In her nearly 97 years, Esther Serna Bartlett tried all sorts of new things because she wanted to know what they were like.
Violin. Sculpture. Watercolors. Tennis. Ballet.
“I think I was the oldest student,” she said about the dance class she took in the late 1990s. “I wanted to know what ballet was about.”
One for the ages
The Valley Art Gallery is located at 3217 Terminal Drive inside the Santa Maria Airport. It’s open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information call (805) 922-0663 or follow Valley Art Gallery on Facebook.
Serna Bartlett also tried stained glass for a while but was afraid of cutting herself and not being able to play the violin anymore.
“I didn’t continue with that, but it was fun. Just wanted to know what it’s all about,” she said again.
Since retiring, painting has stuck with her. She displays her work at the Valley Art Gallery in the Santa Maria Airport and is the venue’s current featured artist through the end of November.
She likes being known for painting, and at her church she gets a lot of recognition. Her work is seen throughout the community, like in the Marian Regional Medical Center, she said.
“If [people] like my work, it really pleases me,” Serna Bartlett said with a smile.
Patricia Smith, the gallery’s treasurer, also likes displaying her work for airport visitors to see. She uses pewter to make a 3D effect and periodically has art at the gallery, including one called Windows and Grape Leaves.
“I have pewter grape leaves and vines that are coming across the windows,” Smith said. “I painted going from the green of spring into the fall colors.”
Smith described her own style as eclectic, similar to Serna Bartlett’s.
“She does a lot of different styles on her stuff,” Smith said about the featured artist. “It’s very nice work that she does.”
Serna Bartlett didn’t always spend her time painting, though.
Born in Santa Barbara, she recalled having to move to LA to earn a living. Serna Bartlett spent her career working night shifts at United Airlines for 18 years.
In the mornings she’d return home, make breakfast for her kids, send them to school, take a nap, and then go to a PTA meeting or an appointment in the afternoon. She would sleep again after dinner.
“Every time I had a day off, I’d take two of my kids to Hawaii,” Serna Bartlett said.
She had six children and took them on trips two at a time with her airline benefits, and she also remembered going to Rome four times and traveling with her friends. The artist still has ties to aviation now that she shows paintings at the Santa Maria Airport.
While she worked the graveyard shifts in LA, she also played violin in an orchestra. One of her favorite pieces was The Sound of Music soundtrack because she liked rehearsing to the rhythm of the singers.
It wasn’t until after she retired from United that she got serious about painting. That was the year of the Summer Olympics in LA, 1984, she remembered.
In addition to music and dance, Serna Bartlett dabbled in photography, too, but unlike some artists, she paints from her imagination instead of photos. However, she still likes taking photos and has a knack for iPhone photography.
“Thank God for the phone,” she said. “Every time I see something, I have to take a picture of it, even if it’s a bug or wildflower or something.”
These days, arthritis is slowing her down, but she still paints and stays active. After all, she said, she only feels 85 years old.
By request, she paints people’s pets, and she likes making watercolor greeting cards. Such commissions help her make money to buy supplies, which have increased in price even though her “little pension hasn’t gone up.”
“It’s good therapy, really,” she said. “It just relaxes you, and you put your feeling into it.”
As she’s gotten older, she feels her painting has improved. One of the techniques she’s using now is making leaves with a fan brush.
“I’ve seen some of my first pictures, and I’m not too happy with them,” she said.
The artist is still looking for new challenges, too. When she’s not painting, she occupies her time by bowling, volunteering at a hospital, and spending time at the senior center. She said she loves socializing with people.
“If you’re doing something you enjoy,” she said, “that keeps you going.”
While Staff Writer Madison White waits to turn 97, send your tips for enjoying life to mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 30 – Nov 6, 2025.
Very interesting woman! I enjoyed seeing some of her work and learning about the artist.