Santa Paula Art Museum — Painting Demonstration by John Robertson and other upcoming events

Earth teach me stillness

as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering

as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility

as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth teach me caring

as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage

as the tree which stands alone.

An excerpt from the American Indian prayer/poem Earth Teach Me to Remember,

attributed to Chief Yellow Lark of the Lakota Sioux Tribe.

Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM

$5 Members • $10 Non-members

In honor of Earth Day, we’re looking forward to Ventura artist Kay Zetlmaier’s upcoming solo exhibition, Geomorphic: The Living Earth, which opens Saturday, May 14, 2022. The exhibit is the first major showing of Zetlmaier’s recent shift to abstract painting, and will be a first look for many at the lesser known but breathtaking medium of oil and cold wax.

Nine of the 42 paintings that will be featured in Kay’s new showare inspired by the American Indian poem Earth Teach Me to Remember (quoted above). With layers of bold shapes, luminous colors, and complex textures, Zetlmaier bears witness to the beauty and fragility of our planet.

Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 2 PM to 3:30 PM

Free admission

Gain a deeper understanding of Ventura artist John Robertson’s current exhibit, A Narrative, as you watch Robertson create one of his famous, large-scale landscape paintings inside SPAM’s Cole Creativity Center. Reservations are not required.

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Artist-led Tours with Lynn Hanson and John Robertson

Saturday, May 28, and Saturday, June 18, 2022

45-minute tours available at 2 PM and 3 PM

Included with regular museum admission

Enjoy a 45-minute tour of the current exhibits Fieldnotes: Lynn Hanson and A Narrative: John Robertson with the two Ventura artists (and couple) as your guides. Reservations are not required.

Friday, May 13, 2022, from 6 PM to 8 PM

Free admission

Poet Laureate Emerita of Ventura County Mary Kay Rummel and Santa Paula author Anita McLaughlin will lead an evening of creative writing inspired by the art in our galleries. Light refreshments, paper, and pencils will be provided. Reservations are not required. (Young writers under 16 are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult.)

Sunday, June 5, 2022, from 11 AM to 3 PM

Free admission

Kids’ Art Fest is a free, outdoor event where children can explore and make their own works of art. This year’s art activities are inspired by the beauty and diversity of our planet and incorporate recycled materials. Kids can also visit with a face painter, caricature artist, and bubble entertainer. Reservations are not required. Admission is free for everyone.

Interested in sponsoring this free event? Contact us!

Let your kids exercise their creativity (and get their hands dirty) this summer during our Kids’ Summer Art Camps. Art Camp is all about fun and building basic skills in painting and/or ceramics. All skill levels welcome. All materials are provided.

Kids’ Art Camp: Painting (Ages 5-7)

Monday, June 13, to Friday, June 17, 2022

1 PM to 3 PM each day

$120 per child for five-days of camp

Kids’ Art Camp: Painting (Ages 8-13)

Monday, June 13, to Friday, June 17, 2022

9 AM to 12 PM each day

$150 per child for five-days of camp

Kids’ Art Camp: Ceramic Tile Projects (Ages 8-13)

Monday, June 27, to Friday, July 1, 2022

9 AM to 12 PM each day

$150 per child for five-days of camp

Kids’ Art Camp: Pottery Projects (Ages 8-13)

Monday, July 11, to Friday, July 15, 2022

9 AM to 12 PM each day

$150 per child for five-days of camp

Virtual three-part course begins Tuesday, June 14, 2022, from 6 PM to 7:30 PM

$50 for three online sessions

Veteran landscape painter Sharon Weaver will join you online to reveal the secrets behind some of her favorite historical landscape painters, including Jessie Arms Botke, Marion Wachtel, and Edgar Payne.

Adventures in Abstraction (Ages 16+)

Four-part course begins Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 11 AM to 2 PM

$145 for four sessions

Make like Kay Zetlmaier and discover the magic of abstraction! Longtime art history professor (and head of SPAM’s education team) Meg Phelps will share new ways of looking at abstract art. Then teaching artist Jem Morris will show you how to make your own. All skill levels welcome. All materials are provided.

Painting Panoramic Landscapes (Ages 16+)

Five-part course begins Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 11 AM to 2 PM

$175 for five sessions

Master the skills of painting panoramic landscapes in just five classes with teaching artist Gabriel Islas. Build an understanding of color, composition, value, and atmospheric perspective using oil paints. All skill levels welcome. All materials are provided.

Live Figure Drawing (Ages 18+)

Five Thursdays: July 7; July 14; July 21; July 28; and August 4, 2022, from 6 PM to 8 PM

$20 per session or $75 for all five sessions

Experience the time-honored artistic tradition of figure drawing from a live model. Each session will begin with a short, teacher-led tutorial followed by free sketching time with a nude model. All skill levels welcome. Basic materials provided.

California Art Club’s En Plein Air Closes May 8

There are only a few weeks left to see the incredibly popular En Plein Air exhibit showcasing 32 artists from the esteemed California Art Club. Free First Sunday, May 1, would be a great time to visit as admission is free for everyone from 12 PM to 4 PM.