Art at the Matador marks 5th year Friday and Saturday

by Linda Watkins-Bennett

Click to see interview

The 5th Annual Art at the Matador Motel kicks off Friday, May 8th at the Matador Motel on the Esplanade in Chico.

75 artists will convert 14 rooms into imaginative art galleries ... transforming them ... and there will also be more than 20 booths outdoors. Friday you'll find hand mixed margaritas, jazz music and fire dancing from 4 - 9 p.m. and Saturday May 9th the event continues for families from 2-9 p.m. There will be food and all types of entertainment, and arts and crafts for youngsters, souvenir penny stamping, and a cantina.

The featured up and coming artist this year is Josh Funk, a film maker and stop motion animator. His exhibit will include the puppets featured in his films "Wormholes" and "The Spaceman". And he also has a stop motion animation station for people to try their hand at the intricate, time consuming art.

For More information visit the Art at the Matador event facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ArtFiestaAtTheMatador?fref=ts.

Artists transform The Matador →

Chico Enterprise Record POSTED: 05/02/15, 5:06 PM PDT

Filmaker Josh Funk will be the occupant of the ChiVVA Scholarship room. Funk will explain his use of stop-motion animation, sculpture, illustration and elaborate miniature sets at the Matador Hotel Friday and Saturday

On Friday and Saturday, 75 artists will transform rooms and tents at The Matador into imaginative galleries. 

The Chico Visual Arts Alliance has organized this free and family-friendly festival with jazz, souvenir penny stamping, fire dancing, food, a cantina and scavenger hunt.

An array of local painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, fiber art and jewelry will be in the festival. Several of the artists, such as Cynthia Sexton, will be doing demonstrations.

Josh Funk is this year’s occupant of the ChiVAA “Scholarship Room.” Funk, a filmmaker and artist, received his B.A. in art from Chico State University in 2007. He’ll explain his use of stop-motion animation, sculpture and elaborate miniature sets in his dark, quirky fantasies.

“Through animation I am able to revisit themes I enjoyed as a child such as monsters, fairy tales, and building spaceships out of cardboard,” Funk said.

Music for Art at The Matador features “Jazz Satie” with singer Susan Schrader, “One Eared Mouse” with former Avenue 9 Guild Member Barbara Morris as a singer, as well as Flying Blind, the Bob Kirkland Trio and the Chico West African Dance & Drum Ensemble. 

Once it gets dark the Lumininjas will light up the night. For more information, visit www.ChiVAA.org . The event will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday. The Matador in located at 1934 Esplanade in Chico.