Category: Updates

  • Contraptions Funk-Junk Art Show February 5th

    Contraptions Funk-Junk Art Show February 5th

    In the spirit of bringing you, the Downey audience, unique and interesting art shows, our own Roy Anthony Shabla has conceived and is curating an event February 5th called “Contraptions,” with the subtitle “electrified, mechanized, digitized, funk-junk art show.”  With as much technology in the world today, it’s long overdue that these feats of engineering get their own artistic spin.

    The show features  multimedia installations and robo-art by Greenie Arts, Carlos Durazo, Roy Anthony Shabla, David R Youel, Ruben Acosta, Ronnie Contreras, Nader Ghassemlou, Kevin Yoshikawa, DC Pimp Angel and many others.  Shabla describes that he hopes the show has “a festival atmosphere with performance artists and roving poets…  the show is democratic and open to any artist working in the mechanized, recycled junk world… think george herms electrified. think burning man. think multi-media explosion…”

    Sunday, February 5th, 2012 outside Downey’s newest barber shop “Number 34,” operated by Downey’s home-grown hair-styling legend Ronnie Contreras.  The show is 5pm to 9pm.

    Ronnie, his shop, and their hope that it will become a new arts destination for the city, was covered by a great article in The Downey Beat, New take on an old idea: Downey hair cutter to host art shows, poetry at barber shop.

    The shop is located at 9029 Florence Avenue, Downey 90240.

    Just to add to the spectacle, the Superbowl game will be broadcast inside Number 34.  50 gift bags are promised as well.

    Some of the sponsors include:

    If you are interested in showing a piece as well, you can contact Roy at his website, RoyAnthonyShabla.com or email guruguynlalaland@aol.com.

    [Updated 1/22/12 with new artists]

  • Downey Arts Coalition Meeting January 28th

    Downey Arts Coalition Meeting January 28th

    The next Downey Arts Coalition meeting will be Satuday, January 28th at 12:00PM at the Downey Civic Theatre green room.

    The DAC was formed with the goal of bringing together artists, arts advocates, and our local arts organizations for the purpose of discussion, collaboration, and encouragement.  Downey has a rich history with the arts, but hasn’t handled the transition well to pass the torch to a new generation of arts & culture.  We have a lot of hopes,  ideas and goals, but the only way to accomplish them is to work together toward a common vision.  There has been a lot going on the past couple months, and many exciting things for 2012, so don’t miss this meeting.

    8435 Firestone Blvd. Downey, CA 90241

    For more information, contact ajw AT downeyarts DOT com

    Here’s a link to the usual Downey Arts welcome message

    Suburban Renaissance Art Show at the Downey Theatre November 2011

  • Poetry Night, Wine+Words with Judith Pacht, January 19th

    Poetry Night, Wine+Words with Judith Pacht, January 19th

    The Downey Arts Coalitions “Wine+Words” poetry series moves to Third-Thursdays in January.

    A good group made it out to hear Rick Smith in November.  The featured poet this month will be Judith Pacht, reading on Thursday January 19.  DAC member Lorine Parks curates the evening.

    Pacht is a seasoned poet and teaches poetry workshops on subjects such as “Warping Time in Poetry.” Her newest book, Summer Hunger (Tebot Bach), has won PEN’s 2011 Southwest Book Award for Poetry.

    While Pacht likes to play with words and sounds, her poems always reach for a larger conclusion. In “Surfaces,” she speaks of “the business traveler who clinches a merger, the hungry lovers who clinch and merge.” And in “Small Things” her rhythms takes the reader beyond a shared delight in the minutia of daily life and even the subtle interplay of Dodger baseball, to a further understanding:

    Praise the sticky pollen on the bee’s
    hind legs, the blossom’s private parts, the fruit.
    Praise all vowels: masa and metate,
    smooth and avocado, quesadilla.
    Praise Nomo backing first base on Beltre’s throw,
    Cohen reaching Ahmed, Ahmed reaching
    words both used to know, speaking, speaking.

