Capstone Provides

Night of Inspiration

Greg Tomascheski, Staff Reporter

Gregory_Tomascheski@csumb.edu

Feb.28, 2008

The Inspiration Festival presented by

The Artists’ Collective was hosted at the

University Center on Feb. 23. This event

brought CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB)

together with the local community to

enjoy a phenomenal display of art, music

and fashion.

The Artists’ Collective is a group that

formed in October 2007 with the focus

to create a broader, more extensive art

community on campus. The group aspires

to turn the Inspiration Festival into an

annual event and possibly have its own

building on campus dedicated to creating

art and building community.

The event hosted was part of a CSUMB

capstone project for students: Theresa Juran,

Nicole Ricci, Laura Colla and Madeline

O’Neill. “A passion in my life is inspiring

others and being inspired by those who are

passionate,” said Juran Visual and Public

Arts major. “I find happiness in bringing

people together.”

The galleries opened at 7 p.m. featuring

contemporary, abstract and interactive

art displays alongside photographs and

sculptures. The art displayed in these

galleries were pieces done by both

CSUMB students and artists in the local

community.

A side room in the University Center

(UC) was fully dedicated to the viewing of

“Duality,” a unique short film presented by

Andrea Aguilar, CSUMB alumni.

While some guests viewed the galleries,

others enjoyed drinks in the Otter Bay

Restaurant (OBR) and listened to live

performances by bands “Slices of Home”

and “The Moongerms.”

“So much talent and great people all

around,” said CSUMB student Amanda

Miravalle, Social and Behavioral

Sciences major.

The turnout for the event was more than

anticipated as seats filled in the OBR

and guests packed in around the outskirts

of the room to get a view of the bands.

Soon after the bands finished their sets, a

large strange looking metallic object was

moved to the front of the room. The

crowd was baffled at first, but upon closer

inspection one could see that the object

was an old telephone booth that had been

outfitted with a variety of cymbals, drums and bells.

It was not long before members of the

audience, students and guests, began taking

turns collectively banging on the apparatus

with bottles and drumsticks, creating a

rhythmic tribal beat that filled the room.

This improvisational display of cooperation

and collectiveness seemed to manifest the

goal of the event, which was to bring people

together as a community through artistic

expression.

As the drumbeat subsided, the University

Center (UC) Ballroom quickly filled with

guests anxious to attend the fashion show,

which featured clothing lines designed by

Ricci, Costume Chambers and Danielle

Garrabrants. The outfits ranged from stylish

and practical to bold and extravagant

as student models confidently took the

runway. Music for the fashion show and

the dance afterwards was presented by

CSUMB campus club, E=MC^2.

“The event was awesome,” said Ricci,

“I am so glad we were able to collaborate

so successfully with the community

of Monterey as well as the student

community.”

The Artist’s Collective would especially

like to thank Target for making everything

possible by sponsoring the event. The

Artist’s Collective’s next event will

be in the Main Quad on Mar. 29. For

more information visit, myspace.com/

artistcollectivemonterey.