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Celebrating Black women with an exhibition featuring artwork by Elizabeth Salaam and Jean Cornwell Wheat, Reception: Thursday, March 21, 4 – 7 pm
We are Women: Jean Cornell Wheat
and Elizabeth Salaam paired with
“Beautiful, Brilliant & Brave:
A Celebration of Black Women”March 18 – April 18, 2024
FREE and OPEN to the public
Reception: Thursday, March 21, 4 – 7 pm
Musical performance by Mariea Antoinette
FREE parking in Lot # 1, in STAFF parking ONLY.Artists Websites: https://www.elizabethsalaam.
com/
https://www.artpowerequity.com/about-3 Can’t join for the events?
Visit us during our regular gallery hours:
Monday through Thursday, 12-5 pm.For appointment outside of regular hours email request to: amoctezu@sdccd.edu
For additional information, visit: https://www.sdmesa.edu/art-gallery
or call (619) 388-2829 during business hours.San Diego Mesa College,
Fine Arts Building, Art Gallery, FA103
7250 Mesa College Dr. SD 92111
Closest entrance is through Marlesta/GeneseeImage credit: Jean Cornwell Wheat, Snail, 2023, 48″ x 36″, acrylic on canvas;
Elizabeth Salaam, detail from Bitch I’m from Here, 2024, mixed media.With panels celebrating local women and artwork delving into personal narratives of displacement and connection, this dual-themed exhibit shines a light on Black women’s experiences in America. Artwork by Jean Cornwell Wheat and Elizabeth Salaam is paired with 2014’s “Beautiful, Brilliant and Brave: a Celebration of Black Women” curated by Starla Lewis and Aisha Hollins for the Women’s Museum of California. Presented by the Mesa College Art Gallery in honor of Women’s History Month this exhibition will be on display from March 18 – April 18, 2024, with a reception on Thursday, March 21 from 4 – 7 p.m. featuring a special musical performance by Mariea Antoinette.
There will also be additional programming including story telling, music and workshops. An artist talk is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 5 – 7 pm. The gallery is closed for Spring Break: March 25 – 29.
The exhibit “Beautiful, Brilliant and Brave” consists of biographical panels recognizing the contributions of twenty female Black leaders with connections to the San Diego region. San Diego Mesa College president Ashanti Hands and retired San Diego Community College chancellor Dr. Constance Carroll are honored in this iteration and included with several notable artists, educators and community activists.
Gallery director Alessandra Moctezuma took this as an opportunity to highlight two local Black women artists belonging to different generations: Jean Cornwell Wheat and Elizabeth Salaam.
As a mixed race child adopted into a white home and raised in a white town, Elizabeth Salaam grew up with a deep sense of disconnection. As an adult, in hair salons and living rooms and around kitchen tables, she finally found herself in deep conversations with other Black women. For this new body of work, Salaam plaited synthetic hair into braids, and used seed pods, branches and plaster-cast body parts to weave together narratives of displacement and to explore the multifaceted experience of being Black in America. The braids also symbolize the bonds between women in all cultures and the fundamental element of community in the health and wholeness of a human being.
Many of the braids in the exhibition were crafted in communal settings, and their abundance embodies the spirit of togetherness and resilience. Through “Re-Mother,” a large womb-like chair woven with braids and adorned with breasts, and its companion “Re-home,” a film that captures the intimacy of Black women braiding together, the work highlights the significance of community as a source of nourishment and a place of comfort.
Painter, sculptor, multi-media artist, and a professor of art history, Jean Cornwell Wheat invites the viewer into her personal realm in artworks that cover a variety of topics. Cornwell Wheat moved to San Diego from Harlem in 1966, and the cultural life of this historical Black epicenter shaped her unique and timeless perspective. Her canvases are vigorous and engaging. In the exhibit there is a large portrait of author Toni Morrison, who stares at us with an intense gaze and a luminous landscape that breaks up in a cubist prismatic composition. An abstracted nude and a lush enlargement of a snail’s shell, both rendered in warm flesh tones, speak to earthiness and our connection to Nature. A female head, regal as an Egyptian goddess, is actually a depiction of the only artwork that survived the 2007 fire that destroyed the artist’s studio: a bronze bust burned to reveal amazing flecks of brilliant colors.
