Art Walk | July 2015

Giovanni Rodriguez, “Holy Corruption,” 2015, ink and linoleum cut mixed media, 22 x 15″. Showing at the Metro Gallery

When Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar in 46 BC and created the “Julian” calendar, he also named July after himself (yes, his humility knew no limits). Two years later, he became a pin cushion for the Roman Senate, of course, but, hey, until then, July was one hell of a good time.

Likeminded leaders and movements have also chosen the month for their commemorations, including, our own billionaire founders for Independence Day, and on Bastille Day, the French got rid of their nasty old elitist monarchy in one fail chop (thanks for the help against the Brits, though). For we in the Inland regions, July is really just bloody hot, and yet, no degree of Dante’s Inferno can ever deter the true artist from artisting.

Speaking of heated spiritual allegories, the Metro Gallery presents “Impressions on Paper,” the printmaking mix-media works of Giovanni Rodriquez, and his piece Holy Corruption (pictured here) is an apt metaphor for the checkered history of so many dogmatic entities. Rodriquez studied under famed printmaker Dirk Hagner, and his self-proclaimed morbid outlook on some subjects only serves to further fuel his artistic inspiration – and that’s how you ignite a positive from a negative, no guillotine necessary.

All rays of light and positivity shine down on the Latino Art Museum this month with their group show, “Love is Back,” which includes a festival and awards event. The rager of adoration will close down part of Thomas St., in fact, because there’s just too many good vibrations to be cooped up down below. The stage will feature ten different performance groups and ceremonies, with awards presented to Marc Anthony, the founder of Maestro Cares Orphanage in Colombia, Juan Carlos Arciniegas from CNN en Espanol, and Lisa Pion-Berlin, the founder of Parents Anonymous. The art exhibition will include 23 international artists and the entire event is dedicated to children. Mu-wah!

LOFT on 2nd is equally geared up for spreading some love and inspiration with “Let’s All Fly a Kite,” a group show of kites decorated and constructed by children and local artists. You can even adorn your own opening night, so get it up to the highest height and send it soaring!

Flying your kite is a metaphor for independence and freedom, of course, as well as raising yourself up to higher levels and in 57 Underground‘s “Time+Space,” featuring the paintings of Kendall Johnson and Ken Sheffer, and the photography of Gene Sasse, all the world can be viewed through various points in space and time, each offering a unique and hopeful perspective.

Punk rock is all about perspective – that and electrical taped nips – and in SPACE Gallery‘s “Punk Echoes” you get a veritable slamdance of photographs that illustrate the vision and enthusiasm it offered artists from the 1970s through today. Opening night also features live performances by Alice Bag, The Subtitles, and Guttersnipe Rebellion.

The dA Center for the Arts continues its popular “IMAGINE!”, a gala exhibition of colorful illustrations for children’s books, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) invites you to join Los Angeles creative duo Dog Knit Sweater (Daisy Rosas & Danny Miller) in a collage and zine workshop during the Art Walk. Through a series of collaging exercises meant to upcycle materials from AMOCA’s resource library, you will explore the formal qualities shared between ceramics and 2D works on paper, creating an art zine in the process. Tools and source materials provided, but feel free to bring images you’d like to use in your own collage!

Written by Stacie Davies | Writer at Visual Art Source / Art LTD / IE Weekly / OC Weekly

Art Walk | November 2014

November 8, 2014 6-9PM

The Downtown Pomona Art Walk is EVERY Second Saturday

Kendall Johnson, “Deeper Than the Earth,” 2014, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24″
Showing at 57 Underground

While there are many strange, unsung specialty days that dot each month on the calendar, it’s November that can claim the prestigious “Dunce Day.” Yes, that’s the day set aside for honoring the “dunce cap,” the pointed, paper cone worn by those whose knowledge base leaves much to be desired, but that’s purpose originally, was to “funnel” new information from the tip down into the brain. Really. It’s creator, John Duns, one of the most respected philosophers in the High Middle Ages who is usually referred to as Scotus, envisioned the cap that eventually crowned those who throw spitballs as a way to improve one’s knowledge, as opposed to scar the wearer for life with humiliation. So much for that.

In honor of Dunce Day falling directly on the evening of the Pomona Art Walk, it seems apropos that those seeking new and profound experiences of the arts should put the ideas of Scotus into practice downtown, where they’re assured to absorb a wealth of artistic offerings – no cone dome required.

