Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts

Saturday, June 13, 2015

The Mural Behind the Sports Posters


The next time you sit on the patio at the Third Base Burger Bar on San Benito Street, check out the mural on the wall behind the sports posters. This beautiful mural, titled Fruited Plains, was painted seven years ago by art students at Gavilan College under the direction of Dr. Arturo Rosette. To read more about the mural, as well as see additional photos of it, please click here.

The Fruited Plains mural in Brown Alley.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

From the Archives -- The Downtown Hollister Parking Garage


Today's archival piece is about the gorgeous downtown parking garage on Fourth Street, which you enter via the parking lot on Fifth Street. FYI: I edited the story just a bit.


An Art Museum? A Vista Point?
It's Both and More!
(originally published September 29, 2008)

We have million-dollar art to check out for free in Hollister. Head over to the Briggs Building, which is near the corner of San Benito Street & Fourth Street. That’s the parking garage.

That’s right, I wrote parking garage. You can't miss it. It’s a four-story structure, the tallest one in town. It was built in the 1990s for about $6 million with RDA funds. At full capacity, it can hold about 140 vehicles, so I’ve read. I know, that’s a lot of taxpayers' pennies.

Few people use the parking garage. Maybe the building is just too beautiful to park in. Seriously, the building itself is a piece of art. If I didn’t know it was a parking lot, I would say it was a school (Gavilan College does hold classes on the first floor). Maybe a government building or a fancy department store. Maybe even an art museum, which brings me back to the topic of seeing some fine art there.

Start your tour by the stairway next to the elevator on the southeast corner of the building. First, admire the aesthetics of the stairway design.

Now, start walking up the stairs. Sure, you can take the elevator but there’s more joy in suddenly coming upon each piece of art as you gaspingly reach the top of a floor.

Pause at the top of each floor for your breath. Also, take note of the beauty of the art piece telling you what floor you’re on.

On the rooftop, I noticed a few more of these art pieces telling me I’m on the fourth floor. So I assume that’s the case on the other floors.

To tell you the truth, I no longer was interested in seeing and viewing man-made art when I came out on the rooftop. I was immediately astounded by the view of Hollister and the mountain ranges that surround it. The almost 360-degree view of Hollister is worth an occasional trip to the top of the roof of Hollister’s multi-million dollar parking garage.

There you have it: an arts museum and a vista point. Plus, you can park there.

Friday, April 24, 2015

U is for. . .


Utility boxes.

Last December, the City of Hollister funded a project to paint murals on five plain utility boxes throughout Downtown Hollister. The murals, painted by Joel Esqueda and Rolan Resendiz, local artists, depict various cultural aspects of Hollister and San Benito County.

The mural on the utility box at the northwest corner of South and San Benito Streets celebrates cowboys and the annual rodeo.


At the northwest corner of North and San Felipe Streets is another utility box with a colorful mural. It honors the Ballet Folklorico, a traditional Mexican dance performed at local festivities.


On this utility box is a poem by local award-winning poet Rachelle Linda Escamilla. It reads:
"Our hands, like water, 
shape the land. 
Our bodies split 
the grassland; 
this valley 
a labor of love."
~ Rachelle Escamilla 


Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.


Monday, November 17, 2014

Good Morning, Tigers!


Nearly every school day, around 8 a.m., I hear the starting bell ring at Sunnyslope School and, a few seconds later, the noise of the PA system. A cheerful voice (I presume the principal) comes on and says, "Good Morning, Tigers!" When the weather is just right, I can also hear the announcements and  the daily joke, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by one of the Tigers. I love it!


Sunnyslope School is where I went to fourth and fifth grades in the ancient days. We had no school mascot. But, we did have more running and play space. Today, a lot of the open school yard and field that we played in are covered with buildings full of classrooms.

Yesterday, when the Husband and I walked by the school, we noticed the colorful murals hanging on the outside walls. Many of them look like the work of the Tigers. And, yes, I wish we could've painted outdoor murals back then.

