Mega Exhibition Reception at OMA June 29, 5-7 p.m.

Join us for the MEGA EXHIBITION RECEPTION, Saturday, June 29, 2013, 5 – 7 p.m. The reception is free for members and $10 for nonmembers. It includes an open bar and delicious appetizer sponsored by Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen.

We will be celebrating the opening of four concurrent exhibitions: 

Intersections: Charles Arnoldi

Tony DeLap: Selections from 50 Years

Volcanos and Full Moons: Ernest Silva

Looking for Things: Jay Johnson

INTERSECTIONS: CHARLES ARNOLDI

On view through August 25, 2013

Untitled, 1996

Charles Arnoldi is one of the most significant contemporary abstract painters, sculptors and printmakers of our generation. Emerging out of the booming 1970s Los Angeles art scene, Arnoldi’s multi-hued paintings are experimentations in color, form and structure. Intersections will present a sampling of Arnoldi’s seminal early tree twig constructions and chainsaw wood relief sculptures that brought him immediate acclaim in the early 1970s. Throughout his 40 years of artistic work, Arnoldi consistently balanced natural qualities of line and gestural mark making with his iconic bold colors and geometric structures. Arnoldi’s works are featured in collections of The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Metropolitan, and the Smithsonian, among others.

TONY DELAP: SELECTIONS FROM 50 YEARS 

On view June 29 - October 6, 2013

Slightly Cross, 2013

Southern California Minimalist Tony DeLap has sought to challenge conceptions of abstraction and illusion for over five decades.  Featuring a selection of sculptures, drawings, hybrids, paintings and photographs of noted site-specific sculptures, this exhibition provides a comprehensive look at this distinguished artist’s long career. Tony De Lap is recognized as one of the foundational figures in the rise of Minimalism and Optical Art (OpArt) on the West Coast in the 1960s and 70s and is a recipient of many prestigious awards including the National Endowment for the Arts highest award for painting. He has completed seven large-scale commissions for public sculpture in CA including The Floating Lady IV (1976) at the Los Angeles County Airport and The Big Wave (1983) in Santa Monica, CA.

VOLCANOS AND FULL MOONS: ERNEST SILVA

On view through September 15, 2013

Between Two Shadows, Deer on Raft, 2001

Recognized for his metaphoric imagery of deer, lighthouses, water, birds and figures, Silva derives his inspiration from a variety of sources: family photographs of his childhood in Rhode Island, vintage story book covers from the 1950s, popular culture and art history. Interested in the intersection between painting, sculpture and installation his exhibition will reflect a combination of the three that will transform the galleries into a stage set with drawings and paintings on the walls and props on the floor. Silva has been an active force not only in the San Diego/Southern California art community, but also on a national and international level. His recent projects have included an installation at the Centro Cultural Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico and he has a major long-term project called the Rain House at the New Children’s Museum in San Diego.

LOOKING FOR THINGS: JAY JOHNSON

On view through September 15, 2013

 

I Keep Looking for Things, 2010

The diversity of Jay Johnson’s chosen media is paralleled in his constant exploration of new modes of expression that reflect his dry humor and inventive nature. Working in a wide variety of sculptural media including found and reclaimed objects, wood, metal, clay and paper, each of Johnson’s works hint at satirical short stores derived from his imagination and the world around him. Jay Johnson has played an active role in the San Diego art scene since the 1980s. A consummate craftsman, he is skilled in multiple media including wood, metal fabrication and large format printing. Whether designing in a figurative or symbolic approach, his work is thought-provoking and reflective of the world around him. His work has been exhibited and collected extensively throughout the United States. 

All four exhibitions were curated by Danielle Susalla Deery, the Director of Membership and Marketing / Curator at Oceanside Museum of Art. This blog was contributed by Danielle Susalla Deery and Julie Vb.

Steampunk:Vintage Futurism

Title wall designed by Elizabeth Tallman

Denise Bonaimo, Steampunk Mannequin


Evan Chambers, Gas Huffer

Brian Giberson, Jetpack

Science fiction, fantasy, futuristic technology and Victorian era style collide in this benchmark exhibition of art and innovation inspired by the Steampunk aesthetic. Featuring the work of twelve artists from San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties including Preston Adell, Glenn Arthur, Tracy Black, Denise Bonaimo, Greg Brotherton, Evan Chambers, Sheri Cohen, Shay Davis, Sean Dietrich, Brian Giberson, Brooke O'Neill, and Jeffrey Steorts. This exhibition ponders the mystery of science and the possibilities of future technology through a Victorian lens.

The roots of Steampunk can be traced to 19th century scientific romances of Jules Verne, HG Wells, Mark Twain and Mary Kelly where creatures such as Frankenstein and inventions such as The Time Machine came alive in the reader’s imagination. Steampunk has been gaining traction since the 1980s when K.W. Jeter introduced the term to reference artwork and characters in his book Morlock Nights. In contemporary pop culture the Steampunk gestalt is prominent in movies, comics, fashion, and the fantastical sculptures created at the annual Burning Man Festival.