57 Underground is right in line with the charge that growth and change are not only necessary, but inevitable, in “Walking the Valley.” Curated by Russ Huff and featuring works by Huff, Stanley Barnes, Beth Nosworthy, and Kendall Johnson, this exhibit of found objects, repurposed materials, acrylic, and photography focuses directly on transition that is unsettling, yet filled with promise, and the examination of nuances in fleeting moments.

Making art means you’re always in a transitive state, and Mosaic Gallery makes no bones about it in “Starving Artists.” It’s a “wild call out to the world” says curator Wendy Schulte, who’s gathered together works from a wide range of artists specializing in everything from photography to ink and acrylic, stretching out over realms of realism and the abstract. All of the works are priced at $100 or less, and everything can be taken home on the spot.

Home is where all of your art ends up, most likely, and it’s that sacred space that is filled with multiple meanings for each inhabitant. The Space Gallery explores this concept in “Home and Love,” a duo show by Jon Measures and Norman Gray in digital collage and paint, and investigates both the meaning of home and the fear and confusion surrounding love. And you thought you’d have to wait until Thanksgiving to deal with your baggage….

Speaking of Thanksgiving, once you’ve awakened from your turkey coma, you might wonder if you’ve put on about 10 pounds over the course of the evening. LOFT on 2nd knows you’re often wondering that anyway, and in “Does this Art Make Me Look Fat?” they twist the concept around via an eclectic array of found object assemblage, metal sculpture, painting, and always, “young angst” – as if the young alone have that market cornered.

Apothecary Gallery is just the thing to lift your spirits after too much self-analysis, and in their “Fall into Art Holiday Boutique and Benefit” you can not only soak up the abundance of artistry, but also purchase holiday gifts – proceeds of which go to Helping Hands, Caring Hearts Pomona, a nonprofit that helps feed the hungry and clothe the needy in town.

The Latino Art Museum is all about banding together and unity and in “Sonoridad,” featuring work by Julio Mejia, and a group show in the West Salon of almost 20 artists, you’re certain to experience both inspiration and serenity; Richard Willson takes a direct look at community in the 12 poems and 12 paintings of “Alchemy” at the Metro Gallery, a vision of downtown through the paintings of artist’s lofts and industrial buildings on Second Street; and the SCA Project Gallery likewise spotlights locals and lovers of the local art scene in their massive annual members-only exhibit, “The Show,” featuring new work by member artists.

Finally, if it’s a broad palette of creative clay endeavors you crave, AMOCA has a roster of notable events including “Chris Gustin: Masterworks in Clay,” a 40-year retrospective, with an opening lecture by the artist, Annastasia C. Nahanni’s organic and whimsical sculptures informed by a utopian vision in “Quixotic Quiver: Exploration in Sculpture,” and Tim Berg and Rebekah Myers’ “Sight Unseen” – which is something you shouldn’t take literally about any of the Art Walk exhibitions. See them, feel them, and cast off that crummy cone hat – until the next time you pull that little girl’s pigtails. Which, we all agree she deserved, of course.

Written by Stacie Davies | Writer at Visual Art Source / Art LTD / IE Weekly / OC Weekly

Art Walk | October 2014

Claudia Cogo, “La Trama,” 2012, oil on canvas, 100cm x 120cm. Featured at the Latino Art Museum

On Sept. 15, 1821, five Latin American countries declared their independence from Spain: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua – Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence in mid-September. But this is October and we’re in the United States, so why do you need to know any of this? Well, smarty, because from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, it’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, so declared by Lyndon Johnson (originally a week) and so expanded by Ronald Reagan (into 30 days) – that’s why. If you hadn’t noticed, the US has a robust citizenry with Hispanic heritage, and during this time, we celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to our great melting pot.

Of course, over at the Latino Art Museum, every day is a celebration of Hispanic culture, but in honor of this special time, owner/curator/artist Graciela Nardi brings together 33 artists in an explosion of artistic vision and expression for “Hispanic Heritage.”

The dA Center for the Arts also shines a spotlight on multiculturalism with their 12th annual Aztlan exhibition, “Maestros y Mas” (Where We Began), featuring works by the Chicano/a arts movement masters from the 1960s-70s, including pieces from Judy Baca, Armando Baeza, David Botello, Paul Botello, Oscar R. Castillo, Margaret Garcia, Wayne Healy, Sergio Hernandez, Mario Trillo, John M. Valadez, and Linda Vallejo.

