Category Archives: Arts & Culture

Editor’s Pick: Three Women and the Truth

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Three Women and the Truth, courtesy of the Lobero Theatre

Three Women and the Truth

Three women, three guitars and the words, music and hard-won wisdom from three lifetimes spent in pursuit of the song. Award-winning female songwriters Mary Gauthier, Eliza Gilkyson and Gretchen Peters balance personal tales with classic underpinnings, which hint at the evocative idea that all our lives are full of events and incidents that touch on the mythic and the timeless. Feb. 20, 8 p.m. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. 805/963-0761, lobero.com.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Winter 2014/15.

Santa Barbara Poetry Series

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“Though the drought continues through the winter, there is no drought of winter poetry,” writes organizer Paul Willis. The public is warmly invited to attend the winter reading of the Santa Barbara Poetry Series at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 21 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (653 Paseo Nuevo, Upper Arts Terrace).

The three presenting poets are Katie Shara, Jackson Wheeler and Zack Rogow.

Younger poet Katie Shara was born and raised in Santa Barbara and is a recent graduate of Westmont College.  She became interested in poetry while on a semester abroad in Orvieto, Italy.  She is currently working at a local preschool—teaching two-year-olds, writing curriculum, and settling into post-grad life.

Local poet and social worker Jackson Wheeler was born and raised on the eastern slopes of the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.  He is the author of two collections of poetry, Swimming Past Iceland (Millie Grazie Press, 1993) and A Near Country (SOLO Press, 1999), and also of a forthcoming collection, Was I Asleep: Poems 1980-2014.  Since 1989, he has hosted the Arcade Poetry Series, now part of the cultural offerings of the Oxnard Carnegie Art Museum.

Visiting poet Zack Rogow was born and raised in New York City and now lives in San Francisco. His poems have appeared in a variety of magazines, from American Poetry Review to Zyzzyva, and he is the author, editor, or translator of nineteen books or plays, including his seventh book of poems, My Mother and the Ceiling Dancers (Kattywompus Press, 2012), and an anthology of U.S. poetry, The Face of Poetry (University of California Press, 2005).  Currently he teaches in the low-residency MFA at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.

The event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from The James Irvine Foundation. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on February 13, 2015.

Cocktail Corner: Primavera in Winter at SBMA’s Atelier

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A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

 

Ciaramella, courtesy SBMA

Ciaramella, courtesy SBMA

Santa Barbara Museum of Art‘s Atelier cocktail parties are always a feast for the senses, and Atelier: Primavera in Winter, which celebrates everything Italian—including the fabulous exhibition of Botticelli, Titian and Beyond: Masterpieces of Italian Painting from Glasgow Museums, which is on view through May 3—is shaping up to be a great event.

Cavaliere d'Arpino (Giuseppe Cesari), Archangel Michael and the Rebel Angels, ca. 1592–93. Oil on tin leaf(?)-coated copper. Glasgow Museums; Bequeathed by Archibald McLellan, 1856 (153) © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection. Courtesy American Federation of Arts.

Cavaliere d’Arpino (Giuseppe Cesari), Archangel Michael and the Rebel Angels, ca. 1592–93. Oil on tin leaf(?)-coated copper.
Glasgow Museums; Bequeathed by Archibald McLellan, 1856 (153) © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection. Courtesy American Federation of Arts.

Taking place at the Museum on Friday, February 27, from 5:30–7:30 p.m., this evening celebrates what the organizers are calling, “the drama of the divine, the sensuality of the secular and the splendors of spring in a one-night pilgrimage through 500 years of Italian painting in the galleries.” The entertainment includes music and dance performances by Ciaramella and Helios Dance Theater, participatory fresco painting, an interactive installation—From Mad Love to Bad Love—inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, and cocktails and hors d’oeuvres inspired by the Italian greats.

Start out your evening with a visit to Dante’s Purgatory, a literary work that inspired a 1480 commission by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici for a series of narrative paintings by Sandro Botticelli.The tiered terraces of purgatory look suspiciously like dessert at the From Mad Love to Bad Love station, so you can have your cake and eat it too in this interactive, artist-designed installation.

