First Friday, May 6
Artist Reception: 6-8 p.m.
“Wheels of Life” includes the work of two artists: June Glenn and Brescia Rose. They will be showcasing contemporary street photography centered on the current cultures of skateboarding and vintage cars in Santa Cruz County.
Emerson Murray: Shadows on the Wall
Artist Statement: Painting is an emotional endeavor for me. Each piece is a distillation of a story, a theme, or a myth, boiled down to an emotional experience. Whether or not the viewer understands my meaning is irrelevant, as long as the viewer feels something, anything. I paint figures, abstracted into form and color set in abstract landscapes. The figures do not occupy the space volumetrically and light and shadow are generally not part of my tool set. I work in both acrylic and oil paint, the oil paint I mix from raw pigment in order to create my own colors. I generally work with a palette knife and my hands. I oftentimes throw and drip paint onto the canvas. The colors are selected on demand, I do not work from a predetermined palette of colors, but mix the colors as I paint, sometimes mixing colors right on the canvas. I am a disciplined painter and show up for work every day. I may stare at a work in progress for nights on end, but I am in the studio working.
Janina A. Larenas: Graphic Works on Paper A collection of design projects ranging from posters to hand printed sticker images to original book illustrations.
Artist Bio: Janina A. Larenas studied printmaking and book arts at the University of California Santa Cruz. Besides design her skills include relief, intaglio and letterpress printing, as well as painting, embroidery, bookmaking and food preserving. Her designs are most recognizable as hand printed printed stickers and as t-shirts for The Devil Makes Three.
The show is available to view during normal studio hours. Check schedule here. If a band is booked, then the studio is open.
Every year the Santa Cruz Arts Council Associates puts on the Gail Rich Awards at the Rio Theatre. You've probably never been, but I think yo u should go. Here are my top 10 reasons to go to your first Gail Rich Awards next Wednesday, Jan. 28.
I really hope I see you there.
19th Annual Gail Rich Awards January 28th, 2015 at 7:30pm Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz FREE and open to the public
2015 honorees:
SoundSwell is a new online database of local music that library cardholders can download for FREE. It also establishes an archive of local music that people can listen to for years to come. SoundSwell was created in partnership with Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios. The database is scheduled to go live on June 3, 2014.
To find the SoundSwell Local Music Collection online, visit the library home page or go directly to scmusic.santacruzpl.org. For people without internet access, there is a physical collection of CDs that can be checked out at the Downtown Branch.
Anyone can find and listen to the SoundSwell streaming Local Music Collection. Library cardholders can download songs with active license agreements for free with their card number and PIN or Password. All songs in the collection currently have an active license agreement. All music in the collection is produced by Santa Cruz County musicians.
This project has the potential to bring listeners and the musical community together where public dialog happens— at the library. SCPL wants to help the creators of our local culture connect with each other, connect with the community, disseminate their art, and contribute to the historical record of Santa Cruz while receiving fair compensation for their work. By helping musicians to grow their fan base locally, SoundSwell can have a positive impact on local venue attendance. Ultimately, we hope the library will play a big role in supporting the artistic musical identity of our community. We are dedicated to supporting local musicians and building a collection that celebrates the richness and talent that makes our community so unique. What a fantastic way to explore new music and discover the creative pulse of Santa Cruz.
The SoundSwell project was supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. Each artist was compensated $50 - $100 per album (depending on number of tracks) for inclusion in the collection.
Local musicians interested in participating in SoundSwell should contact Diane Cowen, Virtual Services Librarian: by mail at Santa Cruz Public Libraries, 117 Union St. SC, 95060; by email at cowend@santacruzpl.org or by phone at 831-427-7706 x 7763.
First Friday - June 6 Krusch Rhoades
Available to view for the month of June anytime the studio is open. pillars of my existence,” said Rhoades.
Krusch Rhoades, 33, spent the formative years of his youth in the “armpit of New York, the shoulders of New England and on the polluted teat of New Jersey.”
Since then, Rhoades has travelled all over the country, and currently calls Santa Cruz his home. He has painted, drawn, molded, and scrawled for as long as he can remember.
“Identifying myself as an “artist” at an early age somehow allowed me to view life with a golden preciousness. Being enraptured with the architecture of simplicity, the constant dance of light. I’m so thankful for this perspective,” said Rhoades.
