Tag archives: art

After six long years of renovation and $50 million, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) has reopened its doors to the public. As Mercedes Eichholz Director and CEO Larry Feinberg put it, “If you’re wondering where all the money went, realize that much of it is out of sight like seismic retrofitting; replacement of […]

Living in a community that appreciates art adds to quality of life in more ways than aesthetics. Research has shown that simply browsing through an art gallery has the potential to decrease stress and increase our sense of wellbeing. Including an element of visual art in a healthcare setting eases anxiety, stress, and depression for […]

Santa Barbara writer Claudia Hoag McGarry has been involved in the arts in town for more than 30 years, including teaching English Skills at SBCC for more than three decades, publishing three novels including two thrillers and a young adult memoir, producing four plays all in the historical drama genre, and writing screenplays and even […]

The Lobero Theatre is by far the oldest performing arts venue in Santa Barbara. In fact, it’s actually the longest operating theater in all of California, dating back just a couple of decades after California became the 31st state admitted to the union. The Lobero also ranks fourth in seniority among all performing arts buildings […]

When ceramic artist Joan Rosenberg-Dent was invited to create a sculptural installation for the gardens of Casa del Herrero as part of a contemporary exhibition entitled “Symbiotic,” she immediately thought, “Well, of course, — abstracted flowers.” What followed was a unique collaboration between Joan and Lynda Weinman, who utilizes 3D clay printing techniques in her […]

For Kandy Luria-Budgor, it was like looking at a very good-looking person, only to see them wearing the wrong clothes. So, she and dozens of other donors did something about it. And now the Santa Barbara Museum of Art looks glorious — both outside and inside. “The museum it was didn’t fit the scholarly and […]

Tom Sanford is one of the featured artists from the visiting gallery, Gitler&__, that is presenting a series of shows at REH GraySpace Art in the Funk Zone. His gripping range of acrylic paintings are done with a colorful animated style reminiscent of Mad Magazine that pulls from his childhood love for comic books. He […]

Santa Barbara Museum of Art is back in business! As the venerable 60,000-square-foot institution, a former Post Office, celebrates its 80th anniversary and its reopening on August 15 after the lengthy pandemic lockdown, not to mention a $50 million, six-year renovation expanding exhibition space enormously making it possible to show more of the 27,000 works […]

After so many have been isolated in our homes for the past year and a half, quite a few of us are feeling like we need some time away from home. That was just the feeling that Avi Gitler of Gitler &_____ in New York City had coming out of the pandemic. He had previously […]

There is a technical process inherent in both art and business. While these two industries may seem at odds, innovative tech companies and businesses will be run with an artistic flair, and successful artists often understand the business side of their process. With their upcoming weekly Art | Tech Nights (July 22 – August 12), […]

For nearly 40 years, Marlene Vitanza and her late husband, Jim, have been bringing together a unique blend of paintings, jewelry, and ethnographic arts at their local establishment, Peregrine Galleries. They had a shop in Santa Barbara about 10 years prior to opening Peregrine Galleries on Coast Village Road in 1984. Their first gallery had […]

For the first time in its history, Casa del Herrero has a sculpture exhibition placed throughout the estate’s historic gardens called “Symbiotic — Seven Contemporary Sculptors at Historic Casa del Herrero.” It began July 7 and will be on display until November 24, 2021. The Casa’s original builders (only the family members ever lived in […]

We typically have a lot of May gray this time of year— and Montecito mom Chelsea Owens spends plenty of time thinking in gray, Payne’s Gray to be exact. As a skilled color chemist, Chelsea traces her earliest palette to the Mediterranean and Payne’s Gray’s ability to fuse with all colors. So, it should come […]

As I was heading up to the Paseo Nuevo parking lot roof to go to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), I saw two artists painting a gigantic mural on the wall outside. Turns out it was due to be finished the following day in honor of Earth Day. Check it out the next time […]

In the early 1920s, the artist John Dwight Bridge was a popular and important force in the cultural renaissance fostered by the Community Arts Association. Having proven himself in earlier productions of the Community Arts Players, he may have reached his apex when he took on the role of Nicola, the Bulgarian manservant in George […]

The moon was nearly full that blustery March night in 1933, when a lone figure paused on the platform of Salina, Kansas, the closest train depot to the geographic center of the nation. Withdrawing the last of his money from a pocket of his corduroy trousers, he carefully placed the quarter and nickel on the […]

With vaccines becoming more available and establishments reopening, it seems that a sense of normalcy might possibly be on the horizon. The recent changes offer a chance to safely get out and see some entertainment that doesn’t take place over Zoom or in the context of one’s own home.  The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa […]

Summerland boasts an array of natural beauty. The sea is the most obvious asset, but gently rolling hills dotted with wild mustard, when rains and Mother Nature have cooperated, and other spots beckon nature lovers and wildlife, including Brandt’s cormorants, which I will get to in a moment. The landscape has long lured artists with […]

In an effort to rethink traditional in-person fundraising efforts, Lotusland has announced a new benefit event, Sanctuary.  Earlier this year, 36 local artists were asked to create new work inspired by Lotusland. The artists were given three days to visit the Garden and only eight weeks to create, capture, and complete their muse at Lotusland. […]