After your journey through purgatory, immerse yourself in large-scale works at the fresco painting interactive installation. Work with SBMA Teaching Artist Kendall Pata to create a communal fresco inspired by the exhibition and painted directly onto dry plaster panels. Then tune in to the instrumental tapestry of Ciaramella, a wind ensemble dedicated to the music of the 15th century. The six-piece group—whose name is from he Italian shawm (a double-reed instrument similar to the oboe) and a 15th-century story about a beautiful girl whose clothes are full of holes and “knocks men flat” when she opens her mouth—performs a blend of Renaissance polyphony and improvisation.

Helios Dance Theater, courtesy SBMA

Helios Dance Theater, courtesy SBMA

Helios Dance Theater, led by critically-acclaimed choreographer and artistic director Laura Gorenstein Miller, returns to Santa Barbara Museum of Art with a performance that mixes sensual abandon with fierce physicality. Praised by the Los Angeles Times as presenting a “sensual partnering of maneuvers constructed of both intimate gestures and acrobatic lifts,” Helios performs at the intersection of period music and contemporary dance to deliver a visual exploration of the sacred and the sensory.

Guests will also enjoy a selection of baroque music curated for the occasion by composer, violist, baroque violinist, and 17th-century music specialist Andrew Mcintosh.

As you make your way through the ages, sip on Brander wine and savor Italian-inspired piccolini and small bites inspired by the flavors of Rome, Venice, and Florence, and prepared by Fire and Ice Events. A blend of Cutler Vodka, limoncello, and fresh citrus makes the evening’s signature cocktail: the Sacred and Profane. Inspired by the symbol of purity in love, lemons, the Sacred and Profane provides a refreshing, revealing, and possibly redemptive experience—as can be said for the beautiful and powerfully moving paintings around which the evening revolves.

This is a 21 and over party, and tickets $25 SBMA members/$30 non‐members) include hors d’oeuvres, wine, and signature cocktails, along with the entertainment. Purchase tickets at sbma.net/atelier. For more information, call 805/884.6423 or email atelier@sbma.net. Santa Barbara Museum of Art is located at 1130 State St.

Hope to see some of you there. Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on February 13, 2015.

Leslie Dinaberg

 

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Editor’s Pick: STOMP

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STOMP

This high-energy percussive symphony of matchboxes, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and more has to be seen and experienced to be believed. The whole family is sure to enjoy the inventive and invigorating stage show that’s dance, music and theatrical performance blended into one electrifying rhythm. Feb. 9, 8 p.m. The Granada, 1214 State St. 805/899-2222, granadasb.org.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Winter 2014/15.

 

SBIFF CLOSES WITH THE US PREMIERE OF NIKI CARO’S “MCFARLAND, USA”

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McFARLAND USA stars Carlos Pratts (left) and Kevin Costner, courtesy SBIFF

McFARLAND USA stars Carlos Pratts (left) and Kevin Costner, courtesy SBIFF

On Closing Night, Saturday February 7 at the Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) presents Disney’s McFarland, USA, directed by Niki Caro and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello.

Based on the 1987 true story, McFarland, USA follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. Coach White and the McFarland students have a lot to learn about each other but when White starts to realize the boys’ exceptional running ability, things begin to change. Soon something beyond their physical gifts becomes apparent—the power of family relationships, their unwavering commitment to one another and their incredible work ethic. With grit and determination, the unlikely band of runners eventually overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well. Along the way, Coach White realizes that his family finally found a place to call home and both he and his team achieve their own kind of American dream.

For more information, please visit www.sbiff.org.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on February 1, 2015.

The Granada Theatre Film Series Presents: ANTWONE FISHER and “MOVIES THAT MATTER” with Hal Conklin

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Antwone Fisher movieMovies are all over Santa Barbara this week!

The Granada Theatre Film Series presents “MOVIES THAT MATTER” with Hal Conklin, a film programming series of iconic movies that touch the soul and draw out the best in humanity.

On Monday, February 2 at 7 p.m, the second film in the series, ANTWONE FISHER, will screen on state-of-the-art 4K digital cinema, and will include special guest from the Martin Luther King Committee of Santa Barbara for a discussion and Q&A  following the film.

