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Gorgeous Location, Fantastic Opportunity The second annual Yosemite Writers' Conference will be held at Tenaya Lodge, Fish Camp, the weekend of August 26 th . This is a fantastic opportunity for writers to get your work to major book and magazine editors and literary agents, gather useful information, hobnob with those “in the know” and network with writers from all over the country Simon & Shuster, Harper Collins, and Writers' Digest Books are a few of the publishing houses who will be represented; in magazines, editors from Atlantic Monthly (fiction), Los Angeles Times (travel) and SHAPE (active, travel), Cosmopolitan, and more will attend. Six literary agents, many published writers and two crime experts will also be holding panel discussions and be available to critique your work. The keynote speaker is S.J. Rozen, crime writer. Craft workshops for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children's/young adults will be held. Topics include “Trends in Narrative Non-Fiction”, “Organic Plotting for Fiction Writers”, “Inside Tips for Travel Writers” and “Agent/Editor Pitching Panel”. There is a 10% discount for writers groups of four or more. Check out complete details at: www.yosemitewriters.com America’s Foundations to the Rescue Charitable foundations set up by generous families dedicated to providing funds for the arts and culture in the state of California stand in the gap between an overextended government budget and the needs of future generations. Recently, I received an e-newsletter from a California foundation announcing the grant categories and guidelines for next year. Another arrived in the mail the next day. Both grants fit the purpose and current activities of the Madera County Arts Council to support and promote all arts in their various forms through out Madera County. The Irvine Foundation has provided us with grant funds for a large arts festival including dance, music, and the fine arts this fall. The grant specifies that we must involve the schools and create a learning environment for the youth of Madera County. We hope to make use of the Irvine Foundation grant by creating an event that entertains, teaches, mentors, and stimulates the economy, while bringing us all together. Businesses can sponsor the event, and artists may sell their artwork in a festival atmosphere. Let’s take this opportunity to have a community event that uses the arts as a vehicle for cultural interaction and fun! The Madera County Arts Council also recently received an endowment fund from a generous local donor. This endowment begins a planned giving campaign that will grow the fund, and over time the MCAC will become self-sufficient and no longer subject to down turns in the economy. Individuals may donate to this fund any time, or simply leave money in a will to the fund. The principal of the endowment will remain untouched for future generations so that art education programs and other services provided by the MCAC will continue. Someday we hope to have a building that provides space for classrooms such as ceramics and painting studios, as well as a darkroom for the Madera Photography Club. We need more citizens to become involved with the arts council and its plans to promote the arts in all areas of our county and among all cultures. Each and every one of you is invited to get involved with the arts council. Join with other members of the community who believe in the importance of the arts. We are searching for five new board members next year. If you are interested call our president Bessie Marquis (661-7005) and let her know. Our growing valley will demand more art and cultural events in the future, and if we don’t provide it in Madera people will seek it elsewhere. CARE TO: CREATE; CELEBRATE; COMMUNICATE; EDUCATE; PARTICIPATE! NEW MEMBER BENEFITWe are pleased to announce that we now have the capability to bring you our newsletter complete with monthly updates, by email. No more wondering where you filed it, or if it was – heaven forbid! – accidentally thrown away. All we need is