Landscape photographer will visit Ojai
Photo submitted
Landscape photo by Dan Holmes
Letitia Grimes, Dan Holmes and Diane Paige, Special to the Ojai Valley News
The Ojai Photography Community, formerly called the Ojai Photo Club, will open a new year of free monthly presentations with landscape photographer Dan Holmes of Ventura. His talk, entitled “The Elusive Landscape – More Than Just a Pretty Picture,” will be held on Tuesday, Feb.19, at 7 p.m., in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana St., Ojai.
The Ojai Valley community is invited to attend what will be a lively, informative and visually arresting talk by Holmes.
Lions cast takes stage for ‘Peter Pan Jr.’
Photo by Kirby Russell, Ojai Photographic Imagery
The Lions cast will perform “Peter Pan Jr.” Feb. 8 through 10 at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio, 907 El Centro St., Ojai.
Showtimes are Fridays at 6 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 6 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will be a special tots performance on Sunday, Feb. 10, at 11 a.m., by donation at the door.
Two shows have been added to be held Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 2 p.m.
The cost is $10 for general seating for all ages.
Group rates may be available for organizations or groups. Group tickets are $8.50 for Saturday matinee performances. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to apply.
Based on J.M. Barrie's classic tale and featuring an unforgettable score by Morris "Moose" Charlap and Jule Styne with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and Betty Comden and Adolph Green “Peter Pan” is one of the most beloved and frequently performed family favorites of all time.
Tickets may be ordered online at Eventbrite or by calling OYES at 805-646-4300.
Flamenco Performance series comes to Ojai Feb. 16
Flamenco performers back at Ojai Underground Exchange
Ventura County's only Flamenco Performance series is back with its dynamic rhythms and gypsy songs for its second season Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. at Ojai Underground Exchange, 1016 W. Ojai Ave.
Tickets are $25 and can be ordered through www.squareup.com/store/undergroundexchange.
Its website is www.ojaiartsexchange.com/events.
The Ojai Arts Exchange has teamed up with Flamenco dancer Wendy Castellanos to curate a night of authentic Flamenco music and dance. The show will feature Tony Triana strumming the guitar; Antonio de Jerez, singing gypsy melodies; and Cristina Lucio, Jamie Padilla and Wendy Castellanos setting the stage on fire with their entrancing movements and heart-wrenching expressions.
The show will open with the mood-setting classical Spanish guitar played by Scott Wolf.
Sisters spill on surviving alcoholic relative Feb. 11
Celeste Weingardt and Irene Henry will speak Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Ojai Art Center Gallery on dealing with an alcoholic relative.
The Ojai Art Center Literary Branch kicks off its 2019 roster of speakers with Celeste Weingardt and Irene Henry, two women who successfully survived living with an alcoholic brother. In their new book, “In The Drink: Surviving The Alcoholic,” they chart not only the course their own journey took, but incorporated the experiences of others as well. The public is invited to join them on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Ojai Art Center gallery for their talk on the genesis for their book, their writing and publishing process, and how people can take steps to protect themselves in a relationship with an alcoholic.
Beatrice Wood Center holds open house
An open house at the Beatrice Wood Center in Upper Ojai on Feb. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. will feature a PowerPoint presentation by Kevin Wallace, center director, on Beatrice Wood, Happy Valley history and the center at 3 p.m.
The Beatrice Wood Center is at 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Road in Upper Ojai. For more information, call 805-646-3381.
Early letters recount the opening of Ojai Art Center Theater
Approaching the 80th season opening night of “Night Must Fall” on Feb. 15 for the Ojai Art Center Theater, a surprise set of letters came into Artistic Director Richard Camp’s possession. The daughter of ’40s and ’50s stage and screen star Dana Andrews, Katharine Smith, who now lives in Upper Ojai, owns two letters from Paul McGuire, the original director of the Theater Branch, inviting her father to the opening of the first show presented at the theater, “Night Must Fall,” in 1939.
“My father saved every letter he received,” said Smith, “and often a copy of his reply. He wrote journals detailing everything he did, even saved cleaning receipts. I had shipped most of his papers off to Sam Houston State University, his alma mater, but decided to keep these two Ojai letters. At lunch with friends two weeks ago, someone mentioned that “Night Must Fall” was going to open the Art Center Theater’s 80th anniversary season. I remembered the letters and decided to bring them to the Art Center.”
The letters, written in 1939, discuss a few sociable matters and the invitation to come to the play. However, there seems to have been a delay in the chairs arriving in time and the opening was postponed a month. Ironic that 80 years later, new chairs have just been installed in the theater. Copies of the letters will be on display in the theater lobby.
Kent Butler is February featured artist
Submitted photo of artwork.
