Art's Next Generation

By Monica Fiscalini

Stereotyping is my specialty lately.

Educated people can’t follow instructions. Nineteen-year-olds all look alike. And area artists are nice, older women who don’t seem the least bit weird.

While many area artists are indeed nice, older women who don’t seem the least bit weird — well, maybe a teensy bit weird — they certainly don’t wish to be the majority. Members of various regional art groups have mentioned to me that retirees, such as themselves, very much want to make room for the younger set.

The same sentiment is going around about jazz, writers and poets. The teens need to put down the smart phones and start creating or taking on the role of audience. I’m not one to wring my hands too much over the subject because my job at Cuesta College surrounds me with students who are passionate about the arts.

I saw in The Tribune the other day, the term STEAM, which adds the Arts to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education equation.

My point? Youngsters can grow up to be Savages!

Savages is a collective of teens and artists in their 20s and 30s who are showing work at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles through the end of the month. Neal Breton first organized the annual exhibit last March. In the meantime, he and Jeff Claassen have opened the Fiasco Gallery studio space within Studios on the Park. Breton is the foxes with knives guy and Claassen is the eye-people guy. But that’s just me stereotyping again.

Claassen is one of more than 30 artists in the show. He and Lena Rushing are among the more well-known names. Chris Daly is another name that pops up here and there, including a recent filmmaking win at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.

Breton says he invited artists from all over the state including two installation artists, a filmmaker, and an artist who works with spray paint medium to do a mural.

Check out some pictures from the opening at http://www.flickr.com/photos/fredthursday/ sets/72157641926617444.

Mark your calendar for Arts Obispo’s new fundraiser called Mad Men and Women for the Arts set for 6 p.m. April 5 at the Elks Lodge in San Luis Obispo. Tickets are $100 and include live music and dinner. A “fund-a-need auction” will benefit arts education. Call 544-9251, ext. 13.

The organization has also set the dates for the Open Studios Art Tour, Oct. 11, 12, 18 and 19. The artist application deadline is April 18.

IF YOU GO
What: Savages

Gallery hours: Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Show runs through March 30

Where: Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine St., Paso Robles

Contact: 238-9800