Pacific Festival Ballet Noah's Ark May 19-20

Pacific Festival Ballet stages an encore performance of "Noah's Ark," an original ballet from Artistic Director Kim Maselli with a musical score from Eric Allaman, Saturday, May 19 (2 & 7 pm) and Sunday, May 20 (2 pm) at the Thousand Oaks Bank of America Civic Arts Plaza.  

More info and tickets at www.pacificfestivalballetcompany.com 

The success of April's workshops creating a core group of men dancers continues in May as new members are invited to join the All Men's Tribal Belly Dance workshops on Tuesdays at 6 pm, at ZanZilla Yoga Center, 2750 East Main Street #F in Ventura. Info at 805.890.4863 or www.zanzillasyoga.com 

National Day of Dance Workshops June 1-29

The Barranca Vista Center, 7050 East Ralston Street, is sponsoring free workshops every Friday in June from 12:30 to 1:30 pm for all ages to learn one to three routines for "dance mobs" to appear at several community events and the National Day of Dance finale on July 28 at the Community Park, 901 South Kimball Road. RSVP to dance instructor Jackie Ringof at 805.654.7552 by each Thursday before class. View routines online.   

See Ballet in Cinema events under
"Cinema Events" below

May 6 Su 1p The Bright Stream (Bolshoi) (also May 16 W 6:30pm)

May 20 Su 1p La Fille Mal Gardée (Royal Ballet) (also May 30 W 6:30 pm)

At Roxy Stadium 11 (5001 Verdugo Way, Camarillo

"Gem of the Ocean"
at the Rubicon May 16 - June 10

Rubicon's first play by August Wilson is also the first chronologically in the playwright's powerful ten-play series dramatizing the African-American experience in the Twentieth Century. The mystical "Gem of the Ocean" is set in 1904 in Pennsylvania's Hill District. At a local mill, a black man is accused of stealing a bucket of nails. But rather than confess to a crime he didn't commit, he jumps in the river and becomes a martyr to his co-workers. Riots break out and the workers begin to strike. Against this turbulent backdrop, another young man named Citizen Barlow arrives at the home of Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old healer who is the keeper of tradition and history for her people. She sends Citizen on a spiritual journey aboard the slave ship Gem of the Ocean - where he must learn about his ancestors and then face the truth about himself. Call 805.667.2900 or visit www.rubicontheatre.org for tickets/information.

New Rubicon Theater 2012/2013 season tickets available

Now is the time to sign up for Rubicon's 15th season of "Our Town /Your Theatre!"

• "Pal Joey" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart Oct 17-Nov 11
• "Little Miss Scrooge" by Paul Gordon Dec 12-23
• "eXtras" by Academy Award Winner Sabina Berman Jan 30-Feb 24 2013
• "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder Mar 6-31 2013
• "Lonesome Traveler" folk music journey by James O'Neil Apr 4-May 19 2013
• "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" Sep 4-29 2013

For more subscription information visit www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900

Enroll children now for
Summer Theater Camps June-August

Artists Union Gallery Tuesday Poetry Series

 

Poets and lovers of poetry are welcome to hear the following featured poets and participate in "open mic" at the "Tuesday Poetry Series" hosted by Phil Taggart at 7:30 pm at the Artists Union Gallery, 330 S. California St. www.venturaartistsunion.org 

• May 8 - Gwendolyn Alley
• May 15 - Howard Smith
• May 22 - Enid Osborn
• May 29 - Sandra Knapp

Email ptagga@aol.com to be added to Phil Taggart's monthly literary events distribution list for readings in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Ojai Storytelling Festival May 3-6

Ojai is the magical setting for the 13th Annual Ojai Storytelling Festival offering captivating performances for all ages. This year's tellers include Jim Cogan, Bill Harley, Baba Jamal Koram, Kevin Kling, Susie (Mama) Whaples, Beth Horner and The Chameleons.  

