Looking back on some of the local arts happenings that occurred over 2021, it’s hard to believe just how quickly some artists and galleries were able to return to hosting in-person events. While virtual programming defined the majority of 2020, 2021 had more of a mix between the two formats, with some local outlets adopting hybrid models (the opportunity to visit an exhibit in person, or view it online, for example).
Before looking ahead to new opportunities we should expect from 2022, here’s a handful of highlights from this year that I believe either helped shape Northern Santa Barbara County’s current art scene or brought national attention to local artists and causes.
NATURAL CAUSES
ZFolio Gallery in downtown Solvang kicked off 2021 with its first solo, in-person exhibition of the year, which ran from January through the end of February. Contemporary artist Belinda Hart showcased a collection of her painted silks, which she created through a unique hand-dye method. Hart’s fabrics are full of abstract designs, with acrylic-painted shades and hues. Her goal as an artist is to illustrate “infinite and exciting imagery prevalent in nature,” she said. Find out more about Hart’s artworks at belindahart.com.
THEATRICAL TELETHON
In March, the Lompoc Theatre Project (a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and reopening the historic Lompoc Theatre) hosted a virtual fundraiser and telethon, titled The Show Must Go On. Central Coast-based artists and performers participated in the event, including local musician Kaitlyn Chui (pictured), and several celebrity guests joined the live-streamed program as well. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep), Tom Bergeron (America’s Funniest Home Videos), and Richard Karn (Home Improvement) were just a handful of guests who appeared during the telethon to express their support for the Lompoc Theatre. For more info on the Lompoc Theatre Project’s ongoing efforts, visit lompoctheatre.org.
TEMPLE OF BLOOM
Local pastel painters and frequent collaborators Kris Buck and Deborah Breedon displayed their colorful landscapes at Gallery Los Olivos during its June exhibition, Summer Bloom. Buck and Breedon enjoy painting outdoors together, and one of their favorite spots to paint is the Santa Ynez Valley Botanical Garden, especially “when the poppies were in their full glory and begging to be painted,” Buck said. Visit gallerylosolivos.com for more details.
CREATIVE AND CRAFTY
Orcutt local Kara Walker (pictured) competed on season 3 of NBC’s popular crafting show, Making It, which premiered in June. Walker said that one of the funnest aspects of joining the production was getting to bond with her fellow contestants and the show’s quirky co-hosts, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. “Amy is definitely like the mom type you just want to tell all your secrets and where you bury the bodies. And then, Nick, he’s more, you know, the strong, silent type,” she revealed. Walker is best known locally for her lavish, handcrafted Halloween decorations, which she proudly displays outside her home every year. Check out some of Walker’s crafty creations on Instagram, @kara_walker_designs.
PASSION PROJECT
FireStorm ‘77, a locally produced, award-winning documentary that examines the Honda Canyon Fire of 1977, was screened at various film festivals throughout the country during 2021, including the Cambria Film Festival’s SummerFest program at the end of August. The film was directed by Christopher Hite (pictured), a longtime film instructor at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, and was co-produced by Lompoc locals Dennis R. Ford and Joseph N. Valencia (who both served as firefighters during the historic tragedy which resulted in four fatalities, 65 injuries, and nearly 10,000 acres burned).
A REGAL RETURN
Although the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) was able to host two outdoor productions in Solvang over the summer of 2021, the company hadn’t performed a new show inside Santa Maria’s Marian Theatre since before the pandemic—until November. Performances of PCPA’s The Secret Garden, a musical adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s popular 1911 book, were held through Dec. 23. Visit pcpa.org for info on its 2022 season.
Send artsy story recommendations for Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood to consider in 2022 at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 30, 2021 – Jan 6, 2022.
