Fil-Am’s art blooms in Santa Clarita
The City of Santa Clarita, often associated with the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park, also takes pride in hosting many artists’ work just outside of its city limits where the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) takes roots in Valencia. This is where the work of local artist, Zony Velasco Gordon, blooms.
Zony is a Board Member and Past President of the Santa Clarita Artists’ Association, composed of 200 local artists in the Santa Clarita Valley where she has served in various positions thru the years. Last month, her work and that of her friend from Santa Clarita, Cecily Willis, were exhibited in Canoga Park highlighting her favorite paintings in watercolor and mixed media: flowers, landscapes and seascapes. Now and then she dabbles in some abstract, but generally her paintings are alive with vivid, refreshing colors!
A friend to the Philippine American media based in Los Angeles having worked full time in her younger years as advertising representative for major news publications, Zony was one of the active members of the Filipino American Press Club of L.A. (est. 1978). She remembers dedicating a good chunk of her time in the club’s Gridiron, Celebrity Night and Scholarship programs.
A former Sprint project manager, Zony is now fully engaged in painting, a skill that she nurtured from childhood and that she continues to work to perfection by attending art education through various Watercolor and Mixed Media workshops and weekly art classes in Simi Valley.
She believes in honing the artistry in young people by actively volunteering in Art Education in Santa Clarita. She continues to judge for PTA Art Reflections programs in various schools, the Annual Congressional Art District competition for high school students and other local art competitions for students and adults.
She has also served as an art teacher at various elementary schools in the community including art enrichment programs as well as private classes at her home studio for children and adults.
Her art exhibit venues include the SCAA Art Gallery at the local Westfield Mall, Fast Frame Gallery in Valencia, Canyon Theatre Guild in Newhall, Le Chene Gardens in Canyon Country, Madrid Performing Arts Theatre in Canoga and other art events in the area. Her art could also be found at the SCAA Art Classic annual competition held at the Hart Hall in historic Hart Park in Santa Clarita. She is CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test) certified.
Her work has been widely exhibited in the last six years including being the featured artist during a Philippine Independence celebration June 12 at an event at the residence of former Consul General Helen Barber de La Vega in Los Angeles. She said that most of her exhibits are in Santa Clarita or San Fernando Valley. “My art pieces are currently on display at the Madrid Performing Arts theatre in Canoga Park.”
Why does she paint?
“Creative work is my passion. Maybe that’s why I left project management at Sprint so I could express myself deeper in creative pursuit. I imagine myself doing this for a long time. It relieves myself of stress and stretches my imagination to the fullest. I also love playing with colors and experimenting with techniques,” she replied.
Zony is currently busy preparing for the “Inspirations from the Disco Era,” a Fine Art show benefitting the Circle of Hope non-profit cancer foundation in Santa Clarita. It is part of the “Disco Fever Live,” a dinner concert benefit for the same cause. —The FilAm L.A.
Zony is a Board Member and Past President of the Santa Clarita Artists’ Association, composed of 200 local artists in the Santa Clarita Valley where she has served in various positions thru the years. Last month, her work and that of her friend from Santa Clarita, Cecily Willis, were exhibited in Canoga Park highlighting her favorite paintings in watercolor and mixed media: flowers, landscapes and seascapes. Now and then she dabbles in some abstract, but generally her paintings are alive with vivid, refreshing colors!
Zony (right) with co-artist Cecily Willis in their recent exhibit in Canoga Park. Photo by Evangeline Rodriguez
A former Sprint project manager, Zony is now fully engaged in painting, a skill that she nurtured from childhood and that she continues to work to perfection by attending art education through various Watercolor and Mixed Media workshops and weekly art classes in Simi Valley.
She believes in honing the artistry in young people by actively volunteering in Art Education in Santa Clarita. She continues to judge for PTA Art Reflections programs in various schools, the Annual Congressional Art District competition for high school students and other local art competitions for students and adults.
She has also served as an art teacher at various elementary schools in the community including art enrichment programs as well as private classes at her home studio for children and adults.
Her art exhibit venues include the SCAA Art Gallery at the local Westfield Mall, Fast Frame Gallery in Valencia, Canyon Theatre Guild in Newhall, Le Chene Gardens in Canyon Country, Madrid Performing Arts Theatre in Canoga and other art events in the area. Her art could also be found at the SCAA Art Classic annual competition held at the Hart Hall in historic Hart Park in Santa Clarita. She is CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test) certified.
Her work has been widely exhibited in the last six years including being the featured artist during a Philippine Independence celebration June 12 at an event at the residence of former Consul General Helen Barber de La Vega in Los Angeles. She said that most of her exhibits are in Santa Clarita or San Fernando Valley. “My art pieces are currently on display at the Madrid Performing Arts theatre in Canoga Park.”
Why does she paint?
“Creative work is my passion. Maybe that’s why I left project management at Sprint so I could express myself deeper in creative pursuit. I imagine myself doing this for a long time. It relieves myself of stress and stretches my imagination to the fullest. I also love playing with colors and experimenting with techniques,” she replied.
Zony is currently busy preparing for the “Inspirations from the Disco Era,” a Fine Art show benefitting the Circle of Hope non-profit cancer foundation in Santa Clarita. It is part of the “Disco Fever Live,” a dinner concert benefit for the same cause. —The FilAm L.A.
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