The American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) also pays tribute to one of its artistic legends in “HM100: A Century through the Life of Harrison McIntosh.” To celebrate what would have been the ceramicist giant’s 100th birthday, the museum is showcasing 100 of the renowned artist’s pieces, from wheel thrown vessels to sculptural forms. The show will also feature several vignettes of artwork from his friends and contemporaries Karl Benjamin, Rupert Deese, James Hueter and Sam Maloof.

Also on exhibit at AMOCA are “Framing Images of the Southwest: Amado Pena and Rich Lopez,” a collaboration between the popular Southwest painter and ceramicist that’s produced wall hung ceramic portraiture inspired from Native American culture, and “Heaven: Rebekah Bogard,” a mesmerizing fantasy of oversized flowers and plant sculptures.

Speaking of mesmerizing, over at the LOFT on 2nd, freestyle rapper MC Supernatural exhibits his Aborigine and African dot paintings in “Atom is a Man,” curated by Reco Price, and we hear tell it’s a totally cosmic experience!

Over at the Metro Gallery, the cosmic morphs into the surreal in Gary Bjorkland’s “Impressions of Southeast Asia,” which includes cabbages and condoms, apparently, and at the Mosaic Gallery, a host of creators join together in “Starving Artists,” where you can pick up some deeply discounted masterpieces to add to your extensive collection.

Last but not least, Pomona favorite Christopher Xaiver Hernandez celebrates the grand opening of Indigo Studios on First St., featuring two new paintings and over 30 new bar drawings. Welcome back, Chris!

Saturday, October 11, 2014, 6-9pm

	Pomona Arts Colony Downtown Pomona Pomona, California 91766
	info@downtownpomona.org
	www.downtownpomona.org
	Second Saturdays of the month 6-9pm

Art Walk | September 2014

Nicole Fournier, “Tethered by the Accord of Emotion,” 2014, encaustic mixed media, 35 x 90 1/2″. Showing at the SCA Project Gallery

September might be a lot of things that you already know – back to school (yay), beginning of autumn (yay and yay) – but also some things you might not. On the 19th of the month, for example, it’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day. No kidding. And this special holiday is observed specifically by the followers of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Still not kidding. Pastafarians, therefore, should all take that Friday off from work, and possibly even picket a Hobby Lobby for failing to, well, offer anything constructive to human existence. One thing that always elevates mankind, however, is the Pomona Art Walk, and this month is no exception with the SCA Project Gallery’s stellar showcase, “LAXWAX Art East: Contemporary Encaustic.” Filled with a variety of beeswax creations by some of SoCal’s top encaustic artists, this is the time to celebrate not only the beauty of this ancient art craft, but also the lives of the little buggers who make it possible. Very little would ever be possible without women, of course (yes, yes, men, too), and 57 Underground is choosing to highlight the double-X sex this month in “Feminine Strength,” a show that features everything from pen and ink depictions of no-sass ladies from the Old Testament to fiber creations of historical dames who caused too much trouble to “bossypants” gals of the 20th and 21st centuries who don’t care a whit if you call them “bossypants” – just get out of their way. Artists Jeanne Andersen, Georga Garside, and Sharon Algozer show you how it’s done. Graciela Horne Nardi reveals her personal side in “My Labyrinth” at the Metro Gallery, and also offers us a host of “Miniatures” over at the Latino Art Museum. Curated by Rosa Elena Osicka, this latter show is a hefty gathering of over 20 artists working in acrylic, oil, collage, tempura and photography. Loft Beats Gallery is also a top gathering spot with “Amongst Friends,” in which artists curate their own wall spaces, creating themes and color specific to their style. Guest artists include Julie Nguyen and Kyle Jewell, along with regulars Denisse Viallba, Erns Valdez, Eric Rosenthal, Brandon Schwebs, Jessica Delker, Bre Thomas, Vincent Landreth, C Muze, Stacey Patino, Chris 0’Mahoney, and Naasson Graham.		Pomona Arts Colony Second SaturdaysSaturday, Sept. 13, 2014, 6-9pm Pomona Arts Colony Downtown Pomona Pomona, California 91766 info@downtownpomona.org www.downtownpomona.org www.pomonaarts.com Second Saturdays of the month 6-9pm

