New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Arts and Culture

Patchwork Indie Arts & Festival coming to Santa Ana on May 29

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Crafts, Entertainment, Food, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The patchwork indie arts & festival is coming to Santa Ana again on May 29, at 2202 N. Main St., at Buffalo.

This event showcases over 75 local independent artists, crafters and designers in an outdoor setting. come down and eat & drink from local cafe & restaurant booths as you listen to tunes and peruse goods from the best southern california creators.

Look & shop… clothing for men, women & kids, handbags, accessories, art, ceramics, home goods, garden finds, plushies, jewelry, paper goods, edible treats, pet gear, crochet & knit goods, kits & patterns, bath & body goodies & more. check out our bike valet, eco-gift wrapping station & diy crafting tables for adults & kids.

Go to WWW.PATCHWORKSHOW.COM for details.

The patchwork indie arts & crafts festival is a bi-annual event showcasing local emerging artists, crafts & designers. attend one of our events and eat & drink from local cafe & restaurant booths as you listen to tunes and peruse goods from the best southern california creators. look & shop… clothing for men, women & kids, handbags, accessories, art, ceramics, home goods, garden finds, plushies, jewelry, paper goods, edible treats, pet gear, crochet & knit goods, kits & patterns, bath & body goodies & more. the patchwork team carefully selects unique creations.

delilah snell & nicole stevenson are the co-creators/producers of patchwork show. our amazing volunteers & sponsors make the shows possible

delilah snell…

Delilah snell is the owner of the road less traveled, an environmentally friendly store based in santa ana, california. featured in sunset magazine, the fine living network, LA times, KCRW and numerous other media outlets, her store has won several awards for environmental products and education for the past 5 years. a staunch supporter of the local food movement, delilah has worked closely with several local farms, non-profits and community groups in marketing, product development and event planning and lectures on food sustainability for almost 10 years. delilah is also a Master Food Preserver and has started a line of local, organic preserves called Backyard In A Jar teaching classes on proper food preservation across the state. in 2006, she co-founded patchwork show with her niece nicole to provide a high-quality, local goods in the marketplace. a life-long resident of orange county, she currently lives in santa ana and writes about local, economical living on her blog Project Small.

nicole stevenson…

While attending graduate school for creative writing in san francisco, nicole started painting. after her first art show sold out, she headed down to los angeles to make a go of it as an artist. on her new artistic path, went from selling paintings on the boardwalk at venice beach to having her art showcased in over 20 artshows in california as well as co-founding G.A.S.- a organization that raised funds for charities through art events and hosted group art shows in the los angeles area. she made the switch to wearable art, creating random nicole, her line of art-inspired clothing for men, women & children, which is carried at over 250 locations worldwide and has been featured in press in over 40 publications including squeeze OC, riviera magazine & daily candy. in 2006 she co-founded patchwork show with her aunt delilah. nicole’s strong convictions to accessible affordable art are prominent in all her ventures.

Santa Ana High to host “Arts in the City” on Friday, May 27

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Education, Entertainment, music, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Santa Ana High to Host Arts in the City on Friday, May 27

The Santa Ana High Visual and Performing Arts Department will host “Arts in the City: Fantasy on a Japanese Folk Song” on Friday, May 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The event is a collaboration with the City of Santa Ana, Downtown, Inc. and Arts Orange County as part of the Imagination Celebration.

The event will honor the culture and people of Japan, and will be held on the 2nd St. Promenade in the heart of the Artist’s Village in Downtown Santa Ana. Refer to the attached FLYER for additional information.

Great Park Board announces 2011 Flights & Sounds Summer Festival lineup

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, irvine, music, Orange County, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment

Great Park Board Announces 2011 Flights & Sounds Summer Festival Lineup

Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Lucinda Williams to Headline Concerts

IRVINE – The Orange County Great Park announced today that the world-renowned New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band and fourteen-time Grammy nominated Lucinda Williams will headline the upcoming 2011 Flights & Sounds Summer Festival. The five Friday night dance parties and five Saturday night concerts celebrate the vitality and variety of American music and the growing influence of Latin American, Middle Eastern and East Indian music and dance in the United States.

The fun begins August 5th with a salute to the City of Irvine’s 40th Anniversary featuring DJ HAPA, who will kick off the summer Friday night dance parties with a Disco-themed set. On August 6th at 8:00 p.m., the All-New Original Tribute to the Blues Brothers Band will open the Saturday concert series with their 1960’s update of soul music, rhythm and blues.

