Category Archives: Community

County aims to become “film friendly” (movie video)

March 14th, 2013
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Arts & Culture, Community, Nevada City, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready

Nevada County is the setting for some popular movies, including The Christmas Card, starring Ed Asner, the Hallmark Channel’s most popular movie. Tourists visit year-round, just to see the picturesque sites of the film.

Now the County Board of Supervisors has appointed the Northeast CA Counties Film Commission as the official representative to create a “film friendly” county. For more information, visit their page here or contact info@FilmNortheastCACounties.com.

Here’s a movie titled “Nevada City” (1941), with Roy Rogers. “The conflict between a railroader and a stageline owner is being aggravated by bad guys who are sabotaging both sides. Roy and Gabby mediate the conflict and expose the bad guys,” is the plot.

A call for artists for Sierra Festival of the Arts

February 28th, 2013
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Arts & Culture, Community, Events & Happenings, Grass Valley

An afternoon in downtown Grass Valley where discerning patrons of the arts can mingle with some of the area’s most celebrated Sierra Foothills’ artists, Sierra Festival of the Arts will feature displays of photography, prints, sculpture, wood work, ceramics, stone work, jewelry and painting in oil, acrylic, watercolor and pastels.

Artists who wish to participate are encouraged to submit photos of their work for jurying no later than April 2. Notification of acceptance will be sent out no later than April 15. The event takes place in downtown Grass Valley on May 26. Applications can be downloaded at www.HistoricGrassValley.com or via the events page and clicking on Sierra Festival of the Arts, or call 272-8315 for details.

MEET THE JURY:

Kathryn Wronski grew up in Boston in a family full of florists. She credits her sense of color and composition from designing bouquets to weddings. After moving to California, she started to take numerous art classes both at the area’s college and from local artists. Gradually, her pet portraits became familiar to many. Her paintings are created with bright palettes and lots of whimsy capturing the animal’s personalities.

Julie Baker brings over 20 years of experience in arts marketing and management to her current position as Executive Director of The Center for the Arts. Earlier in her career she worked in New York City at several prominent art galleries and the international auction house Christie’s before becoming the President of her family’s art marketing agency. In 2001 she opened her own business Julie Baker Fine Art and for 2 years co-produced and founded an art fair in Miami.

Sheila Cameron is an Artist and Writer in Nevada City, California. Before that she was a TV producer, web personality, t-shirt snark artist and pop culture commentator in Los Angeles, Ca. She co-produced the first season of the Project Greenlight TV show for HBO, Miramax and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s LivePlanet. Sheila has a BA in Fine Art and Creative Writing from Loyola College in Maryland.

Jeff Pelline is the publisher of Sierra FoodWineArt, whose award winning 30-year journalism career includes editing and management positions at the San Francisco Chronicle, CNET (since sold to CBS for $2 billion) and The Union in Grass Valley. Jeff’s work also has been published in the New York Times, Time magazine and the Chicago Tribune. When Jeff was Editor of CNET News, the publication won a prestigious National Magazine Award.

Moira McLaughlin lived in Hollywood working for Kevin Costner and writing screenplays before becoming a dog artist and critic. She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, has a degree in history and film from Boston College, and lived in Florence, Italy. She started Dog Art Today in 2007 in tandem with creating her own dog art and noticed that many of the greats in art history chose dogs as their subjects.

Penn Valley Rodeo Festivities for May Announced (video)

February 28th, 2013
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Community, Events & Happenings, Penn Valley

The Penn Valley Rodeo — established in 1956 — is attended by those interested in rodeo, cowboys, horses, good clean family fun, and an interest in the Old West and the way things used to be.

Each year the attendance grows as the rodeo becomes more well known. The Penn Valley Community Rodeo Association is an all-volunteer, non-profit created in 2005 to perpetuate the Penn Valley Rodeo.

PVCRA improved the original rodeo site and maintains the grounds as a venue for community equestion events such as barrel racing, team penning, horse shows and clinics.

Rodeo Week is May 13-16, 2013, preceding the Rodeo on May 17-19. The Rodeo Week festivities are:

•Monday, National Anthem Singing Contest

Tryouts to sing the Anthem at the Penn Valley Rodeo

•Tuesday, Rodeo Queens Wine & Cheese Reunion

Past and Present Rodeo Queens, call John 452-0665

•Wednesday, Dinner to Honor Our Sponsors

Invitational BBQ at the Rodeo Grounds

•Thursday, Rodeo Decoration Awards

PV Chamber Awards the Best Decorated Business

Sierra Stages presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Feb. 28-March 23

February 25th, 2013
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Arts & Culture, Community, Nevada City

What: Sierra Stages presents Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
When: February 28-March 23, 2013
Thursdays at 7; Fridays & Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 2
Where: Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street, Nevada City
Information: www.SierraStages.org
530-346-3210

Spells are cast, lovers are fooled and revelry flourishes as worlds collide in Shakespeare’s imaginative comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” presented by Sierra Stages at the historic Nevada Theatre in Nevada City from February 28 through March 23, 2013.

