Looking back on the output given to Central Coaster’s by local artists, ensembles, and organizations during the year 2014, it’s hard to believe that all of it was contained in a single solar rotation. Lone artists embarked on crusades of creativity, giving us stunning handcrafted paintings, sculptures, and abstract art. Others came together en masse to stage elaborate productions of magical insight or showcase some aspect of our local heritage.
Whether you spent your year sitting in the audience, viewing at a gallery, or doing some of the creating yourself, there is plenty to reflect on and enjoy again. The incredible quality of the work given is a refreshing tonic that can empower us to move into the next year motivated to create more.
MEET CADET KRIDER
The Sun’s humor columnist Rob Krider premiered his first book in December. Cadet Blues chronicles Krider’s experience through the California Highway Patrol academy.
GHOSTS OF THE PAST
Lompoc Civic Theater veterans Michael Callahan and Albert Thompson penned the original play Ghosts of El Camino Real, which included La Purisima and other California mission history.
TIME TO CREATE
The Santa Maria Arts Council showcased the art of students in grades seven through 12 in the annual Student Art Show at the Santa Maria Public Library in March.
MASK MASTERS
Gale McNeeley and the Poetic Justice Project performed a poignant commedia dell’arte piece in December titled INSIDE OUT, which followed a character through the incarceration process and all the
characters encountered through the experience.
TRICK OF THE EYE
The Lompoc Mural Society commissioned a new mural by trompe l’oeil artist John Pugh that was unveiled Sept. 13.
AN ODYSSEY OF ART
May Kwok showcased her traditional style and contemporary art in the exhibition The Odyssey of a Chinese Artist at the Santa Maria Public Library in June.
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
The PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary with a season brimming with gravitas, including productions like The San Patricios, Marry Poppins, and Hamlet (pictured).
BARREL OF LAUGHS
The Santa Maria Civic Theatre brought the house down with its hilarious rendition of Larry Shue’s comedy The Foreigner in November and December.
MULTI-SENSORY EXPERIENCE
In April, Flying Goat Cellars hosted the multimedia show VINTAGE 2014: The Stories Behind the Vines, which captured the maturation of Flying Goat’s grapes for tasters to enjoy.
LOCAL WILDLIFE
The Dunes Center showcased the wildlife photography of Donald Quintana in The Dunes Are Alive! during the summer.
PATCHWORK
Quilters Etc. Quilt Guild of Lompoc showcased a California mission quilt as part of the A Stitch in Time quilt show.
Arts Editor Joe Payne wants more to write about. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 25, 2014 – Jan 1, 2015.