SHELLY CONE

The Central Coast landscape, with its vine-snaked hills, has inspired many local artists. The beauty of simply meandering through lush vineyard grounds awakens the senses for artists and non-artists alike. Though the landscape provides a jumping-off point for artist Marilyn Dover Benson, her flash of inspiration came in the form of a venue. Benson found […]

Prior to the unveiling of the Lompoc Photographers Guild’s first exhibition, pictures covered in brown paper hung on the walls of the Southside Coffee Company in Lompoc. Suspense built. The obscured works were marked simply “Lompoc Photography Guild.” Growing curiosity ultimately prompted dozens of curious patrons to show up for the unveiling. “We were amazed […]

Sometimes a place to show art is as important as the use of a particular medium or style used to create a piece. Without an appropriate venue, after all, art has a difficult time finding an audience. The Betteravia Gallery is different than most show spaces. It’s tucked between the county clerk recorder-assessor’s office and […]

Most educators know that when times are tough, budget cuts tend to target the arts. Yet time and again, evidence has suggested that arts education actually helps students by building self-esteem, encouraging self-expression and cooperation with others, and developing critical thinking skills. Fortunately for students in the Orcutt School District, one organization is committed to […]

Like all the best dreams, PCPA’s presentation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is filled with magic, divine characters, and a whimsical plot. Fantasy, laughter, and love mix to create a bewitching tale of love sought, love lost, and love found. With so much love flowing, it was fitting that PCPA would present its […]

By leaping lightly and bounding gracefully across the stage, a good ballet dancer makes a story come to life through dance. Muscles flex and bodies stretch, making light of months of repetitious practice and extreme discipline. For ballet dancers, tying on toe shoes to perform muscle-burning movements is worth the reward of a perfectly executed […]

A painter’s soul is hardly ever at rest. Goaded by a need to create and a desire to manifest the source of driving inspiration, an artist finds only temporary reprieve in completing a work of art before inspiration takes over once again. Henry Asencio is an artist driven by contrasts. He hails from Santa Maria, […]