Ms. Jean, as she’s affectionately called, is a mentor to under-privileged youth in San Pasqual Valley. In 2023, the San Diego Museum of Art acquired one of her paintings for their collection.
Gallery Hours: M, T, W, TH 12 – 5 p.m. (Or by appointment.) Closed Fridays, Weekends & Holidays. For additional information, please visit: https://www.sdmesa.edu/art-
gallery or call (619) 388-2829. -
The Fondation Maeght, in the French Riviera, celebrates its 60th anniversary this summer
The Fondation Maeght, the first foundation for modern and contemporary art in France, will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary in the summer of 2024. Founded in 1964 by the art dealers, publishers and lithographers Marguerite and Aimé Maeght, it was opened in Saint-Paul-de-Vence by André Malraux and immediately gained official recognition as serving the public good. The anniversary will be marked by a major summer exhibition, “Bonnard-Matisse, a friendship”, the opening of new exhibition rooms – dedicated this year to the permanent collection – and a month of celebrations including concerts, dance performances, film screenings, lectures and more.
Fondation Maeght © Photo : Olivier Amsellem – Archives Fondation © Successió Miró / © ADAGP, Paris 2024Over 60 years and more than 150 exhibitions by great artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, the Fondation Maeght’s unique perspective has made a strong impression on the history and dissemination of art. Seeing the story of art through the prism of the friendship between the Maeght family, the Foundation and the artists makes it possible to move away from traditional academic approaches: art and life permanently bound together, from exhibitions to the Nuits de la Fondation evening events (dance, theatre, music etc.), picnics, dinners, boat trips and more. But after all, wasn’t it the artists themselves who encouraged the Maeghts to overcome the pain of losing their second son with a long trip to the United States in the 1950s? And then, by founding the Foundation, inspired by the major American figures they visited on their travels: Barnes, Guggenheim, Phillips…?
To celebrate this anniversary, the Fondation Maeght is presenting an exhibition designed specially for the occasion, “Bonnard-Matisse, a friendship, for the 60th Anniversary of the Fondation Maeght”. From the 29th of June to the 6th of October, the exhibition will focus on the friendly, respectful relationship between Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse and explores their links with the Maeght family, who saw the two artist friends as geniuses of the 20th century, while sharing the greatest – and the most everyday – moments of life with them.
Several themes surround this central focus, illustrated with many rare works and documents, including exceptional loans granted for the occasion. The exhibition explores the individual characters of the two masters but also, in mirroring one other, the specificities of each artist in their approaches to the same subjects: self-portraits, the street, the Mediterranean light, the painter and the model, etc.
This summer, the Fondation Maeght is also opening the new spaces created in 2023 and 2024, hanging a selection of iconic works from its collection. The architect Silvio d’Ascia, who was invited to design the new extension, has come up with four new rooms, two of which offer a unique view over the valley through large windows beneath the Giacometti and Miró courtyards. The Fondation Maeght will now be able to offer temporary, themed or retrospective exhibitions at the same time as hangings of its permanent collection in dedicated spaces. The extension to the building was designed with the greatest respect for the tree-lined site and the historic building by Josep Lluís Sert.
Finally, the Foundation, whose history reminds us that all artistic disciplines are intertwined, is planning a month of celebrations for its sixtieth birthday. These will run from the end of June until the 28th of July, the anniversary of its opening in 1964, which was marked by a memorable concert featuring Ella Fitzgerald and Yves Montand. In 2024, the Fondation Maeght is once again scheduling dance performances, concerts, lectures, doctumentary films about Bonnard and Matisse, conferences, childre’s workshops, etc.
The Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght was the first foundation in France dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Its public interest was recognised by ministerial decree on 15 May 1964. Since 1981, Adrien Maeght, Marguerite and Aimé Maeght’s son, has been Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. The Board is made up of 11 members, including representatives of France’s Ministry of Culture, the Department of French Museums and the Ministry of the Interior, as well as four members of the Maeght family and four qualified individuals.
