San Clemente, CA – Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, a nonprofit southern California cultural center, is proud to announce its upcoming Open Casa exhibition Open Casa: Rock Newcomb. The exhibition, which is on view from March 19 through April 28, 2019, is a solo exhibition of paintings with Southwest motifs, executed in a flawless, highly-rendered technique by Arizona-based artist Rock Newcomb.

The exhibition will open to the public with a free cocktail reception on Tuesday, March 19 from 6-8 PM. The artist will be present as the guest of honor. Open Casa: Rock Newcomb will be on view daily during public hours through April 28.

This exhibition is made possible with support from Mr. and Mrs. David and Carolyn Westendorf.

About Rock Newcomb

Rock Newcomb was raised on a ranch in southern Idaho where he developed a love for nature and the environment. The first Indian artifacts he found were on the ranch, and they ignited his passion for painting and preserving them. Through his art, has been able to study and photograph a myriad of historical artifacts.

Newcomb paints in acrylics, working primarily with semi-opaque colors and very thin washes using techniques that are traditionally associated with oils and watercolors. His work encompasses wildlife, landscapes, portraits and Western still life, with an emphasis on Native Americans and their artifacts. He is also known for his incredible work ethic, painting 7 days per week and spending hundreds of hours toward the completion of each painting. In an interview with Southwest magazine, he credits his self-discipline to his ranch upbringing with its rigorous chore regime.

Prior to his two decades-plus tenure as a full-time artist, Newcomb was an arts educator in Idaho and California for twenty-six years. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in art from California State University at Fullerton. He was born in California.

His artwork can be found in private collections and galleries throughout the United States and abroad. Newcomb’s art has also been shown in several museum exhibitions, including the Smithsonian. PBS television chose Newcomb as a demonstration artist for “The Artist’s Workshop” series, and many publications have featured his work, including the magazines Southwest Art, Western Art Collector and Art of the West, among others.

If you go: Admission to the opening reception of Open Casa: Rock Newcomb on March 19 is complimentary. To RSVP to the opening reception, visit CasaRomantica.org/Calendar or call (949) 498-2139. During the regular exhibition run, admission to the gallery is free with $5 general admission to Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens. No advance RSVPs are required for general admission.

Open Casa series

Casa Romantica’s Open Casa series shares outstanding contemporary and historic art from around the world within its unique gallery space. In 2018-19, the gallery presented a selection of significant California Impressionist works from the Irvine Museum Collection. In 2017-18, the gallery presented a large selection of historic California Impressionist works from the prominent private collection of Peter and Gail Ochs, exhibitions of artist/educators from The Netherlands and Rwanda, and recent and commissioned works from three prominent Baja California-based Mexican artists. Other recent exhibitions include the work of Michael Childers, famous celebrity photographer, a commissioned installation of hanging flora by Rebecca Louise Law which received national press; the work of Italian National Geographic photographer Sandro Santioli, the work of award-winning celebrity photographer Douglas Kirkland, and a three-year commitment to the private collection of E. Gene Crain, with oil and watercolor paintings by the California Scene Painters of the 1910s-1960s.

About Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens maintains a robust series of year-round programs in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature for all ages. Under the leadership of Executive Director Berenika Schmitz, Casa Romantica has commissioned several critically-acclaimed works, including Casa Theater: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018; theater), Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Contemporary Dance Collective (2017; contemporary dance), The Beauty of the Butterfly (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Carrie Lee Riggins (2016; contemporary dance), Casa Drama: Slings & Arrows (2015; theater), and Open Casa: The Photographs of Douglas Kirkland (2015; visual art). The 2017-18 Casa Captivating season includes a new jazz series, visual and performing arts commissions, and an enhanced wellness program.

“Casa Romantica strives to be the epicenter for innovative artistic experiences in our southern California community,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz.

Casa Romantica also hosts a variety of free arts education programs for children year-round. The institution’s annual Casa Romantica Music Festival and Academy has received critical praise for its comprehensive two-week music studies program in cello, piano, viola, and violin. Casa Romantica also offers a Summer Dance Workshop, a Spring Break Arts Week, various art, literature, and horticulture events to grades K-12, and welcomes over 2,000 children from the Capistrano Unified School District each year for STEAM-based field trips that examine the history of San Clemente and the coastal environment.

Mission Statement: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premier Southern California cultural center.

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is located at 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672. Hours: Tuesday—Thursday 11 am—4 pm; Friday—Sunday 10am—2pm; closed Mondays and holidays. General admission is $5; Casa Members and children under age 13 visit for FREE. For more information, call (949) 498-2139 or visit CasaRomantica.org.