Capturing the vibrancy of light and emotion through his series of paintings, internationally recognized artist Kevin A. Short will have a special exhibit titled Above Your Dreams at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM). It will run from February 6 to May 11 and showcase a collection of Short’s oil paintings centered around themes of light and color. The pieces capture the beautiful yet fleeting scenery of the coast and nature, and bring life to stilled memories on canvas.
Short grew up in Santa Barbara, spending much of his time sailing, surfing, and “learning to draw with crayons on the kitchen floor,” he said in his biography. His strong connection to the Pacific Ocean has served as a strong inspiration for his work. He is best known for his contemporary landscape art that places him as a leading artist in modern scene painting.
In this collection, Short invites viewers to experience “that spectacular dazzling light and color, which slakes our imagination long after the instant of experience.”
His work adds to the rich maritime history that the museum preserves. This collection, as SBMM curator Emily Falke describes, “evokes emotion and reflection. His paintings remind us of the simple yet profound beauty in the world around us.”
Short’s collections have been recently featured in the Huntington Library and the Hilbert Museum of California Art, among many others. As his work returns to Santa Barbara, Above Your Dreams seeks to highlight the relationship between sunlight, the ocean, and the emotions they evoke, said SBMM. For those familiar with the scenery of the Pacific Coast, it is the opportunity to reexperience these familiar sights through a new perspective.
Above Your Dreams is open to the public and entrance is included with general museum admission. It can be found on the mezzanine level of the museum in the art gallery section that rotates in exhibitions throughout the year.
For more information about the museum, upcoming events and exhibits, visit sbmm.org.
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