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Finding The Light: Works From MVC’s Permanent Collection

At the Museum of Ventura County
Runs through Sunday May 28, 2023

Light is essential to human life. It allows plants to produce the air we breathe. It lets us see. It regulates our sleep and affects our mood.  So it’s no wonder that light is a key element in art, the creative expression of humanity and the world around us.

Beyond influencing shape and color, artists use light to impart meaning to viewers. These works from MVC’s collection showcase how light can elicit emotion, tell stories, and convey meaning.

Finding the Light is the first exhibit installed in the Esther and Thomas Wachtell Family Gallery. This gallery has been created through a generous endowment from the Esther and Thomas Wachtell Family Fund and is designed to showcase the Museum of Ventura County’s permanent collection.

Finding the Light features works by artists such as: Norma Krahn, Patricia Chidlaw, Guy Webster, Henry Chapman, Steohen Schafer, Cahrlotte Watts, Richard Ross, Tony Jankowski, Bill McEnroe, Carlisle Cooper, Andrea Vargas, Ginger Osgood Worthley, and Susan Petty.

Key Exhibit Image:
The Trestle, 2011
Oil on Canvas
Andrea Vargas
2013-14.1

“I felt urgency when capturing Ventura’s trestles, imagining how each bridge contributed to the passage of ideas, materials, and history of people along the California coast. I found my pride swelling with each study and painting, taking in the armature and the symbolism of human progress, culture, and evolution.” —Andrea Vargas.

The flash of sunlight perfectly aligned with the end of the bridge makes it feel like Vargas intentionally timed her painting to capture a fleeting moment of hope and promise.

Finding the Light is supported through the gifts
of the Bonita McFarland Fund and Suzanne Chadwick.

Our Mission and Vision

Inspiring vibrant communities by connecting the past, present, and future. The Museum of Ventura County, through its collections, exhibits, educational programs and publications, celebrates the history, art, and culture of Ventura County and the Channel Islands.

Our Purpose

To promote interest in and understanding of the history of the Ventura County region; to collect and preserve archives, artifacts, art, and ephemera bearing on the history of the region; to document current regional events; and to create exhibits and programs that enlighten, educate, and engage the past, present, and future.

Our Partners

Major funding for the programs
at the Museum of Ventura County
is made possible by

City of Ventura

County of Ventura

Museum of Ventura County
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Directions

Thursday—Sunday
11am to 5pm

Phone: 805.653.0323

Research Library at the Museum
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Directions

Appointment Only
Wednesday—Friday • 11am to 5pm

For library assistance call
805-653-0323 ext 320
or email library@venturamuseum.org

Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Avenue
Santa Paula, CA 93060
Directions

Thursday—Sunday
11am to 5pm

Phone: 805.525.3100

Albinger Archaeological Museum
113 E. Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Directions

Saturday
11am to 5pm

Phone: 805.658.4728

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The Museum of Ventura County will be 
CLOSING EARLY TO THE PUBLIC AT 3PM
on Saturday, February 11th for a private event.
Regular hours will resume the following day on Sunday, February 12th.

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