ArtWalk Ventura 2019 is back with again with a full day of new Artists, Great New Art Venues, improved ArtWalk Shuttle and Fun After Party at the WAV.  Join in for the 26th annual ArtWalk Ventura, Sept. 28th 11-7pm where you can ride on the ArtWalk shuttle through the WestSide and Downtown Ventura to become a part of a whole day art experience.  The cultural district of Ventura will be alive with a wide variety of Artist venues interactive public art exhibits, live music, artist demonstrations, kids’ activities, performances by Rubicon actors and much more.

With 20 Arts Venues and over 100 artists participating this year’s ArtWalk will not disappoint.  Come spend the day shopping and experiencing Ventura’s thriving art scene. Don’t miss the fun afterparty in the WAV amphitheater featuring classic rock dance music by Fish Fry.

New and improved this year is the 3 ArtWalk shuttles that will be continuously rotating between the several stops along the ArtWalk route from Downtown Ventura to the Westside.  With 3 shuttles circulating all visitors will have an easy access to visit all of ArtWalk in one day.
Some of the exciting art stops along the ArtWalk route this year include The Museum of Ventura County, The WAV, Bell Arts, Art City Studios, John White Studio, Red Brick Art and Pacific Wonderland Inc.

ArtWalk’s 2019 Artist of Distinction is Sarah Jenks Flesher, who has donated her time in creating several ArtWalk interactive pieces welcoming the visitors to the world of art featuring representations of famous artists and their paintings.  Her giant canvases are not to be missed and will be landmarks along the shuttle route throughout the ArtWalk.

ArtWalk is a free family friendly activity where you can be emerged into the local art world, we hope you join for another year of creativity.  For more information and details about what is to come please visit www.artwalkventura.org.

“Troubles II,” a solo show by Veronica Walmsley Lambert, and a Buenaventura Art Association members’ show titled “Stories II” will run Sept. 26-Oct. 20.

Lambert will be at the gallery for a “meet the artist” event from 2-5 p.m. Sept. 28 during ArtWalk Ventura 2019, and she and other BAA artists will attend a First Friday reception 6-9 p.m. Oct. 4.

In paintings, assemblage and collage works, Lambert expresses her fascination with the human face and the symbolism in human culture.

Though fun and whimsical at first look, her assemblages also bear satirical undertones that reference social, cultural and political events.

In “Stories II,” BAA members will continue exploring the correlation between artworks and the inspiration for them.

Normal operating hours at Buenaventura Gallery, in Studio 30 at Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave. are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. For more about the 65-year-old nonprofit artists cooperative and its programs, visit www.buenaventuraartassociation.org or call 805-648-1235 during gallery hours.

This mural, located in the in the Wellington Room at the Lexington Assisted Living is by Leslie Cardiel. 

Leslie is 26 years old and has lived in Ventura her entire life. This was the inspiration for the mural; she wanted to add prominent landmarks that personally remind her of home, as well as anyone else native to the city.

She majored in Fine Arts in California State University of Channel Islands and received her bachelor’s with honors in Cum Laude in 2017.

Her inspiration stems from fantasy roleplaying games and anime, as well as classical painters such as Peter Paul Rubens for his use of vibrant, contrasting colors.

http://victorianfox.wixsite.com/lesliecardiel
https://www.instagram.com/meullime/

A Conversation with Mick Reinman
Sunday, September 29, 2019 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St.

Mick Reinman has been described as a painter’s painter – whether powerfully colored compositions that build on the human figure, landscape in its most basic architectonic form, explorations of the Nine Square grid or images of Spaghetti Western icons – the scope of his subject matter and style is broad. Reinman attended Chouinard Art Institute on a full scholarship and holds degrees from Cal State University Northridge and Art Center College of Design.

As an educator, the artist has been sharing his expertise by teaching at Otis College of Art & Design and Cal State University Channel Islands. Mick’s paintings are widely collected and housed in prestigious public and private collections.

