SOTA - Issue 4, November-December 2007

2007 Mayor's Arts Awards

On Thursday, November 15th, over 250 people gathered to celebrate our vibrant arts community at the third annual Mayor's Arts Awards held at the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach. The Mayor's Arts Awards recognizes the artistic achievements and contributions to the cultural community by City residents, artists, educators, organizations and business leaders. Mayor Carl E. Morehouse presented awards in five categories. Nominations for the awards were solicited from the community and the honorees were selected by a panel of leaders from the fields of art, education and business. The bold, graphic art work for the award, Mark of Excellence, was designed by local artist Lis J. Schwitters. Special thank you's to our event sponsors - the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach and Weaver Wines.

• Event photos and background information on the honorees

Letter from Cultural Affairs Manager Kerry Adams Hapner

What makes a leader?

One trait I've observed in most leaders is the ability to articulate their particular vision in their own unique voice. No matter what their position in the community--whether CEO, manager, individual practitioner or even volunteer-- leaders who have both voice and vision hold knowledge, perspective and power.

Knowledge--because leaders know how to apply their unique gifts to specific problems and opportunities.

Perspective--Leaders can express the value of their vision as a benefit to the whole community.

Power--because leaders inspire others simply by doing what they say they will do. They walk their talk.

Two weeks ago, the City of Ventura celebrated leadership in the arts at the Mayor's Arts Awards. Each of the honorees exemplifies the qualities of Ventura's creative community--talented, resourceful, innovative and strong. Each is committed to the idea that the arts can play a crucial role in our everyday lives--these leaders know the potential of the arts to shape us as individuals and bind us together as a community.

I extend my personal congratulations and warm thanks to these five leaders for their voice and vision--their accomplishments have benefited our city beyond measure. These honorees have truly inspired me and each one of us to discover "the leader inside"--to find our own unique voice and vision for artistic endeavor that might inspire change throughout our community for a better Ventura.

Olivas Adobe Holiday event

Discover how Old California celebrated the year-end holidays during free candlelight tours of Ventura's historic Olivas Adobe, on Sunday, December 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m (4200 Olivas Park Drive). Each room of the rambling adobe hacienda home of Don Raymundo Olivas, wife Teodora, and their 21 children, will be decorated in a different holiday tradition. Costumed docents will perform living history skits and provide musical entertainment and refreshments free of charge as their holiday gift to the community. "It's a wonderful way to get into the spirit of the season," said Gina Reyes, Historic Programs Coordinator. "Tours are conducted in groups and offered every 12 minutes. Dress warmly. Tours are free, and donations are welcome."

For more information, visit http://www.olivasadobe.org/ct-gallery.html

Pepper Tree Garden Community Planting Day Explores Local Environmental History through Art

On Saturday, November 10, local residents converged on Pepper Tree Garden to work side-by-side with artists in the planting of native plant species. The community had the opportunity to help create the artwork that will become a part of our city through this planting. The artists were also on hand to discuss the significance of Pepper Tree Garden to our community, the importance of gardening with native, drought-tolerant plants, and their concept for the site.

Pepper Tree Garden is a functioning water booster pump station located at Poli Street and Hall Canyon Road, near Ventura High School. Beneath the entire site lies the infrastructure that pressurizes and lifts water into adjacent hillside residences. Known by local residents and students for the beautiful garden surrounding the pump station, this year the garden became the site of a public art project that has transformed the space into an abstracted coastal "map" of the region, using the environment itself as a canvas. "Through public art the city is creating a historic and cultural imprint that reflects who we are," said Lisa Zaid, Public Art Project Manager for the City of Ventura. "These imprints are made to our environment and the artwork at Pepper Tree Garden emphasizes the effect that we have had on our local environment and the effect that it has had on us."

The artists creating this project are Kathryn Miller, a Professor of Art at Pitzer College, and Andreas Hessing, an established environmental artist. Both created a series of public art "interventions" for Pepper Tree Garden that reference Ventura's geological, hydrological, and botanical history. Artists were chosen through an open competitive process through the Ventura Public Art Program.

Full information about their work can be found on the city's website.

New California Cultural Database Project set to begin

A new statewide collaboration of funders will begin collecting comprehensive data about the California cultural sector in January 2008. In preparation, arts leaders are being invited to information sessions being held from Humboldt to San Diego throughout November. The Data Project will streamline the funding application process for arts organizations and will provide comprehensive, standardized data about the cultural sector. Arts organizations using the standardized, online data form will be able to submit their financial information to dozens of local and statewide funders with a simple click of the mouse.

