Feast for Eyes : 24th Annual Night of Art in Fullerton

The city of Fullerton is offering the arts lover’s equivalent of a Whitman’s Sampler in “A Night in Fullerton” Friday--a feast for the eyes and ears served in bite-size portions. The 24th annual event runs from 7 to 11 p.m. and includes free performances and exhibits at 16 sites across the city that range from laser art to classical ballet.

According to Jim Reed, chairman of the “Night in Fullerton” planning committee, the festival was first launched to celebrate the opening of the Muckenthaler Center and has grown in scope and popularity every year. Last year, an estimated 20,000 people took part in the celebration, and he expects to meet or top that figure this year.

“The point of the event is to present a night of art that can be enjoyed by the public,” said Reed, co-owner of the John Thomas Gallery, one of five commercial galleries included on the tour. “Everything is free; there are no sales and no admission fees at any of the sites. We just want people to relax, see what Fullerton has to offer and really make an evening of it.”

Shuttle-bus service including transportation for the disabled is available at no charge. Round-trip buses depart every 10 to 15 minutes from the First Christian Church at the corner of Wilshire Avenue and Harbor Boulevard to one of three centrally located stops. Complete schedules of performances and maps are available at the information booth at the church.

One of the more intriguing elements of this year’s “Night in Fullerton” is the Muckenthaler exhibit “Trompe l’Oeil: The Magic of Deception,” which premieres Friday.

An art form that is both aesthetically pleasing and intellectually challenging, trompe l’oeil (or “trick of the eye”) uses optical illusions and imitative materials in paintings, sculpture and mixed media to challenge the viewer’s perspective of reality. The Muckenthaler show features 33 works by some of the nation’s top trompe l’oeil artists. A continuous magic show in the center’s basement will carry out the show’s mystical theme.

The Muckenthaler Center is at 1201 W. Malvern Ave.

Here’s a listing other festival events:

- Cal State Fullerton (800 N. State College Blvd.) will present vocal highlights of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” by Opera Theatre and a student art exhibit in the school’s Visual Arts Center.

- Fullerton’s First Christian Church (109 E. Wilshire Ave.) will host mini-concerts by the Fullerton Community Band.

- The Fullerton Ballet and Performing Arts Co. (116 1/2 W. Wilshire Ave.) will present classical variations from “Don Quixote” and “Swan Lake,” as well as a lyric jazz piece commissioned for “A Night in Fullerton.”

- At the Sarah Bain Gallery (223 N. Harbor Blvd.), look for an exhibition of works by contemporary American and European artists.

- The Edge Gallery (212 N. Harbor Blvd.) features a memorial tribute to artist Gorden Wagner.

- The Eileen Kremen Gallery (619 N. Harbor Blvd.) showcases works in glass and demonstrations in paper collage.

- At Fullerton College (321 E. Chapman Ave.), guests can take part in sculpting, stained glass, ceramics and other art demonstrations.

- The Fullerton Main Library (353 W. Commonwealth Ave.) has a display of copper etchings and mono-prints and offers puppetry and storytelling for the children.

- “Future Image,” an exploration of holographs, or three-dimensional laser art, light up the Fullerton Museum Center (301 N. Pomona Ave.) along with the 12th National Exhibit of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America, and poetry readings.

- At Gallery 57 (204 N. Harbor Blvd.), 22 local artists display their works in a multimedia group show.

- The Hunt Branch Library (201 S. Basque Ave.) features an animation festival and demonstrations of cell drawing and painting by professional animation artists.

- The John Thomas Gallery (209 N. Harbor Blvd.) offers mixed media works in acrylics, pastels, and ceramics by eight local artists.

- The students of Pacific Christian College (2500 E. Nutwood Ave.) present the musical “Sound Advice” and “Camp,” a musical comedy starring students from 15 area high schools.

- At Patrick’s Musician (1967 Sunny Crest Drive), you can tap your toes to popular show tunes, country, flamenco, jazz and classical music.

- The Zarbano Gallery (202 N. Harbor Blvd.) features an exhibit by local artists Vicki Chapman, Ned Schultz and Mary Zarbano.

One last thought--if all this food for the soul leaves your stomach growling for equal time, Reed suggests you check out one of downtown Fullerton’s diverse dining spots, like the funky Rutabegorz or the sophisticated Cellar.

Need more details? Call the Fullerton Museum Center at (714) 738-6545.