For RSVP’s and Public Conversation

Grand Prize Winner: Eric Staniford

Pain can cripple, mame, and destroy. That same pain can be used to heal, strengthen and regenerate.

Fan’s Choice: Henia Flynn

I am captivated by the human figure, the expression of emotion, the personality that exudes from every one of us, the stories our faces tell, the thousands of words conveyed by a single gesture; my friend Stella is an especially colorful woman–beautiful, creative, spiritual, inspiring… This image captures a moment of visitation, coffee with a friend, thoughtful conversation, the promise of many more such moments.

Best Painting: Anne Baumgartner

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Annie Dillard

We moved from Seattle to Los Angeles last year. The world tilted, our youngest child started college, and suddenly we were two souls in a foreign land. Starting a new job and navigating freeways consumed our early days. Making this city home felt like the more difficult task. Everyone asked, “How is is going in LA? Have you met good friends? Do you ever see your kids?” I wanted to give victorious answers and spin a story of success, but each day held a different story. There were tears, laughter, confusion and surprises. In the middle of the messy chaos was me and my life… month by month, day by day.
I saved calendar pages and painted on those for the base of this piece. They remind me of the daily rhythm beneath all of the change. I pasted maps from everyone’s new hometown and odd service tags designed to streamline random process. Layers of bright color contrast with dark spaces. The interesting, accidental shapes reference overlapping life events. We still cry sometimes, and the drips roll down.
As my title suggests, this is a story about hope and future. We are planting new things in the garden. Our daughter described it well, “Whenever we are together, then we are home.”

Best Photograph: Claire Mallett

As a woman and an artist my muse is Pre-code Hollywood and the female stars that dominated that era. From the advent of talkies in 1929 until July of 1934 when the enforcement of a strict set of moral rules and censorship, known as the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays code) came into effect, marked an incredible era in American cinematic history. During this time women on screen were unabashed, strong and free. They were in touch with their sexuality and took control of their lives with no apologies. In this day and age where feminism can be looked upon as a dirty word I look to these women for inspiration. Whether it’s Barbara Stanwyck climbing the career ladder in Babyface, Bette Davis making no excuses as an artist in Ex-Lady or Josephine Baker who not only made a stand for women but also for African Americans at this time. I want the subjects of my imagery to portray the same strengths of power, sexuality and freedom. Aesthetically I am heavily influenced by this era, black and white high contrast images, with an emphasis on shadow and a high design element. My influences in the photographic world are George Hurrell, Man Ray and Edward Weston who were all highly relevant during this time. By combining my deep-seated love of these masters with my contemporary sensibilities I have created my own voice and vision of the female form.

Best Sculpture: Peter Stevens

For centuries, monasteries served as bastions of civility, preserving learning and extending charity to those around them. In this context a rich tradition of beer making developed, one that provided for the poor and evidenced a belief in a God who desires to see life and creativity flourish. Sadly, this sacred craft has all but disappeared from the Church today.

For this reason Northland Village Church has chosen to embrace this art, because we also are a people who care about community, hospitality, and creativity. This beer is the fruit of our labor. We hope enjoying it will spark good conversation and deep reflection on the beauty of this life.

NVC has bottled our first batch of beer, connecting with the historic tradition of the church being the place that makes the best brew. Our beer, “The Reconciler”, will be released on July 18 at 55 Degree wine in Atwater Village at 7pm.

A FREE GLASS OF OUR BEER

will be given to all who attend (over 21)! That’s right, a free glass of our craftsmen double Belgium, laced with a hint of IPA will be given to celebrate the occasion. Also, non-alcoholic root beer will also be given away at the event for those who don’t drink alcohol. See you on July 18!!!

Reserve your glass at our Facebook Page.

