Education:
October Art Class Highlights

Thinking about an art class for you or a youngster? Check out two of our new classes coming up in October:

Drawing, Painting and Creating Stories for Kids
Ages 7 - 12, 6 weeks: Mondays, Oct. 4 - Nov. 8, 3:30 - 5pm
Taught by artist and storyteller Vlatka Herzberg. Have fun inventing, writing, drawing or painting stories. Each day, there’s a new story to listen to and a new story to create, plus writing and storytelling games, creating story boards and more. A great class to nurture visual and literary creativity! Fee: $90, includes all material.

A Professional Approach to Painting
Adults/Teens, 7 weeks:
Thursdays, Oct. 7 - Nov. 18,
7 - 9pm
We are lucky to have William Eaken teach this course. He is a painter/illustrator who has worked for Lucasfilm, Saga and Paramount Pictures, and an extraordinary artist. Build a solid foundation of professional techniques not covered in most art classes. Start with concrete methods for creating good composition and color harmony, learn painting techniques used by illustrators and designers.

Fee: $115; students purchase materials from a list provided upon registration.

To register for these and other classes, call Jonna Ramey at
762-5600, ext. 110 or visit our web site to view the full schedule.

Volunteer Thank-Yous

The past few months have seen a great show of volunteer help for the many activities that happen at the Arts Center and beyond. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the many hands that help lighten our load. We can’t do it without you, so thank you!

• Docents: Susan Brennan, Sue Borsian, Joan Espinosa, Janet McBeen, Christiane O’Banion, Tracey Rose
• Mailing Parties: Paul Berhringer, Muriel Goodfield, Barbara Hardin, Jean Howery, Vasanti Jayaswal, Christine Jones, Janet McBeen, Jane McDonald, Jean McNeil, Michelle Milne, Sharon Olesky, Marian Olsen, Gary Scott, Cathy Thomas
• Front Desk: Michaell Allen, Joy Amen, Sue Capella, Colleen Dwire, Carol Larson, Jean McNeil, Hella Merrill, Marian Olsen, Judy Oster, Katherine Plank, Cathy Thomas, Janet Tucker
• Database Research: Robert Caruso
• Doll Show Take-Down: Michaell Allen, Tanya Baccarat, Catherine Devriese, Jolene Franzi, David Gilman, Cherie Gervais, Mary Kuder, Jane McBeen, Juliana Navarro, Susan Reid, Layla Winona
• Rivertown Revival Booth: Shannon Abbey, Bill Kane, Alison Marks, Laura Matheson, Janet McBeen, Sabin Neucik, Morgan Ray, Naomi Richman, Sue Ann Sher, Ace and Jackie Yurth
• Gallery Pedestals: Jon Gariepy

 

Call for Entries

Children Remember: A Memory Art Project
Sponsored by PAC’s El Día de Los Muertos, Petaluma. Open to elementary, junior and senior high school students. Seeking portraits and stories of someone special who is no longer with you. Artwork will be exhibited at the Petaluma Public Library.
Deadline to enter: October 16, 2010

Read more for complete details:

• Children Remember (English)
• Niños Recuerdan
  (Español)
  
  

"To the Pointe," Petaluma City Ballet Fundraiser
Fairy Tales is the theme for this season’s Petaluma City Ballet "To the Pointe" art show and fundraiser. Open to adults 16 and over, entries will be juried by committee from January 1 – 7, 2011. A non-refundable $10.00 entry fee per artist is required.

Artists will use a pointe shoe as their canvas and are encouraged to create works within the fairy tale theme for display and sale in downtown Petaluma galleries and businesses beginning Valentine’s weekend, through the end of February 2011. All proceeds will benefit Petaluma City Ballet’s 2010-2011 season of dance. In conjunction with the Petaluma Downtown Association, new pointe shoes generously donated by The Dance Shop are available for pick up at Petaluma School of Ballet, 110 Howard St. at Western. One per artist please.

To download the artist entry form, see www.petalumacityballet.org.

For more information, contact Event Chair, Robin Harrigan via email: robinharrigan@gmail.com or phone Petaluma City Ballet offices at 707-765-2660.

Other Arts Announcements

2nd Annual Petaluma Open Studios Event
Featuring 20 local artists in ten west-side open studios
Two weekends:
October 9 - 10 & 16 – 17,
11:00 am – 4:30 pm

Artist Reception:
Oct. 2, 4 – 6pm
Dempsey’s Restaurant & Brewery
50 E. Washington St. (back right corner of Golden Eagle Center on the river). Preview artwork on display through Oct. 18.

Brochures with maps available at Petaluma Arts Center, Aqus Café, Pelican Art Gallery, Mayfield & Company, Copperfield’s Books, as well as other local merchants.
For printable map, images and info, go to: www.PetalumaOpenStudios.com

Art Scholarships for College Students

For the third consecutive year, MYARTSPACE is offering $16,000 in cash scholarships to art students. Registration is free. The deadline is December 12, 2010. Art students currently enrolled in undergraduate and graduate study are encouraged to apply. For more information, go to the web site.

Artists Wanted for Danny Cox Fundraiser

A message from Petaluman Shinaide Villa…
Danny Cox, a young local Petaluma graduate man, was in a horrific water diving accident last month. He is going to have a huge bill of expenses and needs the Petaluma community’s help! We are having a huge food, wine, beer, live music, auction and art show on 10/10/10 at Heritage Salvage in Petaluma. We need your help by using your wonderful artistic abilities to make artwork of any kind: paintings, drawings, sculptures, anything of any size to auction and sell at this event. All items will be for sale and 100% of profits will go towards Danny’s expenses. The only rules are make it fun, make it creative and it has to have the color yellow in it somewhere because Danny is always found walking around in yellow apparel of some sort-it’s his favorite color!