More info and tickets at www.ojaistoryfest.org   

Others poetry events courtesy of Phil Taggart

5x5x5x5: First Fridays at 8 pm, Sylvia White Gallery, 1783 East Main Street, Ventura. Host: John White. May 4 poetry/performance artists: Kevin Carman, Phil Taggart, Dan Kwong, Getta Novotny, sTeVe and Rachel White

Arcade Poetry Series: 3rd Saturdays at 7 pm, Oxnard Carnegie Art Museum, 424 South C St, Oxnard. Host: Jackson Wheeler. May 19: Brendan Constantine and Nina Corwin

Bohemian Beat Spoken Word: 1st Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Bohemia Coffee House, 214 W Ojai Ave, Ojai. Host: Tree Bernstein, 805/640-7210. Open mic sign ups at 7:15 pm. Featured poet May 3: Andre Levi

UCSB Santa Barbara College of Creative Theater: Old Little Theater (Building 494). May 16 at 4 pm features Gary Young

The Poetry Zone: 2nd Saturdays, 2-4 pm, Karpeles Manuscript Museum, 21 West Anapamu, Santa Barbara. Host: Suzanne Frost, 805/252-1655. Open-mic follows featured readers. May 12: Florence Weinberger and Lee Rossi

Ventura County Writers Club: 3rd Wednesdays poetry workshop; meetings 2nd Tuesdays at Pleasant Valley Senior Center, 1605 Burnley Street, Camarillo.
Info: www.venturacountywriters.com 

Favorite Poem Reading: 3rd Mondays, 5:15-6:30 pm, The Blue Agave 20 East Cota, Santa Barbara. Host: Lois Klein. Open Mic: All poets and non-poets invited to read a favorite poem (not their own) or two.

Santa Barbara Poetry Series: April 14, 7-9 pm, Contemporary Arts Forum, 653 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara. Open to poets who have published a book in 2011-12. Info:  www.santabarbarapoetryseries.org 

Santa Maria Rhythm & Rhyme: Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30 pm, Cafe Noir, 1555 South Broadway, Santa Maria. Open Mic with Host BJ Riley everlearnmore@yahoo.com 

KPFK Poets Café: 2nd, 4th and 5th Wednesdays at 8:30 pm. LA 90.7 FM/ Santa Barbara 98.7 FM. Host: Lois P. Jones  Join us on Facebook 

More Poetry Information:  
www.sbpoetry.net    www.askewpoetry.org  www.poetix.net    www.venturaartistsunion.org    www.poetryflash.org  www.santabarbarapoetryseries.org  

Ventura Film Society screenings May 1 & 15

The VFS fourth season continues with screenings on the first and third Tuesdays at 7:15 pm at 420 East Santa Clara Street. Psychological thriller "Notes on a Scandal" stars Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett as two friends then feuding schoolteachers. Werner Herzog's documentary "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" explores southern France's now sealed Chauvet Cave filled with extraordinary prehistoric art. Tickets/info at: www.venturafilmsociety.com 

May 15 Tu 7:15 pm Cave of Forgotten Dreams

The Met series screens Wagner's complete Ring Cycle of four operas preceded by "Wagner's Dream," a documentary about creating this revolutionary production at the Ventura Cinemark Stadium 16 (2875 Elba) plus a "Traviata" encore. Click here for more information. 

• May 2 W 6:30 pm La Traviata
• May 7 M 6:30 pm Wagner's Dream
• May 9 W 6:30 pm Das Reingold
• May 14 M 6:30 pm Die Walkure
• May 16 W 630 pm Siegfried
• May 19 Sa 12 pm Gotterdammerung

More Fathom Events at Ventura Cinemark Stadium 16

Host Ira Glass and popular contributors present stories, plus things you could never do on the radio - including dance, animation, video and more. The event will feature stories by David Rakoff and Glynn Washington, a new short by Mike Birbiglia, music by OK Go, comedy by Tig Notaro, and special surprise guests.

The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary -
Monday, May 21 at 7:30 pm

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh's "Phantom" with a fully staged, lavish production, taped in the sumptuous Victorian splendor of the Royal Albert Hall on the big screen featuring over 200 cast members, orchestra musicians and luminaries involved with the production over the past 25 years.

Don't miss the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera in a fully staged performance captured from The Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, featuring a 21 piece orchestra and an impressive cast of 36 including actors. The captivating love story of the Phantom and Christine Daaé continues as the Phantom begins a new life in New York amongst the freaks and sideshows of Coney Island.

For advance tickets and more info on Fathom Events at the Ventura Cinemark Stadium 16 (2875 Elba) visit  www.fathomevents.com 

The Ballet in Cinema series continues May 6, 16, 20 & 30

This new series continues at the Roxy Stadium 11 (5001 Verdugo Way, Camarillo, exit Hwy 101 at Santa Rosa Rd)with two ballet classic comedies about the tangles of love: on a Soviet collective farm and the English countryside.

