Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "crocker art museum"

Doom Bird Performs The Crocker Art Museum's Thursdays 'Til 9 Series

2012-01-25T22:27:09Z

Crocker Presents Lecture on Saint Sebastian & LGBT Culture on January 26

2012-01-20T00:21:20Z

The Crocker Art Museum will welcome William U. Eiland, director of the Georgia Museum of Art, for a lecture on the imagery of Saint Sebastian and its cultural meanings for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender viewers on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. The lecture will be held in conjunction with the exhibition “Florence and the Baroque: Paintings from the Haukohl Family Collection,” an exhibition of paintings and sculptures from the largest privately-held collection of the period in the United States. Tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers.

Eiland’s lecture, titled “Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune: Queering Saint Sebastian,” will focus on two paintings in the exhibition, differing images of Saint Sebastian by Felice Ficherelli and Onorio Marinari. Eiland will discuss the facts and legend surrounding Sebastian's life and how the Roman soldier eventually became a revered saint whose agony has been appropriated and even eroticized.

The recipient of the James Short Award from the Southeastern Museums Conference and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries, Eiland is a trustee of the International Council of Museums and has held various posts with the American Association of Museums and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Eiland lecture is being supported by Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl under whose auspices the exhibition has been generously lent to the Crocker Art Museum. Haukohl is a co-founder of the Medici Archive Project, which is a charitable foundation in Florence, Italy cataloging and researching over 300 years of original documents surrounding the Medici family in Europe. He is also President of The Vero Group of Houston, Texas.

Regarding the topic of St. Sebastian, Sir Mark commented, “The history and study of St. Sebastian has been of serious interest, research and an ongoing scholarly pursuit of mine for over 30 years. The evolution of St. Sebastian in today's popular culture—as evidenced in works by Damien Hirst, Pierre and Gilles, and many others—is an important redrawing of how the Saint's images come forward and are perceived as being relevant to numerous audiences, not just the ecclesiastical world."

Tickets for the lecture are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182. Open Art is part of the program series Thursdays ‘til 9.

The Crocker Art Museum was one of the first art museums in the U.S. and is now one of the leading art museums in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

A music-infused celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at The Crocker

2012-01-17T07:01:40Z

In the spirit of the historic anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing, the Crocker presented a music-infused celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Crocker was filled.

Lots of different activities happened: Hands-on Art Workshop: Quilt for the Dream, African American Artists in the Crocker Collection Tours and Art Chats.

Music featuring:
• Theresa Keene and Leslie Sandefur

• Faith Fellowship Community Church Choir

• Genesis Church Choir

• Spiritual Life Center Choir

Not in Our Town film screening, sponsored by Mort and Marcy Friedman, featured the PBS documentary that has sparked a national movement to highlight communities working to stop hate.

Susie Wong of the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Tolerance moderated a post-screening panel discussion with the film's executive producer, Patrice O'Neill, and attorney Benjamin Wagner.

The panel explored the issues raised by the film and their connections to the ideals of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here's some photos taken at The Crocker today:

Watch Not in Our Town film on YouTube

For more info on the Crocker Art Museum CLICK HERE>>>

To view photos of the 31st annual March for the Dream in Sacramento today, CLICK HERE>>>

Ways to spend your MLK, Jr. Day in Sacramento

2012-01-12T21:22:34Z

Not everyone has this coming Monday off (alas!) but for those that do, Sacramento has a few options for using your day off to celebrate the man it honors—Martin Luther King, Jr.

MLK365 is presenting the 31st Annual March for the Dream, which includes a peaceful march (choose to begin from the Oak Park Community Center, Grant High School, or Sacramento City College) that convenes on the Sacramento Convention Center for an afternoon of celebration. There will be something for all ages and interests—vendor booths, kids’ crafts & activities, entertainment, an art village featuring local artists, and more.

The Crocker Art Museum is opening their doors for their free Holiday Monday program. Monday’s event—“MLK Day – Lift Every Voice”—is a music-infused celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr, with regional choirs performing throughout the day. The event concludes with a screening of Not in Our Town, a documentary about the movement to stop hate.

If you think both those celebrations look fun—and you're also looking to listen to some jazz—consider signing up for Sacramento Wine & Nightlife Tours' MLK Day Experience & Smooth Jazz Celebration. This event meets for the March in front of Sac City College, attends the Celebration at the Convention Center, and then shuttles you to "Lift Every Voice" at the Crocker. From there, the shuttle will take you out to the Old Sugar Mill to enjoy musical performances by Tony Elder & Westbound Groove, Cynthia Douglas, DJ Rock Bottom, and more. This is a great way to make the most of your day!

Also open for the Holiday Monday, though not MLK-themed, is the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center, which is celebrating the opening weekend of their new Blast from the Past Exhibit. Kids can enjoy a day of hands-on fun learning all about dinosaurs! There’s a Dinosaur Train creative play area, dinosaur bone replicas on display, a “dino-nest” photo opportunity, and a dinosaur diorama craft.

If you are looking to give back with your day off, consider one of Hands On Sacramento’s volunteer opportunities for MLK, Jr. Day of Service.

Disclosure: Written by Sacramento365.com Assistant Editor, Alison Kranz

Classic “Sunset Boulevard” to Screen at the Crocker on January 5

2012-01-04T19:25:10Z

The Crocker Art Museum will screen the Academy-Award-winning classic “Sunset Boulevard” on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 6:30 p.m. One of the greatest movies about Hollywood ever made, this film is at once film noir, dark comedy, high melodrama, and scathing satire. Tickets are $5 for Museum members and $10 for nonmembers, not including Museum admission.

One of the most successful films of its era, “Time” described it as a story of "Hollywood at its worst told by Hollywood at its best." Gloria Swanson stars as a faded silent screen goddess who dreams of a box-office comeback. William Holden is Joe Gillis, a cynical small-time writer who becomes entangled in her deluded world.

Film scholar Kristen Anderson Wagner will introduce the film and provide a sneak peek of Film Frame features to come in 2012.

Director Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard,” an ideal example of the Baroque aesthetic on the big screen, is presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Florence and the Baroque: Paintings from the Haukohl Family Collection.” The exhibition features Italian painting and sculpture from the 16th through 18th centuries to Northern California. On view at the Crocker through February 12, 2012, this exhibition is drawn from the largest private American collection of Florentine Baroque painting and features works by key artists such as Cesare Dandini, Jacopo da Empoli, and Francesco Furini.

This screening is part of the Museum’s monthly film series, Film Frame, which occurs every first Thursday evening of the month. Presented in collaboration with local festivals and organizations, films relate to the Crocker’s exhibitions and collections as well as relevant issues in film, art, and society. Screenings are accompanied by commentary from film makers, enthusiasts, scholars, artists, and local arts partners. Watch trailers and learn more about upcoming films at crockerartmuseum.org.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first art museum in the Western U.S. and is now one of the leading art museums in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday.” For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Autumn Sky to Perform at the Crocker on December 15

2011-12-13T00:58:28Z

The Crocker Art Museum will host local indie darling Autumn Sky for a night of original folk and pop on Thursday, Dec. 15. Sky is an award-winning, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter from Sacramento. She will play songs from past releases and her soon-to-launch sophomore album, "The Hallelujah Chorus.” The concert will take place in the Museum’s Setzer Foundation Auditorium at 7 p.m.

At 23 years old, Sky has been playing for Sacramento crowds for over six years and has garnered much local acclaim for her lively and engaging shows. Her unique style mixes pitch-perfect and deeply emotive vocals with indie and pop sensibilities. She released “Diminutive, Petite EP” in 2007, followed by her debut album “All Which Isn't Singing” in 2008. Sky has performed at the California State Fair, Downtown Sacramento’s Concert in the Park series, and the Crest Theatre. Most recently, she received the Outstanding Singer-Songwriter and Readers’ Choice Artist of the Year awards at the 2010 and 2011 Sammie Block Party and Music Awards.

Tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

The Crocker Cafe will offer a themed drink special that evening in honor of the concert. The “Sky Crock-tail,” a Skyy Vodka dirty martini, will be available for $7 from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Playlist is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker Explores the Artful Side of Water on December 8

2011-12-07T01:26:18Z

The Crocker Art Museum will present a multi-media exploration of water on Thursday, Dec 8, from 5 to 9 p.m. Inspired by the community exhibition “Liquid Assets,” Art Mix: Flow in Flux will feature a mini-film festival curated by the Sundance Film Festival's associate programmer Mike Plante, special water-based tours led by artists Enid Baxter Blader, Jenny Stark, and Nicole Antebi, a performance by the Spillit Quikkers, a local old-time string band, and interactive water-themed art with iPads.

“Liquid Assets” is a unique installation exploring one of California’s most vital resources. Inspired by art from the Crocker's permanent collection, this exhibit features 21 works laid out as a spatial dictionary offering perspectives on how water defines life in the region. The community exhibit will be on view through January 12, 2012, and is presented in collaboration with the Water, CA project.

Art Mix is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups. Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first art museum in the Western U.S. and is now one of the leading art museums in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker Art Museum Presents Evening of Inspiring Artistic Cinema with Kurosawa’s “Dreams”

2011-11-29T23:43:35Z

The Crocker Art Museum will present “Dreams,” the visually stunning film from Academy Award-winning director Akira Kurosawa, on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets include Museum admission and are $6 for museum members and $12 for nonmembers.

Comprised of eight separate vignettes inspired from actual dreams of the world-renowned filmmaker, “Dreams” is a collection of fantastic and evocative stories, separate in narrative, but intertwined with themes of nature and spirituality, life and death, and peace and war.

Born in early-20th-century Japan, Kurosawa made his international directorial debut in 1950 and went on to receive numerous accolades throughout Asia and the U.S., including an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1990. Kurosawa has worked in a wide range of genres and influenced countless filmmakers and artists, including director Oliver Stone, who calls the film “haunting, symbolic, and drenched with whimsy and foreknowledge of death.”

Don Roth, executive director of the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis, will introduce the film and lead a post-screening Q & A session. The film screening is presented in collaboration with the Mondavi Center, which will feature a screening of Oliver Stone's classic “Platoon” on January 9 and a speaking engagement with Oliver Stone on February 3 More information on these related events is available at mondaviarts.org.

Film Frame is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups. Tickets can be purchased at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first art museum in the Western U.S. and remains one of the leading art museums in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Annual Holiday Art & Craft Festival November 25-27

2011-11-21T22:32:51Z

Nearly 100 regional artists and craftspeople will offer their unique creations during this year’s annual Holiday Art & Craft Festival. Presented by the Crocker Art Museum and the Creative Arts League of Sacramento, the festival is held at the Scottish Rite Center, located across from the main entrance of California State University, Sacramento, at 6151 H Street.

This year’s offerings will include jewelry, ceramics, paintings, gourmet food, holiday items and more. Impress your friends and family with local handmade gifts while supporting local artisans and the Crocker’s exhibitions and education programs.

Attendees can also enjoy delicious treats by Ambrosia Catering. For those who want to capture the holiday spirit, there will be a Victorian Santa Claus available for a vintage photo opportunity.

The three-day festival begins November 25, the day following Thanksgiving. Festival hours are 12 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27. Admission is free for Museum members, $6 nonmembers, and $3 for students and seniors. Parking is free of charge.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker Art Museum Presents Art Mix: Funk Lab on November 10

2011-11-07T19:57:57Z

The fantastical world of Clayton Bailey will transform the Crocker Art Museum for Art Mix: Funk Lab on Thursday, November 10, from 5 to 9 p.m. Inspired by Bailey’s robot sculptures and pop ray guns fashioned from discarded aluminum, the evening features a pop ray gun shooting range, dancing to sci-fi film soundtracks, a series of live-action trailers by Scavenger Theatre, and robotic inventions from the University of California, Davis, including iMobot.

“Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders,” the first career-spanning retrospective featuring the work of the ceramist, sculptor, and self-proclaimed “mad scientist,” is currently on view at the Museum through January 15, 2012.

Tickets for Funk Lab are free to Museum members and free with admission for nonmembers. Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182. Funk Lab is co-sponsored by UC Davis’ K-14 Outreach Center for Computing and STEM Education.

The Crocker Art Museum was one of the first art museums in the U.S. and is now one of the leading art institutions in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker Art Museum Presents a Mashup of Horror Short Films this Thursday

2011-10-25T21:57:28Z

The Crocker Art Museum will embrace the eerie and capture the creepy with a specially curated night of retro horror short films inspired by the humorous and sometimes grotesque creations in “Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders.” Presented in collaboration with the Sacramento Horror Film Festival, Open Art: Monster Mashup will take place on Thursday, October 27, at 7 p.m.

Horror fans will delight in unique shorts, such as “Night of the Hell Hampster,” “The Sleuth Incident,” “Cannibal Flesh Riot,” “Chainsaw Maid” and more. Festival founder and director Tim Meunier will introduce the films and lead a post-screening Q & A session.

“Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders” is the first career-spanning retrospective featuring the work of the ceramicist, sculptor, and self-proclaimed “mad scientist.” Featuring 180 works and ephemera spanning Bailey's 50-year career, the exhibit is on view through January 15, 2012.

Tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Open Art is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series, sponsored by Bank of America. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders at Crocker

2011-10-24T02:29:29Z

Robots, created by self-proclaimed 'mad scientist' Clayton Bailey, are part of the "career spanning retrospective of 50 years of the work of contemporary sculptor Clayton Bailey".
The exhibit opened Sat., October 23 and runs through January 15, 2012. Museum visitors will be delighted, tickled and surprised if yesterday's opening is an accurate indicator.
Clay and metal, including his signature “exploding pots,” disarming robot sculptures, and ray guns, inspired by science fiction and fashioned from discarded aluminum, had visitors laughing and jumping as they wandered past over 150 displays.
Bailey's alter-ego, Dr. George Gladstone, showcases his pseudo-scientific discoveries, including proof of "Big Foot" and ceramic fossils from the "Bone Age," as a mockumentary titled “Wonders of the World Museum."
Exhibition curator Diana L. Daniels notes that while Clayton Bailey is a major figure of Funk art, the American sculptural ceramics movement known for its playful sensibility, “He is serious about the craft of humor and making art. For more than five decades Bailey has made it acceptable to laugh at contemporary culture and even ourselves with objects that linger in the imagination.”
After high school, Bailey had his sights set on being a pharmacist. He worked in a retail drugstore during high school and his first year in college.

"I got disillusioned with pharmacy after working five years for a drug store," he said.So he looked for something else to do.

"I thought I'd decorate the windows in the drugstore instead," he explained. "And that's how I discovered art."

He looked into it and the only art class available was ceramics. And he loved it so much it became his life.

"I stumbled into it accidentally," he said.

He set off in another direction - aluminum - after making a collection of skeletons for his “Wonders of the World Museum" in Port Costa, CA where he lives.

It occurred to him to make a robot barker to call people into the museum.That was the beginning of the robots.

He was a robot and made a costume of his own design. Then thought it would be good to make some robot-girlfriends and it took off from there.

Bailey builds life-sized robot sculptures -- more than 100 in total -- out of found objects.

He says he likes to build beauties and monsters. He builds robots that entertain and educate.Bailey studied with Harvey Littleton, the father of the contemporary glass movement, at the University of Wisconsin. Visiting instructors Bernard Leach, Toshiko Takaezu, and Peter Voulkos further shaped his approach. Bailey moved to California in 1968, settled in the Bay Area, and became a leading educator, teaching at California State University, Hayward for 26 years. His work is represented in collections from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.
Learn more about Bailey HERE>>>

For more info about the exhibition, please visit Crocker Art Museum

Crocker Art Museum $100 million expansion: one year later

2011-10-22T00:08:00Z

The Crocker Art Museum opened the doors to a new 125,000-square foot expansion of the original museum on Oct. 10, 2010. One year later, the museum has seen record numbers in attendance and successfully brought the past and the present together in one work of architectural art.

The original Victorian building that Margaret E. Crocker presented to the city of Sacramento in May 1885 has undergone numerous changes over the years, but none so dramatic as the $100 million, three-year project that visitors see now.

“The original building was the high style contemporary architecture of the day when it was built,” said Lial A. Jones, executive director for the Crocker Art Museum. “So is the new addition.”

Jones said the project architects, Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, did a “fabulous job” with the design that connects a 19th-century structure with a new-millennium stricture without losing continuity.

“They found ways of honoring the old with the new,” Jones said. “They used the rooflines and porches on the new building to echo the old building – but it doesn’t stand out (from the old section), it complements it.”

According to a recent press release, in the year since the museum expansion was open to the public, more than a quarter million visitors have come through the door.

In the year since the museum launched its Studio Art Program, 701 students have enrolled, including 213 children and 488 adults, the release also states.

Sacramento resident and Crocker member Mary Anderson and a friend visiting from St. Paul, Minn., Jean Wolf, went to the museum Friday to have lunch in the new cafe before exploring the vast expansion.

“We are members of the Crocker, but this is the first visit to the new part,” Anderson said. “We didn’t know what to expect.”

Anderson said she was dubious about an addition to the original museum structure.

“It’s more museum-like now,” Anderson said. “The lighting and the openness of the space – there’s more room for art. They were so confined for space before.”

Jones said such a reaction has been common among visitors to the Crocker over the past year.

“Times have changed, and so have people’s expectations,” Jones said. “The Crocker was built in the 19th century, and it was very much in the English gallery style of the time.”

Today’s Crocker, Jones said, is much more a “museum of today.”

The size and layout of exhibits allows for the traffic flow of larger groups of people, Jones said, and a variety of pathways have been created through the exhibits allowing people to choose their experience: Start with modern works and work toward the older pieces, or explore continent to continent.

The expansion more than tripled the museum's size, which is a good thing considering the total collection of artwork numbers a little over 15,000 pieces – and not all of that is on view at the same time.

“Perhaps 10 to 12 percent is on view at any given time,” Jones said.

In July, the Crocker Art Museum was awarded a federal Museums of America grant of $148,441 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The grant money can be used for a variety of projects at the museum, including research, planning and new programs that support efforts to integrate new technologies, according to a press release from Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

“We’ve tried to make the best use of the new space and integrate it with the previous space in a way that makes sense,” Jones said. “Programs and activities are also an important part of what we do here at the Crocker.”

Admission to the Crocker Art Museum is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for youths 7-17, children 6 and under and Crocker members get in free.

Memberships to the museum start at $65 for individuals and $85 for a family. Other membership levels are available – contact the museum for more information.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O St. in downtown Sacramento.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Crocker Art Museum Hosts Esteemed Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet

2011-10-19T20:30:53Z

The Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet will bring their award-winning sound to the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, Oct. 20. The Quintet will perform select works inspired by the exhibition “Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains and Paintings by Franz A. Bischoff,” on view through October 23. The concert will take place in the Museum’s Setzer Foundation Auditorium at 7 p.m.

The Quintet—comprised of Alec Watson, piano; Rane Roatta, tenor sax; Malachi Whitson, drums; Tree Palmedo, trumpet; and Bill Vonderhaar, bass—is the winner of numerous DownBeat awards, including the 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 awards for best collegiate jazz group in the country. The group has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Brubeck Festival, Detroit International Jazz Festival, and at jazz clubs such as Yoshi’s in Oakland, Herb Alpert’s club Vibrato in Los Angeles, and the Jamboree Jazz Club in Barcelona, Spain.

The Brubeck Institute was established by the University of the Pacific in 2000. Named in honor of the acclaimed American jazz pianist and University of the Pacific alumnus, the Institute’s mission is to promote creativity, education, and dedication to music, as well as advance important social issues. The members of the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet are in the Institute's Fellowship Program for recent high school graduates.

Tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Playlist is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series, sponsored by Bank of America. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups.

For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

The Crocker Art Museum was one of the first art museums in the U.S. and is now one of the leading art institutions in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America.

Art Icon In Conversation: Richard Mayhew

2011-10-10T07:15:26Z

“A spiral is in every direction—it is without a beginning or an end.”

– Richard Mayhew, artist

One can infer from Mayhew’s perspective that a spiral, in essence, is infinite. It knows no boundaries of time or space. It penetrates existence. However, he’s not strictly speaking about a concept found in physics, or existentialism. This is “heavy art,” a fusion of spirituality and intellect. It is an explanation of an inextricable link between art, creation and its existence.

The Crocker Art Museum, in conjunction with Evolve the Gallery, featured artist Richard Mayhew for the museum’s “Icons In Conversation” program on Saturday.

Mayhew was a member of the 1960s artist collective the Spiral Group. The group operated on the belief that social or political issues should not burden art. In fact, nor should art reflect ethnicity. The idea was to transcend race and let art be what it naturally is: art.

“The Spiral Group was involved with the future, not the present,” Mayhew said.

While the artists weren’t directly concentrating on creating ethnic art, the group itself was involved in combating discrimination.

“There weren’t African-Americans or women in the galleries or museums,” he recounted. “We challenged the owners of the museums and the media.”

Mayhew explained that the media industry didn’t equally distribute coverage of African-American art. The 80-year-old artist shared that the attitude and consensus of museums and the media was that “they felt that African-American artists hadn’t reached a level of creative consistency.”

He shared several awe-inspiring stories of his personal relationships with other members of the Spiral Group. He spoke with candor and deep reverence for each of the artists he knew: Charles Alston, Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, Hale Woodruff, Felrath Hines, Merton Simpson, James Yeargans, Emma Amos, Reginald Gammon, Alvin Hollingsworth, William Majors, Earl Miller and Earnest Crichlow. Many of these artists received little recognition for their work during their lifetimes.

“Beyond being painters, Ralph Ellison and James Baldwin were also a part of the group,” he said.

Some of the artists found fame in the later years of their careers, but one received more fanfare than the others: Romare Bearden.

“All are deceased except three,” Mayhew said. “I’m the only one still going around talking about it.” His continuation to publicly speak about the group’s work is a promise he made to Bearden.

“The media didn’t pay attention to the other artists,” recalled Mayhew, while detailing the background, skill and talent of each of the members of the group. He confirmed his account with slides of every artist’s work. In offering attendees a glimpse into his experiences, he gave them an authentic encounter with, as he called it, “creative consciousness” or an “internalized spiritual sensitivity” to the creative process.

His memories with the Spiral Group are a reflection of an era with a subject matter often untouched, ignored or simply given a cursory discussion. He is an honest, sensitive, artistic soul who can gauge how far the art world has evolved.

“The journey for African-American master artists is still incomplete,” attendee and Bay Area artist Milton Bowens said. “We are still searching for recognition. These were some of the most creative, artistic innovators in the arts and American history. It is disrespectful to be contained to a subcategory.”

Ann Kerr, a representative of the Kingsley Art Club board of directors, said she thought it was an excellent talk. “I knew a few artists and learned some new ones,” she said. “It was very inspiring — mind-blowing.”

While you may have missed learning the history of the Spiral Group during this informative event, Mayhew’s work can be viewed at Evolve the Gallery, 2907 35th St. A collection of the artist’s work will be exhibited until Nov. 26.

The Icons In Conversation artist talk with Richard Mayhew was an experience with a living legacy, a lasting imprint. His story is equally as impactful and leaves an impression on the soul.

40th Anniversary of the Crocker Art Museum's Annual Art and Antiques Show

2011-10-10T04:12:54Z

The Art Service Group celebrated the 40th annual Art & Antiques Show & Sale, which benefits Sacramento's beautifully renovated Crocker Art Museum. Over 50 regional and national arts and antique dealers participated in the event Friday through Sunday in the historic Scottish Rite Center, which is known for its dedication to education, fellowship and charity.

Dealers and volunteers from Sacramento County to Shingle Springs and Klamath Falls, Ore., join together to bond over their love of art and antiques and donate their time and efforts to participate in the three-day event.

The $7 admission fee and proceeds from the silent auction will support the Crocker Art Museum. The silent auction was filled with donated fine art, depression glass, pottery and other miscellaneous collectibles.

As collectors entered the center, they were greeted with the smiling faces of seasoned volunteers from the Crocker offering programs and encouragement to enter a drawing which offered winners one of 10 prizes, such as limited addition paintings or a luncheon gift certificate.

Each dealer was spaciously set up and spread out as if you were walking into each shop of their own. The event showcased top-notch heirlooms that catered to serious collectors, with one-of-a-kind items such as furniture from the Victorian era, European pottery and plates, fine art, vintage Oriental rugs, jewelry and silver goods.

The venue was quiet and visited by what seemed to be mature crowds who occasionally approached a dealer softly talking to and quizzing them about their pieces. One woman picked up a silver necklace at Sylvia's Sterling booth and said, " Wow. This looks just like my grandmother's."

Also on hand where professional appraisers and evaluators for people who are always curious as to how much their beloved piece of history is worth. The Crocker also hosts "Evaluation Days" in October as Sacramento's version of “Antiques Roadshow."

San Bruno resident Willie Mitchell of Old Pump Antiques, who was participating for his fourth year in a row, said the show had been relatively slow until Saturday afternoon.

"Yesterday it was slow, but today the crowd has been picking up,” he said. “I guess people like to sleep in!"

Mitchell has been dealing antiques for over 35 years. "Yes, it has been slow, but that goes for all industries right now,” he said. “The sales, they come and go.”

Despite each dealer having their own focus, they all have the same intention at heart, which is to support the Crocker. Proceeds will assist a variety of projects, from "cataloguing the glass and master drawing collections to creating location records for the paintings from the original Crocker family collection," according to their July/August Slice of Life newsletter.

In past years, the Art Services Group has also provided funds for many projects including computers, Y2K readiness software, specialized lighting fixtures, art storage boxes, temperature and humidity monitors, art conservation, art library reference books and chandeliers.

If you missed the Art & Antiques Show this year, there is always next year and more opportunities to contribute to the museum. Please support and enjoy the museum by taking a look at the calendar of events.

