Opportunity Knocks: The Museum Needs Your Help!

Below is an open call from Museum Director Olivia Luther to all motivated volunteers.  We are opening up great opportunities to shape the future of the Museum!  


The Museum staff has been working on a new vision to help us become a more relevant and community-driven institution.  Despite all our hard work, we realized that if we want to really get some fun participatory projects going, we need some help.  My staff is fabulous, but they are stretched thin with a slate of summer programs, developing fall exhibitions, and fundraising efforts, so we are looking for a few extra hands.

 

So… if you have been wondering where you could funnel all of your creative energy and ideas…look no further – we have an opportunity for you!  

 

Now for the small print disclaimer… We have no money. We cannot pay you in dollars. And we have no money with which to present programs and exhibitions.  Yes, I feel that museum workers should be paid and paid well for their efforts. But the museum is currently in a position where we need to rely heavily on volunteers to do all kinds of things from planning events to running the store.

 

And! Unlike people with paid positions, you will have the opportunity to focus entirely on creating a killer project. We will give you some direction and check in on you as often as you would like, but mostly, you'll have the run of your project.  We also still need help on our front desk assisting with admissions and to be the first smiling face patrons see.  While this may not be the most exciting job, this is the most important.  Bring a friend and make it a social occasion to welcome patrons and be ambassadors of great art!  

 

Here is a list of things we are looking for (but we are open to other ideas too):

 

Creativity Lounge. After the current exhibition comes down on September 3rd, we are hoping to turn one of our gallery spaces into a fully hands-on experience for visitors. This studio space will be provided for all to come and get their art on! If you are a master in the art of concocting creative experiences, we need your help to assist our patrons by wetting their a(rt)ppetite and getting those creative juices flowing! In addition, we will also need a person with crafty resourcefulness to collect and organize art materials that will be used for a variety of projects. Mainly, this area will require artistically inclined supervisors to be present in the space and available to help out with our visitor’s creative, hands-on, experience.

Museum Reinvigoration Project. We have a great space! When we have school tours and events, the energy is fabulous, but other times it can feel a bit cavernous and dead. We would like to invite local artists, crafters to come and demo/make/perform in the museum on a regular basis. We're looking for someone who loves to coordinate with artists and feels just as comfortable sweet-talking a tuba player into giving a demonstration as he does cleaning up from a surfboard shaping afternoon. Please keep in mind, these programs should appeal to both children and adults, creating an all (age) inclusive atmosphere.

Late night programming. Starting July 1^st, the museum is changing its hours to the following:

Wednesday – Sunday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

The first Friday of each month, 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

On the Friday nights, we want to offer events geared towards adults – and we are really open to ideas on this one.  We could offer game shows, a tag-team art/history lecture series, an exhibition jam, and an urban history scavenger hunt. The main idea here is for it to be something fun, exciting, and unique that, most importantly, could be paired with a great cocktail! It could be whatever you are thinking/doing/exploring right now. The more fun the planning of this night can be. The more fun it will be for patrons to partake of it.

Museum Store.  Have you ever wondered how we stock our great Museum store? Have you ever had ideas of what we should sell? Here’s your chance to give the store a complete makeover.  We are looking for an individual, or a group of individuals who would like to do the following:  find new merchandise from consignment artists; negotiate contracts, prices and closeouts with artists; design all displays and keep them looking fresh; handle all aspects of inventory; organize special sale events; and update our point-of-sale system.  This position will require steady work and we are looking for a long term partner committed to making the store shine! If you have a retail background or simply are interested in our store, we want you!

Art Swap Meet.  This is a big one.  We would like to start hosting an art fair for local artists/artisans/crafters/etc. to sell their works to the public.  No specifics here – we want to hear your thoughts... 

 

If you are interested in one or more of these opportunities, or you know someone who is, please send me an email and I will get back to you soon. We’re not expecting to make all of these things happen this summer, but we'd love it if we could get a few exciting things off the ground soon.

 

  

 

Olivia Luther, Museum Director

Oluther@ci.escondido.ca.us

 

Helpful Homemaker Hints: One of My Best Spent Dollars

So, I went to the Dove Library in Carlsbad yesterday wanting to visit their Cannon Art Gallery, and was thwarted by news of them being closed for the installation of a new exhibition. Note to self: find out if a museum/gallery is open before you drive there. I was a bit bummed about that (though the new show, On Your Own Time, featuring artwork by City employees will open June 10th), but I was delighted by the prospect of a book sale at the library store.

Three carts of books stood outside the store beconing to me with the promise of being only $1. I can't resist a book sale. A little red paperback caught my attention: HHH Helpful Homemaker Hints. I had to roll my eyes, and then I read the teaser on the back:

Auto drivers have the AAA

Business people the BBB.

In the early '30s and '40s

American Youth had the CCC.