To learn more about Mick, visit www.MickReinman.com

Free to FOTM members, $15 for public; $10 for seniors.

Special invitation to educators and students: The Artist Spotlight is open to students attending as a class assignment free of charge. FOTM is happy to assist with tracking attendance and sign-in sheets. Reservations required. To RSVP visit www.FocusOnTheMasters.com or call 805.653.2501.

Co-sponsored by Jordan Laby & Ojai Studio Artists

Fox Fine Jewelry presents Synergy
by Mary-Gail King and Gerald Zwers
Shows runs until November 11.

A dynamic and spirited artist, Mary-Gail’s energy shows through in her work. Her intuition has led her creative process when turning a blank canvas into a work of art. And it has led her to new opportunities in life, growing personally and professionally.

From a young age, Gerald Zwers has been passionate about art and learning. Throughout school, he enjoyed drawing during class. He nearly got kicked out of his math class for drawing all the time! But it was actually a tool he used to aid learning. It helped him forge connections with new knowledge and information.

Despite his artistic skills, he decided to pursue an education outside of the arts. He studied many subjects like psychology, marketing and engineering. Worked his way through school as a machinist, he later went on to own several businesses. In his free time, Gerald picked up new art skills by seeking out the masters to learn directly from them.

Known to regularly produce over 100 pieces per year (his record is over 1000!), Gerald is a prolific artist with no plans to slow down. One of his biggest driving forces as an artist is to mindfully create work that will spread goodness and joy.

560 East Main Street (805) 652-1800

For the real deal in handmade handiworks, don’t miss the Harvest Festival® Original Art & Craft Show at the Ventura County Fairgrounds October 4-6, featuring more than 24,000 original creations from hundreds of trend-setting artisans and crafters.

Festivities will be in high gear for the 30th anniversary celebration of the Ventura showcase, a treasured tradition recognized as the west coast’s largest and most prestigious indoor showcase, with live entertainment, strolling performers, mouth-watering foods, a Kidzone and pumpkin patch, contests, crafter demonstrations, and more.

Patrons who bring canned goods for donation to Project Understanding will receive $2 off admission. Kids 12 and under are free, and tickets are good for the entire weekend.

“As a family-run business we take pride in creating the ultimate shopping experience that brings people together and gives back,” says Nancy Glenn, owner of the Harvest Festival. “Our showcase is engaging and participatory for all ages. And with our special discount incentive, we’re hoping to surpass last year’s food donation of 4,000 pounds.”

The Harvest Festival is a juried showcase to ensure quality and diversity. Emerging artists whose passions spark new trends provide a limitless array of perfect somethings. Stunning jewelry, clothing, photography, hand-turned wood, ceramics, eclectic art pieces, seasonal décor, Halloween accessories, ornaments, and blown glass, are among the masterpieces on display. Artists can also personalize many items. Festival foodies can sample oodles of tasty homemade sauces, spices, nuts, oils, candies, and baked goods. Local artists showcasing include Ventura residents Katie Adams with Lemon & Lei bath & body collection skin care; Connie Gunderson with Heavenly Accents vintage fabric handbags; Kevin Brown with VB Candles; Linda Fusaro of Santa Barbara: with beautifully crafted jewelry of Fusaro Design, and Hannah Hogan of Westlake Village with Shop Dog Studios handcrafted leashes, collars and festive pet attire.

Live entertainment adds to the festivities with entertainer Captain Jack Spareribs and the Hyjinx Band, joined by the Jack Kalvan Jugglers and other strolling performers.

The Festival collaborates with local non-profits to pay it forward. Anyone who brings non-perishables for donation to Project Understanding receives $2 off admission. The Ventura Boys & Girls Club hosts the parcel check, Macaroni Kid and MyGym Ventura team up for the Kidzone. Rancho Ventura Conservation Trust hosts a nature interactive in conjunction with the pumpkin patch, co-sponsored by Green Thumb Nursery. The Ventura County Star is the official newspaper. The annual Grand Prize Giveaway is a $200 Amazon gift card (register to win on site at the event).

