Posts in Past Programs/Events
Chuck Graham: Hidden Wonders of the Carrizo Plain

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce its April virtual program, Chuck Graham: Hidden Wonders of the Carrizo Plain, taking place Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Photographer and author Chuck Graham released his new book, Carrizo Plain: Where the Mountains Meet the Grasslands, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Carrizo Plain National Monument in January 2021. In his upcoming presentation with the Wildling Museum, Graham will share his experiences photographing the wild landscape, native flora and fauna of the Carrizo Plain over the last 15 years.

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Art Through the Window: A Conversation with Holli Harmon & Nicole Strasburg

The Wildling is pleased to announce its March virtual program, Art Through the Window: A Conversation with Holli Harmon & Nicole Strasburg, taking place Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Artists Holli Harmon and Nicole Strasburg are the creative force behind the Wildling’s two new art installations. Both Holli Harmon: The Nature of Clouds and Wintering: A Fox Tale by Nicole Strasburg were designed specifically to be viewed from the outside-in during the Wildling’s mandated Covid-19 closure. In their upcoming presentation, the two will discuss their process and the work that went on behind-the-scenes while creating these site-specific installations.

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Poetry Competition | Why Earth Day Matters

This year, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is thrilled to be sponsoring an environmental poetry competition with the theme “Why Earth Day Matters,” inviting writers to interpret Earth Day in a variety of ways. The competition is open to Santa Barbara County residents of all ages.

The competition is a celebration of Earth Day, taking place this year on April 22, 2021, and is intended to highlight the importance of standing up to protect the planet’s dwindling natural resources and working against the threats of climate change.

Poetry entries will be judged by poet Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, former Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara (2015-2017), and the top three poems will be announced and read at the annual Santa Barbara Earth Day virtual celebration organized by the Community Environmental Council (CEC).

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Nocturnes & Envisioning the Night Sky: A Conversation with Nathan Huff & Nathan Vonk

Join us for the Wildling Museum’s February virtual program, Nocturnes & Envisioning the Night Sky: A Conversation with Nathan Huff & Nathan Vonk, taking place Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

The expanse of the open night sky has served as a source of wonder for artists for centuries. In this conversation, artist Nathan Huff and Nathan Vonk, owner of Santa Barbara’s Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery, will explore some of the history of nocturne painting and how the night sky continues to serve as a rich source of inspiration for artists working today.

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Wintering: A Fox Tale | Window Installation by Nicole Strasburg

The Wildling Museum is thrilled to announce a window art installation, Wintering: A Fox Tale by artist Nicole Strasburg. The series of papercut fox silhouettes was specially designed by Strasburg to bring joy and wonder to passersby during the museum’s extended closure and bring art to the sidewalk for visitors to enjoy from the outside-in. The public is invited to enjoy the ongoing installation, which is illuminated at night.

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Virtual Art Class | Serenity Stone Wrapping Workshop with Kathy Badrak

Join us on Sunday, January 24, 2021, 1:30 - 3 p.m. and Sunday, February 21, 2021, 1:30 - 3 p.m. for a fun virtual art class led by artist Kathy Badrak. Learn the basics of wrapping stones with waxed linen to make one-of-a-kind serenity stones, each as individual as you are!

Rock wrapping is an art form rooted in Japanese tradition. Wrapped stones could be used in Japanese gardens to guide visitors along a prescribed route or the correct spiritual path. Today, there are many variations of rock wrapping using many different materials. For this workshop, attendees will learn two methods of rock wrapping to create your own serenity stone.

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UPDATE: Private, Appointment-Based Shopping Offered Wednesdays through Sundays at the Wildling through 12/23

UPDATE (December 6, 2020): Due to new regional stay-at-home orders, and in the interest of public safety and that of our staff, the Wildling has revised its holiday shopping weekend scheduled for December 11 - 13th to change it to private, appointment-based shopping.

Every Wednesday – Sunday, we are happy to accommodate private parties for shopping (or pick-ups of items ordered online) through December 23, 2020. Please call (805) 688-1082 to set up a private shopping appointment or shop our new store online here for all of your holiday needs. New items are being added to our online store every day, so if you haven't visited in a while, please check back! Please don’t hesitate to contact Julie Mock at julie@wildlingmuseum.org with any questions.

