Ventana Medical Systems Inc. and Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) welcome the public to join local artists, for an opening reception on July 15, as the summer 2010 Visual Arts Exhibition and Competition winners receive awards for their abstract and contemporary art.
The grand opening reception will feature free live music and hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar serving wine and a silent auction to support local school music and visual arts programs, Thursday, July 15, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Awards for the winning artwork will be presented, and all artwork will be on sale, although artists need not be present to win.
Art exhibit, open to public from July to September, with competition winners announced July 15
The reception and exhibition is located at Ventana Medical Systems Inc. professional gallery, 1910 E. Innovation Park Dr., where local artists will continue to showcase their talented local artwork through September 2010.
SAACA and Ventana Medical Systems Inc. created the exhibition series so the many nationally honored artists could present their pieces of art, while receiving much deserved local recognition and promoting the creation and enjoyment of community art. More than 35 accomplished to novice artists of all ages have featured two-dimensional works in the show.
The public may view, free of charge, or purchase artworks from the summer-long exhibit Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m.
This is the third of four annual shows in the exhibition series, all of which are open to local and national artists to showcase art pieces in the Ventana gallery for three months, with the opportunity to win cash and ribbon awards. One work will also be purchased, in a separate judgment, for Ventana Medical's own gallery.
Featured Abstract Artist, Robert Munoz
The collective abstract expressionism works of abstract artist, Robert Munoz, will be highlighted at the show. Munoz's work expresses his energy to, in turn, reflect back on the viewer through lines and color. This exquisite artist uses depth and infinite space in his abstract presentations. He does not title or sign his pieces, in order to hand the presentation work to the viewers, by allowing them to interpret the work as their own emotions direct them. The abstract work he presents shifts traditional representation art to one of presence and seeing. Munoz believes some may consider abstract art a challenge, with its dynamic shifts of interpretations for the viewers. The translation from paint and canvas, for example, to the eye and brain changes even as the viewer comes to a decision as to what is being depicted by the artwork.
The fall 2010 Visual Arts Exhibition and Competition, again with cash and ribbon awards, will feature a photography and digital arts medium with a "People and Places" theme. The artist application deadline for the "People and Places" exhibit is Sept. 17, 2010.
Artists may downloaded an application at http://www.saaca.org/programs-artcontests.html.
Grand Opening Contemporary and Abstract Exhibit Reception
When: 5 p.m. Thursday, July 15 (exhibit open July 1 to Sept. 30)
Where: Ventana Medical Systems Inc., 1910 E. Innovation Park Dr.
Cost: Free
Online: http://www.saaca.org/events-ventanagallery.html
Phone: (520) 797-3959
About Ventana Medical Systems
Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., a member of the Roche Group, is the world's leading tissue-based cancer diagnostics company.Ventana develops and manufactures diagnostic instruments and reagent tests. As a company with local roots, we support the community we call home. And, as innovators whose goal is to improve lives, we appreciate art for its powerful, inspirational and creative qualities. This is one opportunity to express our culture of innovation to ensure we fulfill our mission to improve the lives of all patients afflicted with cancer.We are proud to provide gallery space for local artists. In this way, we embrace creativity in its many forms and share it with our community at large. We recently received the 2009 Pima County Arts Council Lumie Award for outstanding business partner in support of the arts.
About the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a not-for-profit organization that exists to ensure that, through engagement in arts and culture, our communities produce strong, inspired citizens. SAACA enlists artists, businesses, governments, and individuals to expand artistic and cultural opportunities in their respective communities. To enhance access to the arts and to promote cultural awareness in the communities it serves, SAACA presents large-scale festivals, events and other programs. The Alliance also promotes educational opportunities in the arts and culture for both the young and the old.
Organization History
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) grew out of the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council (GOVAC), an organization established in 1997 to provide artistic and cultural opportunities for residents of northwest Tucson. GOVAC eventually became one of the largest arts organizations in the region. In 2009, owing to its success, the group expanded its mission to include creation of partnerships with business, governments, and communities throughout Southern Arizona that would encourage innovative, creative cultural expression in the arts for years to come.