    The poetry event will begin at 7:30 pm in Mari’s Wine Bar, at 8222Firestone, across from Porto’s, with sign–ups for open mike readings by volunteer local poets. Open mike reading will begin at 8 pm and Pacht will read at 8:30. The audience is invited to stay afterward for informal discussion with Pacht and other poets. Admission is free and there is handicap access and easy parking in the rear.

    MARI’S WINE BAR

    8222 Firestone Blvd, Downey 90241, between Downey and LaReina

    across from Porto’s free parking in back handicap access

    For more about Judith, and a complete bio, visit her website at judithpacht.com 

  • Ricky Ostendi and Monica Pucciarelli, Art on the Vine January 7th

    Ricky Ostendi and Monica Pucciarelli, Art on the Vine January 7th

    Saturday January 7th, come experience the artwork of two talented artists from right here in Downey, Ricky Ostendi and Monica Pucciarelli.

    Visit the facebook event page to tell us you’re coming: https://www.facebook.com/events/348368495178962/

    Ricky Ostendi attended Warren High School and has his BA from the Art Institute of California. In addition to his painting, he is also a modeler for 3D graphics and a concept artist. His work has been shown as part of the Downey Art Vibe‘s events at the Taste of Downey and the Downey Civic Theatre.

    Monica Pucciarelli, originally from Argentina, is a self-taught artist who has been painting for over a decade. Her work is figurative, abstract, and mixed media is my preference both on canvas and paper. She has shown work at The Lankershim Arts Gallery in Hollywood, Gallery Expo in Long Beach, Downey Museum of Art, Cypress Art Faire Juried exhibition, as well as many other juried art shows and exhibit where her art has won numerous awards.

  • Suburban Renaissance Thursday Nov 10th

    Suburban Renaissance Thursday Nov 10th

    The Downey Art Vibe is producing a first class arts event at the Downey Civic Theatre lobby, this Thursday November 10th at 8PM.

    Participating artists include:  Eddie Blanck, Jose Cervantes, Carolina Del Toro, Jorge Del Toro, Jordan Dunn, Gabe Enamorado, Valentin Flores, Don Lamkin, Monique Pucciarelli, Jamie Lennon Rowland, Roy Anthony Shabla, Jenny Vargas, Alina Wilson.

    DJ Dren, cash bar, photo booth, food, $5 at the box office.

    Here is the event page on facebook.  Click to say you’re attending, and invite your friends by pressing “Select Guests to Invite.”

    The Downey Art Vibe was co-founded by Valentin Flores and Gabe Enamorado, two photographers with a love for Downey that envisioned a cultural revolution here in the city.  A couple years ago, I attended an event featuring a friend and local artist Sergio Robleto, and was shocked to find that someone was taking an active role in bringing the arts to our community.  It was still awhile after that when I began to be inspired to get involved myself.  I’ve lived in Downey most all of my life, and the common knowledge is there’s nothing here for artists, so you focus your time elsewhere.  Taking the local arts movement seriously was not my idea, in the least.  These guys are the inspiration.

  • Downey Arts Meeting Saturday Oct 29th 12PM

    Downey Arts Meeting Saturday Oct 29th 12PM

    Hope you can make it to our next Downey Arts Coalition meeting at the Downey Civic Theatre, in the green room.  Enter through the office door right off the small street between the theatre and the library.  This Saturday October 29th at 12PM.

    We start out each meeting re-capping the current news and events happening in the Downey arts scene, so come prepared to report if you were involved.  Next we’ll go through some of our potential projects to see what we can push forward.  The coalition is here to help inspire you to take action on some of the ideas you’re passionate about, and find support from others who are interested in the same things.

