This year was a year of firsts, finallys, and last-minute-saves in the local art world. Art aficionados were invited into the art world to take a closer look at how things are made. Some artists found the success they’ve been working toward, while others tapped into the creative process they didn’t know they possessed.
Art triumphed in 2011, both in the gift presented to this area and in the rewards reaped by those very artists who gave of their talents.
Behold the great difference the art world bestowed on every one!
1) Dreadful successful: As 2011 opened, comic book artist Lance Sawyer began pushing his first comic book, Dreadful, on which he collaborated with Ontario, Canada-based illustrator Mark Slater. The book debuted at the Toronto Fan Expo, where copies of Dreadful sold out to an eager throng of new fans. Sawyer, who usually makes his bread and butter producing Star Wars sketch cards, has since embarked on another comic book project.
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2) Grace within: Nipomo teen Melinda Marciano proved that to be a survivor takes moxy, and she’s got plenty of it. The teen, who was often busy with extracurricular activities—like dancing, sewing, and playing piano—was sidetracked by cancer. After battling Hodgkin’s, Marciano took the journals she kept during her battle and turned them into a book. Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer was born of the stacks of journals in which she recorded her thoughts and dreams. When the book was finished, she and her mother formed Happy Quail publishing company and published the book, which received acclaim.
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3) Supporting breasts: Jennifer Hair penned Saints of My Own Design after she had a breast cancer scare. Fortunately, Hair didn’t have cancer—but many women aren’t so lucky. The play addressed the topic of breast cancer and the many ways it touches lives of women and their family and friends. The play was semi-autobiographical, but also a culmination of stories that could apply to anyone’s life. It also served as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.
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4) Bells are ringing: In early 2011, the Santa Maria Philharmonic was in dire straits. The nonprofit was $43,000 in debt and seriously considering ending its subscription series. After launching a months-long fundraising campaign, the money raised wasn’t enough to cover the debt and expenses. Then, as Executive Director George Majoue was opening the mail, he found an envelope that contained a $250,000 bequest to use in any way the Philharmonic pleased. They were able to pay off the $43,000 and continue their children’s music outreach programs, as well as the subscription series.
5) PCPA delighted fans with the world premiere of My Fairytale, a musical about Hans Christian Andersen. In the story, Andersen enters the world of his fairy tales and confronts his shadow. The premiere, which was held at Solvang’s Festival Theater, was the highlight of the city’s centennial celebration, and it involved some heavy hitters in the industry. The play featured the work of musical theater legend Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked) and it was directed by his son Scott Schwartz. My Fairytale was originally performed in Danish in Copenhagen to mark the bicentennial of Andersen’s birth. When PCPA Artistic Direct Mark Booher asked Schwartz to bring it to Solvang, he accepted and My Fairytale was then produced specifically for the city of Solvang’s centennial and nowhere else.
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6) Quarter-century celebration: Everybody Can Dance and the Santa Maria Civic Ballet celebrated their 25th year of the Nutcracker. The milestone was an incredible one for Artistic Director Diane Zink, who said she only started the endeavor because there weren’t any Christmas productions happening at the time. The first productions were at the Santa Maria Veterans Hall and in the mall, featuring students 3 years old to 9 years old. Now, Zink works with students of all ages, each one as talented and professional as the next. Using the Vaganova method, which is very scientific and exact, Zink choreographs creatively beautiful pieces for her productions.
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7) Secrets revealed: Art lovers got a behind-the-scenes peek at the process behind the art when John Hood, professor of art at Allan Hancock College and the county’s 5th District arts commissioner, curated “The Audacity of Process: An Exploration in Diverse Practices.” The exhibition at the Betteravia Gallery featured a variety of processes in the work of Peg Grady, Carey Reimer, Amanda Hoopingarner, Larry Delinger, Bob Burridge, Autumn Jennings, Dave Passage, and Karen Carson. Alongside each artist’s work is a written description of what went into its creation, such as this untitled piece from Autumn Jennings. The artists each work with different mediums and approach the process in different ways, yet the theme that brings them together was exposing that process to viewers.
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8) Mobile education: Fred Ventura added some new products to his education company, Ventura Educational Systems. Venturing into the cyber world, he began creating and selling educational mobile apps. Some apps, like First Words and Alphabet Animals, are aimed at the preschool set with colorful images that teach as well as entertain. Other apps are targeted toward older children or adults, like Puzzle Logic, which challenges the user to find the sum of numbers in a variety of configurations, moving the numbers around so each piece in a particular configuration equals the same sum. Plexers arranges words into unusual groups, and users have to guess the meaning.
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9) New view: The new Marian Medical Center building isn’t yet open, but they’ve decided on the décor. Officials chose a Los Angeles-area art broker’s proposal to decorate the halls. That broker used the work of Santa Maria artist Cathy Gregg in her winning proposal. Gregg said she received an e-mail out of the blue from the art broker, asking if she could use Gregg’s photos. At first, the artist thought it was a joke. When the hospital opens in the new building, 75 of Gregg’s prints will grace the first through fourth floors, accompanied by the work of several other local artists. Gregg said the major visibility is something she’s worked toward for many years.
Contact Arts Editor Shelly Cone at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2011 – Jan 5, 2012.