your email address. Simply send an email to nburckert@yahoo.com with “Newsletter” in the subject line. We'll do the rest. The theme of this years GALA is “A Long Way From Broadway”. The beautiful home of Todd and Melissa will be the setting for the Saturday, June 11th extravaganza. No-host cocktails are at 6:00 with a delicious steak dinner at 7:00. The silent auction features beautiful artwork by such renowned artists as Jane Gyer, Ginny Burdick, Grace Rankin, Margaret Gloria Jacobson and others. Joan Brumley will produce a panting before our eyes, during the event. Cal Crane has assembled a great array of other items including jewelry, pottery, dinners, and even a car wash. Heather Lewis, who designed the dynamite invitation (which you should have received by now) is going all-out on the decorations to give a real feeling of The Big Apple. Our M.C. for the evening is the illustrious Ross Thornton. During cocktail hour, live Broadway music will be performed by Jesse Venturi, owner of Venturi Music. Dances from “A Chorus Line”, “Fame”, “Gypsy” and “Oklahoma” will be performed by the fabulous Snow Mountain Dance Company, a troupe of women and girls, who have performed all over Fresno and Madera Counties including the Chaffee Zoo, Hobb's Grove and The Golden Chain Theater. Teena Hagerman, director, says her goal is to create, “not just dancers, but professional performers.” Anyone who has seen these talented dancers, will attest to her success. Ms. Hagerman's Coarsegold Center for Performing Arts now has over two-hundred students. Don't miss the event of the season. There is limited seating, so please don't wait until the last minute! Call Nancy at 661-7005. P.A.C.E.S. PROFILE: IRINA BUCA
Multi-talented artist, Irina Buca was born in Romania. She always loved art but her parents (and former communist government) encouraged her to pursue a degree in engineering. So, putting her own ambitions aside, she became a science teacher. Then, at the age of twenty-five, she took her first classes in painting and drawing, hoping to also teach art. Irina and her husband came to California six years ago, after winning a U.S. visa lottery. She worked as a textile colorist and interior designer in Orange county, then attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in L.A. Two years ago her husband purchased a dentistry practice in Oakhurst. Irina has been working as a substitute math and science teacher, while preparing for her credential in math. Last year she became a PACES artist. “It has been a great experience, “ she says. “I believe in education, and art plays an important part in preparing students for their future.” Her work has been featured as part of the “ Sierra Art Trails ” and “ArtHop”. She created the 2004 Oakhurst Fall Festival poster. She has also had exhibitions in Orange County and at EL-Tea and The Ultimate Teahouse in Fresno . Her work is now on display at the Timberline Gallery in Oakhurst and was part of a group exhibit at Planet Java, June 2nd and 3rd. Irina's favorite class to teach is composition. After learning the basics techniques of approaching an object, students are given a white piece of paper and a collection of arranged items. After an hour, the class looks at each others' work and discovers a variety of different perspectives and unique ways of “seeing things”. It is a great exercise and kids seem to enjoy the “critique” at the end. Irina continues to take private painting and ceramic classes. Her goal is to teach art and have a solo exhibition at the end of summer. “My art is my way of thinking and expressing myself in color.” she says. “I am focused on how to create a work of art using basic design elements, theory of colors, concept design; and introducing new media: watercolor, charcoal, pastel and acrylic. In class I always have art history books to show and explain other artists' work. What I like the best about teaching art is finding the surprise element in the students' work. Their imaginative world is very rich, and my goal is to help them explore and express it.” Only by the grace of our benefactors are we able