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 […]
Arts
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Shepard Hall Gallery seeks artists
The Santa Maria Public Library Shepard Hall Gallery is calling for artists to submit work for consideration for monthly exhibitions. Work will be juried, and selected artists will exhibit for one month at a time. An application and guidelines are available at the city’s website at ci.santa-maria.ca.us. The deadline for submission is Jan. 16 at […]
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Set in stone
A Santa Barbara stonemason builds a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe in the city that bears her name
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 […]
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Out of context
Books take on a whole new meaning in the Altered exhibition at the Shepard Hall Gallery
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 […]
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Art Briefs
Spelling Bee will join PCPA’s lineup The secret is out. PCPA’s mystery show of its 45th anniversary season has been revealed. Due to contractual limitations, the conservatory couldn’t announce the title of this Tony-Award winning play until December. Now it can proclaim: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will play at PCPA June 19 […]
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Get Informed
An Orcutt barber wins a WAVE Award for his community access show
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 […]
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Arts Briefs
PCPA to auction Model T seen in Ragtime! Own a piece of PCPA. The beautifully restored and fully functioning 1915 Model T featured in PCPA’s production of Ragtime! will be auctioned off this month. Bidding opens at 8 a.m. on Dec. 12 and closes at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17. The successful bid will be […]
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Be proud
Survivors share one voice in the latest Allan Hancock College exhibit
The spirit can handle some amazing tests of emotional strength, and even triumph over what the flesh can’t handle, but it’s the flesh that sometimes bears the scars. With that truth in mind, a group of artists chose to create an exhibition that gives a voice to survivors of all kinds: Indomitable Spirits II: Proud […]
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Catch the spirit
The Melodrama’s Holiday Extravaganza is one Dickens of a show
Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol, was first published in England on Dec. 19, 1843. Yet its powerful message of the meaning not only of Christmas, but of compassion for one’s fellow human beings, still rings true today. The origin of this timeless story is also pertinent now, in the face of a horrific economic […]
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Arts Briefs
Coastal Commission seeks artistic students Got a talent for drawing? The heart of a poet? The California Coastal Commission invites all students in the state—kindergarten through 12th grade—to enter the 2009 California Coastal Art and Poetry Contest. Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, Jan. 31. Winners will be selected in each of four grade-level categories […]
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A Cactus among us
Santa Maria Civic Theater delivers a good time with its holiday show
Santa Maria Civic Theatre’s latest production is titled A Christmas Cactus, which sounds like it could be a holiday-themed western revue, or a western-themed holiday revue, but it’s neither. The “cactus” of the title refers to a big-city private investigator named Katie “Cactus” O’ Riley. Cactus (Sydney Asencio) and her assistant, Fred Booker (Iain Freckleton), […]
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Get stuffed with art
Local shows provide plenty to see and do Thanksgiving weekend
So the pie is gone, shopping is done, and all that’s left of the Thanksgiving turkey is a few ribbons of dark meat. What do you do with the relatives now? Walk off that turkey while viewing fine art and shopping for Christmas treasures. Two shows are a must see for art lovers in the […]
