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The Audacity of Process: An Exploration in Diverse Practices The Audacity of Process: An Exploration in Diverse Practices The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission presents, The Audacity of Process: An Exploration in Diverse Practices, an exhibition of regional artists curated by John Hood, Professor of Art, Allan Hancock College, and Arts Commissioner from the 5th District, from November 21 through February 10 at the Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside, Santa Maria. The opening reception will be Friday, Dec. 9th from 4-6pm. The Audacity of Process, is an exhibition exploring and revealing the variety of process modalities in the work of Peg Grady, Carey Reimer, Amanda Hoopingarner, Larry Delinger, Bob Burridge, Autumn Jennings, Dave Passage and Karen Carson. This local talent converges in an exhibition that varies greatly in style and subject matter. Curator John Hood said, “I’ve brought these artists together to highlight the rich diversity of something often overlooked, process. Each artist brings with them a unique set of approaches, which as a teacher, both intrigues and inspires my own work. I have asked each to share their experiences of the art-making process. Most artists don’t necessarily offer up these behind-the-scene scenarios for a variety of reasons. I am reminded of how the Parisian avant-garde of the early 20th Century often locked their studio doors to keep Picasso away. The fear was that he would learn of their process and take it to his studio and proceed to do it better than they ever could have imagined. These eight exhibiting artists demonstrate a bold and adventurous sequence of events which are captured and finalized in their current works. I hope observers will take the time to investigate and appreciate what it takes to create visual art.”
The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission presents an exhibition, Few Chosen by Many: A Berkus Selection, August 29, 2011 - Jan 21, 2012, and the reception will be held 1st Thursday, September 1, 2011, 5-8pm at the Channing Peake Gallery in the County Administration Building. The exhibition, drawn from The Barry Berkus and Family Art Collection, in memory of Gail Berkus, takes on a new twist, with community curators selecting one work each from the collection. Art appreciators from diverse careers and backgrounds chose a work that resonated with them and each one posts their reasons for their choice. The “Few” in the title refers to the small selection of works by the curators, and the “Many” refers to the diversity of careers of those who were invited to choose a work from the Berkus Collection: accountant, educator, librarian, chef, museum guard, prosecutor, entrepreneur, hairstylist, veterinarian and horticulturist are among the many careers of the guest curators. Rita Ferri, the Curator of Collections for the County of Santa Barbara and organizer of this exhibition said, “I hope that viewers to the exhibition come away with the realization that liking and choosing art is not an activity limited to a few special people; that each of us makes choices each day; we all respond to different colors, images, and mediums. Many do this without a background in art history or curating. They have taught themselves over a lifetime to look at art critically and to appreciate it.” Barry Berkus, noted Santa Barbara architect, art collector, and philanthropist, donated a large number of regional artworks from his collection to the County of Santa Barbara in 2006, through the County Arts Commission. All of the works given are by artists who live, or lived for an extended period, in the Santa Barbara area. This gift, The Barry Berkus and Family Art Collection, represents over 70 art works and spans 25 years of collecting work by area artists. Mr. Berkus and his late wife, Gail, were recognized by Art News magazine as among the top 200 art collectors in the world. Their modern and contemporary collection was noted for its diversity and for large-scale artworks by such well known artists as Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, James Rosenquist, Frank Stella, Nancy Graves, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Diebenkorn and Ed Ruscha. While recognized for their collection of internationally and nationally known artists’ artworks, the Berkus’ were also keenly interested in and supportive of Santa Barbara area artists. They bought work from the artists’ studios, galleries, and auctions. Berkus remains committed to art of the region as he continues to collect work of regional artists with his wife Jo Berkus. A color catalog with essay by Josef Woodard and designed by The Lily Guild Temple of Design is available from the County Arts Commission at www.sbartscommission.org or 5683990.
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Erasing the Past: Building the Future The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and the California Council for the Humanities California Initiative present Erasing the Past: Building the Future, a photojournalism exhibit by local artist Janet Allenspach. “If I can just take them (the tattoos) off, like a vest, I can throw that part of my life away.” This quote is from a former gang member who is featured in the exhibition. The show depicts the lives and challenges of people from our area and their struggles to re-enter their communities by becoming clean and sober, breaking the barriers of abuse and incarceration, and removing gang-related tattoos. Their stories will be available in English and Spanish. This emotional exhibit gives the viewer an idea of where the participants have come from and why they are here now; best summed up by one of their statements, “What I did is not who I am.” The 40 photographs and interviews are of clients who participate in the SLO Liberty Tattoo Removal Program, a subsidiary of San Luis Obispo’s Community Action Partnership’s Health Services. Over 30% of the program’s clients are from Santa Barbara County, and some have attended Hancock College. This glimpse into their lives shows the strength necessary to break generational chains of abuse, incarceration and gang activity. Some are parents who came to realize they don’t want their children to follow in their footsteps, and want instead to be better role models for their children and to be accepted by their neighbors. One who graduated from Hancock said, “The mistakes I’ve made, the harm I’ve done to people...I will do anything to help my sons not go down that path.” The exhibit opens on Monday, September 19, 2011at the Betteravia Gallery in the Betteravia Government Building at 511 Lakeside in Santa Maria. The Gallery Hours are 8-5pm and the exhibit is free to the public.
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Channing Peake: Mural Studies In January 2011, The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, with the City of Santa Barbara at the City Hall Gallery, recognizes Channing Peake’s impressive art history legacy, and presents the exhibition Channing Peake: Mural Studies. The work in this exhibition will be seen at City Hall in conjunction with the unveiling of the restored Peake Fiesta Mural at the new Santa Barbara Airport in April 2011. The exhibition opens on January 24 and continues until January 20, 2012. The 1st Thursday reception will take place on February 3, 2011 from 5-7pm. At 6pm, Mayor Helene Schneider, and Karen Ramsdell, Airport Director will say a few words. In storage more than a decade after it was removed from the section of the downtown El Paseo Restaurant (that is now the Wine Cask), the Fiesta mural will again find its rightful place in the hearts and minds of Santa Barbarans, as well as welcome tourists at the gateway to our beautiful city. Peake worked on several murals around our city and beyond. First apprenticed to artist Diego Rivera, he worked on murals at the National Palace in Mexico City and in New York City on mural commissions for two major WPA projects. He went on to execute other important murals, often assisting artist Rico Lebrun at New York City’s Pennsylvania Station in the late’30s. In Santa Barbara, he painted the Don Quixote Mural with Howard Warshaw, now inside the Santa Barbara Library, a mural for the Santa Barbara Biltmore in 1978-79 (that was removed), and the last mural for the El Paseo Restaurant from 1984-85. Mural studies have always been a rich source for discerning an artist’s process, and documenting their seminal thoughts through the many stages of a mural’s evolution. The trail of Peake’s journey from the beginning stages, with mural studies, is confirmed through this rich source of intention and creativity. Many of these studies are from Santa Barbara area collectors and family. This exhibition documents and honors the historic and artistic significance of these studies; and of Channing Peake as an artist of note in our community. This exhibition was organized by Rita Ferri, Visual Arts Coordinator and Curator of Collections for the SB County Arts Commission, with assistance from Cheri Peake, 4th District Arts Commissioner and widow of the artist. Funding support for this Channing Peake: Mural Studies exhibition has been generously provided by Dr. and Mrs. John Holaday, Joanne Holderman, Carlos and Leslie Lopez, Bruce Taylor, and Seyburn Zorthian. |
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