 
Today, I'm linking up with Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from other parts of the world, please click here.



Monday, August 11, 2014

Veterans' Mural on Third Street


Last month, artist Philip Ray Orabuena and his friends painted a mural dedicated to the Veterans of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars on the retaining wall at the bottom of Park Hill on Third Street. Check out their story at BenitoLink: "Veterans' Mural Makes a Statement" and at San Benito County Today: "Painting the Town Patriotic Through Mural".

Below are close-ups of the 105-foot long mural. Before you take a look, I'd like you know that I'm hooking up this post at Monday Murals. If you'd like to see murals from other parts of the U.S. and the world, click over to this link after checking the close-ups of the Veterans' Mural.










Sunday, May 25, 2014

A Peep of Beauty


The other afternoon I was walking by the Hollister United Methodist Church on Fifth Street and noticed that the stained glass windows were slightly visible. Normally, you can't see them from the outside. The windows are stunning. Click here to get an idea of how they look from the inside.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

The Glass Connection


Did you know we have a shop in our county that sells clocks, lamps, windows, tiles, ceiling plates, and other products made of colored glass? Walking by the shop one evening was what inspired me to look for examples of stained glass art in our area.   If you're in San Juan Bautista, check out The Glass Connection.

I hope you enjoyed the stained glass theme the past few days. Here are links to the posts, in case you missed them or want to revisit them.
Enjoy the rain. Until tomorrow, Dear Readers.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Stained Glass Windows in the Former Hospital


The building that was once the original Hazel Hawkins Hospital on Monterey Street has a few beautiful stained glass windows in its south wing. Notice how the glass is bubble-like rather than smooth? 

When the Husband and I stopped by a few days ago, we saw that the plates lining the ceiling of the hallway were ripped out. Too bad.  It was an amazing sight to behold. I still wonder the inspiration for such a design. For those of you who never saw it, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the post.

This small piece of glass work is on a back door. I like how at first -- and second -- glance the outdoors seem to be part of the window. In a way, it really is.



Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Church Stained Glass Windows


Many churches in San Benito County have stained glass windows. Some artwork depict stories from the Bible, while other pieces are decorations. The photos on this page show two of the beautiful stained glass windows at the Hollister United Methodist Church on Monterey and Fifth Streets.

To see more church stained glass windows in our area, check out these pages.
 

Monday, February 24, 2014

The Stained Glass in St. Benedict Church


I wonder how the term stained glass came about that people thought it was uncool to say, "Wow! That's beautiful colored glass."

Anyway, I've been noticing stained glass lately that I decided to feature some of the local sightings over the next few days. Today's photo shows some of the beautiful stained glass artwork  at St. Benedict Church on Fairview Road. To see another piece at the church, go to this page on Take 25 to Hollister.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Radiator Guy


You can't help but smile when you see this piece of art waving "hello" from the side of the road. Haven't seen it yet? Look for it the next time you pass by 733 San Felipe Road, the building just after the Chevron Station.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Santana Gallery


Painting by Manuel Santana (1927 - 2008)

Santana Gallery, at 115 3rd Street, is one of several art galleries in San Juan Bautista. It opened last summer with an exhibit of the late Manuel Santana's paintings. Mr. Santana was known not only for his art work, but also for his community activism and for his popular restaurant next door to the gallery -- Jardines de San Juan.

If you're like me, your first visit to Santana Gallery will make you think you've been there before. You have. The building was once the home to Galeria Tonantzin, which featured workds of contemporary women artists. I finally remembered when I saw the trap door in the floor that leads to a tunnel system which runs under the city.

My Sources:
Santana Gallery
Manny Santana: Santa Cruz County Artist of the Year
Jardines de San Juan

The open door between Santana Gallery 
and Jardines de San Juan

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Coming Up on Saturday, December 7


Quite a lot of holiday things happening this Saturday in San Benito County. Who knows who you might meet on Saturday. (Hint: Ho! Ho! Ho!) Which events will you check out?