May 6 Su 1 pm The Bright Stream (Bolshoi) (also May 16 W 6:30 pm)

May 20 Su 1 pm La Fille Mal Gardée (Royal Ballet) (also May 30 W 6:30 pm)

First Fridays

Ventura Gallery Crawl on Friday, May 4, 5 to 8 pm.
Info: see "Useful Links" below or visit the website.   

"American Pride" by Christine Leong

Christine Leong "Palette of Nature"
exhibit at BAA through May 19

Buenaventura Art Association (BAA) sponsors "Palette of Nature," a solo exhibit of Chinese watercolors on rice paper with traditional Asian natural world themes of koi and florals by Christine Leong, a Camarillo resident who emigrated from Chine a decade ago. Meet the artist during the First Friday Gallery Crawl on Friday, May 4, 5-8 pm. This fine arts instructor has been an artist in residence at Studio Channel Islands Art Association since 2006 and served as president of the Camarillo Art Center from 2006 to 2009. Find more of her work at www.artofchristineleong.com and www.asianartstrokes.com. BAA is located at 700 E Santa Clara St., Ventura, open Tues-Sat, 11-5

"Zen Moment" by Brent Hanson

Oxnard artist Brent Hanson exhibits acrylic paintings characterized by saturated bold colors in a solo show (May 2-28) at the Harbor Village Gallery (1591 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 117C, Ventura Harbor Village, hours 12-5 pm daily, closed Tues, 805.644.2750) with an artist reception May 4, 5-8 pm. More at www.brenthansonstudio.com  and www.BuenaventuraGallery.org 

 

 

"One Time One Place" by Dianne Bennett

Dianne Bennett exhibits at Beatrice Wood Center and Museum of Ventura County

Ojai artist Dianne Bennett exhibits her work in a solo show "hear + now" in the Logan Gallery at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, 8560 Ojai-Santa Paula Rd. in Ojai (805.646.3381) May 12-June 29 with an opening reception on Saturday, May 12, 2-5 pm. Folk-like images of birds, insects, trees and other iconographic subjects inhabit her art, which is intuitively narrated with layers of

"Oxnard Pelican" by Dianne Bennett

random scribbles, sampled

text, handwritten musings and archetypal graphics. Using oil paints on salvaged metal, wood and other collected materials she creates retablo or altarpiece art inspired by the painted laminas and shrines of Latin America as well as the folk and spiritual art of India and Asia. Her other solo show - "one time one place" at The Museum of Ventura County June 9-August 19 - has an opening reception (flyer pdf) Friday, June 8, 5:30-7:30 pm. Her work is widely exhibited and widely collected.  

For more info visit www.beforeourveryeyes.com and www.diannebennett.net.

"Caribbean Sea" by Gerri McMIllin

A three-artist show titled "Ocean Above & Below" debuts at Fox Fine Jewelry, 210 East Main Street (805.652.1800), from May 17 through July 9 with an artists' reception on Saturday, May 19, 6-9 pm. More info at: www.foxfinejewelry.com 

"Ventura Jetties" by Sarah Kalvin

Gerri McMillin is known internationally for knotted fiber sculptures, catching her own albacore tuna, using their pectoral fins and monofilament to create fishbone vessel forms. Since 1999 she has been an Artist-in-Residence at Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART), where she teaches and was instrumental in developing the Fiber Art Studio.

"Ventura Highway" by Pat Richards Dodds

Sarah Kalvin is best known for "The Spirit of Ventura," a book collecting her watercolor paintings of Ventura's landmarks. After a ten-year career in the fashion design industry, Kalvin is now a professional artist, a graphic and web designer, and the event coordinator for the WAV (Working Artists Ventura).

Pat Richards Dodds, a founding member of Studio Channel Islands Art Center, focuses her warm palette paintings on "My homage to the California coastline: the sunsets, the winter sky and the ever present surfers, braving the winter break."

"Westside Stories" by Helle Scharling-Todd

Focus on the Masters Tuesday Artist Spotlight series on May 22

The popular FOTM interview series - now in its 18th year and filmed 6-7:30 pm before a studio audience at The Comedy Club at The Harbor in Ventura, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Ste 205, highlights the career of Helle Scharling-Todd on May 22. The Danish-born glass artist educated in Europe and Mexico creates mosaic murals and sculptures as public art "as a duet with architecture."  

