SHELLY CONE

Gaetano Ferro has the accent of a Latin lover, a natural singing ability, and the voice of a man many years his junior. At 71, Ferro said he’s often told that he sounds much younger—a feat he chalks up to good living. “I don’t care what the calendar says, I just don’t feel that old,” […]

In a time before mass production, abundant materials, and cheap labor, garments were made one at a time, each piece fashioned by hand. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a family’s means were typically meager, and that often meant clothes were handed down from child to child and sometimes to grandchild. Some of those […]

Life-affirming moments come in various forms, from times of quiet reflection to exhilarating successes. For Damon Castillo of the Damon Castillo Band, such a moment came in the form of a brush with death that confirmed music was his destiny. After the band’s tour van flipped five times on the freeway en route to a […]

I  have a confession to make. I am completely enamored of a big ugly fish. I am fascinated by all things in the ocean world, but I absolutely adore the giant sunfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It has a face that both repels and attracts me, with those gigantic eyes and that puckered mouth. […]

Some songs seem to pulse with the very rhythm of life itself, creating a soundtrack for reality, whether slow and dramatic, loud and chaotic, happy, melancholy, or meditative. If you’re Chris Burton Jácome, your soundtrack has an exhilarating little kick. As flamenco guitarist Jácome’s fingers fly, they flick out notes one by one, which string […]

No matter what side of the border it comes from, there’s one language anyone can understand: art. Though cultural differences and experiences may skew a viewer’s perspective, a piece’s meaning generally comes through, proving just how very small the world can be.     Shepard Hall Gallery will reach below the equator in January to show […]

Some people can do amazing things with a guitar, and Vicki Genfan is one of them. Using her guitar and her bare hands, she coaxes sounds, rhythms, and tunes that have drawn listeners’ attention around the country. Her style caught the ear of guitar idols like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Elliot Easton of the […]

It was a year of gains and losses, of firsts and 50ths. Galleries that have closed will be missed, but new ones promise to fill the void. PCPA entertained audiences with a world premiere, while Santa Maria Civic Theatre celebrated a half-decade of productions. This year’s happenings show that Santa Maria’s art scene is anything […]