VENTURA, Calif. – The Museum of Ventura County will host the U.S. premiere of an exhibition of paintings by prominent Cuban artist and educator Pedro González Pulido from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 8. The event will feature a reception and screening of the documentary “Hearing is Believing” by Ventura filmmaker Lorenzo DeStefano, which inspired Pulido’s work. World-renowned musician Rachel Flowers, who hails from Oxnard, is the subject of the film and will perform her music at the opening reception. Flowers will be present for a post-screening panel discussion along with her mother Jeanie Flowers, producer/director Lorenzo DeStefano and executive producer Patti Channer.
The Pulido exhibition features a series of acrylic portraits inspired by scenes from the film from Flowers’ performances. His art first debuted in Havana in December 2016 during Rachel Flowers’ 10-day stint at the Havana International Jazz Festival. Filmmaker DeStefano, who hails from Ventura, is a longtime friend of Pulido who was inspired after seeing the Spanish-subtitled version of DeStefano’s film, and by Flowers’ story and her music, which has received worldwide acclaim.
“Hearing is Believing” chronicles Flowers’ life and music, and is a dynamic and engaging portrait of a year-and-a-half in the life of a tight-knit American family–a single mom and her two kids—living paycheck to paycheck, with Flowers’ stunning music as the soundtrack. “Hearing is Believing” revels in Flowers’ joyous and free-flowing love of song, illuminating the bonds of family and the divine mysteries of creativity. Rachel Flowers is a true survivor, a hyper-abled individual whose inspiring story has the potential to be a beacon of hope. Appearing with Flowers’ in “Hearing is Believing” are Grammy winners Arturo Sandoval, Stevie Wonder, Dweezil Zappa, two-time Grammy nominated jazz pianist, Taylor Eigsti, the late Progressive Rock icon Keith Emerson, Hawaii ukulele master Benny Chong, and 50 members of the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony performing Flowers’ original composition, “At The End Of The Day.” www.facebook.com/HearingisBelievingFilm/
Advance purchase tickets to the opening event are recommended and cost $20 each. Proceeds benefit the Flowers’ family, the Museum of Ventura County and Hearing is Believing Productions. Tickets may be purchased at http://bit.ly/MVC_HearingisBelieving. There may be limited tickets available at the door.
About his inspiration, Pulido says “Rachel has a seemingly unlimited capacity to play any instrument she puts her mind to. Not many musicians have this ability, especially from an early age, as is depicted very emotionally in Lorenzo’s film. She is a living link between North American, Western European, Brazilian and Cuban music.”
An illustrious sculptor and painter, Pulido was Artist–in-Residence at Ventura’s Art City Studios in 1997. Over the years, Pulido built a close relationship with several prominent artists in Ventura, resulting in his participation as a Featured Artist at the Ventura ArtWalk 2015. Pulido is an international-exhibiting artist whose works have shown around the world in Cuba, Italy, Bulgaria, Australia and the United States, in private collections and at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana and the Museum of Sydney in Sydney, Australia. He is a graduate of the University of Havana with degrees in Graphic Design, Ceramic, Sculpture and Ecology. He holds a B.A. from the National School of Fine Art, San Alejandro, Cuba, in drawing and sculpture, has been commissioned monumental national works from the Cuban government and tours worldwide as a professor of fine art. www.facebook.com/pedromiguel.gonzalezpulido.3
Pedro’s exhibition will be on display at 100 Main Street, Ventura in the Museum’s Smith Pavilion, Tuesdays through Sundays between 11 a.m.-5 p.m., through Sunday June 24. For more information visitventuramuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.
About the Museum
The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. Located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001, the Museum of Ventura County is open Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.
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