Moving beyond ArtWalk

Let me preface this post by saying that I’m a big fan of ArtWalk, I’ve been to nearly every one and I always have a great time. I also try to buy something original if I can and encourage others to follow suit. I will be in attendance this weekend for the Harvest ArtWalk. I [...]

VCReporter one year later . . .

It’s been one year since I returned to VCReporter to reprise my role as arts editor. It’s a labor of love and I’d be loath to find a more perfect fit.  I feel I’ve accomplished much of what I hoped to, yet there’s so much I wish I could do with the section (art & [...]

The Nu Camelot:Michelle Obama gets art

Comparisons of Michelle Obama to Jackie O continue to gain validity with every speech she gives. A champion of the arts, her desire to bring culture back to the White House is refreshing, even comforting to those of us who lamented the backyard BBQ aesthetics of the Bush days.
Her most recent appeal for the arts [...]

BEST OF: the subjectivity of hierarchy and a few of my favorite things in Ventura County

We just put our annual Best Of Ventura County issue to bed after a long but mostly painless labor (depending on who you talk to.) This was not the first time I’ve been involved with the issue but it was my introduction to the back-end/inner workings of the voting process.
I am currently working on an [...]

E.P. Foster Day

Sunday Sept. 5,  is E.P. Foster Day. For those of you who don’t know who he was, Foster was one of Ventura’s pioneers, a generous man who donated huge amounts of land to the city for public use. The fairgrounds, beautiful Foster Park, Dennison Park, Camp Comfort and E.P. Foster Library as well as the [...]

“Don’t you wish Ventura County had more to offer culturally?”

Someone asked me this yesterday and my answer was “no.” I find Ventura County to be culturally wealthy. I think much of it is a bit below the radar, maybe that’s why it’s perceived as lacking.
The subject got me thinking a bit about the definition of “culture” and if we’re really clear as to its [...]

CNN at Zoey’s Cafe

The video is courtesy of Missy Ellis. Thanks Missy!
Technically CNN’s Headline News taped a segment at Zoey’s Cafe in Ventura this week to spotlight the venue’s popular “bluegrass jam” that’s been held twice a month for seven years. Why is little ol’ Zoey’s getting attention from CNN? Because Phil [...]

Closed Until Further Notice: Hush Lounge

As Chris Mastrovito mentioned in his most recent column, after 4 years in business, Hush has been shushed. Whether it’s a victim of what would appear to be a war on downtown Ventura’s nightlife–and specific sectors of such–remains to be seen.
Hush Lounge was an upscale nightclub with DJs, live music, and a restaurant. Dress code [...]

New Art City vs. New Bar City

In the midst of decreased funding for the arts in Ventura (the “New Art City”) and the subsequent slow death of ArtWalk, the local music scene is, as I’ve reported previously, exploding. At the same time, the bar scene–if you can call it a scene–has recently been plagued by violence which has led to what [...]

The future of ArtWalk hangs in the balance

It’s been just over two months since I reported on the tenuous state of ArtWalk due to budget cuts. The final ArtWalk of its kind–100 percent city supported–was one of the best ever and left me feeling optimistic about the event’s future.
As the city has given over at least 1/2 the responsibility of coordinating, promoting [...]