Last but not least, the dA Center for the Arts offers up an extravaganza in “The Art In/Of Diverstiy,” with a series of events that are all interconnected. It begins with the poetry of Delores Abdella Combs, which inspired the live music performance of Kevin Abdella, and that also served as inspiration to the exhibition of paintings by Nathaniel Williams. There’s also an additional component to the exhibition featuring over 15 collaborative projects from dA’s community of artists, poets and musicians. The opening night panel discussion will cover the “expression of cultural cohesion” and how artists coexist within their distinct values and ways of life and yet “become a part of a massive mosaic of otherness.” What are the “unlimited possibilities of accepting how others open new doors to peace?” This panel, which consists of John Maguire, President Emeritus, Claremont Graduate University; Peter Harris, Poet, Founder/Artistic Director of Inspiration House; Everett Vigil “Manchild,” Founder, The Non-Prophet Poets; José Z. Calderón, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Chicano/ Latino/a Studies, Pitzer College; and the lone woman representative, Dr. Cheryl Williams-Jackson, Professor of Child Development and Human Service, Modesto Junior College, want you to know! Written by Stacie Davies | Writer at Visual Art Source / Art LTD / IE Weekly / OC Weekly

Art Walk | August2014

Tammy Carlson Greenwood, “Emerging Renewal,” rebar wire, plaster, bronzed cicada, 2012, 24 x 8″. On exhibition at SCA Project Gallery

Revitalization is the key to success, especially for an arts community. Mixing together the new with the established, and finding fresh ways to present the familiar, takes stamina and vision – and the Pomona Arts Colony continues to pump fresh life into its hallowed halls. Take the stylish vintage banners by Jason Christman that were recently installed throughout the Colony after his highly successful show at the Metro Gallery, and more is on the horizon as George Cuttress of the recently closed Main Street Gallery moves from art aficionada to cultural entrepreneur.

It’s all in motion – the new and the old – and in that vein, the Colony triumphantly welcomes the return of Xavier Christopher Hernandez, one of Pomona’s favorite sons, with his new series of works on display at the LOFTon2nd. “From the Mind of Xavier Christopher Hernandez” isn’t just a description, it’s a warning, because if you’ve never seen Hernandez’s offbeat and maniacally-detailed renderings, which include bar sketches as well as images on panel and canvas, we dare you not to be both dazzled and dazed.

On the other end of the spectrum, Mosaic Gallery welcomes new Pomona artist-resident Victoria L. Stuard all the way from Alabama, and her photography series “Under the Southern Sky,” curated by Wendy Chung, is guaranteed to transport you “into a heart-warming vision of the South.” Yee-haw and we can’t wait to see her take on P-town!

Staples of the community are also influx, but the legendary 57 Underground still refuses to push up daisies, choosing instead to move to yet another location this month, weathering all of the storms they’ve been blundered by lately like troopers. “Art Model + Artist = Artifact,” featuring the work of Mike Dommermuth, Carlos Durazo, Andrew Kovner, Maria Leon, Yi-li Chin Ward, and others from the Mike Vegas studios, is a bit of bliss awaiting your weary eyes.

AMOCA continues its “Large as Life” exhibition of the sculptural work of IE local Betty Davenport Ford, and Elaine Katzer and Lisa Reinertson . Curator Rody Lopez found unifying approaches to clay among the artists and fills the exhibition not only with “figures, torsos, and animals,” but with photographs and other ephemera that accent the “grandiose careers of these exceptional artists.” Plus, in the Vault, they continue their tribute to Jose Posada in “LaCatrina,” an interactive exhibit featuring low-fire figures representing some of the most influential personas of the Latino culture.

The Latino Art Museum is always on the forefront of the Hispanic art experience, of course, and this month, Graciela Nardi offers “Earth Angel for Peace,” a group show with works by Juan Eizaguirre, Jose Antonio Torres, Cindy Lopez, Valeria Marchio, Laura Saldarriaga, Rosa Elena Oicka, Natalya Borisovna Parris, Christine Senger, Yolanda Londono, Oscar Londono, Rigo Rivas, Joaquin Retana, and Mimi Sthepenson. Next door at the SCA Project Gallery, “The Life of Things” requests that you don your deep-thinking caps and view the surreal and sassy imaginings of David Lovejoy, Jim Haag, Johnny Fox, Osceola Refetoff, and Tammy Carlson Greenwood – all to the beats and grooves of DJs Apo Esteban and Radiant Child.

