To champion art as essential to life and give our community
a creative voice
From the President’s Desk
While we’re all settling into our own new normal, Art Center Morro Bay plans to reopen on June 4, 2020. We are planning a "soft opening", which means the gallery will be open Thursday through Monday, 12pm - 4pm. As things get back on track, we'll need docents, exchange and hanging volunteers more than ever! The plan is to add Tuesdays and Wednesdays back to the schedule.
All California businesses are mandated to follow a “Business Readiness to Open” plan. Guideline measures required by the California Department of Public Health are set in place to help ensure that we are offering a clean and safe environment for our volunteers and customers. At this time, you will note a sign on the front door that requires everyone to wear a face covering upon entering.
Can we talk about face coverings for a moment please? Wearing a face covering while inside the gallery is not just a requirement, it’s an act of love. Some of us feel it unnecessary, or even an infringement of our rights to be told to wear a mask. We get that. The disruptions in our lives are causing some to struggle with devastating financial losses as well. On the other hand, this thoughtful and considerate act, could save the lives of our friends, neighbors and strangers who may be medically vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Covid-19.
Please, let’s continue to be kind and work together in an effort to protect ourselves and others.
There is a hand sanitizing station just inside the front door. Floor decals and posters are reminders that we need to continue social distancing and hand washing efforts. Aside from professional deep cleaning, docents are asked to sanitize before, during and after their shifts. They are doing such a wonderful service for everyone. Please be sure to thank them for their generosity and the extra measures they must take to keep the gallery a clean and safe environment.
All of these new measures are part of a “worksite specific plan” designed to keep us safe and healthy.
This is truly an extraordinary time. Thank you for working together. Your kind and charitable spirits are the reason Art Center Morro Bay is such a great art center!
Patricia Newton
ROBERT and MARTY AZEVEDO
The success of any business, be it for-profit or non-profit, is largely due to a good, solid foundation! At the very core of its foundation are its people.
People, like Bob and Marty Azevedo!
Bob and Marty owned a successful recreational sales business in Morgan Hill, California. After retirement, they moved to Los Osos and became Morro Bay Art Association members in 2016.
Marty’s artistic passion is watercolor. She’s been a dedicated and reliable support to MBAA for numerous years by volunteering in a number of capacities. She took on the job of Membership Coordinator and oversaw the management of the MBAA member database from 2016 through 2018. Marty often volunteers as a hostess at events including the Holiday Dinner; she works as a docent during Art in the Park; she helps during art exchange and she currently manages adult workshop marketing! Marty attends general meetings and her overall input through the years has been invaluable.
Bob jokes that he dutifully follows his wife’s lead, but honestly, he has been an indispensable rock to the core of our foundation! His contribution as MBAA Treasurer has been an integral part of the board since 2016. Bob is the gold standard when it comes to trust, ethics and pride. In addition, he volunteers as a host during our Holiday Dinner (following Marty’s lead), assists with Art in the Park and attends most art receptions. Bob also donates his time as a S.C.O.R. E. volunteer mentoring new business owners! Due to Bob’s diligence and hard work, the MBAA treasury is in great shape and will help us pull through this unprecedented time financially. He has invested our funds wisely and guides the board with his keen insight.
The MBAA Board of Directors would like to extend our grateful appreciation to both Bob and Marty Azevedo for their immeasurable dedication and service to
Morro Bay Art Association!
WE'RE OPENING UP SOON!!!
Image of horsehair pottery courtesy of Jim Gregory
BEYOND BOUNDARIES June 25 – August 2
With society in isolation – the arts are needed now more than ever to remind us that we are not alone, we can still dream, escape our current realities and engage our imaginations in building a better world for tomorrow.
Morro Bay Art Association is proud to present BEYOND BOUNDARIES.
While many view the world through a new complexity in a rapidly changing environment, artists exhibit their sensitivity to today’s unbounded viewpoints and paradigm shifts. Unrestrained by limitations in personal, cultural, gender, man-made or otherwise, this show hopes to push beyond unbridled viewpoints to allow viewers an opportunity to identify with artists and possibly discover more about themselves.
This exhibit celebrates a variety of creative expression and extends itself to all media.
Art exchange is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 10am - 2pm.
RECEPTION: Due to Covid-19, artist receptions are temporarily postponed.
CALLING ALL ARTISTS, WRITERS, CRAFTERS AND MAKERS
Have you been spending your shelter-at-home time creating things?
Painted a portrait? Wrote a short story? Built a castle out of Amazon boxes? The Tribune wants to see it!
The Tribune is launching a virtual stay-at-home art gallery and we want to feature your SLO County creations. Details on how to participate are in the link below, or you can email your submissions to me at kleslie@thetribunenews.com.
It will be very soon that Art Center Morro Bay can safely open its doors again and we all very much look forward to this day!
So, now is the time to make an origami crane to hang on our tree. Join Gail Martin on the Gallery's YouTube channel to learn how to make these origami cranes. When we are again able to open the Gallery, we will have a tree on which we will hang, hopefully, one thousand cranes created by you at home.