Homemakers too have a "triple threat"

For today or for future time

It's HHH Helpful Homemaker Hints

All done in melodious time!

WHAT!?!?! Any book with such a creative reference to the Civilian Conservation Corps was worth a buck; and it's so clearly wrong in this time of post-post-feminism that I just couldn't resist. As it turns out, it's quite an entertaining read (as long as you don't dwell on how there was a time when it was socially acceptable to think that all a woman needed was a few clever rhymes to make her a 'happy little homemaker').

Some hints are surprisingly clever:
When children roast marshmallows or hot dogs,
You can protect their little hands.
Poke a stick through the middle
Of aluminum throw away pans.

Some hints are really helpful:
To tell if fresh corn is ripe,
You don't have to peel the husk down.

Just look at the tassel on top of the corn,

And it's ripe if the tassel's dark brown.

And some hints are ridiculously antiquated:
For pantyhose
To last somewhat longer,
Try the following method,
To make them stronger;
Wet, gently wring,

Freeze in plastic bags,

To protect your pantyhose

From runs and snags.

Yeah, I'm sure today's woman is super concerned about the longevity of her pantyhose! Perhaps these poems won't join the ranks of Whitman or Frost within the cannon of American literature, but I'm passing the book around the Museum and so far it's a hit. 'Best dollar I've spent in a long time.

Later,

Beth

It's a Girl......Dog!

The Lump of my life

It's official! I finally adopted a dog!!!! All those who know me from work and otherwise are aware that I have been all talk and no action for years now. My husband always throws out the, "GET A DOG ALREADY," when I start crying over those heart-breaking ASPCA commercials. Well, on Thursday I decided - as I do every month - to browse the Escondido Humane Society's web page. I came across an image of a small black dog, very roly-poly and lumpy in appearance. I was immediately taken by the little creature. I decided I had to meet her.

"Celeste" as she was then known, was being fostered and I arranged for her foster mom to bring her to the Humane Society on Friday. As it turned out, she wasn't roly-poly - it was just a weirdly angled photo - but I still liked her. Once she sniffed her surroundings she just wanted to lay on her back and enjoy a belly rub. Cut to the next day with the hubs and I scrambling around to find dog accouterments and putting down a security deposit with our landlords. By noon on Saturday she was our dog, our Lumpy - I still like to imagine her a bit chubby. Lumpy is proving to be a great dog. She's super mellow when in the house, wanting to sit on the couch; yet she is duly excited and appreciative of a good walk. She is totally house-broken and starting to grasp the sit command (especially when Pupperoni is involved).

I want give mad publicity to the Escondido Humane Society. It was so apparent that the dedicated employees and volunteers are devoted to their work, and just so happy to be matching orphaned animals with the right forever families. They really accommodated my schedule in terms of meeting with Lumpy and getting the adoption process complete. My Lumper was fully micro-chipped, spayed, de-flead, bathed and medically sound when I took her home. I even got a complimentary collar. I caught a great adult dog special and my fee was only $45. 'Small price to pay for the unconditional love only a dog can give you.



So, if you're looking for an addition to your family, please, please, please consider an animal shelter like the Escondido Humane Society. They have everything from dogs to hamsters, supporting their cause is just such a great help and investment in the community. There's really no substitute for the love, patience and selflessness you learn from adopting a pet.....Okay, I'll get off my soap box now and hang out with Lumpy.

Later,

Beth

Super Spandex Singalong: Leslie Hall Part Deux

Here's a little glimpse at the soundtrack in my head right now: Enjoy the above video by Leslie and the Lys wherein artist Leslie Hall waxes lyrical about how the perfect pair of stretchy pants unleashes her inner tigress.

So, you all know how I feel about Leslie Hall and her gem sweater efforts (see my blog from April 6, 2011 ). Well, she's equally passionate about stretchy spandex pants. Discouraged by the lack of fabulous spandex for women her size, Leslie began crafting her own leggings and offering them for sale. She also immortalizes her love for the garment in a ridiculously infectious song I just can't get out of my mind! Carissa and I are dying to catch a Leslie and the Lys show if they ever come to San Diego.

