Thursday, July 3, 2014

Independence Day @ The Magoski Arts Colony!

This year, the Fourth of July and the Downtown Fullerton Art Walk coincide, and there's lots to do and see at the Magoski Arts Colony.  Some of it is America-related, some is not, but it's all good.  Here's what you can see, and experience this Friday...

At Hibbleton Gallery, I'm presenting a very special art exhibit + coloring book release party called "Hall of Presidents." For the fourth of July, I am releasing a brand new coloring book entitled "The American Presidents: a Coloring Book" which includes hand-drawn portraits of every American president from Washington to Obama, along with interesting information about each commander-in-chief. This will be an interactive exhibit, in which visitors are invited to color portraits of the presidents, whilst learning about them. Also, coloring books will be fore sale.  Here is a portrait of James Buchanan, the 15th president of the United States.




The Egan Gallery is extremely honored to have Steve Metzger return to us with his appropriately titled exhibition "Stars & Stripes". With this collection of oil paintings Steve incorporates the use of form and color by juxtaposing both monochromatic stripes with portraits of notable celebrities... Steve Metzger is Rad! 


Neighborhood Studio (formerly PAS Gallery) presents Indepencence: Recent photography and other works from Noah Prince.  This is Noah's first solo exhibit inspired by his 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. Please join us as we view art and barbeque on Independence Day—for our nation, and for this young artist.


Artside Studio and the ladies of the Magoski Arts Colony present COLONISTAS, an exhibition including the artworks of nine artists in nine books, each as unique as the women who created them. Every page is a message of love, inspiration and creativity.  Participating artists are:  Anna Hansen, Candace Magoski, Denise Marshall, Esther Jacks, Katie Perdue, Kristi Prince, Leanne Sargeant, Myra Bryan, and Steffi Möllers.  


Colony artist and curator Esther Jacks has put together an amazing show of visual art and poetry entitled Love Notes and Poems, inspired by two Colony artists who are moving on to other places and adventures, Anna Hansen and Steffi Mollers.   Come experience paintings, drawings and poems of love, of loss, and leaving.  Over 60 original poems!  Artists/poets include Esther Jacks, Amanda Reeves, Dan Joyce, Nancy Johnson, Brian Torres, Michael Magoski, Anna Hansen, Steffi Mollers, Oscar Arroyo, Joe Thomas, Rene Cardona, Candace Magoski, Myra Bryan, Steve Elkins, and more...


Colony Artist Anna Hansen, who is moving away to Utah, is creating a massive installation involving  hundreds of prints and votives, each of which represents a part of the amazing community that is The Magoski Arts Colony.  Here is an example of the prints, which she will cut into smaller prints, which visitors may take with them and keep always...


BOOKMACHINE books + zines presents a very special chapbook release + reading entitled "Tonight I Found My Heaven" featuring the poetry of Christine Granillo.  From Christine's statement:  "I don’t know how to reconcile my passion for all the beauty in this world and my distaste for the mundanity of everyday constructed life, not to mention the destructive tendencies of human behavior. I love this world, I love this life, I love humanity. I don’t love some of the institutions we’ve built, the reliance on material things or the notions of greed and power that drive us into the sort of madness that breeds inequality, complacency and feelings of perpetual inadequacy. In spite of it all, I believe humanity is good. The struggle, for me personally, is knowing how to love it all while knowing the realities we face. But, I fight. I choose this struggle, and I’ve decided the only way to win this struggle is with Love. For all of Humanity."


There is all this and more this Friday, on the Fourth of July at The Magoski Arts Colony, during the Downtown Fullerton Art Walk.  Come see some amazing art, and then watch the fireworks in Downtown Fullerton!