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Milford Zornes, 1908-2008

The art world lost one of its most important watercolor painters, Milford Zornes in February.   Zornes' passing was only one month after his 100th birthday, and soon after his reception opening the "An American Artist" exhibition at RAM.

Agency Executive Association Award

RAM's Executive Director, Daniel Foster has been selected to receive the 2008 Outstanding Nonprofit Executive Director Award from the Agency Executive Association (representing Executive Directors throughout the County of Riverside).

RAM Launches 2008-09 Joshua Tree National PARK Artist-in-Residence Program

Via a partnership with the National Park Service and Joshua Tree National Park, RAM has launched a national/international artist-in-residence program operating in the park.  After a year of development, RAM launched this program and application process this spring.  Additionally, the Affiliate Artist program offers "residencies" to artists from the Inland Empire and Southern California region (visit www.riversideartmuseum.org for info and application.  Deadline:  July 15, 2008).

RAM Developing Third Artist Support Group for Printmakers

Our third artist support group focused on printmaking is currently forming. We plan to finish our printmaking center in the conference room and develop programs/workshops around this new printmaking "club". This year-round printmaking center will offer memberships and classes at affordable rates and become known for its exclusively non-toxic approach to printmaking.

Partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA)

The Museum has formed a partnership with the American Institute of Architects (Inland Empire Chapter) to develop an exhibition that highlights the best architectural projects in the region. Also, in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (I.E. Chapter), their annual architectural design awards program will be held at RAM on April 22 (Earth Day). The exhibition will be from April 15 - May 3 in RAM's Members Gallery. In addition, the Art Alliance of RAM will be partnering with the AIA in May and architectural design firms participating in CANSTRUCTION®

 

RAM to Retire Roof Replacement Debt

Many, many thanks to the County of Riverside and the City of Riverside to select and qualify RAM for a program that will pay-off the remainder of our debt on the new roof. Specifically, we appreciate the efforts of Supervisor Tavaglione, John Field, Joyce Powers, Darcy Weis, and Keri Gless. Other major support for the roof capital campaign came from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.

 

RAM Receives Building Lights Donation

Julia Morgan's beautiful building has never looked better at night then this most recent holiday season. Thanks to a very generous donation by Beverly Bailey, owner of Stronghold Engineering, the Museum has received a professional lighting design and display to support the city's Festival of Lights on Mission Inn Avenue.

 

Joshua Tree 2008-09 Artists in Residence

RAM has selected six artists and one poet for 2-3 week residencies at the Lost Horse Ranger Station in Joshua Tree National Park for its 2008-09 Artist-in-Residence program. The selected artists are Jessica Dunne (painter/printmaker from San Francisco, CA), Jesse Reding Fleming (video/multi-disciplinary artist from Brooklyn, NY), Georgina Frankel (photographer from St. Paul, MN), Joanna Mersereau (watercolor painter from Riverside, CA), Erin O'Connor (plein air painter from Wilson, WY), Anne Marie Pavlik (printmaker from Austin, TX), and Carlos Reyes (poet from Portland, OR).  Another thirteen artists were selected for the Affiliate Artist program.

 

Driven to Abstraction to Travel Nationally

RAM is proud to announce an agreement with Exhibits-USA to travel RAM's nationally acclaimed 2006 exhibition, Driven to Abstraction, starting in late 2010. 

Saffron's Opening is Grand!

Saffron's Grand Opening at RAM in early March was a huge success!   We estimate over 600 in attendance with great support from the Riverside Chamber of Commerce.  Everyone is talking about Saffron’s arrival at RAM, and their outstanding culinary talents.  Thanks to Saffron…our museum's atrium has never looked better (not to mention our public restrooms-recently renovated by Saffron).  Lunch & Dinner service, Monday thru Saturday.

