A Busy Week @ Grand Central Art Center
It’s been a busy time at Grand Central Art Center, so we thought we would share some of our recent activities…
Cog•nate Collective (Amy Sanchez and Misael Diaz) continues their socially engaged projects as artists-in-residence. They have been conducting a series of public walk workshops throughout Downtown Santa Ana, bringing additional guest artists to GCAC who address concepts of intervention. The workshops are part of Cog•nate’s SNA Project, working with community members and CSUF students from Dr. Karen Stocker fall semester class Anthropology 350:1 Culture and Education. Workshops have included:
Kate Clark, who facilitated a workshop with participants on “Urban Excavation”, teaching graphite rubbing as a way of fostering a more intimate, tactile engagement with the urban landscape and its history.
Christina Sanchez, who facilitated a workshop with participants on “Testimonials + Labor”, focusing on audio research strategies and collective listening models as processes to engage, document and learn about social landscapes.
Omar Pimienta, who facilitated a workshop with participants on “Urban Narratives”, analyzing neighborhood subjective exploration/recording strategies using photography and poetry.
Cog•nate Collective is working toward the development of future projects at GCAC as well and met with a women’s group they connected with through Latino Health Access. The group spent the morning together sharing their handmade items and discussing possibilities of a collaboration. We will keep you posted as the project further develops.
After two months as artist-in-residence, artist Aida Ã… ehović spent last week wrapping up her first visit. Her time in residence was spent in development of future projects and connecting locally, most specifically with Leonard Correa, Forensic Specialist – Crime Scene Investigation Unit of the Santa Ana Police Department. Through ride-alongs, meetings and studio visits, the two made many discoveries regarding their artistic processes, interesting pasts and relationships to memories. They also spent time meeting with GCAC Director/Chief Curator John Spiak to present a concept for a future GCAC collaborative exhibition. The concept is outstanding and we are excited to share the full exhibition in our 2015 season!
Last week also marked an action packed week of students visits and activities at GCAC.
A great group of graduate students from Portland State University, with Professor Harrell Fletcher’s MFA Social Practice program, spent the afternoon touring GCAC and talking about the current state of socially engaged practices. The group was visiting Southern California sites during their multi-day trip and we are glad they included GCAC, as it was such a pleasure having their energy here with us.
Speaking of energy, we were also visited by Cal State University, Fullerton students of Gina Osterloh’s Intermediate Photo Projects class. The class spent time with the current LOUDsilence exhibition curated by Amanda Cachia, experiencing and talking together about the works of Shary Boyle, Christine Sun Kim, Darrin Martin, and Alison O’Daniel. The student also spent time talking with our team about the contemporary art world, current regional exhibitions and approaches for generating their own exhibitions. We look forward to their next visit!
It didn’t stop there, as students of Trabuco Hills and Mission Viejo high schools, with their teacher Jackie Faint, took a full tour of our facilities, including the exhibitions, studios, theatre, artist-in-residence studio and apartment area. They were a fun group of teens with a level of curiosity that generated great questions.
On Friday night, GCAC Theatre marked the opening of the play Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts, directed by CSUF Theatre faculty member Svetlana Efremova. We are excited that so many of our current CSUF MFA candidate students that live with us here onsite in the GCAC apartments are in the production, including: Joshua Johnson (Adam), Miguel Torres (Luke), Kelvin Rhodes (Brandon), Tina A. Burkhalter (Arlene) and Sarah Ripper (Assistant Director). The play continues with shows scheduled on Nov. 20, 21, 22 and Dec. 3, 4, 5, and 6. Tickets and theatre information online at: https://www.grandcentralartcenter.com/wp/?page_id=2196.
It’s not just the inside of GCAC that is used by students, a great group of Chapman University film students were using the GCAC promenade and entrance for a full day production shoot for an upcoming short film. We love that our promenade provides such a unique setting.
And student activities weren’t the only thing happening, as last week also marked the GRAND OPENING of our new GCAC tenant partner Hipcooks Orange County! Their gorgeous new location, managed by the talented and delightful Suzana Pinkerton, offers a vast range of cooking classes and a retail area for purchasing those hard to find items one might need in their kitchen. Holiday cooking classes are filling up fast, so reserve your spot today @ http://oc.hipcooks.com/!
Rounding out the week, in partnership with The Frida Cinema, Diego’s Downtown Santa Ana and the LGBT Center OC, GCAC helped to host Culture Crawl: for the open minded. The FREE event allowed individuals to experience an evening of culture, however they defined it. The event was a free form evening that allowed individuals the opportunity to explore LGBT Short Films, live performances, a drag show, art and music throughout Downtown Santa Ana.
Yes, that is what our weeks look like here at GCAC – lots of diverse activities. As we say in our tagline, it’s ART UNRESTRICTED!