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From Manuscript to Masterpiece: The Path to Young Author Success and Publication
Becoming an author takes perseverance and creative self-expression, offering fulfillment and many benefits along the way. Teenage author Colton Fidelman is available to speak about his journey and how to get published as a young writer.
Publishing a book may seem like an impossible task for young writers, but regardless of age, young authors can successfully publish their own books. Colton Fidelman is the teen author of the new book The Teenage Guide to Becoming Successful – The TICK TOCK Formula for Life, Relationships, and Careers. Cole has had an outpouring of support far and wide at a recent book signing at his school, where it was announced that his book will be incorporated into next year’s curriculum, so every student will now get to learn from his story and advice. The demand for his book exceeded expectations, and he even received a certificate recognizing his positive impact through writing this motivational book for teens.
Cole knows the ins and outs of becoming a young author and the steps to take to reach the goal of publishing a book. He can discuss more on the following:
- How to plan your book, picking an idea backed with passion and inspiration.
- Choosing the genre and topic of your book.
- Writing an outline to sort out thoughts and ideas, and identifying the main points of each chapter.
- Bad writing habits and things to avoid when writing your book.
- Finding a comfortable writing style that will convey what you are trying to express.
- The importance of the editing process and feedback (comments, advice)
- Looking for an agent vs sending straight to a publisher (expenses and time).
- Benefits of holding author and book events in your neighborhood.
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Zakat Foundation of America Prepares for Ramadan
Considered the most blessed month weaving together all the 5 sacred pillars of Islam, Ramadan is rapidly approaching for millions of followers of Islam. In this period, the blessings of giving are magnified while fasting allows a worshipper to focus on their devotion to Allah. Since late 2023, the staff and volunteer teams at Zakat Foundation of America have been preparing to deliver charity in over 40 countries in addition to many local United States offices. Muslims are required to pay a portion of their wealth, called zakat to the poor and needy, and ZFA will help distribute that charity to those most in need across the globe.
This year, Zakat Foundation of America is focusing their efforts on four main projects: food packages, orphan care, clean water and 1 Million Meals for Gaza.
- Food Packages: Food packages are distributed to those in need across the globe through ZFA’s Food Security program. The organization works with local partners on the ground to identify the most vulnerable. The packages are filled with items like rice, oil, sugar, flour and beans designed to sustain a family for several weeks. In celebration of Ramadan, local offices also host Iftar dinners, where the entire community can come together for food, connection, and fellowship. A previous beneficiary in Gaza stated, “My kids were delighted when I opened the door with a box in my hands. When the package was opened, each one of them took out their favorite food. We live in very tough economic conditions, and this box is our gift for this month.”
- Orphan Care: There are an estimated 153 million orphans in the world. ZFA’s Orphan Care Program supports children who have lost at least one parent, focusing on keeping them connected in their local schools, immediate family, and community. Orphan support provides school fees, food, clothing, and more. The program is designed to set up these children for long-term success. Eid gifts are also given to orphans, which, for many, may be the only gifts they can receive in a year.
- Water: An ongoing charity is considered sadaqah jariyah, which continues to bless the recipients for many generations. Diseases from dirty water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. To this end, Zakat Foundation strives to provide access to clean water for the world’s communities. Clean water transforms a community and positively impacts areas like agriculture, sustainability, education, and overall health and wellness. To date, ZFA has completed 4,165 water projects in 24 countries, serving almost 1.5 million people (about the population of West Virginia). Those wishing to sponsor a well can choose to have a designated plaque honoring a loved one or serving as a memorial.
- 1 Million Meals for Gaza: While the violence in Gaza continues to be ongoing, the suffering of the area’s most innocent: women, children, elderly and families continues to increase exponentially. Continuing to be cut off from basic societal support, basic needs are being neglected for the citizens of Gaza. ZFA has been able to partner with local UN schools and work within the country to prepare and distribute hot meals, accompanied by clear drinking water, to anyone in need. The goal of the organization is to prepare 1 million meals for the people of Gaza. Zakat Foundation is committed to short-term relief and long-term rehabilitation including rebuilding homes, medical efforts, mental health support and educational initiatives.