Antwone Fisher is the story of a young navy man who is forced to see a psychiatrist after a violent outburst against a fellow crewman. During the course of treatment, a painful past is revealed and a new hope begins.

Click here to purchase tickets, or call The Granada Theatre’s Box Office at 805/899-2222. In support of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, The Granada Theatre will honor all level passes for this screening.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on January 31, 2015.

Editor’s Pick: Desert Dancer

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Desert Dancer is the opening night film for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Desert Dancer Productions

Desert Dancer

Opening night of the 30th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival brings the U.S. premiere of the powerful and true story of a self-taught dancer pursuing a dream in the suppressed society of Iran during the volatile climate of the 2009 presidential election. Forming an underground dance company, the dancers learn, through banned online videos, from timeless legends like Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev. Jan. 27, 8 p.m. Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St. sbiff.org

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Winter 2014/15.

Santa Barbara Printmakers Best Impressions at the Arts Fund

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Courtesy Arts Fund

Courtesy Arts Fund

Opening on January 9 at the Arts Fund, BEST IMPRESSIONS consists of works by ten artist members of the Santa Barbara Printmakers who were awarded top prizes in recent annual exhibitions organized by the group and juried by art professionals from universities, galleries, and printmaking organizations in our region.

Artists with work on view are David Graves, Yessy Kim, Inés Monguio, Jerilynne Nibbe, Patti Post, Karen Schroeder, Garrett Speirs, Don Zimmerman, Siu Zimmerman and Pamela Zwehl-Burke.

Santa Barbara Printmakers is a group of artists dedicated to producing fine art prints using etching, woodblock, collagraph, linocut, clay, lithography and solar plate processes. Their distinctive marks on paper were produced by hand and press printing, and represent a wide range of artistic expression and techniques.

The exhibition, curated by Don Zimmerman,opens with a reception on January 9 from 5-8 p.m. and extends until February 28. The exhibition will be held at The Arts Fund Gallery, located at 205-C Santa Barbara St. in the Funk Zone. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday-Friday from noon-5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from11 a.m.-4 p.m.  The exhibition is free and open to the public.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on January 2, 2015.

Local Lowdown: Class-y Gifting

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By Leslie Dinaberg

In a season chock-full of stuff, the notion of learning a new skill, or improving upon an old one, through taking a class is a great way to give someone a gift that keeps on giving—providing memorable experiences and perhaps even spurring lasting new interests. Here are some class-y gift suggestions for everyone on your list.

Courtesy Eat This, Shoot That!

Courtesy Eat This, Shoot That!

Eat This, Shoot That!

One glance at Instagram is all it takes to know that food shots are all the rage. Learn how to take fantastic food and travel photos while tasting delicious food and drinks in and around Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone with this unique tour. (800/979-3370, 805/699-6719, eatthisshootthat.com) Eat This, Shoot That! owner Tara Jones and her crew take you to taste and shoot at Deep Sea Winery, Santa Barbara Shellfish Co., Lucky Penny, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Cutler’s Artisan Spirits, Riverbench Winery, Koval Confections and Seven Bar + Kitchen. In addition to photography tips and nibbles and tipples, the tour also offers tidbits of Santa Barbara history.

Polo Play

Learn the fast-paced game of polo at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, where John Westley’s world-renowned polo school has taught players of all skill levels for more than 20 years (805/729-2812, sbpoloschool.com). The club offers a variety of options to learn to play polo for beginners and to fine tune polo skills for more advanced players.

Make Music

Studies have shown that learning music enhances brain power, improves memory and boosts performance. What a great gift to give to someone at any age! Learn to sing or play an instrument at Santa Barbara School of Music (805/699-5594, schoolofmusicsb.com), where the goal is to make learning to sing or play an instrument a fun, rewarding and positive experience.

Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Arts, courtesy photo

Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Arts, courtesy photo

Up in the Air

Has the same old, same old exercise routine gotten stale? Santa Barbara Rock Gym’s skilled staff teaches aspiring rock hounds of all ages everything from beginner climber safety and climbing techniques to advanced bouldering skills (805/770-3225, sbrockgym.com). For a completely different type of high flying fun, check out Cloud 10 Jump Club (805/617-3900, cloud10jumpclub.com); with almost 19,000 square feet of trampolines to play on, the club is also home to the C10 “Air Academy” training center for trampoline and tumbling classes, camps and flipping clinics. Also up in the air for fun and fitness are classes at Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Arts (805/284-8785, sbaerial.com), including intensive stretching and conditioning, static trapeze, aerial sling, the art of balance and more.

