Tag Archive for 'first thursday'

Cultural MAYnia at May’s 1st Thursday

Courtesy of SB Downtown Organization

Courtesy of SB Downtown Organization

May is potentially my favorite month of the year (and my mother’s as well, not surprisingly). Santa Barbara’s cultural scene awakes from its pre-summer slumber—bringing back festival season with I Madonnari, can you say visitors galore?—and stays up late with the lingering sunshine, especially for 1st Thursday. For May 2nd’s evening of culture and art, taking place from 5–8 p.m., we’re celebrating the best modes of transportation for getting around town and seeing everything that Santa Barbara has to offer—a sampling of which can be experienced this 1st Thursday.

Art abounds during May’s 1st Thursday, with some big-name galleries switching out their exhibits. Sullivan Goss—An American Gallery brings in a family affair with the Andrew Wyeth: American Master exhibit, showcasing three generations of Wyeth paintings—you won’t want to miss this one. Photographer Grif Heath exhibits his stunning nature photography at Industry Home, while landscape artist John Baran‘s perspective paintings bring color and light to Plum Goods. FastFrame Santa Barbara brings the beauties of Boisen to its walls with glimmering oil paintings. Art Walk for Kids/Adults opens its annual art show at Faulkner Gallery this Thursday, displaying gorgeous works by adults and children with disabilities for the whole month of May.

This month, the Lobero Theatre takes part in the 1st Thursday celebrations with live music, a bar on the bricks and a raffle drawing as part of its Encore: Lobero raffle. Tickets are still available for the raffle, so head here to grab your share before Thursday and support the Lobero’s renovation coming up this summer! We’re all very excited to see what the Lobero has in store.

Fashion busts new moves this month, with Paseo Nuevo celebrating all things two-wheeled with their CycleMAYnia: Velo Vogue bicycle fashion show— with live music from Sidewalk Affair and brews from Hoffmann Brat Haus and Telegraph Brewing Company. Encanto in La Arcada melds music and couture musings with jewelry designer Erin Reinecke’s trunk show, showcasing her Erin Reinecke Bailant Jewelry, and the melodies of the Blue Moon Quartet. Or, go vintage by busting out your high-school finest and joining Bike Moves at Bike Prom, with a ride along State St. at 7:30 p.m. and an after-party at Bicycle Coalition at 9:15 p.m.

Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum brings Lisa Coons & the Collected to the stage, performing several contemporary violin and cello works starts at 7 p.m.

Leave the sights and sounds inside and travel where the outdoor performances reside. Quire of Voyces belts a capella choral music from the Renaissance and modern age outside Santa Barbara Museum of Art. The museum steps serve as a stage for Rebekah Scogin and Friends, with Latin American dance tunes from guitar, percussion, oboe and accordion players coaxing passersby into dancing some cumbia, merengue or tango steps. Further down State, ArtBark International brings theater, dance, music, magic and improv performances to the Marshall’s courtyard.

After the excitement on State, skate, bike, walk or drive (responsibly) to the new Seven Bar & Kitchen in the Funk Zone, where DJ Darla Bea will be spinning some funky 70s tunes amidst infused-vodka cocktails and grub.

No matter how you arrive to this week’s 1st Thursday, celebrate our town’s travel and local transportation efforts and abilities by spending an evening doused in the culture and arts that make Santa Barbara such a unique place. Check out a full list of happenings here.

-Taylor Micaela Davis

 

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Start Your Year with Culture and Community at 1st Thursday

New year, new 1st Thursday! January 3rd‘s 1st Thursday kicks off 2013 with free cultural events, gallery openings, and musical performances all around the downtown area.

C/o Downtown Organization

C/o Downtown Organization

Need a artistic fix after the holidays? Head to Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery for An Even Dozen, with twelve artists (six contemporary and six vintage) displaying a dozen of their works, both painting and sculpture (check out our blog post here). California is the focus of Santa Barbara Museum of Art‘s newest exhibition, California Dreaming: Plein-Air Painting from San Francisco to San Diego, where our state’s landscape shines. Faulkner Gallery exhibits new works by the Santa Barbara Sculptor’s Guild, and Jane Deering Gallery welcomes ceramicists Christopher Bates, Matthias Merkel Hess, Jared Theis, Sandra Torres and Jenchi Wu to the exhibit A Thousand Hours.

Just because the cold seems to want to linger doesn’t mean that you should spend the whole Thursday inside! The corner of State and Anapamu acts as a stage for teenager Marley Quinn‘s musical talents. The SBIFF Booth on the Marshall’s Patio offers the latest information on the only-a-few-weeks-away Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Also gracing the Marshall’s patio is local guitarist Bruce Goldish, well known for his serenades atop the Fiesta Five Theatre parking lot. Furthermore, Paseo Nuevo enchants with Mon-e-Luv, with locals Scott Topper and Mitch Karno jazzing up the shopping center with originals and covers.

Live music and delicious bites make the atmosphere at Sojourner Café inviting and jovial, with Kat Devlin performing and Craig Joujon-Roche‘s photography adorning the walls. Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum offers a performance of a different sort, exploring the body through curiosity, vulnerability and fearlessness with Chaos at 7 p.m. Whether learning about art, music or your physical being, this 1st Thursday promises to be enjoyable.

