Xavier ‘Big X’ Montes will turn over show to artist Andrea Vargas at event on Jan. 20
Amigos805.com staff report
For 18 years, Xavier ‘Big X’ Montes has led efforts to bring Latino art and culture to Santa Paula and the Ventura County region by producing his annual De Colores Art Show. The event has been a showcase for artists from around Southern California, who have produced a variety of artwork for and about Latino Culture.
However, his labor of love has come at a price, taking time away from his own production of original art, his musical performances and his efforts to train the next generation of musicians.
So it was with much regret that Montes decided that this would be the last De Colores Art Show.
Xavier 'Big X' Montes
“I was just going to let it go and let it just become part of Santa Paula history,” he said in an interview with Amigos805.com.
Fortunately, artist Andrea Vargas stepped into the local art scene and has agreed to keep the art show alive for years to come, Montes said.
Andrea Vargas
“She is in it for the long haul,” Montes said of Vargas, who relocated a few years ago from San Francisco to Santa Paula. “Besides being a dynamic artist who has swept Ventura County off its feet, like me she is willing to die” to keep the De Colores Art Show going.
“I know she will take great pride in it and will also elevate the quality of the work at the art show,” he said.
Vargas will officially take over as curator and director of the De Colores Art Group at the closing reception for the 18th annual exhibit, to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 at the Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 No. 10th St., Santa Paula.
Xavier 'Big X' Montes and his "Angels on Harp"
The program will feature music by Angels on Harps, a group founded by Montes. Food and refreshments will be served at the reception. The cost is $5 for museum members, $10 for non-members and free to students of all ages.
RSVP to 805.525.5554 or send an email to info@santapaulaartmuseum.org The De Colores Art exhibit continues through Jan. 29. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Visit www.santapaulaartmuseum.org for more information.
But while this will be his last show, Montes doesn’t expect to be too far away from the program and the cultural arts scene in Santa Paula.
“I met with Andrea to go over the agenda and she asked, ‘You are still going to be around and still be involved?” Montes said. “And I said yes, I will still be around and involved.”
However, Montes will also be involved in a number personal and community projects. While he has been producing about one piece of original art every three months, he wants to start producing art at least once a month. His work currently can be seen through May at the Ventura College East Campus art exhibit “Xavier Montes’ Artworks: Past & Present,” at 957 Faulkner Road, No. 106, behind the Kmart Shopping Center.
Montes is also busy teaching folklorico music classes and planning to start a musical cultural arts program in Santa Paula similar to the Inlakech Cultural Arts Center in Oxnard, which is led by longtime friend Javier Gomez.
Montes will also perform from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 at the opening reception for the Ventura College Art Galleries presentation of “Skin Deep: Artists Examine the Nude.”
That exhibit continues through Feb. 10 at Gallery 2 and the New Media Gallery.