The meeting was called to order and President Daly thanked Marc Whitman and Tara Saylor as greeters. Terry Beckett was thanked for leading the club with the flag salute and Suzanne Scar for the invocation. Michael Bee was thanked for set up and Anne Carper was thanked for desk duty. Michael Bee was thanked for room set up and Ginger was thanked for serving lunch.
Visiting Rotarians: Larry Chambers joined us from the Cambodia Club where they have 11 members.
Guests: Our speaker Martha Moran and Mary Neville (Her husband, David was a former Ojai Rotary Member.)
Announcements:
Judy Gabriel shared a fantastic Irish Joke involving trees, dirty trees and turds.
Therease Brown reminded the club that the Taste of Ojai is Sunday, October 21st from 2-5 PM at the Ojai Valley Inn. There will be a 30’x60’ tent with misters to help keep everyone cool. Everyone in the club is encouraged to push to find a sponsor. The banner will be hung announcing the event next week!
Matt Clements announced a Taste of Ojai committee meeting at 12noon at Jack Jacobs office on this coming Wednesday. Please show up if you would like to support the team. They are doing an amazing job but there is much work to be done in the last month.
Kay Bliss reminded the club to attend “Man of La Mancha” directed by Marty Babayco. Kay shared that it will be one of his best productions! Tickets will be available at roll call. Seats are selling out fast!
Save the Date! Holiday Party will be November 30th! Location to be announced!
Next Sunday, September 23rd is International Peace Day. There will be an event at Libbey Park from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Upcoming Programs and events:
September 21st:Leif Dautch, Deputy Attorney General, San Francisco
September 28th: Craft Talks
October 5th: Andy Gilman: Tech Talk
Hiking Club date is this Sunday at 7:30 AM at Oso Ranch Trail Head
Board of Directors Meeting is this Monday at 7:30 AM.
Fining and Confessions
Confessions:
Bill Gilbreth led Fining & Confessions:
Bill Hatch was recognized for driving the Help of Ojai van.
President Daly shared a note from Pradeep Kapadia.
Patricia Anderson led the club in singing Happy Birthday for our
President Daly. Mike Malone presented her with a unrefined carb, gluten free slice of birthday cake.
Bill Hatch recognized Sue Gilbreth for the support she gives in helping people
understand their insurance options.
Suzanne and Michael Scar announced that their son passed his bar exam!
Patricia Anderson thanked Ginger for the cake.
Judy Gabriel shared it’s her 17 year Rotary anniversary along with Kay and Colin.
Al West is celebrating his 64th anniversary with Joyce.
Terry shared he turns 79 on the 17th of September.
Fining:
Bill Gilbreth led fining with questions regarding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The Program: Ojai Studio Artists Tour
Wendy Barker introduced our guest speakers: Martha Moran and Mary Neville
Martha is known as the Ojai Rockstacker. She creates sculptures, fountains and more recently, custom stone and glass shower installation. Martha sculpted her first bronze at 17. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Creative Studies at UCSB and a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA Film School. After working as a director and story editor in LA, she moved to Ojai in 1993.
She is currently president of Ojai Studio Artists. The organization has a group exhibit at the Ojai Valley Museum every year. This Spring’s exhibition—Scorched Souls, was a really fabulous exhibit highlighting how individual artists reacted to or processed the Thomas Fire.
About Ojai Studio Artists
Thirty-five years ago, three nationally recognized Ojai artists,
Bert Collins,
Marta Nelson, and
Gayel Childress, were inspired to invite art lovers and collectors into the studios of Ojai's many fine artists, sharing a weekend in celebration of art and creativity. The first year, 24 artists opened their studios and 20 more held a joint exhibition at the Ojai Art Center. From this core group, the Ojai Studio Artists group formed. OSA today has doubled in size from its beginnings – each new member juried in only after demonstrating the highest standards of professional excellence and achievement.
Since then, the prestige of OSA's annual tour has grown. The second weekend in October has become a premier art experience as thousands tour the studios of the renowned Ojai Studio Artists, traveling at their own pace studios and visiting with Ojai's finest artists. For visitors, it's a unique opportunity to meet artists, develop relationships and expand collections.
In 1993, OSA initiated its youth scholarships program with proceeds from Tour ticket and raffle/ auction sales, sponsorships, and private donations. To date, OSA has given more than $200,000 in art scholarships. It also purchases art books for local libraries, partners with schools in teaching classes and mentoring students, supports public art projects and other community programs...
In 2006, Ojai Studio Artists incorporated as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit community educational organization, working year- round, to promote art awareness. With the decline in public money for arts education, OSA has taken up the cause of preparing the next generation of artists, and celebrating the importance of the arts within the region.
The 35th annual Ojai Studio Artists Tour – a premier art event in California – is set for October 13th, 14th, and 15th, "Over 70 artists will open their studios this year,” enthuses Martha Moran, OSA board president. “Painters, sculptors, jewelers, ceramists, a woodworker, digital, glass and fiber artists – and new this year, a clothes designer! The 2018 Tour should be amazing!”
Studios across the verdant Ojai Valley will be open each day from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Many studios will be open on Monday, giving collectors an extra day to see all the work
Another highlight is the "Pre-Tour Artist Profiles" at 7 PM, Friday, October 12th for locals and early arrivals. Led by an OSA artist, the program introduces the work of each Tour artist and is designed to help people plan their Tour schedules. A special feature this year will be a video introducing the 2018 OSA scholarship winners.
OSA’s Saturday night reception is a perennial favorite and free to ticket-holders. It provides tour-goers an opportunity to socialize with OSA artists and also serves as a vital fundraiser for OSA's "Art Reach Program," featuring large raffle baskets filled with original OSA art and fine local products, such as Ojai honey, olive oil and lavender.
“We’re changing it up this year. It should be great fun and a terrific opportunity to win an outstanding piece of art.” Moran explains. “Many of our artists are creating 12” x 12” original artworks, each of which can be bid on individually along with our traditional raffle baskets.”
The bidding will kick off on July 1 with an online exhibit on the OSA website. Ticket buyers can get a discount on raffle tickets and bid early. Proceeds from the Tour and Raffle fund OSA's youth art scholarships and funding for community arts needs.
On Sunday night OSA is again delighted to partner with the Topa Mountain Winery for a Sunday Wine Social from 5-8 PM. The Social features complimentary appetizers and wine specials to artists and Tour-goers. Come relax at the scenic Topa Mountain Winery and enjoy a spectacular view of Ojai's Pink Moment sunset. [The OSA artist whose work will be featured on the 2018 Topa Mountain dessert wine label will be announced that night.] Topa Mountain Winery is located at 821 Ojai Avenue.
Tour tickets are $30 in advance, $35 day of event, $20/person for groups of 10 or more, $15 for students, 17 & under free, and cover studio visits all three days and admission to Saturday's Reception and Sunday Social. Tickets and Tour brochures will be available starting in April at
OjaiStudioArtists.org.
The Ojai Studio Artists Tour has a rich legacy, from early days which included
Beatrice Wood,
Horace Bristol and
Otto and
Vivica Heino, to today's membership of distinguished, award-winning artists.
Come experience one of California's first studio tours with a rich variety of artists in a valley known for its beauty and charm, great restaurants and shops and currently one of the most desired traveler destinations in the nation.
And in the end...
President Daly finished with a closing thought for the day:
“The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow”
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
You are invited to visit us at an upcoming meeting.