Start the new year right with some mind-stimulating culture and musical fun. 1st Thursday runs from 5- 8p.m., and all events are free! Find a full list of attractions here.

See you there!

-Taylor Micaela Davis

 

 

 

 

 

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September’s 1st Thursday Goes Back-to-School with Art, Books, Music and Fashion

Summer’s end isn’t all that bad when September’s 1st Thursday is just around the corner, and this fall month is boasting quite the expansive line up, with several back-to-school-related events sure to exercise your brain.

Over 35 cultural venues will open their doors for free this 1st Thursday, ranging from  new art exhibits and artist receptions to author visits and live music performances. Check below for just a few of the events and exhibits celebrated on this fall’s first 1st Thursday, offering something for every grade and age.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art offers a last-chance look at the highly acclaimed Portrayal/Betrayal exhibit, closing later in the month. Test your spatial reasoning and design skills by building a 3D landscape at the SBMA’s Family Resource Center.  Continue your art exploration at Plum Goods, where art takes on a different form  (and composition) with Aaron Kramer‘s found-object artistic pieces (check out our article on him in the fall issue of SEASONS). Feel like a college crowd? Head to the Art, Design & Architecture Museum on the UCSB campus for an exhibit by the late UCSB Art History Professor Peter Meller, whose designs and images conjure a whole spectrum of emotions. Move on over to the Brooks Institute: Gallery 27 for Good Conversations: The Photographs of Keith Carter afterward and bump arms and artistic opinions with students ready to tackle the next semester of classes. Enough seeing, time for some doing! Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) is providing an interactive collaborative painting studio on their library’s lawn, so get your paint on, or join Learning Den Preschool in fashioning collaged bookmarks.

After a healthy dose of art to get the brain juices flowing, the Book Den‘s  author talk with Paul Gallender, writer of Sonny Liston: The Real Story Behind Ali-Liston Fights, is sure to tickle your literary bone. Stock up on your back-to-school books as well, the Book Den’s selection is sure to be favorable.

Music lovers, don’t fret! We didn’t forget about you. Several performers will be lining the downtown area, including thirteen-year-old local singer/songwriter sensation Brandi Lentini (State and Anapamu Sts.). Other performers include youth bands Stolen Thunder and 50 BELOW.

Now, my favorite part of back-to-school shopping: new clothes! Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center hosts the international Fashion’s Night Out, with a Walk in Paris Fashion Show, exclusive steals and deals and many more free activities.

Start the season and school year off right with this city-wide celebration of art, culture, fashion and education at September’s 1st Thursday. For more information and a complete list of events, performances and exhibits, don’t hesitate to go to the Downtown website.

See you by the runway!

-Taylor Micaela Davis

 

 

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Datebook Seasonal Events for September

Ongoing Scenery, Story, Spirit: American Painting and Sculpture

This presentation draws on the rich holdings of American paintings and sculptures in the collection of Santa Barbara Museum of Art. In both idealized and naturalistically rendered landscapes, scenes of everyday life or meticulously detailed images of everyday objects, the exhibition also narrates an important chapter in American cultural history that witnessed the Civil War and its aftermath, the expansion of national boundaries, the closing of the western frontier and the transformations wrought by the emergence of new technologies at the dawn of the 20th century.

Ongoing Van Gogh to Munch: European Masterworks

Key works from Armand Hammer Foundation and Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation are reinstalled in the museum’s Preston Morton Gallery.

Every Thursday, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Jazz at the Plaza

Join us each Thursday in September and October from 5 to 7pm at Jazz at the Plaza, where you can enjoy complimentary live music from renowned local musicians, take part in a wine tasting from a different Santa Barbara County vintner each week and peruse creations by fine local artists.

Through September 8 Five Photographers

Come by Cabana Home to check out the new work by photographers William Berry, Gerald Incandela, David Mitchell, Alex Slade, and Joni Sternbach! Cabana Home and Edward Cella Art+Architecture together present this stunning, free exhibition open to the public. See the unique photographic approaches and visions by each artist, and how they each have their own distinct style.

Through Sept. 16 Portrayal/Betrayal

This exhibition explores the endlessly interesting terrain of the portrait in more than 100 photographs that reveal an infinite range of human complexities and contradictory states of heart and mind.

Through Sept. 30 Wesley Anderegg: The Escape Artist

Wesley Anderegg’s sculptures speak of everyday life and society in imaginary ways through which people connect to the real world. His art embodies the archetypal struggle between mind and matter, reason and fear, giving an expression to the human condition.

Through Sept. 30 Interventions: Brian Bress

Multimedia works by this critically acclaimed emerging artist have been described as inventive, humorous and “discomfortingly complex.” This installation—the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in the western U.S.—features a selection of five video portraits.

Through Sept. 30 Mario Ybarra Jr.: The Tío Collection

Wilmington-based artist Mario Ybarra Jr. presents a museological tribute to his family, specifically his uncles. Ybarra creates a built environment displaying both fictional and non-fictional objects from his uncles’ lives. The Tío Collection examines, questions and deconstructs the traditional display of art and artifacts in museums. It also sheds light on people’s desire to collect and create beauty and memory from their own lives.