For more information, visit www.caculturaldata.org or contact Eric Wallner at 677-3911.

CAD "State of the Arts" Annual Review to be launched in My Ventura

The Cultural Affairs Division is pleased to announce the release of our 2006-2007 Annual Review. Arriving to each household as an insert in the January issue of My Ventura, this report highlights all the programs and accomplishments the Division has made towards achieving our goal of becoming "California's New Art City". Look for it in your mailbox mid-January!

View the 2006-2007 Annual Review online.

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Awards Funds for National Performing Arts Projects

Deadline: Open

As part of a new initiative to help strengthen the national performing arts sector, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Arts Program will support select national projects that strengthen the health of the dance, jazz, presenting, and/or theater fields. National projects engage a broad national constituency, occur once (or periodically) rather than annually, and have the potential to significantly impact a field. Types of projects eligible for support include national research, national public awareness activities, cross-discipline collaborations (including national meetings or conventions), and other national activities. Arts Program staff will review Letters of Inquiry on a rolling basis.

Visit the DDCF website for complete program guidelines.

"Investing In Artists" Grant Program open to Local Artists

Deadline: January 11, 2008

In June of 2007, CCI announced the "Investing in Artists" grants program for individual artists throughout California. This program is designed to enhance the working lives and creative environment for California artists by funding tools and market strategies that will allow them to create their best work more consistently, and distribute that work more broadly to new audiences. To support those aims, Investing in Artists provides grants in two categories: 1) Artistic Equipment & Tools; and 2) Presenting & Marketing Work. Obtain more information and download guidelines for the CCI Investing in Artists grants program.

Artist Profile - Gauvin

Born in Pittsburgh, self-taught performance poet and visual artist, Gauvin, moved to Ventura in 1993 to work as a drug and alcohol counselor and art teacher for the Turning Point Foundation. His creativity was nurtured from an early age - his second grade teacher kept one of his very first paintings and by 12, he was the co-host of a children's talk show.

Thematically, Gauvin's work delves into the impact of large political issues on our daily lives, "dealing with complex social issues in a personal way". Well known within Ventura's arts community for his intensity, he has performed at the Artist Union Gallery, Art City, Ventura College, and City Hall. His work often deals with difficult subjects in cathartic ways. "I've seen how art can be a catalyst for emotional breakthroughs or a creative outlet for emotional blocks. It gives people a way to be productive. I really believe that most people are artists and just don't know it."

"Gauvin's poetry and mixed media works convey a very intimate yet somehow universal experience to his audience. His work speaks of family, lovers, friends and enemies and how all these individuals have left their indelible mark on his life," said Public Art Supervisor Denise Sindelar.

He is currently creating all new mixed media paintings for exhibition at the Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, opening the second Friday in December. Entitled "Untie My Soul", the show will highlight personal themes related to gay men.

For more information on the opening, visit http://lgbtventura.org

if the phone rings

if the phone rings
tell them i am not home
some of me is here
but not entirely
i fear there isn't enough of me
to telegraph or teleport
or whatever it is we do
when we talk through a wire

if the phone rings
let it ring
the machine will get it
and then we will be able
to hear whoever it is
we don't want to talk to

if the phone rings
ask who it is
after we second guess and
contemplate who the caller could be
somebody who wants something
not just money but time
to bend our ear backwards
with come to Jesus talk
bad news and rumors of war

if the phone rings
tell them the truth
they have the wrong number....

gauvin

Calendar of upcoming Cultural Affairs Division events

DECEMBER

• Dec. 1 - Midtown Confidential Bus Tour
• Dec. 2 - Holiday Street Festival
• Dec. 8 - Ghost Bust Tour
• Dec. 9 - Olivas Adobe Holiday Candlelight Tour
• Dec. 15 - Erle Stanley Gardner Tour

JANUARY

• Jan. 5 - Walk Back Through Time
• Jan. 12 - The Mystery of Chinatown
• Jan. 19 - Municipal Art Collection Tour
• Jan. 26 - Legends and Lore of Old Ventura

For more information, visit www.cityofventura.net/arts_culture

From the entire Cultural Affairs Division staff, best wishes for a vibrant and creative holiday season!