“There are many unique aspects to this summer’s festival, and once again admission is free to the public,” said Beth Krom, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. “We’re proud to collaborate with Irvine Barclay Theatre to present this exceptional series of summer concerts and dance parties, showcasing a rich tapestry of music — from country and bluegrass to hip-hop, world beat and jazz.”

Full schedule and details will be posted on www.ocgp.org the first week of June. However, visitors can receive updates delivered directly to their inbox by signing up for email updates on the Great Park web site. Here is a preview of the lineup:

Nuriya performs Middle Eastern Latin American music on August 12th, influenced by hearing Arabic music and Hebrew prayer music from her elders as she grew up in Mexico City. Louisiana born singer songwriter Lucinda Williams will light up the stage singing folk, country, rock, pop on August 13th. Williams is an American original, like Hank Williams and Bob Dylan who has created her own unique place in music.

Shotgun Wedding Quintet makes the wedding of rap to a jazzy, horn-infused band seem like a natural combination that will drag you to the dance floor on August 19th. San Francisco’s Jazz Mafia, one of the hottest, most inventive forces in jazz, will mix with hip-hop symphonic music and whatever else works on August 20th for some spectacularly energizing music.

Grammy winner Del McCoury brings his bluegrass band with roots going back to Scottish, Irish and English jigs brought by early settlers to America combined with African-American jazz and blues to the Great Park on August 27th.

Get your “turban groove” on when Black Mahal a rollicking, unpredictable, wildly danceable band, performs its blend of hip-hop, funk and Punjabi music on September 2nd. The world-famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band will bring the festival to a close on September 3rd. Of all the styles of American music, none are more iconic than New Orleans style jazz — born of hard times, the music is a defiant celebration of freedom and individuality.

The Flights & Sounds Summer Festival is held outdoors at the Great Park. Under the stars and in the glow of the Great Park Balloon, people from across Orange County gather to hear a mix of music genres. The festival will take place near brand-new facilities at the Park, including the Palm Court Arts Complex and 19-acre North Lawn, scheduled to open to the public July 9. Last year, more than 26,000 visitors attended the weekend summer dance parties and concerts.

Hangar Café will feature a fresh selection of food that will be available for purchase inside historic Hangar 244 to enjoy at the Café or on the lawn. Both theater-style fixed seating and lawn space is available. Admission to all summer concerts and dance parties are free, and parking is $10. Concerts and dance parties are located at the Orange County Great Park, off the 405 or 5 Freeway at Sand Canyon Ave. and Marine Way in Irvine.

About the Great Park

The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park is currently 27.5 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway. The plan will build out a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit, including the initial components of the sports park, a 114-acre agricultural area, and an art and culture exhibition space. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org.

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Heritage Music Festival today, at the Heritage Museum of O.C.

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Historical, music, Orange County, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment

The Heritage Music Festival will be taking place on Sunday, May 22, 2011, from Noon to 7 PM, at the Heritage Museum of Orange County. This will be a celebration of bluegrass, folk and American, including:

Stephanie & Luke (A Children’s Concert) @ 1:15 PM
A Wing & A Prayer (BIG Band Americana) @ 2:20 PM
Stephanie & Luke (Bluegrass & Folk) @ 3:25 PM
Dennis Roger Reed (Cowboy Blues) @ 4:30 PM
Folding Mr. Lincoln (Fiddle-driven Folk) @ 5:35 PM
Beach Pit BBQ (Southern Smoke California Style)
Old Fashioned Chuckwagon Soda
Craft Brew Beer Garden featuring Southern California Craft Brewers Guild
Native-American exhibit
Blacksmith demonstration
Adobe brick-making workshop
Mounted police
Photographs in heritage costumes
Docent-led tours of the historic Kellogg House
Student performances in the gazebo between main-stage acts
Storytellers
Children’s art classes
Popcorn cart
And lots more family fun!

Ticket Prices: (Food & drinks are not included except as noted*)

Kids 10 & Under: Free
Students: $10
Adults: $15
Family Pass: $40 (includes parents and non-adult children)
VIP: $100 (*includes preferred seating,service,meal,drinks,and gift)

The Heritage Museum of Orange County is located at 3101 West Harvard Street, in Santa Ana. Click here for directions.

For more updates, click here.

O.C. Harvey Milk Day Street Fair and Celebration in Santa Ana on May 20

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Civil Rights, Entertainment, LGBT, music, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Let’s celebrate Harvey Milk’s Birthday, in the most diverse, welcoming and affirming city in Orange County, with a street fair and celebration!