Through Sept. 30 Bloom Projects: Annie Lapin, History =ing

Annie Lapin’s artworks are mined from a wide variety of art historical references and search for a place where image and memory become another layer that viewers experience as non-verbally as paint and canvas. However, in History =ing, the very medium represents memory: the pigment on the canvas comes from the bottom of the artist’s own brush bucket, which she has not emptied for the last three years.

Through October 7 Summer Group Show

Summer Group Show at the Easton Gallery is holding its opening reception July 27 from 6-8 p.m. The artists in this show include: Whitney Brooks Abbott, Phoebe Brunner, Rick Bury, Chris Chapman, Patricia Chidlaw, John Comer, Bill Dewey, Michael Enriquez, Sonya Fairbanks, Whitney Brooks Hansen, Glenna Hartmann, Patricia Hedrick, Tom Henderson, John Iwerks, Pamela Kendall Schiffer, Rick Schloss, Arturo Tello, and Kevin Turcotte.

Through November 18 The Dragon Awakens: Exhibit of George Stuart Manchu Figures

Check out The Dragon Awakens exhibit at the Museum of Ventura Count, and see the one-quarter life-size figures portraying important figures in China during the Manchu Dynasty. Hear the exhibit-related monologues by George Stuart Secrets of the Forbidden City, September 11, and The Last of the Manchus, October 16 at 2 p.m., located at the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Pavilion. For more information call 805/653-0323.

Through November 25, Social Resurrection: Ceramics by Richard Flores

Richard Flores’s exhibit depicts the Maya culture of the past through ritual vessels crafted by himself, drawing inspiration from the guided life teachings and spiritual messages of the ancient Maya.

Through Dec. 2 Scene on the Street: Doug Busch

Doug Busch’s large-format black and white photographs, taken with a special camera that the artist designed and built himself, are images of great subtlety and irony. Through a combination of Busch’s photographic sensibility and impeccable technique, the ordinary is raised to a monumental scale.

Through January 18 Figure Fragments: The Part as the Whole

Exhibit at Channing Peak Gallery hosts several artists focusing on fragmentation as a way of deconstructing art. Artist reception on September 6 at 5 p.m.

September 1 through November 25 Carol Rosenak: Realism and Representation

Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Ventura artist’s death, this collection will exhibit some of Rosenak’s private collection’s still lifes, which are known for incorporating an unexpected combination of objects.

September 1, 7 p.m. Hula Anyone: One Heart Beat

All dance forms, including hula and Tahitian dance, come together and use the syncopated patterns of the heart beat as a drum line to join hearts and minds and bodies in music, song, and dance.

September 1 International Vulture Awareness Day

Celebrate the California Condor and its vulture cousins and learn about this intelligent, unusual and ecologically vital group of birds through fun hands-on activity stations and special presentations.

September 1–Nov. 25 Hidden Voices: The Chinese of Ventura County

The largely unheard story of Chinese settlements in Ventura County is illuminated through photographs, maps, clothes, household items and the personal stories of community members such as merchants, employment agents, farm and day laborers, and their wives and children.

September 3-October 21 Call for Entries

An annual juried exhibition, Call for Entries encourages artists from the local community to produce newly commissioned work. Three to six artists will be chosen to exhibit new work in a group exhibition held at CAF in 2013

September 5–6, 8 p.m. Capitol Steps

Glance at this election season through the satirical lens of Capitol Steps, a live theater experience designed to put a smile on your face.

September 6, 4-9 p.m. Fashion’s Night Out

Paseo Nuevo turns into a mini New York City for Fashion’s Night Out, complete with A Walk in Paris fashion show, in-store deals, live music, raffles and giveaways. Celebrate your favorite retailers and the magic that is fashion.

September 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Family 1st Thursday

Bring the whole family and enjoy 1st Thursday together as teaching artists assist families in creating special exhibition-based art projects. Afterward, visit selected galleries.

September 6, 5 p.m. Happy Hour and 8 p.m. Performance Forum Lounge: Brian Getnick, The Go Between

Combining sculpture, animation, and spoken word,  LA-based performance artist and sculptor Brian Getnick develops a narrative between three sculpted characters modeled after Michael  Jackson, Bubbles the Chimp, and “The Go Between.”

September 6, 6-7 p.m. Women’s Economic Ventures Self-Employment Training Orientation

Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) will hold free, 1-hour informational orientation sessions in Santa Barbara and Buellton  to help people determine their level of readiness for one of WEV’s business courses. Orientation is required to enroll in select courses such as the Self-Employment Training (SET) program.

September 6–8, 8 p.m. and 8-9, 2 p.m. Queen Undaunted: Margaret of Anjou

This one-woman show starring E. Bonnie Lewis gives us Margaret according to Shakespeare. She is the only person to appear in four of Shakespeare’s plays. Modest and girlish at the beginning, she becomes ruthless, vengeful and fierce. Complex and ambiguous, her voice resonates down the ages.

September 7, 7:30 p.m. Joe Rogan

Fear Factor host and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator Joe Rogan is live at the Lobero Theatre.