Rhoades enjoys large scale work, especially when working with spray paint, which he calls the “closest synthesis of dance and paint.”
“The large sweeping strokes is so pleasurable when compared to the restricted movements of smaller pieces,” said Rhoades.
That being said, the artist produces work of all scales regularly, and even paints bicycle frames.
“Paint and bicycles have been the most consistent relationships in my life and have therefore becomes the pillars of my existence,” said Rhoades.
Photographs by Melanya Hamasyan
Available to view for the month of April anytime the studio is open.
Transitory Frames - Dehistoricized Spaces
These set of captured video frames are taken from a discourse among people of the Armenian descent, whose ancestors have immigrated to the United States as a direct result of the Armenian Genocide. They speak of the forgotten cities, villages, and churches of their ancestors. They speak of fear and loss of identity along with the loss of ancient cultural and historical spaces. Although the tragedy of the physical genocide has ceased, cultural genocide is still being carried out. In current eastern Turkey (historic Armenia), places are recontextualized to exclude Armenian historical presence. Ancient Armenian monuments and churches are being destroyed or appropriated as barns and geographical spaces are renamed. As a result, ancestral spaces are dehistoricized and people uprooted.
Artist Summary
My work often involves cultural and social issues which I explore in photography, video, performance, and multimedia sculpture. These often take the form of installation or socially engaging art. Whether social, historical or literary, research is an integral part of my process as it provides a framework for the final product. In the past I’ve studied Armenian folklore in photography. I’ve created dialogue in visual poetry using voice, movement, and space within the medium of digital video. Recently I’ve begun to explore dehistoricized spaces and cultural genocide in multimedia. In all my projects, the chosen theme is one that I am personally attached to but also one that is often a question due for research. Hence, my work isn’t purely documental, as it also enters a very personal realm. Within this realm, there is a strong presence of an intimate act of the hand, whether in the form of calligraphy on bread, puppetry or photographic composition. This in turn creates an intimation of my presence, suggesting a very personal relationship to the question at hand.
Artist Statement: From a young age, I have always been fascinated by the concept of dreams within the human brain. Within these paintings, I strive to explore the tangibility of dream scapes using color, texture, and symbolism to illustrate the vagueness that our conscience is capable of making, expressing our deepest thoughts that our rational mind isolates during waking.
Second Annual
A Very Vinyl Christmas: A Collection of the Finest Holiday Vinyl
First Friday, December 6
Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread Cookie Reception: 6-9 p.m.
Dedicated to Streetlight Music who provided the bulk of our temporary collection.
The LP cover has always been considered a form of art and the "holiday" LP cover is a special gem to be uncovered and admired during the holiday season.
The show will be available for the entire month of December and can be viewed any time the studio is open.
First Friday, Nov. 1
The Rock Series by June
The series will be up for the entire month of November and can be viewed any time the studio is open.
"I was watching a documentary about Janis Joplin late one night. More than half way into the film I was in a trance watching her ethereally heaving herself across the stage deeply immersed in the blues. Her hair was flying fiercely about and quite suddenly, like a light wave, my mind saw everything with brilliant clarity...I must put all this energy on canvas....Not just paint her, but somehow convey the emotion and the visceral effect of that music...of that time. I envisioned her hair whipping thru tie dye color....and thus became the birth of the Rock Series.."
The Rock Series by June are large scale, original, acrylic on 2" gallery wrap canvas...some with a little extra like silver leaf and wax, or paper. June is also available to do commissioned pieces of your favorite Rock Icons. Contact.
Attention all Santa Cruz musicians. Our library system is amazing and is ready to pay you to make your music available via download with an Santa Cruz Public Library card. Read all the details below.
Get your paperwork and CD in ASAP in order to be included!
DETAILS:
The SoundSwell team is looking forward to working with you on our local music database project. The library has always been a place where people can find music, movies and other materials for entertainment and enrichment. Other libraries across the country are starting to incorporate local music into their systems and with our thriving music scene, we thought it would be a great fit in Santa Cruz as well. Our hope is that it will be win/win for you and our library patrons. Ideally in addition to monetary compensation, we would like to help expose more people to your music and convert more fans, while helping our patrons diversify their local music collections.
