Art faculty participate in “Happening/Unhappening”

Ceramic student, Marco Minayo sculpts a mask made out of clay. (Shirley Smith).

Shirley Smith

The third annual “Happening/Unhappening,” was sold out last Friday night in the Saddleback College’s Studio Theater. The event featured faculty from jazz, dance, painting, ceramics and also spoken word poet Chuck Perkins.

Richard White uses leftover clay to sculpt a ceramic piece. (Shirley Smith)

The performance art, “Happening,” which is a spontaneous improvised performance from artists of different disciplines in one location and can involve audience participation in the performance.

Before the show, Ceramic instructor Richard White explained parts of the performance.

“We are taking a lot of different influences and putting it together like the modern world takes different influences and puts it together,” White said.

White further explained the meaning of improvisation in mixed media.

“The thing based on this performance is improve. We don’t know what really going to happen both in the sculpture, painting, dance and theater movement,” White said. “The idea of improvisation and spontaneity relate to one media and another.”

Even the though location, materials and performers are planned the events on stage are not.

“We’re hoping that something comes out or it may all be rubble,” he said.

Physical Theater dancers perform their artistry around a painted canvas. (Shirley Smith )

Last year they had there were two performances and plenty of seats, according to the box office clerk. She said because this year only one show was offered it was sold out hours before the opening.

“My husband and I come every year,” Michel Pellissier attendee said. “We are looking forward to this evening.”

Ellen Prince opened the show in dance, and was soon joined by Joey Sellers from trombone and Ariel Alexander on alto saxophone.

White and ceramics student, Marco Minaya began to paint on large rollaway canvases.

In four episodes and three segues, artists moved around the stage somewhere between impromptu and avant-garde.

One highlight of the night was Chuck Perkins, poet, from New Orleans, La., who cited poetry while the artists worked on the stage.

A mixture of artists all connect in sync at the 2012 “Happenings” event. (courtesy of Nina Welch/Fine Arts)

Perkins gave up the first week of Jazz Fest in New Orleans to participate in this year’s “Happening,” White said.

It was a full two hours of entertainment with everyone on stage vying for our attention at the same time.

It is interesting to see what artists will do when given the opportunity to do bring their skills and experience in a spontaneous environment while interacting with other artist of different disciplines. The result can be interesting and surprising.

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