An artists’ group is a special thing of which to be a part. Just ask any of the members of the Los Padres Artist Guild. Many members have been involved with the group for more than a decade, and some since the guild’s founding in the 1970s.
Lori Traylor has been a member for 14 years now, and has been involved at several levels of the guild. The variety of artists in the guild is part of what makes it a special organization, she said.
“I think it’s just because we’ve kept a core group together, which sometimes changes, but we have a tight-knit group,” Traylor said. “We just kind of help our artists. Everybody has their own little specialty, and maybe they change, but over the years we’ve just kept it to artists who just want to hone their craft and enjoy what they do.”
Traylor is the lead organizer for the guild’s annual Christmas Show and Sale, which takes place over the weekend of Nov. 4 through 6 at Lakeview Jr. High School.
The show features member artists’ creations, from their usual work as well as holiday themed art. This could include paintings, drawings, sculpture, jewelry, cards, and more. Traylor makes jewelry, including lots of work with sea glass, which she will share at the Christmas Show along with some holiday earrings and other pieces.
The annual Christmas Show celebrates a notable milestone: its 40th year. Some members remember the old days when the show was much smaller, and the many venues it has inhabited, Traylor explained.
“We also enjoy buying and exchanging just with each other in the guild,” she said. “We just enjoy it, seeing what each other have been up to.”
The annual Christmas Show also serves as the guild’s largest fundraiser every year for the organization and its scholarship program, Traylor said. Anyone who buys one of the handcrafted pieces made by the local artists can know that the money they spend goes toward furthering arts in the community as well, Traylor said.
The event is also a fun way to get in the holiday mood early. The event always includes cookies and coffee and other treats. There are also items up for raffle, the proceeds from which go directly to the scholarship fund.
“People just schmooze around, talk to the artists, and have a good time,” Traylor said. “It comes a little early, but it’s just at the beginning of the holiday season, and if you’re not thinking about the holiday season, well, just come on down and get motivated!”
Arts Editor Joe Payne is ready to deck the halls with local art. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Nov 3-9, 2016.