Crocker Art Museum Partners with SIGLFF to Screen Audience-Favorite Shorts on October 6

2011-10-03T19:13:19Z

The Crocker Art Museum and the Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will co-present a screening of audience-favorite short films from past festivals at the Museum on Thursday, Oct. 6. The program will start at 7 p.m. and includes the following films:

“Little Black Boot” (2003, USA, 17 min) by director Colette Burson – A modern Cinderella tale in which a high school girl dresses up as a boy for the prom and finds mutual attraction with the prom queen.
“Ryan's Life” (2004, USA, 24 min) by director Nick Wauters – Complications arise for high school student Ryan as he begins to wonder if he might be gay.
“Gódir Gestir,” or “Family Reunion,” (2006, Iceland, English subtitles) by director Isold Uggadottir – A modern-day coming out story about a young Icelandic woman living two lives.
“Groucho” (2006, Spain, English subtitles) by directors Angel Almazan and Medardo Amor – David, a sixteen year-old teenager, approaches his neighbor in the elevator, pretending to want to help him, while it is he who is looking for help, advice, and excitement.
“Babysitting Andy” (2007, Canada, 11 min) by director Pat Mills – What do you do if you're nine and nobody will tell you what fellatio means?
“Six” by director Amy Neil – A diverse collection of LGBTQ individuals telling their stories in six words.

Before the screening, there will be spotlight gallery talks on works by LGBTQ artists.

The program is $6 Museum members and $12 nonmembers. Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Film Frame is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series, sponsored by Bank of America. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

'Til Thursday

2011-09-28T05:58:10Z

The Crocker Art Museum now hosts Thursdays ‘til 9. The event will feature four art experiences, Film Frame, Art Mix, Playlist and Open Art.

Open Art is the theme every fourth Thursday of the month and was the theme this past Thursday. Thursdays ‘til 9 featured “Licensing in the Digital Age,” held in the Cemo room with seventy plus attendees. Robert G. Pimm, Esq., Chief Learning Officer and Director of Legal Services at California Lawyers for the Arts led the workshop.

Pimm spoke on industry standards, intellectual property rights and how these rights are bought, sold and optioned. Intellectual property copyrights are not just one right but five. They include the right to reproduce, adapt, distribute, perform and display.

Another term discussed was works in the public domain. Pimm mentioned that copyrights expire 70 years after the death of the creator. After that time, the material becomes part of the public domain unless the copyright is extended. Pimm also stated that if a government or university employee creates a work, the government or university owns that work.

When asked about the event, JoAnn Anglin, local poet and writer, said “for those of us who are deeply involved in the arts, but very naïve about business and legal aspects, this was an excellent overview.”

Anglin also stated that she “felt like [Pimm] brought us up to speed on the topics of electronic media and instant distribution via YouTube and other Internet sharing.”

The next Thursdays ‘til 9 program is October 6, 2011 and will feature “Best of Shorts” from the past seven years of the Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The event will run from 7 to 9 p.m.

Crocker Hosts Discussion on Licensing in the Digital Age on September 22

2011-09-19T18:12:05Z

The Crocker Art Museum and California Lawyers for the Arts will present “Licensing in the Digital Age” on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. Robert G. Pimm, chief learning officer and director of legal services at California Lawyers for the Arts, will discuss digital licensing and how intellectual property rights can be sold, retained, and optioned.

A publishing industry specialist, Pimm has taught educational workshops for creative artists throughout California. He is the author of numerous books, chapters, and articles regarding the legal and business aspects of the creative arts, including articles regarding emerging technologies and digital industries. Pimm has earned degrees from Columbia University, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Cambridge University, and the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Seating is limited and advance tickets are encouraged. Tickets are $10 Museum members, $15 nonmembers in advance, $20 nonmembers at the door, and $10 students at the door. Tickets can be purchased at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker Art Museum Hosts French Impressionist-Style Garden Party on September 8

2011-09-06T22:12:00Z

The Crocker Art Museum will present a French Impressionist-style Garden Party on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 9 p.m. Inspired by the exhibition “Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism,” the evening will feature Impressionist music, art activities, and more in the Museum’s picturesque E. Kendell Davis Courtyard.

Guests can try their hand at “pétanque,” an outdoor game similar to horseshoes, or drawing “plein-air” style on studio easels. Artist Sarma Karsiere will lead drawing sessions and demonstrate Impressionist pastel techniques.

Members of the Alliance Française de Sacramento, who are co-presenting the Garden Party, will also showcase poetry from the Impressionist era as well as original compositions during readings in the Courtyard and in the exhibition galleries.

The Madroñia Trio, comprised of principal musicians from the Sacramento Philharmonic, will perform vivid selections by great Impressionist musicians, including French composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. The trio includes Mathew Krejci, flute; Emily Onderdonk, viola; and Anna Maria Mendieta, harp.

“Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism,” on view through September 18, features 40 Impressionist works on loan from the Brooklyn Museum, including paintings by Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, Childe Hassam, and John Singer Sargent.

Art Mix is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series, sponsored by Bank of America. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups. Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker Art Museum Hosts Hip Hop Extravaganza on September 1

2011-08-30T18:43:34Z

The Crocker Art Museum will host a screening of “Inventos: Hip Hop Cubano” on Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m. This documentary provides insight into the realities and politics of contemporary Cuba by following some of the pioneers of Cuban hip hop to their homes, the stage, and as they travel abroad for the first time. From 5:30-6:30 p.m., one of the film’s subjects, DJ Leydis, will perform live in Friedman Court. Tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers.

Presented in collaboration with Sol Collective, the film will be introduced by director Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi, a graduate of Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and will be followed by a Q & A.

The screening is part of the Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 program series, sponsored by Bank of America. The Crocker is open every Thursday until 9 p.m. for film screenings, social gatherings, concerts, and art happenings presented in collaboration with regional art groups.

Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Crocker hosts screening of “Sickert vs. Sargent” documentary on August 25

2011-08-22T19:18:52Z

The Crocker Art Museum will host a screening of “Sickert vs. Sargent: Britain’s Masters of Modern Art,” on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. A documentary profiling Walter Sickert and John Singer Sargent, this film details the fierce competition that raged between the artists and the legendary work that was created as a result of the rivalry. The film is free with Museum admission.

“Sickert vs. Sargent” was written and directed by renowned British art critic Waldemar Januszczak. The film takes viewers on a journey through the life and art of two of the most influential artists in Britain, highlighting inspirational locations, and featuring their working studios. “Sickert vs. Sargent” also features commentary by artists Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossoff, Paula Rego, and Lucien Freud.

Tickets are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

“One Book” Project Comes to the Crocker Art Museum

2011-08-18T17:29:58Z

Since 1998 “One Book” projects have connected people through literature by encouraging an entire community to read one book and share the experience through public readings and discussions. The Crocker Art Museum is expanding the idea by adding art to the mix. The Museum has selected “Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X” by Deborah Davis as the focal point of the Museum’s “One Book/Many Perspectives” project taking place this summer in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibition series “The Summer of Impressionism.”

“Strapless” is the story behind John Singer Sargent’s infamous portrait of “Madame X,” in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Works by Sargent are currently featured at the Crocker in the exhibition “Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism.“

The “One Book/Many Perspectives” program will include a salon-style book discussion on September 1 and will finish with a special lecture and book signing with the author on September 24. For those interested in learning more about Sargent, the art of portraiture, and the influence of art on literature, the Museum will host gallery tours, studio art and writing workshops, and a screening of the documentary “Sickert vs. Sargent.”

Deborah Davis is also the author of “Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and his Black and White Ball;” “The Secret Lives of Frames: One Hundred Years of Art and Artistry;” and, “Gilded: How Newport Became America’s Richest Resort.”

The “One Book” series is presented in collaboration with the California Lecture Series and the Sacramento Public Library. Copies of the book are available for purchase in the Crocker’s Museum Store.

The Crocker Art Museum was one of the first art museums in the U.S. and is now one of the leading art institutions in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Guardians of Crocker Art

2011-08-14T21:12:54Z

"From 2005 until the opening of the New Crocker, we (Jim and wife Karen) were preparing dozens and dozens of art works that had been either in storage or disrepair, bringing them back (to good shape) so that when the Museum opened they would have all of these pieces to display," explained Jim Alkons, art conservator, at the Crocker.

"It was a very insightful thing for the Museum to do", he said.

He praised the Crocker for doing a wonderful job because they anticipated the new building - the expansion, the opening - and being ready to display the many pieces they've had in storage.

He says his experience has been that this foresight doesn't usually happen. It's an afterthought in lots of organizations.

The Crocker had great foresight! They were poised and ready for the re-opening.

And thanks to the new building, Museum patrons can now watch the Alkons in action.

Right now they're working on the Crocker Collection. About half-dozen paintings have been turned over to them from the California Impressionist show, along with some other pieces.

"We're very eclectic in that we work on anything that needs to be done," Alkons said.

They've examined many pieces of the Brooklyn collection in an upstairs gallery. Part of their roll here is to keep an eye on the art and make sure everything is in proper condition.

Guardians of the art.

All restoration work is reversible. Any art piece must able to be returned to its original condition before repairs or enhancements were done. Not be frozen in time.

As a temporary repair it enables future art conservationists to use better restoration processes as they develop.

As conservators they have to understand how the artist painted, their techniques and materials used so that they can be emulated in the restoration.

This painting (above and below) was created in 1958. It has suffered the wear of time, so it's dirty, and not really well framed. It can go back to the galleries once it's been cleaned and better framed.

Alkon said that every day they see something they've not seen before.

"There's always a new challenge, a new problem," he said. "We never loose our enthusiasm because there is never a dull moment in this work."

One unique problem came in the form of the Vision of Saint Francis painting (below).

It came rolled up and out of the basement of a building in San Francisco.

It was a wreck. It had been crunched and folded with creases all over it. Lots of damage.

It required a massive overhaul. Its restoration took two years.

The Alkons are "old hands" at art conservation. Karen has been at it for 25 years and Jim 36 years.

"We've not gotten tired of it," Karen explains. "I still get a thrill out of cleaning a painting."

Crocker visitors can watch as the Alkons work. Ask at the front desk where to find them!

Visit The Crocker!

Crocker Hosts Outdoor Screening of “The Wizard of Oz” on August 4

2011-08-03T21:19:05Z

The Crocker Art Museum will host an outdoor screening of “The Wizard of Oz” on Thursday, Aug. 4, starting at 8 p.m. The film is $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers and includes admission to the Museum. The screening will take place in the Museum’s E. Kendell Davis Courtyard, and visitors are welcome to bring lawn chairs.

Filmed in Technicolor, a process known for high levels of saturated color, “The Wizard of Oz” brilliantly captured the technical and imaginative qualities of color in film in the 20th century.

Tickets for the film are available for purchase at crockerartmuseum.org, the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182. The screening is presented in part by Creative Projection Services.

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

New on the Crocker's Block

2011-07-26T17:31:20Z

Yesterday the Crocker Art Museum installed two new outside sculptures. Placed in the courtyard is an untitled piece by Gerald Walburg.

Folded Circle Cube and Disc, a fourteen-foot sculpture weighing 3,000 lbs. by artist Fletcher Benton, was Installed at the corner of O and 3rd Streets.

Benton’s work is included in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.

The artist was awarded the International Sculpture Center’s award for Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture in 2008.

Folded Circle Cube and Disc was donated to the Museum by Frank and Lill Anderson of the Bay area. Lill has known Benton since the late 1950's.

Installation of the piece required a crane. Here's a few pictures of the installation:

Museum Adventures for Mom, Dad and Tots

2011-07-19T22:17:21Z

Crocker Art Museum has launched a Museum Guide and an Interactive Gallery for families.

This morning Crocker Art Museum staff led kids and adults on a Story Trail. Featuring a captivating storybook, "Birdy's Museum Adventure" leads families on an adventure through the Museum to look, discuss and discover seven works of art.

"Birdy's Museum Adventure" can be checked out at the Admission Desk to begin a fun exploration into the galleries with trail markers to lead the way.

The kids were really engaged as we followed along.

Our adventure concluded at Tot Land, a gallery devoted entirely to families. Located in the Museum's Education Center, the gallery is designed to encourage creativity while building eary-learning skillls. Using the screen of "The Living Art Wall", toddlers will be able to express their creativity through digital drawing and painting with their fingers. Resources available in Tot Land support a successful path to early literacy and creative thinking.

Tot Land and Story Trail are free with Museum admission and are available during the Museum's regualar operating hours. For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org or call (916) 808-7000.

Meet Artist Daniel Douke at the Crocker on July 14

2011-07-14T00:25:45Z

Artist Daniel Douke, whose paintings of computer boxes are so realistic they cause visitors to do double-takes, will give a talk at the Crocker Art Museum at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 14.

More than 20 of the artist’s paintings are on display in “Daniel Douke: Bytes of Reality,” which is on view at the Museum through July 17.

Douke’s work involves the photorealistic depiction of manufactured packaging—merging painting with sculpture and challenging our assumptions about reality and artifice. By making these discarded boxes art, he gives them permanence and value. At first glance, Douke’s boxes appear to be simply found objects. A closer look reveals that these are paintings rendered in exquisite detail, with text, packaging tape, smudges, and dents all carefully observed and painted. Even the canvas is stretched and shaped to perfection. The backs of these paintings offer clear evidence that this is very traditional work—with wooden stretchers, canvas, and gesso all exposed.

Born in 1943, Douke received his bachelor’s and master’s from California State University in Los Angeles. His photorealistic renderings of Southern California swimming pools first brought him notoriety in the mid-1970s, but it was at this moment that his concerns shifted from pictorial composition and the application of paint to volume and form. He made his first cardboard--box paintings in 1977, referencing a variety of goods ranging from automotive products to foodstuffs. In the 1990s, he returned to contemporary products and found quintessential subject matter in the brand-new packaging and slick graphics of computer boxes. The iMac, especially, had become a colorful high-tech fashion statement. Its packaging and promotion fascinated Douke, communicating a truth about reality, which he felt seemed to epitomize our era and “its promise of a technological utopian dream come true.”

Disclosure: Kathleen Richards has been a fan of the Crocker Art Museum since her very first visit in fourth grade, and she now serves as the Crocker's Marketing Coordinator.

Lunch and Learn discusses "Photosynthetic Restaurant"

2011-07-08T05:39:02Z

Imagine how a rose bush might respond to the heart-racing effect of spicy food or the cleansing experience of an end-of meal “digestif,” and you will begin to understand Jonathan Keats’ “The Photosynthetic Restaurant,” a temporary art installment at the Crocker Art Museum and the topic of discussion at the museum’s most recent Lunch and Learn talk.

Crocker representative Rika Nelson said that the point of Lunch and Learn, held every other Thursday at noon, is to “get people together to have a conversation about one selected work at a time” and to examine a piece’s “intricacies and details from the perspective of a visitor.”

Nelson led Thursday’s 15-person group in a discussion of Keats’ outdoor exhibit, which consists of 2-by-3 foot red, yellow and blue rectangular panes of glass mounted on tall metal rods and positioned to reflect colorful light onto the plants that live outside of the museum’s entrance.

She asked visitors to think about why Keats used the material he did, what the colors of the glass represent and the effect of mixing man-made materials with organic subjects.

Keats previously told The Sacramento Press that since sunlight is the equivalent of plant food, filtering it to create a variety of wavelengths is like preparing a kind of multi-course meal for a plant, a topic Nelson explained.

"The Photosynthetic Restaurant" is meant to get visitors to look at the human experience of dining out through a non-human’s point of view, thus creating a degree of cultural perspective.

The exhibit is accompanied by Keats’ “recipe book,” a hardback consisting of glossy pages with vibrant blocks of color rather than text.

After an examination of Keats’ work, Lunch and Learners were free to tour the rest of the museum and dine at the Crocker Cafe.

Nelson noted that when she first heard about “The Photosynthetic Restaurant,” she imagined flowers sitting before place settings at tables made for humans, but once she understood Keats’ approach as an “experimental philosopher,” his interpretation made more sense.

Quoting Keats, she said: “The look of a restaurant depends on who’s doing the looking.”

A San Francisco-based “artist, fabulist and critic,” Keats has done a number of artful “experiments” involving natural life, including orchestrating a “bee ballet” and creating a “TV dinner for plants” by videotaping sunlight and then projecting it onto the leaves of flora.

Lunch and Learn attendee Betsy Inchausti said she liked the 30-minute talk’s “quick and informational” format, as it gets people to take a closer look at something they “might otherwise casually walk by.”

Here is list of Lunch and Learn events scheduled to take place through September:

July 21: Franz A. Bischoff's Red and White Roses." To read about Bischoff and the Crocker’s “Summer of Impressionism,” click here.

August 4: Claire Falkenstein's "Body Centric Cubic."

August 18: Childe Hassam's "An Outdoor Portrait of Miss Weir." Some of Hassam’s work is currently on display in the Crocker’s temporary Impressionism exhibit.

Sept. 1: John Singer Sargent's "Dolce Far Niente." Some of Sargent’s work is also in the temporary exhibit.

Sept. 15: Bruce Beasley's "Arpeggios IV."

DREXEL UNIVERSITY TO HOLD FIRST SACRAMENTO COMMENCEMENT AT CROCKER ART MUSEUM ON SATURDAY

2011-06-24T16:22:25Z

The first commencement ceremony ever held outside of Philadelphia in Drexel University’s 120-year history will take place Saturday, June 25 when approximately 100 students become the first Sacramento graduates to experience commencement day.

Drexel’s Center for Graduate Studies commencement will be held at the Crocker Art Museum and include students who enrolled in Drexel master’s degree programs in January and September 2009. Drexel has enrolled 424 students in its doctoral and master’s programs since opening its Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento in January 2009.

Michael Kieschnick, co-founder, president and chief executive officer of CREDO/Working Assets, will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony. Kieschnick will be presented with an honorary doctorate of humane letters for his lifetime commitment to civic engagement and social justice.

“The Crocker is the perfect location for us,” said Carl "Tobey" Oxholm III, Senior Vice President of Drexel and Dean of its Center for Graduate Studies. “Not only has it set a standard for excellence in art in the Sacramento area for more than 125 years, as Drexel has in education for our 120 years, but our two organizations are cutting-edge in all that we are doing today. The Crocker is a symbol of the world-class city that Sacramento is on its way to becoming. Drexel is very proud to be part of that trajectory.”

Kieschnick teaches a course on microfinance at Stanford University, and previously taught a graduate seminar on financial innovation at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a doctorate of philosophy degree in public policy from Harvard University, and earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and economics at Stanford University. He serves as a board member for several nonprofit organizations, including the League of Conservation Voters, the One PacificCoast Foundation and the Beatitudes Society. In his spare time, he helps run the Secretary of State Project, which works to elect reform candidates to the position of chief election officer at the state level around the country.

Drexel’s Center for Graduate Studies is known as one of Northern California's most high-tech conference and educational facilities. In its state-of-the-art classrooms, Drexel – a top-ranked, national comprehensive university – teaches six master's, one doctorate, and one post-baccalaureate program that are designed for working professionals, in the fields of entrepreneurial business, human resource development, higher education, and public health. It will also award master’s degrees in nurse education, nurse leadership, information systems, and library and information science. It is starting two new master’s programs this fall: Masters in Finance and Master of Medical Science.

“In little more than two years, Drexel University has made a great impact on our community,” said Lial A. Jones, Mort and Marcy Friedman Director of the Crocker Art Museum. “It has demonstrated an enormous commitment to community service and is an active supporter of the arts and other non-profit organizations. The Crocker is delighted to serve as the location for Drexel’s historic first Commencement outside Philadelphia.”

Drexel and the Crocker have partnered on a number of projects since Drexel opened in Sacramento, including the Crocker hosting a student from the university’s undergraduate program in Philadelphia as part of Drexel’s co-operative education program and a reunion of graduates of its Arts Therapy master’s program, who convened as part of a national conference in Sacramento.

The commencement will start at 6 p.m. at the Crocker Art Museum’s outdoor court. The graduates will be outfitted in Drexel’s distinctive blue and gold cap and gowns. Processional will be led by members of Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society.

More information on Drexel's graduate programs in California can be found at www.drexel.edu/sacramento or by calling 916.325.4600.

Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville

Free Family Fun Day at the Crocker on June 19

2011-06-17T19:19:39Z

This Father’s Day take the whole family to the Crocker Art Museum’s "Free Family Fun Day.” On Sunday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy a Museum-wide celebration of Impressionism and summertime with a host of family programs, including hands-on art making, interactive tours, dance and music performances, and much more.

“Free Family Fun Day” is a unique opportunity to sample the Crocker’s family programs, such as Drop, Yak, Splat!, studio art workshops, and family-friendly art tours. Visitors can try their hands at creating landscapes, sculpting with clay, or crafting portraits of their favorite heroes.

Artist Sarma Karsiere will lead a draw-along session focusing on landscapes. Classic children’s musician Mister Cooper will perform at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. while Mistura Brasileira, a local Brazilian dance troupe, will take the stage at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

“Free Family Fun Day” is sponsored by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation. Sunday, July 19, is also “Pay What You Wish” Sunday, sponsored by Bank of America.

For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org or call (916) 808-7000.

The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America.

Crocker exhibit tracks French, American Impressionism

2011-06-11T00:48:26Z

The Crocker Art Museum brought three art collections together for a “Summer of Impressionism” display that will go through Sept. 25 and traces the Impressionist movement’s beginnings in France through its American and ultimately Californian works.

“It’s a rare opportunity to see so many different incarnations of Impressionism all at the same time,” said Associate Director and Chief Curator Scott Shields. “It shows many of the famous Impressionist painters as well as their influences.”

The three related exhibits take up three separate rooms on two floors of the Crocker’s new wing.

The first exhibit, “Transcending Vision: American Impressionism, 1870-1940,” shows how the works of the French Impressionists influenced American painters. Almost 100 works are on display in the exhibit.

“Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism” is an exhibit from the Brooklyn Museum and includes 40 landscapes from the mid-19th century and early 20th century, including works by French Impressionists Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro and American Impressionist John Singer Sargent.

Finally, “Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains and Paintings by Franz A. Bischoff” will include 40 pieces and is organized by the Pasadena Museum of California Art. Bischoff was a native Bavarian who moved to California in 1906 after spending more than 20 years in America.

The first two exhibits are currently open, and the Bischoff exhibit will open June 25.

In the “American Impressionism” exhibit, Shields said visitors can trace the progression of the painting style – characterized by thin and visible brush strokes, an emphasis on light, and unusual visual angles – as it progressed in the United States.

Despite travel being more difficult in the era before international air routes, Shields said the Impressionist painters traveled frequently, often learning their craft in France and then traveling across the United States as they painted.

The broad landscapes that characterized the Hudson River School of painting are at the beginning of the chronological exhibit, and it progresses through later styles, including Tonalism, which is like Impressionism, but with darker colors. The focus is on American Impressionist painters, including Childe Hassam, Lilla Cabot Perry and John Enneking.

The “Landscapes” exhibit is dominated by three Monets that serve as focal points in the two rooms it fills.

Curator William Breazeale said the first painting a visitor sees upon entering, Monet’s “Rising Tide at Pourville,” painted in 1882, “epitomizes what the French Impressionists were about.”

The loose brushwork and the “cropped” image in which only part of a coastal cottage is shown, were common themes in the art movement.

Around the painting are hung works by the artists who influenced Monet, and the rest of the Impressionist painters. Lights in the exhibit room are low to bring out the colors Impressionism is famous for.

On the back wall of the second room are two other Monet’s, including an unfinished work that Breazeale said is an interesting piece to see.

“(He’s) taking large strokes to sort of fill things in before creating a surface on top, so the surface for this painting might have been similar to the surface (of the one next to it),” he said. “Of course, there’s this enormous bit of untouched canvas at the top.”

He said it is good insight to the artistic process of the Impressionists.

Nearby American paintings demonstrate the different sensibilities they brought, with one of the key differences being subject matter, Brezeale said, describing a painting by Willard Leroy Metcalf, “Early Spring Afternoon, Central Park,” painted in 1911.

“(It was) made from the window of his apartment,” Brezeale said. “The colors are modified from what they would necessarily be: brighter greens, more purple shadows.”

Americans brought a focus on urban subjects, as opposed to the French, who tended to focus on country and natural scenes.

In the video below, Breazeale explains the “Landscapes in Impressionism” exhibit.

Crocker Art Museum's Summer of Impressionism from Brandon Darnell on Vimeo.

The third exhibit, which focuses on Bischoff, will include about 40 works ranging from oil paintings to ceramics.

Breazeale said Bischoff was enamored by roses, and his eventual move to Pasadena, home of the Rose Parade, was no accident.

Despite his German birth, he is considered an American artist, he added. His paintings included landscapes of cliffs in Utah, the Monterey seascape and the Sierra Nevadas.

The Crocker Art Museum has a permanent collection of Impressionist paintings – including one of the largest collections of California Impressionists – on display, Shields said.

The museum is located at 216 O St.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Honoring Harvey Milk

2011-05-24T19:18:07Z

"Harvey Milk was a hero that stood up and fought for the elderly, the disenfranchised and the needy in San Francisco, and for gay and lesbian rights in a time when no one else was taking up their plight, and he was gay." Tina Reynolds, co-founder of Equality Action Now (EAN) said. "Milk fought for the rights of all, and that included LGBTQI people in his community.”

"Harvey Milk was a leader in the gay rights movement who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977." Ken Pierce, Director of Public Relations, EAN, explained. "This made him the nation’s first openly gay man elected to public office in a major U.S. city."

Equality Action Now, a local grassroots civil rights organization hosted the second annual Harvey Milk Day Celebration event, Sunday, May 22, 2011 at the downtown Crocker Art Museum.

In memory of Milk, Reynolds presented three awards:

2011 Harvey Milk Activist of the Year
Diana Luiz - for her total involvement in the fight for true equality in more actions and rallies than we can mention. Diana is ever present with a solid ability to make thinks happen. She has been an equality activist for more than 10 years here in Sacramento and involved with Equality Action NOW since it's inception November 5, 2008.

Ken Pierce - As the Director of Public Relations and Media, Ken has put a strong and present voice to our movement for true equality. He is on top of our issues and has a presence about him that makes you want to listen to him. He is a collaborator, a motivator and a high achiever.

2011 Harvey Milk Educator of the Year
Angela Luna - since the very beginning of Equality Action NOW Angela has been involved at the leadership level, fighting and speaking about her own life experiences. Angela researches, wrote and fretted over educating our children on heros in the LGBTQ community and completed her important piece on the Life of Harvey Milk that was developed into a curriculum that she has available for students from 4-12 grade. "We all get to have heros, and Angela is one of mine," said Reynolds.

