With Good News and Bad News, MAFA Has Reasons to Celebrate the Arts
By Susan Motander
Published: Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Lisa Barrios of Paint n Play 2 Art Gallery and Studio instructing Joey Z on how to sketch in his tile. - Photo Credit: MAFA
It is the old joke “I have good news and bad news.” The good news is very good in this case and the bad news isn’t as bad as it could be. The Monrovia Association of Fine Arts (MAFA) has closed its Route 66 Gallery in the Aztec Hotel (that is the bad part), but the plans for its annual Fine Arts Festival are going strong (and that is a very good part).
The Celebrate the Arts Festival will be held on October 10 and 11 and returns to its traditional location, Monrovia’s Library Park. This year the theme is “Celebrate the Arts – Where Culture Unites.” The purpose of the festival is twofold. It promotes the art of those who live in this area and region as well as supporting art education in local schools, both public and private. Over the years MAFA has made donations of more than $50,000 to supports art education in schools and after school programs.
This year MAFA is working with the Nuvein Foundation for Literature and the Arts and they will be presenting live entertainment and other art venues throughout Old Town for both of the days of the festival.
The fine arts and crafts exhibit will feature more than just the art of those creative people who live in this area. There will be live music and entertainment on several stages in the park. Also look for the hands on art experiences for not just kids. but adults as well. These are family friendly activities. There will be a student art display in the park as well as a silent auction. And just so that visitors are not overcome by culture with a capital C there will be the San Gabriel Valley Comic Book Festival (Who says that comics aren’t ART?).
There will also be food booths and informational booths from local nonprofit organizations. Remember this event is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. For more information call (626) 802-7873 or check their web site at http://www.monroviafinearts.org.
But then there is the not so bad, “bad news.” For some time MAFA has had a gallery at the Aztec Hotel on Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia. Fortunately, the organization has recently been going through what the members refer to as “tremendous growth”. Unfortunately that growth resulted in duplication of efforts in its several venues. As an all volunteer organization it became unmanageable. Therefore, the Route 66 Gallery at the Aztec has been closed, temporarily.
Kathy Reese, owner of the Aztec said that any time MAFA wants to reopen the Gallery; she will be more than glad to host them.
“I hope they reopen it soon,” Reese said, adding “I’m told they hope to have it running again in January.”
And that is the good part of the bad news.
3 Responses for “With Good News and Bad News, MAFA Has Reasons to Celebrate the Arts”
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This is a total lie. The Route 66 Gallery was closed down because it wouldnt kiss Bill Beebes ass . Why not just tell the truth? Kathy Reese stabbed everyone who put time , money and blood in the back. MAFA never put a penny into the gallery and did nothing to support it.
I fully expect you to delete my remarks.. its part of the game in Monrovia.
We are not part of the game. We are merely observers.