PODS containers line downtown as art galleries for ArtWalk Ventura, July 18-19

From July 18-19, the donation of PODS containers by local PODS franchise owner, Steve Yapp, will be on display for attendees to engage and interact with mini art exhibits

Fifteen PODS containers will be transformed into mini art exhibits that will connect local artists and galleries throughout the streets of Downtown and Ventura’s Westside Cultural District for Ventura’s signature event, ArtWalk.

From July 18-19, the donation of PODS containers by local PODS franchise owner, Steve Yapp, will be on display for attendees to engage and interact with mini art exhibits. People from across the nation are intrigued by the use of PODS containers as art.

"These blank canvases have been used by artists in exhibits including Downtown LA’s Little Tokyo Design Week and the Woodlands Waterway Art Festival,” explains Yapp.

Yapp encourages the public to come out to ArtWalk Ventura and tour the various PODS containers. A much anticipated piece will be created by Ben Blanchard and ‘Alive Ventura.’ Blanchard is transforming the 12-foot PODS containers into a work of art through the use of illustrations and words on digitally designed and printed vinyl.

In addition, event-goers can tour the largest collection of pop-up PODS galleries, displaying various mediums of art by exhibiting artists from around the county.

Hilda Kilpatrick-Freyre’s pictorial narratives reflect the drastic change in scenery as it begins to change over time due to environmental changes, overpopulation, and urban growth.

A veteran of Ventura ArtWalk and member of the Board of the Buenaventura Art Association, Lisa S. McFarlane’s black and white photography contains a tension between the moment of calm seen and the sense of past or future drama.

Ventura Watercolor Artists, which is an extension of Julie Marrill’s Plein Air Art Class at Vita Art Center, will display ten artists framed artwork. Their work will also be available for purchase outside on tables and bins.

“PODS is very passionate about supporting the arts and we love being able to be a part of this signature event again this year,” explained Yapp. “I think our PODS containers are the perfect way to guide the thousands of cultural tourists through each aspect of the event and to see the wonderful pieces made by the dedicated artists.”

ArtWalk Ventura is a free, self-guided tour that draws thousands of people every year to the dozens of galleries, studios and pop-up venues in Ventura's historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District that features the work of the finest regional artists, drawing cultural tourists from all over the world.

For more information, visit http://artwalkventura.org//.

Event Information:

What: ArtWalk Ventura: PODS Galleries

When: Saturday, July 18 noon - 8 p.m. & Sunday, July 19 noon – 5 p.m.

Where: Ventura’s Historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District, 432 N. Ventura Avenue

Ventura, Calif. 93001

Who: Design professionals, Ventura businesses, nonprofit communities, film and television communities, entrepreneurs, students, the design savvy public, tourists and more.

About PODS

Steve Yapp is the owner of three Tri-Counties PODS franchises that serve residents and businesses in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Dedicated to the local community, Yapp’s franchises have donated hundreds of PODS containers to nonprofit and charitable organizations throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego and Los Angeles counties since opening their doors in 2005.

A partial list of recipients include: Boys & Girls Clubs, FOOD Share of Ventura County, Casa Pacifica, Toys 4 Tots, California Strawberry Festival, Ojai Music Festival, Relay for Life, C.H.P. Holiday Toy Drive, Salvation Army, Santa Maria Good Samaritan, Oxnard Downtown Management District, Boy Scouts of Ventura County, California Visitors Center, Simi Valley Days, the Oxnard Salsa Festival, and Catholic Charities.

Founded in 1998, PODS currently provides moving and storage services to a population of more than 250,000,000 million consumers and businesses, in 48 U.S. states, Canada, Australia and the U.K., through its company-owned and independent franchise network. To date, the PODS network has completed more than 600,000 long-distance relocations, exceeded 2 million deliveries and has over 150,000 PODS containers in service.

For more information, go to: www.mylocalpods.com.