From Friday October 16 through Sunday, October 18, a new creative activity center threw a Grand Opening party.  Visitors met the five resident artists who will be on hand to show how they created their art. From miniature scenes with sparkling lights, to paintings of flowers or celestial scenes; to decorated gourds and carved walking sticks; to detailed color pencil paintings.

The Arts Collective, an initiative of the Ventura County Arts Council, is generously sponsored by Pacific View mall. Hours are: Thursday 1:00pm – 9:00pm; Friday and Saturday 10:00am – 9:00pm; Sunday 1:00pm – 7:00pm.   You will find them on the second level next to the entrance to Sears.

On occasion we will be featuring the art work of Breeze staff. This drawing is by Ventura Breeze co-founder Staci Brown who is now a Ventura County Social Worker but we still think of her as staff.

Artist Cassandra Tondro hosts her first-ever Ventura Open Art Studio event on Saturday, October 17th from 4-6pm.  Tondro moved to Ventura in 2014, and built a dream studio behind her home on the East End of the city.

Tondro is known for her bright and colorful abstract paintings created using leftover house paint that she rescues from recycling centers.

The Open Art Studio will feature a display of Tondro’s latest paintings from her “Picture This” series as well as new work from her popular “Organic Series.”  Her artwork can be seen on her website at www.tondro.com.

Studio located at 10446 Hewitt Street, Ventura, 918.7140

This painting, acrylic on canvas by Duane Simshauser can be seen in the permanent Ventura’s Municipal Art Collection in the corridors of the Ventura City Hall. The Municipal Art Acquisition Program was established in May, 1999. Simshauser has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Washington University. To him “Birds offer interesting shapes, patterns and attitudes. “

Ventura County Potters’ Guild presents Harry Poliak’s Clay Journey at the Ventura Avenue Adult Center 550 N Ventura Avenue, Monday, October 26, doors open at 7 pm, program begins at 7:30 pm  648-3035

Harry Poliak was born in 1952 and grew up in South Africa during the Apartheid regime. As a child, the need to travel into the inner recess of his mind and connect to creativity abounded. Influenced by his African roots, he spent many moments entering the realm of ancient art fed by Africa’s multicultural identities. Poliak moved to Canada in 1977 where he began replanting forests and where he trained and worked as a cabinetmaker. In 1985 he married a potter. By 1990 he had shifted his focus primarily to clay and started the journey as a production potter making both functional and sculptural ware. Currently Poliak’s work is sculptural. In 2000 he relocated to the USA where he pursued opportunities to work in community arts, education and youth development and continue his journey with clay. Poliak will be doing a hand building demonstration of his working process.

“Welcome Earthlings” (Solo Works – Mixed Media) by Jane Peterson is on display at galerie102 at 102 W. Matilija Street, Ojai from October 3- October 25.

Opening Reception with artist Saturday, October 3rd, 5 – 7pm

In artist Jane Peterson’s all new work, and first solo show with the gallery, she continues to explore the spectrum of human emotion with particular attention to anxiety, passion, and fear, as well as, an element of humor.

Peterson earned her M.F.A. from The University of Iowa. She has had solo shows at TAG Gallery in Santa Monica, CA and has shown extensively in galleries in New York City, as well as Northern and Southern California.  Her work is in private collections in New York, NY, Honolulu, HI, Oakland and Davis, CA. She currently lives and works in Ventura.

Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11-4 pm, Sunday 12–4pm, and by appointment.

At the recent Ventura Art & Street Painting Festival held at the Harbor 5-year old  Nathan Cirrineione  was perfecting his chalk art so that he could become a featured chalk artist one day. He attends Junipero Serra Elementary.

The winning entries from this year’s California Coastal Art & Poetry Contest will be on display at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center through Sunday, November 15.

Each year, students throughout the state, from kindergarten through 12th grade, participate in this contest, which is sponsored by the California Coastal Commission.

The display includes 35 pieces of art and poetry that were selected as winners and honorable mentions from 2,529 entries.

The contest is held annually to encourage youth to reflect on the beauty and spirit of California’s coasts and ocean.

The Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center is located at 1901 Spinnaker Drive in the Ventura Harbor and is free and open daily from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

On occasion we will be featuring the art work of Ventura Breeze staff, this acrylic is by Breezy Gledhill Senior Account Executive. You can only view her work in her living room for private showing she is very exclusive.