We invite you to write a message of encouragement inside of the crane. Or perhaps you want to share a fun saying, or words of wisdom tucked inside. Like a fortune cookie, the message will only be revealed when the crane is opened. Bring in your folded crane on the first exchange day after the Covid-19 shelter-at-home has ended and place them on our tree of health, and happiness. You can use any paper that is available to you, printer paper, magazine pages, or origami paper. Color plain paper to make it uniquely you. Create a healing crane here.
2020 Student Scholarship Recipients
Many thanks to the generosity of Art Central and fellow artists, Gisella Wilson and Mari O'Brien. Due to their efforts, students from Atascadero and San Luis Obispo High Schools were included in art scholarships awarded by Morro Bay Art Association.
Donations poured in from several generous people, forming this year's "Larry Knapp Art Scholarship Awards". Two very generous awards given to the Cuesta College Foundation, will make a positive impact on deserving students during the 2020-21 semesters.
We are proud to announce that a total of $8,500 was awarded to this year's art scholarship recipients.
Congratulations to these hard-working young artists!! Atascadero High:
Tamara Castro
Alexander Zavala
San Luis Obispo High:
Erin O'Neil
Thea Ragsdale
Morro Bay High:
Nel Anthony Aurelio Aldea
Justin Brian Castillo
Faye Vavra
Sarah Weston
Cuesta College: to be announced
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We're searching for next year's board members! Have you thought about what it would be like to be a board member? We invite you to join us as a guest at an upcoming board meeting to see if one of these positions may be right for you.
We have an immediate opening for Docent Director as Michael Costa will be switching board positions. Marketing positions are managed from home! The Adult Education Director position will be open January 1st, 2021. Additional positions open immediately, include Vice President and Marketing Director. Nominations for these positions may be made anytime for this year and by September for next year.
All board positions include: President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary, Gallery Director, Co Gallery Director, Docent Director, Adult Education, Children's Education, Marketing, Hospitality and Community Outreach and Membership.
Board positions are held for a period of one year to a maximum of four years.
Vice President:
Art in the Park
Holiday Dinner
Work with President
Adult Education Director:
Schedule monthly art demonstrations
Schedule workshops for adults
Manage classroom calendar
Plan Excursions
Attend monthly board meetings
Docent Director:
Send out Signupgenius
Provide docent training and/or assign training
Help to find coverage when docents call in sick
Update docent manual
Attend monthly board meetings
Marketing Volunteers:
Volunteer from home!
Input information to websites
send out monthly email
organize local newspaper releases
Docents:
Volunteer one or two, 4-hour shifts as gallery cashier
learn to process a sale
be helpful and cheerful
Wish to volunteer but limited on time? MBAA needs volunteers to work at the gallery or from home! We need volunteers to help market MBAA events. Work at your own pace, during the time of day or evening that works best for you. Training is provided. For those who love working with the public, signup is easy from home on the signupgenius! New docents should spend a minimum of one or two shifts with an experienced person.
If you're interested in taking one of these volunteer positions, please contact any board member.
ONLINE CLASSES
Let's Doodle with Jason Mayr
LIVE 11:30AM everyday
Jason Mayr has put together a YouTube video encouraging everyone to doodle. If you can draw a box, you can doodle. Jason will show us doodling landscapes and trees by working from the inside out; in mass opposed to lines.
So grab something to mark with and something to mark on and have fun doodling!
Friday Feedback
with Jason Mayr
Live 9:00am - 10:00am
June 5
Join acclaimed oil painter Jason Mayr as he discusses how to strengthen paintings based on your submissions. Learn how to push through to bring your painting to the next level. Submit work for discussion via email and join the conversation.
Take a look at this Friday Feedback Live Demo to see what it's all about.
Apprentice Program cancelled & new online program begins May 13th
Hello Friends,
How is everyone doing?? We hope that you are in good health and good spirits. As we all adapt to our current situation we have decided to transform the Apprentice Program into an online Mentoring Program that meets on Zoom 6 times a month for about an hour.
The new program is called "The Visual Principles of Painting." We believe that even though there will be no in person studio time that this new format is better suited for us to work through paintings together. We have been holding free Friday Feedback Live sessions on Zoom and it has proven to be very successful.
I personally feel it has been more successful than the videos. We hope that you will give the new format a try to see for yourself. After you check out the details please let us know if you have any questions.
This workshop provides a complete Milky Way photography experience, with an emphasis on Milky Way capture, star trails, and night panoramas.
Day 1 Spend the evening photographing the night sky – going over location planning, best practices, and answering all your astrophotography questions.
Day 2 Consist of post-processing where we will dive into our photos from the night before and learn to assemble star trail images. Learn more here ...
The Architecture of Light with Thomas Schaller March 2021
Known for his “Architecture of Light” and with over one million followers, he has long been considered one of the foremost architectural artists in the world. In the field, he has won every major award for his artwork - including being a two-time recipient of the Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize.
In several days of demonstrations and discussion, along with a 3-day workshop, we will explore both the genesis and the completion of paintings in watercolor that are strong, clear, communicative, and that speak with your own authentic artistic voice. Skill Level Required: Intermediate to Advanced. Cost: $425 members/$450 non members
June 2020 Newsletter