Holiday Resource Fair
10 AM to 2 PM
Briggs Building, 365 Fourth Street, Hollister
Sponsored by the Hollister Youth Alliance, the free event will feature local organizations that offer free or affordable health care, legal, education, and other services to individuals and families. A food and toy drive will also take place. Santa Claus will stop by the fair for photos.

3rd Annual San Benito Holiday Cheer Shop Hop
When you visit any of the participating shops, galleries, salons, restaurants, and more in Hollister, San Juan Bautista,  and Aromas on this day, you can enter a raffle to win one of 26 baskets of local goodies. For a list of participants, click here.

B&R Farms Cozy Christmas Open House
10 AM to 4 PM
5280 Fairview Road, Hollister
B&R Farms will also be having an open house on 12/14 and 12/21.

Tasty Saturdays at San Benito Bene 
615 B San Benito Street, Hollister
San Benito Bene will also have samples of food pairings on 12/14 and 12/21.

Living History Day 
11 AM to 4 PM
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
Adults $3; Children under 16, free

  
Merchants Holiday Open House
11 AM to 9 PM
Shops, restaurants, and other businesses throughout San Juan Bautista start off the season of holiday cheer.

Holiday Art Marketplace

12 to 5 PM
Blak Sage Gallery
Prints, pottery, ornaments, wooden toys, cards, and more created by local artists and artisans are on sale Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday through 12/ 21.

ARTS OUT LOUD 
1 to 5 PM
1220 Monterey Street, Rooms 301-316, Hollister
This free event will feature art work of more that 175 San Benito High School artists, which will be available for sale.  Live entertainment, demonstrations, and workshops will also be part of the day. Free refreshments will be on hand. ARTS OUT LOUD will be on Sunday, 12/8, too.

100 Years of Ice Cream Socials: Centennial Anniversary of the Women's Club of Hollister
2 to 5 PM
First Presbyterian Church, 2066 San Benito Street
Mr. O's Academy Jazz band and Triple Creek will be performing.
Tickets are $5/person and being pre-sold by members. For more info, call Cindy at 637-0362 or email her at acbiese@ymail.com.

Visions of San Juan, A Holiday Stroll Through Time
 4 to 8 PM
A Victorian holiday celebration. To check out the schedule of activities, click here.

San Juan Bautista 8th annual Holiday In Lights Parade
5:30 PM
The parade winds through downtown San Juan Bautista.


Monday, July 8, 2013

"Freedom, Rebellion and Adventure"


Who  else agrees that the Hollister bike rally was fun and well-run?

Congratulations to Mark Cresswell of Worldwide Dynamics for doing a wonderful job organizing and managing the 2013 Hollister Rally.  Much appreciation also goes to our new Hollister Police Chief David Westrick for such a great job leading law enforcement for the event.  And, many thanks to the thousands of visitors over the last few days to our city. Hope you enjoyed your visit.

The motorcycle rally may be over for this year, but the biker-inspired exhibit, Freedom, Rebellion & Adventure, continues at the Blak Sage Gallery until July 20, 2013. The exhibit includes works by Rob Campbell, creator of the "Keeping Up with Jones" comic strip, photographs by Michele Esposito, and  sculptures by Paul Loughridge. Take the time to enjoy it, the next time you're in downtown historical Hollister.

Loughridge inspires me to try my hand at putting together odds and ends of metal things to create something spectacular. Something I've never done before. My favorite Loughridge sculpture is called "Evolution (bone/wrench)", which he created out of a vintage bicycle tank, meat grinder handle, flex gas line, propane carb, toilet seat hinges, and a turkey baster. Brilliant! My second favorite is the red truck in the photo above.

The Blak Sage Gallery  is located at 727 San Benito Street (east side of the street between 7th and South Streets). The gallery is open Wednesday and Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m.; Friday, 1 to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m. For more info about the artists, check out San Benito County Arts Council Facebook page.