    The main topic this month is considering what it would take to create a small venue theatrical space in Downey.   The Downey Civic Theatre has a sizable rehearsal room upstairs that will soon reopen after having asbestos abatement.  It’s a big empty room, but if you put on your vision goggles there could be a 90 seat theatre up there.  But it would basically have to be funded, furnished, and equiped from scratch.  Not to mention figuring out an operating model that balances all the needs of no-budget theatre production, city politics, and the realities of theatre management.  Then there’s the question of keeping that space busy with quality work and developing an audience for it.  All simple stuff.

    If theatre isn’t your thing, come for the first part at least.  For those theatre folk that sat patiently through the visual arts discussions, this is a good meeting to hit up.

  • Downey Symphony Photos from “Fiesta!” Concert

    Downey Symphony Photos from “Fiesta!” Concert

    The Downey Symphony Orchestra brought down the house on Saturday, with an excellent concert and excitement for the future.  The “Downey Overture” by Oscar Navarro was electric and vibrant,  “Noah’s Ark” soared with emotion, Tim Callobre’s solo guitar held the audience captive, who then were entranced by the beauty of “Bolero.”

    Here are photos from the evening.  Hopefully at some point we can get clearance to release video of the Downey Overture online.

    Mayor Luis Marquez and Mrs. Alma Marquez with Spanish composer Oscar Navarro during the world premier of the “Downey Overture” by the Downey Orchestra, and the American premier of “Noah’s Ark,” October 22, 2011.

     

  • Wine + Words Poetry Night Friday Oct 21

    Wine + Words Poetry Night Friday Oct 21

    October 21, 9PM at Mari’s Wine Bar, 8222 Firestone Blvd. Downey, CA

    I always thought poetry readings would be one of the later additions to a city’s push into arts and culture.  But now Downey will have its very own poetry reading series, which is a co-production with the San Gabriel Valley Literary Festival and the Downey Arts Coalition.  Through the hard work and literary efforts of John Brantingham, the vision and drive of artist/poet Roy Anthony Shabla, and support from other members of the DAC team this first evening presentation is Friday night at 9PM.  This month features poets  David Caddy and Ara Shirinyan.  There will be an open mic before the featured readings for the first 10 who sign up the night of the event.  If you miss this one (don’t), plan on the next one– it’ll be back the third Friday of each month.

  • Spanish Composer to Attend American Premier at Downey Concert

    Spanish Composer to Attend American Premier at Downey Concert

    Acclaimed Spanish composer and film orchestrator Oscar Navarro will be attending the American premier of his work “Noah’s Ark” at the Downey Theater, October 22, 2011, to hear it performed by the Downey Symphony Orchestra.

    According to Music Director Sharon Lavery, this first concert of the season, entitled ¡Fiesta!, was conceived as a celebration of California’s Latin heritage, and Navarro, who does film scoring as well as symphonic composition, was so moved that he wrote and dedicated a special overture for the orchestra.

    Preparation has been intense as the musicians rehearse to open the program with the world premier of this special dedication.

    Navarro, who makes his home in Madrid, describes the “Downey Overture” as a “Latin-American fusion that creates a link” between Spain and California “with its mixture of colors and rhythm in an ambiance of dance.”

    Navarro was a promising musician when he became interested in composing. His most recent film, Thunder Captain, is an action film about a 12th century knight fighting injustice. It was just released in Spain in early October.

    Also featured for the ¡Fiesta! concert is the renowned “Concierto de Aranjuez” by Joaquin Rodrigo. The soloist will be 18-year-old guitar prodigy Tim Callobre. “Danzon No. 2” by Mexican composer Arturo Marquez is also on the program, which will conclude with the popular “Bolero” by Ravel, based on the traditional Spanish dance.

  • Roy Anthony Shabla opens at “Art on the Vine”

    Roy Anthony Shabla opens at “Art on the Vine”

    Saturday night, October 8th, was the opening reception for “Art on the Vine” featuring the work of Roy Anthony Shabla.  The artwork and poetry will be on display until the end of the month at Mari’s Wine Bar, 8222 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241.

    Roy Anthony Shabla at "Art on the Vine"
    Roy Anthony Shabla at "Art on the Vine"