Cliff Notes
Each week, our regional Cliff Notes columnists Mariah Green, Vanessa Perez Winder, Jas Keimig, and Sam Wrigglesworth pick the most exciting events and exhibitions on the West Coast.
Estudio Aire Artist Residency
Sponsored by Arts Connection/the Arts Council of San Bernardino
Rolling application
Arts Connection, a San Bernardino county-based creative network dedicated to the economic and creative vitality of the local arts ecosystem, has established itself as a beacon of support. The future of the Inland Empire becomes stronger with the newest resource from Arts Connection called Estudio Aire in San Bernardino.
Estudio Aire is an artist in residency program opening its doors to all who value the sweet intersection of art and community work. For the past two years, this residency has hosted one artist per month in their studio located at The Garcia Center. Artists of the month host community engagement events in forms of workshops, film screenings, wrestling matches, and entire festivals such as the recent Sprinkles event hosted by October resident Ariel Gonzales.
Arts Connection supports this program with dedicated staff like Yulissa Mendoza, “Dre” Bonales, and Saniyyah Thomas. These staff fundraise for artist stipends and supplies that keep the program entirely free. The application to become a resident is now open!
To learn more about about Arts Connection: https://artsconnectionnetwork.org/
Reflection: How can we create a more sustainable path for our next generation of artists?
Maurice Howard within the Sacred Spaces: The Work and Collection of Charles Bibbs™ exhibition
Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA,
November 3, 2023 – March 10, 2024
There are many folks in the Riverside community who collectively agree that Maurice Howard’s art is as gentle hearted as he is. Two of my favorite questions to ask Maurice are: “what have you been working on lately?” and “what are you currently growing in your garden?” For those outside Riverside, Maurice maintains a garden outside his studio that he’ll gladly walk you through, naming all that he is growing. This kind of tenderness only amplifies when he invites you into his home studio. Maurice originals everywhere! Lost inside the abstracted shapes and patterns that flow from one side to the other is the tapestry of a world that is familiar to me. A world where Black folks are celebrated because they exist.
Love At First Sight (see image above for reference) will be on view as part of the Charles Bibbs exhibition in the Powel and Devine galleries located inside The Riverside Art Museum from November 3 – March 10 2024.
Reflection: If a world was created reflecting your culture, who would you want to go visit first? Can your art be a guide into new worlds you are creating within it?