Artist Spotlight Archives - Santa Clarita Arts

West Ranch Percussion Ensemble Returns Home as World Champions

The 24 members of the West Ranch High School percussion Ensemble will forever be known as world champions as they took home the top prize at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, this past weekend.

Nineteen students, led by West Ranch Director of Instrumental Music, Jason Marshall, and percussion Instructors Julio Diaz, Andrew Ramirez, Phil Idel and Hyun Lee, represented one of hundreds of schools from across the country to compete in the two-day event in six different divisions.

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West Ranch Percussion Ensemble Returns Home as World Champions

CalArts Artists Chosen Among Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced 173 fellowships Thursday, which included several CalArts artists.

While the grant amounts are not disclosed, the foundation offers its fellowships to “further the development of scholars and artists by assisting them to engage in research in any field of knowledge and creation in any of the arts, under the freest possible conditions and irrespective of race, color, or creed,” according to the Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.

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CalArts Artists Chosen Among Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships

Filmmaker James Benning’s Works on View at Festivals, Museums in 2018

This has been a busy year so far for filmmaker and CalArts School of Film/Video faculty James Benning, whose work is featured in numerous festivals and exhibitions around the world.

In January, Benning traveled to New York City for “First Look 2018,” a film festival by the Museum of Moving Image. His films “Readers” (2017), “measuring change” (2016) and “L. Cohen” (2012) were shown as part of the series “Three Works by James Benning.”

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Filmmaker James Benning’s Works on View at Festivals, Museums in 2018

6 CalArtians Among Artists Selected for ‘Made in L.A. 2018’
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6 CalArtians Among Artists Selected for ‘Made in L.A. 2018’

Announcements, Artist Spotlight, News

6 CalArtians Among Artists Selected for ‘Made in L.A. 2018’

UCLA’s Hammer Museum has announced the 32 artists including six CalArts alumni who will participate in “Made in L.A. 2018,” the fourth edition of the museum’s biennial exhibition, which will run June 3 to Sept. 2 at the Westwood museum.

The exhibition continues to highlight the practices of artists working throughout Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, primarily focusing on emerging artists. Six CalArts alumni have been selected for “Made in L.A.”: Beatriz Cortez (Art MFA 15), Lauren Halsey (Art BFA 12), Gelare Khoshgozaran (Art MFA 11), Daniel Joseph Martinez (Art BFA 79), Naotaka Hiro (Film/Video MFA 00) and Rosha Yaghmai (Art MFA 07) alongside School of Film/Video faculty James Benning.

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6 CalArtians Among Artists Selected for ‘Made in L.A. 2018’

Dark Comedy “Two Fisted Love” to Feature Sound Design by CalArts Grad

The upcoming world premiere of Range of Light Productions’ Two Fisted Love, written by David Sessions, features sound design by CalArts alumna Cricket S. Myers (Theater MFA 03).

Opening Saturday (Feb. 10*), at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles, the dark comedy is set in the privileged world of Silicon Valley in 2008, in the days leading up to the financial crisis and presidential election.

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Dark Comedy “Two Fisted Love” to Feature Sound Design by CalArts Grad

CalArts Alumnus Takes Home Grammy for Producer of the Year

The 60th Annual Grammy Award winners were announced on Sunday with CalArts alumnus Greg Kurstin (Music BFA 92) winning the Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category, (awarded during the pre-telecast, the Grammy Premiere Ceremony). He becomes the first producer to win it two years in a row since Babyface won it three years running from 1995 through 1997. Last year’s award came courtesy of his work on Adele’s hit album, 25.

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CalArts Alumnus Takes Home Grammy for Producer of the Year

CalArtians Among United States Artists’ New Fellowship Class

Several CalArtians are among the Chicago-based United States Artists‘ annual fellowship class of 45 artists and collaboratives who will each receive an unrestricted $50,000 grant for their respective art practices.

The new fellows, selected from nine disciplines and from throughout the U.S. and announced Tuesday, include CalArts alumni, faculty and guest artists.

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CalArtians Among United States Artists’ New Fellowship Class

CalArts Grad Adrian Molina Wins Golden Globe for ‘Coco’

Filmmaker and 2007 California Insitute of the Arts graduate Adrian Molina won a Golden Globe Sunday night as co-director of “Coco,” which earned the “Best Animated Feature Film” award.

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CalArts Grad Adrian Molina Wins Golden Globe for ‘Coco’

Arts Commission Recognizes Local Artist and Educator Dianne Foderaro
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Arts Commission Recognizes Local Artist and Educator Dianne Foderaro

Announcements, Artist Spotlight

Arts Commission Recognizes Local Artist and Educator Dianne Foderaro

Each month the Arts Commission recognizes individuals or groups who have made a significant contribution to the artistic and cultural life of the Santa Clarita Valley. This month they recognized Dianne Foderaro for her work as an educator and artist who shares her passion for the arts with children and adults through the ARTree organization and through her work as a professional artist.

Dianne is an artist and a teacher with thirty years of teaching experience in the Saugus Union School District. During those years, she was named Teacher of the Year in 1990. Dianne spent two summers teaching with the Von’s Teach the Teachers technology program in Ojai, California. She has a Master of Arts degree in education with an emphasis on art and completed research proving the importance of drawing in the development of visual perceptual skills. Dianne’s grant-funded projects include guiding students to design and create public murals as well as the development of student-based video projects.

As a welded metal artist, Dianne creates whimsical life-sized people. All of her pieces include recycled materials. She has two public art pieces installed in Santa Clarita – a trailhead piece, “Crossroads at Iron Horse Trailhead,” developed collaboratively with Idelle Okman Tyzbir, and a second piece, “The Spirit of Santa Clarita,” on the South Fork Trail. Her works are part of private collections throughout California. With two grown children and four grandsons, Dianne enjoys bringing an interest in the arts to her own family as well as to the children of Santa Clarita.

CalArts Alum Wins ‘Best Student Film’ at 2017 SF Dance Film Festival

Award-winning Deaf culture advocate, producer, choreographer and dancer Antoine Hunter (Dance 02) won an award at the 2017 San Francisco Dance Film Festival last month.
Hunter co-choreographed and performed in Qiying Lin’s short film, “Dance to the Music in your Heart.” The film was awarded an SFDFF prize for Best Student Film.

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CalArts Alum Wins ‘Best Student Film’ at 2017 SF Dance Film Festival