Alumna Pairs Oil Paintings with Salvaged Wood

Westmont alumna Ella Jennings (’23) presents her oil paintings on salvaged wood panels in What Remains, a joint exhibition with woodturner Don Scott at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara. The exhibition runs through Nov. 7, with an artist talk on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 pm at the gallery, 229 E. Victoria St.

What Remains pairs Scott’s hand-turned wooden vessels with Jennings’ intimate interior scenes, highlighting both artists’ reductive techniques and connection to natural materials. Jennings transforms familiar surroundings into settings for memory, personal transition, and emotional reflection.

“I found interiors to be a helpful visualization of moving from singleness to marriage and the associated changes of occupation, identity and home,” Jennings says. “My family has also been navigating my grandmother’s dementia and her loss of memory. While houses preserve the past, scenes of trees and sky reflect the difficulty of holding onto human experience in a changing landscape.”

Jennings paints on salvaged wood panels, depicting pared-down domestic spaces, doorways and open windows. Luminous color, abstract light and symbols like birds and trees permeate her work, representing hope and divine connection.

Growing up in a historic Spanish bungalow in Southern California influenced Jennings’ artistic perspective. Her work distills everyday interior structures into quiet, transformative spaces. 

The gallery opens for visitors on Saturdays from 1-4 pm. A portion of artwork sales benefits educational programs at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara.