100 GRAND at Sullivan Goss (ART FOR $1,000 OR LESS)

100 grand at sullivan gossLooking for something special for an art lover (or yourself)?  Sullivan Goss Gallery’s annual 100 Grand exhibition is the place to shop. Featuring 100 quality works of art for $1,000 or less, the exhibition has become well known as “an incubator of emerging talent, an entryway for beginning collectors, a holiday celebration in the art community, and an ever timely reminder that everyone’s life is improved by the addition of original works of art.”

The exhibition officially opens on 1st Thursday in December (12/3) and is one of the area’s must-attend events of the year. The 100 GRAND show features paintings, drawings, photographs, assemblage and sculpture by emerging and established artists. Contemporary Curator Susan Bush was able to secure work from many of last year’s best-selling artists, but there are also 17 new artists who have never before shown with Sullivan Goss.

Artists on view include: Meredith Brooks Abbott, Benjamin Anderson, Scott Anderson, Sean Anderson, Kit Boise-Cossart, Ken Bortolazzo, Aron Bothman, Liz Brady, Lisabette Brinkman, Phoebe Brunner, Pat Calonne, Chris Chapman, Patricia Chidlaw, Cathy Clemens, Connie Connally, Maria Costa, Tom de Walt, Jeanne Dentzel, Joseph Di Sipio, Alia El-Bermani, Kathleen Elsey, Pamela Enticknap, Peggy Ferris, Kee Flynn, Pausha Foley, Jon Francis, Valori Fussell, Rosemarie Gebhart, Nancy Gifford, Dane Goodman, Robin Gowen, Ruthy Green, Skye Gwilliam, Jason Hadley, Bay Hallowell, Holli Harmon, Derek Harrison, Jim Hodgson, Ingrid Holden, Cynthia James, Frank Kirk, Mary-Austin Klein, Kathleen Klein-Wakefield, Philip Koplin, Marilee Krause, Dan Levin, Mark Lozano, Laurie MacMillan, Larry McAdams, Sara McCook-Woodburn, Virginia McCracken, Susan McDonnell, Barbara McIntyre, Svetlana Meritt, Julie Montgomery, Theil Morgan, Zoe Nathan, John Nava, Jon Ng, Lisa Pederson, Angela Perko, Chris Peters, Hank Pitcher, Ian Putnam, Maria Rendon, Joan Rosenberg-Dent, Lindsey Ross, Blakeney Sanford, Susan Savage, Marie Schoeff, Susan Shapiro, Lanny Sherwin, Elena Siff, Nicole Strasburg, Marlene Struss, Tracey Sylvester-Harris, James David Thomas, Susan Tibbles, Dug Uyesaka, Thomas Van Stein, Sarah Vedder, Deborah Veldkamp, Nina Warner, Roe Ann White, Monica Wiesblott, Paige Wilson, Vani Winick, Karen Zazon, Abigail Zimmerman and Michele Zuzalek.

The opening takes place on 1st Thursday, December 3 from 5 – 8 p.m. at 11 E. Anapamu St.

 

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on December 1, 2015.

Local Lowdown: Flock Soars into Lotusland

Put a Bird on It!

This spring, the otherworldly dreaminess of Lotusland transforms into a real-world call for awareness as FLOCK: Birds on the Brink comes to the garden. 

Story by Leslie Dinaberg

Inspired by the interdependency of bird species to plant species, and to the human race, this contemporary art exhibit celebrates the daily presence of birds in our gardens and communities while illustrating the critical impact of wild bird populations on our ecosystems and our own well-being. Guest curator Nancy Gifford (the same talented dynamo who brought the buzz-worthy bee-themed SWARM to the venue in 2013 and GONE in 2012) and the Lotusland team gathered artworks and commissioned installations from more than 30 local and international artists, which are displayed in the pavilion and—for the first time—throughout the garden.