Life isn’t only about revitalization, but also about being in the moment, and from Metro Gallery‘s “Unfolding Soul” – Elza Queen’s eclectic works documenting stages of soulful evolution using color – to The Apothecary‘s “On the Outskirts” featuring Kristin Frost’s exploration of the effects of time on memory using watercolor, being present is clearly the tip of the month. There’s no better way to experience that in art, of course, than to actually be there while it’s in the making, and for Art Walk night only, the dA Center for the Arts presents that moment in “Fame Creation & dA Color Yo: An Evening of Performance Installations.” Curated by Liselotte Marin, “Fame Creation” is all about merging music and painting, as demonstrated by Marin and Christian Ornelas, and includes live painting to the post-rock sounds of Audea. In “dA Color Yo,” performance artist in residence Takeshi creates a sanctuary from everyday objects and invites you inside to feel the good vibrations. We can already feel them from here, Arts Colony, and we can’t wait for you to blow our funky socks off once again!

Pomona Arts Colony
Second Saturdays

Saturday, August 9, 2014, 6-9pm

	Pomona Arts Colony Downtown Pomona Pomona, California 91766
	info@downtownpomona.org
	www.downtownpomona.org www.pomonaarts.com
	Second Saturdays of the month 6-9pm

Art Walk | July 2014

While July is mostly known as a patriotic month, with Independence Day in the US and Bastille Day in France, these historic celebrations really don’t compare to a national issue that affects millions: boredom. Yes, July is “National Anti-Boredom Month,” an awareness theme that we are certain was created by someone who really had nothing better to do. If you’re fortunate enough to be plagued by boredom (because you aren’t running from bloodthirsty militia groups or foraging for food in flood waters), there are heaps of online suggestions for what to do with all your extra time, such as backyard camping and scrapbooking. All in moderation, please. Of course, a better suggestion is always to go see some art – in museums, galleries, street corners, or anywhere you might discover something that enriches your perspective and expands your horizon.

One place residents and visitors to Pomona have always found those experiences is at the Main Street Gallery, who’ve been ardent supporters of the arts for over 20 years. Sadly, Main Street, owned and operated by community icons George and Roylene Cuttress, will be closing its doors for good at the end of July, with the Cuttress’ moving on to other artistic endeavors that we’re sure will continue to lift up the Pomona Arts Colony. For their grand finale, they’ve amassed a prestigious collection of work from clients and guest artists, including pieces from Fr. Bill Moore, Sumi Foley, Karen Kauffman, Ken Sheffer, Joy McAllister, Phil Marquex, David Holzberger, Yi Kai, Fred Litch, Bill Catling, Lenny Stitz Jr., Lenny Stitz Sr., Shirley McWorter-Moss, Larry White, Roland Reiss, and many others. It’s the end of an era, art lovers, and an event that you don’t want to miss.

Over at the Metro Gallery, the works of Gary Ochoa are evidence that the arts in Pomona continue to thrive. In “Painting Reclaimed,” Ochoa explores what he calls “the language of painting” using reclaimed materials. “Inspired by the modern city-scape, Ochoa’s work combines color, texture, and form to create a collection that ranges from complex to sparse, from atmospheric to abstract.”

It’s always good to keep your eye on the ball, and 57 Underground has definitely been keeping us on our toes! Now in a new location (newer than last month’s “new” location), the Underground is weathering all of their recent changes like troopers. This month’s show, “Art Model + Artist = Artifact,” is all about the drawing groups who’ve been meeting, for over 20 years, at Mike Vegas’ studios and features work by Mike Dommermuth, Carlos Durazo, Andrew Kovner, Maria Leon, Yi-li Chin Ward, and many others. LoftBeats also has cause for celebration as the artist collective celebrates its 5th year of bringing provocative and progressive art to the Colony. In “How We Do,” works by Eric Rosenwald, Denisse Villalba, Brandon Schwebbs, Jessica Delker, Bre Thomas, Vincent Landreth, Stacey Patino, Naasson Graham, Jr. Mora, Chris O’Mahoney, Christopharo, Erns Valdez and others take the viewer on a visual journey, “in one door and out the other.”

Down the street at LOFTon2nd, nine artists come together in “Reverie & Memory.” Curated by Jordan Mullen and spotlighting work from Azusa Pacific University, Master of Fine Arts students, Katy Gilmore, Mary Song, Nancy Hines, Lucinda Chalmers, Cindy De Mesa, Elizabeth Hornbeck, Justin Evans, Rachel Farrington, and Jordan Mullen, the exhibit explores the many facets of the human experience and how they manifest themselves as memory. The SCA Project Gallery also ventures into human experiences in “Identity Crisis,” in which curator Kerry Kugelman poses the question: “How does knowing his or her personality type inform an artist’s work?” Participating artists are from various regions, all of whom took an online personality test and then created work reflective of their resulting personality profile.