Later,
Beth

NOW READING: Just Kids, by Patti Smith

Just like my travels lately, my book reading patterns have been as such: finish one, immediately pick up another. After finishing a humorous travel novel called “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” by Thomas Khonstamm, I’ve immediately picked up Patti Smith’s 2010 memoir, “Just Kids”. While it has been a quick transition from silly to serious between the two, I’ve welcomed the change. I have an affinity towards reading about the suffering artist (e.g.: Bukowski, Plath, Kerouac, Di Prima, etc.) so this book slides right in as a great leisure read. Months ago I did some research on a piece in our private collection by Robert Mapplethorpe. The Center Museum has one of his flower photographs in its possession and it needed a didactic label.  I poured over all the information I could find available about the artist and, much to the disapproval of my smug security guards, found myself completely enamored with Mapplethorpe and his work.  This book is yet another avenue of information that is equally telling about both artists, but is written first-hand in pure, poetic, Patti Smith-style.  So far, I’ve only just begun to get into Patti’s move to NYC, where she unknowingly meets Mapplethorpe in passing, and I can’t seem to put this one down. Maybe it’s just that time of the month, or maybe it’s my recent entrance into the online dating world (don’t judge!), but I’m feeling especially drawn to rom-antics this month and “Just Kids” is a sure supplement for that kind of disease. Pick it up, order it online, borrow it from a friend, do whatever you got to do. . . . Just get your mitts on it somehow and go get your bohemia on! Tell the Kids I sent you.

A more formal review. . .

Let them Eat (Mondrian) Cake!



Image :http://www.designspongeonline.com. Cake by Caitlin Williams for SFMOMA





When I was researching designs for my wedding cake, I envisioned a Mondrian painting of draped fondant covering three consecutive rectangular tiers.

"Surely," I thought, "somebody has done this before and documented it."

 I should find it with a simple Google search, right? Wrong. Apparently, not many brides have shared my idea, and the ones who did just weren't capturing what I sought. I was getting discouraged about the possibilities of such a wedding cake. However, I did come across a decidedly different cakey interpretation of Mondrian.  

SFMOMA's roof-top cafe offers one fantastically edible slant on the De Stiijl master's paintings. I was in love when I saw it, and have put a slice on my bucket list - which shouldn't be too hard, right? Isn't a flight from San Diego to San Francisco about and hour?

 So, cut to me watching The Food Network last weekend and catching an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. On this show chefs recount the best pizza or steak or ice cream, etc. they ever enjoyed. This episode focused on best cakes, and one chef's fave happened to be the SFMOMA Mondrian cake. Apparently, this thing isn't simply a feast for the eyes, but the palette as well!

The desert masterpiece is constructed out of classic yellow cakes, some with food coloring, cut into long rectangular strips of varying sizes. The strips are coated with a thin layer of chocolate ganache on the outside, imitating the black lines separating the color fields of Mondrian's paintings. The strips are  then pressed together to make a long, rectangular loaf and a very thick layer of ganache is applied to the outside to hold everything in place. After a chill, the cake loaf is then sliced revealing perfect, individual, edible artworks. So, do yourself a favor and have one of the best looking, and, apparently, best tasting cakes of all time when you visit San Francisco. Oh yeah, get there early - the chef only makes one cake per day and it's reputation is getting around!


Later,
Beth

We are Your Pit Crew for Bike to Work Day 2011


Mark your calendar - Bike to Work Day 2011 is Friday, May 20! What better way to give Mother Earth a break than to swear off the automobile for a day? And what better place to live than sunny SoCal when it comes to biking to work?  This is a great way to get some exercise into your otherwise busy schedule; and who knows - maybe you'll discover a new scenic route to work. Maybe this will inspire a complete paradigm shift in your transportation habits, or maybe you'll just enjoy something different.

The Center will be there to cheer your on as an official pit stop. Pull into the Arrival Court from 6-9 am and we will greet you with water, OJ, snacks and encouragement.

What? Your bike has been gathering dust in the garage for a few years? That's no excuse. Bike to Work 2011 is hosting Tune-Up Time on May 15 in Balboa Park. This event offers free bike maintenance checks, bike education and safety demonstrations, a kid's bike rodeo, and registration for great prizes.

In the words of the late, great Freddy Mercury, "Get on your bikes and ride!"

Date: Friday, May 20, 2011
Time: 6 am - 9 am
Place: Arrival Court (on N. Escondido Blvd. facing Regal Cinema)

 Check out the most bizarre bicycle safety film imaginable below. I can't believe children had to watch this:

Fast Times at CCA

How radical is this photo?? We here at the museum have been flirting voraciously with the idea of holding a custom cycle exhibition, and the research I have been doing has produced some amazing results- one being this photograph! Now, I don’t know much about the motorcycle industry or “Kustom Kulture”, aside from mental pictures of beards and Budweiser, but it turns out that the community of biker enthusiasts is as colorful as a Maui rainbow and I. Am. Loving it! It’s a cacophony of cultures, ethnicities, occupations, styles, and genders that proves that motorcycles aren’t just reserved for the Hells Angels (as interesting as they are), but they are the framework for so many models of people. This industry is jam packed with creativity, proving it to be the perfect subject matter fit for a contemporary art museum . . . say, OURS? I’ve only had one experience on a motorcycle, that I can recall, and it includes being VERY sore-- like I’d ridden a horse for 10 hours straight-- for several days afterwards. That experience didn’t leave me wanting to get back on one anytime soon, for fear of permanently walking bow-legged, but in light of what I’ve been seeing, I think a ride on a hot Harley or Chopper is in the near future  We aren’t making any promises just yet, but stay tuned to see what we might come up with. The gasoline in our think tank is flowin’ and we’re revving up for an amazing summer!  Yeow!