“It should be quite a provocative and visceral experience,” says Gifford, who hopes to inspire action from all those who encounter FLOCK. “This year, we are covering the issues about birds…it’s about the interrelatedness of species and how important birds are.” She continues, “Plus there’s a tremendous amount of great artists worldwide who work with birds and the bird theme. It’s amazing.”

The exhibit, which opened on February 28 and runs through May 23, is amazing. Approaching the Pavilion Gallery, visitors duck beneath a courtyard “ceiling” of empty black cages titled Silent Spring, their doors open in wait for the return of songbirds long extinct. Upon entering, one quickly encounters the foreboding David Hochbaum blackbird Murmuration installation hovering over Laurie Hogin’s splashy Darwinian landscapes, Robyn Geddes’s moody color field birds, a burning crow by local artist Keith Puccinelli and embellished taxidermy specimens from New Zealand artist Karley Feaver.

Then there are various mechanical devices by Jane Edden, Juan Fontanive and Norman Reed, as well as a “chick bar” diorama by Michael Long. Next is the “nest” room full of surprises by Esther Traugot, Gayle Stevens, Philip Koplin, Liza Myers, Maria Rendon and the mesmerizing video Bobe’s Legend by Macedonian artist Robert Gligorov. Visitors then go through the pavilion into the main gallery, which features large-scale haunting bird works by Fatemeh Burnes. A robotic wing chair by Alan Macy flaps to the beat of a “bird dance” video by Robin Bisio that encircles an aviary centerpiece installation full of musical and avian surprises.

FLOCK also expands beyond the Pavilion Gallery to include six outdoor installations hidden throughout the gardens. Expect to encounter a Murder of Crows in the newly restored blue garden, Gary Smith’s human-scale nests, R.T. Livingston’s camouflaged Sitting Ducks: Hiding in Plain Sight by the lotus pool, a larger-than-life caged topiary peacock by Joe Shelton and a birdbath sound machine by Carlos Padilla and Pod Nest by Luis Velazquez in the pavilion courtyard. Other participating artists include Sharon Beals, Penelope Gottlieb, James Hodgson, Nathan Huff, Pamela Larsson-Toscher, Anne Luther, Kaoru Mansour, Cheryl Medow, Tom Mielko and Susan Tibbles.

FLOCK: Birds on the Brink is on view at Lotusland from Saturday, February 28 through Saturday, May 23. Visitors may see the exhibit as part of a docent-guided tour offered at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Reservations are required. For reservations, call 805/969-9990 or visit lotusland.org for more information.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015.

100 GRAND, 2014: (100 WORKS FOR $1,000 OR LESS)

Sullivan Goss 100 GrandIt’s that time of the year again: the sixth annual 100 GRAND exhibition at Sullivan Goss.Featuring 100 quality works of art for $1,000 or less, the exhibition has become an incubator of emerging talent, an entryway for beginning collectors and a holiday celebration in the art community.

Last year, almost a thousand people attended over the course of the evening.  December’s 1st Thursday at Sullivan Goss has become one of the area’s must-attend events of the year- a chance for artists and collectors to get together, network, and celebrate the accomplishments of another year in art.

The exhibition runs from December 4 to February 1, 2015, and features paintings, drawings, photographs, assemblage and sculpture by emerging and established artists that are priced to sell and sized (for the most part) to fit into smaller spaces.  For this year’s exhibition, Contemporary Curator Susan Bush was able to secure work from many of last year’s best-selling artists, but there are also more than 20 new artists who have never before shown with Sullivan Goss.

Since its first come first serve, buyers are encouraged to arrive early and to act fast.