Time: Friday, May 20 · 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: French Plaza, 4th and French Streets, Santa Ana

5:00 Pre-show and community organizations

7:00 Harvey Milk Celebration
8:30 Dancing and birthday cake in French Plaza

Join us and enjoy:

Jennifer Corday and The Cougars, CORDAY.net
Ricky Rebel
Cate Gary
The OCEC Storytellers
Brandon Nathaniel Bandle
Men Alive
OC Pride, www.prideoc.com
Cristopher August
Lady Vajayjay
Bellonce
Sassy Ross
Jenny
DJ Michelle Mannisto
Dancing
Harvey’s Birthday Cake!

Bowers Museum to celebrate killing whales, starting on May 21

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Education, Entertainment, Historical, Nature, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Scrimshaw: The Art and Craft of the American Whaler

Opening Saturday May 21, 2011

The bygone era of American whaling led men on distant voyages in search of the giants of the sea. In their spare time, these whalers carved the teeth, bone and other unused parts of the whale, developing a tradition that came to be called scrimshaw. On May 21, the Bowers Museum is proud to unveil “Scrimshaw: The Art and Craft of the American Whaler,” a comprehensive exhibit of whale teeth and bone carved with images of Victorian ladies, renowned female pirates and scenes from the sea, tools made for mending clothes and ship sails, games made to pass the time, gifts and toys made for loved ones, and a variety of personal items – all authentic sailors’ work from a the golden age of American Whaling.

“This unique American folk art captures the reality of life at sea. The craftsmanship and design of the objects in the exhibit range from simple to intricate, but each expresses the experience, and often, the emotions of the carver.” – Julie Lee, Curator of Exhibitions

The exhibit features 90 objects from the collection of Dr. and Mrs. Burton W. Fink and offers a fascinating view into the inside world of shipboard art of 18th and 19th century whalers.

OC Fashion Week is coming to Santa Ana on May 18

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Fashion, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The OC Fashion Association presents Fashion Week, at the Santa Ana Artists Village, from May 18 through May 22, from 5:30 pm to 9 pm nightly.

Wednesday, May 18
Event: Lecture Series – “PRODUCING FASHION”: Production & Fair Trade
Guest speakers:

Production – Bobbi Lee (Beach Bunny)
Fair trade production – Bonnie Kim (Freedom & Fashion)

Location: DGWB ADVERTISING & COMMUNICATIONS: 217 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
Time: 5:30 – 9 p.m.
Admission: $20 GA, $10 students, OCFA members FREE
BUY TICKETS: http://ocfashionweek.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn

Thursday, May 19
Event: Lecture Series – “ENTERING THE FASHION BUSINESS”
Guest speaker:

“Starting Your Own Fashion Business: Practical Tips on Forming a Company, Protecting Your Trademark and Avoiding Liablity” by Shelley M. Liberto of Law Offices of Shelley M. Liberto, Huntington Beach.
“Self Promotion and Branding” by Aileen Holmes, Independent Artist/Graphic Designer/Textile Designer, www.aileenholmes.com

Friday, May 20
Event: “THE OC FASHION HOUSE” – Student Design Competition Fashion Show –
Designer student participants:

Rachel Anson – Art Institute OC
Travis Villasenor – Art Institute OC
Coral Castillo – Art Institute OC
Crystalle Perez – Art Institute OC
Karla Alvarado – Santa Ana College
Monica Holdman – Long Beach City College
Amber Hickman – Cal State University Long Beach
Basil Malicsi – Cal State University Long Beach
Dawn Roda – Cal State University Long Beach
Kimberly Luu – Santa Ana College

Location: THE YOST THEATRE: 301 Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
Time: Doors open 7pm. Show 8 – 10 p.m.
Admission: $12 GA
BUY TICKETS: http://ocfashionweek.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn

FASHION EXHIBIT: “CORSETS IN MODERN FASHION” – Cheri Wilson
Location: THE YOST THEATRE: 301 Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, CA 92701

Saturday, May 21

Event: Lecture Series -– “STYLE PRO”
Guest Speakers:

Style, Events & Promotions – Erin Bianchi (Bloomingdales)
OC Trend Forecasting – Caroline Lettieri (nudawgntown.com)

Location: GRAND CENTRAL ART CENTER: 125 North Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92701
Time: Lecture 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Admission: $20 GA, $10 students, OCFA members FREE
BUY TICKETS: http://ocfashionweek.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn

Event: “OC BORN” – 2011/12 Fall/Winter Collections Show –
Designers/Brands:

DUAL SOCIETY – Rey Aquino – Men’s
ADOLFO SANCHEZ – Adolfo Sanchez – Women’s
i.CTZN – Sheena Gao, Laura Krusemark – Women’s/Men’s
MATTEBLACK – Paul & Matt Wignall – Women’s/Men’s

Location: OUTDOOR: 2nd Street Promenade, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Time: VIP arrival 6:30p. Show 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Admission: GA FREE, RSVP Required for VIP
VIP After-Party: FREE, RSVP Required for VIP at: asunta@ocfashionassociation.com

Sunday, May 22

FASHION EXHIBIT: “CORSETS IN MODERN FASHION” – Cheri Wilson
Location: THE YOST THEATRE: 301 Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, CA 92701

Event: “RAISED IN OC” – 2011/12 Fall/Winter Children’s Wear Collections Fashion Show –
Designers/Brands:

kangacoo DESIGNS – Katie Nguyen – Boys & Girls
AUNTIE KERRIE – Kerrie Garcia – Boys & Girls
FORE!! AXEL & HUDSON – Paul Nguyen – Boys

Event: “IN SUSTAINABLE FASHION” – 2011/12 Fall/Winter Designer Collection Fashion Show –
Brands/Designers:

31 BITS – Accessories
SIMPLY VINTAGE by SANTANA ROSE – Santana Rose – Accessories
UPPER CLASS LABEL – Laura Mendrin – Women’s
LOVE CLOTHING – Jill Lutrel – Women’s
LOLA PAIGE – Jessica O’Hara, Thien Crisanto – Women’s

Location: THE YOST THEATRE: 301 Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, CA 92701
Doors open: 11:30a
Time: 12:00p – 2:00p
Admission: $10 (kids under the age of 5 enter FREE)
BUY TICKETS: http://ocfashionweek.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn

ADMISSION:

* General Ticket-$20
* Student Ticket-$10
* OCFA Member Ticket-FREE

ATTIRE:

* Business Casual.

CHECK IN:

* 4:30PM
* Students MUST show current school ID at check in.
* OCFA Membership will be checked at check in.

INFORMATION CONTACT: Director of Community Outreach, Asunta Bamini, at asunta@ocfashionassociation.com

AT EACH EVENT YOU MUST PRESENT YOUR EVENTBRITE TICKET!!!
http://ocfashionweek.eventbrite.com/

TICKET SALES START SUNDAY MAY 1, 2011 AT 9AM
TICKET SALES END ON THURSDAY MAY 19TH AT 4:30PM

“The Garden” documentary and “Up” playing for free at Kidworks today

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Charities, Education, Entertainment, Latinos, Movies, Working Families, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Kidworks is showing the documentary “The Garden” this Sunday at 2:00 pm. This documentary was nominated in 2009, for an Academy Award for Best Documentary feature.

Synopsis: The 14-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda in South Central Los Angeles is the largest of its kind in the United States. Started as a form of healing after the devastating LA riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers have since created a miracle in one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods. Growing their own food. Feeding their families. Creating a community. But now, bulldozers are poised to level their 14-acre oasis. The Garden follows the plight of the farmers, from the tilled soil of this urban farm to the polished marble of City Hall. Mostly immigrants from Latin America, from countries where they feared for their lives if they were to speak out, we watch them organize, fight back and demand answers.

The documentary is in English with Spanish subtitles.

There will be a second room for children with the movie “Up” and an arts and crafts activity.

Where: Kidworks
1902 W. Chestnut Ave.,
Santa Ana, CA 92703

When: Sunday, May 15 2011

Time: 2:00pm

Please RSVP to:

[cid:image002.jpg@01CC11A0.081A90A0] Bárbara Kidder García
Community Engagement Director
P: 714.834.9400 ext. 121
F: 714.834.9494
E:barbara@kidworksonline.org
http://www.kidworksonline.org/

Free concerts at O.C. Marketplace include Beatles tribute on Sunday

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Costa Mesa, Entertainment, music Leave a comment

Enjoy free concerts at the Orange County Marketplace, from May 14 thru June 18, 2011.

2nd Annual West Coast Rockabilly Showdown

Saturdays: May 14, 28, June 4, 11 (noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.)
Three bands/day
Finals June 18 – Winner selected to perform at July 2 Hootenanny, Oak Canyon Park, Irvine
Finals Performance times: noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Click here for more details

2011 Band Line Up

May 15 thru July 10, 2011

3rd Annual Spring Concert Series

Sundays : Noon and 2 p.m.

