From the Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director
of the Museum of Ventura County
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Greetings from 16 MVC team members, from 16 different home offices!
Last week, after 10 days of working from home, we on the Museum staff team realized that we actually like each other quite a bit, so we got together for an hour of idea sharing and recharging. Here we all are, in our “working from home” best.
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When we are NOT joking on zoom happy hours, we are busy developing programs, articles, and activities like the ones listed in this newsletter. There are a couple of new twists this week that I’d like to draw your attention to:
- This week we announce the first quizlet prize winner: Jose Diaz of Santa Paula. People who complete the quiz will be entered into a bi-weekly drawing: the prize is a $50 gift certificate to a local business of your choice. This prize program is funded by a donor who was looking for a way to support both the county’s small businesses and the museum.
- We are re-sending you the Ojai Studio Artists Virtual Gallery Tour and invite you to tour the collection and consider supporting the arts community by purchasing artwork. The Museum will charge no commission for any sales online – this is one way we are working to support regional artists during this tough time.
Thank you for being a part of the MVC family and participating in our virtual programs. As always, if you have any special requests, please write me and let me know! ebrokaw@venturamuseum.orgElena Brokaw, The Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director
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The Mammoths of Ventura County
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Fossils of starfish and sand dollars dating back 55 million years have been found north of Ojai. In a Simi Valley canyon, giant alligators, 40-foot whale skeletons and a seven-inch tooth from an ancient great white shark have been found. But this story is about four mammoths, the extinct Ice Age relatives of modern elephants.
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Quizlet #2: Get Art Smart During 2020 Quarantine
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Let’s learn about art through history and contemporary events during times of strife or tragedy. During this time of quarantine, artists are creating whole bodies of work that will help tell the story of isolation in the advance of the Coronavirus.
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Individuals completing the online quizlets will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the Ventura County small business of their choice. The Museum of Ventura County believes in supporting local businesses, especially during this time of need.
Congratulations to Jose Diaz of Santa Paula, winner of the Spanish Flu Quizlet. Jose wins a $50 gift certificate to Blenders in the Grass!
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Virtual Learning Module #3
Mediterranean-Climate Ecosystem
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In this module, you will find resources for kids and adults to learn about the Mediterranean-Climate Ecosystem. Included are several self-directed learning activities, nature journaling, arts, crafts and more! You will also learn about the connection between our Mediterranean Climate and the top crops in Ventura County.
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Ojai Studio Artists: Mending the Divide
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The entire Ojai Studio Artists: Mending the Divide exhibit is now available to view online. The Ojai Studio Artists is a collective of 81 artists. Its mission is to encourage and support the development of art in the Ojai Valley. OSA encourages emerging artists, raises funds to award local educational scholarships and introduces the public to the talents of professional artists at work in their studios, vibrantly reflecting the meaning of community. The Museum of Ventura County encourages our community to consider purchasing original art from local artists always but especially during this time of quarantine. Artworks included in the Mending the Divide exhibit are available for purchase with all proceeds going to the artists. The Museum will waive all art sales commissions for the foreseeable future. Please contact Denise Sindelar at dsindelar@venturamuseum.org to arrange for purchase.
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The Museum of Ventura County has developed a six-step project called “Ventura County Family History Project”. We’ll give you tips and pointers for gathering YOUR family history. You can do one of them or three of them or all of them. At the end of the project, you’ll have a family story that you can share with the project or your family. After each step, there will be an opportunity to share your experience with the rest of the community.
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Step 3 : Do Some Research
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Just like a game of telephone, facts can change over time with infinite retelling of stories. And some facts can just plain get lost. If you’ve always wondered exactly when your great grandfather arrived at Ellis Island, now might be just the time to find out.
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If you can, please consider becoming a member of the Museum of Ventura County, or renewing your existing membership. We believe that the arts and history of our region are an integral part of a vibrant and resilient community. Your support, now more than ever, ensures that they can thrive.
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As a token of our appreciation, we are extending all MVC membership signups and renewals an additional 3 months.
Thank you.
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Local Resources for Information on COVID-19
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We know that there is a lot of news right now from the global, national, state, regional, and community level. Here are a few trusted resources for Ventura County updates.
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$10 Million Artist Relief Fund
Applications are now open for Cycle 1:
April 8th – April 23rd (closing 11:59pm ET)
Launched this past Wednesday, a $10 Million Artist Relief Fund was created with $5 million from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and matched with another $5 million in contributions from nearly two dozen philanthropies and artist-endowed foundations, including the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Covid-19 Relief Effort. This fund will provide unrestricted $5,000 grants for artists facing “dire financial emergencies” in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information, see the links below. (please note that link may time out due to high volume)
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UC Master Gardeners of Ventura County
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Thanks to the quick thinking of Terry Ball from the UC Master Gardeners of Ventura County, a cornucopia of multicolored carrots, beets, radishes, spinach, and lettuce from the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum were harvested and donated to Food Share earlier this week. Terry is not only the Lead UC Master Gardener for the vegetable gardens at the Ag Museum. she is also a frequent volunteer at Food Share of Ventura County and understands the need for fresh fruit and vegetable donations. Did you know that 1 in 6 people in Ventura County struggles with food insecurity? If you would like to help, check out Food Share’s generous programs and opportunities by visiting foodshare.com. The gardens at the Agriculture Museum are funded through the generous support of the Helen Pidduck Family.
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Empathy: Beneath the Surface
California Museum of Art at Thousand Oaks
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Take a video walkthrough of Empathy: Beneath the Surface at the California Museum of Art at Thousand Oaks. Empathy: Beneath the Surface is a call to connect with each other through the fundamental component of community – understanding and recognizing the thoughts or needs of another.
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Major funding for these programs is made possible by the City of
San Buenaventura, the County of Ventura and private and community donors.
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Museum of Ventura County • 100 East Main St. Ventura, CA 93001 • 805.653.0323
Agriculture Museum • 926 Railroad Ave. Santa Paula, CA 93060 • 805.525.3100
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