Hands clasped in loving solidarity. Two figures locked in the moment before a kiss. The view of a lemon distorted through a glass jug.
These are all images featured in a new exhibit in Santa Maria that highlights the work of some of the region’s most promising young artists. Come Together features artwork created by students in Santa Barbara County and is a joint effort of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, and the Santa Barbara County Alliance for Arts Education. Come Together runs through May 19 at the Betteravia Gallery in Santa Maria.
The students in the show represent school districts according to their schools, which include the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, Orcutt Union School District, Blochman School District, Santa Barbara Unified School District, and Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
Young artists are compelling in that so much of their work is unfiltered. Free from a lifetime of conscious judgment or tainted experience, their work is often boldly refreshing and vividly optimistic (or purely gut-wrenching).
Take for example the piece by Emma MacArthur Warner, a student at Dos Pueblos High School. Her painting, Trying to Escape, is a powerfuly haunting image of a young-looking girl, her face hidden by her arm as she exhaustedly tries to force her way through a wood board. There is so much meaning and emotion one could attach to the piece—is the girl trying to escape a harmful situation? Is she trying to escape her own mind, her insecurities, her fears? Warner leaves the piece purposefully vague, an impressive act of restraint for a young artist. There is great promise in her future, in any medium.
Parts of a Whole is another creative and playful image, painted by Elena Ibbetson from Dos Pueblos High School. In the painting, seemingly identical women in a bright room framed by two large windows exhibit four uniquely juxtaposed emotions. One woman leaps in an act of joy, another hides crouching in the corner, and a third hangs with act of stubborn defiance from the roof. The fourth woman keeps her back to the viewer, as though silently observing the many facets of herself.
The Orange Tree by V. Osalde is another example of a young artist telling a bigger story through imagery. A man pushes a shopping cart with an orange tree along an empty suburban street. Osalde’s style is so nuanced and advance for a young artist; he employs an astute eye for shape and color that stands out in a big way.
Ernest Righetti High School student Melissa Johnson brings elements of abstraction into her still life, Reflections of Emotion, which portrays a lemon warped through the glass of a pitcher. Her skill with perspective and lighting elevate the piece beyond the simple nature of the subject to a more complex examination of shape and form.
A showcase of diversity of talents and ideas, the Come Together exhibit is yet another example of why arts programs are so vital to the community. The work not only highlights the stunning talents of young local artists, but also provides a way for community youth to utilize their imagination beyond the constraints of a classroom.
Arts and Lifestyle Writer Rebecca Rose always hangs from the ceiling. Contact her at rrose@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 5, 2018.