September 7, Dusk Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Bring your blankets and beach chairs for free Friday night movies at Stearns Wharf. Popcorn and snacks are available for purchase, and parking on the wharf is free after 7 p.m.

September 7-September 29 Soft Power: Artisan and Art

Head to this three-woman exhibition (Mary Stanley, Jill Littlewood and Angela Moll) at Art from Scrap for wearable art, quilts, paper-making, stitching, rug-hooking and painting pieces.

September 8 Think Pink at the Breast Cancer Resource Center

Join the purrfect party fun featuring cocktails, exotic foods and fabulous hors d’oeuvres in a stunning tropical garden location. Including a silent and brief live auction with the fabulous Andrew Firestone, you’ll want to discover all of the delights this adventurous event has to offer.

September 8 Chinese Cultural Heritage Festival

Featuring a spectacular Chinese Lion Dance by the Camarillo Kung Fu and Lion Dance Association, other cultural performances, art demonstrations and exhibits, the Ventura Museum celebrates the cultural contributions of Chinese Americans.

September 8, 8 p.m. Sings Like Hell: O’Brien Party of 7

Family bands have had a long tradition in bluegrass and country music, from the Carters to the Gibson Brothers, and you can add the O’Briens to this prestigious list. O’Brien Party of 7 brings together the families of those talented siblings Tim and Mollie O’Brien; however, their family band—true to Tim and Mollie’s eclectic respective careers—follows traditions while also being distinctive.

September 8, Exceptional Plants: Lotusland Auction and Sale

Lotusland is holding its first ever live plant auction, during which a dozen or so very rare, very special plants will go under the gavel. Other choice plants and garden books will be offered during a silent auction, and Lotusland’s Garden Shop will have an expanded selection of plants for sale. Several plant experts will be on hand throughout the day to discuss the plants and their use in gardens. Other botanical gardens (such as the Huntington Botanical Garden) are generously donating some very special specimens. Proceeds from the event will be used to care for and support Lotusland’s botanical collection.

September 8, 8 p.m. Air Supply

The trademark blending of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell’s simple yet majestic songs creates a unique sound that promises an evening of true emotion for each and every audience member.

September 8 Gotye

You’re in luck! Gotye is not only playing at the Greek Theatre on September 4, but also at the Santa Barbara Bowl September 8. Hear his newest release, Making Mirrors, and hear Chairlift and Jonti opening for him both nights.  Click here to buy tickets to see Gotye either September 4 or September 8! Tickets go on sale July 14 at 11 a.m.

September 8-9 Mental Health First Aid Training

Over a twelve hour course, community members will learn to identify, understand and respond to mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Graduates are certified as Mental Health First Aiders for three years.

September 8-30, PRIVATE LIVES

Elyot and Amanda, once married, meet by chance at a hotel where they are honeymooning with their new spouses. Despite their perpetually stormy relationship, sparks fly and they cannot resist their own feelings. They impulsively elope in the middle of the night, only to be caught days later by their jilted spouses in a most compromising situation.

September 9, 5:30 p.m. Black & White

A photography exhibit by Ali Shahrouzi depicting Santa Barbara in black and white. Located at the Faulkner West Gallery at the Santa Barbara Library.

September 9, 2:30 p.m. Keith Carter: Artist Lecture

Called “a poet of the ordinary” by Los Angeles Times and featured in the Portrayal/Betrayal exhibition, Keith Carter speaks about his career as a photographer—from taking over his mother’s portrait business to the personal, and world renowned, projects of small Texas towns, landscapes, portraits and still-lifes.

September 9 Arthritis Foundation’s Santa Barbara Taste of the Town

Santa Barbara’s premiere tasting event features 40 local wineries and 40 local restaurants that donate their delectable tasting specialties to the event—all to benefit the vital work of Arthritis Foundation.

September 9, 12:30–6:30 p.m. Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care’s Yachts of Love

The annual Yachts of Love Charity Regatta is back to benefit Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care’s Serenity House. Join chairman Tom Parker in spending a gorgeous day out on the water watching the race, followed by a barbecue, music, raffle prizes and an awards presentation.

September 9, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Studio Sundays on the Front Steps

Explore a new artistic medium and participate in hands-on workshops, gaining inspiration from the Museum’s permanent collection or special exhibitions. Mediums could include clay, metal, ink, wood, photography and paper.

September 12, 7 p.m. Fiona Apple

New York Times says Fiona Apple’s latest album is “a collection of stripped-down, percussive songs that’s as passionate, smart and cutting as anything she’s done…she writes metaphor-laden outpourings set to music that pulls rock, show tunes, classical piano and jazz into her own realm of brooding and bravado.”

September 12, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. To Blog Or Not To Blog

Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or a novice who is wondering if the blogging sphere is right for you, this program will answer your questions. Light appetizers will be served and wine will be available for purchase.

September 13-October 7, open Thurs.-Sun., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Junior League of Santa Barbara’s 2012 Santa Barbara Design House & Gardens

The Junior League of Santa Barbara and developers Joanie and Dennis Franz welcome guests to an exciting collaboration of design and philanthropy featuring a “Hamptons” style house nestled on 1.62 acres of prime Montecito land.

