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| Drawsome! Art Show by Sketchbook Sessions: San Diego |
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| Anitza Rodriguez |
Anitza Rodriquez of the
Chula Vista Community Art Center asked me to produce an art show in support of the arts, at the South Chula Vista Library.
She explained,
"The kids down here don't have anything. The art programs have been cut from the schools. These kids will grow up never knowing anything about art."
The Sketchbook Sessions: San Diego artists and I immediately agreed to create the
Drawsome! Art Show to help support the arts in this underserved community.
The goal was to show the kids that real live artists, living in their neighborhood, create cool things we all enjoy, like books, movies, clothing... and
iPad apps! The goal was to inspire the kids to be artists!
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| The CVCAC volunteers. |
We planned so many activities for opening night we were lucky the Chula Vista Community Art Center high school volunteers made sure everything ran smoothly opening night. Thanks to Chelsea Reyes, Alanna Hinds and Janelle Hinds for attaching hanging wires to the artwork and helping to hang the art show!
There was something for everyone at this community oriented event: caricatures, face painting,
henna tattoos, an art area for kids to draw and paint, digital painting demonstrations, rock bands, food trucks, a
balloon artist, coffee and cake, all in addition to the art show! All these services were provided freely, by volunteers who support their community and the arts.
Javir Batiz opened the night with psychedelic guitar licks from back in his Santana days. Joy Watley, the library's branch manager, didn't blink an eye when he cranked his amp to 11. Aw yeah!
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| Caricature Artist Jared Lipscomb |
Young-blood, artist
Jared Lipscomb volunteered to draw free caricatures for the kids on opening night.
Jared wasn't allowed to get his caricature drawn when he was a boy. Not in the family budget. With that in mind, he sat there all night long, drawing everyone he could. Jared wanted every kid who wanted a drawing, to get one. So, they lined up!
Opening night, the library was packed with more than 600 people!
In the digital conference room, where it was a bit quieter, concept artist and teacher
Dzu Nguyen offered a free Photoshop painting demonstration for the more serious attendees. A roomful of people came specifically to learn from the young master.
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| Paul Davies co-founder of Sketchbook Sessions: San Diego, mugs in front of his creations. |
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| Motion Capture artist Frank Strocco admires Dave Wilkins wall of El Zombo pages. |
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Creative Entertainment by Judah Buxton - balloons
The balloon artist, Judah Buxton worked those balloons all night! The kids loved their balloon swords and balloon superhero masks. His tiny blue and red "Spiderman" was spectacular!
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| Eddie Holly, co-founder of Sketchbook Sessions: San Diego. |
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| Eddie knows how to please the crowd, so he busted out his Justin Bieber! |
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| Artist Brice Banfield got recognized for his support of the arts. |
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Illustrator Dean MacAdam was in charge of hanging all 65 pieces of art in the Drawsome! show along with Cazi Tena.
Dean MacAdam generously donated his illustration "Reading Hill" to the library's children's section. Dean is an illustration technology leader dedicated to education, his #1 selling iPad book, Bobo Explores Light has gotten rave reviews, educating kids in an engaging way.
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Anitza Rodriguez and Cecilia Eguia Serrano - El Solde Tijuana, Ejecutivo de Ventas Espectaculos Cultura
Cecilia Eguia Serrano stopped by to interview
Eddie Holly and I about the Drawsome! Art Show. Cecilia speaks Spanish and
Eddie and I do not. Luckily, Anitza translated everything we said!
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| Artist Martha Ambrose, opening night of Drawsome! |
That night,
Tori Roze, an up and coming local musician, was the toast of the evening.
Through a generous grant from the Chula Vista City Council, I was able to print a giant
drawing of Tori Roze and donate it to the the Chula Vista Library. Tori and I both signed the canvas print that night.
(Printed and assembled by Cathy Kniess at Chrome Digital)
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| Paul Davies and I checking out the Tori Roze print hanging in the Chula Vista Library. |
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| The Hot Mess guitarist's supports the musical arts with some gorgeous guitar playing. |
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| Hellz yeah, Tori Roze plays the trumpet, kid. |
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Gourmet food trucks!
Folks gotta eat! The
food trucks were super delicious, and charitable too! They supported the
arts by donating some proceeds to the local high school band. I ate
the last carne asada burrito, it was for a good cause, yo.
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| Dave Wilkin's youngest fan waits for the artist to autograph her El Zombo book - a book about the world's greatest luchador, back from the dead... |
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| Betty Woznis the Library Director and Senator Juan Vargas' representative stopped by to see the show and to recognize the artists for supporting the arts in Chula Vista. Thanks for letting us have rock bands in your library! |
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| Artist Cazi Tena hung the 65 piece show in a long night of curating and nail hammering with illustrator Dean MacAdam and the CVCAC volunteers |
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| Dawn Vitale, Director of Marketing at Eventful did the marketing for the show - all Pro-Bono. |
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Dave Wilkins donated a bunch of his El Zombo books to the library. Then, he sat in the back room and signed autographs for his fans.
Dave Wilkins illustrates books, is a professional luchador, creates artwork for Sony, and most recently, comic book covers for DC's the Green Lantern!
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| Artist Aaron Kasten gets officially recognized for his support of the arts. |
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| Artist Kimie Kim is congratulated by Deputy Mayor Rudy Ramirez (wearing shorts and flip flops). Hey, it's California, man. |
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| Admiring the art of Cazi Tena. |
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| Joy Watley - Chula Vista South Branch Manager. |
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| Anitza Rodriguez Chula Vista Community Art Center leader and City Council Representative. |
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| Artist Jin Kim getting props. |
Towards the end of the night, a tweenaged girl asked me if
Sue Dawe, the unicorn lady, was really at the show. I pointed her to the artists lounge. A while later, I saw her running and yelling, "Sue Dawe drew me a unicorn!" The little kid waved it in the air and skipped away.
The San Diego Sketchbook Session Artists are a mix of professional
artists currently working to create video games, concept art for movies,
tee shirts, books, magazines and comics, all dedicated to supporting
the arts in San Diego. They meet once a week at a cafe in San Diego to draw in their sketchbooks.
Drawsome! Art Show - Sketchbook Session: San Diego Artists
Paul Davies Eddy Holly Cazi Tena Graham Smith Martha Ambrose Dzu Nguyen Peter Han Jared Lipscomb Jin Kim Dave Wilkins Sue Dawe Brice Banfield
Kimie Kim Dean MacAdam Aaron Kasten,
Ian Holaday
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Credits:
Art Donors:
Dave Wilkins
Dean MacAdam
Graham Smith
Coffee: Starbucks on Palomar St. in Chula Vista
CVCAG Volunteers
Anitza Rodriguez
Alanna Hinds
Chelsea Reyes
Janelle Hinds
Lexi
Guy Fisher
Amanda
Elisa
Entertainment Volunteers:
Creative Entertainment by Judah Buxton - Balloon Artist
Elidia Cabrero - Face Painter
Jared Lispcomb - caricatures
Natasha Papousek - Crescent Moon Design
Food Trucks
Crazy Wheel Coffee
Delicioso Food Truck
Two for the Road
Library
Betty Woznis - Library Director
Joy Whatley - Chula Vista Library, South Branch Manger
Marketing: Eventful
Music:
Javier Batiz
Tori Roze and the Hot Mess
Photos: Ian Holaday Arts.
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