May 15: Abbey Road -Tribute to the Beatles
May 29: Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos. CD Release show for “Dos” on the Delta Groove Music Label.
June 5: Rip Cat Records Blues and Roots Concert featuring The 44s, Whiteboy, James and the Blues Express, Barry Levenson( from Canned Heat) and The Mighty Mojo Prophets
June 12: Hollywood U-2 -U2 Tribute
June 19: Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers
July 3: Don’t Stop Believin’-Journey Tribute

Click here for more details

Imagination Celebration at the CSUF Grand Central Art Center on May 14

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Dance, Entertainment, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Don’t miss the Imagination Celebration at the CSUF Grand Central Art Center, in downtown Santa Ana, this Saturday, May 14, from 11:00am – 2:00pm.

Location: Grand Central Art Center, located at 125 N Broadway, in Santa Ana.

Come participate in free art projects for kids of all ages! Collage shadow boxes, clay sculpture, face painting, flamenco dancing, and more!

West Floral Park’s Open Garden Day this Saturday, May 14

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Entertainment, Green, Neighborhood Associations, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Come visit the West Floral Park Neighborhood Association’s “Open Garden Day,” on Saturday, May 14.

Twelve of their lovely gardens will be open for touring from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A variety of gardens will be showcased including entertainment spaces, park-like settings, vegetable & herb gardens, and intimate relaxation retreats.

New this year–Garden Bazaar offering unique artisan items for sale. Click here for additional information.

Admission is $10 per person. You may buy your tickets at 902 Riviera Drive, in Santa Ana.

O.C. Great Park to honor El Toro Veterans at Festival of Time

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, Historical, irvine, Military, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 10, 2011
CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Great Park Festival of Time To Honor El Toro Veterans

Event ties past to present and takes visitors back to the forties with live music and vintage aircraft.

IRVINE– Take a walk through Orange County’s past and into the present at the 2011 Festival of Time celebration, on Saturday, May 14, from 7 to 9 pm.

El Toro veterans, their families and the public are invited to reminisce and honor the contributions of those who helped create the legacy of the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, which is making the transition to the Orange County Great Park.

The free event will include a walk on a historical timeline accompanied by live music from the 1940s, vintage WWII-era aircraft, and an enchanted evening featuring an outdoor screening of the 1958 musical South Pacific starring Rossano Brazzi and Mitzi Gaynor.

“Festival of Time allows people to experience history in a unique and interactive way,” said Beth Krom, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. “This event also gives the people of Orange County a chance to meet veterans who served at El Toro and honor their service to our nation.”

The daylong festival will also feature the “We Remember El Toro” display of historic El Toro photographs and the “The Legacy Project Exhibition,” which blends historic photos with current images. The Great Park Museum Without Walls will showcase World War II vehicles and military aircraft. Visitors can enjoy food and refreshments from a variety of gourmet food trucks.

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Bill Kogerman (Ret.), a member of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors, a decorated combat aviator based at El Toro, called this event “a fitting tribute to the brave men and women who served at El Toro.”

“It warms my heart to see our former hangars hosting public events, our former squadron buildings transformed into art galleries and families walking along the runways that once launched our aircraft. The spirit of El Toro is alive and well in the Orange Country Great Park,” said Lt. Col. Kogerman.

Visitors to the Park can see the base taking shape during the construction of the $65.5 million Western Sector Park Development Plan, which encompasses more than 200 acres of the Orange County Great Park. The plan is designed to build Park space that is diverse in use and appropriate to the funds available, resulting in more than 100 acres of active Park space. The Western Sector development — which will include soccer fields, recreation space, park-wide improvements, walking and bike trails, community gardens and a farm — is expected to be complete in 2012, with Park features being opened as they are completed.

The project builds on the current Park space, which will continue to be open and active with events and programming throughout construction. For more information on the Festival of Time and other Great Park events, please visit www.ocgp.org.

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Rep. Sanchez announces winners of Congressional art contest

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Loretta Sanchez, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Representing California’s 47th Congressional District

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2011

MEDIA CONTACT: Adrienne Watson 202-309-0825

REP. SANCHEZ ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF CONGRESSIONAL ART CONTEST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Saturday, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez announced the five area high school students whose artwork was selected as the winning entries in the Forty-Seventh District’s annual Congressional Art Competition. In total, 80 students from ten schools submitted entries. The winners were chosen by an independent panel of judges.

