38th Annual I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival at Santa Barbara Mission May 25-27, 2024

Madonnari, or street painters, transform the Santa Barbara Mission plaza each year over Memorial Day weekend using pastels on pavement to create 130 vibrant and colorful, large scale images. The event is produced by the Children’s Creative Project.

The I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival will be back over Memorial Day Weekend 2024, May 25-27. at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, 2100 Laguna Street. Festival hours are 10am to 6pm.

There will also be live music and food available for purchase.

Pets are not allowed (other than service animals).

Learn more at www.imadonnarifestival.com.

Ojai Art Center Presents Its 47th Annual Art in the Park Event on May 25-26, 2024

The Ojai Art Center hosts its 47th annual Art in the Park celebration on Memorial Day weekend, May 25th and 26th, 2024, from 10am to 5pm.

Art in the Park is an annual tradition started in 1977 by local artists at the Ojai Art Center to give artists a place to sell their work during Memorial Day weekend. Nestled amongst the oaks in beautiful Libbey Park, a natural setting is created to showcase the rich mixture of works in a variety of mediums. Art in the Park has enjoyed a long tradition of displaying quality art. Presented by the Ojai Art Center, the oldest non-profit art center in California, the festival attracts artists from near and far. The relaxed atmosphere and approachable artists draws crowds (between 3,000 – 5,000) from Ojai and neighboring communities.

The Ojai Art Center is the oldest multi-purpose nonprofit art center in California, has been providing a place for the arts and art-related activities for more than 80 years. Everyone is invited to browse, meet the artists, grab a bite and enjoy the weekend in Libbey Park. Free admission. For more information, visit www.ojaiartcenter.org/artinthepark.html.

2023 Holiday Art Market at Studio Channel Islands in Camarillo December 1-3

Studio Channel Islands presents its annual Holiday Art Market on Friday through Sunday, December 1-3, 2023. Hours are 6-9pm Friday, 11am-5pm Saturday and noon to 4pm on Sunday. Enjoy unique gift shopping this holiday season for your family and friends while browsing through 40 professional artists’ studios and additional guest vendors. There will be free activities for kids, delicious food and treats available for purchase, and craft beer and wine. Free admission and plenty of free parking. Located at 2222 E. Ventura Blvd in Camarillo.

studiochannelislands.org/holiday-market

2023 ArtWalk Ventura on Saturday and Sunday, September 23-24

ArtWalk Ventura, returns on Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This signature event will take to the streets of Ventura’s historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District as patrons enjoy a free, self-guided tour of dozens of professional exhibits, pop-up studios and live performances. Event will feature hundreds of artists in local galleries and creative collaboratives in businesses and other unique spaces. Large art installations, music, poetry, dance and theater will all be a part of this event run by a new and enthusiastic all-volunteer team.

The route starts near Cemetery Park, travels down Main Street and up Ventura Avenue, encompassing the Library’s Topping Room, City Hall, the Crowne Plaza, Ventura Mission, Museum of Ventura County, Vita Art Center, Working Artists Ventura, Bell Arts Factory and Art City. In between are numerous galleries and businesses featuring local artists and musicians. Two-day pop-up galleries along the route will feature even more artists. Live painting, pottery demonstrations and large art installations will also be featured.

The event is also focusing on performing arts. Two stages, the Main Street Stage Downtown and the City Hall Atrium, will feature some of the area’s top performers. Highlights will include aerial acrobatics from The Aerial Studio, a performance from the Ventura County Ballet, and sets from local favorite bands Shaky Feelin and the Heavy Hitters. The Rubicon Theatre Company will entertain at City Hall. A third stage by Mission Park will feature performance art.

To learn more, visit www.artwalkventura.org.

Ventura Art & Street Painting Festival on September 9-10, 2023

The Ventura Art & Street Painting Festival will take place September 9 and 10, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ventura Harbor Village, 1583 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura. This waterfront juried art festival features more than over 40 talented street chalk artists creating colorful murals along the Village promenade overlooking the boats.

Visitors to the seaside event will watch as street painters create spectacular chalk pastel murals along the promenade, and enjoy original artwork available for purchase including paintings, sculptures, woodwork and wearable items.

Ventura Harbor Village has free admission and complimentary parking and over 30 seaside restaurants, boutiques, new waterfront coffee house, and several local artist galleries to enjoy during the two day festival. For artist application or sponsorship information visit venturaartfestival.com.

CANCELLED 23rd Annual Calabasas Fine Arts Festival, Weekend of May 1 & 2, 2021

CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The Calabasas Arts Council welcomes back the 23rd Annual Calabasas Fine Arts Festival at the Calabasas Civic Center and Commons at Calabasas 101 Freeway, exit at Parkway Calabasas. The event will be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 1-2, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This is a premiere, two-day, outdoor event with live entertainment and over 150 painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers and hundreds of other fine artisans, as well as children’s activities and more.

The Calabasas Fine Arts Festival attracts over 15,000 collectors and art buyers each year. FREE admission and parking (sponsored by Kilroy Realty Corp).

Visit www.calabasasartscouncil.com/CalabasasFineArtsFestival.htm for more information.

