One thing Americans do not have enough of, is time. This statement was made on the NBC Today show several years ago. Why is this? Are we too busy with our lives and cannot organize our time for pleasure or leisure? Or is there another reason we do not have enough time? Could the reason be that we are busy raising our children and taking care of our families, getting educational degrees, learning computer skills, exercising, remodeling our homes, planting gardens, taking children to school and sport events? Of course grocery shopping and entertaining friends and relatives are always part of our lives. When do we do things for enrichment, go to parades, art museums, plays, theater productions, church activities, fund raising programs, art and history lectures, sports events, dance and music recitals, parties and go to Hollywood Bowl productions? Yes, when do we find time to do these things? The question is… are there a lot of activities such as art museums and art galleries in the SCV for our enjoyment? In Santa Clarita there are no art museums and art centers, and only one art gallery to visit. Why is there such a lack of these kinds of enrichment offered in Santa Clarita? In Pasadena there are a lot of places to see visual art exhibits. The Lancaster community North of SCV has an Art Museum that was opened to residents in 1986. The museum was created by the Antelope Valley Arts Council, Lancaster City Council, Parks, Recreation Committee and the Arts Commission. It was a grassroots effort combined with city support and assistance from community groups. Can this same kind of effort be done here in Santa Clarita? If so, then time is needed to achieve this kind of goal. The people in SCV need to be asked for their interest and help in creating an art museum or art center by working with the City Council, Arts Commission and the Parks & Recreation Committee. It is time for this kind of effort to be developed to provide an art museum and art center for the community residents to enjoy.
Jaylene Armstrong is a retired art educator from Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, please call 661-255-3050.