High Voltage – Power of Art’s creative energy
“Not a Wyland,” by Robyn Alatorre
by Chip Reuben – This weekend, the Redondo Beach Art Group (RBAG) is taking its own community-oriented, grassroots-grown artistic force to a new level, and to a new venue – The Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.
“I wish the ‘Power of Art’ could be held here for a month,” says John LaRock, the center’s cultural arts director. “The day after the festival is over, the theater will never feel as empty to me as it will that day. Every ‘Power of Art’ is so emotionally stimulating.”
Previously, the “Power of Art” has been held in the AES Power Plant, the Alta Vista Community Center and Courts, and the old Venezia Restaurant (formerly the Red Onion).
“Belmont Bike,” by Bernard Fallon
“Over 5,300 people attended that first show over three days in 2006,” says Georgette Gantner, who has organized the “Power of Art” for the past two years. “People were blown away.”
Since then, RBAG has upped the ante on the submission requirements for the juried art show. “I feel that the 2009 show was stronger,” Gantner notes, “because I required no less than five submissions per person.” The same requirement was instituted for the juried art show this year, which is curated by Walter Meyer, who teaches art history at Santa Monica College.
“While the visual arts have continued to grow,” LaRock says, “Georgette has particularly emphasized other genres. Whether it’s poetry, live music, dance, and performance art, the use of the theater allows performers to stand at eye level with the audience. There is no separation. I think it is going to be dramatic when you have a theater in a traditional setting, and you have a group of artists sharing their skills and artistry with the audience.”
“Your Wish is My Command,” by Karen J. Dellosso
Activities galore – The juried art show has been assembled in the main lobby on easels built by the painter, sculptor, and cloisonné artist Bob Mackie, with walls built by artist and Cannery Row Studios owner Richard Stephens. The adults-only opening tomorrow from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. includes a live and silent auction, and catered hors d’oeuvres. It features performance art by Gregory Adamson, who paints live to his own produced musical scores.
“Lust,” by Mark Tanner
Children are welcome for the remainder of the weekend.
The lobby includes two sets of artwork from the “RBAG Inspired Alliance Group,” headed by artist Daryl Muncey. The “International House of Pigs (IHOP)” is a collectively framed set of pieces from individual artists, each one of whom painted a 5”x5″ canvas of a pig from a country of their choice using colors derived from that country’s flag. The “Decades” is a set of mixed media assemblages using wood as the main support and any items of choice.
There are events all day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and events all day on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Food and drink are for sale throughout the weekend.
For the third year, Gantner has curated Tactile Textiles, a wearable art show on Sunday evening. “I was inspired by Project Runway, and I also used to make a lot of my clothes in my twenties,” she says. “In 2008, I met designer Desirae Hepp who likes to re-purpose old garments and give them new shape or incorporate them into other outfits. Last year I gave her my old wedding dress to reconfigure and she says she may create new garments from it for this year’s show. Each year, I ask four designers to show their work.”
The job of organizing professional musicians, dancers, and some of the workshop leaders fell to artist Johanna Derbolowsky.
“Aquatic Fancy,” by M. Baldwin DeHaven
Continued Growth, Continued Vision
How does such a concentration and diversity of art come to one place in Redondo Beach for three days every year? Arguably, it is the passion for the arts and the spirit of volunteerism. According to Nina Zak Laddon, co-founder, president emeritus, and originator and chair of the Power of Art from 2006 to 2008, “RBAG stays faithful to its mission statement,” which is “to create and promote artistic discussion, to provide camaraderie and encouragement to the artistic community, [and] to collaborate and to support the visual arts in the South Bay.
“I hope that RBAG will continue to be involved with the South Bay communities with the goal of finding a home for the arts in Redondo Beach. I hope we keep our communication open, our volunteerism spirit alive, and our passion for the arts vocal.”
According to co-founder Karen Baughman, “We started the art group in 2003 because there wasn’t an art presence in Redondo Beach. Other local cities had associations, art groups or cultural art centers, and we felt it was time that Redondo Beach had something.
“We’re as passionate about the city we live in as much as we are about art. We hoped to create a group of artists that could meet on a monthly basis to share ideas, support [one another], and ultimately have shows and fundraisers within the community. To date we do not have a permanent location, but that hasn’t stopped us. We’re dedicated to promoting the arts within Redondo Beach and look forward to many more years of Power of Art celebrations.”
“Sugar Hill,” by Jerry Solomon
Power of Art takes place on Friday from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, at the corner of Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Aviation Blvd., in Redondo Beach. ER
POWER OF ART SCHEDULE
AUGUST 13 – AUGUST 15, 2010
Friday, August 13
- 6 – 10 p.m. Catered, artists reception with work by over 80 RBAG artists.
- Silent and Live Auctions
- 7:15 p.m. Performance Art by Gregory Adamson. His donated painting will be auctioned
- Guest Artist: Bob Masse
- Welcome Plaza
Installations:
- Display Cases by Cindy Parker Cook, Patty Grau, Diane Reeves, Jean Shultz
- International House of Pigs curated by Daryl Muncey
- Decades curated by Daryl Muncey
- Riviera Garden Club presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
- ChildSpace by Georgette Gantner and Allessandra Ragusa
- Arts and Crafts Gallery
- T.J. Hudson Quintet
- Cash Bar
Saturday, August 14
- 10 a.m-10 p.m., 10 a.m.-1030 a.m., 10:30-11:00 Blaise Tracy reads his children’s book and children create
- 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Hands on Art presents Peter to the Max
- 2 p.m. Free to Be Me Drum Circle lead by Sabina Sandoval
- 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Kamiwo Kuisine Edible Art
- 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Ricky Rodriguez Caribbean Sound
- 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Poetry with Pizzazz – Redondo Beach Poets read
- 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. SangomaBeat
- 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Anthony Lee Poetry Workshop
- 5p.m.-6 p.m. Curator Talk with Walt Meyer SMC Professor
- 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Wine and Art Tasting- Reservation required: 310-318-8619
- 7:30p.m.-8:30 p.m. Best of Hermosa Shorts Film Festival presented by Tom Kearne
Food and drink sold throughout the day
Sunday, August 15
- 10 a.m.-8 p.m., 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Karen Spearling & StarBeam. Books
- 12 p.m.-1 p.m. Heart Space Mandala with Johanna Derbolowsky
- 1 p.m.-2 p.m. The Art of Gyotaku hosted by SeaLab
- 1 p.m.-3 p.m. 5th and Birmingham. – Jon Paul Ragusa and California country
- 12 p.m.-3 p.m. Tacos grilled on east patio
- 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Children’s dance workshop
- 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Richard Stephens Art workshop for all ages
- 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Gerald Locklin, LBSU retired professor, dances his poetry
- 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Musical Showcase Travis J. Melvin conducts his new music with LBSU music vocalists, musicians
- 6:30 p.m.-7 p.m. INTERMISSION (snacks sold in Lobby)
- 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Tactile Textiles – Wearable Art curated by Georgette Gantne
Food and drink sold throughout the day. For additional information: http://redondobeachartgroup.org