Los Amigos High School student Marlene Quiroz was awarded first place for her work “Bolexican Me.” Her artwork will be displayed for one year as part of a national exhibit in the Cannon Corridor of the U.S. Capitol building. She also received two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C., to attend the national reception and ribbon cutting ceremony that will take place in June.

Second prize was awarded to Juan Ramirez of Godinez Fundamental High School, for his piece entitled “Trash,” and third prize to Lubna Kabir of Fairmont Preparatory Academy, for her work “Thriving Society of Nobodies.” Honorable mentions were awarded to Julie Reyes of Century High School for her self-portrait and Gerardo Acatitla, also of Century High School, for his piece “Dubstep.” The top three students also received scholarships from the Art Institute of California, Orange County, should they decide to attend the school.

“My heartfelt congratulations go to the winning students and their families,” Sanchez said. “I am pleased to host the Congressional Art Competition. It highlights the creativity of Orange County’s young artists, and provides a national platform for their artwork. I’m honored to represent such gifted young people.”

Other participating schools included Polaris High School, Hare High School, Loara High School, Savanna High School, Garden Grove High School and Santa Ana High School.

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is proud to represent California’s 47th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and parts of Fullerton in Orange County. She serves as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security. Rep. Sanchez is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Economic Committee.

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United States House of Representatives
1114 Longworth House Office Building • Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-2965 • Fax: 202-225-5859

Video of Grrl Fair protest at the Santa Ana Artists Village

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Santa Ana, Women 3 Comments

The Grrl Fair Collective held their misguided protest this Saturday, May 6, at the Santa Ana Artists Village Art Walk.

The protest was spurred by allegations that an artist in the basement of the Santora building harassed various members of the Grrl Fair Collective when they held an event in the Santora Building on March 12 of this year.

Andy Verostek, an artist at the Santora, has written a post about the allegations by the Grrl Fair collective that an artist at the Santora harassed a number of them at their recent event. Click here to read his account, which clearly debunks the allegations made by the OC Weekly – which include irresponsible charges that the artists at the Santora building covered up what happened.

Judging from the video, it does not look like very many folks showed up to support this protest.

OC Great Park art gallery complex opens on July 9

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Art Pedroza Posted in Arts and Culture, Entertainment, irvine, Orange County, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 6, 2011
CONTACT: JENN STARNES, 949-724-6574

Last of Fifty-four Palm Trees Planted at Great Park

New cultural complex with art gallery and artists’ studios in tree-lined performance plaza opens July 9.

IRVINE – Orange County’s urban oasis took a huge step forward this week when the last of fifty-four full-size Canary Island Date Palms were seated at the Orange Country Great Park’s new Palm Court Arts Complex. The Palm Court Arts Complex is located near Hangar 244 and comprises two rehabilitated and repurposed former MCAS El Toro military buildings that will now be devoted to art and historical exhibitions, art production by resident artists plus indoor and outdoor special events that will make the most of this shade-filled palm lined plaza.

The Palm Court Arts Complex will officially open to the public at the “Growing the Park” Event on July 9th, 2011, which celebrates the Park’s sixth anniversary. The project features an art gallery and artists’ studios flanking a palm-lined plaza, a venue for outdoor performances and community gatherings. The Palm Court is located close to the popular Great Park Balloon and Carousel.

“These magnificent palm trees define the outdoor plaza connecting the new art gallery and artists’ studios,” said Beth Krom, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation. “This summer, we’ll enjoy outdoor music and dance performances under the canopy of these magnificent trees.”

The Palm Court Arts Complex will be located between two former aviation squadron buildings originally constructed in 1943. The buildings will be transformed into a 3,900-square foot art gallery and 6,400-square foot artists’ studio space. The squadron buildings saw wartime service and later served as the Flying Leathernecks Museum until 1999 when the museum was relocated to MCAS Miramar.

The Palm Court is part of the $65.5 million Western Sector Park Development Plan that encompasses more than 200 acres of the Orange County Great Park. The plan is designed to build Park space that is diverse in use and appropriate to the funds available, resulting in more than 100 acres of active Park space. The Western Sector development — which will include soccer fields, recreation space, park-wide improvements, walking and bike trails, community gardens and a farm — is expected to be complete in 2012, with Park features being opened as they are completed. The project builds on the current Park space, which will continue to be open and active with events and programming throughout construction.

About the Great Park

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