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 Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Volume: 22, Issue: 50
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Website Features RSS Feeds   Special Features Special Publications |
New Times / Special IssueBest of 2008Art Scene
BEST LOCAL ARTIST—VISUAL Jayne Behman
Painter and fused-glass artist Jayne Behman has been living in Morro Bay for just two years, but during that time she seems to have made a significant impression on the local arts community. Working out of her studio on the Embarcadero, the abstract expressionist displays her work on her website and through a gallery in Palm Springs. Two years ago, she enrolled herself as a student at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University, an experience that she credits with improving an already enjoyable career. Behman said that she has yet to display her work at a local gallery, but that hasn’t prevented local art lovers from seeing—and appreciating—her brush wielding skills.
—Ashley Schwellenbach
runner up:
BEST LOCAL ARTIST—WRITTEN Jayne Behman
As a writer, Jayne Behman takes on a diverse assortment of topics. Her blog (jaynebehman.blogspot.com) delineates the history of puppetry as an art form, ruminates on the notion of conception as it applies to a particular work of art, and explores footwear as a craft. Once a month, one of her pieces is featured in the Bay News’ Art Talk section. While her subjects are never the same, she approaches each piece with the passion and devotion of an arts advocate. “I have a very strong belief that education in the arts is crucial for our children to be well-rounded human beings,” she explained. Her articles, therefore, aren’t necessarily directed toward the arts crowd. She wants to reach new audiences, convert the masses that approach art from a “take it or leave it” standpoint. And as the winner of the county’s popular vote for best text-based artist, she seems to be hitting the right keys.
—AS
runner up (tie) :
Bob Banner
runner up (tie) :
Glen Starkey
BEST PLACE TO ESCAPE INTO THE SILVER SCREEN The Fremont
1025 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo
And now, ladies and gentlemen, observe the image projected on this screen. Watch as I transfigure it into a portal to another world. The Fremont is a quintessential example of the neon-clad Art Deco classic theater. It opened on Memorial Day, 1942, with a USO benefit attended by Laurel and Hardy, Jackie Cooper, and “a dozen other Hollywood luminaries.” Today, the theater uses state-of-the-art Real-D 3D projection technology. “It’s a lot different than it used to be with the red-and-blue glasses,” assistant house manager Mark Scaccianoce said. “Old 3D used to give a lot of pop-out stuff. Real-D also gives the screen depth.” He mentioned that the Fremont recently showed a 3D film of a U2 concert. “It’s as if you’re actually sitting in the audience,” he commented.
—Brent Parker
runner up: The
BEST FINE ART GALLERY Hands Gallery
777 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
“We’re not really a fine art gallery, but we won the title for some odd reason,” admitted Deborah Tres, owner of Hands, the reigning Best Fine Art Gallery. Hands does maintain a scrap of fine art cred—showcasing the work of local artists such as Meg Johnson, pretending to be a gallery during Art After Dark, having the word “gallery” in its name ... and so on. And though browsers won’t find a plethora of sculptures or paintings in this shop, it’s a great place to go for unique, functional art. If you’re looking for hand-painted tables and chairs, bottle openers that look like people, or gorgeous glasses and vases, you’re in the right gallery.
—Anna Weltner
runner up: Just Looking Gallery
BEST COMMUNITY THEATER GROUP The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville
1863 Pacific Blvd., Hwy. 1, Oceano
Audience members feel like they’re among family at the Melodrama, from its nutty staff (and cast and crew) to the intimate seating area (either at tables or on benches that hug the walls). The talent is always topnotch, but the experience is something so much more. Muskie Love plays through June 8 at this 30-something-year-old playhouse in Oceano. Set on the shores of Green Bay, Wisc., the fish tale is a comic musical loosely based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Chow down on good grub while you watch the antics on stage. And if you love it—of course you’ll love it—you’ll want to know that subscriptions are available. Just call 489-2499.
—Christy Heron
runner up:
BEST COMMUNITY EVENT San Luis Obispo’s Farmers’ Market
Thursday nights on Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo
A pleasant open-air market for the county’s best produce, plus a spot to socialize and listen to live music, the weekly Farmers' Market attracts both locals and tourists on Thursday evenings starting at 6 p.m. Local restaurants—such as Buona Tavola and F. McLintocks—sell their fare out on the street, and downtown businesses set up booths peddling jewelry, clothing, and sweets. The downtown area is closed to traffic, so families can walk around freely, get some hot dogs or barbecued ribs, and perhaps some caramel apples for dessert, all without fear of being run over. Downtown Brown—the bear who has become the market’s furry mascot—emerges from his hibernation for a weekly appearance, and is available for hugs and photos as well.
—AW
runner up:
BEST TATTOO ARTIST Shad Perlich
Traditional Tattoo
Traditional Tattoo’s Shad Perlich has a thirst for improvement that’s made him a favorite among body-art enthusiasts on the Central Coast. While artistic fulfillment and satisfaction are two of the many reasons Perlich does so well, the artist doesn’t stagnantly revel in self-satisfaction. “I try to figure out how I could have done each tattoo better. I try not to bear down and be overly critical, but I do look at it and think to myself what could be done differently,” he said. Perlich has inked everything from “normal” to “extraordinary” pieces, and a few stand out.