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Beth Pratt: The Wild Wonder of California—and Beyond

Join us on Wednesday, December 2, 4 - 5 p.m. via Zoom for a fun conversation with conservation leader and author Beth Pratt as she shares tales of wild wonder from California and beyond. Enjoy photos and videos from her extensive encounters with animals including pika, frogs, mountain lions, bears, and more! She’ll talk about how we all need to be a part of fostering a coexistence ethic with wildlife, and what we can do in our own backyard to help wild animals thrive.

Beth will also lead participants through a couple of the exercises from her new book, I Heart Wildlife: A Guided Activity Journal for Connecting with the Wild World. Be sure to come with questions about your wild neighbors!

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James Hines: Urban Wilderness & the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Overpass

Join us on Thursday, November 12, 2020, 4 - 5 p.m. for a virtual Zoom presentation by James Hines, Conservation Director for the Los Padres Chapter of the Sierra Club.

While serving as an activist for a wide range of conservation issues in the region and beyond, Hines’ presentation will largely focus on plans for the Wildlife Overpass at Liberty Canyon, a wildlife crossing planned in Agoura Hills that will provide a safe way for wildlife – including mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, deer, and many other species – to cross the eight-lane 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills.

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Nature Takes the Wheel: A Public Art Project with Upcycled Hubcaps

Nature Takes the Wheel marks the Wildling Museum’s first public art initiative in collaboration with the City of Buellton Arts and Culture Committee. The installation features more than 55 upcycled hubcaps on view now at the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden and on display in the Wildling Museum’s windows through October 31, 2020.

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Holli Harmon: Musings of Califia and Beyond

The Wildling is thrilled to welcome artist Holli Harmon for our next Zoom presentation on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at 4 p.m. Harmon previously exhibited at the Wildling Museum as part of The River's Journey in 2018 and on July 31st, she opens a new exhibition at Santa Barbara's Sullivan Goss Gallery featuring her most recent body of work, Califia.

We'll talk to Harmon about her artistic process and enjoy an up-close look at her many different techniques, including monoprinting, oil painting, mixed media, and more.

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Nic Stover: Adventures in California Nature Photography

Join us for a spectacular presentation by nature photographer Nic Stover on Tuesday, July 14 at 4 p.m. via Zoom!

Stover, whose work was highlighted in the Wildling Museum’s 2019 Celebrating the National Lands of California exhibition, will lead a discussion about his work capturing California’s Central Coast and beyond, including some of our state’s most iconic parks and landscapes.

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James Studarus: Chasing the Northern Lights

Join us for a breathtaking presentation by night sky photographer James Studarus on Wednesday, June 24 at 4 p.m. via Zoom!

Studarus, whose timelapse video footage of the Aurora Borealis is included in our Starry Nights: Visions of the Night Sky exhibition, will lead a discussion about his experiences traveling the northernmost parts of the globe to capture the glow of the Northern Lights across Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Norway, and beyond.

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CANCELLED: Noontime Concert with Opera Santa Barbara

Join the Wildling for a special Noontime Concert in the galleries with Opera Santa Barbara on Wednesday, March 25, 12 - 1 p.m.

This free concert will feature selections from Opera Santa Barbara’s upcoming production of Charles Gounod’s Romeo & Juliet and will include performances by Opera Santa Barbara’s four Chrisman Studio Artists: Julia Metzler, soprano; Kelly Guerra, mezzo; Chandler Johnson, tenor; and John Allen Nelson, baritone.

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Noontime Concert with Opera Santa Barbara

Join the Wildling for a special Noontime Concert in the galleries with Opera Santa Barbara on Wednesday, February 5, 12 - 1 p.m. 

This free concert will feature selections from Opera Santa Barbara’s upcoming production of Daniel Catán’s Il Postino and will include performances by Opera Santa Barbara’s four Chrisman Studio Artists: Julia Metzler, soprano; Kelly Guerra, mezzo; Chandler Johnson, tenor; and John Allen Nelson, baritone.

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Closing Weekend: Celebrating the National Lands of California

Join the Wildling for the closing weekend of Celebrating the Naitonal Lands of California on Sunday, January 19, 2020, 3 - 4:30 p.m. as we sit down with featured exhibition artists Patricia Hedrick, James Hodgson, Alan Sonneman (First Place), and Nancy Yaki (Third Place) for a fascinating panel discussion.

Learn about the artists' individual processes and inspiration, as well as their own personal experiences in California's national lands.

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