Welcome to another issue of News and Resources for Creatives. We have several exhibit openings this week beginning with Ivan Gonzalez at Gardner Community Center on Friday. Next up is Miguel Machuca at South First Billiards also on Friday, May 2nd. Then it's Abbey Shane at Riga's European Bakery and Cafe on Saturday, May 3rd. Be sure to check out Future Exhibits for details of these and other upcoming events.

The most important thing this month is our largest fundraising event of the year. We are asking for your support of this event in order to fund our upcoming Chalk Art Festival, Heart of Kids exhibit as well as other Heart of Chaos exhibits and events planned for the year. Heart of Chaos and Heart of Kids artists will be Paddling for the Planet to raise money for Catalyst for Youth, the non-profit that funds us. We need your support in the form of pledges. For details please visit the Fundraising Section.

Be sure to check out our Calls for Artists. We are ramping up for a great summer filled with chalk art and the first Art Expo hosted by Heart of Chaos and Gardner Community Center.

Sincerely Your Editor,
Jenifer "Jen" Sluga

Q&A with Ivan Gonzalez - Approaches & Mediums Exhibit Opens Friday May 2nd
6-9PM at Gardner Community Center

Q: How would you characterize your work? (Do you have an artist statement?)

Ivan: My name is Ivan T. Gonzalez and I am 24 years old. I am also a single father and my daughter is my primary motivation.
Although some sort of art was around me most of my life, I began painting aound my senior year of high school and was influenced greatly by my brother Abel Gonzalez. He is one of the most amazing artists I know. It is hard to characterize my work due to the fact that I am influenced by so many things. My work ranges from fine art to graffitti and is very diverse. I reallly enjoy working on sceneries, portraits, still life drawings, non-objective paintings, graffitti murals, and illustrations.

Q: What is your favorite medium and why? What is your range of mediums?

Ivan: At the moment I have been mixing mediums. I initially began painting with acrylics and drawling with lead and charcoal. The different mediums I use are: acrylic, oil, aerosol, ink, lead, wash, clay, copper, and silver.

Q: Where have you studied art? Where have you exhibited work?

Ivan: I have taken 2-D and 3-D classes at Evergreen Community College. I have displayed work at many small venues in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Pomona ranging from bars, independently owned shops, and shows my friends throw. I have also participated in events organized by Heart of Caos and Pacific Art Collective(PAC).


Q: What is your favorite work? And what is your favorite response from others to your work?

Ivan: I really don't have a favorite type of work because I usually paint or draw according to how I feel. I really enjoy creating anything because it all gives me a great deal of therapy. People respond positively to alot of my work and usually isn't a certain type because it ranges from alot of different things.

Q: Where are you going now? What direction is calling you?

Ivan: I recently began working less hours in order to invest in myself and what I love doing, creating. I am in the process of building a company that will consist of freelance work, original pieces, and mass produced merchandise. I am also in the process of receiving grants that will benefit the youth in my community by art classes and workshops that I will be teaching. My plans are to explore all mediums and techniques because ever since I have started doing so my capability to create what I envision has become easier. Eventually, I would like to teach, but first I will attempt to build a successful company. It is a sacrifice but I am willing to try.

Come join us in celebrating Ivan's artwork at his opening reception on May 2nd, for details check out the future events section.

Q&A with Abbey Shane- Exhibit Opens Saturday, May 3rd from Noon-3PM at Riga's European Bakery and Cafe

Q: How would you characterize your work? (Do you have an artist statement?)

Abbey: Art is my passion, my energy, and emotion. It is my outlet, my influence, my fire and my flame. I express the current emotion of my heart or thoughts when I create a piece. I use the things that I love and hate to derive the feelings and inspiration used for a piece.

I have been an artist since birth. I always thought I looked at the world differently than other people even as a child. I loved to find the beauty in everything, even the most ugliest of things. I started expressing myself at a young age especially though art. I would spend most of my time drawing, painting, taking pictures and writing poetry. After a while my thirst to create and my imagination stated growing and seeking new forms of expression. I started seeking new ways to create my visions and pieces. Over the years I have developed my own highly stylized forms of work. I work very fast and go through stages of development. I have an immense variety of mediums and works. I will work on one form of art until I find a way to transform it into something completely different.

I often I draw faces; I put lots of emphasis on the persons eyes. I believe you can capture a glimpse of a person’s soul for a split second while you look into their eyes. I create a lot of portraits and add elements that are in my life let it be positively or negative surrounding the background of the portrait. Most of my pieces have left the viewer in ponder. Each piece evokes an emotion or a thought. Since I am not always aware of my feelings, the viewer will have to conclude their own visions and sense of my work.

Q: What is your favorite medium and why? What is your range of mediums?

Abbey: My favorite mediums are Ink and paint on canvas, and Adobe Illustrator. I have been evolving my inking skills on canvas for years. I love working with ink and creating a highly stylized line art form for my portraits.

My range of abilities is vast. I paint, draw, ink, collage, glass etching and sand blasting, jewelry casting, sculpting and pottery making, quilting, clothing design and production, computer illustrations, photography and poetry.

Q: Where have you studied art? Where have you exhibited work?

Abbey: I went to Brooks College for Graphic design. Before going to college for art, my entire life was spent consuming and soaking up any creative vibration I could. In school I was placed in Advanced Art and Classes. In fact in High School the only class I could pay attention in and not get zoned out in was art. It’s where I put my creativity to use. I have exhibited my work at local art shops and cafés in my local area. I have also participated in shows through Heart of Chaos.

Come join us in celebrating Abbey's artwork at her opening reception on May 3rd, for details check out the future events section.

We Need Your Support to Keep Bringing You Great Local Art and Events!