September 13, 5:30 p.m. Creative Ideas for Every Season

Artist Brian Bress introduces and screens this video as part of the ongoing conversation between his work and the art in Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s permanent collection.

September 13, 5-7 p.m. Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center’s Shining Star

This annual event, honoring members of our community who have changed the lives of survivors of sexual assault, benefits the work of Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center to put an end to sexual violence in our community. The reception includes a live auction, a raffle, and an awards ceremony.

September 13-16, 20-23 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Starring Rosemary Alexander of Sordid Lives, Tina Arning of Everybody Loves Raymond, Heidi Brook Myers of Dexter, Mitch Carter of Sordid Lives, David Zyler of Ice Age, and Tom Schanley of Criminal Minds.

September 14, 3 p.m. Pre-Season Talk by Ramón Araïza

Enjoy a discussion about the upcoming Santa Barbara Symphony Season with a favorite pre-concert lecturer. Araïza also gives lectures one hour before every Santa Barbara Symphony Concert.

September 14, Dusk Overboard

Bring your blankets and beach chairs for free Friday night movies at Stearns Wharf. Popcorn and snacks are available for purchase, and parking on the wharf is free after 7 p.m.

September 14–16 Vintage Trailer Show

Come see a collection of beautiful vintage trailers at Flying Flags RV Park in Buellton.

September 14–16 76th Annual Solvang Danish Days Celebration

California’s “Little Denmark” celebrates its annual Danish Days when residents don colorful costumes and entertain visitors in style. Enjoy plentiful folk dancing and entertainment, Hans Christian Andersen story-telling sessions, three parades and more during Solvang’s renowned weekend of festivities for all ages. Various locations throughout Solvang.

September 14-October 2 BULL group exhibition at the Santa Barbara Tennis Club 

Join 50 artists as they interpret “BULL” in this group exhibition at SBTC, curated by Susan Tibbles.  Artist reception Sept. 14, 5:30–7:30 p.m. 2375 Foothill Rd.

September 15, 6 p.m. Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Gratitude Gala

Celebrate the Scholarship Foundation’s 50th anniversary with a very special Gratitude Gala. Spend a beautiful night honoring the history and accomplishments of the foundation with an entertaining cocktail hour, a delicious meal and a fun after party.

September 15- October 28 Fields of Color: Paintings by Hilda Kilpatrick

Colorful paintings by local artist Hilda Kilpatrick on exhibit at the Ventura Agriculture Museum, focusing on the fields of flowers around Ventura County. Inspired by California landscapes since moving here from her native Peru in 1988, Kilpatrick’s exuberant colors and impressionistic brushstrokes convey the beauty of local flower fields.

September 15, 6:30 p.m. Def Leppard

With 100 million records sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, Def Leppard continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, are must-see events and have made them an institution in the touring industry, as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

September 15, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. United Way’s 21st Annual Day of Caring

This volunteer event kicks off United Way’s Community Campaign that raises pledges to support a local network of health, human and community-building services. At 8 a.m., volunteers gather at Ben Page Youth Center to enjoy breakfast and kick-off rally. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers help local nonprofit agencies with “hands-on” work assignments.

September 15, 4-8 p.m. Fund for Santa Barbara’s Bread & Roses

Bread & Roses is a time for community activists, donors, volunteers, elected leaders and all supporters of progressive social change to gather, celebrate their work together and raise money for the fund’s grant-making and technical assistance programs.

September 15, 2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. Agricultural Museum’s Free First Anniversary Celebration

Mark the anniversary of the Museum of Ventura County’s Agricultural Museum with the opening of two exhibitions showcasing flowers. Fields of Flowers: Paintings by Hilda Kilpatrick and Dollars and Scents: The Business of Cutting Flowers aren’t the only reasons to attend– the anniversary celebration will also include live music, vintage tractors, children’s activities and the unveiling of plans for the Heritage Garden.

September 15, 2 p.m. Community Centers and Associations: Forgotten Resources?

Join CAF and three  leading activists in the world of community centers and social activism for a discussion about how they have left their  mark within their communities, and the importance of social centers.

September 15, 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Somers Jewelry Trunk Show

Featuring the sterling silver and gold jewelry from local artist Somers Randolph, a nationally recognized sculptor, each piece is inspired by a soapstone sculpture; molded and cast in gold or silver; and hand finished in a five-step polishing process.

September 15 & 16, 9 a.m.-noon Capturing the Beauty of Small Wonders

Enjoy a weekend workshop on macro (close-up) photography and biology. Techniques for close-up photography will be demonstrated, followed by guided practice in the garden.

September 16, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Chiari Awareness Free Family Fun-Fest

Join ICA for its first major fundraiser in Eling’s Park, where all proceeds will support ICA’s efforts and programs to raise awareness and funds for Chiari, a little-known, serious neurological disorder. Local musicians will perform, including Ukulele Jim, the Wha Wha’s, 50 Below and Jamey Geston, with live demonstrations, children’s activities and information booths also available.