On a night when anything can happen, young lovers rouse their mischievous curiosity of fairies, which use their charm to lead the couple into a playful midnight frolic through the forest. In the midst of it all, an acting troupe gets caught up in the chaos when a magic spell turns their leading man into a donkey. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” blurs the line between magic and reality, leading to a night so fantastical you have to dream it to believe it.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is directed by Jac Royce, with set design by Mike Edwards, costume design by Sharon Olson, lighting design by Erin Beatie, and musical accompaniment by Pamela Mengers Hodges.

The Nevada County cast includes Sam Haley-Hill, Robert Rossman, Marion Jeffery, Paul Hauck, Lyra Dominguez, Casey Burke, Conor Nolan, Tinley Ireland, Isaias Acosta, Brandon Johnson, Marcus Arellanes, Cathy Johnston, Chandler Leonard, Clara Knappen, Jackson Knappen, Tadja Enos, Jozi Gullickson, and Pamela M. Hodges on mandolin.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” begins February 28 and continues for four weekends through March 23. Performances are Thursdays at 7 PM, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM. For the first two performances, Thursday February 28 and Friday March 1, general admission tickets are only $15. For all other performances, general admission tickets are available at the reduced price of $20 if purchased before March 2.

After that, general admission tickets will be $25 for all performances. In addition, Sierra Stages is pleased to offer reserved seating for $35 for all performances. With reserved seating, audience members may select specific seat locations in advance and also provide additional financial support for the production.

General Admission Tickets and Reserved Seating are available online at www.SierraStages.org, by calling Sierra Stages at 530-346-3210, and in person at the Nevada City Box Office (at the Miners Foundry) and BriarPatch Co-op. Group rates and special low priced high school and collect student group rates are available. Student rush tickets (under age 18, with presentation of full-time student ID) will be available for $15 on a first-come, unreserved basis, 30 minutes prior to curtain, if the performance is not sold out.

For its 2013 season, Sierra Stages is again offering affordable Season Passes. In addition to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, the 2013 season includes the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical “Avenue Q” in July and the hit Off-Broadway revue “Closer Than Ever” in November. The General Admission Season Pass is priced at only $55 and allows theatregoers to select any performance of each show, with unreserved seating.

For an additional $25, theatregoers may become Sierra Stages Members and choose reserved seats. A third option, new for 2013, is a special Preview Season Pass priced at only $40 which allows theatregoers to attend one of the first two public performances of each show with unreserved seating. 2013 Season Passes may be purchased online at www.SierraStages.org or by calling Sierra Stages at 530-346-3210.

Sierra Stages is a nonprofit tax-exempt community theater that enriches the cultural life of Nevada County by providing high quality, affordable and accessible performances for everyone. This is the fifth season for the nonprofit community theatre, which has presented 15 musicals and plays since 2009. Sierra Stages productions have received 25 Elly Award nominations and four Elly Awards.

Special appreciation is given to our 2013 Season Sponsors, including the following local businesses: Pleasant Valley Veterinary Center, B&C True Value Home Center, Ensemble Designs, Miners Foundry Cultural Center, The Union, KVMR, KNCO, and Sierra FoodWineArt. If you are interested in becoming a Season Sponsor, please contact Sierra Stages as 530-346-3210 or by email at info@SierraStages

Smith Vineyard (new photo gallery)

February 21st, 2013
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Community, Food & Wine, Grass Valley

The Smith Vineyard is located in Grass Valley, in the Sierra Foothills beyond Sacramento, at an elevation of 2500 feet.

Smith Vineyard produces hand crafted, small-lot estate wines. Their 10 acre vineyard is planted in premium varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Primitivo, Syrah and Chardonnay.

Dr. Wayne Smith fulfilled his desire to farm when he planted the first vineyard block in 1980. Wayne’s dedication to organic farming soon followed.

The winery began operation in 1987. The winery is housed in a restored barn that dates back to the early 1900s. It is surrounded by a rich canopy of pines and heritage oaks.

Today Wayne’s grandsons, the third generation, work alongside their parents, Gary and Chris, in the operation of the vineyard and winery.

The traditions of fine drink are being preserved at 142 Mill St. in downtown Grass Valley by the Smiths. The new tasting room located in the historic downtown was once known by locals as Bunce’s Bar.