The SoundSwell project is supported by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Eureka! Grant. The grant funding period covers most of the cost for licensing for the initial test database, which should be completed in August 2013. Under the licensing agreement, the library will pay you for a 2 year license as follows: $100 for a full length LP consisting of 9 or more songs, $75 for an EP consisting of 6-8 songs, and $50 for an EP consisting of 4-5 songs. During the term of the license, only those users with a valid library card will be able to download licensed songs. To raise this much revenue from iTunes, you would typically need 100 people to download one of your songs. If 100 people download your song from SoundSwell, you could gain 100 new local fans. That’s 100 people living in Santa Cruz who might tell a friend about your music or attend a show!
Another goal of the SoundSwell project is to establish a historical archive of the local music of Santa Cruz County. Although this aspect of the project will not be implemented until the database has been well established for at least a year, we believe that preserving this aspect of local community identity is important. That is why we ask in the license agreement for your permission to use your album in perpetuity in the archive. This archive will be streaming, but the music will not be available for download. Both the downloadable database and streaming archive will display live links to your band’s website or Facebook Page, making it easy for new fans to connect with your band, your projects, and your performances.
To receive a licensing agreement to review, sign and return email Jennifer at jenn@santacruzrehearsalstudios.com or Diane at cowend@santacruzpl.org . Please let either of us know if you have any questions or concerns or would like to meet in person to go over any aspect of the agreement prior to signing. Once fully executed, we would need you to deliver your CD to the library office downtown no later than one week, at which point the library will mail you your agreement fee.
To return signed license agreement:
Make an appointment with Diane Cowen to deliver the agreement in person or send the agreement with your original signature and W-9 form via US mail. Once the agreement has been received and signed by the library Director, the document will be scanned and emailed back to you with both signatures for your records.
Don’t bleed so loud, I can’t hear the TV
Artist Reception: 6-9 PM
artist statement:
Shadows are revealed in my paintings through humorous abstract narratives, featuring pop culture symbolisms of femininity. In “Dear Jimmy America”, a darkly intimate poem is paired with a comically painterly bra, while “The Great Mother Tit of America” depicts a red-and-white-striped breast lactating ice cream.
In “fun fair i-iii” I explore subtle emotive energies through gestural expressions of vibrant color. Triangular and pentagonal pieces of wood are painted with quick, intuitive movements of wrist and finger. Impressions of vegetal and organic forms emerge, but, like clouds, patterns continue to shift, leaving definition open to viewers’ imaginations.
Lois is a painter, print-maker, radio personality, and self-proclaimed historian. Friday, May 3 Artist Reception: 6-9 PM Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios 118 Coral Street (Harvey West) http://loisrossonart.com/ Exhibit will be available for the entire month of May and can be viewed during normal rehearsal studio hours.
A Free Round-Table Discussion Featuring Tips and Tricks from Industry Insiders
Featured Guest Panelists "Sleepy" John Sandidge [DJ - KPIG & KZSC] Lois Rosson [Program Director - KZSC Santa Cruz] Geo Warner [Volunteer Coordinator for Music Programming KUSP] Uncle Dennis [Freak Radio Santa Cruz]
Free but donations for room rent will be accepted. The room can be cold so bring some extra layers.
We'll also have a swag table if you want to bring biz cards, upcoming show info, etc.
The Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Art is at the Tannery Arts Center (1050 River Street - #127).
You can park in either lot and then just walk towards the middle and you'll find the room. Facebook RSVP.
[slideshow] Art of the Application: Applying to National and Regional Music Festivals
Monday, November 26 - 6-9 p.m. Santa Cruz Institute Of Contemporary Art @ The Tannery 1050 River Street #127 RSVP on Facebook
Open to all local musicians or those that love them. Cash donations will be accepted to help cover the room cost but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. We will also accept unopened candy and booze.
I have never met a musicians didn’t want to play the ever elusive festival. Let’s pool our knowledge, and make everyone smarter on all aspects of the process – from packaging yourself beforehand to promoting yourself once you get on the bill. We’ll share some stories, you can ask some questions and if you give me your email address I will share my spreadsheet with all the festivals and deadlines I have compiled. Questions – email jenn@santacruzrehearsalstudios.com
Panel:
Robert Cray, Peter Rowan and Flaco Jiminez were among the very first artists Tom Miller brought to Santa Cruz back in 1979, when he began his 10-year stint booking OT Price's Music Hall. He later booked Henfling's, before moving on to his present gig booking Don Quixote's International Music Hall in Felton.