Cabaret Voltaire: Zurich's Most Famous Unknown Landmark

The main reason for my stop in Zurich on my recent trip to Europe was, aside from the ridiculous-delicious chocolate and macarons, a visit to the Cabaret Voltaire, the birth place of the Dada.

Dadaism was both an artistic and cultural movement ranging from WWI through the early 1920s. In light of the atrocities of WWI, Dadaists promoted anti-war politics through the creation of art which flew in the face of established artist practices of the time. Collage employing pop-culture imagery, cardboard and construction paper - "base materials" which were not considered the media of "fine art"- were some of the tools the Dadaists used in their subversive coup of art and bourgeois culture. Not limited to the visual arts, Dadaists were performance artists, writers, poets and musicians. Their work and ethos would influence Surrealism, Pop, Fluxus and even the punk movement (it blows my mind to think men in spats were the original punks). "Dada" is, essentially, a nonsense word which is fitting for the international reach of the movement. Zurich, a cosmopolitan city at the confluence of several European cultures in a neutral country, was the perfect place for artists of many nationalities to come together to exchange radical ideas and to make equally ground-breaking art.

The Cabaret Voltaire is still standing, still showing art and still functioning as a club/performance/meeting place. The installation we saw included a fantastical cardboard city-scape reminiscent of Kurt Shwitters' Merzbau with an ominous voice telling us, wryly, not to trust architects. The husband and I had a great time sipping a surprisingly inexpensive cocktail, soaking in the images of Marcel Duchamp and Hugo Ball in his Karawane guise, browsing the gift shop and just reveling in the rich history. Yet, we were basically alone. I was shocked!

Do the people of Zurich not know what an important and super-funky landmark they posses? Do they just not care?  Am I just some giant art nerd? (likely, yes, as my husband kept referring to Hugo Ball as Hugo Boss just to annoy me) I'm not really sure. This free experience - yes a FREE experience in Zurich, one of the most expensive places on the planet - is the best kept secret in that city. I want everybody to know what they're missing...and yet, I don't. Maybe this can just be our little secret.

Later,
Beth

Immaculate Conception

“Art-lovers ask for amnesty for unauthorized Madonna mosaic”

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/encinitas/article_d2cd5603-3918-56cd-bad1-342bdaeaa72e.html

“Surfing Virgin Mary mosaic attracts admirers, controversy”

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/encinitas/article_a382d79c-1b77-57b1-8a29-f3ce9f95bef3.html

This past week another awesome act of artwork popped up in North County! While unsanctioned (my favorite kind), this piece looked as if it had tons of careful planning and some dollars behind it that would have had to come from the Arts Commission. BUT, alas, it was not an approved work and the artists are still a perfect mystery. The powers that be are denying responsibility, and are now left with some serious decision making on their hands. The Virgin of Guadalupe riding a surfboard, in an effort to “Save the Ocean” has been embraced by its surrounding community, but the council is saying it fits the definition of graffiti, no matter how edifying it is to the city’s landscape, and therefore must be removed. It’s a hard pill to swallow for the art lovers in Encinitas and other cities who have visited the piece in throngs since its installation. Many are now pleading for its amnesty. Every day while drive to my other job in Enci, I pass by the Virgin and see people touching it, taking pictures of it, talking with each other about it, and most recently, leaving flowers at its base in some sort of effort to either pay homage to the Saint herself or express their gratitude for such an “immaculate conception”. It’s been so great to see and hear people engaging in dialogue over artwork, and it would be a shame to have the catalyst for said dialogue removed.

x carissa

Bavarian Vegetarian: Meat-Free in Munich

I have just returned from my honeymoon, the first leg of which included a stay in Munich. Ahhh....Munich in the spring! We visited a castle in the Alps; caught the Dutch Masters at the Alte Pinekothek Museum; and, of course, dined in many fine biergartens. Well, it was a bit cold, so we were technically dining in the restaurants and not the actual beirgartens, but I digress.

When one thinks of Bavarian fare, the image will probably include many types of German sausage. The kraut-sausage combo was the main reason my husband Chris wanted to visit Munich. Becoming more and more vegetarian, I was truly worried about how much I'd enjoy eating during this leg of the trip. I shouldn't have been so narrow-minded! I was guilty of condensing an entire culture into the singular category of sausage fanatic (when that's really just the German to whom I'm married). I knew I wouldn't starve, but I was happily surprised at the true Bavarian flavors I could enjoy sans meat.

Our first stop was - inevitably- the legendary Hofbrauhaus. The appetizer was easy: a beer and pretzel. Any of-age traveler (which I most certainly am) should indulge in these specialties while in Munich as an homage to the region. While I had no idea what I was ordering from the vegetarian section (we didn't know they had English menus available at first), I ended up falling head-over-heels for some divine noodle dumplings in an outrageous mushroom gravy. The food, drink and oompah band combined as the perfect antidote to my jet lag.

Later we branched out to explore less-touristed biergartens like Chris' favorite Augustiner Keller. My extensive travel website research had produced nothing but great reviews for this place. Located in the financial district, Augustiner Keller offered a decidedly more subdued crowd of business people and locals. While Chris raved about the suckling pig (gross), I had a fantastic potato and broccoli au gratin with a tomato sauce. The combination was different, but quite comforting.



Our last stop was the Lowenbrau Park-Cafe, unassumingly tucked into the city's Old Horticultural Garden. The quaint Bavarian building belied a truly urbane and chic interior. We entered into a warehouse-like space containing a hip lounge/restaurant with chandeliers and ambient lighting. See the golden couches which greeted us at the door. The crowd appeared to be stylish young professionals. We were kiddie-corner from the Munich Conde Nast offices, so I shouldn't have been surprised. The menu was a mix of traditional and international bistro. I decided to follow suit with a dill cream cucumber salad (just like my mom would make in the summer), and a spinach, onion and goat cheese flat bread. Both were delicious; Chris even finished off my flat bread.

While I tried my best to stick to my veggie guns during this trip, a local sharing our table one evening let me know that there are a lot of meat-free Munichers, but they always cheat just a bit. I must admit, I may have transgressed with of a bite of wurst or two from Chris' plate. I guess that means I am a true Bavarian vegetarian.

Trans-Europe Express: Byron the Train Angel

Maybe it's just me, but has anybody else been totally confused and daunted by the Rubik's Cube which is European train travel? Perhaps I'm the only one who's been escorted by a overly-protective grandfather-type back to my hotel after asking him which train takes me from downtown Naples to Pompeii. My friend and I weren't exactly sure what he was saying as he spoke no English and we very little Italian, but I managed to make out "American" "girls" "alone" and maybe "bad." Naples, while fantastically rich in culture and kind inhabitants, has some very rough areas, particularly around the central train station - and this assessment is coming from a Detroiter! Add to that the epic garbage strike creating trash mountains in the city that day, this sweet, elderly man would not have us wandering the streets without a clear sense of direction. So, with a box of Christmas Panettone in hand, he made us get on a bus with him. I'm pretty sure he told the front desk staff to not let us wander out again.

After the Pompeii fiasco, I vowed the next time I traveled to Europe I would be a veritable train expert. Well, perhaps not an expert, but I certainly am not flying by the seat of my pants during my honeymoon from Munich to Rome (occurring as you read this). As soon as my husband and I settled on a multi-country itinerary, I knew I would need help negotiating the train companies from one country to another. Though hopping on a train just as it pulls away may seem romantic, there is a decided lack of romance in a conductor kicking you off at the next stop because you didn't realize you had to reserve your seat in addition to purchasing your ticket.

After a bit of Google searching I came across Budget Europe Travel Service.

 "Hmm...I'm going to Europe, I'm on a budget and I deifintely need some service concerning my travel," thought I.

I called and was connected with Byron. Byron is a train travel genius and has the patience of a saint! He steered me in the direction of the most budget-friendly multi-country pass, and didn't try to up-sell me on any frivolous extras. He warned me that I would have to purchase a $5 supplementary ticket for a 10 mile part of my train ride through Austria which would occur on my Munich to Zurich leg. If my husband and I didn't, we'd be ticketed and out an extra $100 by the end of our journey! How the heck was I supposed to know that on my own?

Byron is truly fantastic, and has come through on the multiple times I've called him for advice and guidance. He even told me exactly where to find the Naples-Pompeii platform within the Naples station, so I wouldn't be grandfathered away from the Villa of the Mysteries yet again. I received my train tickets, my necessary seat reservations and a complimentary train schedule book from Byron in the couple weeks he said I would get them. So, if your idea of awesome Euro-tripping is not worrying about anything train-related, talk to Byron at 800-441-2387, from 9-5 EST. I'll probably call him and tell him how much fun I had when I get back!

Ciao from Roma,
Beth

Patricia Patterson in the L.A. Times!