The Smiths completed the renovation of the Mill Street building in April 2010 to become the tasting room for Smith Vineyard wines. Enjoy live music on Saturday nights.

A photo gallery of the tasting room and vineyard is here.

(Text and images: Smith Vineyard)

GoNevadaCounty.com @ the nation’s leading travel show this weekend

February 16th, 2013
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Community

GoNevadaCounty.com is present at The Bay Area Travel & Adventure show in Santa Clara this weekend.

It is the nation’s leading travel show. The show features a multitude of travel resources and information, seminars with celebrity guest speakers, hands-on activities, a dance stage and more – all under one roof.

Over 200 destination experts and tour operators will present the thousands of available travel options. In addition, a number of the exhibitors will provide giveaways, ranging from gift certificates to trips, as well as provide show-exclusive discounts.

Here’s the booth:

ART OnSite/Tribute Trail selects artists for 2013

February 12th, 2013
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Arts & Culture, Community, Events & Happenings

Organizers of the ART OnSite/ Tribute Trail project are announcing the selection of 10 artists who will produce seven original artworks to be installed along the city’s Deer Creek Tribute Trail in September.

The artists were selected by a three-person jury of regional arts professionals, including William L. Fox, Director of the Center for Art and Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, NV; Renny Pritikin, Senior Adjunct Professor at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA; and Kathryn Reasoner, Executive Director of diRosa, a contemporary art museum and sculpture park in Napa, CA.

“We considered not only artistic merit and qualifications, but also very basic criteria such as: does this artist work in materials that will lend themselves to the outdoors; does this artist have experience responding to a site, with materials that will survive the elements, and with works that will help expand the visitor’s awareness while they’re on the site,” said juror Kathryn Reasoner.

The 10 artists, primarily from California, represent a range of mediums from photography, poetry, sculpture, site-specific large and small installations and conceptual art. All are nationally and internationally recognized artists who will bring a variety of experiences and artworks that will form this engaging exhibition.

The artists selected are: Nevada City’s Richard Baker, photographer and architect; Mark Baugh-Sasaki, photographer and sculptor from San Francisco; Lisa Blatt, photographer from San Francisco; Mark Brest Van Kempen, sculptor from Oakland; Daniel Brickman, sculptor from Sacramento; Paolo Salvagione and Jenny Berry, conceptual artists from Sausalito; and Unmanned Minerals, an art collective formed by Matthew Hebert (sculptor from San Diego), Jared Stanley (writer from Oakland) and Gabie Strong (videographer from Los Angeles).

In their applications to the ART OnSite project, the artists were asked to provide statements about their work and philosophy, which helped inform the juror’s decisions.

Richard Baker: I create works that are conceptual in nature and material. As a photographer I begin projects not with the images in mind, but with a concept that the images would endeavor to illuminate.

Mark Baugh-Sasaki: My sculptures and installations use a combination of industrial and natural materials and processes to create fantastical objects that are inhabitants of or illustrate the evolving systems and interactions that are emerging from this new setting.

Lisa Blatt: I examine how landscape may be defined by what is not visible, what is memory or what is trace (historical events with no remaining visible evidence like contrails from stealth planes) using photo, video, sculpture, performance and projections into landscape.

Mark Brest Van Kempen: I create art using a place as the actual material for creating sculpture. The work grows out of both land art that uses the physical materials of a site to create large-scale sculpture, as well as performance art that focuses on processes and actions. My work uses both the physicality of a site as well as the processes and activities associated with a site.

Daniel Brickman: I experiment with materials and how the interaction communicates ideas that arise through or during the process, providing the framework of form and content in his artistic concerns.

Jennifer Berry: My art builds bridges between nature and the built environment and my structural work is an extension of my desire to collaborate with nature.

Paolo Salvagione: My work originates as experiments – explorations of volume, space, color and form, and as attempts to make the most of nontraditional materials.

Unmanned Minerals Art Collective: Our goal is to create an embodied “walking poem” that considers the impact humans have had on the watersheds of California.

S.F. Chronicle writes about Nevada City Mardi Gras

February 9th, 2013
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Arts & Culture, Community, Events & Happenings, Food & Wine, Nevada City

Celebrate Mardi Gras in Nevada City
By Christine Delsol
S.F. Chronicle

If New Orleans is out of reach right now, or you’re looking for a G-rated version of the joyous spring festival, consider celebrating Mardi Gras in Nevada City. The Sierra foothills town’s old-timey storefronts make a suitable backdrop for two days of festivities, including a masquerade ball (for 21 and older), a street fair and a parade followed by a family-friendly Carnevale. Flying Mardi Gras beads, Moon Pies and Cajun music will be in plentiful supply.

