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Art in Education is an important component of the Arts Council’s mission. Quality programs delivered throughout the region include Young Masters Art Competition, Young Masters Composers Celebration, Welcome to Classical Music, Art Classes, and professional performances by nationally recognized Storytellers and nationally acclaimed musicians.
Art at Summer Camp
Youth ages 9 through 11 years old are in for an art treat when they attend Summer Camp through the Mariposa Parks and Recreation. On Monday mornings the Arts Council will be providing two fun and talented teachers to teach children to draw. Using a variety of art media such as pencils, color pencils, charcoals, and pastels, students will create images that help to teach basic art skills such as perspective. This basic knowledge will help students understand that when they create characteristic features of perspective, smaller items appear to be more distant than closers items, and shading will create curves and form on a flat surface. Register through Parks and Recreation by calling (209) 966-2498.
Mariposa's Young Composers Named
The identities of five winning young Mariposa Young Master Composers were revealed by MSO Founder and Conductor Les Marsden at the May 3rd and 4th ‘Welcome, Spring!’ Concerts of the MSO in Mariposa and Merced. Congratulations and rousing applause were offered by the MSO's audiences to the talented young composers entered in this year’s Mariposa County Arts Council/Mariposa Symphony Orchestra Young Master Composers Celebration. The competition was particularly keen this year with many especially fine compositions. Entrants are required to demonstrate their ability to compose a piece of music following simple guidelines; to do so in a neat and clearly legible manner – and to show creativity and imagination in the process. There were approximately 20 entries this year (most in the 8 - 11-year-old category) from all over Mariposa County, the largest number since inception of the contest four years ago.
MSO Young Master Composer Winners 2008
8 – 11 Year-Old Category: (two-way tie:)
Analise Wall (8): "Mariposa Breeze" and
Grace Cassady (9): "Mustang Valley Sonatina"
12 – 15 Year-Old Category: (two-way tie:)
Cecilia Ojcius (14): "Peasant Village" (Fully Orchestrated)
Isaac Decker (14): "Okamari Musicbox"
16 – 18 Year-Old Category:
Sarah Hebern (17): "Waltz of the Horses" (Fully Orchestrated)
Cecilia Ojcius and Sarah Hebern orchestrated their own works; that is not a requirement - nor is it even recommended, as intimate knowledge of orchestral instruments' ranges, capabilities, notation and combined effects are necessary. Both students are trained and experienced on more than one orchestral instrument and possessed the knowledge to self-orchestrate. Both girls (as well as Analise Wall) are also previous winners of the Young Master Composers Celebration.
Marsden will score the remaining works and all five compositions will receive their world premiere performances as played by the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra under Marsden at its 2008 “Independence Day Spectacular” Concert, to be held Saturday, July 5, 2008 in the Fiester Auditorium of Mariposa County High School at 7:00 PM. Each young winner will also be presented with a $50 cash award at that time. Questions or information requests should be directed to the Mariposa County Arts Council Inc., the parent organization of the MSO.
Romeo and Juliet
"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn." - Romeo, Romeo and Juliet, Act 1
The Mariposa County Arts Council presented Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" to Mariposa County high school students on Monday, April 14th. Recognizing the quality of the program, and lack of opportunity for our rural community to experience quality performing arts, the Arts Council contracted Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC) for two performances in the Fiester Auditorium followed by a question and answer opportunity for students. Outstanding curriculum materials from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) "Shakespeare to Go" program enhanced student curriculum.
The NEA's "Shakespeare for a New-Generation" initiative--the largest Shakespeare project in American history-is designed to provide students in all 50 states with the opportunity to experience professional theater productions of Shakespeare's plays. Shakespeare To Go was established by SSC 16 years ago in collaboration with the Theater Arts Department. Each year, a member of the theater arts faculty directs a 50-minute version of a play that will be presented at the next SSC summer festival. The play is rehearsed during winter quarter, and performances take place in the schools during the months of April and May in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Clara and (now) Mariposa Counties.
 Romeo and Juliet is an early tragedy by William Shakespeare about two teenage "star-cross'd lovers" whose "untimely deaths" ultimately unite their feuding households. The play has been highly praised by literary critics for its language and dramatic effect. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Its influence is still seen today, with the two main characters being widely represented as archetypal young lovers.
Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to Ancient Greece. Its plot is based on an Italian tale, translated into verse as Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke in 1562, and retold in prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter in 1582. Brooke and Painter were Shakespeare's chief sources of inspiration for Romeo and Juliet. He borrowed heavily from both, but developed minor characters, particularly Mercutio and Paris, in order to expand the plot. Believed written between 1591-1595, the play was first published in a quarto version in 1597. This text was of poor quality, and later editions corrected it, bringing it more in line with Shakespeare's original text. -Wikipedia
If you, the reader, would like to attend a Shakespeare community performance next year, the Arts Council would appreciate hearing from you! Please contact the Mariposa County Arts Council at (209) 966-3155 or email at info@arts-mariposa.org.
Many of our tourist options were suggested to the troupe in a effort to provide them with a quality experience, so that the troupe will want to return for a performance in Mariposa next year. Laurel Rematore, of the Yosemite Association, provided great information that helped define Yosemite options. The troupe selected from a tour of Yosemite, a private tour of Ansel Adams' work, an historic tour of Mariposa by local historian, Leroy Radanovich, a visit to Coyote Springs Ranch, gold panning and a docent tour by Dick Hutchinson, of the Mariposa Museum and History Center, CA State Mining & Mineral Museum, hiking and enjoying the beauty of the Yosemite. Shakespeare SC Administrator, Sara Wilbourne, and her husband were thrilled with their private tour of Ansel Adam's work, and couldn't speak highly enough of Glen Crosby of the Ansel Adams Gallery.
SSC Actors were so excited at the opportunity of visiting the Yosemite region, that they packed sleeping bags and tents and arrived a day early. They hiked and toured Yosemite on Saturday and Sunday, and then were treated to salad, and an assortment from of our famous "Pizza Factory", followed by a magnificent River Rock chocolate cake, cookies and milk. The SC students expressed their appreciation to Pony Expresso, and MCACI staff multiple times, and wondered: "Why do we deserve this?" - the "why" was to express our appreciation that they would travel to Mariposa to share their talents with our High School students.
Mariposa hospitality didn't stop there. They were warmly and generously hosted by our local business community. The River Rock Inn was first to offer a free hotel room, and furnished our sumptuous dessert for Sunday evening dinner to complete the Arts Council's 5th Street Gallery dinner party. The Mariposa Lodge, Best Western and the Comfort Inn each provided two free hotel rooms. Supervisor and Mr. Fritz created a "Shakespeare Special" for lunch on Monday to follow the performance. The generous support by our business neighbors is greatly appreciated!
Young Masters Art Competition
Best of Show Misty Pettis
Congratulated by Board Director, Carol Johnson for “Indian Pouch”
Peoples Choice Zak Miller
Self Portrait
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The Young Masters Art Competition is dedicated to the educational and artistic advancement of our talented young people in Mariposa. The exhibition is open to all Mariposa County youth in Kindergarten through twelfth grades, both public and private. Our purpose is to provide all budding young artists with opportunities to advance their talent, the opportunity to earn recognition and awards for their creativity and artistic ability or simply experiencing the process of entering their work in a competition. The exhibition is a valuable incentive for our young people; it encourages an appreciation for the arts throughout Mariposa and reflects the fine quality of art instruction and talent, which exist in our community. The Young Masters entries are due each January and the exhibit is displayed in our 5th Street Gallery each February.
  
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