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Finding his purpose

Author Francisco Jimenez shares his experience as an immigrant and his struggle for a new life

To say that life was hard for Francisco Jimenez would be a gross understatement. Life didn’t hand him lemons, it gave him ground crops. And they weren’t handed to him—he had to pick them himself. But life also has a way of giving purpose to struggle, and in the case of Jimenez, he found that […]

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Arts Briefs

Celebrate music in the garden After seven successful seasons, the Santa Maria Philharmonic begins its eighth on Sept. 27 with a concert of selections from Weber, Schubert, Elgar, and Tchaikovsky. To kick off the 2008-2009 season, the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society will host a fundraiser on Sept. 7, titled “Garden Party at Ambrosia,” at the […]

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About face

Artist CarolK.’s latest exhibition at Grossman Gallery turns all eyes on the face

For some artists, perhaps the only other thing more valuable than their work is time—time to create, and time to think about creating. Such time was an elusive thing for artist Carol A. Kemp, who goes by the moniker of CarolK. To make the most of what she had, she committed to a project that […]

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Arts Briefs

Get ready for an Orcutt Aquacenter poolside party Get one last summer swim in and help support the Orcutt Aquacenter from noon to 3 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Foxenwood Tennis and Swim Club, 1087 Clubhouse Drive in Orcutt. The Aquacenter’s board of directors is hosting a poolside party and barbecue in celebration of […]

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It’s all about heart

Members of The Despair give it their all for their band, their music, and their dreams

This is the story of a group of guys trying to make it big in rock’n’roll. It’s a story like a lot of other stories in a lot of other cities. It’s a story about young friends who are passionate about music, give up the comforts of a secure lifestyle, move in together, and devote […]

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Goodbye, summer

Refugio State Beach is the perfect place to welcome the coming of fall

The end of summer is always a mixture of sadness and relief: sadness as I recall all the things I didn’t get to do and realize that now, with summer ending, I don’t get to do them, and relief in knowing that lazy days will turn into a finely orchestrated schedule of work, school, soccer, […]

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Arts Briefs

Sorpresa! comes to Comcast Santa Maria households can say 8hola! to a new 24-hour kids’ programming station for Hispanic children. 8Sorpresa! is America’s fastest-growing Spanish-language children’s network, and will be introduced on Comcast’s Hispanic digital tier. 8Sorpresa! is a 24/7 children’s cable network televised exclusively in Spanish. The network is geared toward reaching the young […]

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Spirited saint

Sister Nancy Murray performs a one-woman show about Saint Catherine of Siena

In a time of plague, war, famine, and greed, a young girl stood up for her convictions and followed a path of unselfish servitude to those in need. Her actions in the 14th century made her revered today. Her service to the church made her a saint. Now, St. Catherine of Siena’s story lives on […]

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Get a heavy dose of the tonic of laughter

PCPA does MoliËre proud with a contemporary adaptation of The Imaginary Invalid

Anyone incapable of appreciating the absurd would do well to stay clear of PCPA’s adaptation of MoliÀre’s The Imaginary Invalid. From the basic plot premise—a family’s antics to prevent the hypochondriac patriarch from forcibly marrying his daughter to the son of a doctor—to the characters themselves, the tale is incredulous and very, very funny, particularly […]

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Arts Briefs

Art classes are set to begin The newly opened C Gallery, showing contemporary art in Los Alamos, is taking enrollment for art classes for adult women, taught by Connie Rohde-Stanchfield. The intimate beginning drawing and art-making class is limited to five women, and will begin by exploring art elements and principles of design through drawing. […]

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The color of Chile

A Chilean author joins the lineup of cultural entertainment at Musifiesta 2008

There’s a timeless quality to good literature that allows it to cross borders and transcend boundaries. Chilean author Elisa Ferrada’s work creates such connections, possibly because the themes in her writing are based on basic human nature. Ferrada is renowned throughout Latin America, where she has published 11 books. As a poet, author, playwright, composer, […]

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The world outside

Bright and free-flowing landscapes make up the latest works from impressionist painter Kanya Bugreyev

David Ryan Gallery is now showing new work by Russian Impressionist painter Kanya Bugreyev. Known for her images of flowers, still lifes, and outdoor landscapes, Bugreyev captures the moods and flavors of each scene. Bugreyev has studied with some of the top Impressionist painters in the United States, including Sergei Bonart. She’s also an art […]

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