ARTISTS INCLUDED:  Meredith Brooks Abbott, Benjamin Anderson, Scott Anderson, Ken Bortolazzo, Aron Bothman, Liz Brady, Lisabette Brinkman, Phoebe Brunner, Pat Calonne, Chris Chapman, Dorothy Churchill-Johnson, Connie Connally, Jeanne Dentzel, Mehosh Dziadzio, Naneki Elliott, Kathleen Elsey, Pamela Enticknap, Peggy Ferris, Kee Flynn, Jon Francis, Valori Fussell, Nancy Gifford, Dane Goodman, Robin Gowen, Amanda Grandfield, James Taylor Gray, Ruthy Green, Bay Hallowell, Holli Harmon, Tracey Sylvester Harris, Derrek Harrison, Wyllis Heaton, Cynthia James, Jow, Scott Kahn, Philip Koplin, Mary-Austin Klein, Marilee Krause, Elizabeth Ladacki, Dan Levin, Mark Lozano, Laurie Macmillan, Larry Mcadams, Virginia McCracken, Susan McDonnell, Svetlana Meritt, David Molesky, Zoe Nathan, Lisa Pederson, Angela Perko, Chris Peters, Hank Pitcher, Ian Putnam, Erik Reel, Maria Rendon, Brad Reyes, Joan Rosenberg-Dent, Blakeney Sanford, Caren Satterfield, Susan Savage, Marie Schoeff, Susan Shapiro, Lanny Sherwin, Elena Siff, Leslie Lewis Sigler, David Skinner, Nicole Strasburg, James David Thomas, Susan Tibbles, Dug Uyesaka, Taj Vaccarella, Sarah Vedder, Deborah Veldkamp, Tom de Walt, Nina Warner, Vani Winick, Roe Ann White, Monica Wiesblott, Abigail Zimmerman and Michele Zuzalek.

The opening artist reception is 1st Thursday, December 4 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Sullivan Goss Gallery, 7 E. Anapamu St. in downtown Santa Barbara. To see a video about the exhibition click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 2, 2014.

Sullivan Goss Presents 100 GRAND, 2013

100grand2013smallIn what has quickly become a favorite Santa Barbara holiday tradition, Sullivan Goss presents the fifth annual 100 GRAND exhibition, curated by Susan Bush and featuring 100 WORKS OF ART FOR $1,000 OR LESS. 

Opening on 1st Thursday (December 5) and running through February 2, this exhibition has become “an incubator of emerging talent, an entryway for beginning collectors, a holiday celebration in the art community and an ever timely reminder that everyone’s life is improved by the addition of original works of art.”

100 GRAND features paintings, drawings, photographs, assemblage and sculpture by emerging and established artists that are priced to sell and sized (for the most part) to fit into smaller spaces. Contemporary curator Susan Bush was able to secure work from many of last year’s best­selling artists, but there are also 17 artists who have never shown with Sullivan Goss before.

Featured artists include: Will AdlerSean AndersonMeredith Brooks AbbottErik BergKen BortolazzoLiz Brady, Lisabette Brinkman, Phoebe BrunnerChris ChapmanCarlyle ChaudrucConnie ConnallyJoann DufauMehosh DziadzioPamela EnticknapPeggy FerrisPriscilla FossekNancy GiffordDane GoodmanRobin GowenJames Taylor Gray, Ruthy Green, Jason HadleyJames HapkeHolli HarmonTracey Sylvester HarrisDerek HarrisonKristen HawkesCynthia JamesScott KahnMasha KeatingPhilip KoplinMary­Austin KleinDan Levin, Mark Lozano, Clare LittleLaurie MacmillanVirginia McCrackenSusan McDonnellDavid Molesky, Jennifer MosesAmalia MouradZoe NathanHank PitcherLisa PedersenRafael PereaAngela PerkoKimberley Pratt­-ShiberIan PutnamPaula ReErik ReelMaria RendonBrad ReyesJoan Rosenberg­-Dent, Jourdan Ross, Lindsey RossCaren SatterfieldSusan Savage, Susan Shapiro, Elena SiffLeslie Lewis SiglerBarry SpacksNicole StrasburgMarlene Struss, Makeda Tekle­-Smith, James David ThomasSusan TibblesCasey UnderwoodTaj VaccarellaSarah VedderDeborah VeldkampRoe Ann WhiteMonica Wiesblott and Abigail Zimmerman.

Sullivan Goss—An American Gallery is located at 7 E. Anapamu St. For more information click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 29, 2103.