The award-winning documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk. was viewed.

Photos | Kati Garner, EAN volunteer photographer

Equality Action Now

Jodi Radke

Crocker Art Museum’s Outdoor Jazz Concert Series Kicks Off Today

2011-05-19T21:49:35Z

From May through September, the Crocker Art Museum’s Thursdays ‘til 9 concert series Playlist heads outdoors to the shady comfort of the E. Kendell Davis Courtyard for a full season of jazz. From Cajun and Brazilian to smooth tunes, this summer’s concerts will offer up the best of the Museum’s former Third Thursday Jazz series and new Playlist music series.

Concerts will start at 6 p.m. and tickets are $6 for Museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Tickets are available for purchase online at crockerartmuseum.org, at the Museum Admission Desk, or by calling (916) 808-1182.

Alfresco dining and beverage specials will be available throughout the evening, and Museum spotlight talks will be offered during intermission.

Tom Rigney and Flambeau will offer up fiery Cajun and zydeco two-steps, low-down blues, and funky New Orleans grooves on May 19.

On June 16, Sandy Cressman and Homenagem Brasileira will perform original arrangements of music by the great composers of Brazilian jazz such as Dori Caymmi, Milton Nascimento, Joao Donato, Jobim and many others.

Ecuadorian born guitarist Iván Nájera will present an explosive show encompassing a multitude of Spanish, Latin, and jazz flavored rhythms on July 21.

On August 18, jazz keyboard master Roger Smith will perform with special guests. A producer and composer, Smith is one of the most prolific artists in contemporary jazz, and he has played with legends such as Jeff Beck, Gladys Knight, Willie Nelson, and Leon Russell.

On September 15, Little Charlie Caravan will close out the outdoor jazz series in a swinging concert of gypsy jazz. Charlie Baty, otherwise known as “Little Charlie,” has a unique guitar voice influenced by the music of Django Reinhardt, blues, and swing. Other members of the band include Jason Vanderford, Bob Armstrong, and Keith Cary.

Thursdays ‘til 9 is sponsored by Bank of America with media support provided by Capital Public Radio and Sac Cultural Hub.

The Crocker Art Museum was one of the first art museums in the U.S. and is now one of the leading art institutions in California. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Get ready to hit the pavement: May is bike month

2011-05-05T00:15:48Z

Oil your chains, pump up your tires and get geared up for Sacramento Bike Month. May is bike month in Sacramento, and there are many bike-related activities and events going on in the region whether you’re an advanced bicyclist or a recreational rider.

May is a good month for biking, and it’s the perfect time to campaign for bike awareness, according to Sacramento Area Council of Governments co-chair Sonja Atkins.

“I think it’s about getting people out there for their health, for air quality, to save money and for safety,” Atkins said. “There’s so many pieces to this puzzle, and it’s such a great mode of transportation that I see is important in many realms.”

The campaign, in its sixth year, was put together by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), the Sacramento County Department of Transportation and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) to promote bicycle awareness in the Sacramento region, according to SACOG spokesman Erik Johnson.

“It’s important to Sacramento because we are a growing region, and as we’ve grown we’ve expanded the types of bicycle amenities we have in our community,” Johnson said. “This is just one way of showing people that they have other options other than driving.”

During the month of May, people can register and begin logging their bike miles for Sacramento either as an individual, family or as a team. This year’s goal is to reach more than 2 million miles. With more than 7,000 participants signed up this year, the events going on, and the pedal saver program, where local stores and restaurants offer discounts to bikers, there is a lot of incentive to get out there and bike, according to Atkins.

“I think it brings people together and people start talking to one another more. People that are around town start talking about events to see or things to do on the weekend around biking. it shows you the fun and excitement of what you can do on a bike,” Atkins said.

There are tons of events going on in the area throughout the month and plenty of opportunities to ride. So grab your bike and hit the streets, and don’t forget your helmet.

“Bicycle Dreams” film screening
Crocker Art Museum
216 O St.
Thursday, 7 - 9 p.m.
$6 members, $12 non-members
Ticket info: crockerartmuseum.org
The Crocker Art Museum is partnering with the Bicycle Film Fest to showcase “Bicycle Dreams,” a documentary about the intense 3,000-mile bicycle race, Race Across America. The film features cyclists racing from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. Many enter the race, but few finish. Filmmaker Stephen Auerbach will also be present for a question-and-answer session following the film.

Vélo & Vintage
Hot Italian
1627 16th St.
Saturday, 8:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Free to the public
More information: Vélo & Vintage Facebook page

When fashion and bicycling collide at Hot Italian for bicycle month, the result is Vélo & Vintage. The fashion show will feature vintage bikes and vintage and current fashion on two wheels at Hot Italian, a restaurant that is all about bikes. The event, in its second year, will feature fashions from Krazy Mary’s Boutique and The Sugar Shack.

Bicycle Film Festival Launch Party
Crocker Art Museum
216 O St.
Thursday May 12, 5 - 9 p.m.
Free with museum admission
More information: Bicycle Film Festival Launch Party at the Crocker

Get ready for the Bicycle Film Festival a day early by heading out to the Crocker courtyards. Sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, the event will feature bicycle film shorts, bike art and bike workshops. There will also be a barbecue hosted by the Crocker Café and music from DJ Billy Lane.

Bicycle Film Festival
Fremont Park and Hot Italian
1515 Q St. (Fremont park is across from Hot Italian)
Friday and Saturday, May 13 - 14
Various times
More information: http://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com/sacramento

This is the one film festival in Sacramento dedicated to everything bikes. The festival will feature free full-length films in Fremont Park from around the world and through time. The film festival will take you to Brazil to learn the art of BMX; to Japan, a biking country that is constantly on the go; and to show mountain biking around Zurich. Watch art be created by bicycle. Catch a flick about competitive bike tricks, mini bikes and urban bike shorts.

Friday, the pre-party will be held at Hot Italian, and the post-party will at Sol Collective featuring Phono Select DJs, Sierra Nevada on tap, custom bikes and music. The DJs return to the park on Saturday for Music in the Park, and Hot Italian will close out the festival with its Bicycle Film Festival after party.

NorCal AIDS Cycle
Sacramento Valley
Thursday, May 12 - Sunday, May 15, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
More information: http://norcalaidscycle.org

The seventh annual NorCal AIDS Cycle will kick off on Thursday to raise money and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Cyclists will ride 330 miles through the Sacramento Valley, the Sierra foothills and other areas in the region for the charity. You can either register to participate in the event, or sponsor a registered biker. The challenging four-day volunteer-based race will be fun for spectators, and it’s for a good cause.

Tour de Cluck
Central Park in downtown Davis
401 C St., Davis
Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
More information: http://www.tourdecluck.org

In Davis, chickens and biking go hand-in-hand. The second annual Tour de Cluck is not your average bicycling event – it features a bike crawl along the trails of Davis with pit stops at chicken coops. The event will benefit the Davis Farm to School programs. Fun events in the park include the chicken-inspired art and workshops, the Davis Farmers Market, the Bicycle Hall of Fame and a silent auction. Chicken suits are optional.

Amgen Tour of California
Various locations
Sunday, May 15 - 22
More information: http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

The Amgen Tour of California is the largest cycling event in America, according to its website, and it is a race modeled after the Tour de France. The eight-stage tour that begins at the California-Nevada border and ends in Thousand Oaks. It makes its Sacramento pit stop for stage two on Monday, May 16, ending at the State Capitol.

This is the biggest event for bike month because it is the the most anticipated, according to Sonja Atkins, SACOG co-chair. In its sixth year, the event founded for cancer awareness brings out some of the most notable professional cyclists. The excitement of seeing the cyclists, the race and the routes is what will brings people out to cheer. The tour spans Northern and Southern California and has various pit stops along the way, including Lake Tahoe, Auburn, Modesto and San Jose.

Capitol Bike Fest
State Capitol
1315 10th St.
Thursday, May 20, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Capitol Bike fest will feature booths about bicycle care, maintenance, recreation and more. The event is put on by cycling organizations and local bike shops in Sacramento. There will be plenty of fun activities, music to hear and ice cream to eat. There will also be free bike safety checks. There will be T-shirts available for those who have been logging their miles and a chance to win prizes and be entered in the bicycle raffle. Bring a printout of your miles to get your T-shirt and your bike for a good time.

Race for the Ring
Raley Field
400 Ball Park Drive, West Sacramento
Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m.
$40 per team
More information: Race for the Ring

Rogers Jewelry’s Race for the Ring returns for a third year. The race benefits the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the charity. Participants racing can bike, walk, run, or operate a vehicle through downtown Sacramento guided by clues sent via text message to find the “ring” and have a chance to win more than $35,000 in prizes. It’s like television’s “The Amazing Race.” Participants will have the chance to win diamond jewelry from Hearts on Fire and A. Jaffe, jewelry from Pandora, and watches from TAG Heuer, Tissot, Seiko and Bulova.

Sacramento Bike Swap in the Park
Fremont Park
1515 Q St.
Sunday, May 22, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Free

The Sacramento Bike Kitchen and the Friends of Fremont Park will host their Spring Bicycle Swap Meet in Midtown for bicycle month. The event is free and open to the public. There will be deals on used bikes, parts, and clothing from other Sacramento bikers just like you. You can reserve a space for $10 to sell your own old bikes, parts and clothing. Proceeds from the event will benefit nonprofit organizations the Sacramento Bike Kitchen and the Friends of Fremont Park.

For more of the month’s bike events and information on bike month, check Mayisbikemonth.com.

CORE performance advances the arts

2011-04-23T01:17:57Z

“Awake My Soul,” the final performance of CORE Dance Collective’s season, opened Thursday night to a crowd of more than 300 at the Benvenuti Performing Arts Center.

The evening was filled with contrasting elements. One moment soft jazz music played and the next, groans, moans and cries were heard from the dancers. Some of the dancers spun around gracefully, while others were swift, powerful and intentional with their movements.

CORE, which stands for Collections of Real Experience, is a nonprofit dance company with 12 dancers that was founded in 2007 by Kelli Leighton, who currently serves as the artistic director.

“We are innovative. What we do is so different … whatever preconceived notion of dance (a person) has, (this) is so different – you have to see it,” assistant artistic director, Blair Cacanando said.

“Awake My Soul is the ending piece of the season. It is an explanation of feeling alive, celebrating being alive and being able to dance – to move,” Cacanando said.

The performance is broken into two parts: “Silent Noise” and “After the Storm.”

“Silent Noise” started out dramatic. The whole theater was dark, and then suddenly dancers with bandages covering their eyes and military jackets that shielded their white, flowy dresses slowly and deliberately approached the stage from the front and the back of the theater, stiffly and slowly.

Their hands were rigid, and they walked intently toward the stage, where they stood emotionless.

Suddenly, minutes into the show, they were moving faster. They were jumping, rolling, lifting each other, and then they reverted to a much more serious style again.

“We call it contemporary – actually, it is athletic contemporary. It is very technical. Ballet and jazz movements are heavily incorporated,” Cacanando noted.

“ ‘Silent Noise’ has a storyline,” Cacanando said.

It is based off of Gottfried Helnwein’s painting, which is on display at the Crocker Art Museum.

Leighton attended Tueller school of dance, worked in Los Angeles with the Screen Actors Guild and has been featured on “The Today Show.”

When she moved to Sacramento, she was seeking involvement in a dance company, she said, but was unable to find anything that fit her – so she rented a space and got started on her own.

They have performed at Sacramento’s Second Saturday Art Walk events and in other places, including San Francisco and Utah.

The group’s objective, according to Cacanando, is to educate the community on performing arts and to motivate the community to take interest in funding the arts.

Jacob Montoya, 25, is a dancer for the company.

“I prepare for the ‘Silent Noise’ piece by going some place deep in myself,” Montoya said. “I think of my grandma, who is going through a lot, and she is suffering, and this piece deals with suffering.”

“We do it because we love it. We have a talent that should be shared, and the world should see it,” Cacanando said.

Corie Rubiono, 20, is from Sacramento and came to watch CORE perform Thursday. She said she knows some people from the dance company, and she used to dance with them.

“My favorite part is when they take off the military jacket. it was as though they were breaking away from conformity,”Rubiono said.

Kim Smith, 46, from Folsom, also came to see “Awake My Soul.” Her daughter takes dance classes taught by one of the dancers.

She described it as “...beautiful, energetic, creative, athletic, upbeat.”

There are two remaining performances of “Awake My Soul”: 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Benvenuti Performing Arts Center, 4600 Blackrock Drive. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $15 presale and $20 at the door.

“We are here to expose (the community) to an artistic vision. Without our audience, there is no us,” Leighton said. “This is when people need – (the) arts more than ever – it’s a good time to come and escape and be moved.”

For more information visit: www.coredancecollective.org or contact kleighton@coredancecollective.org

Film Frame: Visual Acoustics at Crocker Art Museum

2011-03-30T20:33:40Z

A special screening of the documentary Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman will be held at the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 7:00 PM. This film celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, whose photographs brought modern architecture and progressive architects into American mainstream. Director Eric Bricker will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion. Anyone with an interest in Modernism, photography, architecture, and design should enjoy this film.

Part of Crocker Art Museum's Film Frame series during "Thursdays 'til 9", Visual Acoustics is being presented in collaboration with SacMod -- an organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and protecting modern art, architecture and design in the Sacramento region -- and AIA Central Valley, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Tickets to the event are $6 for Crocker Art Museum members and $12 for non-members. Admission to the film includes admission to the museum, which will be open until 9:00pm. Food and drink will be available for purchase at the Crocker Cafe until 8:45 PM. For more information and to order tickets online, go to http://crockerartmuseum.org/learn-do/details/7705-film-frame

A new twist on 'green eating' at the Crocker

2011-03-23T00:50:50Z

There’s a new gourmet restaurant opening in Sacramento, but you can’t eat there.

The Photosynthetic Restaurant is going to be serving gourmet meals to plants at the Crocker Art Museum downtown from April 16 - Jul. 17, giving roses originally planted by the Crockers in the 19th century the well-rounded meals Experimental Philosopher Jonathon Keats said they deserve.

“In a sense, it’s giving back to the plants that have given such pleasure to us,” he said.

The restaurant “feeds” plants gourmet meals by filtering light through acrylic panels to even out what would otherwise be random light wavelengths. Since plants create their own food through photosynthesis, the light they receive is, in essence, their diet, Keats said.

Colored acrylic panels will hang above the roses outside the historic wing of the Crocker, carefully placed so the plants get the exact menu Keats designed for them.

To view the menu, click here.

“Every day, the plants are getting a three-course meal with morning light, afternoon light and late afternoon light,” Keats said. “It’s based on the position of the sun as it travels across the sky.”

Colored plates set up at preplanned spots allow the sun’s arc across the sky to give the plants different “meals” throughout the day.

Keats, a 39-year-old San Franciscan who was born in New York, said this is his first foray into the restaurant business – for plants or otherwise – but it isn’t his first time working with the botanical world.

Keats has produced travel documentaries for houseplants, showing video from foreign skies on their foliage in darkened theaters. He’s also worked in “pornography for plants” – showing them videos of bees pollinating flowers.

“I am interested in the way in which something that is a typical everyday experience for us affects the plant kingdom,” he said. “It becomes strange when we see another species, something as different as a plant, experiencing something we as humans have done.”

Keats said his goal is to make Crocker visitors reflect on their own cultural habits and customs, taking the world a little bit less for granted.

“This is about gourmet food, but it also more broadly has to do with questions of pleasure and experiences,” Keats said.

But does Keats believe human emotions can be ascribed to plant life?

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I want to initiate a conversation as well as stimulate it. This isn’t a puzzle to be worked out. It is really a starting point for conversation.”

Crocker Art Museum Chief Curator and Assistant Director Scott Shields said Keats thinks about life as no one else does.

“He thinks about things humans do and applies them to insects and flowers,” Shields said, adding that Keats has also choreographed ballets for honeybees. “He examines us at the same time he examines them.”

The Photosynthetic Restaurant ties in with other exhibits the Crocker is showing over the summer.

“He opens first,” Shields said, “then we have an American Impressionist show, then French Impressionists, and then California Impressionists. Both the paintings and the restaurant are so much about the spectrum of color and light.”

The space in front of the historic portion of the Crocker does not require a ticket to be purchased, but Shields said he hopes visitors will come in and see the Crocker’s Impressionist exhibits as a complement to the restaurant.

“It’ll be interesting to see if (the plants) do better or worse,” he said.

Keats said he hopes people will recognize the potential of gourmet sunlight for plants and will open other restaurants for them.

“I’m certainly not the best chef, but I believe I am the first,” he said, adding that the recipe book – co-published by the Crocker Art Museum and Modernism Gallery in San Francisco – will be available during the time the restaurant is active.

The exhibit will run at the Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St., from April 16 - July 17. No admission is charged to view the exhibit at the rose garden in front of the historic wing.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento Concerts, Music Events, and The Local Music Scene This Week

2011-03-18T16:06:56Z

Here are some of the many music events happening in the Sacramento area this week. For more detailed information on these events and many more go to www.eMusiConnect.com.

Sacramento Area Concerts & Music Events

Through Sunday, March 20th: 9 to 5 The Musical at The Sacramento Community Center Theatre on 1301 L Street in Sacramento. Shows at 8PM, 2PM, and 7:30PM depending on date. Tickets are $18.00 - $70.00.

A Grand Night For Singing at Cosmopolitan Cabaret on 1000 K Street in Sacramento. Continues WED-SUN. Show times are at 8PM or 7:30PM with some 2PM matinees. Tickets are $33.00 - $48.00.

Friday, March 18th - Saturday, March 19th: Sacramento Ballet In-Studio Celtic Experience at 1631 K Street in Sacramento. Enjoy beer and wine and an intimate performance beginning at 7PM. Tickets are $25.00.

Saturday, March 19th: Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra presents Verdi's Requiem at Mondavi Center on the UC Davis Campus. Performance at 8PM. Tickets are $30.00 - $50.00.

Saturday, March 19th - Sunday, March 20th: Sacramento Master Singers Celtic Connections III at First United Methodist Church on 2100 J Street in Sacramento. SAT at 8PM, SUN at 3PM. Tickets are $20.00.

Sunday, March 20th: Camellia Symphony Orchestra presents a Family Concert at Tsakopoulos Library Galleria at 828 I Street in Sacramento. Performance at 2PM, Instrument petting zoo at 1PM. Free Admission.

Tuesday, March 22nd: Paul Thorn at Harlows. Show at 7:30PM. Tickets are $22.00 ADV.

Wednesday, March 23rd: Marsha Ambrosius with Melanie Fiona at Harlows. Show at 9PM. Tickets are $30.00.

Wednesday, March 23rd: Richrad Thompson Electric Trio at Ace of Spades at 1417 R Street in Sacramento. Show at 7:30PM. Tickets are $35.00 - $40.00.

Wednesday. March 23rd: Lady Gaga Monster Ball Tour at Power Balance Pavilion (Arco Arena). Concert at 8PM. Tickets are limited $52.00 - $177.50.

Thursday, March 24th: Crocker Art Museum presents Open Art: CORE Dance Collective World Premiere of Silent Noise at 216 O Street in Sacramento. Performance at 7PM. Tickets are $15.00 - $25.00.

The Local Music Scene:

Friday, March 18th:

Jerry Perry presents Island of Black and White - The Bellboys - James Cavern at Old Ironsides 9PM/$7

Mary Youngblood at 7PM/$20ADV and Primo with GPD at 10PM at Harlows

Gino Matteo at Torch Club 9PM/$12

Kevin Seconds - Kepi Ghoulie - Dino The Girl at Fox & Goose 9PM/$5

3 Dance Floors of DJ Top Hits, Hip-Hop, Latin at Faces $5 before 10PM/$10 After

Wonderbread 5 at Power House Pub 10PM/$15

CrookOne TGIF at Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

Adam Varona - Christian De Wild - Ross Hammond at Distillery 10PM/$6

Set Theory at Marilyns 9PM/$5

80's & 90's DJ Mix at Mix Downtown 9PM

Coco Montoya - Mick Martin & The Blues Rockers at The Boardwalk 8PM/$20-$22

DJ Illest at Dream Ultra Lounge 9PM

DJ G-Roy District 30 9PM

As I Lay Dying - Winds of Plague - After The Burial at Ace of Spades 6:30PM/$20

DJ Billy Lane at Park Ultra Lounge 10PM/$15

Rough House with DJ Shaun Slaughter & Roger Carpio at Townhouse 9PM/$5

Get Down To The Champion Sound with DJ Esef at Capitol Garage 10PM/$5

Hot Tar Roofers - Perpetual Drifters at Luigis Fungarden 8:30PM/$5

98 Rock Local Licks Live with Stepchild - Fallrise - Black with DJ Blend downstairs at Shenanigans 9PM/$5

Sean Powers Shadow Puppet Theatre - Gilberto Rodriquez at Lunas Cafe 8PM/$6

Saturday, March 19th

Richard March at Old Ironsides 9PM/$5

The Newzmakers at Marilyns 9PM/$5

Early States - Wesley Avery - Greenlight District at Ace of Spades 6:30PM/$20

Simpl3Jack - Prieta - Honyock at Luigis Fungarden 8:30PM/$5

Sean Kilcoyne - Chris2Me - Rebel Radio at Fox & Goose 9PM/$3

Wonderland at Mix Downtown 9PM

Cura Cochino - Rabbits - Ungolian at The Distillery 10PM/$6

Country Music & Line Dancing 8PM with DJ's on Three Floors at Faces $5 before 10PM/$10 after

DJ Peeti-V at Park Ultra Lounge 9PM

White Minorities - Mudface - Left Hand - Deadset at The Boardwalk 8PM/$10

Laurie Morvan at The Torch Club 9PM/$10

DJ Whores at The Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

Superlicious at Power House Pub 10PM/$10

DJ Slick D at District 30 9PM

DJ Larry Rodriquez at Press Club 9PM/$5

The Ricky & Del Rock Show - Dungeons & Dragqueens at Blue Lamp 9:30PM/$8

Oh Dang! at Townhouse Lounge 9PM/$3

Sunday, March 20th

Dragalicious Show & DJ Hits at Faces 9PM/$5

Blues Jam at 4PM & Bone McDonald 8PM at Torch Club 8PM/$7

Industry Night at Golden Bear 9PM

Saving Abel - Red Line Chemistry - Desperate Union - First Class Citizen at Ace of Spades 6:30PM/$16

Reggae Basement with DJ Wokstar at Blue Lamp 9:30PM

Crocker Hosts Talk On 'African Aesthetics'

2011-02-28T08:12:00Z

“Art with a Twist” is the theme for Thursday nights at the Crocker Art Museum. The new “Open Art” series held every fourth Thursday offers an array of programming ranging from performances to cultural exchanges.

Last Thursday the museum hosted a special lecture with a different approach to modern perceptions of dance, music and art.

“The Africanist Aesthetic in Performing and Visual Arts: A Talk by Dr. Halifu Osumare” was presented in collaboration with the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery and the Sacramento Chapter of The Links, Inc.

Osumare, an associate professor of African American and African studies at UC Davis and author of “The Africanist Aesthetic in Global Hip-Hop Power Moves,” discussed her research about how African culture permeates every facet of the arts.

She demonstrated to attendees how art, dance and music are steeped in African traditional principles. She explained how these principles have a connection to the Yoruba faith and spiritual framework of that culture. The greater message of her lecture explored the connections between these art forms and how they correlate to modern social and popular culture.

Her mission is simply “to educate and spread the spirit,” she said. The dynamic speaker and educator’s background in dance and choreography make her one of the foremost scholars on the African influence in contemporary society.

“I see dance as another form of knowledge — it’s not just doing some steps,” Osumare said. “In fact, I love promoting dance as another form of knowledge. In academia, it’s antithetical to education because of that mind-body split in Western thought.”

The “mind-body split” she refers to is the separation of the spiritual world from the physical one. In African cultures and Eastern thought, there is no division between the two aspects. They interact and are regularly exercised as a natural way of living. The professor affirmed that art is not to just be merely perceived as a visual aesthetic. The position that symbols have meaning and also functionality and purpose is an integral part of African culture. Interpreting symbols in African artwork and clothing was also a feature of the discussion.

“The generic symbols will take you into deeper research that will show the philosophical principles they are connected to in terms of creating depth into art work, especially for artists,” she said.

Underscoring this point, Osumare provided examples of mudcloth, Kente cloth and cloth with Adinkra symbols. She supported each fact with video documentation and concrete examples.

Her ability to present doctoral work that deconstructs social and cultural phenomena and share it in such a way that didn’t lose the audience is the signature of a true educator. The professor also utilized film clips to support evidence of an element called “Multiple Meter: Dancing,” that is, dancing to many drums patterns, or polyrhythm. Attendees were treated to examples of visual and sound clips of dancing to illustrate this fact. She noted that this element translates to the dominant musical art form of hip-hop, and referenced jazz music where one can find additional elements of fine form.

“Popular social dance is an African-based dance form,” she said. “You’re using something that uses African polyrhythm.”

Osumare kept the audience engaged by providing visual examples to emphasize each point. She interacted with the audience and interspersed anecdotal humor with self-demonstrations.

“What I like about her lecture style is that she makes learning accessible,” Trinidadian artist Adele James said. “She embodies what she speaks about in regards to incorporating visual, sound and movement.”

Osumare’s explanation of the “get-down quality” and “descending direction in the sculpture of dance” rendered a spiritual analysis of dance. Definition of these elements is hinged on understanding that the closer one gets to the earth, one communes with the earth, and then one is thereby summoning a spiritual essence.

“It is a reminder of Qi Gong (Tai Chi),” James said, drawing a parallel interpretation. “It’s similar to when you get down close to the earth — that was the highlight of the lecture for me.

Osumare’s lecture drew a range of attendees. There were several audience members representing academic fields and some were just curious to learn more.

“The language they used (in the video clip) was most inspiring to hear,” said attendee Vivian Ellis, a visitor from Munich, Germany. “It was fascinating.”

Ellis stated that the best part of the lecture was learning how African rhythm, its dance and the steps make her different from other ethnicities.

