Grand Terrace's 32nd Annual Art Show

The 32nd Annual Grand Terrace Art Show, hosted by the Historical and Cultural Activities Committee, featured local artists and talents that showcased the rich history and spirit of the community. In one of the rooms of Grand Terrace Civic Center, multiple paintings and other artwork mazed around in display stands that gave attendees an up-close and personal look into the art. From acrylic paintings to digital images, the artwork displayed was varied and offered a look inside of the community’s bursting and diverse talents and perspectives. Ann Petta, a Historical and Cultural Activities Committee member, displayed her own watercolor paintings which featured soft flowers and melancholy house sceneries, while Brian Felix’s “The Unconventional Dreams of a Mosaic Artist,” moved away from classic visions of paintings and created an intricate canvas made of marble, granite, and brick. Other artwork displayed showed the fruitations of Grand Terrace art students or Grand Terrace residents themselves, which made the art show, as Ann Petta calls it, “more close to the community.” Many of the artist themselves came to view their work, specifically a talented woman named Dottie P. who did cross stitching and embroideries to create images out of yarn and cloth. Her work is modest, intricate, and yet soft, a perfect embodiment of the life that she led leading up to this point. “I don’t sell my artwork, I give them to my children,” Dottie said with a lighthearted smile. “So that they always have something of me with them.” Similar to her sentiment, the Grand Terrace Art Show showcased artworks in which family members were able to come together and show the artistic bonds between them, strengthening the feeling of community at the show. As the art show went on, viewers and committee members gathered and chatted amongst each other about the art, their inspirations, and each other. Refreshments and other snacks (all homemade by committee members) were offered to those who came by. “I’ve been in Grand Terrace for at least 57 years,” Sarah C. Weese, one of the patrons at the show who incorporated wood work and painting into her artistry, said. “I decided that perhaps it’s time to submit some of my stuff and it’s been like this ever since.” The Historical and Cultural Activities Committee hopes to continue the annual art show and lift community passion in the arts field.