Not only will Zakat Foundation offer support and celebration in its international offices, but they will also host events in the US. Regional offices in Milpitas CA, Newark DE, Lake Mary FL, Jericho NY, Durham NC, Houston, TX and Chicago IL will host various community events including Iftar dinners, clothing and food distributions, educational workshops and other programs. Those interested in participating or volunteering can contact nayma@zakat.org. For those in need in Chicagoland, the new Socials Services Center in Harvey, IL also provides clothing, shoes, hygiene and other essential items.
Updates and additional information can be found at zakat.org/ramadan. Zakat Foundation of America will continue to report on its Ramadan efforts as the unfold. Anyone wishing for more information on Ramadan, ZFA or zakat giving can contact the call center at 1-888-ZAKAT-US during regular business hours (CST). ZFA also offers immense resources such as a zakat calculator, zakat materials, blogs and media on their website.
Zakat Foundation of America strives to support recovery and development in all its forms, aligning with the UN’s 17 Goals for Sustainable Development. Zakat Foundation of America has been featured in the pressincluding CNN Max, Fox News, WGN, ABC and NBC among others. Media including photos and videos are available on the organizations website and social media. Additional media requests or interview requests can be submitted to lindsey.b@zakat.org
Founded in 2001 by Halil Demir, Zakat Foundation of America is a 501(c)3 NGO that helps generous and caring people reach out to those in need. Zakat Foundation’s mission is to address immediate needs and ensure the self-reliance of the poorest people around the world. Zakat Foundation conducts humanitarian assistance programs in more than 40 countries on five continents. For more information, please visit http://www.ZAKAT.org or call 1-888-ZAKAT-US
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New Book “Ghosts of Ireland: On a Medium’s Vacation” Out for St. Patrick’s Day
What happens when a medium goes on vacation? Explore Ireland the way a Medium did and meet the ghosts he encountered!
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, best-selling true paranormal author and medium Rob Gutro is publishing his 11th book, “Ghosts of Ireland on a Medium’s Vacation” on February 24, 2024.
What happens when a medium goes on vacation? Can a medium simply switch off their ability at will? Well…not exactly. Like others in his “Medium’s Vacation” series, this book contains Rob’s ghostly encounters, history, his sketches of ghosts and photographs of each place. Readers will experience ghosts in prisons, castles, churches, other historic places and even a shopping mall with a tragic past.
“Cork City Gaol (jail) was the most haunted place and many prisoners still linger there as earthbound ghosts,” Gutro said. He encountered 8 entities there. He sketched out one ghost and captured a photo of a male ghost walking across a corridor that was sealed off by a glass window. “I sensed a ghost down an empty corridor in the jail so I snapped several photos one after the other, and the ghost appeared in one of the photos. That’s the cover of my book.”
The book is organized alphabetically by County, and crosses Ireland from Dublin in the east to Galway in the west, and south to Cork County. Within each County section are chapters of the haunted places he visited, so readers can use it as a paranormal tour book.
“It’s the perfect guidebook for travelers who want to see Ireland, learn history and find out where ghosts still dwell and why,” Gutro said.
“Ireland’s rich history resulted in many ghosts who decided to stay earthbound. I also encountered an abundance of residual energy generated from battles. Everywhere I traveled, I had a paranormal experience, he said.”
The book provides a brief history of the haunted places and can be used as a travel guide. “Knowing the history of a place is key to understanding why a ghost has decided to stay behind,” Gutro said. Readers will experience haunted places like churches, castles, jails, and unexpected ghosts in an art gallery and shopping mall. “You’ll also understand how the spirits of your loved ones can give you signs anywhere in the world, even on vacation.”
This is the third book in his popular “Ghosts on a Medium’s Vacation” series. The others include Ghosts of England on a Medium’s Vacation and Ghosts of the Bird Cage Theatre on a Medium’s Vacation. The Kindle version can be pre-ordered now and goes live Feb. 24 at the same time as the paperback.
Gutro also has two other series of best-selling books. One is the award-winning “Pets and the Afterlife” series, containing for books on how pets communicate from the other side. His third series is “Ghosts and Spirits” which convey his personal experiences with ghosts on paranormal investigations and spirits. He is the first in the paranormal field to make the distinction between earthbound ghosts and spirits who have crossed over.