Sacramento City College art and design professor Gioia Fonda was impressed with how Osumare supported her ideas with demonstration of dance movements.

“I encouraged my students to attend, and I have an interest in learning,” Fonda said. “What she was discussing is similar to other principles in design, when she showed the different patterns (symbols) and meanings it indicated.”

Overall, the presentation was an interactive learning experience. The information offered over the course of the evening seemed to leave all who attended with a newfound perspective of looking at the world and moreover how cultural influences shape and govern popular culture.

To get a thorough understanding of Osumare’s intriguing research and the collective African principles influencing performing and visual arts, you’ll now have to read book. If the literature is similar to her lecture style, “The Africanist Aesthetic in Global Hip-Hop Power Moves” will challenge you to utilize critical thinking and provide you with the tools necessary to take an in-depth look into cultural studies.

Crocker Art Museum Open on President's Day

2011-02-18T01:23:06Z

The Crocker Art Museum will open its doors on Monday, Feb. 21 for President’s Day. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can hear the Sacramento Youth Symphony perform patriotic songs at 2 p.m. and discover works of art celebrating the history of the United States on a “Patriotic Tour” at 10:15 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. From noon to 3 p.m., art-making activities for children will explore the meaning of our nation’s symbols.

President’s Day is one of five Monday holidays on which the Crocker will be open this year. The Museum was open on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January and will be open on Memorial Day and Labor Day in the fall, and The Monday after Christmas in the winter.

The Crocker Art Museum is one of the leading art institutions in California. Established in 1885, the Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events, and programs to augment its collections of Californian, European, Asian, African, and Oceanic artworks.
The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America.

For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Sacramento Museum Day 2011

2011-02-08T00:41:11Z

Over 25 museums participated in the annual Sacramento Museum Day this Saturday February 5. On the first Saturday of February for the past 13 years Sacramento has opened many museums to the public free of charge. Some places are always packed while other museums don’t experience such problems.

I chose two locations to visit this year. One of them I knew would be packed (the Sacramento Zoo) and the other I wasn’t sure (Crocker Art Museum).

As I was getting off Interstate 5 I knew the Sacramento Zoo was going to be packed. Traffic going west on Sutterville Road was backed all the way to the freeway. I ended up going to the zoo the back way from Freeport Blvd. It didn’t really matter traffic was backed up and parking spaces were at a premium.

(Sacramento Zoo entrance)

None of this prepared to what we saw moving up to the Sacramento Zoo. Hundreds of people were lined up to get into the zoo. It seemed like a zoo inside and outside. Like other people with small children I dropped off the people I was with at Fairytale Town and headed to the Crocker.

I heard parents waiting to get into the zoo yelling instructions to their kids but it didn’t really matter on this beautiful sunny day a child is going to run and not stand still in line. Unless Sacramento Museum Day is expanded to Sacramento Zoo Weekend the zoo will be the most popular place to be on any given free admission day.

The Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM) has done a great job over the past decade to coordinate this event. This year Umpqua Bank sponsored the event presented by SAM. Sacramento Museum Day is a great venue to showcase the wealth of art, history, transportation, science and wildlife Sacramento has to offer. Many of the museums are well known and in some cases close to each other but as the number of museums expands you can also attend regional museums like the Folsom History Museum as well as Woodland’s Heidrick Ag History Center.

The Gottfried Helnwein: Inferno of the Innocents exhibit had just opened the previous weekend and I’ve wanted to see it. Gottfried Helnwein’s art addresses several themes including images reminiscent of World War II and its effects it had on his native country of Austria. Although born after WWII in Vienna Austria the exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum seemed to be WWII inspired. His exhibit runs until April 24

A couple of his art pieces reminded me of Marilyn Manson and Rammstein art covers. Helnwein in fact did the cover for Rammstein’s Sehnsucht as well as working with Manson on art in The Golden Age of Grotesque album.

The exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum contained many Helnwein's pieces that were enormous. No photography was allowed of Helnwein’s work but there were a couple of pieces outside of his main exhibit that did not have that restriction.

Although I went to see Helnwein exhibit I ended up spending hours at the Crocker viewing other exhibits.

The Crocker also had special activities for Museum Day including an interactive space with art-inspired games at the Art Education Resource Room. Hands-on art on the Second Floor Ballroom was also being demonstrated by a couple of the museum’s volunteers. Several other activities also took place throughout the day.

I’m not sure how long it takes to tabulate the number of people that attended this year’s Sacramento Museum Day but I wonder if it was more than last year’s 85,000.

Photos by David Alvarez

Hausu

2011-01-29T06:17:53Z

The Crocker Art Museum was the site for the showing of the Japanese movie Hausu (House). The Japanese cult classic film was shown in the new Crocker Art Auditorium as part of the Thursdays ‘til 9 events. Thursdays ‘til 9, art with a twist, includes Open Art every 4th Thursday of the month.

Hausu was co-presented by Movies on the Big Screen (MOBS) with Robert McKeown on hand. McKeown and DeeAnn Little are the creators of MOBS and have been based in Sacramento since its inception in 2006. MOBS shows documentaries, shorts, indie films and cult films like Hausu.

Just outside the theatre a table was set up by Mr. Lobo and his lovely assistant. They were selling Cinema Insomnia merchandize. I asked him to tell me a little about himself. “I have a syndicated television program called Cinema Insomnia. This runs in 30 or more cities across the country. I’ve done the show for 10 years and host conventional festivals, horror and sci-fi festivals also across the country that’s kind of like my forte.”

I read Mr. Lobo was introducing the film Hausu but was not sure he was going to actually be there. My first thought was that he would appear via video. The place to hold this movie at first appeared to be a strange place to hold it for viewing and pictured a different kind of audience. I asked Mr. Lobo what his function was going to be for the evening. “I’m going to, because it’s the Crocker, do a slightly different way of introducing. We’ll try to be more informational since it will be a Crocker audience,” Mr. Lobo said. He continued, “It is a horror film, but it’s a very artistic film hopefully there’s some crossover. “

Once inside the screen was showing some little known movies that had won awards and would be playing, I believe, at the Guild. Over the loudspeakers punkish type music played and noticed that KDVS was also involved with the Movies on the Big Screen and thought that perhaps that’s where the music came from.

The auditorium began to fill up quick as the film was about to start. Robert McKeown took to the microphone to welcome the audience, “Hello, thank you for coming if you’re not familiar with us we show movies at the Guild on Sundays. We tend to show documentaries, independent films, classics and some cult tittles.” He spoke about future events saying “Coming up in February, at the end of the month it’s the anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Sacramento so we’ll be showing ‘Steamboat Bill Jr.’ and William Burg from the Sacramento Historical Society will be out to talk about Sacramento and steamboats it’s kind of like having our own Steamboat Bill.” Check out the MOBS website for a full schedule and description of future events.

“Introducing the night’s movie,” Robert continued, “rather than me talk about it we have someone here to introduce it, he’s kind of a expert on pop culture and obscure culture, nationally syndicated, late night horror host Mr. Lobo.” Cheers and applause followed before Mr. Lobo appeared on stage.

“Thank you Robert, a big hand for Robert. We have to thank him for bringing here an uncouth guy like myself to a classy place like this. I’m your horror host Mr. Lobo. How many people here know what a horror host is?” Some people raised their hand, Mr. Lobo said “Ok you’re old, you’re very old people.” Someone from the audience called out “Like Elvira”. Mr. Lobo continued” Elvira exactly. Basically in most cases a horror host on television would be sort of like hamburger helper. Hopefully tonight I won’t have to perform that function. But first of all I would like to know how many people in the audience here have seen Hausu.” Several of us raised our hands. One lady remembered the tricky cat. Mr. Lobo’s partner Dixie Dellamorto came out and handed out a prize, a Cinema Insomnia video and a bunch of bananas.

Mr. Lobo recalled when he went to see Hausu. He saw it in San Francisco after a 2 hour drive and they came in about ½ way through it. Mr. Lobo said “Our minds were still blown. We still felt that it was totally worth it to drive 2 hours and pay 12 bucks to see a woman get eaten by a lamp.”

Mr. Lobo proceeded to describe the plot of the movie and what it took to make it. “Nobuhiko Obayashi was an obscure film maker he was much inspired by the French New Wave. He started his own film production. He made experimental films combining animation, experimental animation with live action. He did hand drawing animation and pixelization where he would take a live actor or an object and made it a frame at a time. “

Obayashi was also known to film commercials and one of his popular commercials was a series of ads for Mandom deodorant. Mr. Lobo’s introduction and fun filled facts explained much of what it took to make the movie. Obayashi’s experimentation and foresight as movie director, screenwriter and editor were instrumental in the making of this movie. He is also well known for his commercials on Japanese TV. American actor Charles Bronson was well known for a series of Mandom deodorant commercials.

Mr. Lobo went on to explain that around the time Hausu was coming out they were competing with American films such as Jaws and Carrie. He said “Hausu was not quite as big as Jaws it was a B movie, it was paired with another movie. It was truly a B picture There was an A picture and a B picture. The A picture was with a young couple in a romantic comedy. It was a short fire hit and it was called Hearts in Mud that was the A picture which we are not showing tonight. And the B picture, Mr. Lobo is particularly fond of B pictures, was Hausu or House and in Hausu they even referenced the A movie This kind of solidified him as a sort of popular director he’s made 40 films to date but this, this my friends is Obayashi’s Citizen Kane.”

Just before the movie was about to begin Mr. Lobo to have the audience do the Insomniac Oath. He began. “Repeat after me, all of you, all day. I as initiated member of the sleepless nights of insomnia and the Crocker art museum and Movies on the Big Screen do solemnly swear to watch the movie, the whole movie, and nothing but the movie so help me Mr. Lobo.” He ended with “I’ll like to present to you Hausu.”

The movie is hard to describe. It’s a comedy, it’s horror, it’s dumb, artsy, it’s clever, science fiction and fantasy. It has generated a cult following since it was released back in 1977.

Hausu has been described as a hallucinatory head trip. During the summers Oshare, the main character in the movie, spends her vacation with her father at a large villa. She has several good friends at her school and wants to invite them to join her. As she tries to talk to her father about it, he has a surprise for her. Oshare learns that her father has brought his future wife to meet her. Oshare still cannot let go of the memory of her mom who has been dead for 8 years. She wants nothing to do with the impending marriage and then tries to see if her aunt (her mom’s sister) would allow a visit from Oshare and her friends.

The story becomes more complicated but Oshare and her friends are welcomed at her aunt’s place. The home ends up being in a desolate place where the girls come face to face with evil spirits, bloodthirsty pianos, and a demonic housecat.

Many who showed to watch the film have either seen the movie before or caught parts of it on YouTube. The end of the movie solicited various responses from pure amazement to where somebody said “What did I just watch?”

The evening was a great collaboration between the Crocker Art Museum, Movies on the Big Screen and Mr. Lobo. If you have not made a trip to the Crocker Art Museum I must end by saying that Saturday, January 29, is Sacramento Museum Day. Crocker will be one of the many museums that will have free entry to its museum.

All photos courtesy of Robert McKeown and Movies on the Big Screen

Tea Party at the Crocker

2011-01-24T03:52:26Z

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the Crocker Art Museum held a Tour, Taste and Talk on “The Art of Tea.” Four-year docent Paul Lee was an informative guide on the museum’s teaware collections and the history of tea culture worldwide.

Beginning in the Asian ceramics collection, Lee educated the visitors on the history of tea in China.

“In China, tea was a drink enjoyed by scholars or drank when discussing philosophy,” he said.

The tea culture took on a more religious connection when it was introduced into Korean and Japanese cultures. In Japan, it was associated with Buddhism and the wealthy-class.

“Monks would drink tea in meditation to keep them awake,” Lee said.

Once tea was introduced in Europe, they added milk to the soothing drink, and it was served in porcelain tea sets like those on display now in the Crocker’s tea collection.

The teaware ceramics from each country varied in glaze, texture, size and pattern.

In the United States, we associate tea with the Tea Party Revolution, which wraps up the relationship with tea over the centuries.

Following the tour, visitors were invited into a tea-tasting room. Tables were set with different styles of teaware and a large selection of food to accompany the green tea selection. The three teas available were Genmai Cha, Ti Kuan Yin, Hojicha.

Crocker member Gloria Smith enjoyed the green tea and the large collection of Asian pottery.

“The tea-tasting is the cherry on the cake,” she said. “They went to a lot of trouble to have the tea food, the sweets and the sandwiches.”

Bobbin Mulvaney, Crocker Café caterer and owner of Mulvaney’s Building & Loan restaurant, talked about her relationship with tea and her family bonding around a table and tea. She shared her nostalgia of tea, which added the extra sugar while guests sipped their tea.

“The tea presentation was a nice cap on what we were presented with on the tour,“ Smith said.

Martin Luther King Day

2011-01-19T07:38:57Z

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."

- Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Stockholm, Sweden, December 11, 1964.

The words of Martin Luther King, Jr. continue to inspire decades after his departure.

Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration was a day to remember one of America’s greatest heroes. Monday commemorated the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s Holiday.

Marches throughout the United States took place in honor of King. Sacramento residents participated in their own 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. march. Two groups embarked on the march, one departing from the Oak Park Community Center and the other from Grant High School and both met at the Sacramento’s Convention Center.

(Marchers approaching the Sacramento Convention Center)

An estimated crowd of 10,000 participated and enjoyed the celebration. Inside the Convention Center community and educational booths handed out information related to the holiday. A job fair and expo were also held in the Convention Center.

(Roger Dickinson, Darrell Steinberg)

The birth, life and Martin Luther King's dream were celebrated at the Convention Center downtown and a few blocks away the Crocker Art Museum also celebrated the legacy of King.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at the Crocker was celebrated through inspirational tours based on his teachings. Consumnes River College Contemporary Gospel Choir performed at the museum as well.

(View of new wing from the second floor)

A hands-on art making project took place on the ground floor of the museum and down the hall at the Crocker Auditorium a film "Martin Luther King: Legacy of a Dream" was screened depicting highlights of King’s involvement in the Civil Rights movement.

This was my first visit to the new Crocker Art Museum and I was very overwhelmed by the size of the new wing as well as to the number of exhibits throughout the three floors of art displays. I was also able to enjoy a guided tour led by a Crocker art museum docent. Debbie led a small group through various exhibits in the second and third floors of the museum as well as a visit through the older section of the museum.

Besides the personable and very knowledgeable docents of the museum many high school student volunteers participated in this event. Other volunteers also help the museum run smoothly and they all go through vigorous training.

Seeing the many young people participates in the march and at the Crocker it seems that the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. will continue.

As I write this I heard on the radio that a potentially lethal bomb had been found along a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade route in Spokane, Washington. The parade route was changed to avoid the device and no-one was hurt as the bomb squad disabled it without incident. I don’t know what to make of this but will follow that story to see what comes out of it.

The Crocker Art Museum expansion has not been only its physical growth but many community events will also be held to give exposure to the art of Sacramento and its community. Besides special events Studio Art Programs, films, concerts, dance and member receptions are being planned year round. Lectures and symposia, talks, tours and educational programs for teachers and students also take place throughout the year. Log on their website to find out more about hours, admission fees, events and museum membership.

(View from Crocker Art Museum)

One final reminder; on Saturday February 6, the Crocker Art and other museums will hold the annual Sacramento Museum Day. On this day you can visit several museums free of charge however many of these museums will be packed so plan accordingly.

Art Education is Hands-on at the Crocker

2011-01-08T00:45:36Z

A young artist experiments with color and vision.

Learning spatial relations and composition.

Demonstrating kinetic art.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first public art museum in the west, dating from 1885 when Margaret Crocker donated the original building, grounds and art collection to the city of Sacramento. Her intention was to create a public trust that would ensure that a vehicle for the appreciation of art would always be available to Californians.

The Crocker Art Museum Association has upheld that intention through the decades, and has recently completed an ambitious expansion which tripled the size of the facility.

The expanded space enables the museum to display much more of its impressive permanent collection and to accommodate larger traveling exhibitions.

The addition of an auditorium space, a reception area that can host up to 400 guests, and a beautiful courtyard and atrium has
transformed the Crocker into a beautiful and fully functional showcase for all kinds of art.

One of the most impressive improvements is the restoration of the museum as an educational institution. This week, The Sacramento Press was invited to tour the newly opened 6500-square-foot Education Center, housed on the lower floor of the original Victorian structure donated by Margaret Crocker. The center features three functional and flexible studio art spaces, a children’s participatory gallery, a teacher resource center, an expanded library and new student exhibition space.

There are myriad social and economic factors at work that remove children farther and farther from the arts with each passing year.

Decreasing budgetary support for the arts in schools has become a cultural tragedy. A society in which children know about Playstations but not Picasso, Gameboy but not Goya, Wii but not Whistler, is a society in need of art education.

Historically, art museums acted as centers for education for both adults and children, offering studio art classes and an opportunity for exposure to art as an everyday part of a healthy community.

Julie Didion, sculpture and art instructor, mesmerizes children with clay art demonstrations.

Children engrossed in shape and color.

Tactile experience with art.

Lial Jones, Director of the Crocker Art Museum.

Lial Jones, director of the Crocker Art Museum, was on hand to welcome a few dozen journalists and some very excited children to the education center.

Jones, who has been at the helm of the Crocker for 11 years, said she is seeing a generational change in the way people are exposed to art. She said the goal of the museum is to provide entry points for the life enrichment experiences that are made possible by interactions with art.

“We want the community to think of the Crocker Art Museum as a go-to resource for Sacramento families. We see a gap; we try to step in to
fill it…. We want to meet the public where they are with art, and to make art accessible to all,” said Jones.

“Education has been at the core of the Crocker’s mission since the museum’s founding, but it is the museum’s recent expansion that has enabled us to present year-round classes for all ages for the first time in our 125-year history,” said Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of education at the Crocker Art Museum.

Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of Education at the Crocker Art Museum.

The Winter 2011 class schedule includes 25 classes for children, teens and adults. The class catalog is available online.

Additionally, the museum has just been awarded a First 5 Sacramento grant of $566,040 to develop and implement the All About Families—Early Childhood Initiative educational program for children ages up to age 5 and the adults who care for them.

Among the many art experiences available to children and families through the Crocker are the all-ages (with adult) “Drop, Yak, Splat! A Museum Adventure for Families,” and “Wee Wednesday,” a weekly adventure for 3 - 5-year-olds. These events are free with museum admission.

Robin Koltenuk, Director of Marketing & Communications (right) at Crocker Art Museum.

On Feb. 5, enjoy free admission to the Crocker and more than 25 other museums in the Sacramento region. For details, visit http://sacmuseums.org/

For more details about the Crocker Art Museum, its collections, or any of its programs, visit crockerartmuseum.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Kwanzaa Family Festival at the Crocker

2010-12-28T00:02:41Z

Over 2,000 people celebrated the Kwanzaa Family Festival at the Crocker Art Museum yesterday, the first day of Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa, honored worldwide, focuses on family, community, creativity, and the cultural traditions found in the African diaspora.

The Crocker celebrated its new collection of African art with music and dance performances by Umoja, Afia Walking Tree and Spirit Drumz, PROJECT, Phoenix Park Multicultural Kids Choir. There was storytelling by Culture Co-op and a special puppet production, “Hamissi the Brave.”

Here's some of the festivities:

A little girl dancer mimics the moves of the older dancers moving to the beat of drums.

Umoja Productions presented African Drumming and Dance.

The audience clapped along with the beats provided by the drummers.

Phoenix Park Multicultural Kids Choir performed, using the second floor as the stage, above the audience seated inside Friedman Court.

The Ballroom on the second floor of the historic Crocker provided performances by Puppets in Motion presenting Hamissi the Brave and Storytelling with Culture Co-op (above and below).

Free Airbrush Tattoos in the Studio Art Spaces were a big hit with the children.

The "Mud Cloth Madness" exhibit, organized by The Kuumba Collective Art Gallery. is slated to run through February. It is a contemporary art exhibit using the ancient African fabric as a inspiration tool to create (above and below).

Delgreta Brown, a Sacramento Press contributor, is a featured artisit of this exhibit.

Interactive art was part of the Kwanzaa Festival, part of the museum-wide experience of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Read about the seven principles - CLICK HERE>>>

African diaspora cooking demonstrations were presented by Queen Sheba Restaurant and the Crocker Cafe.

A fashion show drew a big crowd (above and below).

The event was sponsored by Target and presented in collaboration with the Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum and the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery.

For more information about Crocker Art Museum, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Business, landmark milestones in 2010

2010-12-23T21:20:51Z

The past year saw Sacramento businesses, cultural icons and landmarks from Tower Bridge to Cafe Marika celebrate significant milestones.

Most notable was the Crocker Art Museum’s 125th birthday on May 8. That was just one aspect of the museum’s big year, which included the completion of a decade-long expansion project that opened Oct. 10. For more details about the Crocker in 2010, click here.

The North Sacramento Land Company turned 100 in September, and the company’s president, Bob Slobe, credited the business’ longevity to staying small and having deep roots in the community. To read more about the company’s history and its ties to the California State Railroad Museum, click here.

Also celebrating a birthday in 2010 was Tower Bridge, which turned 75 Dec. 15. Built during the Great Depression, the bridge replaced an older one connecting Sacramento and West Sacramento that had become too congested with traffic. In order to make it easy on the eyes, metal cladding was added to the sides to give it an Art Deco feel and provide some aesthetic covering to what would otherwise have been just a steel frame.

Read more about Tower Bridge’s history here and read more about the birthday celebration itself here.

The Iceland Skating Rink at 1430 Del Paso Blvd. was destroyed by a fire in March (for details, read articles by clicking here, here and here, celebrated its 70th birthday in November and reopened as an outdoor rink earlier this month after the community worked to help clean up the building, which had not been insured against fire. Members of the Kerth family, which owns the arena, said they are planning to rebuild the facility.

At 35 years, the Fox and Goose Pub at 1001 R St. is still providing Sacramentans with English pub fare and decor in the spot it has been in since January of 1975. The R Street corridor on which it sits is undergoing streetscape improvements designed to maintain the street’s historic feel while providing modern amenities. The R Street businesses are staying open during the construction, and more information on the Fox and Goose is available here.

In the 1980s, two Czechoslovakians emigrated to the United States and found their way to Sacramento where, a few years later, they opened Cafe Marika, 2011 J St, in 1990. They celebrated 20 years in business and continue to serve authentic European cuisine from places like Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. To read more about their story, click here.

Do you have a milestone from the past year you’d like to share? Feel free to add to this list in the conversation below.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

2010 a landmark year for Crocker Art Museum

2010-12-22T23:07:20Z

With the opening of the Crocker Art Museum’s $100 million expansion and the celebration of it’s 125th anniversary, 2010 was a big year for the museum.

“I think it’s probably the most important year in the museum’s history,” Museum Director Lial Jones said.

The Oct. 10 opening of the Crocker’s new wing capped a decade of work that Jones said marks the beginning of the next phase in the Crocker’s history as the museum moves forward to ensure it continues to matter and stay relevant to Sacramento.

In May, The Sacramento Press reported on what the Crocker’s 125,000-square-foot expansion would entail and announced that the museum would be closed to the public from June 6 to Oct. 10.

On May 8, the museum celebrated its 125th birthday with a multi-tiered cake, cultural performances and people dressed in 1800s-style clothing.

Media tours of the new museum allowed The Sacramento Press to bring views of the ongoing progress from the initial bare exhibition halls to photographic virtual tours of the nearly completed structure by both Sacramento Press staff and community contributors.

The last of the funding for the massive project came at a gala fundraiser attended by Crocker supporters and the city’s elite.

Crocker members got a chance to see the museum Oct. 9, one day before the much-anticipated 10.10.10, when the museum finally opened to the public.

Jones said that of all the events over the past 12 months, Oct. 10 was, without a doubt, the most memorable.

“We opened the front doors and saw 18,000 people come through the building on 10.10.10,” she said. “It was a huge milestone in that it represented the culmination of a decade’s worth of work.”

Comments and articles from the community on The Sacramento Press uniformly praised the new museum, driving one writer to post an article entitled, “Neo Crocker: Believe it or not.”

Despite all the success and accolades, Jones cautioned that a building does not make a museum great.

“A building is a tool to fulfill a museum’s goal,” she said. “The next year is about solidifying our position with programs and exhibitions and collections on the walls that matter.”

One of those programs is Art Mix, which offers museum-goers a different experience in addition to the traditional museum visit. For an example of a recent part of that program, click here to read about “art after dark.”

“One-hundred twenty-five years is a pretty phenomenal milestone,” Jones said. “We’re one of the oldest businesses in the region, and the fact that we’re a cultural art nonprofit should be gratifying for the residents.”

Exterior photo of the Crocker on opening day by Kati Garner. Remaining photos by Brandon Darnell, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Art after dark

2010-12-11T01:06:08Z

Have you ever visited the Crocker Art Museum after dark? Most nights, you’ll find locked doors and a dark museum. Thursday nights, however, you’ll find anything from a DJ, dancing and bar to film screenings and concerts.

As part of Thursdays till 9, the Crocker will transform itself from 5 - 9 p.m. every Thursday. One of its new series is called Art Mix, which offers art enthusiasts, or not, a more exciting museum-going experience.

For its second Art Mix, Crocker Manager Christian Adame brought in the music of DJ Rated R, the CORE Dance Collective, a screening of the 1964 vampire classic “The Last Man on Earth” and a photo booth station provided by Beatnik Studios for this week’s “Art in the Dark.”

“It’s going to be growing and evolving every month,” Adame said.

The first Art Mix, held Nov.11 and titled “Homecoming,” featured Sacramento artist Wayne Thiebaud’s exhibition, readings from the Sacramento Poetry Center and music from local band Blvd Park.

Adame promised that something fun will be happening at the museum every Thursday night, featuring bands, artists and other talents from the Sacramento region. He said he wants to see the Crocker become a place where people can learn something but also have fun.

“People have preconceived notions of what a museum is doing or what it should be doing,” he said, “So this is making it more fun and more playful.”

