Friday, January 12, 2024 is the deadline to enter and submit artwork for the 38th Annual California Strawberry Festival Artwork Contest. The artist with the winning strawberry-themed design will receive $2,000 and VIP tickets to the Festival, which takes place May 18-19, 2024 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Entries will be evaluated by a judging panel looking for creativity and the best use of a strawberry design. The winning design may be used in printed and digital advertising collateral as well as on souvenir merchandise. Artists should keep in mind that judges may give preference to artwork that will print well on promotional items like t-shirts.

Artists can create their designs in a variety of mediums–digital, oils, watercolors, inks, pencil, photograph, and mixed media. Entries must be 16-1/2 inches wide by 17 inches high. Artwork should be scanned or photographed and submitted digitally through the Festival website. Uploaded files should be of the highest quality possible in jpg or png format. Artists may be contacted by the Festival for access to the original work. Multiple entries by a single artist will be accepted. There is no fee to enter.

The winner will be notified around the second week of February and will be the guest of honor at a March luncheon when the design will be revealed to media, dignitaries, and festival sponsors. The winning original design and all rights of the winning design will become the property of the California Strawberry Festival.

Visit www.castrawberryfestival.org (click on Interactive Events) for artwork contest rules and entry form.

At Studio 99 @ The Bell Arts Factory
Our Solo Artists Endless Energy – Maxine Apke
Ebb & Flow – Darlene Roker
Plus new works from New Members

Exhibit Runs until December 23, 2023

A BAA member since 2013, Darlene Roker has had prior solo shows in BAA venues, showing the work from her many years in fine art photography.

Her title choice describes her painting habits, said Roker, who lives in Ventura. “My painting times follow the ebb and flow of my busy life. When I’m busy with other activities, I spend time thinking about images to paint. When life slows down, I put those images on canvas.”

On Sunday, November 12, the Ventura Marina Community presented Art in the Marina. It was a huge success with over a hundred artists represented from throughout Southern California. Art from water colors, oil, ceramics, wood carvings and many more art forms were on display.

Spotlight on Endless Energy – Maxine Apke

Buenaventura Art Association at Studio 99 @ The Bell Arts Factory

Our Solo Artists
Endless Energy – Maxine Apke
Ebb & Flow – Darlene Roker
New works from New Members

Exhibit runs until December 23, 2023

Apke’s show features more than a dozen framed examples of her handmade paper collage art, about half of which are 24 by 30 in.; some small, unframed pieces; and a dozen “eco-dyed scarves,” she said.

Titled “Endless Energy,” its theme is “energy from the sun,” said Apke, a Santa Barbara resident who’s been making art about 40 years. “The larger works are 3D collages and are interpretations of the sun; the smaller works are related to our natural world.”

Her website, homesteadmill.com, gives insight into Apke’s papermaking process and contains a gallery of her works, including previews of some pieces in the “Energy” show.

If you haven’t seen the murals at the downtown library, it is worth the visit. The subject matter, created by depression era artist Gordon K. Grant, is “Agriculture and Industries of Ventura” – the style of art American Scene or Regionalist painting. Depicted are cattle, horses, fields and laborers of many different types including men milking cows and women packing citrus. They were created to celebrate the virtues of small town or rural life and advance an overt narrative favoring labor and the nationalist, pro-labor politics of the era. The murals, renovated in 1966, date from 1936-37 and were funded by the Federal Arts Project, under the New Deal WPA. They are very reminiscent of the murals of Diego Rivera and were painted around the same time of many of his murals.

As the holiday season draws near, the Ventura Pottery Gallery is thrilled to announce the return of its highly anticipated Free Pottery Gift with Purchase event. Commencing on December 1, patrons making a purchase of $40 or more will receive a complimentary pottery gift, generously provided by our devoted group of forty potters.

Our artisans have accumulated a surplus of stunning pieces in their studios, leading them to generously donate a diverse selection of bowls, vases, mugs, plates, and ornaments as tokens of appreciation for our cherished customers.

We extend a warm invitation to explore the Ventura Pottery Gallery and indulge in the exceptional work crafted by our local artists and potters. Conveniently located at the Ventura Harbor Village, our gallery is open from 11 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week. For those unable to visit in person, our extensive online store at www.venturapotteryonline.com offers an opportunity to explore and purchase our unique pieces. Further information is available at www.vcpg.org.

Please note, one gift will be provided per customer per day, subject to availability while supplies last.

Join us in celebrating the craftsmanship and creativity of local potters this holiday season at the Ventura Pottery Gallery. For inquiries or additional information, please contact Cecile (805) 754-6380.

Upcoming at Studio 99, Buenaventura Art Association’s gallery and headquarters at Bell Arts Factory in Ventura, are concurrent Nov. 3-Dec. 23 solo exhibitions by member artists Maxine Apke and Darlene Roker and a group show of works by artists who’ve joined BAA since Jan. 1, 2023.

Apke’s show will feature more than a dozen framed examples of her handmade paper collage art, about half of which are 24 by 30 in.; some small, unframed pieces; and a dozen “eco-dyed scarves,” she said.

The artists will be on hand to greet gallery visitors and discuss art during First Friday open gallery receptions from 6-9 p.m. opening night, Nov. 3, and on Dec. 1.

Buenaventura Art Association operates Studio 99 at 432 N. Ventura Ave., open noon-4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays,

For more about BAA and its programs, phone the gallery at 805-648-1235 or visit buenaventuraartassociation.org.