September 18, 6-8 p.m. Santa Barbara Green Drinks

This fundraising event for SOL Food Festival, held on the Lobero Theatre patio, features appetizers and drinks from festival sponsors Alma Rosa Winery, Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Whole Foods Market.

September 19- November 7, 3:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Readers Theater Class with Artistic Director Maggie Mixsell

Polish your public speaking skills and ability to recreate stories and characters with this workshop from Center Stage Theater. After 8 weeks, the class culminates in a final performance.

September 19–Dec. 9 Wildlings and Wild Places: Artwork by Patti Jacquemain

A very special exhibition by the founder of Wildling Art Museum, Patti Jacquemain, showcases the extraordinary mosaics and block prints depicting nature and the wilderness that are her passion in life.

September 20-30, Planned Parenthood’s Annual Book Sale

Planned Parenthood Book Sale, the largest used book sale in the tri-counties, is held annually at Earl Warren Showgrounds. Opening Night Reception takes place on September 20, 5–9 p.m.

September 20, 8 p.m. Food Confessions Preview Benefit Performance for the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County

Learn about Foodbank’s vision for a nutritionally health SB County while dining on healthy, delicious recipes prepared by local chefs and Pink & Dude Chef Program graduates.

September 21, Dusk  Zookeeper

Bring your blankets and beach chairs for free Friday night movies at Stearns Wharf. Popcorn and snacks are available for purchase, and parking on the wharf is free after 7 p.m.

September 21–22, 8 p.m. and 22-23, 2 p.m. Food Confessions

Dine on the delights of food, family and more with this saucy new comedy by Nancy Nufer, directed by Jenny Sullivan and produced by Rod Lathim.

September 22, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Equinox: A Night of Art and Fashion to Benefit the Arts Fund

Join the Arts Fund for a night of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, contemporary art and a fashion show.

September 22–23 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Walkers take off with the sunrise and continue their fight against breast cancer throughout Santa Barbara and Carpinteria.

September 22, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Pruning Natives De-mystified

Join Arborist and Nursey Manager, Bruce Reed, for a walking demonstration of pruning do’s and don’ts within the Botanic Garden

September 22, 8 p.m. Dana Cooper

2010 Emily Griffith

“I’d put him on stage after Sting, he is that good,” says Trinity Backstage programmer Kate Wallace about songwriter/singer Dana Cooper, who sings “the kind of idealistic Whitmanesque songs of experience that not many people are singing these days,” according to Ann Arbor Observer.

September 23, 7 p.m. Bonnie Raitt

More than just a best-selling artist, respected guitarist, expressive singer and accomplished songwriter, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt has become an institution in American music.

September 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. National Plug in Day at SB Harbor Parking Lot

An electric vehicle (EV) celebration featuring rides in EVs (Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius), a tailgate party, live electric music, food trucks, informational display and more. Also the opening of the new charging stations in the Harbor Parking Lot. Check out more info here.

September 26, 28-29 Mental Health First Aid Training

Over a twelve hour course, community members will learn to identify, understand and respond to mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Graduates are certified as Mental Health First Aiders for three years.

September 27, 8 p.m. Pat Metheny Unity Band

Superstar guitarist Pat Metheny returns to the Jazz at the Lobero series with a reinvented sound that fans won’t want to miss. Unity Band introduces a new Metheny ensemble with Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, longtime collaborator Antonio Sanchez on drums and the up-and-coming Ben Williams on bass.

September 27-30 Paint Ventura

Check out Paint Ventura’s 4th free creative adventure from September 27 to 30.  Explore all the art in downtown ventura, and most events are free to the public.  Plein Air artists start with a fresh canvas or paper and have two days to paint as many Ventura inspired paintings as they wish.  All painting takes place in Downtown Ventura between the Mission and Chestnut St as well as Main St and the Promenade including the Pier and Surfer’s Point.

September 28-30 RE:VISION with Nebula Dance Lab

Re:Vision, featuring the choreography of Devyn Duex and Emily Tatomer, consists of three distinct works united by their use of dance as a medium of conveying perception, memory and sensation.

September 28­­–30 Los Alamos Old Days Celebration

Join the fun and celebrate the 66th annual Los Alamos Old Days Celebration! Enjoy great meals, food booths, a parade, a car show, a silent auction, live music and entertainment by KRAZ-FM “Crazy Country.”

September 28, John Slade’s Country Side

Join John Slade alongside JB White, Ken Delbo, Ray Magee, Lee Rolag, Rich Lyons and Greg Bayles for a night of country fun.

September 28, 8 p.m. The Rhythmic Arts Project Benefit Concert

A concert featuring Bonnie Bramlett, Tata Vega, Rosemary Butler, Carl Graves, Little Feat, Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett hosted by the Rhythmic Arts Project, an organization that educates individuals using rhythm as a modality to address basic life and learning skills.

September 29, 8 p.m. Carey Odes Comedy Night

With Special Guest Karen Rontowski, this comedy night is sure to be full of laughs.

September 29-30 Santa Barbara ARTwalk

Come check out more than 200 works of art while listening to live music and enjoying tasty food along the oak-shaded Mission Creek. Also, don’t forget to watch some art demonstrations and see the Children’s ARTwalk. All proceeds support the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s programs.