This playful element was most evident at Beatnik Studio’s photo booth located on the first floor, which was open to anyone who wanted to pose for a picture in a funky Viking-horned hat or holding a pirate sword. Beatnik owner Wes Davis said people are more inclined to be fun with their pictures after visiting the bar a few times.

DJ Rated R mixed ambient sounds with solid back-beats as a rogue group of interpretive dancers, from the CORE Dance Collective, moved gracefully and trance-like about the first and second floors of the gallery, exploring such spaces as stairwells and elevators.

Adame said he told the dancers not to touch anything, but to otherwise feel free to move with inspiration from the architecture, the pieces, and each other. As a result, visitors sometimes found themselves as living props in the middle of an interpretive dance session.

In addition to the club-like atmosphere, art docents provided real insight and sophistication to the night by leading informative discussions through many of the museum’s exhibits.

“One of my goals is to really get a more diverse crowd in every sense of the word,” Adame said.

Thursday, Dec. 16, the Crocker plays host to the haunting sounds of Chelsea Wolfe. For more information on the Art Mix and the Thursdays till 9 series, visit the crockerartmuseum.org.

For Arts' Sake goes into action mode

2010-11-13T02:39:05Z

Sacramento’s For Arts’ Sake initiative reached the tipping point from planning to action Friday.

“Now that the art community has gathered together and convened everybody ... there’s a place for everyone to participate,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson.

“We’re going to do massive outreach,” Johnson said. “We’re going to go out to citizens all over Sacramento and say, ‘Here’s how you can sign up, here’s how you can help, tell us what’s important to you, what are your priorities,’ and we’re going to make them a reality.”

The arts community was invited to the recently expanded Crocker Art Museum Friday for an update on the For Arts’ Sake initiative, and National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman came to voice his appreciation for what Sacramento has done.

“We’re here for a reason, and that reason is the commitment to the arts in Sacramento that Mayor Johnson has led,” Landesman said. “It’s very inspiring, and I think it can be a model for the rest of the country.”

Key to making it work, according to Landesman, is developing a political structure that understands the importance of the arts and looks for ways to bring them to the community.

“I have not met a mayor who understands that better and gets it more (than Johnson),” Landesman said.

The initiative has three major goals, according to Sharon Gerber, former liaison to the arts, who spoke at Friday’s event.

One of the goals is to strengthen the cultural infrastructure by developing a way to fund the arts with public funds as well as increase private-sector contributions.

Also key in moving forward is to give children access to the arts in schools and possibly hosting an arts festival to bring the community together on the issue, according to Gerber.

Finally, Gerber said, is the need to invest in the artists themselves and drive creativity in the community.

“We were bound and determined that this would be implemented,” she said.

Now heading For Arts’ Sake is its new project manager, Deborah Edward, whom Gerber said was key in developing the arts in Austin as well as working with arts organizations in Europe.

Edward said she was “just blown away by the energy and the arts here.”

To harness that energy, For Arts’ Sake formed nine teams, each with its own responsibilities for helping meet the project’s goals.

Those teams began meeting and planning community outreach efforts Friday, directly following Landesman’s speech.

For Arts’ Sake was launched in June 2009 by Mayor Kevin Johnson to “create a collective vision and direction for the arts in Sacramento,” according to the initiative website.

According to Landesman, “The hardest thing to overcome is the mindset that the arts are a ‘nice-to-have’ and not a ‘must-have.’ ”

Johnson said he is dedicated to ensuring – through For Arts’ Sake – that the arts aren’t going to be on the chopping block at the first sign of future economic uncertainty.

Photo is Rocco Landesman.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

The much-anticipated Crocker opens

2010-10-11T18:38:49Z

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Crocker Art Museum Sunday morning, Congresswoman Doris Matsui said what many were feeling: “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s surely worth it.”

The expansion to the Crocker has been in planning for more than 10 years and under construction for about three years. A few hundred people crowded together and listened to the speakers, ready to see what was held inside the modern white building of steel and glass that was about to be handed over to the public. More than 14,000 people took the free tour by the day’s end.

Citing the (nearly complete) $100 million campaign to fund the project, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced, “To anyone who says Sacramento is not valuing art, that simply is not true.”

The 125,000-square-foot expansion was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects and triples the size of the museum. The new space includes a cafe run by Mulvaney's, a large outdoor courtyard for live performances, studio art classrooms, an expanded library and an auditorium. Perhaps most notably, though, the expansion provides more space to display artwork that would have otherwise not come to Sacramento.

“There has been a perception of Sacramento as not the greatest cultural center,” Chief Curator Scott Shields said.

Shields said he hopes the new Crocker will be a game changer for Sacramento, a transition away from the “cow town” image to something more metropolitan. Progress has been good so far, he said – a lot of the new artwork on display came to the museum based on the “build it and they will come” principle.

“Before the expansion, there would have been nowhere to put it,” Shields said. “They would have said ‘We like your museum, but if you can’t display it, then we’ve got to go somewhere else.’ ”

The museum now dedicates 57,000 square feet to displaying artwork, which is the size a football field without end zones. The Crocker is known for its large collection of California art as well as one of the most comprehensive international ceramics collections in the country. It has a large collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries and many notable pieces originating from 19th century Central and Northern Europe. The African, Oceanic and Asian collections are all popular and also growing quickly.

Among the new collections, one of the most talked about is a retrospective featuring 50 paintings and drawings by Wayne Thiebaud. Thiebaud is now 89, and his artwork spans 70 years. Much of his work could fairly be labeled pop art. Solid blocks of bright color depicting still life and portraits can’t help but remind the viewer of Warhol, while Thiebaud’s California landscapes wield fantastical trappings reminiscent of Dr. Seuss as he plays with perspective and scale to great effect.

After looking at Thiebaud’s paintings of Sacramento farmscapes, Bobbin Mulvaney said, guests can visit her cafe downstairs and eat food that came from those same farms.

The menu at the cafe takes from the same philosophy that drives the Mulvaney couple’s restaurant: locally grown organic food and sustainable practices makes for a delicious meal. In addition to the cafe’s regular menu, groups of up to 40 people may schedule lunch at the museum for special events, requesting any menu they want.

“With all this expansion,” Patrick Mulvaney said, “(visiting the museum) becomes a day-long event.”

Just then, while standing in front of the cafe and almost as if on cue, Patrick got spotted by an excited fan who asked if she could take his picture.

“I’m going to be coming to the museum a lot more now that Mulvaney’s is doing the restaurant,” she said excitedly.

This is exactly what the museum wants. Visiting the old Crocker took an hour or two, but it wasn’t servicing the community as well as it could have, said Randy Roberts, deputy director.

The museum brought Roberts in about a year ago because she’s been in the business of growing museums for 31 years and she’s good at what she does. The new Crocker faces a difficult challenge by opening a large new space and simultaneously starting lots of new programs.

“It’s like your learning curve is happening at the same time you have to make a good impression on someone,” Roberts said.

From 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., there were performances, exhibits and activities to showcase the types of programs Sacramentans can expect to see come out of the museum in the future.

ArtCar Fest 2010 set up shop across the street while Chalk-It-Up! Sacramento led a street painting activity in front of the museum. The Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra performed throughout the day while the main stage in the courtyard featured 14 performances of dance and music from around the world. There were workshops for kids in the classrooms, gallery talks throughout the museum, multi-media presentations introducing the new building, a beer and wine gallery, a magic show and various musical performances throughout the day on a second stage. A laser light show ended the night.

Between these types of events and the art on display, the museum is an institution that brings a lot of pride, Roberts said.

“This is something we built,” she said. “And it becomes part of our identity. It becomes part of the identity of the area.”

One of the museum’s aims has been to enrich local education with what they call experiential learning. Yearly, 35,000 students engage in some activity associated with the museum, including 14,000 on-site. Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of education, said they now expect to double the number of on-site children who participate in their programs.

Not originally from Sacramento, Hendrick said she believes the museum’s expansion is a response to Sacramento’s artistic streak.

“It’s a very creative community,” she said. “What they drive, what they wear, how they live...it’s a very soulful city. This museum might give people a sense of who they are.”

Photos by Kati Garner

New Crocker Opens

2010-10-10T03:08:11Z

The New Crocker Art Museum opened its doors today for museum members to take a look. Tomorrow at 10 am it opens for the general public. Here is the schedule of events for opening day: http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/old_site/event_schedule/grand_opening.html

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Photo tour of the renovated Crocker Art Museum

2010-10-08T05:15:04Z

The Crocker Art Museum will open to the public at 10 a.m. Sunday on the long-awaited 10.10.10.

The grand opening will include a performance by the Sacramento Youth Jazz Band, the symphony and orchestra and numerous cultural dances as well as an art car show and a 9:30 p.m. laser light show to cap off the day.

Visitors to the Crocker will now be able to tour the all-new 125,000-square-foot Teel Family Pavilion, which effectively triples the museum’s size.

“People aren’t going to be able to come in here and really see the Crocker in a couple of hours,” said Chief Curator Scott Shields.

Visitors will still be able to visit the historic home of the Crocker Art Museum they’ve come to know and love, as it is still used as gallery space. Shields said the interior space is much larger than most people expect when they see it from the outside.

Here is a brief rundown on what you can expect when you visit:

The first floor will be free and includes the museum store, cafe, meeting room and limited gallery space.

Seating for the new cafe on the first floor.

The second floor includes Oceanic and African art, prehistoric art, works on paper, a section on the Crocker’s history and ceramics. The second floor also houses the temporary exhibition space, which currently has works by internationally known California artist Wayne Thiebaud.

Oceanic art on the second floor.

Oceanic spirit canoe on the second floor.

African mask on the second floor.

Ancient art on the second floor.

Work on paper artwork on the second floor: "Pope Alexander III Presenting a Ceremonial Umbrella to Doge Sebastiano Ziani at Ancona."

Room with displays of vases in the old Crocker space on the second floor.

Temporary exhibition space on the second floor with works by Thiebaud.

The third floor contains the Crocker’s prized California and American Art section as well as the European and Asian art sections. Shields said many of the European works haven’t been seen for decades, and much of the collection was collected by the Crocker family in the 1870s.

"Progress II" by Luis Jimenez in the Californian and American Art section on the third floor.

A portion of the California and American Art section on the third floor.

Another portion of the California and American Art section on the third floor.

“River Intersection” by Thiebaud in the California and American Art section.

"The Oriental Shop" by Joseph Kleitsch in the California and American Art section.

A portion of the European Art section on the third floor.

"Peasant Wedding Dance" by Pieter Brueghel II in the European Art section.

Hallway leading to the Asian Art section on the third floor.

A portion of the Asian Art section on the third floor.

The public opening of The Crocker Art Museum is from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Sunday (10.10.10). Members will be allowed in on Saturday earlier.

For more information about the new Crocker, check out this article.

Admission to the new museum will be $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for youths 7-17 and free for children 6 and under and Crocker members. The first floor of the Museum, including the cafe, theatre and gift shop, will be free at all times.

The museum is located at 216 O St.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Curtis Park celebrates as a community

2010-10-04T05:52:47Z

Curtis Park residents know how to throw a party. The 20th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction event converted the Sierra 2 Center into a interactive showcase of fine wine, beer and gourmet eats.

With 450 tickets sold before the event even began, only 100 were still available for purchase at the door. Curtis Park Neighborhood Association President Rosanna Herber said she expected the event to sell out.

More than 35 wineries offered tastings of their red and white wines and many provided food pairings to complement their generous samples.

People wandered slowly down the line of sampling tables with plates and wine glasses in hand. With no particular agenda or method, they followed their noses to trays of food that were refreshed regularly throughout the evening.

One of the most consistently crowded areas of the Sierra 2 Center was an outdoor section of Astroturf that had been converted into a beer garden. Pangaea Two Brews Cafe provided the selection of Belgian beers from 15 different breweries.

“This is some of the best beer you can get in the region,” Herber said.

People scanned the rows of bottles, overwhelmed by their options as helpful volunteers poured ice cold beer into wine glasses.

The abundance of beverage options were matched by more than 26 restaurants catering portions of their menus to the hungry crowd. Swarms of people lingered around Tuli Bistro's outdoor oven, which couldn't turn pizzas out fast enough to arrest people's voracious appetites.

Other favorites included lamb and beef meatballs in a spicy sauce served by Tapa The World, teriyaki chicken over rice by Megami Bento-Ya Restaurant and good old-fashioned macaroni and cheese with bread crumbs served by Dad's Kitchen.

Curtis Park resident Linda Elgart has attended the event for the last 14 years and said this year's appeared to be a little bit bigger. Elgart's pride for her neighborhood was evident in how she spoke so highly of events like this one.

“The neighborhood is just amazing because we have so many civic events that take place,” she said.

Elgart said that the Curtis Park community is neighborly in an old-fashioned way that you don't usually find. She said that people socialize with their neighbors.

“We're friends,” Elgart said.

An inviting and neighborly atmosphere could be seen throughout the event as people leisurely conversed their way through the rows of tables, eating, talking and laughing as they went.

A silent auction took place at a dozen or more tables spread throughout the Sierra 2 Center. Proceeds from the auction benefited the McClatchy High School track team, Bret Harte Elementary School and the Sierra 2 Center.

“We have a lot of bigger auction items than we've had in the past,” Herber said.

All auction items combined were valued at around $15,000, and Herber was confident that neighbors would bid the items up even higher than that.

One of the more unique items on auction this year included a private tour through the Crocker Art Museum led by the museum's executive director, Lyle Jones.

And in celebration of their 70th year, Gunther's Ice Cream auctioned off the opportunity for about four people to have an ice cream flavor of the month named after them.

As the day’s heat relented and people found refreshment in a cold beverage and neighborly conversation, harpist Bill Damian filled any momentary silences with classical music.

Herber said she anticipated the event to be a “hoot and a holler,” and based on the overall sound of merrymaking and wine glasses clanking, one might say she was right in thinking so.

Herber did say after all, “We’ve got a lot to celebrate.”

Editorial: The new Crocker dazzles and inspires

2010-09-29T23:55:29Z

Walking into the newly-expanded Crocker Art Museum will be a moment any smart Sacramentan will remember.

I’ve visited a few times now, before and during the construction, and at Tuesday’s media preview. And each time, I said what I think a lot of people will say:

This is in...Sacramento?

What that says about our ongoing and really pretty dumb inferiority complex is beside the point. Let’s focus on the positive: Sacramento is about to get a gorgeous, and dare I say it, “world-class” new museum, full of beautiful art, exquisitely displayed, with a “backstage” infrastructure that is just as impressive. For a detailed look, visit Brandon Darnell’s story here.

Great museums help make great cities. Think of Chicago and you get the Art Institute. Paris? The Louvre. Pittsburg? The Warhol Museum. And New York has...well, everything.

And don’t forget Cleveland. The Rock ’n’ Roll Museum put that city on the map.

The Crocker – the oldest art museum in the Western United States – has long held a fine collection of everything from western expansion paintings to Asian ceramics, as well as one of the country’s best collections of 19th century German art. It is also home to some of this region’s finest contemporary artists, including Wayne Thiebaud, who had his first big show here in 1951.

But the museum has long had far more art than could be displayed, and the art it was able to show was often “tiled” into what is euphemistically called “salon-style” hanging. That is, cheek-by-jowl, covering a whole wall until the paintings all blur together.

In addition, during the past decade the Crocker staff has acquired more than 4,000 pieces of art, much of which will finally be seen. Other art that the Museum has had for decades has not been hung for a variety of reasons, usually having to do with space.

The new Crocker solves that problem, spectacularly. The enormous and varied galleries are huge, lit in different ways, and very flexible. Walking around in this new Crocker Art Museum – which will vault from something like the 102nd-biggest museum in the country to the 74th – is inspiring.

The fact that reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times were at yesterday’s media preview speaks volumes. This is serious business.

And there’s something inspiring about the Crocker that has nothing to do with art, but with money.

For one thing, the fact that the Crocker organization raised nearly $100 million should give encouragement to everyone from the B Street Theatre, struggling to raise money for a new venue on Capitol Avenue, to those who want a sports and entertainment complex in downtown.

It can be done. The Crocker has done it.

Well, they’ve nearly done it. This expansion cost $100 million, a serious amount of money. And most of it was raised before construction even began. About $6 million remains to be raised, and there is no doubt that they will do it.

But we all can help – and have fun doing it. The Neo-Crocker party on Oct. 16 is the bookend to a similar event three years ago, before the nasty old Herold Wing was torn down. It was a good time then, and this time, with the new museum to tour, it’s going to be an eye-opening good time. Tickets can be bought online.

The event costs $75 per head, which is a bit more than many folks are accustomed to paying for a night out in Sacramento. But if you think of it as a donation to a museum organization that knows how to raise money and will use it well, it’s really the least any of us can do.

The dedicated people in and out of the Museum, who have spent countless hours raising money, hosting events, planning, building and dreaming, deserve nothing less.

And so do we. We as members of this community are already going to benefit from the new Crocker’s existence. When you see it, you will understand. The new Crocker says, in bold strokes, unmistakably, that Sacramento is a city that can do what it sets out to do. If the Crocker can be expanded, other dreams can be realized.

See you on the 16th.

Photos by Brandon Darnell and Bruce Damonte.

Something for Everyone at the New Crocker

2010-09-29T15:50:11Z

The New Crocker will have something for just about every art lover in all of us. And you'll get to see it all October 10 at 10am when the Crocker Art Museum reopens.

Due to a major expansion and getting things ready for 10/10/10 at 10am, the Crocker has been closed for several months getting itself ready to present its new self.

There are grand works of art for your eyes and great food to keep your inner artist nourished while visiting.

The museum has chosen Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney, Mulvaney's B & L American Restaurant of Sacramento, to operate the Crocker Cafe.

Along with the new cafe, the 125,000-square-feet addition has given the Crocker:
• 12,000 sq ft of temporary exhibition space.
• 45,000 sq ft of gallery space for the permanent collection.
• An Education Center and Teacher Resource Center.
• Ann and Malcolm Henry Works on Paper Study Center.
• Two story atrium and courtyard.
• Collections care and outdoor seating.
• Multi-media auditorium

Highlights of the Crocker's collection include:
• A comprehensive collection of California art dating from the Gold Rush to the present.
• Exceptional holdings of aery master drawings.
• Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
• Contemporary paintings, sculpture and multi-media works.
• One of the largest and most comprehensive international ceramics collections in the United States.
• Rapidly growing collections of African, Oceanic and Asian art.

The Crocker will celebrate its reopening with four special exhibitions:

Tomorrow’s Legacies:
Gifts Celebrating the Next 125 Years
OCTOBER 10, 2010 – JANUARY 9, 2011

Wayne Thiebaud: Homecoming
OCTOBER 10 – NOVEMBER 28, 2010

A Pioneering Collection:
Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum
OCTOBER 10, 2010 – FEBRUARY 6, 2011

The Vase and Beyond

Here are some of the art masters in the masterpiece called Crocker Art Museum:

Address:

216 O St., Sacramento, CA 95814

Hours

Tues & Wed: 10am - 7pm

Thurs: 10am - 9pm

Fri - Sun: 10am - 5pm

(916) 808-7000

http://crockerartmuseum.org

(Information courtesy of Crocker Art Museum)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sneak peek at the new Crocker

2010-09-29T04:07:27Z

The Crocker Art Museum’s new space is a big deal for Sacramento.

That was evident Tuesday morning as the museum opened its new, 125,000-square-foot wing to the media, drawing a variety of established TV, radio and print media outlets from as far as Los Angeles.

The sneak peek at the new museum was given in advance of the general opening on Oct. 10 (10.10.10).

“It’s a great new treasure for the city and this region,” said Lial A. Jones, museum director.

In addition to a much-expanded gallery space, the Crocker now has dedicated educational space, which will allow for a much greater scope of activities, Jones said. Some of the educational space includes a viewing gallery on the first floor that will allow visitors to watch staff working on restoring art.

“We’ve never had an educational space before,” said Stacey Shelnut-Hendrick, director of education, who co-led one of the media tours Tuesday.

“Every collection area has a home,” said Chief Curator Scott Shields, who co-led the tour with Shelnut-Hendrick. Art collections that now have their own spaces include African art, Oceanic art, European art and the Crocker’s porcelain collection.

Though large, the building does not appear imposing from the outside – which was exactly what the Crocker designers planned.

“We wanted to create a space large in scale without feeling massive,” Shelnut-Hendrick said.

In showing off the second- and third-floor galleries, Shields was in his element, giving the history of the museum along with tidbits the average visitor will would likely never know.

Passing a painting by internationally known Sacramento artist Wayne Thiebaud, “Big Rock Mountain,” Shields related how the artist actually varnished the painting at the Crocker, as it wasn’t complete before coming to the museum.

In the Crocker’s prized California and American Art section on the third floor, Shields noted that the ceiling heights and wall colors are indicative of architectural and design trends from the eras in which the art was created.

For example, the art created during the Victorian era is housed in a room with a high ceiling emphasizing the vertical, and as the rooms progress to later works, the ceilings are lower – representing the bungalow-style homes that came into vogue, and the smaller paintings of that era.

The museum’s artwork is made up of the Crocker family’s collections, donated works and works the museum has purchased.

The California Impressionist collection, Shields said, came from a private donation, as it was acquired after the Crockers had stopped collecting but before the museum could start purchasing.

Much of the European art was collected by the Crockers, specifically the German artwork housed on the third floor.

Shields said the Crockers focused their collection on German work, as the Franco-Prussian War between France and Germany made travel within the continent difficult.

“Many of them haven’t been seen in decades,” Shields said.

Another of the museum’s treasures is its ceramics collection.

“We are in the top four or five in the country (for ceramics collections),” Shields said.

Also finally getting the breathing room it deserves is the museum’s Asian art collection, which contains some of the oldest pieces in the museum.

Some of the Asian art includes a Cambodian temple decoration, Japanese samurai armor and a section of Himalayan art.

Overlooking the new cafe is a cantilever balcony, where art from Africa and Oceania is displayed. It could also be used for cultural dance performances at times, Shelnut-Hendrick said.

According to General Contractor John Home, the building was constructed to be very robust, with the knowledge that some of the artwork can be very heavy.

The Crocker staff was also eager to show off the museum’s new cafe, which is run by Mulvaney’s B&L.

Currently, the cafe serves sandwiches, snacks, desserts and drinks. In January, beer and wine will also be available.

The public opening of The Crocker Art Museum is from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Oct. 10 (10.10.10). Members will be allowed in a day earlier, and a gala event was held Saturday.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

16 ft. Outdoor Sculpture Installed at Crocker

2010-09-20T17:20:52Z

A bronze sculpture by Bruce Beasley was recently placed in front of the new wing of the Crocker. Arpeggio IV stands 16 ft tall, weighs 4,620 pounds and now resides at the corner of N and 2nd St.

The artist donated his artpiece in honor of the opening of the Teel Family Pavilion on October 10.
It traveled from Oakland, was carefully unloaded and lifted into place. Getting it placed just right took a little time.

"It is protected with a special patina to keep it from weathering," said Lawrence Beasley, the artist's wife. "This is the second largest piece he's done for Sacramento."

Sculpter Bruce Beasley watches as his his piece entitled Arpeggio IV is lowered to the front outside northwest corner of the Crocker Art Museum.

Arpeggio IV, a 16ft. tall, 4,620 pounds bronze sculpture was delivered by truck and placed on the ground. Very carefully it was lifted vertically and moved to its new home in front of the Crocker (above and below).

Scott A. Shields, associate director and chief curator of the Crocker Art Museum and Lial Jones, Director, confer about the placement of Arpeggio IV.

This work of art is one of two new outdoor sculptures being added to the Crocker campus before the grand opening

Bruce Beasley, drenched in sweat, stands beneath his sculpture at its new home.

Sculptor Bruce Beasley, a world renown artist, was the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California in 2005. Beasley was one of 10 sculptors worldwide selected to do a piece for the Beijing Olympics.

Crocker curator Scott Shields says it is thrilling to have Beasley represented at the museum.

Arpeggio is a Latin musical term meaning "the notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending."

Beasley says this work is a "certain movement of shapes. The cubes (on the top) are like individual notes of music making it an arpeggio of shapes."

He is based in Oakland, his artistic career spans 45 years. In 1965 he installed his first San Franciso solo exhibition, Hansen Gallery.

In 1969, through exhaustive research, he made a major breakthrough in casting technology. He developed a process that casts acrylic sculpture in monumental scale.

Around 1977 Beasley was approached by leading oceanographers to cast an all-transparent bathysphere. He built two submersibles with all-transparent crew compartments.

For more information about Bruce Beasley, visit: www.brucebeasley.com/Chronology/Chrono.htm

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The NEW Crocker

2010-09-08T13:22:47Z

Quick UpdateSacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Crocker to host gala museum opening fundraiser

2010-08-28T00:38:42Z

The Crocker Art Museum’s $100 million expansion will open for the first time at a gala celebration Sept. 25.

“We’re hoping to raise $1 million Sept. 25 through sponsorships and ticket sales, and those funds are going to operational costs for opening the new museum,” said Bobbe Brown, chairwoman of the gala.

The grand opening of the new Crocker museum will be Oct. 10.

The gala is a black-tie affair, with a cocktail reception, fine dining, dancing and live music from a string quartet.

The highlight of the night, however, will be at 9:30 when the full museum opens for the first time.

“It’s going to be absolutely amazing,” Brown said.

The Crocker Art Museum closed in June while the final stages of a three-year construction project were completed.

“We’re bringing the Crocker into the 21st century,” said Kathleen Richards marketing and communications coordinator for the museum.

The expansion adds 125,000 square feet of space to the museum, and it will allow the displayed portion of the collection to more than triple in size.

In the old space, only about 4 percent of the collection could be shown at any given time, Richards said. With the addition of the new space, about 15 percent of the collection will be on display.

“There were so many things we couldn’t show before,” said Scott Shields, the museum’s chief curator. “I think we’re able to showcase so much more of our collection and have larger shows now.”

When asked if the Crocker Art Museum – long known for its Gold Rush-era paintings – has an iconic or flagship piece, Shields said each of the gallery rooms will have one piece that serves as a focal point for the room.

In addition to showing more art, the expansion brings other amenities to the public.