to operate offices, gallery and gift shop from our charming little house right in town. This year, we are still in need of three more Rent Club Members to get us through the fiscal year. If you have not yet contributed this is a wonderful way to ensure our survival. Thank you David Rich for covering March! We want to give a special thanks to Evelyn Ducoff for her generous donation to our scholarships. This year two $1,000.00 scholarships were given to students at Yosemite High School in Oakhurst: Visual Arts to Patch Kientz whose work is on display at Stavast Studio/Gallery in Oakhurst. Patch plans to attend University of California , Berkeley ; in music Jessie Fischer, who will be attending either the University of California or Cal-Poly. From Madera High School, Brianna Gersh was the recipient. She intends to study interior design at Fresno State. The Nancy Clute Scholarship went to Juan Carlos Ramirez who will be studying journalism at Fresno City College. Michael Swift, who lives in O'Neals and attends Sierra High, received the scholarship for Visual Arts and Theater. Congratulations to these young creative talents. YOSEMITE WESTERN ARTISTS TRI-COUNTY SHOW The grand opening reception for Stellar Gallery (formerly David Ashcraft gallery) in Oakhurst will be held on Friday, June 10th from 5:30 – 7:00, to coincide with the 34th annual Yosemite Western Artists Tri-County Show which runs June 10 -12. New owners Heidi Vetter, Ellen Hurst and John Bock announced the gallery will be open three days a week: Friday and Saturday from 10-6; and Sunday from 10 – 3. Phone (559)658-8844. Writing can be a lonely pursuit. Luckily, there are several writers' groups in Madera County that were created to bring writers together for reading, listening, discussion and critique; all are open to new participants. The Madera Writers' Guild meets at 1:00 pm. every other Saturday, at Cole's Bookstore, in the Save-Mart Shopping Center . It is open to all genres of writing. The next meeting will be June 11th.Sara McGuire, who began the group says “There is no one who can truly understand a writer's craft, their struggles and passion, except for another writer. I enjoy reading and writing as much as I enjoy listening to others read their work. It is a beautiful thing to see a person's innermost soul being laced out in words on paper. I believe that all writing is a reflection of who we really are." Contact Sara McGuire at saracatino@sbcglobal.net The Central Valley Writers' Workshop has met on Wednesday nights in Chowchilla, for the past two years. Currently there are fourteen members who write a variety of genres - memoir, fiction, mystery, suspense, poetry, non-fiction. During the two-hour workshop, each reader shares a short piece or portion of a longer piece. While many of the works grow into sellable manuscripts, some participants write just for the fun of it, or to pass ancestral stories on to their children and grandchildren. The group knows each other so well that critique is supportive but honest; and newcomers are warmly welcomed. Recently, a monthly Saturday workshop was added for people who can't come on Wednesday nights. The meetings take place in the bright new Chowchilla Library's Ginsburg Room from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.. Upcoming guest speakers include Cindy Walthen, published non-fiction author and former publisher; Bonnie Hearn-Hill, writing instructor through Writer's Digest; Det. Sgt. Ken Alley from the Madera Police Department detective unit. Contact chairperson Glenna Jarvis at (209)665-7381 or gfjarvis@juno.com “Some Local Poets” was begun by Mike Cole and Preston Chase in 1995. The late, well-known Fresno poet, Chuck Moulton, was the first guest-reader. Until Preston left Mariposa for Alaska , readings were held at the Oakhurst Library, Club Fred, Java Cafe, the Yosemite Visitor's Bureau and The High Country Cafe. In 2000, Mary Lee Gowland took over the series. Through grants from the James R. Irving foundation, many well-known out-of-town poets, have come to read. This spring several open readings were held at Yosemite