Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Openning Reception: Saturday December 5, 2009 4PM to 7PM: The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery: Photography Art Exhibit and Reception

The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery Reception: From Thomas Carver LMFT

Dear VC-CAMFT Friends, You are invited to a reception for wine & non-alcohol mojitos and delicious hors d'oeuvres Saturday December 5, 2009 from 3PM to 7PM. Please come and celebrate the opening of my new office in Camarillo that I have named The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery. The space doubles as a psychotherapy office and an art gallery. Myself, Thomas Carver LMFT, and Nahed Stefeny LMFT share the space that includes a very progressive, upscale environment for clients. We have a wonderful child therapy playroom and room for groups. Every three months I am featuring a new artist. This opening has an expanded showing of framed pieces to include three talented photographers. I have timed the event to try to avoid other holiday parties and make it early enough that you could spin by on your way out to dinner: date night! Each artist will be talking about their philosophy and technique and all of the art is for sale at very reasonable rates for the holiday season. All profits from the evening go to the Make A Wish Foundation. There really are some wonderful Christmas gifts available. All of you are very special to me and I am excited to work with Nahed. Sharing my vision with you all is a dream come true. Please come and enjoy each others' company before a night on the town! Please RSVP to thomas@thomascarver.net or (805) 794-7800. The party is at 155 Granada Street, Suite O, Camarillo, CA 93010. Thank you, Thomas

Larry Brambles Bio

We are featuring another talented Fine Arts Photographer. This show, entitled "Icons of the Pacific", is dedicated to the work of Larry Brambles who has a passion for photographing ocean piers located on the West Coast. He captures the personality and uniqueness of the architecture, local culture, and marine life of these piers situated in communities of our beautiful coastline. Some of his photographs, which are not photo-shopped, feature a full moon making his work especially captivating. You can see some of his work at: http://www.ilovepacificpiers.com.

The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery Reception & Website Launching Party: Larry Brambles May 1, 2010 1PM to 6PM

Our last reception was a huge success. I want to thank everybody that attended. We received wonderful feedback that attendees used the event as a launching point to go to Edwards Theater, the outlet mall or out to dinner. In the spirit of encouraging people to carve out time in their busy lives to remember to have date night, we have made arrangements with Bandits Bar and Grill to offer a free appetizer for anyone coming by the gallery. The Sespe Center is proud to be part of Old Town Camarillo and we are trying to promote local businesses.

I am very pleased to announce the launching of my new Web Site: www.thomascarver.com, which is meant not only to be a site that describes my psychotherapy practice, but also a resource for the community and my clients. Please take a moment to surf its many pages and feel free to give me feedback. It is an ongoing creative process that I am very excited about.

We are featuring another talented Fine Arts Photographer. This show, entitled "Icons of the Pacific", is dedicated to the work of Larry Brambles who has a passion for photographing ocean piers located on the West Coast. He captures the personality and uniqueness of the architecture, local culture, and marine life of these piers situated in communities of our beautiful coastline. Some of his photographs, which are not photo-shopped, feature a full moon making his work especially captivating. You can see some of his work at: http://www.ilovepacificpiers.com. There is a new artist every three months.

As usual, the pieces are elegantly famed and very reasonably priced. All proceeds for the gallery are donated to charity. This show will be benefiting UCLA's Camp Kesem for children who have a parent with cancer. This program has an incredibly compassionate staff that help kids who are dealing with serious grief issues. If you would like to learn more about them, please visit the following website: http://www.campkesem.org/site/c.jvI0ImN0JuE/b.2535859/k.A9DE/Camp_Kesem_at_UCLA.htm.

Thomas Carver and Nahed Stefany will be your hosts. Complimentary wine & non-alcohol mojitos and delicious hors d'oeuvres will be served. Good food, friends, colleagues and conversation. Please RSVP to thomas@thomascarver.com or (805) 794-7800. The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery is located at 155 Granada Street, Suite O, Camarillo, CA 93010. Thank you.

Please forgive us if you receive this invitation more than once. We are fine tuning the e-list. If you are contacted more than once (or want to be removed from the list), reply to this e-mail and we will look for a duplicate address. Thank you.

