Painting the town Christmas – Moorpark Acorn

If its beginning to look a lot like Christmas, you have John Stanewich to thank.

The 73-year-old Somis muralist has spent the last couple of weeks painting snowdrifts, lights, wreaths and his beloved birch trees on business windows across the region, evoking the spirit of a winter place that coastal dwellers can only dream of.

I do this out of a love for artwork. Im an entertainer, so if I can make you forget something for just a short period of time, Ive done my job, Stanewich said between brush strokes on a mural at Santas workshop in Las Posas Plaza, Camarillo.

His is not the stuff of caricature, like the outsize Santas, Rudolphs and Frostys of the late, great Ventura County muralist Chris Martinez.

I do landscapes, Stanewich said. God bless Bob Ross.

Indeed, in spring, theres no giant Stanewich Easter Rabbit. Most of his windows that time of year feature paintings of flowerpots. For Fourth of July, he doesnt paint Uncle Sam. Stanewich still evokes patriotism, but with American flags, banners, white picket fences and lots of red, white and blue.

I dont do Halloween, he said. For fall, just the basic pumpkins and cornstalks.

Which brings us to winter.

At the plaza off Las Posas Road, the artist and his helpers have been working on windows for 44 businesses, along with an empty space where kids will get to have their picture taken with the jolly elf on select days starting Dec. 2.

Stanewich has an almost pastoral interpretation of the season.

Nobodys doing that anymore, he said. Theyre doing the big Santa Claus or Rudolph with the big nose. Here were just opening peoples eyes with the snow and the ribbons. Were putting Christmas lights in the wreaths and in the garland.

In addition to the shopping center, Stanewichs winter work can be found at Cafe Fucille locations in Camarillo and Ventura, and at Country Harvest restaurant in Camarillo, where he paints the other seasons as well.

His tools include bristle brushes and sponge brushes, and paints of various colors, all of which he packs around on a cart that looks like its seen many seasons.

As Stanewich worked, Camarillo resident Desha Duncan, who was enjoying a beverage from the adjacent Starbucks, approached the painter and complimented him on his work.

I love the fact its so Christmasy, so beautiful, she said. I love the way he does the trees. Theyre a little different than what you sometimes see that are so cartoonish. His are very realistic, and they make you feel like youre in nature.

What caught her eye initially was Stanewichs white birch trees, so evocative of a place where fallen leaves on the ground are eclipsed by pristine fallen snow.

They look very natural and real, Duncan said.

In Stanewichs hands, the birch is hardy, tall and bare, its bark peeling away.

Theyre white, which is cool for Christmas or for winter, he said. The black lines make them really stand out as a birch versus aspen. Aspen are on the golden side.

Duncan said window-dressing such as Stanewichs says a lot about the people who ask that it be put up.

It makes me feel like that store values Christmas and the holidays, and so it makes me feel like I want to go inside, she said.

That is precisely what business owner and plaza promotional director Michelle Sanchez was going for when she contracted with Stanewich.

It brings them in, Sanchez said of the imagery. It just brings the holiday spirit back, because we lost that a long time ago with the COVID.

Someone else had been painting the plaza, and then a merchant saw Stanewichs work at Country Harvest.

They got his phone number and come to find out hes a local, Sanchez said. And our thing is about keeping it local.

As for the art: It looks beautiful. Ive gotten so many calls. Its amazing, Sanchez said.

Such comments put a spring in Stanewichs step.

It warms your heart, and it makes you want to do it more, he said.

Stanewich is a Camarillo High alumnus who lives on a ranch with his wife, Sandra Scholle Stanewich. He retired from the Auto Club, where he handed out countless TripTik travel planners, processed many DMV transactions and notarized a document or two. Hes a musician, and these days spends his time with the local gem and mineral society, a gourd society and even prospecting.

Like painting, he calls all these endeavors his hobbies.

He also likes to mentor young people and is always ready to share a brush.

This excites me. If I can get kids interested in art, Ive done my job.

When the seasons over, does the artist have to take it all down?

No. Its like having a baby. I couldnt do that, Stanewich said. We have people come in and clean.

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Painting the town Christmas - Moorpark Acorn