Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
First Friday
Flo holding a paper she made in Iris's paper folding class
First Friday Fun Fest will be celebrated at Tehachapi Treasure Trove, on Friday evening, June 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. The featured artist for June will be Flo Sussell. Flo works with paints, inks, and colored pencils to create a variety of vivid images. Join us to greet Flo, enjoy food and wine, and listen to music by Art Larson on clarinet.
Flo was born in Stockton, Calif. and was raised in Pittsburg, Calif. She met her husband Jay while working at Space Technology Laboratory living in the Los Angeles area. They raised two daughters, have two grandchildren, and recently celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary. In 1974 Jay and Flo visited Tehachapi with a friend and fell in love with the area. They bought property in Bear Valley Springs, on which they eventually built their home, and finally moved there in 1987. Flo then worked at the prison for eleven years.
As a child, Flo did a lot of drawing. When her sixth grade teacher saw her drawings in class, she encouraged Flo to continue studying art. Later, while living in the Los Angeles area, she went to night school in Long Beach and studied oil painting. She taught herself colored pencils, pastels, and watercolor with the help of some "How to" books. She enjoys taking an occasional class and learning new skills and techniques. She finds colored pencils easier because there is no clean up, but prefers to do landscapes in oils. She also likes to work in pastels and ink. She has shown her art in a number of different venues and has done a variety of commission work. Her subjects are as diverse as her techniques. Come see her work deeply rooted in realism actuated with powerful lines.
Tehachapi Treasure Trove is located at 116 E Tehachapi Boulevard, right across the street from the water tower in Railroad Park. Hours are daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Be sure to stop by and see our collection of uncommonly eclectic and unusually unique stuff. Remember we also carry an extensive line of art and craft supplies and artist services along with books and music. For additional information on any of our activities, classes and events, please call 661-822-6794 or visit http://www.facebook.com/Tehachapi Treasure Trove.
"The Tehachapi Christian Store will be having a fun Sing-a-long for June First Friday starting at 6 pm on June 5th, at 108 E. Tehachapi Blvd.
The Sing-a-long will be lead by the Feed My Sheep Ministry Choir, pictured below. These folks have a heart for the Lord and it shows in their singing. There will be handouts to follow along. Come join in!
As usual it is free and refreshments will be served during the break.
Tehachapi Community Church, 100 East E Street, invites everyone to come to Friendship Hall on Friday, June 5, from 5 until 8 p.m. to play a variety of classic and contemporary board games. All ages are invited to participate in this fun activity.
Fair trade coffee, tea, and chocolate will be available to purchase. Refreshments will be served.
June's First Friday at the Tehachapi museum will feature the opening of one of two exhibits about longtime Tehachapi barber and veteran country music pioneer Jimmy Phillips. The cover of one of Jimmy Phillips CDs features a photo of Jimmy, as seen below. Phillips, who helped develop the "Bakersfield Sound" in the late 1950s and '60s, grew up in a farm labor camp in Arvin, Calif. and learned to drum with a pair of drumsticks on a metal folding chair. He first started drumming professionally when he was only 15 years old with a band called Jolly Jody and the Go Daddies.
On display will be items from Phillip's amazing music career including his induction plaque to the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California, and many other awards, record albums, and photos that were recently returned to him after being on display in Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Stop by to see the display on a Tehachapi resident who greatly influenced the "Bakersfield Sound" in country music.
Coming in September will be an exhibit featuring Phillip's other career as a Tehachapi barber.
Continuing on display in the museum's Family Case is the wonderful collection of photographs and a timeline about the Freeman family whose ancestors first came to Tehachapi in 1869. The woodcarvings of Hooks Anderson and the artwork of Gail Jenkins continues to be featured in the Community Case.
To celebrate First Fridays there will be a special sale each month. June's special 30% off sale will feature items from the Museum Store's jewelry collection.
Appetizers and beverages will be served from 5-8 PM. The museum is located at 310 S. Green Street. For more information, call the Museum at (661) 822-8152.
Do not miss First Friday, June 5 at Gallery 'n' Gifts. Transparent Watercolorists, Duane Anderson is the featured artist for the month and his work is incredible. Check out his website at http://www.duaneandersonart.com for a sneak peek of his work.
Anderson says he has loved drawing from early childhood and has painted for 35 years. His passion for painting nudged him out of his chosen profession as an architect, to architectural illustration; thus allowing him to combine painting with architecture.
He is currently a tenured Professor of Architecture at Bakersfield College. He teaches perspective drawing, and architectural graphics; in addition he has taught multiple workshops and classes in drawing and watercolor for both adults and children.
Anderson works in watercolor, predominately transparent and occasionally opaque painting, although he has worked with acrylics.
"My favorite moment is when a scene almost audibly says "paint me". When that happens I know I am in for a treat!"
"My approach to studio painting is to play with a photograph, in photoshop, until I have found the abstract interpretation that pleases me. The goal is to finish the image so that from a distance the painting looks quite realistic but up close the details are rather abstract. I suppose if one needs to define my artistic style, it would be something like Abstract, Impressionistic, Realism".
Anderson's idea of relaxing is plein air painting. He went on to say what instantaneously lies in front of him is both challenging and rewarding.
Anderson says he has painted watercolors long enough that he doesn't think, he just responds. "I never know what will be the result of this experience but it doesn't really matter. Getting lost in the experience is what it is all about."
As always tasty snacks will be a part of the evening at Gallery 'n' Gifts, Friday, June 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. Gallery 'n' Gifts is located at 100 W. Tehachapi Blvd. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Come meet Duane Anderson and enjoy an evening of art, socializing and good food. Gallery 'n' Gifts and Tehachapi Valley Art Association members look forward to seeing you First Friday.
The women take the stage at Fiddlers Crossing for First Friday, June 5. Along with Cellos and mountain dulcimers, songs will be performed by Terri Asher, Michelle Fulton (of The Holloways duo), and others. Doors open at 7 p.m. Located at 206 East F Street, Tehachapi, there is no cover charge, but donations and tips for the musicians are always welcome.