Coffee in Oakhurst. This summer Stavast Studio/Gallery will host a reading by Coarsegold poet Scott Struman. Contact: gowland@sti.net COUNTY LIBRARY HOURS, EVENTS AND ART DISPLAYS Main Branch 675-7870 Monday & Tuesday , 10:00 – 7:00; Wednesday & Thursday, 10:00 – 4:00; Friday, closed; Saturday, 10:00 – 1:00. Story Time (English) Tuesdays 11:00 Story Time (Bi-lingual) Thursdays 11:00 July 22nd, 3:00 p.m. Magician Norman Ng Chowchilla 665-2630 Monday – Thursday, 11:00 – 6:00, Friday & Saturday, 11:00 – 2:00. July 22nd, 11:00 a.m. Magician Norman Ng Summer reading program runs from June 20th – July 28th; theme: “Dragons, Dreams and Dangerous Deeds”. North Fork Branch 877-2387 Monday, closed; Tuesday – Thursday, 10:00 – 5:00; Friday, 10:00 – 1:00; Saturday, closed. Current display: Photography by Jacqueline Mallauf and woodwork by Jim Crocket July 29th, 2:00 Kaarel Hamersky “The Titanic” Oakhurst Branch 683-4838 Monday, closed; Tuesday, 12:00 – 6:00 ;Wednesday, 10:00 – 2:00, Thursday 12:00 – 6:00; Friday, 10:00 – 2:00, Saturday, 10:00 – 1:00. Current display: Michelle Marco July 6th 10:00 and noon, Burleigh Lockwood, “Deserts & Wetlands” July 13th, 10:00, Kerry Pereira , “Fairies and Fairy Tales” July 22nd, 11:00, Magician, Norman Ng July 29th, 10:00, Kaarel Hamersky, ‘The Titanic” Ranchos Branch 645-1214 Monday, 10:00 – 6:00; Tuesday – Thursday, 2:00 – 7:00; Friday, closed; Saturday, 10:00 – 2:00. June 30th, 2:00 Chaffee Zoo Mobile (registration required) July 6th, 2:00 Musician, Oklin Bloodworth July 11th, 2:00 “The Food Chain” July 21st, 2:30 Magician Norman Ng July 30th, 10:20 Kaarel Hamersky, “The Titanic” August 2nd, 2:00 Story & Kite Building w/Virginia Pilegard August 10th, 2:30, Burleigh Lockwood. “Falcons” We are proud to announce the eleventh annual “Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts!”, an unprecedented art exhibition and competition supported by the Agricultural Industry of Central California, September 22 – November 18th. This competition promotes a broader interest and understanding of agriculture as an industry, while showcasing the work of professional artists in a unique format. Prizes will be offered for First ($300), Second ($200), and Third ($100) in ten categories: Citrus, Cotton, Dairy, Farm Machinery, Fruits & Nuts, Irrigation, Livestock, Poultry, Vegetables and Wine, as well as “Best of Show”. The awards are supported by the Ag industry. The competition is open to all artists 18 years or older who live in California . All painting media, graphics, sculpture and fiber arts may be entered, (no photography). Artists may enter two works, but only one per category. All work must have been done in the past two years and cannot be a copy of classroom work nor have been shown in this exhibit previously. Entry fee is $25.00 payable to MCAC. All artwork must be for sale; there will be a 20% commission on each sale made. Entries are limited to 25 pounds. Paintings are restricted to four feet in any direction. Three dimensional pieces must be at least eight inches in any direction. Slide submission deadline: Friday July 22; August 22: Notification begins; September 12 & 13: delivery of accepted items to Circle Gallery; September 15: Judging for awards; September 22: Reception and awards. November 18: show closes. November 21 & 22: pick up of entries not selected for travel. If you have not received an entry form with complete details, call us 661-7005. The National Endowment for the Arts sponsored community survey has been completed and the results are being analyzed. Now the fun part begins: forming a committee that will get to plan a fantastic community event, based on the results. With the pool of talent we have in our county, we can create an “happening” that will put Madera on the map. Food, art, music, dance, there is no limit to what we can create if we put our minds to it. Contact Pam Beecher at 661-7005 or email her at pbeecher@maderaarts.org. Our Mother's Day Teas were a great success. Thanks to all the volunteers who made the delicious treats, and to the women who came. This tradition is a fun way to