For more information, please contact Shinaide Villa at 707-338-0509. Thank You!

 

September/October 2010

The Spirit of Art is Alive

Petaluma’s Day of the Dead Celebrates 10 Years

Once again this year, from September 30 to November 7, Petaluma will be alive with the spirit of El Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.  El Día de los Muertos is a ritual celebration in Latin and South America in which the spirits of dead loved ones are invited to visit the living as honored guests.

In Petaluma, this cultural arts celebration, sponsored by the Petaluma Arts Council and created by a cross-cultural organizing committee, offers the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the diversity of our community and the healing power of the arts.

Now in its 10th year, the 2010 celebration includes a traditional procession, poetry readings, storytelling, film, a Mole and Tamale contest, performances of traditional music and dance, as well as exhibits of fine art, folk art and altars throughout Petaluma. Community altars will be available in the LanMart breezeway by HeebeJeebe and in the Petaluma Arts Center for community members to honor loved ones who have died. An Art and Altar Walk map of all 70 locations throughout town will be available shortly, so watch our web site and your in-box for news.

Some of the upcoming Day of the Dead events include:

• Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 7:30pm  ArtsLive! performances of Pocho in the House: The Bicultural Adventures of a Mexican-American. Written by Joe Peer, directed by Thom Butler. Performances at 7:30pm at the Arts Center. Tickets $12 each; available online or purchase at the door. Doors open at 6:30pm. For more information and online tickets, go to Brown Paper Tickets.
• Oct. 3, 4 - 6pm ArtsLive! Altar-Making Workshop with the Quintas family of Oaxaca. Learn to create an ofrenda or altar, the heart of the celebration of El Día de los Muertos. Also featured will be flower making and a showing of the film La Ofrenda. At the Arts Center; admission is free (donations gratefully accepted).
• Folk art from San Miguel de Allende will be featured in the Mercado at the Petaluma Arts Center from September 30 - November 7. Thanks to Drew Washer of Heebee Jeebe for bringing us a wonderful array and a stunning Mercado. Please plan to visit and enjoy this whimsical and beautiful folk art from the heart of Mexico, San Miguel de Allende.

 

For the complete schedule of events, click on the following:

Event Schedule - English
Programa de Eventos - Español

Be sure to check our web site at www.PetalumaArtsCenter.org for more event information. And get up-to-the-minute news on Facebook.

Art of the Doll Gratitude

The Art of the Doll exhibition surpassed everyone’s expectations, drawing more than 3,500 visitors to the Arts Center during its two-month run. With works by more than 60 artists and the help of a small army of volunteers, visitors were treated to an amazing array of art dolls, along with a dozen special lectures, workshops and trunk shows. Exhibition curator Geri Olson shares her gratitude to all who helped make this event so successful. Read more…

2010 Members Exhibition: 20 x 20

The Petaluma Arts Center will host the annual Members’ Exhibition, 20 x 20, from November 19, 2010 through January 2, 2011. The title refers to 20"x20"-the space allocated to each member who enters. If you are an artist, we encourage you to become a member of the Petaluma Arts Center to take advantage of this exhibition opportunity, as well as many other benefits such as: discounts on class tuition and rental rates, a link to your website on our website, opportunities to be featured in the Arts Center booth at community events, and invitations to events. For membership information, please go to www.PetalumaArtsCenter.org.

For the complete 20 x 20 Call for Entry details, click here. And be sure to come to the Artists Reception on Friday,
November 19, 5- 8pm!

2010 Salon Series Explores Inspiration

In conjunction with our Members Exhibition, the Arts Center will host a Salon Series, entitled Inspiration - Here and Now, addressing the business of being an artist. The salons are an audience participatory forum. We encourage participants to tell their stories and share their experiences of making art, here in Sonoma County, and now in the current social climate.

• December 2, 7:00pm,"Inspiring Inspiration"
  What inspires artists? What do you do to gain inspiration? Do you enjoy working with other artists in collaboration or do you need solitude? What are the internal or outside influences that inspire you to create?
• December 9, 7:00pm,"Breaking Through"
  Have you had a break-through with your art career? Share your story of what caused you to take your work to the next level. Was it a personal experience, or the social/ political environment? Can an artist push their art-making to cause a change?
• December 16, 7:00pm,"Changing the World!"
  How does art affect community? Can it be a catalyst for social change? Is it true the Beatles contributed to the fall of the USSR?

All salons take place at the Petaluma Arts Center. Admission is free. A $5 suggested donation is gratefully accepted.

New PAC Web Site Ready for Early Launch

The first phase of the new Arts Center web site is now launched! You will find a new design with easier layout and navigation, and some beautiful photos. Upcoming features will include a calendar to better track Arts Center events, more information on volunteer opportunities, an improved Art & Artist Directory and more! Stay tuned and be sure to check our web site for the latest developments.

Newsletter reminder: the Petaluma Arts Center’s e-newsletter will no longer be published on a monthly basis. Instead, newsletters will be sent prior to the opening of each new exhibition, roughly six times per year. In between those editions, we will send shorter emailed announcements to notify you of events and activities in a more timely manner.