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Neighborhood Art


The artist was a young teenage girl, who glanced at us briefly from her new creation in progress. Her father was very proud of her talent and skills, as he smiled broadly first at his daughter and then at us while we appreciated her sidewalk art.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Creative Escapes


Local artist  Shannon Grissom opens her studio in downtown Hollister every Thursday afternoon for Creative Escapes. For a flat admission fee and a fee per project, children and grownups are welcome to use her art supplies . . .

to draw. . .


to paint . . .


 to paint. . .


to paint . . .


or to make collages, masks, or greeting cards


Last Thursday, a bunch of friends and I spent a few fun hours in Shannon's studio. None of us really had an idea what we wanted to do other than to play with art. Although game about the adventure, a few of us were wary about the whole idea. I, for instance, have been chipping away at my fear of art ever since my first grade teacher told me, "Susie, draw your cows on the ground."  An afternoon with Shannon put a lot of my apprehension in the trash bag.  If you'd like to see what I ended up creating, you can view it here at Don't Be a Hippie.

For more about Shannon and her Creative Escapes, check out these sites:

Friday, November 9, 2012

November 10–11 2012 Weekend


Just in case you haven't heard, here are three events taking place this weekend.

Mommy and Me, Art and Tea

On Saturday afternoon, November 10, children and their parents (Moms and/or Dads) can participate in a hands-on art project event at the Blak Sage Gallery (727 San Benito Street). The free event is from noon to 5 p.m. Cookies and tea will be served. The fun family affair fete is sponsored by the San Benito County Arts Council. For more info, call 831-636-2787 or check out this Facebook link.

Sounds of Brass Concert

The Pacific Brass Band will hold its 12th annual benefit concert this Saturday, November 10, 2 p.m., at Rancho San Justo Middle School (1201 Rancho Drive). This British-style brass band is composed of musicians from San Benito, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara counties. The concert is sponsored by the local YMCA  and Mr. O's Save the Music Drive.

Proceeds of the concert will benefit the Hollister elementary school music program and the Hollister middle school sports program.

Admission tickets: $25 per family (up to to persons), $5 for seniors, and $5 for students. Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by paid adults. Tickets may be purchased before the concert at the YMCA of San Benito County, Mr. O’s Academy, Postal Graphics,  and Ace Hardware.

Veterans Day Parade

This year's Veterans Day Parade will take place in downtown Hollister on Sunday November 11 at  1:30 p.m.

The Veterans Day celebration will begin at 11:11 a.m.  at the Veterans Memorial Building with  a moment-of-silence observation for our deceased Veterans. A BBQ lunch will be available at noon. The day's event will also have a resource fair for Veterans. A military flyover is slated to take place before the parade.

Scheduled earlier on Sunday is the annual Veterans Day Breakfast,  hosted by San Benito County LULAC, at the  San Benito High School Cafeteria. Breakfast will be served from  7 a.m. to noon. State Assembly member Luis Alejo will be a guest speaker at the breakfast.

Breakfast is $8, with proceeds benefiting the 2013 LULAC scholarship fund. For further information, call  831-673-1977.

© 2012 Su-sieee! Mac. All rights reserved. www.take25tohollister.com

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Art All Around


These PG&E thingies are on the sidewalk in front of Heavenly Bakery on the corner of Sixth and San Benito Streets.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

2012 Arts Out Loud


Hey Balers!

Hey former Balers!

Hey Baler supporters and lovers!

Check out the current Baler artists at the Arts Out Loud celebration!

This 5th annual event is sponsored by the SBHS Department of Visual and Performing Arts. It showcases artwork, music, and live performances by more than 500 budding artists, musicians, and performers.

Arts Out Loud will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, May 12, and Sunday, May 13. It will be held at the SBHS Cafeteria.  For more details, check out this link. To see a campus map, click here.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Hello Art!

You never know when you'll meet or see Art as you take a walk on San Benito Street in downtown Hollister.

Here. . .

Blak Sage Gallery of Fine Art

 And Here. . .

Hollister Muffler

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