September 29, 7:00 p.m. Mac Miller 

Mac Miller is Pittsburgh’s king of freestyle even at the young age of 20, and after his debut EP Blue Slide Park launched in November 2011, he has been wowing audiences across the nation.  Miller is a self-taught musician, playing bass, piano, guitar and drums, as well as rapping and mixing hip-hop tunes.

September 29th 5:00-7:00 p.m. Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County Harvest Eve – Fall Fundraiser at Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard

Held in the beautiful Foxen Canyon, this fundraising reception supports families with 24 hour emergency services that include shelter, counseling and case management.

September 29, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sol Food Festival

Enjoy sustainable, organic local food, wine and beer—and engage in workshops and discussions—at this annual community-created festival celebrating local farmers. 

September 29, 8 p.m. Flamenco Arts Festival

A unique flamenco production, Cádiz de la Frontera, makes its American debut, as part of the annual Flamenco Arts Festival. Award-winning flamenco artists Andrés Peña and Pilar Ogalla take aspects of their personal lives and transform them into a moving love story and an evening of dance, music and artistic self-revelation with some of the greatest flamenco artists from Spain.

September 29, ArchitecTours

Fire-resistant building design, construction and landscaping is the theme of this year’s ArchitecTours. Pick up maps and brochures at AIA Santa Barbara, 229 E. Victoria St.

September 30, 12-3 p.m. Coast 2 Coast VIETRI Showcase

Head to Coast 2 Coast for a chance to score some special, handcrafted Italian dinnerware and home décor from VIETRI, whose founder will personally sign purchased pieces with Italian phrases

September 30, Santa Barbara Beautiful’s Annual Awards: Rhapsody in Bloom

The 48th annual Santa Barbara Beautiful Awards Presentation is sure to be treat, highlighting the architectural and garden gems of our fair city.

September 30, 7 p.m. Elvis Costello

Grammy-winning pop legend Elvis Costello’s intimate solo performances are prized by fans, with material ranging from deep tracks to mega-hits spanning the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s more than 30-year career. While best known for his work with the Imposters and the Attractions, Costello has followed his artistic curiosity from New Wave to Nashville to jazz in collaborations with the foremost artists of today.

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Synesthesia Deepens Jourdie Ross’s Art This First Thursday

Imagine not only being able to see art, but having the ability to taste, hear, smell and feel the art that you’re creating.

Such is the case with young local artist, Jourdie Ross, whose upcoming exhibit I Remember it Like This draws on her experience with synesthesia, a neurological anomaly that cases the senses to overlap, meaning that sometimes sounds have shape, smells have color and emotions have texture.

Ross uses abstract ideas and various media to capture representations of the world as her mind experiences it. I Remember it Like This is the artist’s first solo show in Santa Barbara and will include paintings as well as a large-scale installation—a suspended sculpture exploring experience beyond language.

Ross’s works will be on exhibit at Gallery Acero, a small space operating as a showroom for Santa Barbara Forge and Iron. This First Thursday, join the artist for an opening reception, where she’ll delve into the elaborate nature of her works.

Exhibit runs from September 6 through October 1, with the September 6 reception from 5-9 p.m. For more information on the show, please click here.

-Taylor Micaela Davis

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Free Thursday Evenings at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art

What’s better than the expansive art collection at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art? That same collection for free!

Every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. starting September 6, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will open its doors for free for Chase Free Thursday Evenings thanks to a sponsorship from JPMorgan Chase. This free night of art includes access to all galleries, as well as enticing extras for art lovers and novices. These special events can include anything from docent talks in select exhibits and film screenings to educational lectures and live music, all depending on the night, making each Free Thursday a little bit different.

The extended hours aren’t just limited to the museum, either. The Museum Café, Museum Store, and Family Resource Center will also participate in these late Thursday openings.

Whether it’s date night or family night, don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy free art. It doesn’t have to be First Thursday to immerse yourself in the art Santa Barbara has to offer.

For more information on Chase Free Thursday Evenings at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, please click here.

-Taylor Micaela Davis

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Fiesta Week’s 1st Thursday

Kick off the 88th annual Old Spanish Days by celebrating this month’s 1st Thursday event, with more than 30 cultural art venues! Get your sombrero ready for artists’ receptions, live music, and exciting new exhibits. Dance on down to TonyRay’s Restaurant and Cantina and listen to live music as you view the works of local artists. Stop by Alchemy Arts Center and Café Restaurant featuring the art of living well, or make fiesta themed paper flowers at Casa Dolores. Check out Marshall’s Patio to see Gitana Cumbia Y Las Ninas de Santa Barbara perform Spanish reggae dance music and a mix of gypsy music from South America, Spain and Portugal. In addition to the amazing exhibits, be sure to check out the outdoor demonstrations, performance art and live music, such as Shaun Sanders playing the Spanish guitar on the corner of State and Anapamu Streets. The Project Fine Art Zone does Fiesta in superb style, CAF features Emily Lacy, 99 Times in the Forum Lounge, Sullivan Goss will have beautiful work by Leon Dabo on display, and don’t forget to check out the pop up Standard Deviation Gallery.