Speaking of identity and all the labels that go with it, the SPACE Gallery kicks off “Sign Geeks,” a survey of photographers who share a passion for vintage neon signs. “Finding the signs atop of ramshackle buildings and bowling alleys, hanging over seedy bars and no-tell motels, each sign is a handcrafted original, once a landmark or a guidepost, promising a cold beer, a good meal or even a good time,” says curator Christina Franco-Long. “They helped define a street, a neighborhood and an era. This show is both an homage to this vanishing art form and a distinctive and compelling genre of its own.”

Finally, the Latino Art Museum continues its celebration of the “Don’t Sleep” international exhibition featuring over 50 European artists, and adds to the gallery Andreas Murauer’s solo show of 23 photographs mounted on aluminum. They’ll also be handing out Red Carpet Awards for their 13th year celebration. Hosted by Cecilia “the Mamacita” from radio station 93.5 KDAY, recipients include Edward James Olmos and Christine Devine. Deje que la celebra!

Written by Stacie Davies | Writer at Visual Art Source / Art LTD / IE Weekly / OC Weekly

FOX11 “Good Day LA”

FOX11 correspondent Olga Ospina, came through Downtown Pomona yesterday to interview and showcase what they call a Cultural Resurgence in the Arts within Pomona’s Arts Colony. They spoke and spotlighted Frank Garcia (Chamber of Commerce), Larry Egan (DPOA), Ceasar (Hip Hop School of Arts), Aztec Dancers (Boys and Girls Club), The DA Center of Arts, The School of Arts and Enterprise and of course, Charlie (the Trolley).

Video 1 | FOX 11 LA KTTV

Video 2 | FOX 11 LA KTTV

ArtWalk: JUNE2014

Jose Dominquez Hernandez, “Canal Veneciano V,” 2014, oil on canvas, 14 x 10″. On view at the Latino Art Museum

The summer solstice is practically upon us, which means the freeways will suddenly be much less congested now that students are sleeping in until noon every day. June also means it’s time for some fun in the sun, and in our new age of season-less, totally natural, nothing-to-worry-about “climate change,” there’ll be plenty of sun to go around. Seems fitting then that the Metro Gallery invites us to step through the gateway of PAZ’s “Dream World” for a jaunty respite into realms unlike our own where mythology, the fantastic, and the surreal are the norm. We’ll take a one-way ticket, please!

If an exotic vacation is more your summer style, The Latino Art Museum is ready to whisk you away into Venetian canals and lush floral landscapes with “The Sense of the Natural” in the Grand Salon, featuring over twenty oil works from one of Spain’s finest painters, Jose Dominquez Hernandez; in the East Salon, Laura Saldarriaga, Virginia Viera, Rigo Rivas and Graciela Horne Nardi offer you even more excursions into beauty and nature, which will definitely wreck any idea you have of being a couch potato this summer.

The Main Street Gallery continues the adoration of the nature of humanity in Carolyn Allbaugh’s “Reflexion Dangereuse,” a series of bronze figures that distinctly tap into the our mortal condition and physiology, and 57 Underground joins the thread of growth and change with “Metamorphosis,” a celebration of 15 years of exhibitions featuring painting, sculpture, fiber arts, clay sculpture, printmaking, photography, and mixed media by Sharon Algozer, Caesar Alzate, Jr., Lisa Brugger, Karen Duckles, Desiree Engel, Georga Garside, Russ Huff, Mary Hughes, Ken Johnson, Mervyn Seldon, and Doug and Yi-li Chin Ward. LOFTon2ND brings in a Pomona legend, Vicky Thomas, showcasing her brilliantly crafted jewelry, as well as sculpture and watercolors.

