HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS THE SANTA CLARITA ARTISTS ASSOCIATION TRANSFORMS NEWHALL HOUSE INTO GALLERY.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Usually it's the theater crowd that uses a relative's barn to put on a show.

But in downtown Newhall, property owner Charlie Patton, a visual artist himself, offered a home when the Santa Clarita Artists Association had to leave its space on San Fernando Road in mid-December.

At noon Saturday, the association will open a new gallery within a bright yellow house just around the corner at 22416 8th St.

Patton is one of three owners of the former home that will soon overflow with visions in oil, photography, acrylics, pen-and-ink and sculpture created by the varied talents of the group.

``Unfortunately, arts are underfunded across California,'' Patton said. ``Ultimately, we'll develop that property, because it's all being rezoned, but the arts association needed a place now. It's exciting and actually, it helps both of us.''

The group is leasing the house for $900 a month, an amount significantly less than its previous $1,600 rent for exposure on the arts district's main street. The new location opens just in time for the association to implement a series of youth classes funded by a $3,000 Community Services Grant from the city of Santa Clarita.

``We got blessed because he is an artist and wanted to help. It was a difficult decision because it's half the size of our last location, but we really wanted to have a physical presence in Newhall because of all the redevelopment,'' Sandy Fisher, vice president and membership chairwoman of the artisan group, said.

Gallery manager April Bielefeldt said she thinks 60 to 90 pieces of art will fit in the new space, depending on each item's size.

``We are so excited about our new place,'' she said. ``At first we were a little reserved, because it didn't look like much from the outside and it didn't have the vaulted ceilings and natural light of our old location. Then the owner painted, put in new carpeting and pointed out that we have quite a chunk of land that goes with it, so we could have outdoor displays as the weather gets nicer. We could even have our own arts festival on the block.''

Sculptor Laura Wambsgans is excited about the number of windows in the new location.

``They might be places you could put a sculpture,'' she said. ``Ideally, a sculpture goes in the middle of a space because it's three-dimensional, but we'll have to see.''

A member of the group for longer than she can remember, Wambsgans gives a lot of credit to current President Scott Bruckner for bringing up the profile of the association.

``We are indebted to his tenacity; we've never had a leader who has been able to create the changes we've made. Getting the first gallery together really made us professional,'' she said.

``The thing I wish the city and community understood is that the way artists survive today is to connect and network with other artists to show and discuss their work. Without the hard address, we were without a home. The minute we had a location where people could stop and meet and chat, it was a great thing. Without that, we were like a homeowner living in a tent - we had no roots or vitality.''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Santa Clarita Artists Association President Scott Bruckner of Valencia makes repairs Saturday to the group's new gallery, a small former home off 8th Street in downtown Newhall.

(2 -- color) Alice E. Nelson holds up a painting that will be on display at the Santa Clarita Artists Association's upcoming show in Newhall.

(3 -- color) The Santa Clarita Artists Association moved to its new home, a small house turned gallery off 8th Street in Newhall, due to rising rent costs at its old location on San Fernando Road.

(4) From left, Gallery Chairman Paul Taylor, publicist and Chairwoman Alice E. Nelson, and Santa Clarita Artists Association President Scott Buckner hold up works that will be in the new show.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News