Our current exhibition "Patricia Patterson: Here and There, Back and Forth" received an awesome write-up in the Los Angeles Times this weekend! We had an excellent immediate response from it, including visitors all the way from L.A. and Riverside counties making their way down to the museum to see the show this past Sunday. (And, I'm sure there will be more where that came from!) If you haven't seen Patterson's work yet, come on in! It will be up 'till June 30th. Until then, please enjoy this article and get a glimpse at what we have going on here, right now, at the Center Museum. Thanks to Leah Ollman for such a great article!

x Carissa

Los Angeles Times Article: 'Here and There' with Patricia Patterson

Museum Hours:
Tues-Saturday, 10a-4p
Sundays, 1p-5p
Closed Mondays

For more info:
Call- 760.839.4120
Web- artcenter.org/museum

The Cardiff Kook does Van Gogh

Really quick! This is a little after the fact, but it’s a local happening that I thought should be recognized on our blog nonetheless. If you hadn’t seen it in the news already, the “Cardiff Kook” was recently (artfully) re-vamped to celebrate Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday (3/30/1853). The Kook statue has been a common target for public art projects, but next to the shark attack project last summer, I think this is one of the best! Thanks to local, Carlsbad artist, Bryan Syder for sharing his art with the entire community! Can’t wait to see what else he has in store, and who targets the Kook next.

Check out more of Bryan's art projects after the jump!

x Carissa

Guerrilla Gardening: Dig It!



Image: http://ecosalon.com/broke-20-fun-things-to-do-without-spending-a-dime/



The term "guerrilla"  conjures images of revolution and anti-establishment movements .....or all the alternative guys in middle school wearing Che Guevara t-shirts. Well, maybe that last one is just me. The guerrilla spirit of revolutionary change is what's driving our Art-In-Action: Guerrilla Gardening event on Saturday, April 16.

According to my very scholarly research (Wikipedia) guerrilla gardening refers to a range of green-thumbery from the overzealous planter who leaks into his neighbor's yard to the politically-motivated activist who utilizes a plot of land the owner of which has abandoned or neglected. The latter touches on issues of land rights and ownership. "Guerrilla gardening" is believed to have been first applied by Liz Christy and her Green Guerrilla group in New York City in 1973. Christy and company transformed a dilapidated neighborhood lot into a beautiful garden still thriving today.

Our Art-in-Action: Guerrilla Gardening experience is a great chance to be involved in this act of beautification. In true clandestine fashion, our location in-need-of-TLC will be revealed at the event; and we will commence creating a lush landscape of native plants, succulents and other water-wise varieties. We are still seeking out gardening implements such as shovels, pitch forks, hand tools, gloves, etc. So, we invite you to bring your own to use or to share. The details are below; we hope to see you there!!!

Date: Saturday, April 16, 2011
Time: Choose a shift : 9 am - 12 pm or 12 pm - 3pm
Place: Meet at the Center Museum at 9 am, and we will then walk to location
Tickets:  Free to Center Members; Non-members $8/person or $15/family; call the ticket office at 760-839-4100 to reserve your place
Extras: Water and snacks provided, but please bring your own sack lunch; dress in comfortable clothing you don't mind getting dirty and bring any gardening implements you like

Need more info? Contact Arts Education Manager Brian Gibson with any questions.


Later,
Beth

Kitsch Vs. Americana: Leslie Hall's Gem Sweaters



Image: http://www.lesliehall.com/

 

 There are many trends in which we may regret having participated through the years, and others in which we may deny having participated. There is, however, a point at which a sense of nostalgia overtakes our desire to wretch when we think of some special trends and phenomena. A certain lapse of time somehow softens the lens of our critical eye and kitsch can become something about which we reminisce with joy, affection, and even a sense of pride. It can become regarded as something uniquely American: Americana.


  This is what artist Leslie Hall has achieved with her popular website celebrating, amongst other things, gem sweaters. Gem sweaters: we've all seen them, we may have owned them, and we may know people still sporting them.  Hall discovered her first gem sweater over a decade ago in an Iowa thrift store, and was immediately taken. She began collecting the sweaters and decided to share them with the world via the Internet. Hall has an extensive gallery wherein she photographs herself modeling the sweaters with a dead-pan countenance and more than a hint of Grant Wood's American Gothic. Not content to simply offer her sweaters virtually, Hall has a Mobile Museum of Gem Sweaters housed in an RV which she takes on tour with her hip-hop band, Leslie and the LYs.


  While Hall's sweater crusade can be appreciated as the height of irony, her painstaking efforts to preserve, document, share, and even name these sweaters and the web community's  enthusiasm for her efforts show a clear transcendence of these gemmed beauties from kitsch to Americana. Clement Greenburg be damned!  Hall does not archive these sweaters to be hip and clever (though she is), rather she wants to share this expression of the American aesthetic with the world. Her earnestness is refreshing. Best sweater name: "Route to My Feelings."


Later,
Beth

Maui Wowie!

