It’s hard to sum up my experience covering northern Santa Barbara County’s art scene over the past 12 months with broad generalizations, but one I’ve definitely noticed is this: In-person exhibits, concerts, and other events came back in a big way during 2022.
I can’t remember the last time I wrote about a virtual showcase or music performance or online art class, all of which were the dominating topics in the Sun’s Arts section during 2020 and 2021.
Without further ado, here’s a rundown of some of my favorite moments that expanded the local art scene’s horizons this year.
Send artsy story recommendations for Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood to consider in 2023 at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
MUSEUM MILESTONES
Photographers. Quilters. Scenic designers. The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature showcased a diverse range of media from various artists during the year, including Santa Barbara local Kerrie Smith, whose multimedia installation, Portals and Pathways, debuted in April and will remain on display through February, 2023. This past year also marked a major milestone for the Solvang-based nonprofit, as the museum was able to pay off its mortgage, five years ahead of schedule. In 2017, the museum used a $1.6 million loan to purchase its current facility on Mission Drive, with a 10-year timetable for repayment. The loan was paid off in full during the fall of 2022.
SHOW AND TELL
New books from local novelists were not in short supply during 2022. In March, Santa Ynez-based author Lida Sideris released Gambling With Murder, the fifth book in her ongoing mystery series that follows a private investigator. In June, Orcutt local H.W. Portland debuted his first sci-fi novel, Explorer’s End. Each chapter of Portland’s space epic is accompanied with unique illustrations by artist Raven Osse (whose illustration of a creature found on a distant planet is pictured). In November, local author Tony Piazza celebrated the release of his murder mystery novel, A Murder, Well-Scripted, at the Book Loft in Solvang. The book mark’s Piazza’s eighth installment in his Tom Logan series.
RENEWED ROYALTY
During the summer of 2022, the Solvang Festival Theater completed its $5 million rebuilding project, which commenced during the summer of 2021. The renovated theater celebrated its grand reopening this July with a live concert from Nashville musician Mat Kearney. The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) hosted its first outdoor performances at the venue post-renovations starting in August with Into the Woods. The cast of PCPA’s iteration of the classic Stephen Sondheim musical included Yusef Seevers (left) and Garret Haven (right) as two princes. The show first opened in April at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria, where it ran through mid-May.
(NOTHING BUT) FLOWERS
In August, a family of local entrepreneurs achieved their dream of developing a new major event center in Lompoc. The Flower City Ballroom, located at 110 W. Ocean Ave., was co-founded by Dominick Balsamo and his parents, Dennis and Sandi, and brought several live concerts and comedy events to Lompoc during the latter half of 2022. “Ultimately, my goal is to make the Flower City Ballroom a hub for the arts on the Central Coast,” Balsamo told the Sun in September. He described the new venue as “a place where up-and-coming artists and performers of all kinds can share the stage with more established performers in a safe environment that fosters creativity.”
HOMETOWN HEROES
In October, Netflix premiered a new animated children’s show, Spirit Rangers, which was created by Santa Ynez Chumash tribal member Karissa Valencia. The show debuted on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and follows three Native American junior park rangers, Kodi, Summer, and Eddy, who transform into animal spirits to protect the national park they call home. Valencia described the show—which marks the television writer’s first outing as creator and showrunner—as a love letter to Indigenous youth, and a celebration of the rich heritage of Native American storytelling, with elements inspired by tribal stories she grew up with.
PLANES, TRAINS, AND …
Thanks to the Valley Art Gallery, the walls within the Santa Maria Public Airport’s lobby were rarely vacant during 2022. The gallery has an ongoing program that showcases works by local artists at the airport. I had the pleasure of viewing two exhibitions at the airport this year. In August, I met with artist and children’s art teacher Lynnae Lane to discuss the floral paintings in her solo exhibit. Lane’s show ran through the end of September. In October, the airport’s featured artist was Stephanie Palomarez (pictured, in front of her piece, Time Travel, inspired by one of her train trips), whose paintings remained on display through early December.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2022 – Jan 5, 2023.