There has been a budding tradition building with the Summer Nights on the Blvd. happening in Atwater Village. This tradition continues to grow as this year’s events will all include art dispursed throughout the village.  Be sure to check out the new website for details on how this will unfold.

http://www.artontheblvd.com/

An art showcase and competition hosted by Hypnotiq Solutions and Santosha Space celebrating “Summer Nights on the Boulevard” curated by Adriana Franco

voices from chornobyl · 40 min · $5 to $10 · Ages 8+ · family friendly · world premiere · June 11, 18, 19, 25 & 25 at 1pm

Local teaching artist Cindy Marie Jenkins premieres this interactive children’s story, and can offer discounted tickets to the first 3 shows. Good educational fun for the entire family. Use the code “ATWATER” at the checkout and pay whatever you want for a ticket (and it can be $0).

Katya was 9 when the accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant changed her life. An interactive and educational story of a young girl struggling with her world, brought to you by the Awareness Team of Voices From Chornobyl. Profits go to Chernobyl Children International. (Please note: we do not take any stance on nuclear power; this is not a political piece in any way. More info on our website.)

To buy tickets: http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/348

For more information and behind-the-scenes: http://voicesfromchornobyl.com/

People can also email me directly if they have questions: cindymariejenkins@gmail.com

TRANSIENTS is a short film about two artists with disabilities (a deaf musician and an environmental artist), and you can see the trailers for the film online here: http://www.youtube.com/transientsfilm

We are looking for real artists to do artwork as part of the festival within the film. (Cannot be SAG)

Here’s what you need to know about the shoot itself:

Depending on your art form, you would be a painter, sculptor, environmental, or mixed media artist at an arts festival. Your scene would be filmed at Ford Park in Redlands on May 27, and you would be needed from 8am-4pm or so. You would be expected to be committed as an actor on the film, which means being there on time and ready with the necessary items.

You will be allowed to work on your art the entire time, even when you are not being filmed. Also, we may be getting a tarp or canvas that is 6×6 or 12×12 so that the artists can potentially collaborate on a large-scale live painting to debut at the film’s summer premiere.

You would need to bring your own items (canvas, brushes, paints, materials, easels, tools, objects use for your sculpture, etc), *wear NO white or green*, and have no nudity. If you have a live subject you want to paint or sculpt, bring them along (they just can’t be nude)! You can bring a current painting or installation you are working on and also some old ones for display. You are encouraged to bring friends who engage in any or all of the following mediums, who would also bring their own materials and work on their projects: sculpture, painting, mixed media installation, found object art, environmental art. We want to create a DIY atmosphere.

We’d love to have you in the film.

I look forward to hearing from you!

peace,

Rhianon Elan Gutierrez

Director and Writer, Transients

transientsfilm@gmail.com

www.transientsfilm.posterous.com

1st Prize: Kathryn Benso

Art, according to the infamous Jackson Pollock, brings us face to face with ourselves. Whether painted, written, sung, or danced by ourselves or by another, art is that media through which we are confronted with ourselves, our journeys, our stories. When expressed by another, we are drawn into conversation with the Other’s story and by dialoguing with our own, we are able to make personal connections to the artwork. Those pieces of art that have impacted us the most are those we have deeply connected to, the ones that meet us in our own experiences. We are able to relate, converse, and expand understanding of our own journeys through the conversation with another’s.

An old proverb I once heard says it this way: ‘those who do not know the village they have come from will never find the village they are looking for.’ Art has the capacity to bring revelation to our experiences, widening our understanding of where we have come from and where we are going. It aids us in self-identity and purpose.

Subsequently, art introduces people together by ‘inviting in’ conversation and relationship. It is the space where the sharing of experience, emotion, thought, etc is made available. Within this space, we learn from the stories of others and are enlightened about our own stories. In this space, community is born.

Whether as viewers or artists, we have the opportunity to enter into our own stories. This opportunity is made possible and richer only when we allow ourselves to be profoundly vulnerable. So often being fearful, secret, ashamed or embarrassed of our stories, we lock them away and try to forget. But our stories and experiences are very much a part of Who we are; a part that, when forgotten, leaves us seeking identity elsewhere.

