This intimate exhibition presents three compelling still life works by renowned artists across centuries. Jacob van Hulsdonck’s Still Life with Peaches and Plums (c. 1640) showcases the Flemish master’s meticulous detail and vibrant depiction of fruit. André Derain’s Still Life with Fruit (c. 1911) offers a bold, modernist interpretation, blending color and form. Finally, Georges Braque’s Glass and Fruit (1932) exemplifies his Cubist approach, exploring the relationship between everyday objects and abstract space. These works together celebrate the timeless allure of the still life genre across artistic movements.

Above: André Derain’s Still Life with Fruit

From Studio Channel Islands:

SCIART25 explores the rich creative community which has enabled Studio Channel Islands to flourish over the last quarter century.

Each of the artists within the exhibition has played an important role in the development of the organization. Hiroko Yoshimoto and Tom McMillin were instrumental in the creation of the first studios and the exhibition spaces.

In the very first years of the organization, while it was still at the campus of California State University Channel Islands, Gary Lang and John Nava were among the first world renowned artists to be exhibited in the new gallery spaces.

Studio Channel Islands moved to the current site, in old town Camarillo, more than a decade ago and continued to present works by exceptional artists from across the county, including ceramicist Cheryl Ann Thomas, Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend, and Carol Shaw Sutton.

The exhibition is a celebration of a selection of the internationally renowned artists whose work has been presented at Studio Channel Islands and a reflection upon the role that artists have played in shaping the organization over the past twenty-five years.

From Spore Space:

For nine years, Joel Fox has maintained a trail camera in the Cozy Dell creek bed. With a desire to collaborate with the creatures of Cozy, Fox transforms an array of props — a mannequin, makeup mirrors, bowls of water, emu eggs, plastic arms, string, a white floor, a picture frame — into a surreal landscape where animals can shape their own narratives. Some things worked, many didn't.

Each night brought a new nocturnal procession. The animals and birds present themselves in often species-specific clusters — the fox, the raccoons, the two skunks, the mountain lion, the bear, the owls, the redtails, and the possums. They are themselves in their own world. And it’s in these moments we catch a glimpse of the magic that exists in the time after dark—a magic that pushes us to rethink the boundaries between human and animal perspectives.

As the recordings continue, the environment shifts, and so do the creatures. In the wake of the Thomas Fire, new patterns emerged in the footage- with bears, mountain lions, and foxes appearing with more frequency as their range drastically shrunk.

Animals Watching reveals how humans shape the landscape both intentionally and inadvertently, creating environments that animals navigate. As we observe these animals and props, we are reminded of our own place in the world — both as curious onlookers and as part of a landscape blurring the boundaries between human and animal, observer and observed.
 
This collaboration comes from a belief that animals feel their own life, which sounds simple but is rarely acknowledged.  We are so oblivious to our massive presence that we forget that most animal behavior we see is their reactions to us being there- usually to get something from us, or fear us, or both. It is as if humans are all animals to think about because that is what we usually see them doing.

Maybe this is why we seem to feel that if something has consciousness but we are not around to witness it, then it doesn't exist. It is hard to grasp that the world is filled with other beings who want to be with their friends, take care of their families, hold grudges, have fears, experience dreams, and see beauty.  In many ways, our inability to see beyond our own presence leads us to dismiss the full depth of the animal world, reducing their existence to mere reactions to us. — Joel Fox

From CGBF

"Sojourns" is a contemplative exploration of migration, offering viewers a resting point to reflect on the fluid boundaries of existence. This art show, presented at the Carolyn Glasoe Bailey Foundation and curated by ENGAGE Projects, features the works of Edra Soto, Derrick Woods-Morrow, Huong Ngo, and Alejandro Figueredo Diaz-Perera. It delves into the complexities of migration and its impact on body, space, and identity. Through their diverse practices, these artists unravel the liminality of migratory experiences, inviting audiences to engage with the nuanced intersections of personal and collective histories. The exhibition serves as a profound meditation on the themes of displacement, transience, and the continuous search for belonging in an ever-changing world.

From Indoek:

Russell Crotty‘s solo exhibit at Indoek, “Drawing Lines,” celebrates the natural environments of Ventura County (as well as fabled natural landmarks of broader California) and the outdoor activities that surround them. Crotty also takes on a humorous voice throughout his works reflecting insider lingo that surrounds outdoor subcultures. From his famous surf grids and striking blue monoprints to his large-scale globes, abstracted depictions, and documentation of bouldering paths and climbing routes, Russell’s work evokes a humble appreciation of our sacred natural resources and outdoor playgrounds.

NOTE: INDOEK HAS MOVED

The Ojai Valley Museum proudly presents the Ojai Studio Artists Annual Studio Tour preview show, a captivating exhibition showcasing the diverse talent of the Ojai Valley’s creative community. This year’s preview highlights the work of over 60 local artists. Visitors will experience a wide array of mediums, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, photography, and more. The exhibition serves as a prelude to the highly anticipated studio tour, providing art enthusiasts an opportunity to discover new favorites and gain insight into the vibrant art scene that defines Ojai. Don't miss this chance to explore the rich artistic tapestry of the Ojai Valley.

A Secret Plot is back with a new street exhibit featuring the work by Santa Barbara artist Adrienne DeGuevara.

In typical Secret Plot fashion, the art demands the viewer's full concentration and does not give anything away without effort. It's the way that art should be.

Inspired by the insecurities of the postmodern experience, where media turns the last vestiges of humanity into vaporwaves, DeGuevara asks a simple but important question about our complicity in the making and sustaining of that experience. Indeed, are we quitting watching reality quietly, or are we quietly watching reality quit?

In typical Secret Plot fashion, an argument can be made that it is precisely BECAUSE we abandoned metaphysics in favor of the hard sciences that we are saddled with a world that no longer makes sense. As the dictum dictates, to the outside observer advanced technology and scientific progress take on the appearance of magic. Reality disintegrates into obscure notions of increasingly smaller and smaller particularities that can no longer coalesce into a coherent worldview. In this kind of modernity, different realities compete for primacy, but none have the ability to fend off their adversaries when they become hegemonic, however briefly. Ultimately, reality, even the most tenuous and fake, has to be imposed by brute force, and evidence of that is now everywhere.

See the work in person on the exterior wall of @bartsbooksojai

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Cover: Shelter, by Jules Weissman