More on the artist at: www.GlassAndMosaics.com. RSVP to event ($10/adults, $5/seniors-students) and AfterGLOW fundraising dinners ($20/$30) following each event at www.FocusOnTheMasters.com or 805.653.2501.

Morris Squire's "Flame" sculpture
unveiled at Government Center

The Public Art Program at the Ventura County Government Center (VCGC) - established for the purpose of displaying large, contemporary sculpture created by Ventura County artists on the grounds of the County Government Center - unveiled Morris Squire's "Flame," a 6' x 6' fiberglass sculpture on April 27 as part of the current Ventura County Arts Council (VCAC) exhibit at the Atrium Gallery - "Signs of the Times." VCAC installs all VCGC artwork at no cost to taxpayers or artists in order to bring visual arts to the more than 3,000 people who pass daily through the VCGC Hall of Administration lobby, located at 900 S. Victoria Ave. To participate contact VCAC President Todd Collart at 805.746.4929 or collart@west.net or VCAC Executive Director Margaret Travers at 805.658-2213 or info@venturacountyartscouncil.org.

Student interns maintain public art installation at VHS

Students have become public art interns as part of the Ventura High School Regional Occupation Program in Landscape Horticulture directed by VHS faculty member Andrew Moreno while revitalizing McWherter Corner, named for a former mayor and previously known as Pepper Tree, located on the corner of Seaward, Poli, & Hall Canyon. This small corner park is a functioning booster pump & water reclamation station for the city's water division as well as a public art site designed by landscape architects Andreas Hessing & Kathryn Miller with the intent of providing our community with a California native plant demonstration garden.

Museum of Ventura County (MOVC) events

Admission to either MOVC location is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, free for members and children ages 5 and younger. On first Sundays of the month, admission is always free. For more info go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323 for the Ventura location and 805-525-3100 for the Santa Paula location.

Museum of Ventura County (MOVC)  

100 E Main St in Ventura Open 11-5 Tu-Su

• May 6   1-2:30 pm Water Drum Percussion and Mariachi Ballet Folklorico (free)
• May 10   7 pm "Woven Lives" documentary film screening
• May 25   7 pm "Thumbelina" shadow puppet and live music performance

May exhibits: Hilos de la Vida / Threads of Life: The Weavers of Teotitlán

Rare Pre-Columbian musical instruments & recent creations by Luis Perez

Renaissance and Reformation: George Stuart Historical Figures® (May 1 monolog)

MOVC Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Ave, Santa Paula Open 10-4 W-Su

• May 6    1-4 pm Sale/show of Zapotec weavings (free) 

May exhibits: Ventura artist and weaver Porfirio Gutierrez

Enter by May 21 Buenaventura Art Association's "Gateway to the Channel Islands" exhibit (May 30-June 25) at the Harbor Village Gallery juried by CSUCI Adjunct Professor Peter Harper. Upload up to three images of your coastal-themed paintings HERE. ($10/image for members and $15/image non-members) to win a one-year BAA membership ($200 value).  

Enter by May 22 BAA's Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) "Splash of Color II" exhibit HERE and upload up to five images ($5 per artist to enter) of your work that might inspire, soothe and console patients and their families and visitors. Many artworks sold during "CHM SoC I" so the upcoming "II" from June 5 to September 9 promises similar success.

Call to artists & patrons to donate
to May 22 fundraiser for SPARC animal shelter

The Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center is hoping 100 county artists will donate an artwork worth at least $100 for its "Art for SPARC"

Your art donation will help this dog and other animals waiting for a home.

fundraiser on Tuesday, May 22, 6 pm, at 705 E. Santa BarbaraStreet, in support of the county's new and only non-profit non-kill animal shelter scheduled to open June 1.  

Everyone is invited to the event featuring appetizers, live music and wine at $15 per person for entry. To qualify to choose an artwork patrons must purchase an additional numbered "art ticket" priced from $100 to $500 and art ticket holders who pay the most get to choose first.  

For more info or to make an art donation go to: www.santapaulaarc.org or call 805.312.1845. Print out the flyer (pdf) 

4th of July Street Fair:
fine arts/crafters application deadline May 31

Ventura's 37th annual Independence Day street fair from 10 am to 5 pm attracts up to 50,000 people downtown to enjoy a children's Pushem - Pullem Parade and more than 250 booths provided by fine artist/crafters, commercial and non-profits orgs, food booths and six music stages of continuous live entertainment.  

