In collaboration with the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, Betteravia Gallery is showcasing a collection of expansive textile panels that “reflect the vibrant landscapes, cultures, and commercial hubs of the Santa Maria Valley,” according to press materials.
The opening reception for the new exhibit, titled New Muralism: Valley Visions, will be held on Thursday, April 10, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the local venue, located inside the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Administration Building.
Scheduled to remain up through the end of 2025, this display features works created by participants of Slingshot / Alpha Art Studio, a local progressive art center dedicated to supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Santa Barbara County. The showcase highlights early sketches by its featured artists as well as their final pieces.
“Each piece takes on a lot of planning, sketching, problem solving, and time from the artists and facilitators. Everyone gets to flex their creative muscles to create something bigger than what one individual can do alone,” Slingshot Director Jessica Schlobohm (pictured) said in press materials. “The work represents an intersection of art, craft, and public life through the warm textures of applique materials, offering a visual dialogue between domestic activities and the public sphere. … It’s a lot of work, but the impact is tremendous.”
Tom Pazderka, curator for the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, described the group show as “Slingshot doing what they do best—transforming the visions of their artists into elegant and recognizable images that are also complex, beautiful, and tactile, and that elevate and inspire.”
For more info on the exhibit, visit sbac.ca.gov/current-gallery-exhibitions. Betteravia Gallery is located at 511 Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria.
This article appears in Apr 10-20, 2025.