Par Lounge Art: The Story Behind the Space

Rose Evans has been a photographer for 30 years and knows Ramona has a new energy around the music scene. Music was on her mind, and she says you can find music every night of the week in Ramona.

Evans would see the walls in the Par Lounge and knew they were created to foster the sound musicians bring to the space. She came up with the idea to put photos of local musicians on the walls. She pitched her idea to Colleen Doulgeropoulos, Front of House Manager, who was heading the project. The art in the Par Lounge had been in the works for 9 months until it came to fruition, and the photos were put up the day before Thanksgiving.

The stylized photography on canvas features local musicians, including Ashley Norton, Tony Matoian, Scotty Ensign, and Frank Lucio. Evans has a love for the community, and the photos are personal because they are people we know. She added that the artwork could be displayed for decades, honoring our local musicians and highlighting the kind of town we live in.

"I love the scene," says Evans. "The wall is huge, and it commands a bigger picture." All the photographs were taken for the purpose of being displayed in the Par Lounge, except for the photo of Tony Matoian playing the saxophone. His photo was saved from Facebook, stylized, and placed on canvas as a surprise to him. This was an opportunity to include him in the project as he worked for the San Diego Country Estates Association for 15 years.

One of the things that inspired Evans to do this artwork is that music is an essential part of life. Jon Hasz and Ashley Norton created the Ramona Music Alliance in 2022, and their goal was to bring together and support the vibrant music scene in Ramona. The organization aims to promote local talent, foster a sense of community, and help the music scene grow. We love to support our local artists. Evans said, “I wanted these musicians displayed on the Par Lounge walls so you would know that music happens here.”

Evans says that her job in creating a portrait is to capture the energy of the person, which can be seen in her portrait of Ashley Norton, where Evans successfully captured Ashley's unique and delightful spirit. Evans also has landscape photography displayed inside of D’Carlos Restaurant. “There is so much beauty in landscape photography, especially in Ramona,” says Evans. She is working on another project to honor musician/song writer Bob Anderson, a member of Black Canyon Band, which was the house band for the Par Lounge from 1977 to 2007.

Not only is Evans an artist, but she is also a co-owner of Scotty’s Plantscapes with her husband, an Energy Medicine Practitioner, and teaches Tai Chi at the Ramona Library. She sells her artwork and can be contacted at roseevansphotography@gmail.com or at 760-822-3272.

Evans hopes her art display will draw even more people to the Par Lounge and add to the aesthetic appeal with its unique blend of styles.

Photos by Tiffany Pressler.