Return to Ojai

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Along the way to Ojai, we stopped for a picture of this landmark.

ftp://ftp.consrv.ca.gov/pub/oil/history/History_of_Calif.pdf  (page 3, left hand side)

This photo is from one of the museum exhibits.

These photos show the park in front of the visitor's center and museum. 

                                  Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, now a museum

Here, we met a couple, retired from Michigan. They traveled to Ojai for some hiking. They planned to stay a month, but, two weeks later, they bought a house. That was twelve years ago. Our walking tour guide moved here in 1969 from New York state, and has never left. Apparently, this is a familiar story in Ojai!  Our walking tour began here. Our guide shared many fascinating details about Ojai's history.  For an hour and a half, she entertained and enlightened us with a wealth of stories.

http://www.ci.ojai.ca.us/vertical/sites/%7B6CAA84A0-9B68-4637-964F-ED4B5D8E7542%7D/uploads/Walking_Tour_Brochure_tri-fold_Oct2011_(2).pdf
http://articles.latimes.com/1997-01-30/entertainment/ca-23624_1_ojai-avenue (there is a fee, now!)

The following photos are of Libbey Park on the main street of Ojai:

The tennis courts are at the far end of the park.

The following photos are from the museum.  Many films have been made in Ojai. And just as many stars who reside/d here.

The Ojai Theater is across the street from the museum:

                                http://ojaihistory.com/history-of-the-ojai-theatre/

Chumash Exhibit: 

I am encouraged by the number of museums in Ventura County: museum in Ventura, agriculture museum in Santa Paula, and the Ojai museum that provide artifacts and details to document the Chumash culture, and to acknowledge the impact of European cultures. And, with the inclusion of the Chumash artifacts in the agriculture museum, the museum acknowledges Chumash people's contribution to current farming practices.  I wonder if the Chumash people have been able to reestablish their cultural traditions such as language and spiritual beliefs.

http://www.santaynezchumash.org/education.html
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/278
http://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/files/2010/11/ChumashProfile_Final-2kcss9n.pdf
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-06-10/local/me-258_1_chumash-culture

Twice-Sold Tales Book Store: Impressive # of services!

                                                http://www.ovlff.com/Bookstore.html

Bart's Books of Ojai: Impressive array of books!

                                                             Cookbooks in a kitchen!

                                                     http://www.bartsbooksojai.com

                                                                 Canada Street

Beatrice Wood

Saturday, December 20, 2014

                                         http://www.beatricewood.com/bwca_video.html

                               Beatrice Wood's home, now Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts

Intern Program:

The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts Intern Program allows emerging artists to utilize Beatrice Wood's library and studio to create work. The Center works with colleges and universities to select participants, who create different series through studying art from diverse cultures and learning new techniques. The sale of these works assists in supporting the Center's educational programming and allows collectors to acquire work by talented artists early in their careers. Each work has a registration number and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from the Center with information about the artist.

                                           Bridged Vessel Series: Karina Jimenez

                                                            Stirrup Series: Karina Jimenez

The following pottery pieces are made by Beatrice Wood:

                                                                    Circa 1975

                                                                Enough Lies

                                         Beatrice Wood with Marcel Duchamp: Ojai, 1963

Kevin Wallace, director of the center, and his partner (whose name I can not remember ;-( reside in a home next to the center. It was near closing time, but she told us to take our time, and then invited us to visit Beatrice Wood's pottery studio. The studio remains very much as it did when Beatrice was making her art. The jars with her glazes are only used by experienced potters. Some of the jars contain chemicals which can be toxic! 

The studio is used for educational purposes to teach pottery skills. During our visit, Kevin was checking the kiln for a piece he was cooking.

  Beatrice designed the studio with an open ceiling and floors with grates for ventilation.                    This is her kiln but is not used very often.

                                     A gift from Beatrice's friend on her 102nd birthday!

The following photos are from the patio of Beatrice Wood's home: