values the opportunity to share the accreditation process and timelines with our community stakeholders,” said Larry Kennedy, Board Chair. “We want to provide important information on how we are meeting the accreditation standards to maximize service to our students and the community.”

“The District’s Accreditation Committee (DCAP) Co-Chairs and their teams have been working diligently to ensure the District is in good standing and each college is prepared for its accreditation visit,” said Bernard Luskin, Chancellor. “We look forward to a robust and productive discussion that includes members of our Citizens Advisory Committee, staff and students.”

The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 113-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 50,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges- Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura- offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu.

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