The dA Center for the Arts, however, insists you make merry of it all and are set to give you some ideas in “One of One: World’s Greatest Custom Toy Show,” an exhibition in celebration of the dA’s 30th Anniversary. This substantial survey of over 50 artists, curated by painter Johnny Rodriguez, includes works by 64 Colors, Alice Yeh, April Elliot, Attaboy, Axis, AX2, Blamo, Bob Dob, Bryn Perott, Camille Rose Garcia, Catcult, Cikcuk, Codak, Defer, DrilOne, Ekundayo, Elizabeth McGrath, Erik Siador, Fr. Bill Moore SS. CC., Gabbie Custom Art, Germs, Graham Curran, Gris Grimly, Jill Ricci, Joe Scarano, Jophen Stein, Juan Thorp, Kingsley, KMNDZ, Leecifer, Marco Zamora, Mari Inukai, Max Kauffman, Mike Maxwell, Miss Mindy, N.C. Winters, Paris, Phidias Gold, Rick O’Brien, Rusty Jordan, Spankystokes, Super Cooper Berella, TAG, Tasha Zimich, Terror Visual 1984, The French Fury, Tom Pathe, Urban Medium and Yoskay Yamamoto.

Never one to be out done, AMOCA also kicks off a ginormous show, three of them, in fact. First, check out “Large as Life” where curator Rody Lopez brings together the iconic works of Betty Davenport Ford, Elaine Katzer and Lisa Reinertsonl; then head into The Vault for “La Catrina,” featuring the animated skeletons or “calaveras” of Jose Guadalupe Posada; and finally, make your way to the Ceramics Studio Gallery where you’ll find an impressive 40-year-retrospective of works by Connie Layne in “A Playful Primitive.” It’s a fantastic triple-play that you won’t want to miss! And last but not least, check out “Cycled” at the SCA Project Gallery, and that’s all we know about it which means it’s mysterious, but also sounds really healthy!

Continuing exhibitions and other events:

“Nourish the Senses: Touch and See,” works by Fr. Bill Moore, LLCC at Main Street Gallery.Artist talks, Fr. Bill Moore LLCC and Carolyn Allbaugh, Main Street Gallery, June 28.

Written by Stacy Davies | VisualArtSource, ArtScene Magazine, IE Weekly, OC Weekly

Art Walk: MAY2014

 

Erns Valdez, “Mr. Killen’s Neighborhood,” 2014, aerosol and acrylic on canvas, 24 × 36″

Pomona Arts Colony
Second Saturdays

Saturday, May 10, 2014, 6-9pm

One of the things art does best is remind you of what you’re not looking at. Take trees, for example. We have tons of them, and when they’re in a group, we might take note of their beauty, of the canopy they’ve created, of how long they’ve been standing there – usually much longer than we’ve been alive. Trees are awesome. Erns Valdez is no tree-hugger, but he certainly appreciates their aesthetic and respects their presence, which is made clear in “Tree’s a Tree” at the Metro Gallery. Using spray paint and acrylic, Valdez has stayed true to his graffiti roots, and yet imbued these knotty deities with the grandeur they deserve and so seldom receive. A tree is not just a tree, Valdez seems to be saying – and we agree! 

Trees are solid and immovable – unfortunately, art galleries are not, and 57 Underground is currently feeling the terra-level heat. Moving from their downstairs dwelling (which they’ve inhabited since 1998) to a temporary street location, 57 presents what is hopefully NOT their final exhibition. “Up and Out: New Directions” features works by Glenn Briggs, Desiree Engel, Mary Hughes and Mervyn Seldon, and continues through the end of May when it transforms into “Metamorphosis” in June. Go show them the love and support, and find out what you can do to keep this staple of the P-Town art world alive and well. 

Mosaic Gallery might have some suggestions, as they always keep the faith in this artistic leg of their nondenominational church. This month they present “These Things Happen” a photography show from Clarke Latta Henry III and curated by Wendy Schulte that features Henry’s snaps from his travels across the US, and the SCA Project Gallery is compelled to announce that “Film is Not Dead,” a celluloid-only photography exhibition featuring the work of the Bloody Gums Collective and curated by Andrew Barsoum that seeks to remind us of the broad range of film photography.

Pomona also welcomes a new gallery to the art scene, so be sure to check out “Kingdom” at Apothecary, where you’ll find acrylic and marble sculptures and paintings on canvas of castles for miniature mermaids and tropical fish that “transport you into the domestic territory of an aquatic princess, bought in the currency of dreams.” Super poetic, no? So why not immerse yourself in some gorgeous coral mounds, stalagmites and Seussian chimneys, because these things make life pretty for a second. The paintings of Fr. Bill Moore also make life just a little bit better, and you can find the works of this iconic man at the Main Street Gallery, where, as usual,you’ll feel a sense of “om” and centeredness that is oh, so elusive in the outside world.