Steampunk: Vintage Futurism will be on view in the Groves Gallery November 5-9. The opening reception for the exhibition coinsides with Art After Dark: Dr. Steampunk's Art Extravaganza Friday, November 5 from 7:00-10:00 pm. Tickets are $25 or $20 for OMA members. Call 760.435.3720 for reservations or get your tickets at the door the night of the event. Admission includes Steampunk fashion show by Enigma Fashions, five art exhibitions, video art by Kim Moodey and Lisa Hutton, music by DJ Robin Roth and Danny Massure, live painting by David Joseph Gough, Steampunk creation station, photo booth with photographer Robin Shook, tasty bites from The Fish Joint, specialty wines, and handcrafted beer from The Lost Abbey.

Historic World War II Watercolor Exhibition

Phil Paradise, Evening on the Home Front

Barse Miller, Waving Goodbye and Good Luck

Painting World War II: The California Style Watercolor Artists is an historic first examination of the paintings by California Style artists on the subject of WWII. Each painting tells an intimate and in turn, dramatic story offering a fresh perspective on World War II. This perspective is a mix of two things: first, a passion for using watercolor in spontaneous and expressive new ways, and second, with the influence of WWII, a rich sense of old fashioned “We are all in this together” patriotism.

Forged in the Great Depression, California Style watercolors form an important West Coast chapter of American Regionalist art. Examining a broad survey of everyday life, these artists created a visual record of the unfolding local history of California beginning in the mid 1920s and extending into the 1970s. California Style watercolors form the largest body of paintings in this Regionalist vein.

Many of the original California Style artists were already too old, or had wives and children so were not eligible to enlist. Eager to contribute, when asked they welcomed the opportunity to use their artistic skills for the war effort. In May 1943 the U.S. Government established an official Combat Art Program inviting 42 of the nation’s finest artists to participate. Californians Millard Sheets, Barse Miller and Ed Reep were among this group. Barse Miller was assigned rank of Captain and head of the Combat Art Section in the South Pacific. Millard Sheets traveled with the Air Force to the India- Burma theatre. Ed Reep served in the North African and Italian Campaigns. Other artists enlisted or were drafted and when their skills were discovered they were given assignments to create watercolors of their experiences as enlisted personnel.

Four months after its creation, the Combat Art Program was suddenly defunded by Congress and abruptly dropped. Some artists were given new titles as war artists within their respective branches of the military and created large bodies of artwork for those entities. Artists Millard Sheets, Barse Miller and Paul Sample were hired as artist-correspondents for Life Magazine and created watercolors which were sent back home for publication, to help satisfy the public’s desire for images of events overseas. These watercolor paintings were among the few full color images of the war the American public viewed. In the September 1941 issue of The National Geographic Magazine, just before Pearl Harbor, Arthur Beaumont created an 8 page full color insert profiling the great ships of the Navy. This article was so well received in November 1942 he created a second 16 page portfolio of watercolors featuring the Army on maneuvers for the magazine.

Other artists featured in the exhibition include Standish Backus, Lee Blair, Rex Brandt, Nick Brigante, Robert Caples, Watson Cross, Edmond James Fitzgerald, Duncan Gleason, Hardie Gramatky, John Haley, Dong Kingman, Erle Loran, Louis Macouillard, Charles Morimoto, Ben Norris, James Patrick, Charles Payzant, and Milford Zornes. Painting World War II: The California Style Watercolor Artists is curated by Glen Knowles, a professor of art at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster. Knowles has curated seven exhibitions on the history of California Art and has a great passion for California Style watercolors. The exhibition will be on view April 18 through October 3, 2010.

Total Information Awareness: Black Light Installation by The Ancient Gallery

Experience a glow in the dark wonderland of art in Total Information Awareness, a temporary installation by The Ancient Gallery on view in the Oceanside Museum of Art Groves gallery March 10 through March 12, 2010. Challenging your perception with black lights and UV reactive sculptures The Ancient Gallery has created an installation that comes alive with three-dimensional glasses. Playing with multiple genres and motifs, the artist collective fabricates art from scratch as well as assembling mass-produced cultural icons. Viewers will see recognizable imagery from Renee Magritte, Edward Munch, and Leonardo da Vinci, as well as themes that emulate ancient civilization, medieval Europe, Eastern Religion, science fiction and tribal cultures morphing with psychedelic designs. As a result of their diverse use of imagery they stand aside the demarcation of fine art and kitsch, blurring the boundary.

The Ancient Gallery is a collective of artists: Nigel Brookes, founder of TAG, sculptor and assemblage artist; Iain Gunn, puppeteer and founder of Zirk Ubu; and Mark Johnson, sculptural engineer and lighting specialist. This nomadic collective that has displayed their work at the San Diego Museum of Art, Burning Man and other art driven festivals, strives to create visionary installations that engage the viewer through the medium of black light. Altering your normal perception the viewer is confronted with an ulterior universe that opens your mind to the curiosities of the world.

