A Twisted Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Chuck Jones Center for Creativity Presents a Creative Classroom Led byLeigh Rubin, Author & Illustrator of the Syndicated Comic Strip, Rubes®

Sunday, November 15 from 2 to 4 PM

A Musical Performance by Andrew Rubin Will Close the Workshop

Costa Mesa, Ca: Need more humor in your life? The world is a serious place and let’s face it, we all need to lighten up. There really is humor in almost any situation, but how do we find it? All it takes is a bit of mental twist to look at your world in a funny way. Discover the humor in your own life by mentally stepping out of your normal routine and into your very own twistedly absurd and funny world! This illustrated lecture and workshop is a comic adventure inside the ridiculously twisted mind of Leigh Rubin, Rubes® cartoonist and “sit down” comic. This afternoon presentation is free and open to the public and is recommended for ages 10 and above. At the end of the lecture, Leigh’s talented musician son, Andrew, will perform for approximately one-half hour.

Leigh Rubin began his cartooning career in 1978 by establishing his own greeting card company, Rubes® Publications. His first cartoon collection, the popular Notable Quotes musical cartoons was published in 1981. Originally self-syndicated, 2014 marked the 30th anniversary of his daily cartoon, Rubes®, which is now distributed by Creators Syndicate to more than 400 newspapers and media outlets worldwide. Rubes® appears in major daily metropolitan newspapers, such as the Los Angeles Daily News, the Vancouver Sun, the Oregonian, the Staten Island Advance, the Washington Times, the Sacramento Bee, the Houston Chronicle, and the Orange County Register. Rubin recently launched a new website, WhyGrowUp.Club, celebrating life’s simple pleasures.

The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity’s Creative Classroom began with a workshop led by children’s author and illustrator, Kelly Light, in February 2015 and is a quarterly free-to-the-public workshop presented by the Center. Award-winning actor and illustrator, Richard Kinsey delighted the summer crowd with his innovative take on storytelling. The Center is pleased to present “A Twisted Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste”, led by the funny and charming, Leigh Rubin, as part of this ongoing series.

Andrew Rubin, of California's Central Coast, has been cultivating his passion for music since he was thirteen years old. He is best known as the lead guitarist of the rock trio, The Spaces Between, and has a background of various musical projects involving Pop, Jazz, Funk, and more. In more recent times, Andrew discovered a new-found love for classical music and, with support from peers and mentors, has taken up composition. Now 20, he is currently working on his third classical piece, and aims to continue with great vigor the writing and performance that brings him so much joy, as well as further exploration and progress in all branches of his musical career. The Center is pleased to present Andrew Rubin in a short concert appearance after his father’s workshop.

The Leigh Rubin Creative Classroom is on Sunday, November 15, 2015 from 2 to 4 PM. It is free and open to the public. RSVP is required. Please contact Programs@ChuckJonesCenter.org or call 949-660-7793 x 107 to reserve your seat.

Chuck Jones: Drawn From the Far Side: Exhibition to Open at Bowers Museum

Santa Ana, CA:oThe Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California announced today that the exhibition, "Chuck Jones: Drawn from the Far Side", will open on Saturday, April 26 and close August 3, 2014. Celebrated as one of the greatest directors from the "golden age" of animation, Chuck Jones worked in the field some seventy years until his death at eighty‐nine in 2002. His passion for drawing was both work and full time hobby. He drew for a living, and he drew for pleasure and challenge.This exhibit contains original drawings, most never publicly displayed, including a section of 50 so‐called "Doodles," perhaps best described as coming from one artist's very far side. The majority of drawings are from the private collection of Jones' widow, Marian. In collaboration with the non-profit Chuck Jones Center for Creativity. Visit the Bowers Museum website for details.

Calling All Artists! The 4th Annual Red Dot Auction to Benefit the Chuck Jones Center Needs You!

Dear Artists and Friends of the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity,Preparations are underway for the Fourth Annual Red Dot Auction benefiting the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, coming in May. As you are aware, the arts and creativity in our schools and in our national conversation are always the first things to be eliminated or casually dismissed as unimportant.

In fact, it is creativity that opens the minds and hearts of all who allow it to; it brings greater freedom to their lives. It enhances one’s ability to solve problems and it opens minds to the differences that make each of us unique, erasing prejudices and bigotry. Creativity makes the world a better place.

Today I’m writing to ask you to donate a work of art to this year’s Red Dot Auction, to be held on Friday, May 9th from 7 to 10 PM at the Center in Costa Mesa, California.  Again this year the canvas is 12” square and as last year, we ask that you sign the artwork on the reverse.  You may prefer to work on paper or another substrate and that’s fine as long as we can mount it to the 12” square canvas for presentation the night of the event.