Vitals: Feb. 9-10, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Street fair free; Carnevale $5 adults/children free; Masquerade Ball $12 advance/$15 at door. Downtown Nevada City streets and Miners Foundry, 325 Spring St. (530) 265-2692 or (800) 655-6569, www.nevadacitychamber.com.

The article is here.

Here’s a video of Nevada City Mardi Gras from The Union newspaper:

Nevada City Mardi Gras is February 9-10

February 9th, 2013
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Community, Events & Happenings, Nevada City

A downtown parade, Carnevale festivities and a masquerade ball highlight a big weekend Feb. 9-10 as historic downtown Nevada City hosts its annual Mardi Gras celebration.

Weekend activities open Saturday night with the Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball in historic Miners Foundry at 325 Spring Street. Hours are 8 p.m. to midnight.

The masquerade ball features dancing with the Holcomb Brothers Band, Cajun foods and a no-host bar. Mardi Gras costumes are encouraged but not required. Beads, masks and T-shirts will be available for purchase.

Advance tickets are $12 at the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce (530-265-2692) and $15 at the Miners Foundry Box Office (530-265-5462 or www.minersfoundry.org.). The event is usually a sell-out so advance tickets are strongly advised.

The Mardi Gras Parade begins at 2 p.m. Sunday and moves down Broad Street through the center of town. It is a rain or shine event. Merry spectators of all ages line the parade route while gaily masked societies parade through the historic district handing out beads, toys, trinkets, bangles and more. Everyone is encouraged to attend in festive Mardi Gras attire.

A Mardi Gras Street Faire will be centered on North Pine Street, featuring food, crafts and Mardi Gras collector items. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

A big part of the celebration is Carnevale!, an after-parade family event at Miners Foundry, 325 Spring Street, in downtown Nevada City. Hours are 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The event includes food, drink, and entertainment including music, dancing, juggling and more. Tickets will be available at the door. Adults are $5; children and under are free.

For more information, contact the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce at 530-265-2692 or 800-655-NJOY or see www.nevadacitychamber.com.

Local business sponsors of the 21st Annual Mardi Gras Celebration include The Union Newspaper, KNCO Radio, Nor Cal Beverage (Bud Light and Sierra Nevada), The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club, Nevada City Winery, Nevada City Advocate Newspaper, Chocolate Shoppe, Shelley’s Smart Shopper, SPD Markets, McGee’s Annex, Asylum Down, Cafe Mekka, National Hotel, Susan Sotelo of Terra Alta Real Estate, Coopers, Auburn Printers, Party Time, Fashion Sunglasses, Sierra Food/Wine/Art Magazine and Spirithouse Gallery.

By Dave Carter

Miners Foundry to host open house on February 15 (video)

February 8th, 2013
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Arts & Culture, Community, Events & Happenings, Nevada City

The Miners Foundry Cultural Center will host an Open House and Community Party at the historic venue to celebrate the new wooden floor in the Osborn/Woods Hall and recognize those that have contributed to make this major, yet necessary, facility upgrade a reality.

Attendees are welcomed and encouraged to stroll through the Foundry,
taking in the historic artifacts, beautiful stone walls, hand hewn
wood beams, and of course the new wood floor.

They can also watch and participate in yoga, swing, salsa, and dance demonstrations from local instructors and organizations.

And finish the evening dancing on thenew floor with old and new friends to the music of the Deadbeats and other local acts who have donated their time and talents to the cause. Food and a full no-host bar also available.

For the last year, the Miners Foundry Cultural Center has been hard at
work quietly raising funds for a new wooden floor in the Osborn/Woods
Hall, one of their two great halls.

With the support of private donors, businesses, Nevada City, Nevada
County and Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, the Foundry has raised 95 percent of their goal and hope the Open House and Community Party will help with the final amount needed.

“The Miners Foundry Cultural Center’s programs and historic preservation are funded, in part, by revenue generated from building rentals, however, individuals also play an essential role in maintaining our existing programming, expanding our offerings and ensuring the Foundry continues to enrich us for many decades to come,” explains Gretchen Bond, Executive Director.

KNOW & GO

What: Miners Foundry Cultural Center Open House and Community Party
When: Friday, February 15, 2013, Doors 5:30 pm, Demonstrations 6:30pm, Music at 8 pm
Where: Miners Foundry, 325 Spring Street, Nevada City, CA
Tickets: Suggested Donation of $10 at the door; no one will be turned away
Info: www.minersfoundry.org

Article by Jesse Locks
(photo: TwoRingStudios.com)