Arts, Etc.Fine Art

The creative facets of the Arts Colony

Mark Kostuk, 25, interns at the Mood Maiden Glass Studio, located at the Pomona Arts Colony in downtown Pomona. The studio’s main source of business comes from making the stained glass pieces and mosaics for homes and businesses, although it also sells glass jewelry. Owner Nancy Lopez offers workshops at the studio where artists can learn stained glass, glass blowing and mosaic techniques. / photo by Adam Omernik
Mark Kostuk, 25, interns at the Mood Maiden Glass Studio, located at the Pomona Arts Colony in downtown Pomona. The studio’s main source of business comes from making the stained glass pieces and mosaics for homes and businesses, although it also sells glass jewelry. Owner Nancy Lopez offers workshops at the studio where artists can learn stained glass, glass blowing and mosaic techniques. / photo by Adam Omernik

Stephanie Duarte
Assistant Editor

Although this area of Pomona is not so vast, the amount of creativity within its borders is astounding.

The Pomona Arts Colony, located around the area of Park Avenue and Second Street, contains much more than 12 art galleries.

There are also places to dine, shop and even expose your inner artist.

Most students are unaware of this area that is so rich in art and culture. For first-timers, a good place to start exploring is the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center Gallery.

Besides hosting art exhibits, the center features after-school programs for grades three through 12, theater productions and a poetry slam every Friday night.

“I go for ‘A Mic and Dim Lights,’” said senior theater major Siddeeqah Shabazz about the poetry slam. “It’s a cool environment with great vibes. Everyone’s always welcome there.”

Viewing a variety of art exhibits is not the only thing Pomona has to offer. Shoppers may satisfy their urge for the extraordinary at many different specialty shops, such as Futures Collide.

This furniture store sells Mid-Century Modern furniture, which includes furniture from the 1920s to the early 1980s.

“I love to look at [the furniture] because it reminds me of old times,” said Dan Seymor, 40-year resident of Pomona.

Victor Ortega, owner of Futures Collide and 20-year Pomona resident said collectors are their best customers.

“We get people who have made their home into a time capsule and are living a certain style,” Ortega said. “People come in for very specific things, and we usually have what they’re looking for.”

Famous clientele include Courtney Cox and David Arquette. Furniture from the store has also been seen in movies such as “Catch Me if You Can,” “Punch-Drunk Love” and the earlier Austin Powers movies.

“Business has been a little slow,” Ortega said. “It usually picks up in spring. Our best advertising is word of mouth and we get customers from Northern Santa Barbara to San Diego, West Hollywood to Palm Springs. They come from all over.”

Also attracting the non-locals is Da Mood, a barbershop just off of Second Street.

Outsiders and locals come to the barbershop for a stylish cut in a relaxed atmosphere.

“I’ve been coming out from Woodland Hills for five years now,” said John Annoreno, Da Mood customer. “I love the comfortable atmosphere. It’s like the ‘Barbershop’ movie. You see everyone here, from boxers to actors and sheriffs.”

Other businesses feature clothing lines that have recently emerged to the market, such as Aerostar, a skater shop that has recently brought the line Human Hater to its racks.

Zodiac is another clothing line that will soon debut at Aerostar.

“Business really picks up after five,” said Kelly Hall, part-time cashier at the store “Especially if there is a concert at The Glass House next door.”

Christy Roberts, senior philosophy and religion major, said The Glass House is her favorite part of the Pomona Arts Colony.

“It’s a really good venue that provides low-cost shows,” Roberts said. “It’s also a great place to see local and non-local bands, especially the ones who don’t get a lot of exposure.”

From the pebble stone streets to the murals on mailboxes, the Pomona Arts Colony exhibits creativity on every corner.

Some shops offer workshops that allow locals to delve into their own creative juices, creating artwork that is all their own.

One such shop is Mood Maiden Glass Studio.

For a flat fee, amateur artists can attend workshops to create mosaics, glass blowing sculptures or stained glass on the first Saturday of every month.

To the tranquil sounds of Asian influenced music, three artists worked on a mosaic piece for a house in Claremont.

“Business has been great,” said Nancy Lopez, owner of Mood Maiden Glass Studio. “We sell hand-made jewelry, but most of our business comes from commissioned work for homes and businesses.”

Every second Saturday of the month the Pomona Arts Colony unveils the work of new artists with the “Second Saturday Art Walk.”

“It’s an exciting time for the businesses because we get a lot of new customers,” said Olivia De La Paz, owner of the shop Sassafras.

“My shop sells mainly organic, cruelty-free products from the Basque country between Spain and France, but we have an art gallery as well,” De La Paz said. “We feature a new artist every month.”

Brianna Roth, junior music and theater major, attended a one-woman show by April Shenkman at the Pomona Arts Colony last year.

“It’s a shame that outside communities like La Verne don’t embrace the kind of culture that Pomona has to offer,” Roth said. “It’s a really great place to be.”

Stephanie Duarte can be reached at duartes@ulv.edu.

Stephanie Duarte, Arts Editor
Stephanie Duarte
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Adam Omernik, Photography Editor
Adam Omernik
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