Looking Back on Art Alive 2008

It was a particularly special Art Alive this year - RAM's 14th year producing this always popular springtime event.  This year's theme of  "France in Bloom" was supported by a closing luncheon and lecture by Susan Vreeland, currently on national tour promoting her most recent bestseller, "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (based on Renoir"s famous 1881 painting by the same name).  The five days of creative floral and art installations were further supported by nearly a dozen "plein air" artists (PAAR) painting each day in the galleries.  Many thanks to Lee & Associates for the exhibition sponsorship, the Riverside Public Library, and this year's volunteer committee (chaired by the founder of the event, Bobbie Powell).

RAM to Develop Annual

In partnership with Jonathan Yorba and the Arts and Cultural Affairs Division of the City of Riverside and the Riverside arts community, RAM will be initiating an annual "Open Studios" program in Riverside. Plans are being developed to showcase several dozen artists and their studios throughout the Riverside area on a weekend date in May. To participate, please contact the Museum for more information.

 

Riverside Banner ARTventure

Attention sponsors and artists:  Hurry...and get in on this great opportunity to participate in the largest outdoor art exhibition in the history of Riverside!  Thanks to the Art Alliance, led by Kathy Allavie, RAM plans to unveil this coming spring more than a hundred art banners in Riverside that furthers the claim, "Riverside: City of Arts & Culture".

 

RAM Named

The Riverside Art Museum was named the Best Museum in the Inland Empire by two separate media agencies, FoxLA and IE Weekly

New Membership Levels and Benefits

RAM continues to strengthen the benefits to all of our members, plus the addition of several new membership levels.  One huge new benefit being offered to our $100 and above members is free admission to over two hundred museums throughout the United States, including most of the prominent museums in Southern California.  For more info, please contact RAM (Jenelle Lowry) for details.

 

2008 Best In Show Awards

This summer's Annual Members Show jury awarded Canyon Lake artist George Comer with the 2008 Best in Show Award. His large abstract painting titled, "Pool" was selected out of 114 artworks this year. As a result of this award, Comer will have a solo exhibition at RAM in 2009. Additional awards included the Curator’s Awards presented to Corona's Durre Waseem and Redland's Jim Shaw. Also, at this year's Plein Air Artists of Riverside (PAAR) "Paint-Out" exhibition, Ada Passaro was presented the Best in Show Award by PAAR's President, Terry d. Chacon.

THE Overture @ RAM on Sunday, September 14

RAM was selected as the site for the Sept. 14 kick-off of Restaurant Week by the Riverside Fine Dining Association. Eight restaurants, including Saffron, will serve-up their culinary art talents and tasty specialties throughout the museum for the inaugural "Overture" event ($50/ticket, 5-8 pm) that will raise funds for the arts. For tickets and info, please contact RAM at 951.684.7111.

RAM to Co-Publish Jeff Soto Book

RAM in partnership with a San Diego publisher, Mark Murphy, will co-brand and publish the most recent book on one of Riverside's most prominent contemporary artists, Jeff Soto. Soto is internationally acclaimed via exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, and London. He will be having a solo exhibition/installation in the Art Alliance Gallery opening in December and was the featured artist in this summer's Monothon.

2008 Top Dogs

Francie and Eric Johnson and Kathy Allavie were honored as 2008 Top Dogs in June. The Johnsons received a painting of the Museum titled, "Let's Go Inside", by Lisa Mozzini-McDill and Kathy Allavie received a Rita Pacheco painting titled, "Julia's Doors".

 

City of Riverside Plans to Double Regrant Program

Since formally approving "City of the Arts" late last year, the City of Riverside plans to increase its investment into the arts community by doubling its funding for the city arts regrant program (pending City Council approval).  Many thanks to Mayor Ron Loveridge, City Council, and Brad Hudson, City Manager for their supports of the arts.

Sea No Evil Packs the House

RAM has never been more packed full than at July's Sea No Evil exhibition reception and event. International art star, Shepard Fairey presented nearly a dozen artworks and his DJ-mixing skills followed with a performance by MTV favorite, Matt Costa.