In the past, the main entrance was up a flight of stairs, and Richards said the new entrance on the ground level makes the museum more accessible to people in wheelchairs, who previously had to enter through a more complex route at street level.

Also new to the Crocker is a cafe with both indoor and outdoor seating located on the ground floor, which is open to the public free of charge at all times and includes the new museum store.

Another highlight of the new space is the conservation lab with windows into the hallway, which Richards said will be a great way for visitors and especially students to see art as it is being restored and cared for.

A large temporary exhibit space is part of the new Crocker, and its first exhibit will be showing promised gifts to the museum, so visitors will be able to see pieces of art that will, in the future, be a part of the Crocker collection.

About 600 tickets to the Sept. 25 gala have been sold, and museum staff is expecting to have 700-750 people, Brown said.

Tickets are being sold for $1,000 and are available by calling 916-808-7843.

An event for those who donated $1,000 or more and their families will be held Oct. 8, and Crocker members will be able to go to the museum Oct. 9. The grand opening of the museum to the general public will be from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Oct. 10.

A final event held to coincide with the new Crocker opening will be from 8 p.m. Oct. 16 to 2 a.m. Oct. 17, which will showcase some of the museums new programs. It will feature live music, and ticket prices are $75 and can be bought here.

The museum’s hours are 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The museum is closed on Mondays, but open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on holiday Mondays – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Presidents Day; Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Admission to the museum will be $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for youths 7-17 and free for children 6 and under and Crocker members.

Photos courtesy of Crocker Art Museum.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

August Heats Up With 'Jazz At The Crocker'

2010-08-21T01:39:26Z

Who says summer has to end in August? Well, the organizers of the Crocker Art Museum’s “Jazz At The Crocker” summer music series agree.

In fact, the museum is prolonging the spirit of summer with its “Jazz At The Crocker” every third Thursday of the month beginning at 5:30 p.m. and going to 8 p.m. in the E. Kendall Davis Courtyard. This month, the Crocker featured the renowned Roger Smith jazz band.

The band consists of bandleader and keyboardist Roger Smith, drummer Brian Collier, bassist Curtis Ohlson, guitarist Jeff Tamelier, saxophonist Jon Skinner, saxophonist Tom E. Politzer and vocalist Carol J. Toca.

“The Crocker has been doing this for 15-20 years—it’s a popular series,” said Kathleen Richards, marketing and communications coordinator for the museum. “It was a year-round program, but with the construction, it became a summer series.”

“Jazz at the Crocker” is not the only music series the museum offers – for several years the museum held the Classical Music Series as well. However, with the preparation for the new building and ongoing construction of the new museum, the Crocker had to scale back its programs.

“We’ll be broadening the focus of the series after we move into the new building,” Richards said.

“We’re going to capitalize on the downtown cultural music scene after the museum finishes its move,” said Christian Adame, manager of Lifelong Learning for the Crocker. “In the next summer series, we will include Blues, Reggae and Indie Rock.”

“We generally have a list of performers that the museum keeps up with,” he said. “Most of our artists are local Northern California talent.”

“Roger Smith has been performing for a number of years here. He’s one of the popular artists in the series and has quite a following,” Richards said.

As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. The crowd did indeed turn out in support of “Jazz At The Crocker,” with an attendance of 600 people.

“I just like Jazz, and I like Roger Smith in particular,” said fan Virginia Craig. “I’ve been following his music for five years.”

The crowd stood clapping to the rhythmic soulful sounds of Roger Smith and danced the evening away. The crowd was having a “feel-good” time. It was the perfect kick-off to celebrate the closing of a week and a great excuse to unwind.

The energetic bandleader called out to the crowd, “It’s off the hook! Don’t sit down, Let’s keep it going!”

The front of the stage became an impromptu dance floor, where attendees began to dance, two-step, and sway to the undulating bass guitar and the saxophone piercing the air.

There were couples dancing in the aisles and singles two-stepping. However, if you’re still not convinced that going to “Jazz at the Crocker” isn’t a big party, one true sign of people having a great time is line dancing. So, it was clearly recognizable that everyone was enjoying the evening when a group began doing the Electric Slide.

“We’re members of the Crocker and it’s the third Free Thursday” said member and longtime jazz supporter Don Nicholson. “We like music, and our wives wanted to come out,” he added jokingly.

“We’ve been fans of jazz music for over 30 years,” said Nicholson’s friend, attendee Henry Jeter. “We’ve been in Pittsburg, New York and Chicago jazz scenes,” he added.

“In fact there ought to be more jazz,” Nicholson said.

Every song was a crowd hit, and with so many people in attendance, it was an extraordinary party. The band brought out a diverse crowd of many ages and ethnicities. It was proof that good music and pure entertainment knows no bounds.

The highlight of the evening came with the final performance. The band covered the Sly and The Family Stone classic “If You Want Me To Stay.”

The unmistakable bass line struck up and started getting the crowd into a familiar groove. The evening culminated in one big jam session. Listening to that song conjured a feeling similar to putting on your favorite pair of slippers—it was absolutely wonderful.

The crowd lingered after the final song. It seemed the audience still craved more and refused to end the party. Perhaps it was because many still had to face going to work Friday and wished it truly were the weekend.

“I like all the bands, and I attend all the shows in the series,” said Crocker member Kat Bell.

“I’m glad I came out—any excuse to listen to jazz is a perfect time,” said Bell’s friend, Frannie Martinez.

The entire event can be summed up in one word: excellent, as described by attendee Laszlo Mohacsi.

“It’s an excellent example of contemporary jazz,” Mohacsi said. “This was an excellent and relaxing venue for great price. It’s a more personal venue—unlike other jazz festivals.”

Neo-Crocker 2010: A Modern Culture Party Celebrates New Crocker on October 16

2010-08-16T17:10:36Z

Attendees to the Neo-Crocker 2010: A Modern Culture Party will celebrate the opening of the New Crocker with art experiences, DJs, dancing, performances and more. Presented by Bank of America, Neo-Crocker 2010 will be held in the new Teel Family Pavilion, existing Victorian buildings and exterior courtyards on Saturday, October 16, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Acclaimed performer Rjd2 will make his first Sacramento appearance at Neo-Crocker 2010. His latest album, “The Colussus,” was released in January 2010. The artist is well known for his tracks for various films, commercials and television shows, including “Mad Men“ and “CSI.”

Additional dynamic activities planned for the event include: a performance by DJ Shaun Slaughter; living sculptures by the Sacramento Ballet; fire dancing by Vulcan Crew and Unmata along with acrobatic performances by Carpet Bag Brigade; body art at Niello’s Body Shop; photo shoot by Wells Fargo; video smashup plus surreal and deranged short films by Movies on a Big Screen; a free-form fashion show and more.

“Neo-Crocker 2010 is a great opportunity to celebrate the New Crocker,” said Lial A. Jones, the Mort and Marcy Friedman Director of the Crocker Art Museum. “The opening of the Teel Family Pavilion provides many new opportunities for the community to become engaged with the Museum.”

The first Neo-Crocker event was held in October 2007 and brought together 1,300 individuals to celebrate the start of construction of the Teel Family Pavilion, set to open on October 10, 2010.

Neo-Crocker 2010 is a fundraiser to support modern culture at the Crocker. The event is presented by Bank of America with additional support from The Niello Company and Wells Fargo Bank. Tickets are $75 per person in advance, $95 at the door if available. To purchase tickets, visit neocrocker.com.

The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and is one of the leading art institutions in Northern California. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European, Asian, African and Oceanic artworks. The Museum is closed for renovation through October 9. On October 10, the Crocker will open the 125,000-square-foot Teel Family Pavilion. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Starting October 12, Museum hours will be 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesday–Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays; 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday. Every Third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Inaugural Brown Bag Art Chat a success

2010-07-23T00:26:49Z

The cool breeze that swept through Sacramento Wednesday was perfectly timed with the first Brown Bag Art Chat hosted by the Crocker Art Museum in partnership with the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.

More than 25 art admirers gathered on the corner of 3rd and P streets to discuss Roger Berry’s steel sculpture, “Eclipse.”

The outdoor lunchtime discussion was led by Christian Adame, the museum’s manager of lifelong learning. Adame said the event had two main goals.

“We want people to get involved with the museum while we’re closed (for renovation),” Adame said. “But we also want people to really slow down and look at a piece of art.”

“Eclipse” is a curved sculpture located on the front lawn of the museum and was installed in the early 1990s. It is more than 15 feet tall and is constructed from weathering steel to outlast the harsh outdoor conditions.

Artist and northern California native Berry did not attend the discussion, but had the following to say about his original piece:

“I want the viewer to feel the energy of the curve, the tug of gravity and the tension of the moment between balance and toppling.”

Before the discussion began, audience members were invited to get out of their seats and examine the giant art piece from all angles for five minutes. Onlookers were then asked to slowly circle the piece while focusing on the negative space of the sculpture.

Reactions to the piece varied from viewer to viewer, and some minor disagreements arose. Descriptions repeated throughout the chat included organic, universal, environmental, static and kinetic.

Lisa Greene brought her son Micah to the chat. To her, the apparent theme was man versus nature.

“It goes along with the surrounding nature,” Greene said, “but it also is very structurally related to man.”

There are two more chats scheduled in the coming months.

Wednesday, Aug. 18
“A Time to Cast Away Stones” by Stephan Kaltenbach
Corner of 13th and K streets

Wednesday, Sept. 22
“Picnic” by Jerald Silva
East side Historic City Hall, 915 I St.

Reservations are encouraged, and can be made by calling 808-5499 or e-mailing education@crockerartmuseum.org. For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Public Invited to Hang at the Crocker

2010-06-23T18:32:21Z

Members of the public now have a rare opportunity to contribute to a community work of art that will be on display in the expanded Crocker Art Museum which opens October 10, 2010. The Hang at the Crocker community art project is one of the many ways the New Crocker will offer residents and friends of the Museum a way to participate and come together as a diverse and creative community.

The Crocker has commissioned Rachel Clarke to create a new media animated collage composed of four-by-six-inch, two-dimensional creations submitted by community members. Submissions can be a work of art, a photo of loved ones, a collage or other creation. The mosaic will be choreographed to music composed by Stephen Blumberg, projected on a wall in the Museum’s new Teel Family Pavilion and will become part of the Crocker’s collection.

Open to current and new Museum members, Hang at the Crocker is a way to demonstrate support for the New Crocker and hang a personal creation in the Museum. Existing members receive one free submission as a membership benefit and those who wish to join the Crocker can participate in Hang at the Crocker immediately. Membership rates start at $45. As the Museum is temporarily closed for renovation, new memberships will be extended through October 2011. An annual membership to the Crocker includes free general admission, discounts on classes and purchases in the Museum Store, invitations to members-only previews and much more.

The deadline to participate in Hang at the Crocker is July 20, 2010. For more information and to participate, visit hangatthecrocker.com or call the Crocker’s membership office at (916) 808-6730.

Watch a video simulation of the project

Artist Rachel Clarke combines digital and traditional media in drawings, video and new media installations. Originally from the United Kingdom, she is associate professor of electronic art at California State University, Sacramento. In October 2008, she was awarded Artist of the Year by the Arts and Business Council of Sacramento, awarded "For an artist...who has made a recent significant contribution to the cultural life of the Greater Sacramento Region."

Composer Stephen Blumberg is associate professor of composition and music theory at California State University, Sacramento and is artistic director of the CSUS Festival of New American Music. His music has been performed throughout the United States and abroad.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. The Museum is closed for renovation through October 9, 2010. For more information, please call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Ivan Najera heats up Crocker concert series

2010-06-19T08:29:15Z

It was still warm out at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, proof that summer is here. The pollen was flowing through the air and under the shaded trees, Ivan Najera and his band played jazz in the courtyard of the Crocker Art Museum.

The Third Thursday Jazz concert was a family outing for some who posted on the grass area with their lawn chairs. Those who didn’t get there early enough to grab a seat, stood and mingled around the refreshments in the back.

Ivan Najera, born in Ecuador, is a talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has performed on stage with Latin artists such as Julio Iglesias, Jose Feliciano and Enrique Coria.

The band accompanying him was made up of musicians on guitar, drums, piano, bass, sax and percussion. Najera’s style was smooth on the acoustic guitar in the traditional jazz band setting.

As he welcomed the guests, he sympathized with their giving up Game 7 of the NBA Finals for this concert. He encouraged everyone to get out of their seats and dance whether it was a romantic “bolero”(slow tempo Latin style of music) or a fast tempo salsa inspired “cancion”(song).

The audience didn’t need any convincing once the temperature cooled down and the cool breeze picked up. Many women, children and couples were working up a sweat on the dance floor.

Najera’s eclectic style incorporated elements of flamenco, contemporary and classical jazz music with traditional Spanish and Latin American influences.

He sang "Si Te Vas" passionately while strumming his acoustic guitar at a slow tempo. Grant Reeves took the lead with a sax solo to add the romantic melody to Najera’s lyrics.

Special guest Ian Ethan Case played an impressive solo during the intermission on his double neck guitar. Case introduced an unfamiliar instrument the kalimba, part of the percussion family.

The kalimba looked like a coconut with a microphone attached. The presence of this instrument as well as the sound had the audience captivated as Case played what sounded like a cross between a xylophone and an ukulele.

I chatted with first timers in my seating area and received the same response from everyone: they were enjoying themselves and showed a strong interest in coming back to another concert.

“Great for singles, don’t have to feel uncomfortable coming alone,” said Maria Hanna, first-time spectator.

Najera played a lively South American style song, “Maria Teresa,” toward the end of the concert. It was quite a powerful piece. The pianist played the keyboard with such intensity that it was shaking; the bassist played the instrument like a piano, with multiple notes in a walking motion to keep the rhythm. The song had a fast tempo and a catchy chorus, which attracted a large salsa-dancing crowd to the front of the stage, who were all smiles.

Najera’s performance was exhilarating with his staccato style and his flamenco flare. It was a fun evening out with live music and a friendly crowd. I am tempted to become a Crocker Art Member so I can attend these events for free.

Local artists to transform Downtown into living gallery

2010-06-11T16:26:55Z

Vacant building or blank canvas? This weekend, local artists in collaboration with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership will blur the line with phantom galleries and temporary public art installations in vacant downtown buildings.

Chalk artists Stephanie Olivera and Jen Cimeglio will transform the façade of 1018 J Street by painting a temporary chalk mural as part of a live Second Saturday show from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The two-panel mural will feature a Japanese theme and span approximately 320 square feet. A new mural will be painted live every Second Saturday throughout the summer to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Chalk It Up! on Labor Day weekend.

Contemporary artists Amber Dias, Sally Worthing and Kelli Trapani will display their latest works as part of a temporary exhibit, Only Time | Reflecting the female perspective. The exhibit will be on display in vacant storefronts at the 800 J Lofts along 8th, 9th and J streets.

“Art is an important part of any city and especially Downtown. I’m happy to promote the arts in any way and make people stop in their normal routine and appreciate their surroundings,” said Dias. “Working in an vacant space wasn’t a challenge. I was able to take unconventional objects in the space like a drop cloth, paint cans and a metal rack and make it into something new. I married my art to the building.”

The installations and mural mark the beginning of West of 16th Street and East of the River – a series of downtown arts-related events and programs that showcases Downtown’s public art, cultural history and architecture through temporary art exhibits, walking tours and artists-in-action events. The series is produced by DSP, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC), Center for Contemporary Art, Crocker Art Museum and Chalk it Up!, and was inspired by the Mayor’s For Art Sake Initiative.

“We wanted to provide a way to support our identity as an arts-friendly city and affect change with a minimal budget. Using vacant spaces seemed like a natural match,” said DSP Programming Manager Julia Beckner. “Downtown is home to our region’s best public art, museums, theaters and arts groups. We reached out to local arts organizations to develop programs that connect Downtown’s history and cultural amenities.”

In addition to the art exhibit, pedestrians can experience Downtown’s impressive collection of public art and historic architecture on free public art tours presented by the Crocker Art Museum and SMAC. Tours are offered throughout the summer and fall, with special lunchtime chats and Second Saturday tours on topics ranging from the Crocker family legacy to Downtown’s collection of Chicano art. This weekend’s tour focuses on Merle Serlin’s collection at the Cal/EPA building at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 12. For full details on all West of 16th Street and East of the River events, visit http://www.downtownsac.org/secondsaturday.

A sneak peek at the new Crocker

2010-06-05T02:25:29Z

The Crocker Art Museum is about to undertake the logistical nightmare of moving artwork to and from its new expansion. But it will be worth it, museum officials say.

"It's about art, sure." said Lial Jones, director of the Crocker. "But the building is also really about a sense of place for Sacramento and a sense of trying to make sure Sacramento's future is that much stronger."

Jones and Gerald Gendreau, a Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architect partner who has worked on the project since its inception nearly 10 years ago, led a media tour of the expansion wing Friday. Ten years ago, the museum was the 103rd largest in the nation. With the expansion, it is estimated to to be among the 70 largest, said Jones.

(Lial Jones)

The Crocker Art Museum will close Sunday and art will be moved from its original 50,000-square-foot building into the 125,000-square-foot expansion. After the old building is renovated, some art will be returned there, while the new wing will be filled with art from the old wing and the Crocker's eight storage areas.

And it all needs to be done before the Oct. 10 grand opening.

"We have a lot of work to do," said Jones. "It's a 175,000-square-foot building when we're done. If you're looking at a 1,700-square-foot house, it's the equivalent of moving your house 100 times in basically a couple of weeks."

One of the unique features of the new wing is its windows, which provide views of the city, Tower Bridge, courtyard and neo-classical design of the original Crocker building.

(The courtyard view from a window. It is piazza-style and features a waterfall sculpture on the right.)

The new design is the same height as the older portion of the museum and draws on subtle design cues such as skylights to match the historic structure.

(Gerald Gendreau)

"This courtyard and views of the river are reference points in the building," said Gendreau. "You won't ever be lost in this building. You'll always have peeks into the courtyard, and be able to locate yourself around the building. (The views) are also pauses in between an intense art experience."

(First floor open space with a view of the historic Crocker)

The new wing is a welcoming space. For instance, the first floor will be free to the public and feature Wi-Fi and a café.

(Auditorium)

The wing also houses an education center, reception area for more than 1,000 people, meeting rooms, a 260-seat auditorium and a store.

(Sorting, storage and conservation area)

An important addition is the second-floor storage and conservation area, adjacent to a loading dock and freight elevator. The Crocker's original storage area had a dirt floor.

(Vertical window with a view of the old courtyard)

The third floor, with its tall ceilings, is ideal for larger paintings and sculptures.

(Sculpture gallery with skylights)

Some third-floor gallery spaces feature Kalwall skylights that have "nano-gel insulation," according to Gendreau. Though the building was designed before Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications were required, it would qualify for the silver LEED certification, he said.

For more information on the new Crocker wing, visit this Sacramento Press article.

Photographs by Kati Garner.

Crocker's Third Thursday set to jazz it up this week

2010-05-18T02:34:11Z

Looking for a way to have a little fun on your Thursday evenings? The Crocker Art Museum may be able to help. Running for more than 10 years, the Third Thursday Jazz series will be starting up again this month.

Every month, from May until August, concertgoers will be treated to sounds of jazz in the museum’s courtyard. The Crocker’s marketing communication coordinator, Kathleen Richards, said the event will feature good music, good weather, and good people. “Sacramento is really well-known for its nice summer evenings,” she said. “This is a good way to spend those evenings.”

All shows will begin at 5:30, with the music starting a bit later. Richards said refreshments will be served, including beer and wine, and people are encouraged to come for more than the music. “Usually people just mix and mingle until it starts,” she said.

With past concerts pulling in about 500-800 attendees, the museum staffers are hoping to keep those numbers up so they can continue the tradition of summer jazz concerts in future years. While the museum will be closed from June 7 to Oct. 9 in preparation for the opening of the new Crocker museum, guests are still encouraged to come for the concert and enter at the courtyard gate instead of the museum’s main entrance.

The Third Thursday summer jazz series kicks off this Thursday with Peter Morgan, who will play coastal island-inspired guitar. During the intermission of his show, guests are encouraged to take part in a spotlight tour of the museum, where a special exhibit will be lit with spotlights.

Iván Nájera will play his Latin-inspired guitar rhythms in June, the Garrett Perkins Project is slated to perform everything from bebop to modern jazz in July and keyboardist Roger Smith and his band will close out the series with a bang in August.

Tickets for each show are $10 for non-members and free to members. For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org/jazz.

Photos:

1. Peter Morgan performing with his band

2. The Crocker's courtyard during a previous Third Thursday concert

3. Iván Nájera performing

4. Roger Smith at his piano

5. The Garrett Perkins Project performing

All photos courtesy of the Crocker Art Museum. Photos 1, 2, and 5 by Greg Flagg

Call for Artist Juried Competition - Sculptor Al Farrow will Select Awards

2010-05-13T21:47:22Z

The KVIE Art Auction 2010 juried competition and fundraiser is calling for artists to enter their best work into this year's Art Auction. Participants will have the opportunity for recognition in this highly competitive, prestigious juried show and have the chance to win cash prizes, which includes $500 for the Best of Show and $150 for First Place awards in each art category: sculpture, contemporary classics, figurative and still life, young collectors, California’s Gold, photos and prints, functional art, and watercolor.

Donated pieces will receive region-wide exposure in a 3-day televised event seen by up to 60,000 motivated art buyers. The KVIE Art Auction 2010 will be heavily promoted through television, direct mail, web, and live events leading up to the telecast.

The awards juror is sculptor Al Farrow, who has been exhibiting with galleries and museums since 1970. His work is featured in both private and museum collections including The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Di Rosa Preserve, and the DeYoung, as well as other collections throughout the United States, Hong Kong, and Germany. He exhibits with Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco.

New to this year’s Art Auction are Curator D. Neath and Art Auction Operations Specialist Liv Moe. D. Neath is one of the founders of Sacramento’s Second Saturday Art Walk. She has worked with many of Sacramento’s top galleries and museums including the Michael Himovitz Gallery, the Thomas A. Oldham Gallery, and the Crocker Art Museum. Liv Moe is a local artist, writer, and curator, and is the associate editor of Midtown Monthly magazine. She is a working artist who has received numerous awards for her work, including a Best of Show at the California State Fair Fine Art Exhibition.

A preview event and juried entry awards ceremony will be held on September 20 followed by the live auction September 24, 25 and 26, 2010.

The KVIE Art Auction 2010 is proudly sponsored by Niello and Mansour’s Oriental Rug Gallery.

To register, view entry specifications, deadline details, and additional participant benefits, please visit the KVIE Art Auction 2010 website at kvie.org/artauction. The deadline to deliver entries to the KVIE Studios is June 25, 26, 27 from 11am to 6pm.

Crocker Art Museum Celebrates 125th Birthday

2010-05-10T03:38:42Z

The Crocker Art Museum's birthday cake did not have any candles, but those gathered to celebrate the museum's 125th birthday didn't seem to mind as they sang "Happy Birthday."

Above: Birthday cake.

The birthday party took place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and attracted 831 people for performances, exhibits and celebration.

Above: The Crocker Art Museum exterior.

For $1.25, attendees found period actors roaming the grounds, and activities in the courtyard, California Gallery, Cowell Gallery, Ballroom, J. Brown Maloney Room and in the rose garden.

Above: Period actors enjoying birthday cake.

Crocker’s courtyard hosted Folklorico Latino de Woodland’s performances at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Cowboy trick roper and storyteller, James Barrera, performed at 1 p.m. Musician Gordy Ohliger, dubbed a “banjo-ologist,” performed at 2 p.m.

Above: Members of Folklorico Latino de Woodland performing.

“We wanted to tie it to the 1885 Floral Festival,” said Kathleen Richards, Crocker’s marketing communications coordinator, “and festivities of the time the museum originally opened, such as the banjo playing, the black paper doll collection and floral displays.”

Above: Members of Folklorico Latino de Woodland performing.

Above: Barrera roping.

Above: Barrera and Folklorico Latino de Woodland members.

Above: Barrera teaches children how to use the rope.

After singing “Happy Birthday” to the Crocker at 1:25 p.m., volunteers passed out cake to visitors in the courtyard.

Above: Birthday cake distributed to visitors.

The E. B. Crocker Art Gallery and collection were donated to Sacramento and the California Museum Association by Margaret Crocker in 1885. The gallery was named after her late husband, Judge Edwin B. Crocker, who had died 10 years prior.
“I would like people to know what an incredible gift Sacramento has been given by Margaret Crocker,” Richards said. “And what an incredible gift that Sacramento has had the Crocker Museum for 125 years.”

Above: Banjo-ologist and crowd.

Saturday’s performances and attractions were not only entertaining, but educational as well. Both Barrera and Ohliger spoke to the audience about the history of the item they were performing with.

Above: Banjo-ologist.

“So far, my favorite has been the banjo-ologist,” Lisa Conti, from Ione, said. “I liked his storytelling, along with his music. That was really cool. It wasn't just music, he was offering explanations of things.”

Above: Part of the Black paper doll collection of collector Arabella Grayson.

According to the museum’s website, the Crocker attracts 150,000 visitors each year and has 9,000 members.

Above: Part of the Black paper doll collection of collector Arabella Grayson.

“I'm excited that people are looking at art,” Manager of Experiential Learning, Emma Moore, said. “The attractions and all the performances are meant to enhance our visitors' experiences with the art. It brings me such joy to see people connecting with art because with it, we connect with who we are, our past, and maybe our future.”

Above: Poet Lawrence Dinkins and musician Ross Hammond.

Above: Building bouquets of paper flowers.

Above: The floral displays in the rose garden.

The Crocker will be closed June 7 in preparation for the opening of its expansion. The new Crocker will hold a public grand opening October 10.

Above: Walter Dong of the Effie Yeaw Nature Center teaches a boy about wildlife in the rose garden.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O St. Non-member tickets cost $6. Seniors (65 and over) get in for $4. Children (6 and under) visit for free. Admission is free from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.Sundays. (916) 808-7000.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

The 4th annual Celebrate Oak Park is today

2010-05-08T17:29:43Z

Free video chat by Ustream

Join us for the 4th Annual Celebrate Oak Park Party in the Park Saturday, May 8, 2010.

