The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature began a new permanent installation on July 19, when painter John Iwerks started painting a large mural in the museum’s upstairs gallery. The project, which began in the summer of 2015, is part of an effort to include input from community members in deciding museum projects moving forward.
Iwerks began painting an 8-foot by 10-foot mural depicting a Valley Oak habitat, including several iconic local species of animals, like mule deer, owl, magpie, and red-tailed hawks. The permanent mural is also part of an endeavor to make the upstairs gallery a space that focuses on the ecology of the Santa Barbara region.
The new mural was commissioned by the museum with help from the Hutton Parker Foundation and individual donors. Iwerks was picked to paint based on his extensive experience in mural projects at the Carrizo National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, California State Northridge, Sedgwick Reserve, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and other venues.
Progress on the project can be viewed at the Wildling Museum, located at 1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang. More info: 686-8315.
This article appears in Aug 4-11, 2016.