Governor Schwarzenegger Comes to RAM

In March, Governor Schwarzenegger came to RAM and addressed over 75 regional leaders in a one-hour “townhall” meeting.  After the meeting, the Governor met with an Art Partners class of visiting elementary school children.  Before leaving, Schwarzenegger purchased a beautiful handmade turquoise necklace from our museum store.

New RAM Logo & Website

As part of the Museum's strategic plan completed in spring '07, the Museum has pursued a comprehensive rebranding, logo, and website redesign project with the generous donation of professional services from the firm, Frye + Wiles.

 

Saffron Closes

Saffron Restaurant, previously located in RAM's Atrium, closed on March 5, 2010. However, they can still be found at their San Dimas location.

While RAM is not currently seeking another restaurant to take Saffron's place, we are happy to announce that the Atrium space is available to rent for your special event and the kitchen soon will be too!

For more information on museum rentals or to set up a facility tour, please contact Sierra LaPoint by calling (951) 684-7111 ext. 305 or by emailing slapoint@riversideartmuseum.org.

 

 

One Intern's Experience at RAM

Elizabeth Naameh
July 14, 2010
RAM Summer Intern

My Internship Experience at the Riverside Art Museum

My internship at the Riverside Art Museum (RAM) has been a wonderful opportunity to develop professional experience, cultivate reputable references, and to simply see a unique side of art philanthropy.  As an intern under the Director of Development, I quickly learned the importance of juggling various tasks every day, often simultaneously. I was able to see how the RAM staff brings the beauty and creativity of the arts to the public through programs like “Art to Go” and “Arts Walk” for people of all ages and cultures to enjoy. I also learned the importance of developing close relationships with the organization’s members, donors, and Board of Trustees who are instrumental in allowing RAM to deliver some of the finest exhibitions and community educational programs in the region.

From marketing and designing to hands-on experience with the youth art education classes, my experiences at the museum have been both diverse and essential in understanding the inner workings of a non-profit organization. As my internship draws to a close, I come away with a greater sense of confidence in myself, my abilities, and my potential to contribute in a professional environment.

During my 8-week internship at RAM, I:

• Organized and implemented an online fundraising auction to allow current and potential donors to interact with the museum in a unique way. The project raised $3,442.50.
• Developed and produced auction marketing materials that reflected the mission of the museum from conception to end of campaign reporting.
• Developed and presented written launch plans outlining the auction process to senior management for approval.
• Processed incoming orders, coordinated shipments, and handled customer-related issues.
• Prepared written status reports for Board, committee, and staff meetings detailing open action items and launch status.
• Maintained records and files on incoming correspondence and other documents. 
• Prepared on-line auction training manual and cross-trained another museum intern in the process.
• Attended off-site business meetings such as Good Morning Riverside to observe how the museum can better address the needs and interests of the greater community.
• Created and maintained databases, budget charts, and spreadsheets to track sales performance as needed. 
• Prepared power point and web-based presentations for Board and Committee meetings.  
• Handled different administrative tasks such as answering the phone, making copies, printing donor communications, and other office responsibilities.
• Designed and assembled fliers detailing current exhibitions.
• Recruited new museum members during opening receptions and Arts Walk.
• Communicated with the Board of Trustees, donors, and members to secure ongoing support. 
• Participated in planning the annual Top Dog dinner and recognition event.
• As a museum receptionist and gift shop assistant, provided customer service by greeting guests, answering questions and assisting them in the selection of purchases and to finalize sales. 
• Operated credit card machine and maintained organized log of membership sign-ups.
• Assisted in teaching a week-long youth art education class in ceramics.

Shop RAM Today!

Now is the time to support your local artists!

Shop RAM during August and receive a FREE GIFT with a purchase of $5 or more!

Don't know what to buy? We have Marco Casentini's 200+ page, full-color catalog available for only $30! T-shirt and totes are only $10 each!

