Category Archives: Ventura Art Scene

Promenade at Surfer’s Point by Dean Seagren

The students of Ventura Watercolor Artists will host a special art show and sale on Sunday, May 21 from 3 to 7 pm. art lab, 1932 E. Eastman, Unit 101.  Instructor and award winning professional watercolorist, Julie Merrill, heads the group in presenting this exciting display of watercolor art created by her past and current students.  An opportunity to view work while watercolorists are at work.  Light refreshments will be served.  Visit Ventura Watercolor Artists on Facebook for more information and to view art.

Kids’ Arts Ventura celebrate 25 years with Spring Art Show and Auction April 29

Kids’ Arts Ventura is celebrating 25 years of service with a Spring Art Show and Auction on Saturday, April 29th from 4-7pm at the WAV Theater Gallery located at 175 S. Ventura Avenue at Thompson Blvd.

Since 1992 Kids’ Arts has been growing young artists and our mission remains: to provide a creative hands-on experience in art, music, movement and theater for kids ages 5-14. Every Saturday kids and the professional artists who lead them are engaged in exploring art expression and having a great time. In addition to the Saturday program, the organization participates in community events such as the  Ventura Art and Street Painting Festival, Ventura Art Walk, Surf Rodeo and StoryFest. In over two decades of service, Kids’ Arts has worked cooperatively with other nonprofits and arts organizations such as the WAV, Kids & Families Together, The Arc of Ventura County, and  Ventura Education Partnership.

The event  will feature artwork created by participating kids and the grown up artists who guide them, offered on exhibit and for sale. All proceeds go toward funding the nonprofit’s commitment to enriching the lives of local families. http://www.kidsartsventura.org/

An afternoon with renowned FOTM documented artists

Tom and Connie Jenkins in their Malibu Canyon home and studios.
(Limited to 25 guests.)
All proceeds benefit FOTM Arts Education programs.
Sunday, April 23, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Wine and appetizers will be served.
Participants will rendezvous at 2 p.m. on Ellice St. and caravan to the studios.
FOTM Members – $100  Non-members – $125
RSVP: www.FocusOnTheMasters.com

The dynamic duo of Tom & Connie Jenkins will open their studios for a special afternoon of demonstrations and insights into the creative process. The studios are in the Santa Monica Mountains and wildflowers should be at their peak during our visit. A private sound performance by Tom Jenkins will be one of the highlights of the afternoon. Tom Jenkins is a painter, sculptor, inventor, sound installation artist and performance artist. Tom also uses sophisticated handmade drawing instruments and tops in his creation of art pieces.

Connie Jenkins is an accomplished realist painter whose canvases feature rocks, water and the natural world combined with elements that are not easily defined.

Ventura-based arts non-profits invited to apply for Cultural Funding Program

Applications and guidelines are now available online for the City of Ventura 2017-2018 Cultural Funding Program at www.cityofventura.net/cfp. Apply by Thursday, June 22, for the City of Ventura Office of Cultural Affairs 2017-18 Cultural Funding Program Grants. The program is open to any Ventura-based arts non-profit.  All organizations will be required to provide proof of their 501(c) 3 status or that of their Ventura County based fiscal agent. $90,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to non-profit arts organizations, with grants ranging in size from $1,000-$20,000.

Organizations whose annual budgets are less than $10,000 are only eligible to request $1,000 and do not have to submit DataArts budget information. Applicants are asked to make a specific grant request.   The request may not exceed 10% of annual budget.

The City of Ventura Cultural Funding Program supports the following cultural goals of the community .

  • To support Ventura’s cultural infrastruc­ture of arts organizations and artists
  • To ensure comprehensive access to and involvement in cultural opportunities by all segments of the community
  • To support economic development and increase tourism
  • To enhance lifelong learning opportuni­ties in the arts for all ages

Artistic samples will be required and the artistic samples form submitted. Past applicants must have submitted a Final Report from the previous year to be eligible for future funding.

For more information contact Georgeanne Lees at 658-4720 or [email protected].

Museum of Ventura County features “Wet” by Rodger Klein

The Museum of Ventura County features large-scale archival prints by Venice-based artist Rodger Klein entitled “Wet” in its contemporary art annex, the Tool Room Gallery, this month.  An opening reception and chance to meet the artist will be held on Friday, April 7, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the gallery at 432 N. Ventura Avenue in Ventura.

Venice artist Rodger Klein focuses on objective and non-objective underwater imagery in his work. For this show, Rod has been creating large archival prints from images shot in his custom designed studio pool.

Rodger (Rod) Klein has had an eclectic career as an artist, video editor, special effects designer, director, scuba instructor, dive guide, and highly published underwater photographer.

According to Klein, “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

Dabster Arts presents classes|

Figure Drawing. Monthly, 1st Saturday This is a guided instruction figure drawing class. In this life drawing class, students can learn simple and effective drawing figure drawing techniques. Students Composed of short and long poses, each student will be given ample time to study the shapes, values and edges of the figure and explore different techniques. Class is held monthly on the 1st Saturday of every month. Register now, seating is limited! Instructor Mariana Pierino Royuela. $25.00

1793 East Main St. 626 8876   [email protected]

Meredith Brooks Abbott art

In May of 1999, the City Council established the Municipal Art Acquisition Program to document the history of visual art in Ventura through the annual purchase of important works of art created by area artists.

The collection can be seen in the corridors of City Hall.

Meredith Brooks Abbott art continues the American Impressionist legacy through her luminous paintings of California landscapes and still life. She studied and learned from several recognized American Impressionist painters. Abbott attended Scripps College in Claremont and the Art Center School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1962. Between classes, she studied with Douglass Parshall (1899-1990) in Santa Barbara, and painted alongside Richard S.Meryman (1891-1963) and Clarence Hinkle (1880-1960).