Sanctuary • a Lotusland Virtual Art Sale & GraySpace Gallery Exhibition
Lotusland’s online art sale & gallery exhibition launches on Earth Day, April 22 and continues through May 3. The show is on view in person at GraySpace Gallery, 219 Gray Ave., Santa Barbara, California and online at Lotusland.org/sanctuary.
Artists were given three days to visit the garden and eight weeks to create, capture and complete their original piece inspired by Lotusland. “It was a creative concept and challenge that the artists were craving, especially this year,” stated the exhibition announcement.
The artists and show are curated by volunteers Ashley Woods Hollister and Casey Turpin, and the gallery space is sponsored by Ruth Ellen Hoag and GraySpace Gallery. “We knew this could be a special way for people to bring a piece of the Lotusland sanctuary to their own home,” said Woods Hollister and Turpin.
Maria Rendon, Japanese Magnolia, 38” x 50”, Acrylic and flashe on panel.
Participating artists include: Paulo Lima, R. Nelson Parrish, Michael Adcock, Taiana Giefer, Skip Smith, Meredith Brooks Abbott, Phoebe Brunner, Robert Abbott, Rick Garcia, Baret Boisson, Leslie Lewis Sigler, Ruth Ellen Hoag, Joan Rosenberg-Dent, Kerrie Smith, Michael Haber, Lindsey Ross, Manjari Sharma, Jessica June Avrutin, Bobbi Bennett, Connie Connally, Inga Guzyte, Maria Rendon, Cara Bonewitz, Lynda Weinman, Blakeney Sanford, Erika Carter, Cathy Moholm, Luis Alberto Velazquez, Sophie Gibbings, George Leo Sanders, Ro Snell, Olivia Joffrey, Lily Hahn, Whitney Hansen, Whitney Brooks Abbott, Ryan Shand.
“In response to the pandemic and the shortfalls we experienced as a result, we needed to rethink fundraisers,” said Rebecca Anderson, Lotusland executive director. “With a desire to connect the community to our mission, we dreamed up this concept for a new benefit event with participating artists from our region. We view this online sale and show as a way to foster connection with Lotusland’s supporters, engage and encourage local artists, and sustain the garden’s important sustainability programs.”
Funds raised support Lotusland’s sustainability programs which promote and teach individuals, groups, gardeners and institutions about the best methods and practices in horticulture, environmental responsibility, and stewardship.
Cara Bonewitz, Sun Exposure, 13” x 10”, Graphite and gouache on paper.
“The garden is magic and it has touched my work in a way that will give me endless ideas and new directions for much more time to come!” said Lynda Weinman, former Lotusland trustee and participating artist.
Artist Jessica June Avrutin noted on her time in the garden, “Walking alone through Lotusland on those quiet Monday mornings felt like falling down the rabbit hole into a secret world. It was truly sensory overload at every turn – layers upon layers of colors and textures and smells."
Inga Guzyte, Birds of Paradise, 18” X 19”: 1.5”, Wood inlay, reclaimed skateboards.
About the curators
Ashley Woods Hollister has long supported local artists through her work with Art from Scrap and as the former director of the Morris Squire Foundation. Casey Turpin is an avid volunteer in the Insectary Garden at Lotusland. Both are passionate about showcasing Lotusland’s beauty and science through the eyes of a local artist community.
“Through the Sanctuary Art Sale and Exhibition, our goal is to contribute to the success of Lotusland’s horticultural care, as well as providing education to others about best practices and philosophies to support sustainability,” said co-curators Woods Hollister and Casey Turpin. “We feel very lucky and excited to be a part of this wonderfully creative process.”
For more information contact: Kerstin Olson Horneman, event manager, Ganna Walska Lotusland, khorneman@lotusland.org, 805.969.3767 (130)
Cover Image: Blakeney Sanford, Portals, An Entrance to Lotusland, 24” x 32” 1.5”, archival pigment print on archival photo paper, white maple frame with spacers and UV protection.