Ojai Studio Artists Second Saturday Open Studios - Free Event on January 14, 2017

The Ojai Studio Artists Second Saturday mini-tours begin on January 14 with four open studios in downtown Ojai. Featured this month are Andrea Haffner, Rex Kochel, Marta Nelson and Iris Williams. Studios will be open from 10am - 3pm. Admission is free, and the studios are all located within a few miles of each other.

With enthusiastic response from the community to the Second Saturday tours, OSA is scheduling mini-tours from January through July. "It gives people a chance to spend some in-depth time with each artist," Ms. Moran says. "With over 60 artists on the October Studio Tour, people really have to pick and choose who to see. This is a more leisurely tour."

A professional artist for the past 18 years, Andrea Haffner's resin cast pieces are unique and delicate. Inspired by the natural form - from yucca capsules to maple samaras, Haffner assembles and suspends bits of natural material in resin colored with transparent dyes. With a background in both photography and glass, light is a primary consideration in her work. Elegant yet abstract, she encases her assemblages within small sterling silver or larger steel frames. She creates jewelry pieces as well as large commissions. Haffner has exhibited extensively across the country and recently completed numerous large-scale commissions for hospitals, hotels and private residences.
After 34 years as an educator in the Ventura School District, Rex Kochel is now a full-time artist. His whimsical style evolved primarily from the use of blind continuous line drawings. He begins his watercolors on location, then continues to modify them in his studio before he begins to paint. His work reflects his travels to Mexico, Peru, Panama, Argentina, as well as time spent in San Francisco and Ventura County. He maintains a strong compositional focus in all of his artwork, frequently moving in the direction of abstract realism. His work can be seen at the new Remax Building in Ventura, for which he created 54 paintings which are part of their permanent collection.

Marta Nelson is a painter, printmaker and sculptor and a founding member of Ojai Studio Artists. A lifelong artist, she won her first art scholarship at 10 years old, and attended her first figure drawing classes at Chouinard Art Institute. She later taught at Bakersfield College, teaching painting and sculpture. Her art often reflects her interest in dance, her garden in Ojai as well as exotic scenes from her travels around the world. Her paintings and prints hang in private collections across the United State, Mexico and Japan. Marta is also deeply committed to the International Peace Movement. Incorporating peace doves in all her work, Marta was instrumental in establishing the first Peace Pole in Ojai.

Iris Williams sees art as a silent language. Her oil paintings are often mischievous and whimsical and also involve some aspect of storytelling. “Art was the agent that allowed me to speak,” she explains. She uses her art to explore her imagination and dreams. In all her work, whether still life, landscape or figurative work, she aims to elicit a feeling of wonder. As co-owner of Ojai Creates along with her husband Kirk Lowry, Williams sells art supplies to the community and has a longtime association with the Ojai Art Center.

A map for the January 14th event can be printed from the OSA website: ojaistudioartists.org. Any changes or additions to the list of artists will be posted there.

2015 Ojai Studio Artists Tour Planned for October 10-12

The 32nd annual self-guided Ojai Studio Artists Tour is Columbus Day weekend, October 10, 11 & 12. 

Fifty artist studios throughout the breathtaking Ojai Valley will be open each day from 10am to 5pm. Artist demonstrations proved so popular last year they'll be expanded in 2015 with the Demonstration Schedule distributed in advance.

Another highlight is the special Pre-Tour Program at 7pm on Friday, October 9th.
for locals and early arrivals. Led by an OSA artist, the program introduces the work of each Tour artist and is designed to help people plan their personal Tour schedules.

Also popular, Saturday's Dessert Reception and live music event, open (free) to all Tour artists and ticket-holders. The event features a raffle of beautiful baskets filled with original art and fine local products, such as Ojai honey, olive oil and lavender.

Proceeds from the Tour and Art Basket Raffle fund OSA's "Artreach Program" of youth art scholarships and funding for community arts needs.

Tour tickets are $30 in advance, $35 day of event, $20/person for groups of 10 or more, $15 for students, 17 & under free, and cover studio visits all three days and admission to Saturday's Dessert Reception. Tickets and Tour brochures will be available starting in May at ojaistudioartists.org.

The Ojai Studio Artists Tour has a rich legacy , from early days that included the celebrated Beatrice Wood, Horace Bristol and Otto and Vivica Heino, to today's membership of distinguished, award-winning artists. Come see why leading critics and media describe the Ojai Studio Artists as "world-class," and the Tour, "a rare experience" - wihile the growing influx of stylish shops and trendy restaurants only adding to Ojai's unique "destination appeal."

Art Walk 2015 in Thousand Oaks Planned for the Weekend of June 6th-7th

ArtWalk '15 takes place on Saturday and Sunday, June 6th and 7th from 10 am to 5 pm at The Bank of America Building at Hillcrest and Wilbur Streets in Thousand Oaks.  ArtWalk is a two day, juried, fine arts and designer crafts outdoor exhibition presented by the Conejo Valley Art Museum with the assistance of the Conejo Recreation and Park District. Over 100 artists will have their work on display and for sale.

The museum extends the opportunity for all distinguished artists, designers and crafts persons to exhibit their finest work in this celebrated event. Proceeds of ArtWalk go to the building and endowment funds. FREE admission and parking. Call 805.492.8778 for more information. Food trucks, children’s hands-on art tent, fine arts raffle booth, and live music will be on hand. Also visit cvam.us/events.html.