“I once did two pieces of toast with one pat of butter, and the client was very specific about the color of the toast,” he said. “I also did a female pin-up riding a corndog, rodeo style, with ketchup and mustard.” —Jeff Kendall-Weed
BEST PHOTOGRAPHER Steve E. Miller
He developed his taste for photography 13 years ago when he published Extremities, a fanzine about the extreme metal music scene in San Luis Obispo. He conducted tours at Hearst Castle, and now, New Times’ own Steve E. Miller claimed the “Best Photographer” prize for the first time. “It’s a great honor to be voted the best photographer. It’s shocking and stunning at the same time,” Miller said. Considering himself a “jack of all trades, master of nothing,” Miller likes snapping photos of everything. He likes looking and finding details that people overlook, from shadows, to people’s expressions, to how light falls, to color patterns. You may have seen some of his work hanging on the walls of BlackHorse and Corner View Restaurant and Bar in San Luis Obispo, and even on a billboard for The Custom House off of Highway 101, north of Shell Beach. Miller hopes to continue to be as
enthusiastic for photography in the future as he is now. —Jennifer Ingan
runner up:
Mike Larson of www.mikelarson.com
BEST PLACE TO VIEW PUBLIC ART
1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo
It’s open to the public and it’s free (all they ask is a nominal donation of a couple of bucks) which is probably why the SLO Art Center nabbed the most votes in this category. The art inside isn’t technically “public” art, at least not in the sense that fountains and sidewalk statues and murals on the sides of businesses are. But, come to think of it, the outside of the building does have its share of sculptures, tiles, and, well, public art, so the voters who cast their ballots for this gallery may be onto something. After admiring the exterior, be sure to browse whatever’s showing inside. Woodcuts rich with texture, and dark depictions of wind-up toys have invaded the space in recent days.
—Ryan Miller
runner up:
BEST LOCAL ACTOR Zac Efron
Zac Efron grew up in San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande. He performed at The Great American Melodrama in Oceano, and is an alumnus of PCPA. Efron appeared in several TV series in the early 2000s, including Summerland. But his presto-change-o transformation into superstardom was the unexpected runaway hit TV movie High School Musical, which first aired on The Disney Channel in 2006. Efron played central character Troy Bolton, a jock who reluctantly auditions for the school musical, and falls in love with his brainiac co-star Gabrielle (Vanessa Hudgens). In that movie, his singing was partly dubbed, but Efron showed his own vocal chops in High School Musical 2 and the film adaptation of Broadway’s Hairspray, both released in 2007.
—BP
runner up:
BEST PLACE TO SEE A PLAY The Performing
Arts Center Grand Avenue, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Oh, the PAC, how you have stolen my heart, from the Forbes pipe organ, to Sam Harris, to the multitude of upcoming shows you have lined up at your impeccably maintained and comfortable theaters: The Spanos Theatre and Harman Hall. The PAC brings in talent from all over the globe but also allows local theater groups, such as Kelrik Productions, to host their own shows at the venue. The SLO Symphony or any number of Cal Poly’s musical groups are welcome there, too. The result is a collection of entertainment featuring the best of local talent and performers from elsewhere—all in our own backyard.
—CH
runner up: BEST DANCE COMPANY Civic Ballet of SLO
Whether it’s a fat white rabbit bouncing to the beat of a Pink Floyd tune, two boxes happily skipping across a stage together, or a ballerina wearing a Shrek donkey head, Civic Ballet of SLO has a reputation for delivering the unexpected. Then again, the company’s annual holiday production of The Nutcracker is everything that a graceful, classical ballet ought to be. Come December, people not only expect to attend a performance of The Nutcracker, they downright demand it. So the 30-year-old ballet company is contradictory, offering the community both the unexpected and the downright familiar. San Luis Obispo residents don’t seem to mind that the dance company is both something that they can rely upon and something fresh that will take them to places they’ve never been. And, when you’re winging your way on the peppermint wind to the place where the sidewalk ends, odds are that you won’t even care that one single entity can be both reliable and surprising.
—AS
runner up:
BEST LOCAL ENTERTAINER Rich
Ferguson How did he do that? That’s probably the most common response people have after watching one of Rich Ferguson’s mesmerizing performances. Despite regularly using a deck of playing cards in his routine, Ferguson is far from a typical magician. “I don’t do kid’s magic,” the Cal Poly mechanical engineering graduate said. “My style is more sophisticated. It’s not based on tricks, it’s based on experiences. It involves interactive psychology, sleight of hand, pickpocketing, and the art of mentalism.” Despite his mature approach, Ferguson said that the public still has a huge misconception when they hear the word magic. Ferguson, who received a gold medal from the Academy of Magical Arts, used a music analogy to get his point across. “Ask someone to define a musician,” he said, “and they’ll talk about all the different disciplines, applications, and genres. In magic, it’s the exact same thing.” But skeptics beware—Ferguson can bamboozle even the most cynical of people. “It’s so powerful it puts people to tears,” he said. “But they love it.” (By the way, that’s Rich performing amazing feats throughout Best Of. Print can’t do him justice. Find a way to see him in action.)
—KB
runner up:
Louie Ortega
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