Sorry for the delay, folks! As you should know by now, I'm addicted to trippin' and my latest adventure was to Maui, HI. I bought a ludicrously cheap plane ticket (under $300/roundtrip) back in December and my best friend and I decided to go visit my cousin who lives out there with his girlfriend. [Cheap ticket and a free place to stay? Yes, please!]While I've been to Hawaii before, I've never been able to experience it quite like this. The last couple times I went I was 15 and 18 years old-- with my parents and without a lot of freedom, so naturally I was chained to the resorts and houses they'd rented while we were there. This time, that was NOT the case! My girlfriend and I were able to borrow my cousin’s car and we were let loose to explore the island with fervor reminiscent of Thelma and Louise. Every day we were exploring a new nook and cranny of that island. We left no waterfall, bamboo forest, beach, or crater unseen. We stand-up paddle boarded, snorkeled, body surfed, hiked, baked in the sun and hung out with the locals. The people there are just as colorful as their surroundings and it is truly a paradise I can’t begin to describe. Whales are as common as house cats, sea turtles do not shy away from you, and if you want to catch the best show in town, all you have to do is pack a cooler and go down to any beach (they’re all around you. . . it’s an island!) and watch a sunset. AND, if you really want a good show, I recommend Haleakala Crater for a sunrise above the clouds at 10,000 feet. Its freezing cold up there with gusty winds, but it’s totally worth the goose bumps and the lack of sleeping in. When you’re done, just do what we did and pass out on a warm sandy bed and let the wave’s lull you back to sleep.

 A while back I previously posted a blog about noticing the art of nature around you every day, and while in Maui this thought struck me everywhere I looked. It’s an overload of color combinations that would inspire even the dullest of human beings who lack any inkling of creativity. Maui is a magical place, full of vibrant color and vitality and it has reminded me that life is too short to get caught up in superficial, wanton, aspects of the day-to-day that we’ve created in our own minds. Rather, we should place more importance on the beauty that surrounds us naturally, everyday. I’m looking out the museum windows at Grape Day park and the orange groves and jacaranda trees that surround it, and likewise looking at the beautiful paintings that Patricia Patterson has done of the landscapes that have captivated her, and it makes me realize how much our surroundings can influence us and at the same time how often they go unnoticed.

Needless to say, when you’re in a place as wonderful as Maui, it’s hard to look the other way. I had a great time there and came back with not much more than a wicked tan and a strong urge to go back ASAP! J

Enjoy some of these photos from my trip. . .

x Carissa

Haleakala Crater at Sunrise

Natures creativity at its finest, Rainbow Eucalyptus trees on the way to Hana.

A whale of a tail!

The Venus Pool in Hana

KEEP ARTING

 

 

Dear Readers,

It has been my pleasure to dialogue with you over the past year.  Adding a blog to the Museum's repertoire has been great fun and I appreciate your help with it!  As of Friday March 25th I will no longer be working at the Center Museum.  It has been my pleasure to work here and I will miss it more than I can express.  This place has given me my greatest accomplishments and most fun adventures.  'Carissa The Great' will keep on truckin, writing her wonderful words to you and Beth Kwapis will join in as our new blogger.  I am sure you will love Beth as much as I do, I will be reading her blog right along side you. 

 

I would like to thank Olivia Luther for everything she has done for me and my career.  Olivia I will miss you the most, I can't wait to see what you and the Museum continue to produce!  I feel strongly that whatever you do it will be a success.  

 

To the rest of you - KEEP ARTING!  May art fill your life and overflow your cup.  If you are ever in Oceanside stop by and see me at OMA.

 

Best,

Tara

 

Wes Bruce- A Film About A Fort

'A Film About A Fort'
Follow the above link to view a preview of the beauty you will encounter tomorrow night at MoPA for their special event screening of 'A Film About a Fort.' 

Details
What:  The first public screening of 'A Film About a Fort.'  This work was made by Wes Bruce and Bryan Bangerter in response to his current body of installation artwork. 
Where: MoPA - Follow this link to purchase tickets [This will sell out as tickets are limited!]
When: March 16th, 2011 @ 7:00 p.m.

During this night of magic you will also get to hear the musical stylings of Joel P. West live in MoPA's Atrium before the screening.  After the screening I will lead a Q &A session.  Hope to see you there.

Tara

Eye Candy: Tempting Travel Videos for Creative People

My buddy, Matt, recently posted the link below on my facebook page. I think he likes to torture me. Anyway, here is an artistic take, via video, on the joys of travel. Where should I go next? I see in my cards: Barcelona!

Click This!

 x Carissa

Happy Women’s Month/ International Women’s Day!

