Arts

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 […]

Joe and Margie Talaugon love what they do for their community. And recently they discovered just how much they’re loved in    return. Their tireless work to promote the arts gained them the 2008 Leadership in the Arts Award from the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. “It was a surprise. A great honor. It’s really […]

The only thing worse than getting a Chia Pet or a fruitcake for a holiday gift is trying to get into the seasonal spirit during a recession. And boy, do we have one big Chia fruitcake of a Christmas present this year.  My British husband and I are raising a 7-year-old grandson, whom we recently […]

People don’t see religious miracles every day, but in everyday life, small miracles happen all the time. When Anders Johnson—a Santa Barbara man of no religious persuasion—was inspired to build a tribute to the Virgin of Guadalupe in the city of Guadalupe, it may not have been a Vatican-classified miracle, but it was a blessing […]

Finding altered books at the library is usually a librarian’s nightmare, but the latest exhibition at the Shepard Hall Gallery in the Santa Maria Public Library features just that: altered books. What’s more, the librarian has even joined the exhibition. Altered is a mixed-media presentation featuring work by a diverse group of artists who focus […]

To some locals, Don Tinsley is simply the owner of Old Orcutt Barbers. He’s a man who smiles quickly and snips even more quickly. Those who know him well, however, also know that he’s a spirited sort with a drive to accomplish his dreams. His aspirations have led him to become a business owner, raise […]