The Museum of Ventura County presents Duets: Art and Artisans in Harmony opening December 6, 2015, which celebrates and showcases the work of remarkable local craftsmen. Works from local artisans such as Tom Anderson, Peter Boles, Fletcher Brock, Eilam Byle, David Eichelbaum, Jean Larrivé, Jim McCarthy, Tony Moraza, David Salais, Marston Smith, Joe Till, and James Wimmer take visitors through the artistry and design of music. Also included are instruments from the RKS Design and Drum Workshop in Oxnard. The exhibit will discuss their place in the context of instrument making, and their inspiration.

Ventura County has been home to a vibrant musical community since the early twentieth century. Within this community, a proud tradition of instrument-making has developed. Ventura County’s craftsmen have produced some of the world’s finest musical instruments, from traditional European-style violins and guitars to newer American instruments such as archtop mandolins and environmentally-friendly drums.

Around the world, the culture of music has developed over many centuries. Integral to that development has been its tool: musical instruments. This is reflected not just in the sounds they produce but also in their design and purpose. Instruments can be made in unusual shapes, with precious materials or with beautiful decoration, making them unique and collectable items. Highlights of this exhibition include:

• A cello crafted in the mid-19th century on loan from Mission San Buenaventura which has rarely been publicly exhibited;
• A guitar made from all natural and recycled materials, crafted from resin and driftwood by musician J. Peter Boles
• A hand-crafted electric guitar made by Tom Anderson of Anderson Guitarworks in Newbury Park used by many current artists, such as country great Clint Black, and
• A true replica of a Baroque-period viola d’amore made by James Wimmer of Santa Barbara.

Visitors will be able to see interviews with the artists in the context of their work. Works of fine art from the Museum of Ventura County’s collection will be paired with the instruments in a thematic and complementary way, reinforcing the true aesthetic of the luthier and instrument-maker in modern culture.