Versatile artist Kent Butler is now producing acrylic-on-metal abstract paintings. These works will be on display as part of the Ojai Studio Artists Second Saturday Tour this Saturday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “I’m having a lot of fun with them,” he says. “There are no rules.” Other participating artists, all with studios in Mira Monte or Meiners Oaks, are Christine Beirne, Sharon Butler, Duane Eells and Deborah Lyon, Sandra Torres and Elaine Unzicker. The tour will be followed by a Second Saturday Social with the artists from 3 to 5 p.m. at Topa Mountain Winery. The tour is free and self-guided. Visit http://www.ojaistudioartists.org for a tour map and more information.
Featured artist Feb. 1: Duane Eells
Submitted image
Duane Eells’ painting in series titled “Dance.”
Portrait artist Duane Eells will reveal the first completed paintings of his new series titled “Dance” during the Ojai Studio Artists Second Saturday Tour on Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “In these new paintings, I am looking to find a balance between the figurative and the abstract,” he says. “The dancers’ movements and expressions reveal their passion and emotion.” The tour will also include six other Ojai Studio Artists with studios in Mira Monte or Meiners Oaks: Christine Beirne, Kent and Sharon Butler, Deborah Lyon, Sandra Torres and Elaine Unzicker. The tour is free and self-guided. Visit http://www.ojaistudioartists.org for a tour map and more information.
The Gift Machine makes present for Ojai
Photo by Jens Ochlich
Andrea Matthies, Alanna Cassidy, Matt Lawson and Dave Matthies of The Gift Machine.
The Gift Machine is playing a show supporting its latest record “New Tangles” at Greater Goods, 145 W. El Roblar Drive, Meiners Oaks, on Feb. 8 with China the Band beginning at 7 p.m.
The psych rock indie pop quartet features the husband-wife team of Dave Matthies (originally from the Pacific Northwest) and Andrea Matthies (born and bred in Carlsbad).
Their vinyl album “New Tangles” was released in October with the Matthies, backed by bassist Alanna Cassidy and guitarist Matt Lawson. The album was mastered by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios in London, made famous by The Beatles.
The record can be streamed at: https://soundcloud.com/the-gift-machine/sets/the-gift-machine-new-tangles/s-bU9NS or downloaded at: https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/qLGGw8ChcO.
Pillars to open ‘Night Must Fall’
Photo montage submitted.
Pillars starting top left: Michael Addison, Johnny Johnston, Judith Hale Norris, Peggy Russell, Mark Lewis, Jamie Bennett, Cheree Edwards, Jamie Fleming, Therese Hartmann, Severo Lara and Tony Thacher. Missing is Paul Blatz.
“Night Must Fall” Director Richard Camp announced a special involvement by “Pillars of the Community” for the opening production of the Ojai Art Center Theater’s 80th season. For each of the 12 performances, a different community member will take on the role of Lord Chief Justice. The character will open by delivering a monologue of the judge’s ruling in this thrilling whodunit play.
“I wanted a way to include the community for our historic 80th season,” said Camp. “It was important for me to kick off this year in a unique way, to show how grateful we are for the continued support of Ojai. I thought it might be difficult to find non-actors who’d want to tread the boards, but nearly everyone I asked immediately leaped at the chance. Who knew our town was filled with such hams?”
‘I Am Me: Artists’ self-portraits premiere party Feb. 2
“Self-Portrait with Monkeys” by Pausha Foley, 2019, pen and ink on watercolor paper, 38-by-26 inches, collection of the artist.
Who are you? That’s the question artists were asked to consider for the exhibition entitled “I Am Me: Artists’ Self-Portraits,” opening Feb. 2 with several Ojai artists featured at the Santa Paula Art Museum.
That same question will be asked of museum visitors as they view the 39 self-portraits on display and participate in the exhibition through interactive art-making activities. “I Am Me” will open with a premiere party Feb. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. Admission to the premiere is $10 for museum members and $15 for nonmembers.
“The Santa Paula Art Museum was thrilled by the response that its call for self-portraits garnered from artists across the state working in a wide variety of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, digital illustration, collage, photography, mixed media and more,” said Julie Cluster, the museum’s director of marketing.“We are particularly excited about the genre of self-portraiture because it is so personal to each artist and we hope it will allow museum visitors to connect with the art on a really personal level as well..
“I Am Me: Artists’ Self-Portraits” will feature art by Duane Dammeyer, Theodore Gall, Sandy Treadwell, Gail Hercher, Nathan Asplund, Jenna Bao, Brandin Baron, Pamela Benham, Janet Black, L.T. Bunning, Laurie Cook, Taylor Crisp, Pamela Hill Enticknap, Pausha Foley, Russell Foltz-Smith, Jose Galvan, Stacey Geldin, Lynn Hanson, Eul Hurley, Tess Israelson, E.E. Jacks, Dottie Korn-Davis, Pamela Larsson-Toscher, Lisa Skyheart Marshall, Vivian Patton, Mariana Peirano, Gail Pidduck, Nathan Plaisted, Roxie Ray, John Robertson, Carolyn Schlam, Priscila Claure Soruco, Colin Trewhitt, Michael Wood and Kay Zetlmaier. “I Am Me” will be on view through May 12.