Mierav Haber Bio

Meirav Haber is an LA based artist who specializes in merging the realms of sculpture, painting, and ceramics. Born in Israel with an early life of travel split between Israel, South Africa, and the United States, Meirav has an eclectic culture that undeniably informs her work. Meirav’s recent series of ceramic sculptures, called Mimesis, came to life in 2009 inspired by crumpled metal and trash from the streets of LA. “I was searching for beauty and life in a city full of road kill and trash, and I found it.” Her works transcend realistic depiction and take on a life of their own, with personality, emotion, and psychological states all fused into one. The clay body, paint, and glaze compete for the eye’s attention, and plays back and forth with optical illusions. Ms. Haber graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s in Fine Arts in 2009, and is currently attending Loyola Marymount for a master’s degree in Art Therapy. www.meiravhaber.com

Teng Shu-Ming Bio: Reception June 11, 2011 1PM-6PM

Teng Shu-Ming, an American-Chinese-Japanese Artist, has been a cover & featured artist in Ventura Life Styles Magazine and has exhibited her work internationally. She works with Sumi or Sumi-e inks and Chinese watercolors from a traditional foundation dating back thousand of years in China and Japan, but with an auspicious use of color. Over time, Teng Shu-Ming has infused subtle influeces from California landscape watercolorists. She has personally vsiited and photographed the stunning mountain and waterfront vistas represented in her work, which int his echibit spans 1975-2007.

Art is a land of limits defined by pushing, astounding, and trascending. art is also a field of limitlessness, where there is nothing to push, break, or transcend. Where there was newly purchased rice paper, ther is now the Yangtze River scattered with monkeys and morning haze.
You are in the yellow Mountains of China gazing at the mountain range; you do not rest such is the stirring in your heart. these mountains will remain with you, and together you will paint. in no other cultural tradition has landscape played a more important role than for the chinese, for whom natural imagery is a reflection of human beliefs and virtures. It does not have a fixed point like western traditions, but encourages viewers to ramble trough middle and far distances as if wandering mountain paths. Tiny human figures are juxtaposed against towering mountains to reflect humility in the face of natures mysteries.

Artist Bio By Sophia Kidd

Dorothea Heger Bio

We are proud to announce that artist, Dorothea Heger, is showing a very unique collection that is accompanied by poetry. Dorothea captures the art of the natural world with a medium that includes brightly colored inks on rice or watercolor paper and painted in a beautifully fluid, abstract manner. She became inspired by the moving poetry of Louisa Angeli and the two have successfully paired paint and prose! The content is literally perfect for a psychotherapy office in that the topics of both the paintings and the poems focus on an individuals' emotional evolution throughout life's challenges. I am very confident that both genres will evoke each viewers own knowledge of themselves and how they have coped in the past. It is a rare fusion of expressive arts. Please view some of Dorothea's works at http://www.dorothea-art.com.

The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery Reception: Artist Dorothea Heger's "Universal Whispers" and Poet Louisa Angeli: October 2, 2011 1PM to 6PM: Po

We wanted to make sure that you have the upcoming reception in your calendar. This is such a unique show. We have never done a poetry reading with art before. They compliment each other in a way that I feel is very impressive.

I also want to add that we have Akym Rinkovsky's inspired furniture art collection in the gallery as well as Peter Churchill's beautiful stained glass pieces on display.

Here are their bios:

Akym Rinkovsky was originally inspired by ancient Aztec art. He developed a love for using natural materials and a sacred philosophy of preserving the earth into an 'interactive style of art.' Akym has created a very rare furniture-art show called Going Green, The Fix it Kit “Palm.” This is a specific collection of his natural form benches and tables built from king and queen palm fronds and bark. It is in his own interpretation of these tree's flow and function that spawned this truly unique brand of indoor and outdoor leisure sculpture. This is a complete paradigm shift, a new way of thinking, analyzing the 'proper' utilization of something that exists all around us. Via old school building techniques with new school respect for the environment, Akym has created pieces that must be seen to appreciate.