General admission tickets are $9, Seniors (62+) and military are $7, Youths ages 13-17 are $4, and kids 12 and under are free. Tickets are good for the entire weekend. Hours are Friday 10am to 5pm; Saturday 10am to 6pm; and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Ventura County Fairgrounds 10 West Harbor Blvd.

harvestfestival.com or call 925.392.7300

On Saturday, October 5th, The Space VTA will host an art show and silent auction to raise money for Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). Feeling the need to act in the face of constant news on the refugee crisis, a group of Ventura based artists are fundraising to help vulnerable children at the border.

All money raised will be donated to KIND (SupportKind.org), an organization aligned with UNICEF. KIND works to ensure that no refugee child faces asylum proceedings alone. KIND promotes protection of children in countries of origin, works to address the root causes of child migration, and advocates for policies to improve the protection of unaccompanied children in the United States.

The Ventura fundraising event, named Care, Not Cages, includes artwork generously donated from Jessica Hemmy, Claudia Pardo, Mychal Arata, Maribel Hernandez and other local talents. Care, Not Cages will also feature live acoustic music, and video testimony and animations from children that KIND has helped.

Free Art Show, Silent Auction, Video media, Music, Refreshments
The Space VTA, 1779 E Main St.
https://www.facebook.com/events/878724372485222/

Kaleidoscope Kandeo by Deniz Nicole is on display at the Museum of Ventura County from Saturday, September 28—October 6, 2019. Join in at the Museum of Ventura County on Saturday, September 28, 2019 from 11—7 p.m. for Artwalk Ventura. Come view and play Kaleidoscope Kandeo, and explore the Museum’s other latest exhibit, California Cool: Mid-century Modernism on the Central Coast.

Kaleidoscope Kandeo by Deniz Nicole debuted at Burning Man in 2019 and is a 20-foot-tall faceted teardrop-shaped tower made from bent steel tubing. Clad in iridescent laser-cut paneling, the installation will be a shimmering tear when illuminated at night. Without communal effort the kaleidoscope’s image will remain static. Reflections of the colors and complexity of motion will create a fantastic kinetic kaleidoscopic image. At dusk, the laser cut paneling will reveal backlit patterns of light that make the kaleidoscope a waypoint in darkness.

Free for Museum members, $5 for nonmembers

Studio #79 at the Bell Arts Factory in Ventura is half filled with an 8-foot-tall installation called Prism, an immersive installation/painting that captures the inner child.

This ambitious piece was created by Aliza J. Bejarano, 29, freshly graduated with a BFA from California State University Long Beach with three years of experience in curatorial work based out of Los Angeles, and over ten years in drawing and painting.

Her art comes from insight of a tumultuous history; she has recently published the first of a series of books about one of those traumas – running from the shooter in Nice, France on Bastille Day. The book is available on Amazon, Running and Tumbling, Volume1: The Shock.

She also conducts figure drawing classes.

The Ojai Photography Community welcomes master photographer and educator Christopher Broughton, presenting “Approaches to Street Photography” on Tuesday, September 17, at 7 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana St., Ojai. The general public is invited to attend this free event.

Broughton’s passion for street photography developed during his twenty years as a professor at Brooks Institute. From 2012 to 2016 he led summer sessions in Paris. In his presentation he will share his extensive experience in this genre, breaking down his practice into fifteen key approaches that can be applied to any street from Ojai Avenue to the Champs Élysées.

A nationally and internationally exhibited photographer, Broughton’s work is in the permanent collections of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Crocker Art Museum, and the Quincy Art Center.

For further information on Broughton, visit: https://www.christopherbroughton.com

For information on his street photography workshop, go to:

https://www.ernestbrooksfoundation.org/workshops.html

The Ojai Photography Community, which is devoted to inspiration, camaraderie and education, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Monthly free presentations are part of the group’s community service and education outreach. http://www.ojaiphotographycommunity.com/index.html