The 2012 Left
Coast Annual Juried Exhibition (formerly known as Arts
on Fire) opens with a gala reception for the entire community
on Friday, April 13, from 7 to 9 pm. There will be great art,
great food, free parking, and hands-on art activities, plus an
art book boutique, free entertainment, and music from the Jazz
Cats.
The focus, of course,
is on the artworks selected by juror Michael Schwager, Professor
of Art History and Museum Studies and Director of the University
Art Gallery at Sonoma State University. Over 180 artists from
all over California submitted over 500 artworks, and of these,
54 works by 48 artists were accepted for this exhibition. Mr.
Schwager is known for his interest and expertise in contemporary
Bay Area art. He holds a BFA from the California College of Arts
and Crafts and an MA in Museum Studies from JFK University. Prior
to Sonoma State, he held positions at the San Francisco Art Institute,
the Richmond Art Center, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern
Art.
Sponsors and supporters for this gala opening, as well as other Sanchez Art Center programs, include the Art4MooreFoundation, Art Guild of Pacifica, Bleyle Elevator, Inc., First National Bank of Northern California, Pacifica Performances, David & Lucille Packard Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation Donor Circle for the Arts, and Target.
