04/17/2013
Good morning, Art Pubbers.
Almost a year ago, a group of us sat in Sugar Beets and talked about the future of Art Pub. We knew that as a formal effort from Downtown Oxnard, it had been officially cut loose, but could it be kept going by artists themselves, and if so, what shape might it take?
Since that time, I’ve made an effort to schedule our regular monthly meetings and indeed see if Art Pub might gather momentum and actually bring Oxnard artists together to share their works. I think the results have been mixed—some good months, a month or two where very few showed up, and a couple of really nice occasions where we gathered at local museums and had a potluck.
In my mind, I wanted to give Art Pub a year to take seed. Sometimes creativity needs time to find its identity.
So as I look back, I see that there are some local artists (and those interested in art) who do enjoy getting together. Others I concede are busy and have their own artistic pursuits, careers, families, and community commitments. It’s the nature of life. We divide our time where we feel our values are rooted.
Now it’s time for me and whatever informal role I have assumed with Art Pub to move on, perhaps to allow for some other vehicle or form of leadership in Oxnard to give the spirit of Art Pub another course of expression. There are endless ways to share art with one another. That’s the good thing about what we do. Art keeps growing and changing. We grow and change with it.
I’m hopeful that there are some events where we might gather in a group and have a good time. They won’t be as regular as our Art Pub meetings, but they will still be enjoyable. I thank all of you who came to our meetings and supported Oxnard’s artistic efforts.
Most of all, thanks to all of you for the art you create. It’s art that keeps life interesting. I can’t imagine life without it and I feel lucky that in this city, art continues to blossom and I get to be a part of it. Viva la vida de colores.