Peter Churchill is an accomplished stained glass artist who has been creating pieces that are inspired by nature. His passion for geology is channeled through his work in that it uses mineral colors and crystalline form. He has clients all over the West - Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona. Peter's business includes custom stained glass windows, decorative glass art projects, and memorial pet garden stones. Much of his work is inspired by things he loves - his latest series of water fowl evolved out of his love of these incredible birds; Peter's memorial stones evolved from a desire to create a lasting memory when his beloved dog died. http://churchillstainedglass.com/Home.html

Again, Dorothea Heger is showing a very unique collection that is accompanied by poetry. Dorothea captures the art of the natural world with a medium that includes brightly colored inks on rice or watercolor paper and painted in a beautifully fluid, abstract manner. She became inspired by the moving poetry of Louisa Angeli and the two have successfully paired paint and prose! The content is literally perfect for a psychotherapy office in that the topics of both the paintings and the poems focus on an individuals' emotional evolution throughout life's challenges. I am very confident that both genres will evoke each viewers own knowledge of themselves and how they have coped in the past. It is a rare fusion of expressive arts. Please view some of Dorothea's works at http://www.dorothea-art.com.

The pieces are elegantly framed and very reasonably priced. All proceeds for the gallery are donated to charity. This show will be benefiting The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. It is a non-profit organization that provides financial and emotional support to families of children who have cancer living in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties. If you would like to learn more about them, please visit the following website: http://www.teddybearcancerfoundation.org/

Thomas Carver and Nahed Stefany will be your hosts. Complimentary wine & non-alcohol refreshments and finger foods will be served. Good food, friends, colleagues and conversation. Please RSVP to info@thomascarver.com or (805) 794-7800. The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery is located at 155 Granada Street, Suite O, Camarillo, CA 93010. Thank you.

Please forgive us if you receive this invitation more than once. We are fine tuning the e-list. If you are contacted more than once (or want to be removed from the list), reply to this e-mail and we will look for a duplicate address. Thank you.

Also, let me remind you to visit my Web Site: www.thomascarver.com, which is meant not only to be a site that describes my psychotherapy practice, but also a resource for the community and my clients.

The Sespe Center is the the product of a vision to combining a counseling center with a progressive art gallery. This environment has surpassed our wildest hopes in that we have seen the interplay between the artist's inspiration and each client's courageous path of healing. The idea was to have a space that was constantly evolving. We look back at the history of different mediums shown in the gallery and remember the special relationships that were developed during therapy sessions and see mutual insight. Art and psychotherapy are expressions of passion.

The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery Holiday Reception: Jamie Weil Bio

For the most special show of the year, I have an artist that paints some of the most special places in the world for me as an outdoorsman. It is my sincere honor to introduce Jamie Weil, an accomplished brush painter, well known in Ojai for his love of our local mountains as well as Yosemite Valley. His plein air works in water based acrylics and water colors humbly transfer the beauty of the mountain to canvas producing images that evoke memories for all of us that have been to these magical places. Both the whimsy of the yucca in Ojai Conservancy of the Los Padres and the flowing, majestic cliffs of Half Dome in Yosemite brings out something indigenous in us that must be honored. Jamie Weil's art makes you want to return (or go for the first time) to these trails that create true balance in our lives. This show focuses on the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, Ventura River Preserve, AND the Yosemite National Park. However, Mr. Weil has many collections including historical lighthouses on the Pacific Coast, East Coast, and Great Lakes. Other subjects include the Southwest and the Anazasi Ruins, floral and wild flowers around California, and winter landscapes. During his military career he became interested in aircraft and nautical subjects as well. Please visit his website to see more: http://www.jamieweil.com/

Holiday Reception: The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery: Jamie Weil: December 10, 2011 1PM to 6PM

We wanted to make sure that you have the upcoming date in your calendar. The holiday reception is the best event of the year at the Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery. I am featuring Jamie Weil because he paints wild places that are very accessible for all of us. The Los Padres is a hidden gem that many Ventura County locals have never been to, let alone Yosemite Valley! It is an area that brings out something that being urban hides; our potential to rest our minds and settle into our bodies. One of my specialties is Eco-Psychology. Here is an excerpt from my web page that explains how I integrate it into my practice:

Eco-Psychology: Nature & Wilderness Experiential Therapy

There is a disconnect that many of us feel that know ourselves to be nature lovers and let that bond slip away. We NEED wild places. The complexity of nature energizes innate healing that is probably the single most powerful force immediately available to us to generate emotional balance. Soothing paths through deep woods nurture us right when we need it. High mountains and granite cliffs make us face our fears and help us know ourselves as warriors in modern times. Our culture has lost many of the ceremonies and rituals that our indigenous nature still knows as a shadow memory. I have been a timberline mountaineer my whole life and am a Wilderness Guide. I connect my clients to a multitude of local trails where they can get off the couch and move their bodies and have fun! Therapy is about life transition. When we mix it with nature it becomes a right of passage.

