ON Culture | Artful Delights and Holiday Happenings

This edition of ON Culture was originally emailed to subscribers on December 16, 2022. To receive Leslie Dinaberg’s arts newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

ON the Walls

This colder weather makes it a great time to do some gallery hopping. My Pet Ram Gallery in the Funk Zone has a new show, Golden Hour, opening December 16 and featuring work from artists Stephanie Guerrero, Cary Hulbert, and Margaret Thompson. The Holiday Exhibition at Marcia Burtt Gallery, featuring work by Bill Dewey and Pamela Zwehl-Burke, among others, is worth checking out. It’s on view through the end of January. There’s also a new space in Ventura that sounds very cool. WANTS / NEEDS Community Arts Collective was founded by Santa Barbara native and multi-disciplined artist Ben Pecorari to be a curated concept space shedding light on unconventional, unique, and renowned makers and artists, as well as a hub for pop-ups. Among the artisans currently residing there is artist, graphic designer, and sign-painter Michael Matheson (a k a Metal Teepee), whose work you may recognize from Dune Coffee Roasters, Cajé, Revolver Pizza, Sama Sama, Westward General, Acme Hospitality, and more.

ON the Stage

The whole Grace Fisher Winter Concert was terrific last weekend, but I was blown away by the Folk Orchestra Santa Barbara’s set. Despite the urging of friends (yes, yes, you were right, Jim Buckley) and colleagues (you too, Joe Woodard) to go see them perform, I had never actually seen Adam Phillips lead this 30-piece ensemble of bagpipes, whistles, bodhrans, bouzouki, smallpipes, mandolin, fiddles, cellos and more before. Wow, what a fabulously fun and indescribably interesting group! If you snagged tickets to the sold-out Saturday show at the Presidio Chapel, you are in for a treat. And if you didn’t get those, you can still pick up tickets for Sunday at the Marjorie Luke Theatre.

ON the Page

I’ve been wanting to do a comprehensive roundup of local books and literature for a long, long time, and it’s finally here, with the first half in this week’s print edition, and the second half scheduled to run in print on December 23. (Woo-hoo!). You can read the whole thing online here right now as well.

This edition of ON Culture was originally emailed to subscribers on August 13, 2024. To receive Leslie Dinaberg’s arts newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

ON the (Small Screen)

I know it’s completely cheesy, but I love watching sappy-sweet, escapist Christmas movies this time of year. And I’m certainly not alone. According to a study by Scholaroo, the new Lindsay Lohan movie Falling for Christmas is the fave holiday movie fare in California, Florida, and Colorado. Hey, if all it takes is a Lindsay Lohan comeback movie to bring California, Florida, and Colorado together, I say let’s give that girl a Netflix contract!

ON the Catwalk

I’ve been a fan of Masha Keating’s vibrant artwork for a long, long time. She now has a gallery in Santa Ynez and has developed a line of Masha Keating Art Wear, translating her work into textiles for scarves and other wearable creations that are simply stunning.

ON the Web

I’m always on the lookout for some new holiday music this time of year. Brad Nack and Zach Madden have a fun tune on YouTube called “Santa’s Got a New Tattoo.”  Brad shared a funny story in his newsletter: The tune was originally called “Santa’s Got a New Nose Ring” and when that title didn’t fly with the big red guy (i.e., U.K. music label Kringle & Co.), they changed the nose ring to a tattoo and the song is now officially part of Kringle & Co. label’s Next Christmas Classics Vol. 2, which just came out. Apparently, tattoos are still a little more seasonally acceptable than nose rings … or it’s just too hard to see Santa’s nose ring under all of that beard!

ON the Calendar

Santa Barbara Revels is back at the Lobero Theatre December 17-18 for a Scottish celebration of the Winter Solstice. Always a joyful way to celebrate the season; expect bagpipes, dancing, and loads of fun!

For a complete calendar of events this week and beyond, visit independent.com/events.

Support the Santa Barbara Independent through a long-term or a single contribution.