Tag archives: art

In Conversation with James Glisson, Newly Appointed SBMA Chief Curator
By Joanne A Calitri   |   August 20, 2024

On the wings of his curated Santa Barbara Museum of Art exhibition of the Ridley-Tree Collection, Contemporary Art Curator James Glisson,PhD, has moved into a new role as the museum’s Chief Curator. He was appointed to the position by Eichholz Foundation Executive Director Amada Cruz, who said in her press release, “I am delighted that […]

Art Happenings: Two Studio Artist Tours to Support Local Art
By Joanne A Calitri   |   August 20, 2024

It’s that time of year for the Santa Barbara area and our neighbors in Ojai to host their annual Studio Artist Tours. Both tours’ ticket proceeds are to benefit a charity they are supporting this year. The artist tours and their respective reception kickoff parties are an all-ages event. The tours are self-guided with maps […]

‘The Lion Has to Be Happy’ Art Exhibition
By Montecito Journal   |   August 20, 2024

A new art exhibition by contemporary Danish ceramist Marianne Steenholdt Bork is making its North American debut at Solvang’s Elverhøj Museum of History & Art, on view now through October 14. The exhibit, titled The Lion Has to Be Happy, is a traveling exhibit sponsored by the National Foundation of Danish America and The Scan […]

One Day Event to Bring Art, Music, and More to CVR
By Joanne A Calitri   |   August 6, 2024

In the midst of Coast Village Week is the Coast Village Road Art Walk on August 8, from 4 pm – 7 pm. The addition of art, music, literature, culinary arts, fashion, jewelry, leather, and pet jewelry crafters to celebrate all things art is spearheaded by Beth Sullivan, Executive Director of the Coast Village Association.  […]

Santa Barbara’s Newest Art Collective: double dutch
By Beatrice Tolan   |   August 6, 2024

Look at your shelves. It’s not the framed photos or unread books that make those shelves uniquely yours. It’s those knick-knacks, collectibles, and tchotchkes you’ve kept, moved, and refused to throw away over the years.  What do these trinkets mean about us? Sam Fitz and Bella Vasquez, the co-founders of Santa Barbara’s newest art collective […]

Italian Artist Luca Barberini at Helena Mason Art Gallery
By Joanne A Calitri   |   August 6, 2024

Society Invites was invited by Natalie Olivas Sanchez, owner of the Helena Mason Art Gallery, to meet with their newest artist, Luca Barberini (b. 1981, Ravenna, Italy) and view his works before he returned to Italy. His exhibition, titled Inner Landscapes, is on view through October. It was fab to reconnect with Sanchez; its #beenaminute, […]

‘Grounded’ An Environmental Exhibition & Fundraiser at Lotusland
By Joanne A Calitri   |   July 23, 2024

Lotusland is holding its annual fundraising duo of an art exhibition and gala. Good news art lovers, the exhibition and art works for sale are online through July 20. If you are attending the sold out Lotusland Celebrates: The Way of the Lotus gala this Saturday, you can select and purchase artwork along the garden […]

Exhibition Offers Room for Reflection
By Scott Craig   |   June 18, 2024

Westmont alumna Ella Jennings (’23), education and outreach coordinator at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, shares her paintings of luminous interiors in an exhibition, Abide with Me, at the Fireside Gallery at Trinity Lutheran Evangelical Church, 909 N. La Cumbre, open from 10 am – 2 pm on weekdays.  “The everyday buildings we frequent […]

‘Godspell’ Director Earns Praise
By Scott Craig   |   June 4, 2024

Mitchell Thomas, professor of theater arts, won a coveted Indy Award for Directing for his role in staging Godspell. The May 20 event was the first time the Santa Barbra Independent has hosted the awards since the pandemic.  Thomas was most recently awarded an Indy for directing Pride and Prejudice in 2019. The jazz band […]

Art à la Carte with the SBMA
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 28, 2024

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art Women’s Board held its second fundraising “Art à la carte” soirée at the University Club.  The SBMA Mercedes Eichholz Director and CEO Amada Cruz, along with the SBMA Women’s Board President Isabel Wendt, welcomed the guests as they arrived at the reception on the outside patio and lawn area. […]

