1^st Thursday Venues

View the exciting work of ten students from three local college art departments. FRESH features artwork selected from UCSB, SBCC and Westmont College, displayed alongside the work of seven 10 West Gallery professional artists. Kudos to the students, professors and art department heads!

With great admiration, Armada is hosting local artist and graphic designer, Anna Dulaney. Anna's work is enchanting. Her use of watercolor and gold leaf featuring natural textures, shapes and silhouettes set forth peaceful feelings. Anna is a special talent, bringing depth and tranquility at once. Also enjoy happy hour prices!

Be sure to check out Wit and Whimsy: Selections from the Collection of Michael and Nancy Gifford, an exhibition featuring a variety of contemporary works in mixed media by Santa Barbara County artists. The show features highlights from the recent gift to the County.

Join us for an opening reception celebrating Student Voices from the Santa Barbara City College Art Department at City Hall Gallery with remarks from participating SBCC students. This collaboration showcases top examples of current SBCC student artwork selected by the Art Department’s full-time faculty and the Atkinson Gallery Director.

Santa Barbara Art Association members exhibit here. Artist of the Month, Christine Beirne, explores the use of landscape colors in an abstract context painting with palette knives and squeegees. Featured artists include Chris Provenzano, Kristy Vantrease, Leslie Plimpton, Dona Wieckowski, Lisa Marshall, and Mary-Gail King.

Join us for a carefully curated selection of contemporary art featuring emerging through mid-career artists. Gallery artists include: A.L.E.S. Misa Art, Barbara Bouman Jay, Christopher Jeffries, Kaleo, Jim Martin, Jeff Overlie, and Michael Haber.

Celebrate the opening of Genevieve Gaignard's Outside Looking In at Curated Cocktails featuring DJ DESKTOP. Be first to see Gaignard’s provocative explorations of race, class, and gender in photographs of her “selfie culture” self-performances and installations that combine humor, persona, and lowbrow pop sensibilities to craft dynamic visual narratives.

Onus Donuts is an old-fashioned donut shop with a slightly modern twist that opened in downtown Santa Barbara in early December. Join us for 1^st Thursday as we welcome local artist J.J. Sanchez and vinyl DJ’s Val-mar Records providing the grooves. There will be special savory and sweet donuts for the night as well as craft beer and champagne. 

Explore this month’s new exhibit of PHOTO PORTRAITS OF AN ITALIAN FAMILY 1850-1950. Alongside the magnificent works of the BOTANICAL PRINTS FROM THE OPPI’Z COLLECTION (original prints from the XVIII–XIX c.), and ancient photographs, enjoy a delicious Aperol Spritz* or Limoncelllo* and tasty bites (*exclusively available for 1st Thursday)!!

We are pleased to be featuring local artists Randy VanderMey, Jasmine Clark & Lori Call. Please enjoy wine and appetizers, meet the artists, explore our art-filled offices, and check out our special views of Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara Art Works presents “Spring Arts Collective,” a collection of original landscapes, watercolors, and printmaking design, from the creative imagination of 24 resident artists. Featured artist of this exhibition is Erin Ziegler. Enjoy live music by INCANDESCENCE, plus wine and light snacks provided by local sponsors.

Santa Barbara Fine Art has moved! Join us at our new location for our Grand Opening show! Event includes art and wine tasting by Santa Barbara Winery and LaFond Winery, featuring all local landscape artists, sculptures and abstract art. Works by Original Oak Group Members, John Comer, Ray Strong, Arturo Tello, Richard Schloss, Larry Iwerks, Michael Drury, Marcia Burtt and current Oak Group members, John Wullbrandt, Kevin Gleason, Carrie Givens, Michael Enriquez and many more local painters. (Image: “Distant Glow” by Kris Buck)

Stroll through the museum and view our permanent galleries and temporary exhibitions, including Capturing the West: The Artisty of Josef Muench and Henry Chapman Ford: The Museum Collection. Enjoy wine and music. Always family friendly.

Opera Santa Barbara presents a Pop-Up Opera performance in the Museum galleries (5:30 - 6:30 pm). Enjoy free art-making activities in the Family Resource Center until 7:30 pm and the galleries until 8:00 pm.

This month we will be showing Preston Maag’s 10 MILES OUT. In uplifting and inspiring journeys, backpackers of various skill and experience levels navigate the Los Padres National Forest. Showtimes are 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30. Runtime: 12 minutes

Photographs from "Les Rues Paris" by Christopher Broughton and "I'm Sorry You Couldn't Stay" by Jean Morrison Phillips. These photographers take us around the world while focusing on humanistic narratives interacting within layers of time and the intimate details of large spaces. Also enjoy music and wine. (Image by Christopher Broughton)

Sullivan Goss presents an exhibition celebrating the life and work of influential and beloved painter, Michael Dvortcsak. The retrospective will include work from all periods of the artist's career. Also on view, Phoebe Brunner, and Meredith Brooks Abbott.

Here’s your chance to see the fabulous entries for this year’s Solstice Parade poster! Come meet the artists and cast your vote for the work you think best promotes this year’s theme, BEAUTIFUL EARTH. Enjoy wine and delicious bites for purchase at Café Ana.

One of Art Crawl’s original founders, Andi Garcia is a passionate warrior for Santa Barbara arts. She is the perfect person to track down hidden gems, and off-the-beaten-track locations for this curated Art Crawl. Meet Andi at the steps to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art at 5:30 pm, and wear comfy shoes so you can crawl in comfort. 

TravelStore will be showcasing our “Aloha” photo contest finalists. Come over and vote for your favorite. Villa Wine bar will be pouring wine and donations from the evening will be donated to One805! They are a local charity that supporters our first responders.

The Gallery recently celebrated its 35^th year and 28 years in La Arcada Courtyard. It features artwork from some of today’s finest nationally-known painters, offering a selection of original plein-air, landscape, figurative and still life paintings. Southwest Art Magazine recognized Diane & Ralph Waterhouse among “10 Prominent People” in the Fine Art Business. Live art demonstration by Ralph Waterhouse (5:45 pm).

People, People, People: There used to be people of Wind. But that was long time ago. There used to be people of fire. But that was long time ago. There were people of Water and of Earth. But that was long long time ago. Art by Alexander Meza, Daniel Landman and Yuliya Lennon.