You are invited to the 7th Annual Spring Art Festival and Sale at Le Chêne French Cuisine Gardens, Sunday, April 28th , 10am-4pm, for one day only. Forty-five artists, including this writer, will be represented. With warmer and drier weather on the way, the event is expected to be a smashing success. I’ll be there the whole day to greet guests so come keep me company, enjoy Sunday brunch, meet some people, and pursue your artistic curiosity.
Le Chêne, or “The Oak” in French, located on Sierra Highway, is host for the show and has been a French cuisine fixture in the Santa Clarita Valley area for 30 years. With a prior business history going back to the early 1900s, film star Clark Gable is said to have frequented the bar with friends during his motorcycle years. The restaurant has been host to countless weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations when only first class will do.
While no prior registration for the show is required, a reservation for brunch is recommended (661-251-4315). Be sure to request your 15% art festival discount when settling your brunch bill.
The Santa Clarita Artists’ Association (SCAA) comprises local artists of varying genres, meeting together monthly for demos by other artists. The SCAA also creates and manages events year round including hotels, hospitals, libraries, and other restaurants. Membership is a reasonable $50 per year. For more information about the SCAA and this show, visit the SCAA website or on Facebook.
Designer, Joven “Jojo” Leviste, has the skill, aptitude, and experience needed to excel in today’s industrial design world. A Bachelor in Science graduate with honors from the Art Institute, N. Hollywood, Jojo received certification as a graphic designer from the Simi Valley Adult School. Prior to that, he was degreed in interior design by the Philippine School of Interior Design.
Kiosk. Before/After
Jojo’s education and his experience show in his work, used here in the Los Angeles area in conceptual designs for new industrial applications at Reeve Store Equipment Co. Typically, these begin as renderings that eventually become products produced by his company, such as an intricate kiosk.
Portable Microwave Appliance
A recent sketch has ended up as a portable microwave and drink dispenser. Jojo often uses hand-drawn sketches to develop his ideas. Once he has approval of his sketches, he uses 3D computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software, Autodesk Inventor, to flesh out and finalize his artwork.
“Autodesk Inventor uses internal hyperlinks embedded into assembly, drawing, and presentation files in order to ensure proper updating of files as the modeling and subassemblies change. This is similar to object linking and embedding (OLE) in that when the referenced file changes, the corresponding document updates accordingly” (cadalyst.com/IMAGINiT Technologies).
Interview
Artimusi. How would you describe the artwork you do? Jojo. Unlike fine art of painting or art in music, the product of my work is not a derivative of my own personal interpretation. It is an artwork that is being conceptualized through a design process originated from an information provided by a client.
Artimusi. What tools do you use in your art from concept to finish? Jojo. It would start from different sketches and finalize a concept using 3D model software.
Artimusi. What are your best art subjects: people, objects, or both? Jojo. Mostly it is an object being used for Visual merchandising purposes.
Artimusi. Who or what helped you the most to get to this point in your career? Jojo. It is my affection towards design and its engineering process.
Artimusi. Where do you to do your artwork? Jojo. I am employed and has been employed by several companies
Artimusi. Do you render your artwork at home as well as your workplace?
Jojo on bass guitar
Jojo. Yes, the technology we have now allows me to do this.
Artimusi. Do you sell your artwork on the side? Jojo. No. As an employee everything I do in behalf of the company is its property.
Jojo with acoustic guitar
Artimusi. Are you also a musician? If so, what is your chief instrument(s)? Jojo. Yes I would like to say so. Besides singing in the choir I also play acoustic guitar and electric bass.
Artimusi. What are your future, long-term plans? Jojo. It has been my aspiration to have my own company and I hope that someday God would grant me that desire for His glory.
Gigi and Jojo
Jojo is married to Gigi. Together they have two sons and live in Santa Clarita, California.
World famous classical guitar virtuoso, Christopher Parkening, has renewed a website contract with Christopher Weaver through 2018. The contract is an extension of the official site, parkening.com, that Weaver created in 2014. Since then, numerous stories have been posted to the blog. The site includes Parkening’s career history, discography with options to procure CDs, several biographies, as well as teaching, media, and contact pages.