Over at the LOFTon2ND, it’s student art month, with Azusa Pacific University scholar Sarah DeMonteverde’s “POLYchromatic,” a colorful and passionate array of Polynesian visions that will merge with a live performance of traditional Polynesian dance, and the Latino Art Museum also gets into dreamy exotica with “Beyond Subconscious Surrealism,” with works by Shahla Rosa that re-imagine the world from a female principle and offer an “alternative to the deeply-entrenched patriarchal social and political order that shaped the surrealist revolt.” That’s some heavy stuff, and we can’t wait for her to BRING it!

Written by Stacy Davies | VisualArtSource, ArtScene Magazine, IE Weekly, OC Weekly

Sculpture park in Pomona builds following for local artists

By Wes Woods, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

POSTED: 04/21/14, 9:41 PM PDT |

Second Street Sculpture Park

Where: 538 W. Second St., Pomona.

When: 5-10 p.m. Second Saturdays of every month; closed November through March.

Cost: Free.

Information: 909-569-5077,romerometal@gmail.com or visitwww.facebook.com.

People visit the Second Street Sculpture Park, open from 5 to 10 p.m., the second Saturday of every month at 538 W. Second St., in Pomona. | Photo by James Carbone

With its unique collection of colorful outdoor art, the Second Street Sculpture Park in five years has helped bring some much-needed attention to the longtime empty space on the west side of Second Street in Pomona.

“Before, it was just a vacant lot and overrun with tumble weeds … and then they set up an eclectic sculpture garden,” said Larry Egan, the executive director of the Downtown Pomona Owners Association. “It’s a slow build, but it’s working.”

The park at 538 W. Second Street is open the second Saturday of every month, except during the winter, and was created to promote outdoor and “outsider” art in the community, said Dan Romero, who helped developed the sculpture park with his wife, Dina.

“Everything you see is a very good example of outsider art,” Romero said during a recent day at the park while looking at the various sculptures that range from a gigantic horse to a three person seesaw. “If you’re not part of academia, then you’re considered an outsider in the art world, That’s why it says outsider art as well as outside art, because these are things that are too big to put inside and they’re mostly made by artists that would be considered folk artists or outside artists.”

While artists with degrees are also welcomed inside the park, Romero said referring to a sculpture of Al Gore in the front of the park created by a USC art students, he really tries to keep an eye out for those who are not college trained.

“It’s open to these people who get the bug to make something,” Romero said.

Miguel Franceschi, 33, of Pomona, owns the nearby Foggy Windows Gallery and said Romero helped inspire him and his friends to keep creating by not shunning them like some other older artists.

“It’s inspiring when people are willing to talk to you,” Franceschi said.

The gigantic landmark Watts Towers provided inspiration for the park. Located in the Watts District of Los Angeles, the iconic towers were created by Sabato Rodia, who died in 1965.

But the true catalyst was a competition hosted by the Millard Sheets Gallery at the Fairplex that Romero entered, which sought to find the best sculptured parade horse for the Los Angeles County Fair.

Participants, who were in teams, had access to a salvage yard on the west side of White Avenue in Pomona and could use whatever they wanted to make their sculptures. The only thing usable was metal so Romero said he taught everyone how to weld.

“We had 15 days to build this sculpture because it was to be built in front of (the fair) audience,” Romero said. “It was just a lot, a lot of fun.”

The name of the competition was the Trojan Horse, which coincided with a show inside the Millard Sheets Gallery about horses.

In the end, Romero’s horse — a classic Trojan Horse people could actually step into that he created with his wife, children and friends — finished second place in the competition.

A year later in the fall of 2009, Romero’s horse and the other horse sculptures created during in the Trojan Horse competition needed to be removed from the Fairplex where they were stored as the venue began gearing up for its next county fair.

“I did not know what to do with them,” Romero said. “They were too big to take home.”

And the sculpture park was born.

With permission by Perry Tollett, who co-owns the Glass House with Goldenvoice’s Paul Tollett as well as the Fox Theater, Romero has been able to host the Second Street Sculpture Park event each month gaining quite a following.

Chris Toovey, president and co-founder of the dA center for the arts in Pomona, said the sculpture park adds diversity to the burgeoning west side of the downtown arts colony.

“It’s an outside exhibition space as opposed to an inside exhibition space so it makes it fresh and a little more raw and new at that side,” Toovey said. “It’s a great addition. It’s got a kind of nice early, rustic, renegade appeal to it.”