AFSB Art Gallery – COUPLETS by Slingshot Artists

An opening reception for the public will be held at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara on Saturday, January 11, from 1-3 p.m. All are welcome. The show runs until March 8, 2025.

Slingshot’s Gallery Director, Jessica Schlobohm, curated the exhibition. She will present an informal tour of the exhibition and an introduction to the studio’s progressive practices, on February 8th at 2 p.m.

COUPLETS takes inspiration from several series of prints by Michelle Oliner. These prints are created by drawing into a foam plate with a dulled instrument such as a pencil, pen, or sharpened dowel. After printing the plates, typically in black, Oliner adds colored pencil overlays to each successive print, creating novel versions. The prints are presented as mated pairs to highlight the rhythm and meter of their relationships.

James Jasper’s works on paper are methodical but economical. He completes each portrait in a single sitting in permanent pen or thick, indelible charcoal, without hesitation. His embroideries consist of concentric rings of linear stitches and patches of colorful texture, and are created sporadically over the course of months, if not years.

Tom Neumeyer’s ceramic pieces are inscribed with strong glyphic markings that mimic and dissect their ceramic forms and contain intriguing hidden figures, cryptic messages, and tessellating geometry.

The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB) seeks to promote quality in architecture, art, and design by fostering an understanding of excellence in the urban environment. The AFSB offers diverse programs serving Santa Barbara County, that provide educational opportunities for the community with participation from local architects and design professionals. Learn more at afsb.org.

Featured Image: Alligator Fish (top) & Anteater (bottom), by Michelle Oliner, 2015. Foam print with colored pencil on paper.