The Santa Barbara Independent

museum exhibitions schedule Jun 9, 2026

Contemporary Art Meets Iconic Comic Genius Coup

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) will present "Martin Mull: The Joys of Indoor/Outdoor Living," the first major museum exhibition of Martin Mull's artwork in 20 years, running from June 27 to October 17, 2027. The show is co-curated by comedian and art collector Steve Martin and Ann Philbin, director emerita of the Hammer Museum, who brought the project to SBMA. Mull, who died in 2024, was a celebrated actor, comedian, and musician who studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design and continued making art throughout his entertainment career.

museum exhibitions schedule May 27, 2026

Santa Ynez Chumash Museum Launches New Temporary Exhibit, Audio Tour and 'Second Thursday at the Museum' Lecture Series

The Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center has launched a new temporary exhibition titled “Between the Three Worlds: Ceremony and Community in the Paintings of Christopher Evans,” featuring works from its permanent collection. The museum also introduced a self-guided audio tour narrated by Board Chairwoman Kathleen Marshall and a free monthly lecture series called “Second Thursday at the Museum,” starting June 11 with a talk by artist Beau Armenta. These initiatives aim to enhance visitor engagement and deepen understanding of Chumash history and culture.

museum exhibitions schedule May 13, 2026

Native Artistic Instincts

The Indah Gallery, located within the Roblar Winery complex near Santa Ynez, is hosting a solo exhibition titled "Many Roads" by Native American artist Mitchell Robles. The show features works such as the large triptych "Thunder Mountain," along with pieces like "Little Thunder Horse," "Leaping Brown Horse," and "Sitting Bull," which blend ancient indigenous iconography with contemporary neo-Expressionist techniques. Gallerist and founder Max Gleason, himself an artist, has transformed a former barn into a dedicated art space that provides a serene setting for Robles's culturally resonant work.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 17, 2026

Young Art Making Its Way

The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art is hosting "Re-Encounter," the annual senior art exhibition featuring works by 14 graduating students. The showcase highlights a diverse range of mediums, including salvaged wood paintings by Kailea Najera, ceramic floral sculptures by Makena Wick, and an immersive installation by Arianna Rheault that processes childhood trauma. The exhibition serves as a formal conclusion to the academic year, blending personal narratives with spiritual themes reflective of the institution's background.

museum exhibitions schedule Nov 24, 2025

Museum of Art Donors Celebrate at Impressionist Exhibit

On November 17, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) hosted a donor appreciation reception for its high-level supporters and special guests to celebrate two concurrent exhibitions: "The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art" and "Encore: 19th-Century French Art" from SBMA's own collection. Over 100 guests enjoyed cocktails and toured the galleries, welcomed by Eichholz Foundation Director Amada Cruz, who highlighted the revolutionary nature of Impressionism and its role in birthing modernism. Chief Curator James Glisson led a guided tour, noting the exhibition coincides with the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibit in 1874. Major donors recognized include The Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Charitable Foundation, Manitou Fund, SBMA Ambassadors, and several individual benefactors.

museum exhibitions schedule Nov 8, 2025

Art Review | Impressionist Field Day

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) is hosting a major traveling exhibition, "The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art," alongside its own companion show, "Encore: 19th-Century Art from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art." The exhibition features works by Monet, Matisse, Pissarro, Berthe Morisot, and others, including rare pieces from SBMA's permanent collection such as Monet's "Villas in Bordighera." The show marks the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition and includes related movements like Post-Impressionism, Pointillism, and Fauvism.

article local schedule Oct 2, 2025

Oodles of Art Shows to Ogle Over This Fall

Santa Barbara's fall 2025 art season offers a diverse array of exhibitions across museums and galleries, from contemporary printmaking at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History to Impressionist masterworks at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Highlights include John Comer's seascapes at Santa Barbara Fine Art, David Florimbi's retrospective at the new Separate Reality gallery, and a joint show by Joan Rosenberg-Dent and Sarita Reynolds at Art & Soul Gallery. The California Nature Art Museum also celebrates its 25th anniversary with a solo exhibition by founder Patti Jacquemain.

museum exhibitions schedule Oct 2, 2025

The OG of Art Revolutions Comes to Santa Barbara Museum of Art

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) will host "The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art" from October 5, 2025, to January 25, 2026. The exhibition, which marks the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, features masterworks by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin, Piet Mondrian, Berthe Morisot, and Edvard Munch, drawn from the Dallas Museum of Art's renowned French Impressionist collection. It traveled to Mexico City before arriving in Santa Barbara, the only West Coast U.S. venue for the show, and will later travel to Nashville, Québec, and Richmond.

museum exhibitions schedule Aug 19, 2025

Brave New Work Is Coming to Santa Barbara

A three-day citywide symposium titled "Brave New Work: AI and Tech in the Hands of Artists" will take place in Santa Barbara from October 7-9, 2025. Organized by Michael Delgado in partnership with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, and UCSB, the event brings together leading artists and scientists for panel discussions, exhibitions, networking, and public art installations. Participants include internationally renowned artists Nancy Baker Cahill, JoAnn Kuchera-Morin, Victoria Vesna, and Beatie Wolfe, alongside technology leaders Kevin Davis, Ken Kosic, and Alan Macy. Highlights include a companion exhibition curated by the Brill Family Foundation, an AR installation at MCASB, performances from the Quantum Concerto, and free projected public artworks at the Michael Towbes Library Plaza.

article local schedule Jul 10, 2025

Brill Family Foundation’s Exhibition Reopens Calls for Art Submissions

The Brill Family Foundation has reopened its call for art submissions for the upcoming exhibition "Symbiosis or Schism: The AI Human Odyssey," extending the original June 13 deadline to August 12. The exhibition invites artists from Santa Barbara and Ventura County to submit AI-themed artwork, with selected pieces displayed from October 2-12 at the Santa Barbara Community Arts Workshop. Selected artists may also be considered for grants of up to $5,000, with organizers seeking works that visually address the theme and highlight the creative process involving AI.

museum exhibitions schedule Jun 26, 2025

A Testimony to Survival and Hope Amid Chaos and Destruction

Vian Sora's first solo museum exhibition in the United States, 'Outerworlds,' is on view at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) through September 7. The exhibition features vibrant, layered abstract paintings that the artist describes as deeply personal, including 'Forest Remains,' a 2023 SBMA acquisition that she considers a self-portrait about migration and assimilation. Sora, born in Baghdad and a survivor of the Iran–Iraq War, Gulf War, and the 2003 invasion, discussed her work in a conversation with SBMA Chief Curator James Glisson, explaining how a 2015 hysterectomy led to a dramatic shift in her style toward bold, colorful compositions. The show will travel to the Speed Art Museum in Louisville and the Asia Society Texas Center after its Santa Barbara run.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 22, 2025

Artist Call For Mindful Exploration of AI Art Exhibition in Santa Barbara

The Brill Family Foundation has issued a call for artist submissions from residents of Santa Barbara and Ventura County for an upcoming AI-themed exhibition titled "Symbiosis or Schism: The AI Human Odyssey." The show will run from October 2-12 at the Santa Barbara Community Arts Workshop, with selected artists eligible for grants of up to $5,000. Submissions are open through June 13.

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