According to TAG, Total Information Awareness is the idea that we are made of systems that we can and can’t control, such as our nervous system, genetics, biological, social and digital. The average person interacts with media based systems, such as the TV, computer, or your phone, approximately 9 hours a day. With so much information coming and going it can be easy to get lost in a world of artificial intelligence. Being conscious of the material you upload to data mining systems such as facebook and twitter reflects an awareness of the dangers technology can present. Everything around you from the TV programs you watch, the news, and magazines can influence your personality and affect your thinking. Mindfulness of the information you publish and receive can alter your life, just as this installation can open your mind to new forms of perception.

San Diego NOW: Eight UCSD Visual Artists

San Diego NOW: Eight UCSD Visual Artists presents top artistic talent emerging from one of the finest conceptual art institutions in the nation, University of California, San Diego. Designed to encourage a meaningful dialogue between Masters of Fine Arts students and the larger San Diego art community, San Diego NOW features artists working in a variety of media, including video, painting, photography, sculpture and performance with a shared concern for the changing dynamics of society and our place within it. The exhibition presents the work of artists James Enos, Jesse Mockrin, Zac Monday, Omar Pimienta, Lesha Maria Rodriguez, Tim Schwartz, Julia Westerbeke, and Suzanne Wright. San Diego NOW is curated by Danielle Susalla and will be on view through January 3, 2010.

UCSD has a long tradition of encouraging artists to move beyond specific mediums, inspiring them to create conceptually grounded work that pushes current boundaries. Charged with social, political, mythical, organic, and personal narratives, each artist in San Diego NOW is developing a unique mode of expression that will be heard beyond this community as they continue to grow. Oceanside Museum of Art is proud to present this dynamic group of San Diego artists who are at the forefront of contemporary art making.

Learning about Tolerance and Cultural Diversity Through Art, Food and Film

Our current exhibition Fabric of Survival: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz has been an emotional experience for many viewers because of its powerful message of hope, tolerance and faith. Holocaust survivors and their families have returned to the exhibit for Esther’s amazing story of how she survived the Holocaust as a teenager in Poland. She created 36 stunning appliquéd and embroidered fabric panels depicting her ordeal.

Our docents have been teaching about tolerance using Esther’s art as a gentle way for kids to learn about the Holocaust and Jewish culture. The museum has Free Family Art Days for kids to engage with art in a fun and comfortable setting where they can make art that reflects concepts and themes from the exhibitions. At our last two Family Art Days kids painted ceramic tiles with themes of hope and tolerance inspired by the exhibition. The tiles are displayed at the entrance to the exhibition.

Another way for people to learn about Jewish culture is to experience its delicious cuisine. Tomorrow, Thursday, October 1st at 6:00 p.m. the museum will screen the romantic comedy “Crossing Delancey” and serve a Kosher style dinner in the beautiful setting of the museum. Chef Steve Akin of DZ Akin’s Delicatessen will prepare appetizers of potato knish, chopped liver on cocktail breads, deviled eggs, and frenzy; a main course of brisket, potatoes and carrots, hot kasha, stuffed cabbage rolls and homemade brown gravy; and dessert of homemade chocolate dipped macaroons and assorted rugalach as well as wine, coffee and tea. Call the museum at 760.435.3720 for reservations.

Join us Sunday, October 4th at 1:00 p.m. for a Free Youth Film Festival with special guest Joe Fab, award winning and Emmy nominated producer, writer, and director who will introduce the film “Paper Clips.” In 1998 the children of Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee undertook a challenging documentary film project that would open their eyes to the diversity of the world beyond their insulated valley. With no prior knowledge of the Holocaust they promised to honor and memorialize every lost soul, collecting one paper clip for each individual exterminated by the Nazis. The powerful documentary “We Must Remember” will screen at 2:40 p.m. introduced by the student producers from Carlsbad High School who created the project with broadcast journalism teacher Doug Green. The students spent hours interviewing Holocaust survivors from Southern California and veterans who helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp. The students came face to face with a generation of survivors who, in many cases will be telling their stories for the last time. Admission is free for both films and the exhibition.

Fabric of Survival: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz will be on view through October 25, 2009.

Ride Away with Wisdom

In a society of instant gratification, Delayed Gratification by Dave Ghilarducci will put you to work in order to discover the real story behind his current installation. San Diego artist Dave Ghilarducci has installed a bicycle with a generator connected to the back wheel that powers an LED display. When the visitor climbs on the bicycle and takes a ride, the LED will project words of wisdom from Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel "Brave New World." Delayed Gratification, curated by Emily Phelps, will be on view in the Parker Gallery July 14 through September 25, 2009.

“Meet the Artist” Dave Ghilarducci Saturday, August 8th at 2:00 p.m. and learn more about the creation and insight behind this interactive exhibition. For more informaion about the artist visit
http://www.daveghilarducci.com/index.html

"Meet the Artist" is free with admission and free for OMA members, students, and military.