The Sacramento Press will be live streaming video of ' The Party in the Park' today from 12 pm to 5 pm at McClatchy Park, 35th Street and 5th Avenue.

Celebrate Oak Park brings residents from all neighborhoods together to celebrate the diversity and beauty of the Sacramento's oldest suburb .

This wonderful family friendly event includes performances by local musicians, great food, and information about various organizations and agencies geared to enhancing our community.

Kids will love the UC Davis Med Center Passport Play area featuring a Rock Climbing Wall, Velcro Wall, Bounce Houses and Crocker Art Activities.

Celebrate Oak Park is a free event.

Music Schedule for the Day:
· 12noon Opening Ceremonies
· 12:30pm Tribe of Levi - Conscious Hip Hop
· 1:00pm Flat Busted - Blues Rock
· 2:00pm Fo’ Shang - Jazz Funk
· 3:00pm The Nuance - Lite Alternative Rock - Covers & Originals
· 4:00pm The Solicitors - Rock - Covers
· 4:40pm Project - Conscious Hip Hop
· 5:00pm Closing

Crocker director explains expansion

2010-05-08T03:38:45Z

On June 6, the Crocker Art Museum will close its exhibits in preparation for an Oct. 10 reopening that will unveil a 125,000-foot expansion. During the four-month closure, new exhibits will be installed and many existing installations will be moved.

"We're closing all of our galleries, but we're still going to be open for programing like Third Thursday Jazz," said Lial Jones, museum director. "During the time we're closed, the first floor of the building gets renovated and turned into an education center. All of the artwork in this building has to be moved out for construction and then all of the collections will be rehung because pieces will not be where you've known them to be."

Jones explained the expansion process in a "Director's Preview" presentation Friday evening. The project was being discussed when Jones became director in 1999. At that time, the museum had two computers -- one with Internet access -- and no voicemail.

"For me, our expansion is about our service to the community," Jones said. "It's really about how we operate as an institution. Two major parts of design tenets behind the building: We wanted to improve operational efficiencies and the visitor experience."

She noted that with the expansion, the museum will move into the 21st century. There will be a new loading dock, storage facility, freight elevator and a conservation lab to take care of the collection.

Currently, less than 4 percent of the Crocker's collection is on display. The addition will nearly triple the size of the museum, enabling it to show 10 percent to 15 percent of its 15,000-object collection.

With 96 percent of the collection in eight storage facilities, no one from the museum has seen the entire collection nor have hundreds of items been photographed.

"One of the things we're doing when we move it to the new building is explore it," said Jones. "We need to go through all the materials, see what's there and determine the best work we can put out."

There also will be a new art studio, a library, courtyard, cafe, auditorium and the building will be wheelchair accessible. Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, which renovated the Guggenheim Museum in New York, was chosen from a pool of 34 other architects to design the master plan in 2000.

Four exhibits will be featured at the reopening:

"Tomorrow's Legacies: Gifts Celebrating the Next 125 Years," 125 pieces that will become part of the Crocker's permanent collection. Through Jan. 9.

"Wayne Thiebaud: Homecoming," works from the internationally known Sacramento artist. Through Nov. 28.

"The Vase and Beyond: The Sidney Swidler Collection of Ceramics," international vessels. Closing date not established.

"A Pioneering Collection: Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum," 56 drawings. Through Feb. 2.

And there are post-reopening plans, Jones said, to make Crocker Park an outdoor sculpture area.

Photographs 1-3 credit the Crocker Art Museum.

Photographs 4-6 by Jonathan Mendick.

Slow Art Day this Saturday at the Crocker

2010-04-15T22:44:15Z

The Crocker Art Museum will be one of more than 40 sites worldwide to host Slow Art Day in 2010, an initiative that encourages visitors to slow down and spend quality time looking at a single artwork. Slow Art Day will take place on Saturday, April 17, starting at 11 a.m., at the Crocker.

“The majority of museum visitors view an artwork for less than 30 seconds,” said Christian Adame, manager of life-long learning at the Crocker Art Museum. “But it is easy to miss the artist’s message during such a quick look. This event is designed to help participants see art in a new way – to focus, contemplate and discuss their ideas.”

The Slow Art session at the Crocker will focus on three artworks in the Museum’s permanent collection: Stephen Kaltenbach’s "Portrait of My Father", Toshiko Takaezu’s "Devastation Trees", and Thomas Hill’s "Great Canyon of the Sierras, Yosemite."

“The concept for Slow Art is very simple: visit a museum, see a few pieces of art for 10 minutes or more, and have lunch to talk about it afterwards,” said Phil Terry, founder of Slow Art and the Reading Odyssey. “Visitors are invited to come, to feel welcome, to not worry about what experts say but rather to take the time themselves to see and discover what is possible when slowly viewing art.”

This Slow Art session is free with Museum admission. Participants are invited to continue their discussion during lunch at the Marketplace Café in Embassy Suites on Capitol Mall. Reservations are required. To register, call (916) 808-5499 or email education@crockerartmuseum.org. Visit slowartday.com for more information about the international event.

The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Public Art Walkabout | Conservation of Public Art

2010-04-08T23:57:00Z

Today's Conservation of Public Art Walkabout showed art in public places that have deteriorated via nature and the elements, as well as actions by humans, over time.

Sharon Kilgore, a volunteer with the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, described how the ceramic tiles on a wall art by Peter Vandenberge displayed at the Downtown Plaza-Westfield Shoppping Mall-shows signs of degradation; cracks, grount missing and colors changing. The untitled art wall of glazed tiles was installed in 1977.

The Clock Tower created by R.M. Fischer from New York was installed in 1993. This towering art piece is a mixed media high-voltage tower adorned with floating planets, a clock forever frozen in time and other elements that seem futuristic, at least for the time of its creation. (examiner.com) At one time the clock actually worked.

Metamorphosis, by Centro de Artistas Chicanos, is located along 4th St between K and L Streets in the Downtown Plaza. This bold wall mural is a collaborative effort by Juanishi Orosco, Stan Pidilla, Esteban Villa and The Centro de Artistas Chicano. The installation was done in 1977. This mural is on the side of the parking garage at Westfield Mall. Using the parking levels as timeline dividers, the creators have layered the mural into four sections. The lower section is the core of life, the next layer is the energy of the earth, the next technology, innovation and impact on the earth and the last layer is the heavens and universe. The butterfly symbolizes change and renewal of life.(examiner.com)

In the I-5 underpass that connects Old Sacramento and the Downtown Plaza is Laserium by the Centro de Artistas Chicanos, Sharon Kilgore explains its history and how it is slowly degrading.

Enameled copper squares of Fred Ball's The Way Home play with the light along Third Street. The squares are buckling and pulling away from the west wall of Macy's Parking Garage in the Downtown Plaza.

In the Downtown Plazal at Fourth Street, Gerald Wallburg's freestanding Indo Arch was one of the earliest installations, and a controversial addition to the area.

At its base are signs of human graffiti etched into it as well as putty left behind when signs are taken down.

The Walkabout Tours are educational and great exercise.

Upcoming Walkabout Tours:

Thursday, May 13
Public Art & Architecture

Thursday, June 10
The Crocker Family Legacy

Public Art Walkabout tours are presented in collaboration with the Sacramento Metropolitan Art Commission. Reservations are required. To register, call (916) 808-5499 or email: education@crockerartmuseum.org.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America.

For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker | Public Art Walkabout

2010-03-26T00:24:38Z

“Public Art Walkabout tours are a great way to exercise your mind and body while learning more about Sacramento,” said Christian Adame, manager of lifelong learning at the Crocker Art Museum.

The program was piloted in September 2009 before going on hiatus during winter.

Adame talks to today's Walkabout participants in front of the Crocker.

The Crocker's Permanent Collection Artists were featured.

Our first stop was at 300 Capitol Mall to view David Von Schlegell stainless steel water fountain created in 1985.

The shaking hands in front of 555 Capitol Mall were our next stop (artist info unavailable).

U.S. Bank Tower at 621 Capitol Mall has two artists' works featured; Tor, by Robert Brady at the exterior entrance and the main lobby, building facade and top of building features The Rapids, The Lumetric River by Michael Hayden.

Tor

The Rapids in the lobby of U.S. Bank. Artist Michael Hayden then made the sculpture do double duty, taking the light from “Rapids” and projecting it to a second art installation, “Lumetric River,” along a 150-foot section of the building’s crown.

Cathexis is two ceramic pieces at the Westfield Mall that interact with each other across a distance. They are located at the entrance at 7th and K Streets and are the creation of Kathleen Kasper-Noonan. She is a Sacramento resident. They were installed in 1993.

Balancing Act, Too; 1993, Painted Bronze, Life-size, by Tony Natsoulas, inside the Westfield Shopping Mall.

George Rickey's Double L Excentric Gyratory at the Wells Fargo Corporate Center.

Deborah Butterfield, Untitled (horse) also at the Wells Fargo Corporate Center.

Indo Arch by Gerald Walburg at 4th and K.

Upcoming Walkabout Tours:

Thursday, April 8
Conservation of Public Art

Thursday, May 13
Public Art & Architecture

Thursday, June 10
The Crocker Family Legacy

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America.

For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker for Kids in Local Libraries

2010-03-17T04:45:10Z

The Crocker Art Museum is hosting a new children's program combining books and art projects at local libraries.

The series of free events will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Colonial Heights Library on Stockton Blvd. The idea of a series event stemmed from Wee Wednesdays, a free event inside the museum for kids ages 3-5. Emma Moore, manager of Experiential Learning for The Crocker Art Museum, has teamed up with local librarians to create "Stories and Art." Each library features a different storybook that will be read aloud by a librarian and serves as the inspiration for a different on-site, hands-on art project for the children that will follow each story. Moore said she believes "books are an art form too" and wants to introduce that concept to children early.

The Colonial Heights Library event will feature the books "Mouse Paint," by Ellen Stoll and "Hello, Red Fox," by Eric Carle. Author and Illustrator Carle is best known for his children's books, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" His style utilizes watercolors and paper mache techniques. Thursday's event will use similar techniques as a foundation. On April 14, Courtland Library on Primasing Ave. will host a Spanish and English bilingual event with a cartoonist in charge of the hands-on art portion. The program will expand to North Highlands in May and finish at the Elk Grove Library on Elk Grove Blvd. The final Elk Grove series will include a performing arts display with a choreographed puppet show.

The exhibits are meant for ages 3-5, but that is just a suggestion. Discretion is up to the parents. The Crocker Art Museum does have specialized events geared towards toddlers which focus on more physical activities. Moore said she expects coverage of color theory; the understanding that "red, blue and yellow cannot be made they just are." This might be too simple of a concept for an older child, who might lose interest.

Wee Wednesdays are free for children, but not for adults. The Crocker's "Stories and Art" is free for all. The difference is that actual art from the museum's collection will not be put on display. However, vouchers for free admission to The Crocker Art Museum will be granted to patrons of the "Stories and Art" events.

Check out www.crockerartmuseum.org/about/releases/2010/012610_stories_and_art.htm for locations and details.

Crocker pushes forward to opening new wing

2010-02-12T00:21:46Z

Matt Isble, Exhibition Designer and Lead Prepartor
Justin Marsh, Museum Experience Facilitator work on the interior design in the New Crocker. The Interior of the existing Crocker will also have a makeover.

"The new Anne and Malcolm McHenry Works on Paper Study Center (above) will enable the Museum to share the Crocker Art Museum's fine early collection of European drawings in the United States", says Kathleen Richards,Crocker Marketing Communications Coordinator.

In addition to two dedicated galleries for special exhibitions, the state-of-the-art facility comprises a 926-square-foot storage room and an 810-square-foot study room for scholars, artists, and the public by appointment.

The Study Center will open in October 2010 with A Pioneering Collection: Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum, an exhibition of more than 50 rarely seen works by artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Fra Bartolommeo, Anthonie van Dyck, François Boucher and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. A Pioneering Collection marks the launch of a series of regular special exhibitions and programs for works on paper for the first time in the history of the Crocker.

For every day that master drawings are out of storage, they need to spend three days in storage, away from light and the elements.

This large storage area will store and protect large paintings.

An office space on the northwest corner of the New Crocker.

Hardwood floors are protected during the finishing of the large third-floor gallery spaces. Skylights allows natural lighting.

Comfortable stadium style theatre seating has recently been installed in the new auditorium. This new space will accomodate 260 people for films, concerts and lectures.

High-tech equipment will be used for the films, concerts and lectures in the auditorium. This room is located at the rear of the auditorium behind the last row of seats in the auditorium photo.

Looking down from the second floor into the atrium which will be used for eating, reading, visiting and relaxing.On the left are floor-to-ceiling windows looking into the courtyard.

Hardwood flooring is installed in a reception area above the new entrance.

The balcony on the second floor above the new entrance.

Entrance to the auditorium on the northwest side of the new wing.

A water fountain is protect under the blue tarp in the courtyard.The new courtyard entrance gates will soon be installed as the massive frame bridging the courtyard entrance is finished. These gates will remain closed most of the time providing tranquility from the outside world. They will be opened for special events and other occasions; highlighting the flexibility this new building will provide to the community.

The Museum is expanding the campaign to build the New Crocker. The community is invited to show their support by purchasing and wearing an "I am the New Crocker" button. Buttons can be purchased at the Admission Desk and Museum Store for $5. Proceeds help fund the New Crocker.

The New Crocker opens October 10, 2010. It will be the culmination of a monumental endeavor in its 125-year history.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Is The Sacramento City Council Being "Greenwashed"? Part 2

2010-01-12T22:57:29Z

In case you missed this earlier, let me clarify the newly coined term "greenwash". If whitewashing is to 'gloss over or cover up a crime or a scandal', then "greenwashing" would be the use of money in an attempt to gloss over or cover up a crime or scandal.

When our family read that the new wing at the Crocker Art Museum was going to be named The Teel Family Pavilion, we became unglued. This is the same family that owns the Raley’s Supermarket chain of stores. Joyce Raley Teel’s $13 million dollar donation enabled them the honor of having the new addition named after them. As you know from my previous articles about Raley’s and the Teel’s, a crime was committed against my father and our family has been seeking justice on his behalf ever since his death.

Since our father’s $592 civil lawsuit(case 544344) against the Teel’s and Raley’s for “fraud and unjust enrichment”, they have spent over $33 million dollars to have their names placed on public buildings. The Thomas P. Raley Boys and Girls Club, Raley Field and now they are using their money to get their name placed on the prestigious new $100 million addition to the Crocker Art Museum. According to Raley’s own website: “Raley's ranks Number One in the Sacramento Business Journal's list of Corporate Philanthropy”. In our opinion their philanthropy is Joyce’s way of trying to cover her company’s crime and “greenwash” the Sacramento community into not believing Charles Nordby’s story.

What Joyce is doing reminds me of what the Joker did in the 1989 Batman movie. After the part he went into the art museum, wrote his name on the wall and desecrated the museum, he danced before a crowd of people in pandemonium and tossed money at them as he said: "Who do you trust!" Hubba, hubba, hubba! Money, money, money! Who do you trust? Me? I'm giving away free money." I don't think Joyce is in any condition to dance to a Prince song but she is very capable of distributing money to whoever she feels she needs to.

After reading our family’s letter to the Sacramento City Council it will be interesting to see if they will be “greenwashed” by the $13 million dollar donation from Joyce Raley Teel so she could have her family name placed on the new building. We believe that the new Crocker Art Museum addition should be named after Marcy and Mort Friedman, a couple who rightfully deserve it.

December 21, 2009
Mayor Kevin Johnson
915 I Street, 5th Floor
Mail Code 09100
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Mayor Kevin Johnson,

Our family has been fighting a horrible injustice against our father Charles Nordby for over 18 years.

Our father is the man who saved Tom Raley’s company from going bankrupt in 1973 and made the success of the Raley’s Supermarket chain a reality for today. Without his services Raley’s would have been out of business by 1974.

He was defrauded by Raley’s of what they promised and what he was entitled to. Since then he was also defrauded by Raley’s attorney’s at Downy, Brand, Seymour and Rower, the Sacramento Superior Courts and the local news media.

Our fathers lawsuit stated that all of Raley’s and Jim and Joyce Raley Teel’s wealth attained since 1973 was achieved under fraud and unjust enrichment from his services and expertise in the industry.

Raley’s has gone to great lengths to portray their success in an honorable way. They have influenced the news media to ignore this true story about our father who should have been given recognition for his outstanding and unparalleled accomplishments in Raley’s success that spills into every community they do business in. He is a local hero who has been made into that of a villain.

Now they are flaunting this fraud with their ill-gotten wealth by making extremely large donations to worthy causes with hope that it will overshadow this crime against our father. The most recent slap in our face is the $13 million dollar donation to the Crocker Art Museum for the new addition that will enable the Teel family to have this new building named “The Teel Family Pavilion.” That in itself should be considered a crime! The Sacramento City Council was made aware of this crime earlier this year(copy enclosed), and yet regardless to their awareness, the Teel’s were able to buy their name on the Crocker’s new wing.

This is just another disregard for justice for our family and if the City of Sacramento wants to honor the family whose entire wealth is founded on the fraud against our father then we will make sure that October 10th, 2010 is not just the “Grand Opening” of the new wing of the Teel Family Pavilion at the Crocker Art Museum, but a day of justice for our family. Justice our dad should have received, and was entitled to receive while he was alive, but denied by the wealth and so called power the Teel’s hold in this community.

We will not stop until the Teel’s resolve this issue and the Nordby family feels that justice has prevailed. We hope this doesn’t become a more confrontational issue before they come to their senses that will enable them to make moral and ethical decisions to settle this matter.
If you need to contact us please do so at: truth@hungry4justice.com

Sincerely.

The Family of Charles Nordby

Sources: Sacramento Superior Court case #544344, www.hungry4justice.com, www.raleysexposed.com,

Fair Use of new Crocker building from Group 10's website, Photo of Raley Field compliments of Frank Nordby, .

Classical Concert This Sunday Features Bach’s Goldberg Variations

2009-12-19T00:02:05Z

Concert pianist Sachiko Kato will perform Bach’s Goldberg Variations on Sunday, December 20, at 3 p.m. The hour-long performance will take place in Capistrano Hall at Sacramento State. Concerts are free to members of the Crocker Art Museum, $12 for nonmembers and $5 for students and seniors. Free parking is available in Parking Structure I, which is adjacent to the Hall.

The Goldberg Variations, composed in 1742, is one of Bach’s masterpieces, but it is not often performed in concert due to the complexity and length of the work. Kato will open the concert with a work by contemporary Japanese composer Somei Satoh titled Hashi (Bridges) II.

A native of Osaka, Japan, Kato grew up in Los Angeles where she gained recognition as a promising artist and started performing with the Brentwood Symphony Orchestra at age 15. She received a Bachelor of Music from California State University, Northridge, and was offered a scholarship to study at the Juilliard School, where she received a Master of Music degree. Her teachers included renowned pianists Russell Sherman, Jerome Lowenthal and Herbert Stessin.

Kato has performed extensively throughout the United States and Japan. She has recently been heard at the Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall and Performing Arts Library, World Financial Center, Steinway Hall and Klavierhaus Hall in New York and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She is also a founder of "Weaving Japanese Sounds – Music of Modern Japan" which presents the works of various Japanese contemporary composers to American audiences in friendly settings. Her debut album, Sachiko Kato: Live at the Phoenix Hall, was released in 2008 and features piano works of Japanese and American contemporary composers.

The Crocker’s Classical Concert series will go on hiatus following the December concert. The series will resume after the Museum opens its expanded facility to the public on October 10, 2010.

Crocker Classical Concerts are supported in part by Capital Public Radio. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org/classical.

The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; Thursday until 9 p.m. Admission is free on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

New Crocker opens October 2010

2009-12-10T23:14:38Z

The new entryway of the New Crocker is worked on. A fountain (under yellow beam) will be featured in the courtyard, between the existing museum and the expansion.

The expansion of the Crocker:

Triples the size of the existing facility
Quadruples the square footage for exhibition space
Accommodates “blockbuster” exhibitions
Preserves the historic Art Gallery Building as the architectural centerpiece with its classic, contemporary design
Provides a café with indoor and outdoor seating, a 300-seat auditorium and art classrooms
Allows for secure collections care and storage space that is not susceptible to flooding
Includes a striking two-story atrium for events that can seat 400 for dinner or up to 1,200 including the Courtyard

The Crocker Art Museum recently appointed Randy Roberts as Deputy Director.

As Deputy Director, Roberts will be a part of the Crocker’s senior management team and provide strategic leadership for managers of the education, marketing and development departments. She will also work closely with the director to prepare staff and operations to move into the expanded facility, scheduled to open to the public on October 10, 2010.

Roberts brings 25 years of museum experience in management, education, visitor services and marketing. Most recently, she served as manager of the Visitor Studies Association, an international professional organization focusing on all facets of the visitor experience in museums and other cultural institutions. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership and change through Antioch University.

“Randy’s many years of experience in museum leadership will be a great asset to the Museum as we prepare to open the New Crocker,” said Lial A. Jones, Director, Crocker Art Museum.

The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks.

Trim is attached along the north-west side of the expansion today.

The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday;

1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m.

Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the

support of Bank of America.

For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000

or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker Holiday Art & Craft Festival This Weekend

2009-11-25T19:16:44Z

More than 95 regional artists and craftspeople will offer their unique gift items during the Crocker Art Museum’s Holiday Art & Craft Festival at the Scottish Rite Center, located across from the main entrance of California State University, Sacramento, at 6151 H Street. Visitors will support the Crocker and local artists while they shop for everyone on their holiday list with an array of gift items and price ranges.

The artist’s creations for sale include jewelry, ceramics, paintings, gourmet food, a variety of unique holiday items and more. You can also capture the holiday season by having photos taken with a Victorian Santa Claus in the front lobby. Attendees will also enjoy free parking and a café by Ambrosia Catering.

Running from November 27-29, festival admission is free to Crocker members, $6 for adults and $3 for seniors, students and children. The Holiday Art & Craft Festival is open Friday 1-7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The event is presented by the Crocker Art Museum and the Creative Arts League of Sacramento.

Crocker Presents Soaring Voices Film Festival October 17

2009-10-06T00:05:24Z

This fall the Crocker Art Museum will host a daylong festival of contemporary films by female directors exploring the roles of Japanese and Japanese American women. Held to coincide with the Crocker’s exhibit of contemporary ceramics by Japanese women, Soaring Voices, the festival will include four film screenings at the Guild Theater, located at 2828 35th Street, on Saturday, October 17. Local filmmakers, artists and scholars will introduce and offer insight on each film.

“Soaring Voices tells the story of Japanese women breaking into the male-only ceramic world, and these films expand on that story by looking at the position of women in Japanese society as a whole,” commented Christian Adame, manager of life-long learning at the Crocker Art Museum.

The festival will kick-off with a screening of From a Silk Cocoon at 9:30 a.m. Woven through censored letters, diary entries and haiku poetry, this documentary recounts the story of a Japanese American couple whose shattered dreams and forsaken loyalties led them to renounce their American citizenship while held in American internment camps during World War II. Local director Satsuki Ina will introduce the film.

Wool 100% will start at 11 a.m. Combining live action, puppetry and animation, this drama is about two aging women who live a solitary life collecting discarded items from a nearby town. One day they return home to find a young girl knitting a red sweater in their house. Each time the girl finishes her sweater, she mysteriously unravels it and starts again. Classical pianist Natsuki Fukasawa will introduce this film, directed by Mai Tominaga.

In Shinjuku Boys, showing at 1 p.m., directors Kim Longinotto and Jano Williams explore the complexity of female sexuality in Japan today. This film introduces three “onnabes,” women who live as men but do not usually identify as lesbians. All three, who work as hosts at the New Marilyn Club in Tokyo, talk frankly to the camera about women, sex, transvestitism and lesbianism. Cindi Sturtz Sreetharan, Ph.D., assistant director of the Asian Studies Program at Sacramento State will introduce the film.

Starting at 2:25 p.m., Sacramento Area Youth Speaks will perform original works and recitations based on the Soaring Voices exhibit.

The final film, K-20: Legend of the Mask, will be screened at 2:45 p.m. Director Shimako Sato combines a top cast with stunning visual effects to depict a story of a Ninja-like thief who lives in a very different version of 1949 Feudal Japan, where World War II never happened. This film will make its Sacramento premiere at the festival. Jenny Stark, associate professor of film and video at Sacramento State, will introduce the film.

Guests can mingle with speakers during the festival’s after party starting at 5:30 p.m. at nearby 40 Acres Art Gallery.

All day passes to the festival are $10 for Crocker Art Museum members, $15 for nonmembers and $12 for students and seniors. Light fare and refreshments will be available for purchase. Festival goers are invited to attend a pre-festival tour of Soaring Voices on Friday, October 16 at 4 p.m. This Festival is supported by VIZ Pictures, Inc., Cinema Epoch and Women Make Movies.
Reservations are required by October 14. To register for one or more films, call (916) 808-5499 or email education@crockerartmuseum.org. Passes will be available for purchase at the door. Visit crockerartmuseum.org/film for more information.

Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival

2009-09-28T05:44:31Z

High energy and fun brought Old Sacramento to life at the Second Annual Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival.

The two-day festival kicked off Saturday at the Benvenuti Performing Arts Center, which featured Angentine tango champions Miriam and Leonardo. Festivities continued Sunday in Old Sacramento. Both days were a celebration of international cultures through ethnic dancing, musical performances, historical storytelling and traditional reenactments of stories and folktales from all over the world.

Despite the sweltering Sacramento heat, close to 5,000 attendees managed to stay cool under the shade of large tents and trees, and with the aid of popsicles and cold drinks sold by street vendors.

Lina Fat, board chair of the festival and executive chef of Fat's Restaurants, hoped for an even bigger turnout this year by the community.

"Sacramento was named one of the most diverse cities in the United States," Fat said. "We really wanted to showcase the diversity, and one way to really bring people together is through the medium of music and dance."

The creation of the largely tented Global Village area brought children and adults together to learn activities relating to the arts, clothing, writing and traditional music. The Village also functioned as an "international market" for artisans and craftspeople, cultural organizations, and non-profit booths including the Crocker Art Museum, and I Am Peace, Japanese Club, and West African Face Painting.