The opening reception for 2012 Open Studios Tour Preview Exhibit also takes place Aug. 2 at Santa Barbara Frame Shop.  Stop by anytime between 5 and 8 p.m. Art lovers are invited to attend the opening and get the chance to meet a number of artists while enjoying food and wine.  This exhibit is open through August leading up to the Open Studios Tour. Santa Barbara Studio Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising the profile of Santa Barbara as a destination for the arts.

All these activities are free during 1st Thursday on August 2, and with more than thirty attractions, there is something for everyone to enjoy. For more information about this month’s 1st Thursday click here.

-Addison Mayfield

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Deviating from the Norm: A Temporary Art Gallery Pops Up in Paseo Nuevo

Pop-up restaurants have been all-the-rage in recent times, but a different sort of pop-up venue is coming to Santa Barbara. A 4,000 square foot store front will become a temporary Santa Barbara gallery this August 2-8, with different mediums being represented during the day and evening, and special events occurring each night.

The gallery, entitled “Standard Deviation”, will include everything from interactive sculptures and music performances to video work and projections, with paintings, photographs and multi-media works thrown into the mix. Viewers will immerse themselves in the gallery, finding that their presence is what makes the art.

The temporary gallery is curated by film maker, writer and artist Ted Mills and media artists Marco Pinter, and the temporal nature of the art is very important to its feel. Pinter states, “The show is focused on work involving motion and change over time.” What this means for viewers is that no two people will have the same experience in the gallery, especially with different events occurring each night. With so many different mediums to explore, each experience is unique.

Featuring dance performances, DJs, abstract and alternative video screenings and music performances, the evening events will bring contemporary and abstract artistic expression to the center of Fiesta (although the gallery is not associated with the festival).

Along with Mills and Pinter, several other artists and performers (many of them Santa Barbara locals) will be at the gallery, including Nebula Dance Company, Alan Macy, Jonathan Smith, Morgan DeLucia, Ethan Turpin, Davor Magdic, Angus Forbes, Nik Blaskovich, Meighann Athena Helene and Masha Keating.

August’s First Thursday celebration, complete with performances by Nebula Dance Lab, is the perfect time to experience this revolutionary exhibit, and the sooner you can make your way to the Paseo Nuevo-facing store front, the better: the gallery will only be open for a week.

“Standard Deviation” will be open every day from noon-6 p.m., except Thursday when the exhibit hosts its opening reception from 5:30 p.m. -9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday when evening events will run until 9 p.m. For more information on the Standard Deviation art gallery, please click here.

-Taylor Micaela Davis

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The Drawings of Leon Dabo On Exhibit at Sullivan Goss

Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery presents the inaugural exhibition from the Estate of Leon Dabo (1865-1960)—The Drawings of Leon Dabo, with a reception on 1st Thursday, January 5th.

The Drawings of Leon Dabo

Leon Dabo’s progressive aesthetic sensibilities in the nineteenth century ushered in new forms of visual expression for the twentieth.  The artist was instrumental in bringing a Modern sensibility to America’s artists, curators and patrons through organizing the famous “Armory” show in 1913 – the first major exhibition of Modern European and American art in the US.  Dabo not only hosted meetings for the committee to organize the exhibition in his studio, he exhibited at the show.

Early tonal drawings in charcoal, blue conté, teal conté and red conté, and Provençal landscapes will be shown alongside later floral drawings reminiscent of the Symbolist imaginings of Odilon Rédon (1840-1916) in a special installation that will take viewers back to a quieter time in history.

Dabo’s work is in the public collections of the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Metropolitan, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Smithsonian.

Opening Reception: 1st Thursday January 5 from 5 – 8 p.m.

Also on view: Jon Francis: Paintings from the Drive Home through February 26, 100 GRAND, and Nicole Strasburg: Islands, Valleys, Home and the Winter Salon through January 29.

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First Thursday–Don’t Miss “Few Chosen by Many: A Berkus Selection” at Channing Peake Gallery

As always, there are LOTS of cool things to check out for tomorrow night’s First Thursday. High on our list is a very creative exhibition from Santa Barbara County Arts Commission,  Few Chosen by Many: A Berkus Selection, at Channing Peake Gallery ( 1st floor of the Santa Barbara County Administration Bldg., 105 E. Anapamu St., open M-F 8a.m.-5 p.m. ).

A community of curators from all walks of local life selected their favorite pieces from the extensive  Barry Berkus and Family Art Collection, in memory of Gail Berkus, and it is these selections that are on view.

“I hope that viewers to the exhibition come away with the realization that liking and choosing art is not an activity limited to a few special people; that each of us makes choices each day; we all respond to different colors, images, and mediums. Many do this without a background in art history or curating. They have taught themselves over a lifetime to look at art critically and to appreciate it,” says Rita Ferri, who organized the exhibit and is Curator of Collections for the County of Santa Barbara.

Definitely worth checking out.

As a side note, an essay by Seasons Magazine contributor Joe Woodard (see his story on artist Keith Puccinelli in our fall issue) appears in the color catalog which was designed by The Lily Guild Temple of Design. It is available from the County Arts Commission at www.sbartscommission.org or by calling 8-5/568-3990.

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