Stop in and shop today!

Free Admission for Veterans and their Families!

 

RAM is proud to be a part of the Blue Star Museums Initiative in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families. For the summer season through Labor Day 2010, RAM is offering free museum admission for all active-duty military personnel, including those in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Reserve and National Guard, and up to five of their family members, are welcome!

 

For more information, please visit the Blue Star Museums Initiative.

Labor Day Holiday

The Riverside Art Museum will be closed on Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day.

We will re-open on Tuesday, September 7 at 10:00 a.m.

Closing early

September 10, 2010

The Riverside Art Museum will be closing at noon on Friday, September 10, in preparation for our Opening Reception for Marco Casentini: All Around, Adelante Siempre!, and Alan Disparte: InterNatural.

Joshua Tree National Park News Release

Selections Made for 2010-2011 Joshua Tree National Park Artist-in-Residence Program

Joshua Tree National Park, in partnership with the Riverside Art Museum, is pleased to announce the selections for the 2010-2011 Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR). Three visual artists, a choreographer, and a writer were invited to participate in the program. This is the third year in which artists have been offered this unique residential opportunity.

The selected 2010-2011 artists are:

• Steven L. Anderson (a painter from Los Angeles, CA);
• Shayna Keller (a choreographer/dancer from Studio City, CA);
• Eric Russell Martin (a sculptor/videographer from Oakland, CA);
• Caille Millner (a writer from San Francisco, CA); and
• Naida Osline (a photographer from Riverside, CA).

Michael Kenny (a photographer from San Francisco) was selected as an alternate.

Each artist-in-residence will be provided with accommodations inside the park for a two- to six-week period to interpret different aspects of Joshua Tree National Park through the medium he or she has chosen. The residencies will take place during the months of October and November 2010, and March and April 2011. Through partnerships established with other cultural, environmental, and civic agencies within the region, these artists will produce a program, presentation, or exhibit to engage members of the community during the residency.

The jury of seven also selected an artist to participate in the Affiliate Artist program, which encourages one-year projects in the park, but provides no accommodations. That honor went to Eric Nevis, a musician from Joshua Tree.

Curt Sauer, Superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park, said he was very proud of the work done by park and museum staff to ensure that visiting artists have a positive experience during the program. “Through the Artist-in-Residence program, we hope to carry on the venerable tradition of providing artists with opportunities for creative expression in some of the country’s last remaining wild places,” said Sauer.

For more information about Joshua Tree National Park/The Riverside Art Museum’s Artist-in-Residence Program, please contact Caryn Davidson, Park Liaison for the AIR Program at 760-367-3012, or Lee Tusman, Curator for the Riverside Art Museum, at 951-684-7111.

JTNP Mission Statement: The purpose of Joshua Tree National Park’s Artist-in-Residence Program is to provide artistic and educational opportunities to promote a deeper understanding of and dialogue about the natural, cultural, and historical resources of Joshua Tree National Park and the deserts of Southern California.

 

Walking the talk when it comes to the arts....

RAM Member Darcy Weis shows us what true commitment to the arts is all about.

Since 2004, Darcy (seen here with husband Matt Weis) has served as a Museum Board of Trustee, an Avant Garde Committee member and is Co-Founder and Chair of ARTery: lifeline to the arts education. She accomplishes all of this in addition to her full-time jobs as wife to husband Matt, and mother to Mercer (7) and Kendall (5). Both children are very active in school, sports, and art activities. Darcy spends time attending museum art openings and events that support artists and the arts in the community. Vibrant, smart, and visionary, we are fortunate to have her as member, leader, and arts advocate in our city.

Of course, she had great role models. Darcy's parents, Bud and Margo Dutton, have been long-time supporters of the Riverside Art Museum. They are Life Members and Margo served on RAM's Board of Trustees for 13 years. It is by this type of donor support and commitment that our museum has grown and flourished.