spend time with mom chatting in a lovely setting, surrounded by art. Plan to come to our Holiday Teas in December. We're sad to report that the California State Summer School for the Arts state-wide awards were cancelled this year due to lack of sponsorship. A committee for Planned Giving is being formed, to create an endowment that will ensure the future of the Arts Council. We welcome input or the suggestions of individuals who might wish to participate. Once again we are pleased to partner with the Madera Parks and Recreation Department to bring great Sunday evening concerts to the Alan Harkin's Amphitheater in Lions Town & Country Park. Bring chairs and a picnic, or enjoy the food for sale. July 10: Jerry Venturi (Big Band); July 24: Al Nersesian and the Alan Harkin's Band (Big Band); August 7: Nite Flite (Latin Jazz); August 21 Shades of Gray September 11: Military Marching Band. Ducey's at Bass Lake offers poolside food and beverage service. Gates open at 6:00, bands play from 6:30 – 9:30. June 3: Mo Fo Party Band (Blues); June 10 Papa Bear & Co. (Rhythm & Blues) ; June 17:Sunset Steel Drum Band (Caribbean Jazz); June 24: Chain Reaction (Blues); July 1: Joe Lenigan Good Time Band (Variety); July 4: Yosemite Dixieland Jazz Band ; July 8: Mo Fo Party Band (Blues); July 15: Nite Flite (Latin Jazz); July 22: Souled Out (Soul/R&B); July 29; After Dinner Mints (Swing); August 5: Sunset Steel Drum Band (Caribbean) ; August 12:Papa Bear & Co. (Rhythm & Blues); August 19: After Dinner Mints (Swing); August 26: Chain Reaction (Blues); September 2: Joe Lenigan Good Time Band (Variety) PERFORMANCES Jun 3-5 Sierra Chamber Singers Oakhurst 683-7071 Jun 10 -12 Sierra Chamber Singers Oakhurst 683-7071 Jun 24 & 25 Summer Theater Youth Production Chowchilla 665-8615 July 9 Auditions for Sierra Starlight (kids)Theater Oakhurst 642-4329 Jul 28-30 Summer Theater Adult Production Chowchilla 665-8615 Aug 11-13 Sierra Starlight Theater Production Oakhurst 642-4329 ART SHOWS Jun 2-30 Fresno Art Expo -T.W. Patterson Building at the Fulton Mall Jun 10 Opening Reception, Stellar Gallery Oakhurst 683-8156 Jun 11 – 12 Quadry Winery Reveiller Art Show Madera 673-8068 Jun 10-12 Yosemite Western Artists Show Oakhurst 683-8156 Jun 24-26 29th Annual Arts & Craft Fair Bass Lake 642-3676 Jul 7 “ArtHop” Oakhurst 683-0611 Aug 4 “ArtHop” Oakhurst 683-0611 Sep 22 Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts! Madera 661-7001 CLASSES & WORKSHOPS Jun 4 Sat Chinese Brush, Wisteria, Joy Harvey Oakhurst 539-6123 Jun 5 Sun Diachronic Glass Fusion, Judy Gooch Coarsegold 683-7529 Jun 8 Wed One Stroke Painting, Gretchen Lee Coarsegold 683-7529 Jun 9 Thu Draw to Paint, Joan Constable Coarsegold 683-7529 Jun 11 Sat Beading, Joy McClure Coarsegold 683-7529 Polymer Clay Techniques, Joy McClure Coarsegold 683-7529 Fusing Diachronic Glass, Judy Gooch Oakhurst 683-6785 Jun 14 Tue “The Art of Seeing”, Judy de Rosa Coarsegold 683-7529 Jun 16 Thu Mosaic Studio Glass, Colleen Lopez Coarsegold 683-7529 Jun 20-24 Vision Summer Fine Arts for Kids Oakhurst 683-7071 Jun 23 Thu Diachronic Glass Fusion, Judy Gooch Coarsegold 683-7529 Jun 25 Sat Creative Vocal Seminar, Edna Garabedian Oakhurst 233-7000 Jun 27-Jul 1 Vision Summer Fine Arts For Kids Oakhurst 683-7071 Jun 30 Thu Jewelry Design/Redesign, Judy de Rosa Coarsegold 683-7529 Jul 4-8 Vision Summer Fine Arts For Kids Oakhurst 683-7071 Jul 8-10 Wood burning Workshop, Larry Smith Oakhurst 658-2405 Jul 9-Aug 20 Watercolor Workshop, Sharon Bortugno Oakhurst 683-4032 Jul 11-18 Interpreting Yosemite Yosemite 658-2435 Aug 8 Mon Beginning Guitar (12 weeks) John Kilburn North Fork 877-4196 OPEN CLAY STUDIO: Inanna's Gift in Coarsegold is offering an opportunity to work on individual projects such as hand building, sculpting and glazing with an instructor present to give advice and collaboration. No pre-registration is required. Times: Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Cost is $8.00 per person. The studio may be available at other times by special arrangement. Coarsegold: 683-7529. |
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