Cozy slippers shuffling across tile flooring. Pillows cushioning the seats of chairs. A T-shirt reading: Sorry. Canāt. Quilting. Bye. Itās the sight that Linda Papenfus rolled up to at The Creation Station Fabric and Quilt Shop after a tiresome, traffic-riddled drive from Folsom. She carried a suitcase behind her filled to the brim with fabrics […]
Arts
Meet the Solvang seamstress who makes dresses for Danish Days maids year after year
Witnesses to Roberta Skidmoreās creativity have learned to trust her process. Even the dressmakerās husband, Kevin. āYou see this pile of material, and you go, āHow are they going to do anything with this?āā Kevin told the Sun. āAnd then she finishes it, and you go, āOh my God!āā Many of those who wear Robertaās […]
Cabrillo Highās aquarium gets a fresh mural
New additions at the Cabrillo High School Aquarium include seals and dolphins. However, instead of swimming around in tanks, theyāre painted on the buildingās interior walls. San Luis Obispo County artist Colleen Gnos began working this spring to refresh her original kelp forest mural in the aquarium, this time adding in some Chumash history. Chris […]
Angelina LaPointe crowdfunds for her 2027 wildlife calendar
Lompoc block printer Angelina LaPointe is hoping to carry on a 10-year tradition of making her annual calendar of California flora and fauna. But first, her project needs to reach its financial goal. Her Kickstarter campaign must raise $3,500 before Oct. 16 or itās a no-go. Crowdfunders will only be charged if the project reaches […]
Giavanniās Pizza cultivates a comedy community with open mics and stand-up shows
Ezra Paco had no choice but to kick-start his comedy career from a less-than-ideal launch point: Zoom. āIt was really awkward,ā Paco told the Sun. āThe Zoom rooms were really weird because, just like with all things during the pandemic, you were at the mercy of what was going on in each personās room.ā Kids […]
Zoom over to Orcutt for this yearās chalk festival
Peering down on the sidewalk during this yearās Orcutt Chalk Festival might just inspire a glance up into the cosmos. Blast Out of This World on Sept. 26 in Old Town Orcutt from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 75 students, professional artists, and beginners will transform their 6-by-6-foot concrete squares into colorful, detailed […]
Start the fall with a movie in the park
Free outdoor entertainment is on the horizon in Santa Maria. Families are invited to neighborhood parks for three film screenings in September and October. Showtime is at dusk, so audience members are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. On Sept. 18 watch The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants at Machado Plaza, located at 224 […]
Guadalupe stars in three recent films made by a Nipomo filmmaker
Cheers for ChachiFollow Chachi Ramirezās career on Instagram @chachiramirezfilms. View his films online at vimeo.com/mercybrothers. Learn more about his Central Coast creative agency, Suede and Pomade, at suedeandpomade.com. Chachi Ramirezās career in film has led him across the globe. āIāve shot documentaries that have taken me into really, not to say hostile, but maybe uncertain […]
Lompoc Pops Orchestra brings Broadway to Rocket Town
No need to travel to New York City to hear your favorite show tunes. The Lompoc Pops on Broadway is coming to town on Sept. 20 with a lineup from musicals like Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, and The Sound of Music. This concert will be the latest compilation conducted by maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff […]
Vendor applications are open for CalNAMās holiday market
The California Nature Art Museum (CalNAM) invites artisans and local businesses to apply as vendors for its festive makerspace coming up this fall. The application deadline is Sept. 22. āThe Holiday Marketplace is part of CalNAMās ongoing efforts to connect the community with art, nature, and creativity,ā the museum announced. Vendors may apply online for […]
Solvangās new art house theater brings indie film screenings to town
One of Jamie Bakerās ideas of fun is watching 20 films in the span of a week at a film festival. He and his wife āgraduatedā from 20-seat art house movie theaters to the big leagues like the Seattle Film Festival, in the metropolis where they once lived. ā[We] saw a lot of things that […]
Comedian Aaron Foster to make a tour stop in Santa Maria
Anxiety. Grief. Depression. A perfect recipe for dark comedy. Aaron Foster is bringing his stand-up show, Mostly Jokes, to the Santa Maria Civic Theatre on Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The comedian quit his job when he was 50, and now, a few years later, heās been touring more than 70 cities and hopes to […]