I also want to add that we have Akym Rinkovsky's inspired furniture art collection in the gallery as well as Peter Churchill's beautiful stained glass pieces on display.

Here are their bios:

Akym Rinkovsky was originally inspired by ancient Aztec art. He developed a love for using natural materials and a sacred philosophy of preserving the earth into an 'interactive style of art.' Akym has created a very rare furniture-art show called Going Green, The Fix it Kit “Palm.” This is a specific collection of his natural form benches and tables built from king and queen palm fronds and bark. It is in his own interpretation of these tree's flow and function that spawned this truly unique brand of indoor and outdoor leisure sculpture. This is a complete paradigm shift, a new way of thinking, analyzing the 'proper' utilization of something that exists all around us. Via old school building techniques with new school respect for the environment, Akym has created pieces that must be seen to appreciate.

Peter Churchill is an accomplished stained glass artist who has been creating pieces that are inspired by nature. His passion for geology is channeled through his work in that it uses mineral colors and crystalline form. He has clients all over the West - Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona. Peter's business includes custom stained glass windows, decorative glass art projects, and memorial pet garden stones. Much of his work is inspired by things he loves - his latest series of water fowl evolved out of his love of these incredible birds; Peter's memorial stones evolved from a desire to create a lasting memory when his beloved dog died. http://churchillstainedglass.com/Home.html


Again, Jamie Weil, an accomplished brush painter, well known in Ojai for his love of our local mountains as well as Yosemite Valley, will be the primary artist exhibiting. His plein air works in water based acrylics and water colors humbly transfer the beauty of the mountain to canvas producing images that evoke memories for all of us that have been to these magical places. Both the whimsy of the yucca in Ojai Conservancy of the Los Padres and the flowing majestic cliffs of Half Dome in Yosemite brings out something indigenous in us that must be honored. Jamie Weil's art makes you want to return (or go for the first time) to these trails that evoke true balance in our lives. This show focuses on the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, Ventura River Preserve, AND the Yosemite National Park. Please visit his website to see more: http://www.jamieweil.com/

The pieces are elegantly framed and very reasonably priced. All proceeds for the gallery are donated to charity. This show will be benefiting The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. It is a non-profit organization that works to protect open space lands within the Ojai Valley in perpetuity for the benefit of the community. Working with willing and interested landowners, land is either purchased, donated or preserved through conservation easements. Please visit the following website: http://www.ovlc.org/

Launch your evening of fun from the Sespe Gallery. Enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and fine art and poetry before you head out on the town. Bump into old friends and make new ones in our relaxing environment. Remember that we are located right next to the Camarillo Outlet Mall, Edwards I-Max Theater and a multitude of shopping and dining opportunities in Old Town.

Thomas Carver will be your hosts. Complimentary wine & non-alcohol refreshments and finger foods will be served. Good food, friends, colleagues and conversation. Please RSVP to info@thomascarver.com or (805) 794-7800. The Sespe Counseling Center and Gallery is located at 155 Granada Street, Suite O, Camarillo, CA 93010. Thank you.

Please forgive us if you receive this invitation more than once. We are fine tuning the e-list. If you are contacted more than once (or want to be removed from the list), reply to this e-mail and we will look for a duplicate address. Thank you.

Also, let me remind you to visit my Web Site: www.thomascarver.com, which is meant not only to be a site that describes my psychotherapy practice, but also a resource for the community and my clients.

The Sespe Center is the the product of a vision to combining a counseling center with a progressive art gallery. This environment has surpassed our wildest hopes in that we have seen the interplay between the artist's inspiration and each client's courageous path of healing. The idea was to have a space that was constantly evolving. We look back at the history of different mediums shown in the gallery and remember the special relationships that were developed during therapy sessions and see mutual insight. Art and psychotherapy are expressions of passion.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012