Courtesy photos
CAMARILLO — Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIAC) recently announced the addition of Bill Paterson and Don Harper to its board of directors. Paterson is a retired partner with Ventura County’s largest law firm Ferguson Case Orr Paterson (FCOP) and Harper is a music composer for film, television and the stage and owner of Don Harper Productions (DHP).
“These two new board members will bring new ideas and an exciting new direction to Studio Channel Islands Art Center. Bill was very involved with the Ojai Film Festival and is planning to bring a program of film to SCIAC. Don has extensive contacts in the performing and recording industry and is programming a series of cross-artform concerts to take place in the Blackboard Gallery,” said Edy Santangelo, SCIAC board president.
Paterson has practiced law in nearly all areas of business litigation for more than 45 years and was a partner with the law firm Ferguson, Regnier and Paterson which later became Ferguson Case Orr Paterson LLP, now Ventura County’s largest law firm. Prior to private practice, Paterson started his law career in 1967 with the Ventura County District Attorney’s office where he was both a felony trial deputy and appellate supervisor. A long-time resident of Camarillo, Paterson currently volunteers with the Camarillo Healthcare District and has served on various committees with the Ventura County Bar Association, including his current position as board member of the pro bono committee. He has also previously served as board member for the Ventura County Legal Aid Society, El Centrito De Colonia and the Ojai Film Society. Paterson graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in history and was a teacher in Los Angeles before returning to UCLA and earning his law degree. While at the UCLA School of Law, he was a member of the Board of Editors of the UCLA Law Review.
Harper is owner of the music production studio, Sessions at the Loft, in Camarillo, where he composes, arranges and produces music for film, television and stage productions and many venues worldwide, including Disneyland’s fireworks spectaculars Believe – In Holiday Magic which is still running after 18 years. He also composed and arranged the music for Fantastmic at Tokyo Disney Seas and the opening ceremonies for California Adventure. His many film and television credits include Disney’s feature films National Treasure, Armageddon and Lion King 1 1/2, the TV film Houdini and the television series The Magnificent Seven. His conducting credits include the scores for Moana, Tarzan, and August Rush. His stage and special events credits include arranging and conducting for artists such as Gloria Estefan, Michael McDonald, Larry Carlton, Juice Newton and Michael Franks, and musical direction for Ronald Reagan’s Inauguration. A resident of Newbury Park for almost 30 years, Harper hosts concerts at Sessions at the Loft, providing a creative outlet for local singers, musicians, dancers and poets. He is also co-founder of Discovery Arts, a non-profit organization promoting the arts as a means to heal, teach and enrich the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses.
Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIAC) is located at 2222 E. Ventura Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93010. Gallery hours are Tues.–Fri., 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information, visit www.studiochannelislands.org, or call 805-383-1368.