Campus Connection: Art, Theater, Jazz… and ‘Schmigadoon!’ 
By Steven Libowitz   |   May 21, 2024

Incandescent is the intriguing title of this year’s MFA Thesis Exhibition at UCSB’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum (AD&A), on view May 17 to June 9. The seven grad students with heritage from Mexico, Nigeria, Iran, the Philippines, and elsewhere, drew on Michel Serres’ notion of incandescence to create art that emphasizes the interconnectedness of […]

‘TBH’: Exhibit Shines Light on Local Talent
By Scott Craig   |   May 14, 2024

The exceptional talent of local artists will be on full display at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art for its annual Tri-County Juried Exhibition from May 16 to June 15. An opening reception for “[TBH]…To Be Honest,” featuring this year’s juror Walter Maciel, a Los Angeles gallerist, is May 16 from 4-6 pm. Maciel will […]

Art & Wine Tour Goes SoCa
By Steven Libowitz   |   May 14, 2024

After focusing on galleries and food purveyors above the 1000 block of State Street in last year’s Downtown Santa Barbara LIVE Art & Wine Tour, the super popular springtime sampling soirée saunters for several blocks south of Carrillo for the May 16 event. The curated tour of museums, other art spots and sundry various venues […]

Beatrice Tolan
By Stella Haffner   |   May 7, 2024

Come one, come all! Beatrice Tolan is getting ready to put on her first art showcase: HORSE$H*T. The exhibition opens May 2nd and continues until July 2nd. Join Beatrice at Elsie’s Tavern to see her new collection and join me below to hear about the creation process! Q. Thelast time I spoke to you, you […]

Artwork in Wonderland
By Steven Libowitz   |   May 7, 2024

Sullivan Goss’ new exhibition celebrates mid-Spring with a splash of color and a bit of buoyancy, turning the downtown gallery into a Wonderland with both new works by the gallery’s regularly represented artists and pieces from four artists who have never shown there before. The latter group includes Roland Petersen, the Danish-born painter whose works […]

Burnishing the Brain 
By Steven Libowitz   |   May 7, 2024

Can visiting a museum help you conquer feelings of loneliness, or even stave off the advent of dementia? It sure can’t hurt. In their 2023 bestseller Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross explore the wide variety of connections that contemporary neuroscience has established between artistic practice, aesthetic […]

Montecito Union School Students’ Art Project with Rod Lathim
By Joanne A Calitri   |   April 30, 2024

Students in Montecito Union School’s second-grade art class were recently taught about using neon in sculpture by local neon multimedia artist and theater mainstay Rod Lathim.  MUS K-6 Art Specialist Alyssa Gonzalez requested that the Montecito Journal report on the project. For the annual art project, the students create an art collage using their music […]

SBCC Atkinson Gallery Art Students Show
By Joanne A Calitri   |   April 30, 2024

The Atkinson Gallery and Art Department at Santa Barbara City College presented the 2024 Annual Student Exhibition. SBCC first year and second year students submitted their artwork for consideration to be in the show, and to compete for an art studies scholarship.  I attended the Opening Reception on Wednesday, April 17, at the Atkinson Gallery. […]

“An Artist from Day One” Diana Postel’s First Thursday
By Jeff Wing   |   April 9, 2024

Deepest childhood is sometimes recalled as a shadowy dreamscape daubed with startling bursts of color. From that protean sub-basement “mother” ascends the stairs into the light, smiling that smile, and so forth. It’s complicated, as they say. We think of Mom and language fails, obliging us to fall back on gauzy flowers and little heart-shaped […]

Art à la Carte with the SB Museum of Art
By Joanne A Calitri   |   April 9, 2024

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art Women’s Board held its first of two fundraising soirées, titled, “Art à la Carte,” at the University Club on Monday, March 25.  The lovely event featured an in-depth artist talk with Iraqi American abstract artist Vian Sora, and the museum’s Contemporary Art Curator James Glisson,PhD.  The opening cocktail hour […]