Artists from Heart of Chaos and Heart of Kids, our new young artist collective, will Paddle to raise money for Catalyst for Youth, the non-profit that funds Heart of Chaos, in this year's People Paddle for the Planet. We need your help to continue to bring you great local art and events including this years Chalk Art Festival, Heart of Kids Exhibits and several other exhibits and events we have planned this year.

Every little bit counts so please take a few moments make a pledge of $5, $10, $20 or more. You can pledge online with a credit/debit card or mail a check to Catalyst for Youth at 1724 Alberta Ave., San Jose, CA 95125. Catalyst will make the pledge for you if you mail in a check.

To pledge please visit: http://www.peoplepaddle.com/planet/pledge.htm and select one of our paddlers. Our paddlers are:
Curtis Manzano
Lacey Bryant
Michael Denning
Nicole Desfosses
Anthony Mingus

Pledge money will directly benifit Heart of Chaos programs! Thank you for your support!

Be sure to come out and cheer on our paddlers on June 15th at Leo J Ryan Park in Foster City from 10AM-1PM

Chalk Art and People Paddle for the Planet!

Heart of Chaos has been invited to put on a chalk art event at People Paddle for the Planet under Catalyst for Youth, the non-profit agency that pays our bills. We need 8-10 artists, no chalk experience required, to participate. We will supply the soft pastels. If you are interested please email Jen. The date of the event is Sunday June 15th, 10AM - 1PM at Leo J Ryan park in Foster City.

For more information please visit the People Paddle for the Planet Website at:
http://www.peoplepaddle.com/planet/

We will be hosting an Art Expo at Gardner Community Center on July 19th from 11AM-3PM. There will be approximately 30 artists booths available for a cost of $25 per space. To participate as a selling artist you must obtain a seller's permit from the City of San Jose. If you are interested in purchasing booth space please download and complete the exhibitor's application.

New Youth Art Program: Heart of Kids

CALLING ALL YOUNG ARTISTS!
Are you a young artist?  Maybe you have a child, grandchild or friend who is a young artist.  Heart of Kids is a new youth art organization for young artists between the ages of 4 and 15 years of age.  We are calling out to all young artists for participation in our youth art program that will showcase their talents in upcoming community exhibits. All art mediums and skill levels welcomed! 

To learn more, check out this article or email jen@heartofchaos.net.

Would you like to do a solo or duo exhibit? Read on...

Heart of Chaos has been invited to showcase its artists at several local venues including:

Gardner Community Center
Riga's European Bakery and Cafe
South First Billiards

If you have enough work to put on a solo exhibit or wish to do a duo exhibit with a friend please email Jen at jen@heartofchaos.net with the following information.

Location you wish to exhibit at from list above

Your full contact details

Link to your portfolio or 10 web resolution images of your work

(If you wish to put on a duo exhibit, please send the other person's details and portfolio)

Have you registered for the
Heart of Chaos :: Virtual Exhibit yet?
Our online artist community is growing every day. Have you checked it out yet? You can post images, documents, music and movie files for access from our website.

The Heart of Chaos Virtual Exhibit was created to showcase artists and provide a portal for artists to sell their work. Create a FREE profile by visiting http://www.heartofchaos.net/artup.

For details on creating a profile and posting your work, click here.

We will be choosing future featured artists from the Virtual Exhibit to spotlight in upcoming issues of this newsletter, We look forward to seeing your work!

We always welcome new volunteers and are in need of as much help as we can get! Below are some volunteer opportunities, if you are interested in volunteering with Heart of Chaos, please email Joanne Hobbs.

Teach a Workshop - Juvenile Hall
Special guest watercolor artists from the California Watercolor Society gave
a two hour workshop in the B9 living unit. The minors had fun and created
some wonderful landscapes.

Teacher/Guest Artists
Would you like to teach a workshop at Juvenile Hall? We need two guest artists a month to teach a two hour Wednesday evening session from 6pm to 8pm.  Contact Joanne Hobbs for more information.

Heart of Chaos Crew
Help plan, set up and breakdown events. Contact Jen for more information.

Promoter
We need some people who are willing to pass out pre-printed fliers for Heart of Chaos events to local business and/or at local events in the bay area

Graphic Designers and Editors needed for collaboration on
Heart of Chaos Zines

Get your Heart of Chaos apparel! A $5 donation will be made to Heart of Chaos for every item purchased. There are tons of items to choose from and something for everyone.
Go Shopping!

"Auto Pilot"
A photography/ art show featuring the works by:
Abraham Menor
Matt Rodriguez
Sam Rodriguez

Friday, May 2nd 7PM-11PM
shortyfatz.com
brainsoiled.com

Connoisseur533
533 South Market Street
San Jo - California
PH: 408-293-2533
www.connoisseur533.com

4 Views, an open studio exhibit, part of the Silicon Valley Open Studios 2008!
Work by artists Rachel Tirosh, Audrey Garfield, Yael Barzilai and Ruth-Anne
Siegel including photography, painting, one-of-a-kind artisan décor pieces and lots of jewelry.

The exhibit will be Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 from 11 AM - 5 PM

759 Talisman Court, Palo Alto.

See work at www.mixsome.com, www.legalbeads.com,
www.portfolios.com/ruth-annesiege and www.yaelbarzilai.com

South FIRST FRIDAYS
An eclectic evening of Arts & Culture in downtown
San Jose's SoFA district every First Friday of the month


KALEID gallery
88 South Fourth Street
Downtown San Jose
Gallery Hours :
T-F Noon-7pm
Saturday Noon-5pm

works/san josé
451 south 1st street
san josé, california 95113
408.286.6800

- the cellar(under agenda) every Friday
show name:TRUTH
399 south first st.
san jose, ca
true hip-hop themed: live painting,break dancing, dj's
free