Press Releases
San Clemente, CA – Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, a nonprofit southern California cultural center, has commissioned artist Levi Ponce to create a large mural that will transform the institution’s art gallery for summer 2019. The exhibition will be the cornerstone of Casa Romantica’s annual Casa Coastal program, which merges visual art, music, cuisine and lectures to share the cultural heritage of various coastal communities.
The theme of Ponce’s mural will be related to southern California’s coastline and ocean life, although the exact subject matter remains under wraps until the mural is unveiled in June. It will cover every one of Casa Romantica’s walls in the two-roomed gallery.
The opening reception is a major event for the cultural center. Taking place on Friday, June 20 from 6-8 PM, the reception is free and open to the public. Entertainment will include live music, dance performances, and themed food and drinks. Throughout the summer, various supporting events will be announced which support the Casa Coastal theme. The exhibition will remain on view through September 8.
About Levi Ponce
Called one of the “Top 10 Latinos To Watch” in the United States by MSN’s Latinzine, Levi Ponce’s campaigning to beautify local communities with public art was one of the major catalysts in 2013 for the City of Los Angeles to lift a decade-long ban on creating murals on private property. His work has been exhibited at The Skirball Center, the Craft and Folk Art Museum, and The Peterson Museum, all in Los Angeles, as well as the Yucatan County Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán a.k.a. “MACAY”).
Ponce was born in 1987 to a sign maker and seamstress. He assisted his father with his work from childhood and began painting professionally in 2005 as a fine artist and as a graphic artist. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Art and Animation from California State University, Northridge.
A 2002 ban on painting murals of any kind in Los Angeles County frustrated Ponce, who saw an opportunity to beautify communities whose streets and businesses had been defaced by graffiti or left neglected. With the support of individuals and businesses in his hometown of Pacoima, CA, Ponce painted a series of murals on a long corridor of Van Nuys Boulevard that came to be known as “Mural Mile.” Usually funding his own supplies, he recruited the public to help him paint the larger-than-life scenes of popular heroes with social and environmental themes. Within a year he had over 100 volunteers and increasing support from politicians. In 2013, due in part to Ponce’s art and campaigning to the LA City Council and California State Assemblymen, the City of Los Angeles lifted the ban on creating murals on private property.
Levi Ponce’s work has been featured in The Los Angeles Times, La Opinion, LA Daily News, and the Huffington Post. He has also received television coverage for his work on Good Day LA (KTTV/KDOC), PBS SoCal news, KCET news, MTV news, Univision news, Telemundo news, CNN Latino News, BBC Mundo news, and Azteca TV news.
In addition to his fine art, Ponce is a busy graphic artist and animator whose work has been used in the creation of theme park attractions (Disney’s The World of Pandora, Frozen, Star Wars), films (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Interstellar) and promotional campaigns (Sony, Toyota, Vans, Dunkin’ Donuts, iHeartRadio, Modelo beer).
If you go: Casa Coastal: Levi Ponce happens on Friday, June 20, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Doors open at 6:00 PM and parking is free. Entry is free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments will be onsite and food trucks will be just outside the Casa for food purchase; no other outside food or beverages are permitted.
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 D. Palys, Casa Romantica has commissioned several critically-acclaimed works, including Casa Coastal: The Art of Baja California (2018; visual art), Casa Theater: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018; theater), Casa Kinetic: Celebrating Tap Dance Legends (2018; dance), 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 2018-19 Casa Captivating season includes more music, 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 D. Palys.
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
