Art Foundation SB’s An Artful Affair
It is time for the Art Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB) to hold its annual fundraiser for artists and collectors, titled An Artful Affair, on May 31, 4-6:30 pm, at the Santa Barbara Club’s outside garden area. Artists showing their works for sale are Andrea Anderson, Danuta Bennett, Rick Delanty, Manny Lopez, Wyllis Heaton, Chloé Hourdequin, Ray Hunter, Katherine Murray-Morse, Ann Sanders, Frank Serrano, and Nina Warner. Ralph Waterhouse will be doing a “live quick draw” painting at the event, and Thomas Van Stein is donating a painting but will not be present.
To bring the details of the event to our readers, I was delighted to meet at the Santa Barbara Club on Thursday, May 14 with Art Foundation SB Board President Frank McGinity and the AFSB Board of Trustees – Katherine Murray-Morse, John Doordan, Diane Waterhouse, Maria McCall, and new Trustee Jeremy Tessmer – to talk about their fundraiser on May 31 and take their photo. On hand to coordinate was Linda Spann, general manager of the Santa Barbara Club.
I asked Frank McGinity for his remarks about the upcoming Artful Affair, and he said, “Art is important in our lives. The Art Foundation of Santa Barbara is pleased to support the many aspiring artists and youth art programs in Santa Barbara. An Artful Affair is just one of our programs. We also provide a tool for estate planning and contributions. There are many artists who live in the area and have a hard time selling their work. We are trying to help artists with this event, as well as people buying their art get to meet the artist who created it.” He also shared that attendees of the Artful Affair event will be able to visit the interior of the SB Club, which is a private club normally closed to the public; and that the SB Club is catering the event. The event is ticketed, see 411.
Katherine Murray-Morse was instrumental in the finer details of my interview below:
Q. How did the fundraiser come about?
A. The title “Artful Affair” was adopted several years ago; 2018 to be precise. It underscores the “art garden party” theme and the Art Foundation’s focus on local artists.
How are the artists selected?
Diane Waterhouse (Waterhouse Gallery) invited a number of the artists participating who are mainly representational or realistic artists. Other artists were invited by trustees or other committee members, for variety. In addition to landscape, still life and watercolor, floral and wildlife, one artist will be focused on abstract realism. Most if not all of the artists have been juried into professional art associations, such as the Santa Barbara Art Association or the California Art Club, they have participated in group exhibits or solo shows and won awards.
How many works of art will be at the event for sale, and are they new works?
Artists will exhibit up to 10 works each on dedicated panels (under their name) placed around the garden. The artists will be by their work. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet each of the artists closeup, speak with them about their work, learn what inspires them, and see their work individually. I would say some of the work may be newly created for the exhibit, each artist always wants to show their best and most current work.
What are the mediums being shown by the artists for this event?
A range of mediums will be displayed, depending on each artist and their particular style or “voice.” For example, landscape “plein air” paintings, are typically oil on board or acrylic on board. It may also be oil or acrylic on canvas. One of the artists, Ann Sanders, also does landscapes in pastel. There are several artists who specialize in watercolor, on special paper. Several of the artists exhibiting are also members of “The Oak Group” to raise awareness for preservation of open spaces. In addition, there may be mixed media – a combination of several media, oil or acrylic paint and colored pencil or charcoal plus layering. It just depends. There will be some fine art photography, landscape or still life, on Exhibition Fiber. I don’t believe there will be sculpture in this exhibit.
As this is a fundraiser, what specifically are the proceeds being used for?
Ticket proceeds are meant to cover the cost of the event, to help bring awareness to local artists and their art – one aspect of our mission. In addition, funds have and will be used to help preserve, restore, and maintain works of historical merit, such as the relining and cleaning of a Fernand Lungren painting, and museum glass to help protect Borein etchings and watercolor paintings from fading and degradation. Fernand Lungren and Edward Borein were early Santa Barbara artists who created the art colony that was of outsize importance in the early 20th century. The Art Foundation also raises funds to support young local aspiring artists through education and mentorship with established artists.
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