Yoyo is a painting that explores this idea. Stemming as depiction of my own, vulnerable, story, Yoyo is part of a series that plays with the theme of mask wearing and identity, past experiences, future journeys, and present obstacles. We meet this woman in an extremely vulnerable state of being. She is caught up in a moment of decision, stuck in a place where one action has been taken and another must be chosen. She holds her mask behind her, unsure of the person who lay beneath. We are aware of her symbolic surroundings: a broken glass window, an opened cardboard box, and a yoyo.

Here is where I deviate. Here is where the viewer must dialogue with the work, questioning the meaning behind each object and deciding for oneself, what the rest of her story is. Yes, I know what her story is to me. Tell me then, what is her story to you?

2nd Prize:

Susanne Krausse

Anytime an artist mixes abstraction with realism in a piece of work they compete for attention, and usually the realism wins because the human brain desperately wants to find something recognizable in whatever it is looking at. I feel like that is a spectacular metaphor for life, which in this case is referred to as your story or my story or even our story. In this case it is my story we are considering. My imagination, represented by the abstract background, often fights for precedence over my sensible realistic self, represented by the more realistic self portraits, and the majority of the time I, like many people out there, let the realistic side win…If I get the urge to leap off of a tall building to see what the wind would feel like going through my hair, my sensible self stops me. That part of my brain tells me that I would probably die and it explains to me that the rush of the free fall and the wind blowing through my hair is not worth the consequence of death. That is often the difference between the sane and the insane (acting on our impulses versus letting them pass when we know they would cause harm). Also, it is often the difference between interesting, adventurous people and boring, overly cautious people; sometimes there is a fine line between interesting and insane. As someone who has studied and loved art extensively, I often find myself pleasantly lost in this adventurous, imaginative side of my brain on any given day. I return to reality periodically and when necessary to perform important tasks and make decisions. I feel that this is a conundrum of life, my life: follow my imagination or adhere to reality. In some situations the two marry to provide me (us?) with some of life’s most spectacular adventures. I paired a powerful abstract background with a confused, realistic foreground to illustrate how a juxtaposition of these competing ideas can sometimes create harmony.

People’s Choice: Elysabeth Bell

Tata means father. This is a painting of my parents when they were young. Tata’s heart is black, foretelling his future demise by a massive heart attack. The two small lost sheep way in the left back corner are me and my brother. But this isn’t just a painting about my own loss. It about loving someone who is broken and hurting.

Painting about my emotions is cathartic for me. It’s like therapy without verbalizing. Expressing feelings without words allows me to elaborate in ways unknown by words. Showing my paintings also has great meaning for me. If a person can relate, and gets an emotional release from one of my painting, then I feel like I have contributed and connected to humankind. It’s like a song that makes you cry, or feel elated. There are songs I play over and over that feel like the writer was in my head living my life, writing my feelings. So I hope my painting can do the same.

May 14th

5-10pm

Glendale Blvd. in Atwater Village

$1000.00 Grand Prize

We all have a story. Every one of us. We live in a city of stories. Over 12 million of them. In this year’s first annual Atwater Village Art Walk, we hope for two things. Firstly, we hope to create a space that celebrates our different stories through the art of our eclectic backgrounds. Secondly, it is our deeper hope that the Art Walk doesn’t end with the simple sharing of stories. We hope that through our art we develop new relationships with people different than ourselves. This is where my story and your story intersect to create our story. Please join us as co-authors in making our story in Los Angeles more meaningful.

Schedule of Bands Playing @ Revo Cafe

5PM: Meares and Masters

6PM:Mike Isberto

(http://www.myspace.com/mikeisberto)

7PM: James Beauregard with Keri Taylor

(http://www.jamesbeauregard.com)

8PM: Melissa Polinar

(www.melissapolinar.com)

9PM: Isaac Johnson

(www.isaacjohnsonmusic.com)