For those of you who may be unaware of the Red Dot Auction and how it works (or may have forgotten), here are the details: each artist contributes a work of art that is either painted on the canvas we provide you or creates a work of art that can be mounted to the canvas for display the evening of the auction.  The artwork should be signed on the reverse so that bidders at this silent auction will not know who has created which painting—although savvy collectors may be aware of your particular style and will jealously guard their bids, hoping to land a work by ______ or ____ ______.

You might ask, “What should I paint?” Chuck’s life spanned most of the 20th century and with such a wealth of inspiration why not the life and times of Chuck Jones? That should not limit you to cartoon-related imagery, although many of the most sought after works at last year’s event were inspired by his Looney Tunes creations; you might be inspired by his love of reading, his enjoyment of painting “en plein air” or the fact that he liked to square dance.

Whatever you choose to do, of course, is up to you; it is your participation that is most important to us.

Won’t you share your gifts with us and with the Center’s members and patrons?  If you will, please drop me a note at rpatrick@lje.com with your mailing address and I’ll get a canvas out to you or drop by the Center to pick up a canvas.

What’s that you say?  You’d like to contribute two works?  No problem!  Just let me know and I’ll send you two canvases.  Have an artist friend who would like to be a part of this exciting project?  Please send them my way.  Canvases are due back here no later than April 19th.

Thank you in advance for your generosity, time, and commitment to re-invigorating the creative spirit in all of us.

All the best, Robert

Robert Patrick, Director of Marketing

Craig Kausen--Principal for the Day at McPherson Magnet K-8

Craig Kausen, Chairman of the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and Chuck's grandson, will be Principal for the Day at McPherson Magnet K-8 school Wednesday, March 13.   

The Orange Unified School District will celebrate Principal for a Day on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 throughout its campuses. The event partners a business leader or community member with a school principal and allows the participant an opportunity to observe a glimpse of a principal’s daily responsibilities. The purpose of the program is to foster relationships within the community and to share the outstanding work of OUSD teachers, students, and staff.

Chuck Redux believes the children at McPherson are in for a special treat! More about Craig's day as Prinicpal as it unfolds. Stay tooned!

Photo by Stephen Russo

Remembering Chuck Jones

Chuck Jones passed away on February 22, 2002. It doesn't seem possible that a decade has passed since then, for his spirit truly does live on, not only in each of you, but also in the hearts and minds of his three grandchildren, Valerie, Craig, and Todd.

THOUGHTS ON THIS DAY...From Valerie: People love Chuck Jones. In the decade that has passed since Chuck’s death, I have found myself getting to know (and love) him even more deeply. I have the great honor of working with the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and witnessing innumerable people being inspired by Chuck’s work, his words, his philosophy, the memories of his kindness and humor.

I had the great pleasure of growing up with Chuck, being able to work with him closely for many years, to represent him in many situations over the years and be his only granddaughter.

It would seem that when someone leaves this world that the memory might fade, become less important over time, but Chuck’s influence is growing stronger. The importance of a heartfelt, humor-filled life is now more clear than ever. I am more inspired, connected and dedicated to a creative life and to the pursuit of my own soul’s contribution to this world and I know that this is because of Chuck and what is still alive in this world that he left for us.

People love Chuck Jones. It is a love affair that never seems to end. Chuck changed lives through his work, his encouragement or just by his deep love of living. He is still changing lives, ten years after his passing.

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From Todd: Ten years seems like a long time in most situations, but for some reason, it does not feel very long when thinking back to when Chuck left us. When I was at the new Chuck Jones Experience in Las Vegas at the Circus Circus Hotel, I was filled with a feeling of missing him. It really is a great experience whether you knew him or not.

I'm so honored to be associated with him and his great legacy, albeit strictly through nepotism and certainly not through any kind of deserved place. However, as Chuck used to say, "Even if I don't deserve it, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it!" So on this day, I shall reflect on him, his legacy, his impact on me personally and be very grateful for the tiniest piece of his humor, wit and genius that somehow trickled into my blood and allows me to occasionally find the humor in this wacky journey of life. Thanks for that, Chief!

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From Craig: It is quite startling for me to think that it has been 10 years since my Grandfather, Chuck, passed away. Not only do I recall that day quite vividly, just as I’m sure everyone who has had someone important to them leave, I reflect that now a fifth of my life has been without him here to be able to visit with, ask questions, and laugh with at dinners. The realization doesn’t quite seem to fit in the scheme of time for me. Perhaps it is that time is much more relative these days for me, or just that my memories of him within our lives are so ingrained. But in any case, I would describe my life as being almost completely with him and just a brief moment since without him. I’m sure that being around his persona, his name, and the memories of him recounted by so many on a regular basis bridges the gap of him not physically being here, but my own memories are as constant and as clear as they ever were.

On this day, 10 years later, still my fondest memories are the personal ones; the ones where he created a special moment when I was young(er) like jumping in the pool fully clothed when I learned to swim, or teaching me how to ride my bike, or telling me how special it was when my son was born. No matter what the memory is for me, each of them, when it includes Chuck, makes me smile.