To download applications, visit www.cityofventura.net/streetfairs and submit completed forms by May 31. Or contact Michelle Godoy at 805.654.7749 or mgodoy@cityofventura.net.

Artists are invited to submit their work for the Silvia White Gallery summer juried show through the CaFÉ™ online application system at www.CallForEntry.org. Current showing at the gallery are Kathryn Jacobi (Arias and Nocturnes) and Ruth Weisberg (Then & Now) through May 13. Silvia White Gallery, 1783 E Main St, 805.643.8033 www.ArtAdvice.com  Open 11-5 W-Su

Call to artists for "Arts in the Park" and "Chalk Art for Charity" August 18-19  

The Ventura Chamber of Commerce will once again host "Arts in the Park" - a juried show en plein air featuring fine artists from Ventura and beyond with live music by local musicians - August 18-19, Saturday (10-6) and Sunday (10-5) at Ventura Harbor Village. The Chamber seeks fine arts and fine crafts artists to apply and submit digital images of artwork to www.venturachamber.com  or contact Barbara Hinton at 805.650.9858 or  barbara@venturaartfestival.com. The fee for a 10' x 10' artist space is $50 and a double space is $100. The host committee will select a featured artist, whose work will be displayed on festival materials and featured in event publicity.

Chalk Art for Charity will once again be a part of the festivities raising funds for local nonprofits through the sponsorship of chalk squares. Last year, a number of talented street chalk artists from around Southern California participated in the inaugural event and members of the public are also invited to participate - there is no charge to the chalk artist - using the web and contact information above.

City of Ventura Cultural Funding Program grant applications due July 6

The 2012-13 Cultural Funding Grant Program applications and guidelines are available online. $90,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to Ventura-based non-profit arts organizations, with grants ranging in size from $3,000-$20,000. The grant deadline is Friday July 6, 2012.

Info online or contact Georgeanne Lees at 805.658.4720 or  glees@ci.ventura.ca.us.

June 6 deadline for Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program

The Creative Capital | Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program supports  

from 3,000 to 50,000 USD, issued directly to individual authors. www.artswriters.org

Support "The Cuba Dance Project" independent film

William Hendricks, Professor of Photography at Ventura College, has been developing an independent film called "The Cuba Dance Project" scheduled to shoot in June. "It's a rite of passage - coming of age - film that follows the journey of three American ballet dancers as they leave their homes in Southern California to study in Havana, Cuba," says Hendricks. "As the dancers and I have been developing this project, friends and strangers alike have been asking us how to get involved. I have set up The Cuba Dance Foundation, a non-profit (501c3) for those who want to be a sponsor or make a contribution."  

Contact Hendricks at 805.654.6400 x3223 or wmh@west.net.  

First Fridays

Each month on First Fridays, 5-9 pm, visual fine art spaces in downtown and midtown Ventura offer art, demonstrations and performances. www.s232036650.onlinehome.us

 For upcoming plays,   

visit www.rubicontheatre.org 

Poetry & Art at the Artists Union Gallery

Art exhibits and Tuesday/Saturday night poetry series at www.venturaartistsunion.org or send an email to ptagga@aol.com with a request to be put on the distribution e-list for Phil Taggart's periodic email calendar of poetry readings in Ventura, the county and beyond.

Office of Cultural Affairs monthly video magazine on the arts.
View schedule here and view shows at www.capstv.org

Bell Arts Factory

Gallery, studios and community room at 432 N. Ventura Ave.
with youth arts, exhibits and calendar at www.bellartsfactory.com.   

WAV/ Working Artists Ventura

State-of-the-art community at 175 S. Ventura Ave. offers affordable living and working space for 77 artists from 21 countries who are painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers with Theater/Gallery space for concerts, exhibits and special events. Studio guide, blog and calendar at www.wavartists.com.

Society805.com  

The Society805.com online magazine launched an Arts & Culture section this fall featuring coverage and reviews of art and culture in Ventura and has developed a significant Los Angeles readership to choose what they want to see in Ventura. For more info contact www.Society805.com or (805) 641-1533 or EricReeL@society805.com

All American Ballet School & Company

Ballet teaching center for all ages and levels
at 1932 Eastman Ave # 105, Ventura, is led by founder Clarissa Boeriu.

For more info contact www.aaballet.org or (805) 650-6316