CafeFX nabs an Emmy
Santa Maria-based CafeFX received a Creative Arts Emmy Award for outstanding special visual effects for its work on John Adams, an HBO Films miniseries that took eight Creative Arts Emmy Awards total, out of 23 Emmy nominations.
Under visual effects supervisor Jeff Goldman, visual effects producer David Van Dyke, and compositing supervisor Edwardo Mendez, CafeFX created virtual visions of 1770s Boston, a British blockade, a royal court at London’s St. James’ Palace, a crowd at a Montgolfier balloon launch, and more for the seven-part epic.
The company shared the nomination with HBO visual effects supervisor Erik Henry and visual effects producer Steve Kullback, as well as Digital Backlot visual effects supervisor Paul Graff, visual effects producer Christina Graff, visual effects designer Robert Stromberg, and special effects coordinator Ken Gorrelll.
The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will air on Sept. 20, and the Primetime Emmy Awards gala will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theater on Sept. 21.
Music teachers meet to plan the year
Music teachers, dig up your music and get to the Central Coast Music Teachers’ Association annual kickoff luncheon at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 20, at the home of Betty Hansen in Santa Maria. There will be a short business meeting covering the events planned for the new school year. Participants are invited to bring extra music they’re not using to share or give to each other. Guests are invited to attend the meeting, as well as the luncheon afterward. For more information, call Deborah Lagomarsino at 237-2281.
Watercolor class gives landscape basics
Explore the world of watercolor with accomplished artist Christine Kenny-McCowen from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 20 at the Los Alamos Senior Center, 690 Bell St., in Los Alamos. The event is sponsored by the Artists Guild of the Santa Ynez Valley.
Kenny-McCowen was introduced to watercolors by Roger Armstrong at the Art Institute of Southern California in Laguna Beach. She characterizes her watercolors as combining elements of realism with contemporary and Asian influences.
Participants can bring a work in progress or photos. Kenny-McCowen will demonstrate capturing light in landscape paintings. Artists should come prepared with watercolor paints and brushes, a pencil and eraser, 300-pound paper, and a hair dryer if you have one. Artists should also bring a bag lunch or go to a local restaurant for lunch.
This workshop is solely for adults with some drawing experience. Cost is $50 for guild members and $60 for non-members. Because space is limited, pre-paid reservations are required. For more information, call Louise Harding at 680-7863.
Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Shelly Cone. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Sep 18-25, 2008.