Graduate of Berklee College of Music’s Artist Management program, Dan Sheehan started VEG Presents (Vibes Entertainment Group) in 2011. He is the co-producer of the California Roots Festival as well as manager to local artists including THRIVE, Matt Masih & The Messengers and The Whiskey Avengers.
Jeff Sloan two time Grammy Award winning artist and engineer has made his home in Northern California after escaping Oklahoma in 1987. After working on the road for many years now serves the entire bay area music scene with his live sound engineer, production, stage managing and back line technical skills. He is planning on dying a starving artist!
Andy Zenczak is a freelance producer/recording engineer and owner of Gadgetbox Recording Studios. Over the past twelve years he has worked with over 300 bands and songwriters, mixed over 1000 songs for commercial release and is on a constant crusade to help local artists get the viability and exposure they deserve from their music.
Moderator:
Jennifer Gallacher has worked in the music industry for the past ten years as the director of marketing and promotions at Dancing Cat Records and most recently as the owner of Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios and manager of local band Wooster. In addition she is the publicist for Club Fox in Redwood City.
The LP cover has always been considered a form of art and the "holiday" LP cover is a special gem to be uncovered and admired during the holiday season.
ARTIST BIO: RAY HAYES by Darryl Ferrucci
Santa Cruz artist Ray Hayes has spent the last several years engaged in a continuous and prolific exploration of the intersections of disparate phenomena(perceptions).
3rd generation artist on the maternal side, 3rd generation engineer/inventor on the paternal side Ray, 34, synthesizes these two streams of his family history into a unique juxtaposition of the aesthetic and the technical.
Ray's painting process begins with an open-minded approach to visual perception; processing the entopic phenomena of Form Constants into “ghosted-in” inter- dimensional frameworks; in which no form, object, or perception can singularly dominate any part or whole of the construct. Ray takes advantage of the powerful pattern making 'machinery' of the human mind; he allows patterns and visual relationships to reveal themselves , rather than seeking out a subject to focus on. At times using his visual myopia as a tool; allowing that, at a distance, ambiguous details can and must play any number of roles in the big picture.
In the painting practices, back in the warehouse, Ray synthesizes and processes these rich fields of perception in an intensive process of drawing, painting & collage. Juxtaposing and layering his imagery. He deconstructs his vision, mixes it with inspiration and new visual explorations, reconstructing this mix into an ongoing series of vibrant and engaging imagery. In an experimental process of quick free-form design, he fluidly combines a wide range of imagery from both his observation and imagination in a unique and constantly evolving style.
He has a strong interest in the form and design of the simple-practical, the impossible, theoretical, & the intentionally functionless variations that define mechanical objects; stemming from fascinations with Alexander Calder and Franz Reuleaux's work.
Ray freely blends these technologically inspired explorations with other modes of imagery; whether biomorphic, abstract, cartoon-like or straight figurative . In structuring his paintings, he engages in continual deconstruction & re-engineering of perspective, space and experience- to this end, he frequently cuts out, recombines, and layers his images. His paintings may become three dimensional, pointing toward or into the extra- dimensional.
His approach to media and materials used for his work is as fluid as his perceptual practices. He relies wholly upon discarded, recycled, & found materials as his painting surfaces, making a point to never have to purchase the surface.
The Santa Cruz music scene is an integral part of the history, culture, and economy of our community. Therefore, the Santa Cruz Public Library library is investigating ways to enhance access to local music in the present as well as document local music to preserve a historical record for the future.
Please take a few moments to complete this library survey. This survey will help the library understand your thoughts on local music and how you access music in your everyday life. You can access this online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SCPL_LocalMusic. It takes approximately 5- 10 minutes and is completely anonymous.
As a “thank you”, you may opt to enter a drawing for a $20 gift certificate at Streetlight Records. If you opt to enter the drawing, you will be required to supply us with contact information. Your privacy and the confidentiality of the responses you provide to the library are extremely important. Your survey results will remain anonymous, and your contact information will not be shared, sold, or spammed in any way. The only way the library will use your information is to contact you in the event that you win!