Dance Fever

Dance to your heart’s content at Santa Barbara Dance Center (805/899-2901, santabarbaradancecenter.com), where lessons are offered in Brazilian dancing, Bollywood fusion, world dance, salsa, Argentine tango and more. Arthur Murray Dance Center (805/963-6658, arthurmurraysantabarbara.com) gets students out on the floor for a wide variety of Latin, country Western and ballroom dances, including the waltz, jitterbug, fox trot, cha cha, Texas two-step, swing, Polka, merengue, quickstep and more.

Adventure Awaits

Yearning to get out on the water? Santa Barbara Adventure Company (805/884-9283, sbadventureco.com) offers standup paddling lessons, surf lessons, paragliding and kayaking. Santa Barbara Sailing Center (800/350-9090, sbsail.com) has more than 40 charter boats in its program and a large staff of instructors to accommodate sailors of all levels. In addition to one-on-one lessons, it also offers plenty of live-aboard instructional vacation options to choose from, as well as regularly scheduled group classes.

The WOODS Art Studio offers creative mixed-media classes, date nights, art parties and more. Photo courtesy The Woods Art Studio.

The WOODS Art Studio offers creative mixed-media classes, date nights, art parties and more. Photo courtesy The Woods Art Studio.

Grow Artsy

Get out a paintbrush and get back to nature at the same time at The WOODS Art Studio, a fun sunlit outdoor studio in the Santa Barbara foothills, where LeAnne Iverson offers both private and small group classes in mixed media painting, collage, Photoshop techniques, acrylics, art journaling, mosaics, found object construction and art parties (including bachelorette gatherings, date nights and singles nights) for children/teens and adults (646/369-7277, facebook.com/thewoodsartstudio). For a more traditional approach, Santa Barbara Museum of Art (805/884-6457, sbmuseart.org) offers a wide variety of studio art classes at Ridley-Tree Education Center, including instruction in watercolor and acrylic painting.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Winter 2014/15.

Ensemble Theater Company and K-9 Pals Partner for Pets

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K-9 Pals and ETC are partnering to promote pet adoptions. Courtesy photo.

K-9 Pals and ETC are partnering to promote pet adoptions. Courtesy photo.

In conjunction with promoting the new comedy, The Best Brothers—in which dog ownership is featured prominently—Ensemble Theatre Company has partnered with local nonprofit dog adoption agency, K-9 Pals, to raise awareness about the growing need for homes for dogs in Santa Barbara.

The Best Brothers, playing now through December 21 at the New Vic, focuses on estranged brothers who are forced to come together in the wake of their mothers untimely, yet hilarious, death. While reconciling their mother’s estate, one point of contention raises its head over and over again: who will care for mom’s beloved Italian Greyhound, Enzo? Enzo represents the unconditional love that can come from a dog, even during times of great distress and upheaval in life. This idea, that a dog can change a person’s life, led to the inevitable teamwork between ETC and K-9.

K-9 Pals finds homes for dogs after an owner’s death, and offers a safe environment for sheltering, feeding and training dogs who are waiting for homes. More than 1,200 dogs are taken into Santa Barbara shelters each year. As part of the awareness partnership, K-9 Pals has brought dogs in need of adoption to the New Vic before each matinee performance of The Best Brothers – December 21 is the final event. Adoption events begin one hour prior to the performance. The public is welcome to attend the adoption events, socialize with the dogs, and learn more about the adoption process. A ticket to the play is not required.

K-9 Pals and ETC are partnering to promote pet adoptions. Courtesy photo.

K-9 Pals and ETC are partnering to promote pet adoptions. Courtesy photo.

For more information about K-9 Pals, including steps in the adoption process and how to donate, visit www.k-9pals.org. To purchase tickets to The Best Brothers, contact the Ensemble Theatre Company Box Office at 805/965-5400, or visit www.etcsb.org. The theater is located at 33 W. Victoria St.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 17, 2014.