“Ocean Vision ~ Nine Local Artists Celebrate the Sea”
Presented by the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation to Benefit Gaviota Coast Preservation

A group show featuring Santa Barbara artists’ and photographers’ perspectives of local, as well as exotic, sea, land and surfscapes.

33 Jewels at El Paseo
814 State St. Santa Barbara
(805) 957-9100

Thursday, February 5th, 5-8 p.m.
Closing reception hosted by SB Surfrider

1st Thursday party for “OCEAN VISION ~ Nine Local Artists Celebrate the Sea.” The art show benefiting our chapter has been so successful that we've extended it through February 16th! Join us for a celebration of these great paintings, photographs and sculptures with Alma Rosa wines, New Belgium beers and food provided by Julienne and Emilio’s.

Bringing together the world of art and the ocean, the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is presenting a unique holiday art show featuring photographs, monotypes, paintings and installations of Santa Barbara County ocean and beach-inspired scenes, plus a few exotic shots to stoke the imagination during the cold winter months.

Images capturing the adrenaline-charged thrill of surfing, as well as the quiet tranquility of the calm shore, await the viewer.

The show ranges from rarely seen photographs of a bygone era to exciting new installations on the cutting edge of surf-related art.

Photographs by John Hall, Dan Merkel and Branden Aroyan will be on display, along with installations by Blakeney Sanford, including a chandelier created specifically for the show.

Also presented will be paintings and prints by Larry Iwerks, Karyn Walsh, Sean Kirkpatrick, Nise Baker, and Matt Moore.

Gallery open daily: 11 a.m. - 6p.m., Sundays: Noon - 5p.m., closed Tuesday.

Artist Information:

A name familiar to local water enthusiasts is en plein air artist Matt Moore, owner of Rincon Designs surf shop in Carpinteria. Moore, a recent grandfather, says, “I see the colors of nature, the islands, the ocean, and the mountains all around me and want to express that beauty; to document my life. I’ve been painting since I was a kid, so it’s been a lifelong passion.”

A native of Santa Barbara’s wine country, Blakeney Sanford enjoys affecting the viewer’s “environment and sensory experience. Their involvement, however effortless, is an important part of the piece.” Utilizing the transparency of epoxy resin, light “shining through the piece, results in the illumination of that which lies beneath it. An observer’s skin below takes on a gradation of color, and thus, with no effort, the installation affects their experience.”

Larry Iwerks, a member of the distinguished Oak Group, is an accomplished environmental painter and has exhibited in the United States and Europe. Bringing his lifelong passion for the land and ocean to the show, this “painter to the people” captures places he’d like to see preserved. He shows frequently at The Weldon Ranch and Gallery 113, and is a stalwart member of the Santa Barbara Art Association.

Dan Merkel, one of the most widely published surf photographers in the history of the sport, will be showing behind-the-scenes photographs from the seminal 1978 feature film, “Big Wednesday.“ Shot, in part, in Santa Barbara County, Merkel was responsible for much of the film’s water cinematography. His photography is the still-imagery backbone of Shaun Tomson’s new documentary, “Bustin’ Down the Door.”

John Hall, an avid surfer, now adds photography to a career path that has included professional polo, racecar driving and film directing (Hall’s image “Concrete Dreams” is attached to this press release).

Branden Aroyan, a Brooks Institute of Photography graduate, has traveled the globe and been published in every major surf publication. Owner of Low Tide Rising clothing, Aroyan’s photography brings his unique style of technical mastery and a waterman’s understanding of the ocean to the show.

Sean Kirkpatrick has lived, surfed and toured as a professional musician, painted and been exhibited all over California and Europe. His warm pastels reflect his love of the Gaviota and Central coasts and his concern for its preservation.

Karyn Walsh has been painting and drawing since she was 5 years old. An accomplished artist, her one-of-a-kind monotype prints reflect her lifelong love of the ocean. “Now that my kids surf — that’s my inspiration!” she notes. (NOTE: Walsh’s image “Seeing the Light” is attached to this press release)

Painter Nise Baker follows in the artistic footsteps of her father and grandfather. Painting in styles ranging from impressionistic to abstract, she has exhibited in Denver, Michigan, Arizona and Los Angeles. Baker uses the unique “canvas” of a surfboard for this show.