For adventurous and willing participants, free dance workshops were offered. Audience members could learn everything from West African and Middle Eastern to Irish and old-time European folk dance.

First-time attendee, Maria, participated in manasa, an American tribal-style belly dance.

"I had fun!" Maria said. She enjoyed the natural flow and grace of moving her body, and is considering taking lessons.

Jany Saengsawad, The Anime and Japanese Club from Grant Union High School, assisted children and adults make decorative Japanese-style masks. The masks, according to Japanese tradition, were worn on the face for protection and concealment.

"This is our second year here," said club member Jany Saengsawad. "We are here to promote our club and to just have fun."

First-time attendees Jackie Wait and Katie Hansberry both felt the festival had much to offer to the Sacramento community.

"I really liked the merging of different groups and cultures," Hansberry said.

"I appreciate the diversity of the music," Wait said. "It's neat seeing all these groups of dancers. Without coming out to do this, I didn't even know that some of these dances existed." said Wait.

Two large canvas tents housed all the professional musical and dance performances. At the Passenger Station Stage, located in front of the Discovery Museum, a multitude of ethnic dances troupes included Tong Xin Tai Chi Chinese Team, Kennelly School of Irish Dance and Flamenco Del Oro, which presented both Spanish dance and live music.

The Waterfront Stage, showcased a variety of performances, like Jodama African Drum and Dance, Tezaur-Romanian Dance and Bhaskar's Arts Academy with Indian Dance.

Jodama, who only goes by her first name, calls her North Highland troupe "Sacramento's best kept secret." She felt proud to to have her company show off different cultural dances from everywhere in Africa, she said.

"We have a different variety of ethnic dancers from Ghana, West Africa, South Africa, Morocco," she said.

"If you feel the music, don't be afraid to stand up and dance!" one Jodama dance member shouted from stage.

Thundering drums, whooping and beating of sticks harmoniously on stage, brought many audience members to their feet cheering and grooving in tune with the tribal beats.

"Many of the villages in Africa would play their music loud and strong to communicate with other neighboring tribes," said dance member Joyce, speaking from the microphone. Villages would come together for huge celebrations, such as weddings, and communicate their joy through dance, she said.

"We wanted to show the best performers to really celebrate what each rich ethnic group has to offer," Fat said. "We are lucky to have so many people performing right here in Sacramento."

The Second Annual Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival can be found here.

Jodama's African Drum and Dance website can be found here.

Reflective pane

2009-09-26T00:23:07Z

Nearly 100 panels of reflective glass are installed in the wall of the new expansion facing the existing Crocker Art Museum today.

The older structure reflects off the panels.

The reflective material inside the panels has a dotted look, a halftone pattern, when see upclose.

The glass is triple-paned, and it has a couple layers of special coatings that have reflective qualities meant to limit the amount of heat entering the Museum.It will be comfortable temperature- and vision-wise while sitting inside the new Crocker's atrium/cafe area.

Workers will be working over the weekend and should be finished with the

glass panels installation by Tuesday.

Photos | Kati Garner

Classical Concert this Sunday features Viennese Operettas

2009-09-25T17:31:04Z

Delve into the romance of the Viennese operetta with tenor Hannes Busch, soprano Rufina Anatolevan-James and pianist Schinnerer Deffner. This Sunday, September 27 at 3 p.m., enjoy a luxurious hour of 13 operettas by timeless composers Emmerich Kálmán, Franz Lehár, Johann Strauss Jr. and Carl Zeller. The Classical Concert is presented by the Crocker Art Museum. Due to construction for the Museum’s expansion, the concerts now take place on the Sacramento State campus in Capistrano Hall.

A renowned opera and concert singer, Busch was educated at the Opera Studio of Hannover, Germany, where he was later engaged as a soloist for operettas. He has also been a recipient of the prestigious Puccini Award in Dresden, Germany, for his vocal talent. He is currently living in Sacramento and has appeared with the Sacramento Opera Company as Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata.

Anatolevan-James has performed leading operatic roles in Europe and the United States, and acts as a soloist in a variety of oratorios, concerts and studio recordings. She was awarded the 1998 Grand Prize winner in the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra International Vocal Competitions, and holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Indiana University School of Music.

Deffner began specializing in piano accompaniment in London, and she frequently performs in chamber music ensembles throughout Western Europe and the United States. She is currently performing and giving workshops in French Art Song.

For more than 50 years, the Crocker has hosted internationally renowned and talented local musicians for Crocker Classical Concerts. Concerts are held on the fourth Sunday of every month from 3-4 p.m. and are free to members of the Crocker Art Museum, $12 for nonmembers and $5 for students and seniors. Free parking is available in Parking Structure I, which is adjacent to the Hall.

Crocker Classical Concerts are supported in part by Capital Public Radio. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org/classical.

Preparing for pane

2009-09-18T20:57:48Z

Workers prepare the window frames in the New Crocker Art Museum's cafe/atrium area. Windows will be installed in the expansion wing within several weeks. Drywall has been installed in office spaces and the new art galleries and storage areas. The bathrooms are tiled. A new waterfall fountain will be part of the courtyard linking the new and existing Crocker.

Photos | Kati Garner

Good strokes for the Crocker

2009-09-16T00:41:04Z

Sections of the historic structure receive a fresh coat of paint (top photo). Colors were inspired from the original Victorian

palette and complement the materials of the new construction.

Two artistis stand on the sidewalk in front of the existing Crocker and paint the scenery around them (middle).

A crane delivers a heavy load of drywall to workers above the entryway of the New Crocker (bottom photo).

Windows will be installed in the new expansion soon.

Photos | Kati Garner

Roger Smith Performs at the Crocker This Thursday

2009-09-14T21:26:58Z

Jazz keyboard master Roger Smith will perform during the Crocker Art Museum’s Third Thursday Jazz Summer Concert Series on September 17 from 5:30-8 p.m. Smith and his band will bring their lively spirit and exceptional talent to perform an array of melodies ranging from R&B to smooth jazz. This is the final concert of the Summer Concert Series before it takes a hiatus during the winter months.

During his 30 year career, Smith has released five CD recordings and collaborated on countless others. His Off the Hook was a smash, No. 1 hit on Billboard’s contemporary jazz singles chart in 1999 and stayed in the top 10 for nearly 20 weeks. Smith returned to the charts in 2004 with the 14-track solo CD Just Enough. His latest CD release and single of the same name, Sittin’ In is gaining airplay across the country. He has been the keyboard player and background vocalist in the Oakland-based soul band Tower of Power since 1999 and continues to tour over 180 days per year. Currently, he is developing projects with his band Jazz Rosco and producing projects for several other artists.

The Summer Concert Series is held in the Museum’s courtyard on the third Thursday of the month from May through September. Light refreshments and beverages are available for purchase. Concerts are free to Crocker members and $10 for nonmembers.

The Third Thursday Jazz Summer Concert Series is supported in part by 94.7 KSSJ, Renwood Winery, Rubicon Brewing Co. and Pepsi. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.com/jazz.

Crocker oasis

2009-09-05T01:22:44Z

Construction is underway for the Crocker's first water feature. This rounded rectangular wall will have water gently cascading over the side. Patrons can enjoy both the sight and sound while relaxing in the new courtyard.

Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker's Jazz Series Features Peter Morgan this Thursday

2009-08-17T18:49:19Z

Contemporary jazz guitarist Peter Morgan and his ensemble will perform a light and breezy instrumental jazz with a coastal island flavor at the Crocker's popular Third Thursday Jazz Summer Concert Series on August 20. Running from May through September, concerts are held in the Museum Courtyard on the third Thursday of the month from 5:30-8 p.m. Light refreshments and beverages are available for purchase. Concerts are free to Crocker members and $10 for nonmembers.

Morgan is regarded as a stand-out vocalist and guitarist who brings an eclectic musical energy to all of his performances. He has performed alongside some of the biggest names in smooth jazz including Fattburger, Michael McDonald and keyboardist Phillipe Saisse. The Peter Morgan Band was recently voted "Favorite Musicians" by the readers of Folsom/El Dorado Hills Style Magazine. They have released two albums demonstrating their own distinctive style of jazz ranging from emotional piano ballads to high-energy Latin jazz with something for everyone to enjoy.

“To be able to create music that makes people cry, laugh or dance is a real gift," Morgan says. "It makes me want to pursue my music with a vengeance."

Soaring Voices at the Crocker

2009-08-10T06:30:06Z

"Sculpture doesn't have to answer to society or beauty," Japanese contemporary ceramic artist Takako Araki once said. Referred to by some as sacrilegious, her lifelike tattered Bible sculptures, one of which she made by silkscreening text from the Bible onto fired clay, are part of the Soaring Voices ceramic exhibition at the Crocker Art Museum in Downtown Sacramento.

The exhibition opened to the public Saturday and features a collection of more than 80 ceramic pieces by 25 female Japanese artists.

Until the 1950s, the world of ceramics in Japan has been a "man's world," exhibit organizer Maya Nishi told an audience at Sunday's gallery talk. She elaborated on how Japanese women had been disregarded and discouraged from making things. She specifically referred to female ceramic artist Kyo Tsuji, who was driven away from touching a ceramic wheel under the premise that women are impure.

It was not until after World War II, when clay and kilns became accessible and women were permitted to attend Japanese art schools, that Japanese women realized they could use the realm of ceramics to express themselves, Nishi explained. "The pioneer generation had to be strong to exhibit [their] work," Nishi said, adding that "some of the women had nothing more than a bathroom-sized studio next to their bed."

Several of the artists emerged as some of the first women to attend and graduate from Tokyo National University of Art and Music, and others have moved on to teach ceramics at various renowned universities in Japan. The collection holds the energetic, strong voice of the artists themselves, Nishi said, who vary in age from 36 to 80 years old.

Etsuko Tashima was one of the first artists to use both glass and clay in her work. Her displayed "Cornucopia" pieces earned the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2005. Other artists use everything from clay to porcelain, wood, bone china and metal as mediums for their creations. Many of their pieces are inspired by nature, Nishi said, as well as landscapes, architectural structures, dreams and poetry.

While some pieces are traditional pots and vessels or intricately-carved plates, others take absract shapes, characterizing chimneys or pumpkins. Kyoko Tokumaru's "Germination" and "Bloom" take the form of magnified aquatic plants made out of porcelain.

"I think Soaring Voices is groundbreaking because it is an all-female show," said Jeffrey Spahn, a ceramic dealer who drove from the Bay Area to view the exhibition and attend the lecture. He described the pieces as inspiring and revolutionary, adding that Soaring Voices is an internationally acclaimed show.

The Crocker Art Museum is the first venue in the United States to host the collection after its debut in Japan. The exhibition will continue until Oct. 18; afterward, it will be shown at various venues in Florida, Texas and Hawaii.

Soaring Voices was organized by the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga and hus-10, Inc., Tokyo. The tour was organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.

Photos Courtesy of the Crocker Art Museum

Image 1: Shoko Koike, Shell Vessel, 1997. Stoneware, 17 1/2 x 22 13/16 x 18 5/16 in. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Private collection.

Image 2: Etsuko Tashima, Cornucopia 03-III, 2003. Stoneware and glass, 26 3/8 x 26 3/4 x 23 5/8 in. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Private collection.

Image 3: Kyo Tsuji, Large Bowl, 1983. Stoneware, unglazed, 12 3/16 x 18 1/8 x 18 1/8 in. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Private collection.

Inside the NEW Crocker

2009-06-18T03:21:37Z

The new addition to the Crocker Art Museum is huge! It is tripling the size of the museum as well as adding new features to enhance the visitor's experience at the Crocker.

For more detailed information please visit: http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/expansion/overview.html

There is a link that will take you to a live video feed of the construction in progress.

Last fall, I began a photographic essay of the expansion. I began shooting when the majority of the work was setting the footprint in place.The only new structures were the block building which is the equipment room and the basement with steel beams on four corners which is becoming the front of the new Crocker.

Seating is stadium-style.

Some of the ductwork.

Welding a stairway.

Looking down on new entry.

Dining area below.

Offices and galleries are on the second floor.

Note the double row of steel for making the walls stronger for holding heavy artwork.

Ventilation shaft.

Third floor overhang.

Up on the roof.

Safetyville USA celebrates birthday at Healthy and Safety Expo

2009-06-15T02:38:50Z

There was reason Saturday for double celebration at Sacramento's Safetyville USA.

It was not only the 12th annual Family Safety and Health Expo, it also marked Safetyville's 25th year of teaching safety and life skills to more than 200,000 children to date. The free event hosted around 3,000 children and their families for a fun-filled day of learning and celebrating.

In the middle of the expo, birthday festivities took the main stage and were led by Liz McClatchy, President and CEO of Safetyville Center Incorporated (SCI) and Terry Polvado, Vice President of SCI. Children sang "Happy Birthday" to Safetyville and were introduced to the new and yet-to-be-named mascot of Safetyville, a dog donning a blue helmet and red vest.

Children were invited to help name the mascot by dropping off their ideas in a box at Safetyville's table.

SCI Board Chairman Ralph Sugimot led a cake-cutting ceremony, and happy kids lined up for cake and ice cream after taking part in a conga-line dance around the stage.

"It was such a great event for everyone. My daughter [three-years-old] and I both had a great time, and we both learned a lot," said Tabatha Barkley, who attended the event with her family.

Other birthday festivities throughout the day included a dance performance by Granite Bay Dance Connection, a "Red and Black Attack" by Kovar's Karate Satori Academy and a magic performance by magician Trevor Wyatt.

More than 84 community safety and health organizations set up booths around the faux-town, which is a 1/3-scale replica of an actual city with mock streetlights, intersections, fast food stops and businesses.

While there was plenty of fun to be had at the Expo, there were also many resources for families in Sacramento and surrounding areas. Information on health care, child care, crisis centers and immunizations were just some of the booths on hand to teach families how to get help if needed.

Insurance companies State Farm, AAA and Allstate provided information on insurance. Shriners and Kaiser hospitals taught about preventative health measures, and groups like Bikers Against Child Abuse made an appearance on behalf of issues like child abuse.

Parked in front of the town were traveling organizations like D.A.R.T., an all-volunteer dive recovery teateam and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, with a smashed-up car from a fatal drunken driving accident.

Inside, the Sacramento Area Sewer District, another event sponsor, taught how to properly dispose of fats, oils and grease, and Safetyville's own Safety Center taught about its driving simulation programs for teen drivers.

Government organizations like Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District set up booths in front of their respective Safetyville buildings and handed out rulers, stickers and pens to children, along with lessons from firefighters and police officers on preventative safety and how to be a law-abiding citizen. Kids could see a California Highway Patrol motorcycle up close and sit behind the wheel of an actual fire truck.

Home Depot, one of event's main sponsors, set up an assembly line where children of all ages were given flower pots and learned how to pot plants. Children were given Home Depot aprons with their names written on them, and by the end of the day, Safetyville was a sea of orange aprons.

Kids were encouraged to get stamps from the different booths they visited around the town and fill up Safetyville "passports." Full passports were eligible for raffle entries for three separate raffles held throughout the day. Passes to the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Zoo, a child's bike and helmet, boat rental from the Sac State Aquatics Center and a go cart from Rocket Motorsports were just some of the more than 15 prizes given away.

Kids leaving the Expo were weighed down with heavy bags filled with pencils, toothbrushes, pedometers, packages of Band-Aids and coupons to pick up their free child I.D. kits along with smiles and lessons learned.

Mayor holds meeting "For Art's Sake"

2009-06-13T04:50:13Z

It was a veritable who's who of Sacramento artists, arts organizations and art supporters inside KVIE Public Television's offices Friday morning.

Nearly 100 invitees gathered to listen to Mayor Kevin Johnson's remarks in a meeting entitled "For Art's Sake."

"Performing arts, visual arts and literary arts -- we need all three to reach the potential of what Sacramento can be," Johnson said in his speech. "Our commitment: We are going to promote the arts in a real way."

The mayor stressed that the arts community doesn't just use city money, it creates revenue for the city. Therefore, the relationship is a reciprocal one.

He then introduced Sharon Gerber, founder of arts and event planning company Six Degreez, as his liaison to the arts community. Gerber introduced herself to the audience and gave a short speech. She then asked each person in the audience to stand and identify themselves.

Members of the B Street Theater, Crocker Art Museum and the Sacramento Ballet introduced themselves. Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission members and Councilman Rob Fong attended.

This was followed by a town-hall style forum addressing the question: What do art organizations need from the mayor and City Council?

What followed was a smorgasbord of ideas.

Some wanted federal money to support artists, who are by the nature of their profession unemployed for extended periods of time. Other groups wanted money to go into new arts facilities.

Some even noted how Second Saturday artists get relatively nothing in return for Second Saturday, and some of the money that the city generates from the event should be given to the artists as an honorarium.

"I interviewed a lot of gallery owners and the community, and the thing that I found was that the galleries and the artists are not really benefiting from that event. As this economy continues to tank, those galleries are going to continue to suffer," said Liv Moe, senior editor of Midtown Monthly and an artist herself.

Several people addressed youth programs. It was brought up that Sacramento needs to recognize young artists in the media, and the youth need money for new art resources and technology in the classrooms.

Others wanted to create a new process for how money is delivered from the city to artists so that when money does become available, nonprofits don't end up with the short end of the stick.

After the comments were made, Johnson announced that this meeting would be the beginning of an ongoing process. This group will reconvene every month for 12 months, build an action plan to focus on key issues and build a leadership team of six to 10 volunteers who can meet more regularly.

"On one hand, there are tremendous challenges, but we're not just going to ask [businesses] for a handout." Johnson said. "We've got to say a little bit more, we've got to get people out to see the project."

Crocker expansion to boost businesses

2009-06-06T00:57:26Z

Art connoisseurs are already reveling in the expanded offerings that will deck out Crocker Art Museum's new wing.

But art lovers won't be the only ones to benefit. The capital's economic vitality is expected to get a big boost when the 125,000-square-foot expansion triples the museum's size upon opening next year.

"I think it's going to really elevate Sacramento's visibility as a cultural destination," said Michelle Alexander, executive director of the Arts & Business Council of Sacramento. "Cultural tourism is a big, key factor in economic health."

In the next few weeks, construction crews will begin building the connection from the contemporary new wing to the future education studio in the main Art Gallery Building, a Victorian Italianate structure built in the 1870s.

The expansion will quadruple the museum's exhibition space and add room for flood-protected storage and collection maintenance on the second floor. The wing also will include a 7,000-square-foot courtyard, café, 300-seat auditorium and dramatic, two-story atrium that can be used for events of 400 to 1,200 people (with the use of the courtyard). Construction will include systems to control temperature, humidity and security.

The added space will permit museum curators to sort through Crocker's growing collection and allow much more of that collection — 20 percent as opposed to less than 4 percent — to be exhibited. Crocker has had "unprecedented" collection growth thanks to the expansion, said LeAnne Ruzzamenti, Crocker's director of marketing communications.

The structure with an aluminum and zinc exterior was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects of New York and is being built by Rudolph and Sletten of Redwood City. The design maintains the gallery building as the architectural focal point for the complex at Second and O streets.

As the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi River, the Crocker is one of the capital's primary tourist attractions. Art museums like this are a big magnet for travelers and the money they spend in town, said Leslie Fritzsche, downtown division manager for the city's Economic Development Department.

"With the increase in tourism, that impacts the use of hotels and restaurants," she said. "So there's a great spin-off effect."

National media attention showcasing Sacramento as a cultural and travel destination can boost real estate, construction industries and property value, Alexander said.

Each year, Sacramento sees an average 17 million leisure and business visitors who spend a total $2.4 billion, said Mike Testa, vice president of communications for the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

About 95,000 people visit the Crocker each year. The expanded museum should draw people from the San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of the state, he said.

The art museum and four others within about a mile of each other are creating a "string of pearls" in terms of the city's cultural offerings, said Beth Tincher, a senior project manager with the Economic Development Department. That, in turn, will impact other economic growth, such as the development of the Docks Area just across the freeway, she added.

"We always think of this critical mass of attractions," Testa said. "Really, the more museums we have, the more people we're going to attract because of the diversity."

The city's cultural attractions contribute to residents' quality of life, and that, in turn, is factored into companies' decisions on where to be located, said Fritzsche and Alexander.

"As Sacramento improves its branding as an arts destination, we increase our ability to attract high-level talent and corporate headquarters from other large metropolitan cites," said Alexander. "We become a city and culture worth investing in."

Summer Concert Series Kicks off at the Crocker this Thursday

2009-05-19T19:50:05Z

An all-star cast of jazz musicians are slated to perform during the Crocker Art Museum’s popular Third Thursday Jazz Summer Concert Series. From May through September, concerts are held outside on the third Thursday of the month from 5:30-8 p.m. Light refreshments and beverages are available for purchase. Concerts are free to Crocker members and $10 for nonmembers.

The Perry Mills Project will open the series this Thursday, May 21. Guitarist and singer Perry Mills will lead his band in a passionate fusion of rock and jazz. Their new CD Hello? is aimed at engaging, rhythmic, and approachable musical art, infused with R&B and jam-band vibes, while keeping the integrity of progressive-rock and jazz-fusion influences. Passionate and dramatic, the music breaks new ground and serves to connect people’s hearts to the movement of energy and beauty.

Guitarist and singer Perry Mills is a veteran of the Los Angeles touring scene who first appeared on the Northern California music landscape with Objects in the Mirror. His music stemmed from the influences of soul, R&B and favorites like Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani and Steely Dan. The band features a marvelous lineup of artists in their own right, including composer and saxophonist Grant Reeves, bassist Mike Kelly, vocalist Tanya Scarlett, and fellow Objects alumni Mark McCartney on drums and Bob Villwock on keyboards.

“We want to touch hearts with this music, to unlock some emotional response for people that they maybe haven't yet found,” said Mills. “At a live show, to connect in that way with the art and the audience is uplifting for everyone. That's what the art is really all about. We want the audience to leave the show feeling better, inspired and energized.”

The Crocker Art Museum was founded in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; Thursday until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Crocker Announces Summer Art Classes for Children, Teens & Adults

2009-04-23T18:14:15Z

This summer let the Crocker Art Museum’s world-class art collection be your source for exploration, instruction and inspiration. The Crocker presents more than 20 educational opportunities this summer for children, teens and adults interested in expanding and exercising their artistic awareness and abilities. All classes are taught by highly skilled teaching artists and are designed to encourage students to unleash their imaginations while receiving formal lessons in color, line, texture and a variety of media.

Summer Art Classes for children range from two-day workshops to week-long sessions, and this year marks the first series of Summer Art Classes for Adults. The Crocker’s Teen Action Team has also planned three half-day workshops and events for teens. Each session is designed for a particular age group and taught by local artists using artwork from the Crocker collection and changing exhibitions for inspiration.

Registration is now open and Crocker members receive discounts. Session fees range from $40 to $145 per student and include class materials and refreshments.

Classes and workshops vary by location. Due to construction for the Museum’s expansion, most summer classes for children are held offsite at the West Sacramento Civic Center Galleria, located at 1110 West Capitol Avenue, approximately five minutes from the Crocker.
For more information, contact the Education Department at (916) 808-1182 or education@crockerartmuseum.org. Download a registration form at crockerartmuseum.org/summer.

The Crocker Art Museum was founded in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; Thursday until 9 p.m. Admission is free on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

Sacramento Makes LA Times "Underrated" Vacation Spot List

2009-04-22T17:57:18Z

Singapore. Kailua, Hawaii. And Sacramento?

Yes, our hometown has made the Los Angeles Times' "most underrated places of the world" list.

Compiled by the newspaper's travel staff, the list includes spots around the world as great places to visit that usually don't make the covers of the glossy travel magazines. But why Sacramento?

The Times says it's a great day trip, full of history and beauty. And the newspaper is right:

Here's an excerpt from the Times http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-underrated19-2009apr19:

Why people ignore it: Just 80 miles from the breezy, self-consciously quaint tourist magnet of San Francisco, Sacramento is anything but. Saddled with hot summers, a dysfunctional legislature and, earlier this year, a Depression-style tent camp, California's capital hardly seems like a weekend getaway.

Why you shouldn't: History, history, history. Sacramento is the real deal: a living museum of 19th-century architecture.

Old Sacramento, a 28-acre state park along the riverfront, is said to contain the greatest concentration of historic buildings in California.

Not far away, the Capitol, a splendid 19th-century edifice replete with elaborate mosaics, has been lovingly restored and can be toured for free.

More than a dozen museums, historic parks and memorials dot the city. They include Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, with a reconstruction of John Sutter's 1839 adobe; the incomparable California State Railroad Museum, housing 20 locomotives dating as far back as the 1860s; the eclectic Crocker Art Museum; the old Governor's Mansion; and the new California Hall of Fame.

Fans of vintage riverboats shouldn't miss the Delta King, a restored 1920s stern wheeler that has been converted into a hotel, lounge and restaurant. The King, a twin to the Delta Queen, which recently suspended overnight excursions, is moored along the Sacramento River.

In this manageable city, which has less than 500,000 residents, everything is so close you can see lots on a day trip, flying round trip and walking or taking buses once you arrive. It's a whirlwind, but fun.

Call for Regional Artists: Holiday Art & Craft Festival 2009

2009-04-20T23:07:41Z

The Crocker Art Museum and the Creative Arts League of Sacramento are seeking local artists and craftspeople to showcase their work in the annual Holiday Art & Craft Festival taking place November 27-29, 2009. This event features a variety of crafts including jewelry, ceramics, painting, gourmet food, knit items and much more.

The Holiday Art & Craft Festival will take place at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center at 6151 H Street, located across from the main entrance of California State University, Sacramento. The event regularly attracts 5,000 to 7,000 shoppers each year, and the venue features ample room for exhibitors and plenty of free parking.

Vendor applications are available online at crockerartmuseum.org/holidayfestival. Applications must be received by July 1, 2009, and applicants will be notified of their selection mid-August. All work submitted must be the applicant’s own original work, no manufactured items will be permitted. All reproductions must be signed, limited editions.

For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org/holidayfestival.

The Crocker Art Museum was founded in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st and 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.