Montecito Bank & Trust Highlights Arden Rose
Montecito Bank & Trust, founded by Michael Towbes, Jerry Parent, and John O’Keefe, began in two trailers on Coast Village Road. Earlier this year the bank celebrated its 50th anniversary of being in business.
Towbes’ personal philosophy of service to the community informed the bank’s corporate culture from the moment of launch. That legacy is noted in the many ways the bank steps forward in service through the ongoing volunteer efforts of its employees, its nonprofit grant awards, and its community outreach programs.
One such initiative is the “Business of the Month,” where a spotlight is thrown on a local business for an entire month. Businesses so honored are selected by each of the bank’s 13 branch offices in Santa Maria, Solvang, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, and Westlake Village.
For December, the Coast Village Road branch of the Montecito Bank & Trust is featuring artist Arden Rose, a Santa Barbara based impressionist with a successful CV reflecting her years of artistry. She currently has 15 works both framed and unframed for viewing and purchase.
I met with Rose and one of her fans, Anne Towbes, at the bank this week. In discussing Rose’s art Towbes said, “Is it the South of France or is it Santa Barbara? In Arden Rose’s beautiful paintings it is hard to tell the difference. She is internationally known, and she has painted and shown her work around the world.”
Rose has exhibited at Galerie Laurent Strouk on Avenue Matignon in Paris, France; at Galerie Marumo in Los Angeles; the Salon d’Automne at the Grand Palais in Paris, France; among many others. Rose said she is, “one of the living impressionist artists next to the paintings of Pissarro, Bonnard and others.”
A UC Berkeley grad, Rose authored Interacting Through Creative Arts Activities. The book, which sold well, is her way of helping kids use art to deal with mental health issues. Rose, “What I want to do is prevent mass shootings in schools by donating the remaining 60-80 hard copies of this book to schools that have had mass shootings, do a kindle of the book, and to create a model program for the U.S. to help kids through art.”
Towbes selected her favorite artwork for the photo of her with Rose, titled, Spring Waterlilies, oil on canvas 30×40,” a scene depicting Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny, France, view of the waterlilies, the bridge, and gardens. Rose pointed out that her signature technique in all her paintings is the view from which she paints. “I am always looking at something in the foreground out to something else to give my paintings depth.” Rose’s works are on view at the CVR Montecito Bank & Trust branch through December 31.
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