September will bring a variety of artistic offerings throughout San Benito County. Here is a sampling:
California Admission Day
On Sunday, Sept. 7, the Native Daughters of San Juan Bautista, Parlor No. 179 will celebrate California Admission Day. This event will showcase their adobe, a wonderful example of early California architecture, at 203 Fourth St., San Juan Bautista. To fund the restoration of their beloved Adobe, they will be selling tri-tip sandwich lunches for a donation of $10 at the door. “Take out” meals are also available. Reservations are appreciated and can be made by contacting Lorie O’Brien at obrien1976@yahoo.com or 831-635-9800. Come join the fun from noon until 3 p.m. NDGW Adobe bedecked to celebrate California Admission Day on September 9.
Christmas Concert rehearsals
Oriana Chorale is welcoming vocal artists (singers) as they begin rehearsals for the 2014 Christmas Concerts that will be held on Dec. 5, 7 and 9. Bruce Olstad, conductor for both Berkeley West Edge Opera and Livermore Valley Opera, as well as chorus master for Sacramento Opera and West Bay Opera (Palo Alto) and former chorus master of San Jose Opera, brings out the best in singers at every level of experience as we prepare for the 2014 Christmas Season. This year’s music will be traditional Christmas selections and of course the program will include selections from “The Messiah.” If you have been thinking about singing with a choral group, now is the time! Come to a rehearsal and be part of this exciting season. If you have sung with us in the past you will want to be a performer again in these events that kick-off the holidays in San Benito County. All voices are needed. As usual, tenors and basses are especially welcome. No auditions required. Rehersals are on Mondays, at The United Methodist Church, 521 Monterey St. in Hollister. For more information please call 831-637-8188.
Downtown Hollister art classes
The San Benito Arts Council launches new art classes for youth and adults in downtown Hollister. The San Benito County Arts Council is excited to invite the community into their new ArtSpace at 240 5th St. in downtown Hollister through the launch of new art classes for youth and adults, beginning Sept. 8 The art classes will be taught by professional artists in a variety of media and interested participants are encouraged to register online or get more information at www.sanbenitoarts.org. The fall schedule will consist of three monthly sessions: Sept. 8-Oct. 3; Oct. 6-31; and Nov. 3-Dec. 5. Students may register for one month or for the full fall ession. Class offerings include “Drawing with Charcoal” with Georgesse Gomez, “Beginning Painting” with Carole Belliveau and more! These classes are presented by the San Benito County Arts Council as part of their mission to enrich and engage the community through the arts. For the full class schedule, registration forms, student rates or to find out how you can get involved, please visit the San Benito County Arts Council’s website at www.sanbenitoarts.org or contact Jennifer Laine at 636-2787.
Mini-mural
Two Aromas muralists, Linda Bjornson and Joyce Oroz, have created yet another eye-catching mini mural. They have beautifully painted the utility box on Carpenteria near the corner of Blohm, in Aromas, with a theme that fits into Aromas perfectly, transforming that metal box into an attractive art piece.
Healthy call to artists
The Arts Council for Monterey County is pleased to send you Monterey County Health Department call to artists. The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 19. The theme is Health is a Human Right. This year’s theme is inspired by a recent exhibit of the same title at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s David J. Spencer CDC Museum in Atlanta: www.cdc.gov/museum. Submitted art should support the theme of “health equity” which requires valuing everyone equally, and continually striving to eliminate avoidable inequalities, injustices, and health disparities from individual to societal levels. Artists may choose to showcase “Health is a Human Right” through their work in many ways. One way would be by showing how health relates to the social determinants of health. The World Health Organization defines social determinants of health as the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, work and age, and access to health care. These circumstances are in turn shaped by a wider set of forces: economics, social policies, and political will. Recent advances are being made locally and at the state level through a “Health in All Policies” approach where we consider health and wellness outcomes as we develop all our policies. So artists may also show health as it relates to much of the environment around us, from housing to transportation to parks. The cost: is $35 for up to five images. Please review the guidelines at www.arts4mc.org. Mail your CD or flash drive (with up to five images and the entry form) to Arts Council for Monterey County, P.O. Box 7495, Carmel, CA 93921, or email them to: klara@arts4mc.org.
Olive Festival
Calling artists and vendors for the 2nd annual Olive Festival, which is a not-for-profit organization that exists to promote awareness and appreciation of the region’s world-class culinary agriculture, premier artisans and to help support community causes with festival proceeds. The festival will be held on Oct. 11 at Bolado Park, south of Hollister, but the due date to purchase a booth for this event is Sept. 15. For event details call Rebecca at 831-673-6555 or email vendors@sanbenitoolivefestival.com.
El Teatro play
“Valley of the Heart,” a major production by El Teatro Campesino, is in its second season with verve and historical savvy. Luis Valdez has woven together the trials and tribulations of two distinct ethnic groups, who are a part of diverse fabric of the American experience. By studying the significance of World War II and the hypocritical policies of the U.S. government, who feared its own citizens, Valdez cuts to the dishonor that humans perpetrate upon each other out of the force of their own fear. In the words of ETC, “VALLEY OF THE HEART is a love story, the dramatic interaction of two share cropping families – the Yamaguchis and the Montaños – during the trying days of World War II. From the foothills of Northern California’s Santa Clara Valley, “the Valley of Heart’s Delight,” in 1941 to Heart Mountain Internment Camp in Wyoming in 1945, this “memory play” is about the marriage and ultimate survival of Teruko “Thelma” Yamaguchi and Benjamin Montaño, and birth of their son in camp.” This play will be performed until Sept. 22. More information is available at www.elteatrocampesino.com or call their box office at 831-623-2444. Don’t miss this production.
In closing …
Maureen Serfini was recently enjoying a pretty August morning with the sun shining off the tin roof of an old barn along San Juan Road, that she was painting. A young man stopped by to share the story of the two sisters, who use to own the barn. He went on to describe how they had lived in their home, (which had no electricity or running water right up until the last one died), which use to lie to the right of this barn. Forty-five minutes into her painting, a gentleman drives up, gets out of his car, comes over and asks me if she sells her paintings and asked her how much she would like for her barn painting and then bought it. She asked if he also would like her to paint the tree, but he was really just interested in the painting of the barn.