Since it is Women’s Month/ Women's Day, after all, here is a video from some women in the arts who have paved the way for women like us to be able to do what we do; not only within the art world, but also in everyday life. Also, there are some exciting shows going on around San Diego that include or feature women artists. Hope you artsy ladies have a fabulous day/month/year/LIFE! Stay strong and stay creative!

x Carissa

CCAE

Here at the California Center for the Arts Museum, in Escondido we are currently featuring a retrospective titled Here and There, Back and Forth, including new works, of local artist Patricia Patterson. Patricia does large scale paintings and small installations of domestic and landscape scenes inspired by her love for the Aran Islands, [a set of three islands off the coast of Ireland]. The show just opened on February 12^th, and we have already generated an amazing response. Come check out the exhibition, as well as some of the programs we have surrounding it this season.

http://www.artcenter.org/museum/current/

MCASD

MCASD has video/multimedia artist Joan Jonas on display until July 17^th. The show is called The Shape, The Scent, The Feel of Things. You can check it out at MCASD’s Downtown location in the Jacobs building.

http://www.mcasd.org/exhibitions/628/ 

SDMA

At SDMA, the woman is not necessarily the artist but, as is more commonly seen, the subject. In this case, the “Modern Woman”, is portrayed by Thomas Gainsborough. At least, especially through the male gaze, these women are clothed.

http://www.sdmart.org/art/exhibit/gainsborough

 

OMA

At the Oceanside Museum of Art there are two female photographers being currently exhibited, Carolyn Guild and Imogen Cunnigham. They also have a Polynesian quilt show going on as well, which no doubt, some talented women had a hand in.

http://www.oma-online.org/exhibits.html

ONLINE

And if you can’t get out of the house, here is an online gallery featuring the artwork of women artists in San Diego, which were chosen for this online exhibition.

http://www.zhibit.org/sdwcajuriedshow

CSUSM

At CSUSM, there are some FREE lectures that are going on all month that are sure to supplement some of the beautiful art you see. Check it out here: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

If you’re looking for some other ways to celebrate women’s month, visit this website that has some events listed for International Women’s Day.

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

Ms. Augustine Greene at MoPA

Leveled artist Wes Bruce teams up with MoPA, down in Balboa Park, to bring you a “Film about a Fort” in conjunction with filmmaker Bryan Bangerter and Sezio. Our own Tara Smith, CCAE Museum Curator, will be facilitating a Q & A with the artist during the reception and screening on March 16^th at 7 p.m. MoPA will also be featuring a temporary fort installation by Bruce in their atrium. So, if you didn’t get a chance to see Wes’ work while it was here or you enjoyed it so much you just can’t get enough, get down there for the screening and check out the wonderful world of Wes Bruce!

Tickets, if you’re a CCAE Member, are $8.  The general public is $10.

You can buy tickets here

Film trailer is here

Super Q Food Truck.... Yummy

Super Q Food Truck has joined the Slainte party!  Olivia and I took a field trip yesterday to find the truck and taste their food.  OMG it was amazing.  I didn't think I liked brisket but.... I do.  We tasted the french fries with BBQ pulled pork on top.  They were sweet and spicy and amazing!  We also tasted the brisket sandwich.  First off it is more than a sandwich, it is the best grilled cheese you have ever had with a brisket sandwich stuffed inside!  This food is food coma good.  So welcome to the party Super Q, we are glad to have you.  Follow the link to Super Q and find out when the truck will be in your area. 

P.S. I know that the food isn't Irish... but it is served out of a green truck so I think that counts for something.  When you taste it you will be happy.

P.P.S If you don't know what Slainte is check out the post from February 22nd.  We are having a big bad Irish party with music, beer, whiskey and now yummy BBQ food.

Tara
Art Ninja

The Kids are Alright

It’s only our first couple weeks open with the Patricia Patterson exhibition, but the kids have already invaded the museum space! School tours and Art Smart are in full swing and it has been fun watching these fresh faces come through and feeling their excitement in response to the artwork. Art exposure for school aged children is an awesome thing that the Center provides, especially in an economical climate that includes budget cuts to art programs within the schools themselves. Anyway, the kids LOVE all the colors in Patricia's work, and while Patterson’s potato bed installation looks strikingly similar to a sandbox, it’s been hard convincing these little ones to keep out. ;-)

Banksy in Oceanside?

So, popular celeb gossip website, TMZ, has reported a sighting of graffiti artist Banksy at work here in our own backyard. The photo is of the side of Oceanside's Bull Taco Shop on the corner of Coast Highway and Cassidy St. While an obvious display of Banksy style, we can't help but be skeptical. It seems as though this may be a "fake". (And/or, just a really good marketing ploy by Bull Taco, cashing in on the hype surrounding the artist and his films nomination at the Academy Awards this Sunday.) And with that being said, is there really such thing as authenticity with an artist who no doubt has several people collectively producing his artwork? This recent pop-up has sparked a lot of debate, and I want to hear what you think! What do you think about Banksy as an artist, or is he now a brand? Maybe both? Is he just a rip-off of Blek le Rat, an older graffiti artist who created rats long before Banksy started showing them in his artwork? It's all speculation, I want your opinions!

Check out the coverage here and here. . . and while your at it, go check out the piece and decide for yourself what it's all about.