On a Mission

Janet Dowling Sands is “On a Mission” with her new book of the same name. The Lunch & Learn gang led by Maria McCall from the Montecito Bank & Trust met at the Santa Barbara Club to do just that — Lunch & Learn.

Janet has developed a unique perspective to the story of the California missions – one that combines history, prehistory, art, culture, and science. She is a California native with a degree in Art History and Design from UC Berkeley. The unique thing about her book is that besides learning history, she gives you travel tips on how to go and visit the missions, even including suggestions for restaurants.

In the olden days Missions were more than just a church. There were fields, animals, gardens (little villages). They needed to be self-sustaining as California was the furthest out post of Spain’s empire. Sands likes to focus on some of the most intriguing things learned during years of research and travel. She highlights new discoveries about the First Californians, with profiles of historic figures whose part in the mission story is little known and rare neophyte art in the missions. 

As a longtime member of the Santa Barbara Sage Hens, she included some wonderful views of California landscape as seen from horseback. She questions the highly controversial view taken of history today. There are over 300 pages chock full of mission information. You can purchase the book at Chaucer’s Books. Enjoy!