This example set the foundation for a future that involves giving back to the community. And through the influences of teachers such as Mr. Wilcox who taught art history, and visiting museums during family travels abroad and in the U.S., Darcy's passion and appreciation for the arts blossomed. Having been born and raised in Riverside, experiencing a visit to the home of Picasso and Salvador Dali in Spain left a very deep impression.

Weis surrounds herself with other locals that support the arts too. The ARTery co-founders include Keri Gless, Lori Beilby, Yoginee Braslaw, Holy Comer, Toni DiGuglielmo, Brenda Koosed, Denise Kraemer, Mai Lipson, Teri Parker, Marie Schultz, and Brandy Sharpe.  This amazing group of doers are making an impact at the museum and in the community. Join them on October 1 at 6 p.m. for the Arts & Craft Beers event at RAM. The entry fee of $50 per person can be purchased online, over the phone (951.684.7111) with a credit card, or by cash/check at the museum. Don't miss this event or chance to meet the ARTery group - let them show you how to tap into your creative side and be a kid again! Artery is also on Facebook and Twitter.

In Darcy's own words, "Everyone has an artist within them. RAM is a gem and I am very proud to be involved. I hope that families will think of RAM as a wonderful place to help their children understand the importance of art and creative expression."

Darcy's love of the arts was engrained at a very young age. Her desire to make it a part of her life and that of her children and friends, and her motivation to encourage others is her own. RAM is the beneficiary of this commitment and dedication. We thank Darcy for representing RAM so well and for all she has done for us.

            Mercer's 7th Birthday & Art Extravaganza at RAM                                       Darcy at the Arts & Craft Beers event in 2009

The ladies of ARTery

Membership Special for Seniors

With RAM membership, you get unlimited free admission to the Musuem and events throughout the year.

 

We understand that age only deepens an appreciation for the arts, so come in during the month of October and receive a Senior membership for only $20.

 

Come in or call us at 951.684.7111 today to become a valued RAM member!

Lunar Fest Art Contest!

In partnership with the International Relations Council and to celebrate Riverside's 1st annual Asian Pacific Lunar New Year Festival, RAM is proud to be part of the Lunar Fest Art Contest open to the elementary, middle, and high school students of the Riverside Unified School District and the Alvord Unified School District. Home, charter, and private school students are also invited to participate.

Asian in theme and original in content and style, artwork is to be dropped off at RAM on December 9, 10, and 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The winners will be announced by January 26, 2011 and will be posted on the Lunar Fest website. For contest rules and the registration form, please click here.

Good luck and have fun!

Lunar Fest Report

May Lynn Davis, who headed the committee which put the Lunar Fest together, gave her report of the success of the event to the City Council. Go to the 9:00 minute mark to hear the details and to find out when next year's Lunar Fest will be.

Lunar Fest Art Contest Winners!

The Riverside Art Museum is proud to announce the winners of the 1st Annual Lunar Fest Art Contest open to the students of the Riverside Unified and Alvord Unified School Districts as well as Home, Charter, and Private Schools.

The Kindergarten - 6th Grade Winners are:

• 1st Place - Ryan Erickson, Age 5, "Chinese Dragon"
• 2nd Place - Paige Jones, Age 11, "A Lunar Celebration"
• 3rd Place - Victoria Elise Cairus, Age 7, "The Fire Breathing Dragon"

The 7th Grade - 12th Grade Winners are:

• 1st Place - Amber Gonzales, Age 17, "The Rising Sun"
• 2nd Place - Jennifer Liv, Age 17, "Moon, Flowers, and a Little Something"
• 3rd Place - Caela Botka, Age 14, "A New Year Blossoms"

This year's judges were: Jill Jones, artist; Patrick Brien, Executive Director of the Riverside Arts Council; and Tracie Lents, RAM Education Coordinator.

CONGRATULATIONS to our winners and a big thank you to the judges and all of our participants!