He maintains a website, social media pages and a weekly blog where he writes about paranormal topics. It’s where people can also share their stories or find other resources on the paranormal. He also provides readings for pets who passed for people around the world for a small fee. Details are on www.robgutro.com.
Rob’s books are available in paperback and E-book, on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rob-Gutro/author/B003UNTASW.
Rob Gutro is an award-winning author and medium who has been featured in hundreds of radio and video programs and podcasts. He was featured in the Washington Post, MSNBC, WBZ News radio Boston, “Coast to Coast AM” syndicated radio with George Noory, and many more. He’s known as a Pet Medium as well, and does email Pet spirit readings. See his website for details and events, and links to interviews, videos and podcasts.
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National Museum of Mexican Art Names José Ochoa President and CEO
The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new President and CEO, José Ochoa, effective today. He succeeds Museum founder, President and CEO Carlos Tortolero, who retired on December 31, 2023, after more than 40 years of leadership. Tortolero will continue in a consultative role until March 31, 2024.Ochoa joins the Museum from the ChiArts Foundation of the Chicago High School for the Arts, where he served as President. Previously, he served as founding Executive and Artistic Director of ChiArts.
Prior to these roles, Ochoa was Superintendent of Cultural Arts for Nashville, Tenn., supervising the dance, music, theater, and visual arts departments, two museums, and the special events department.
“This is the honor of a lifetime and a full-circle moment in my life, to return to my roots but with a wealth of knowledge and experience to lead this marvelous institution into its next chapter,” Ochoa said.
“The Board sought a visionary leader who could build on the Museum’s achievements,” said Carlos R. Cardenas, Chair of NMMA’s Board of Trustees and Senior Vice President Group Manager, Wintrust Commercial Bank. “We focused on candidates with strong educator backgrounds, robust career credentials in the arts, sound financial acumen in running organizations, a history of effective fundraising, experience driving growth and operational excellence, a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, a deep appreciation for Mexican culture and art, and the ability to use the arts as facilitators for dialogue on contemporary issues that matter to our communities, as well as a passion for making the arts accessible to all people. José Ochoa embodies many of these key pillars, which led the Board to identify José as an ideal leader to continue solidifying the NMMA as the premier institution of Mexican art, culture and history, and reinforcing its role as one of America’s Cultural Treasures.”
“On behalf of the Board, I would like to acknowledge Carlos Tortolero’s dynamic leadership and stewardship in furthering the Museum’s impact well beyond the footprint of a typical museum or community organization,” Cardenas said. “Thanks to Carlos, José inherits a strong legacy and sound footing upon which he can advance the mission of the Museum and foster continued excellence and influence. Today, the National Museum of Mexican Art stands out as the most prominent first-voice institution for Mexican art and culture in the United States. The NMMA is also a national leader and mentor for culturally and ethnically focused institutions and serves as a lighthouse on social justice issues affecting Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, and Latinos at the local, national, and international levels. This is the foundation Carlos leaves behind, which we are entrusted to build upon.”
A champion for art and culture, Ochoa will elevate the Museum’s national presence and reputation in his new role, creatively enhance programming, and increase impact in Chicago and beyond.
“José’s energy and empathy, his success in engaging young people and in creating opportunities all combine to make him the perfect person to lead the Museum at this exciting time in its journey,” said Carlos Tortolero.
Ochoa holds a bachelor of music performance degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a master of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies – dance, music and theater from West Texas A&M University.
About the National Museum of Mexican Art
Located in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, the National Museum of Mexican Art is one of the country’s most prominent Latino cultural organizations and the only nationally accredited museum dedicated to Mexican art and culture. In 2020, the Museum earned the honor of being named one of America’s Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation. Its Permanent Collection consists of more than 20,000 artworks. The Museum has presented over 150 exhibitions, provides arts education to 52,000 students each year and serves over 150,000 annual visitors from 60 countries. The Education Department is nationally recognized, and the Performing Arts Department presents events at the Museum and Millennium Park, as well as nationally and internationally. Admission to the Museum is always free. www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org .
