Starry Nights: Visions of the Night Sky

February 1, 2020 - January 31, 2021

First Floor Main Gallery

The expanse of the open night sky has served as source of wonder for artists, poets, and scientists across cultures and millennia. Join us in celebrating the awe-inspiring beauty and mystery of the night across a range of media, including nocturne painting and photography, as well as poetry by Dan Gerber.

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Solvang School: Inspired in Nature

February 6 - May 31, 2020

Third Floor Barbara Goodall Education Center

Inspired in Nature, features photography by 29 Solvang School Yearbook and Media students. The students, grades 7 – 8, were inspired by American transcendentalist writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “All good things are wild and free.” Students turned their lenses to nature, many finding inspiration in their own backyard with subjects ranging from pets and family members, to local landscapes and sunsets captured in both color and black and white.

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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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Holiday Family Day

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce Holiday Family Day, taking place Saturday, December 7, 2019 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wildling Museum. Watch the Wildling’s holiday float in Solvang’s annual Julefest Parade at 11 a.m., then visit the museum to meet our parade characters and enjoy an afternoon of special holiday activities suitable for the whole family.

Beginning at 1 p.m. families are invited to stop by for a special meet and greet photo opportunity with the Wildling Snow Queen, courtesy of Parties and Paint by Kate, along with a polar bear. At 1:30 p.m. the Snow Queen will lead a winter-themed story time in the second floor Valley Oak gallery. Then, enjoy family crafts from 2 - 4 p.m. in the Barbara Goodall Education Center.

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Descanso Gardens Day Trip

Join the Wildling on a day trip in partnership with Buellton Parks and Recreation to visit the incredible Descanso Gardens on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Experience the wonders of Descanso Gardens, home to North America’s largest camellia collection and many rare and beautiful plants from around the world. Visit the historic Boddy House and view art highlighting the intersection between contemporary arts and sciences in the Sturt Haaga Gallery as you walk the extensive grounds.

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Santa Barbara County & Beyond: Recent Photographic Landscapes By George Rose

November 16, 2019 - March 30, 2020

Second Floor Valley Oak Gallery

Enjoy Santa Barbara County & Beyond: Recent Photographic Landscapes By George Rose on view in the Valley Oak Gallery, including new works featured in George Rose’s latest publication, WINE COUNTRY Santa Barbara County.

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POSTPONED - Photography in Focus: A Panel Discussion with Susan Jørgensen, Michael Miner, Ana Phelps, and George Rose

Join the Wildling for an intriguing panel discussion on Sunday, October 27, 2019, 3 - 4:30 p.m. with photographers Susan Jørgensen, Michael Miner, Ana Phelps, and Celebrating the National Lands of California exhibition juror George Rose.

Learn about the photographers’ individual processes and inspiration, as well as the changing nature of photography as an art form.

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Out There, In Here: A Night of Poetry, Spoken Word & Music

Join us on Friday, October 18, 2019, 6 - 7:30 p.m. for Out There, In Here: A Night of Poetry, Spoken Word & Music, a special gathering of voices celebrating our vital connection to the natural world – and to one another. Presenters include Doyle Hollister, Dorothy Gagner Jardin, Cynthia Carbone Ward, and music by Jim Brady.

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The Art of Brunch 2019

You are invited to our third annual Art of Brunch fundraiser. Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 13, 2019!

Our brunch event is moving to the lovely K’Syrah Catering Venue, just a block from the Wildling. Enjoy watching artists at work, browse our silent auction, check out our famous mimosa and bloody mary bar while eating a delicious brunch in a charming, rustic atmosphere. Afterwards, stroll to the Wildling for a tour of the gallery!

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Morro Bay Birding Trip with Peter Schneekloth

Join the Wildling on a Morro Bay day trip in partnership with Solvang Parks and Recreation with birding expert Peter Schneekloth on Thursday, October 10, 2019, 8:15 a.m. - 5 p.m.

See and learn about the many birds that live in the marshes, creeks, and shores of Morro Bay. Enjoy a quick stop at the Natural History Museum and time to enjoy lunch and shopping on Morro Bay’s Embarcadero.

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Santa Barbara Printmakers: Wild Places in Print

October 9, 2019 - January 13, 2020

Barbara Goodall Education Center, Third Floor

The Wildling Museum is pleased to announce Santa Barbara Printmakers: Wild Places in Print, a new Barbara Goodall Education Center exhibition featuring nature and wildlife-inspired works by the Santa Barbara Printmakers (SBP) group.

Soaring birds, colorful layered foliage, a delicate barn owl, coastal vistas, and bold graphic butterflies are among nearly 100 different prints on view.

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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, October 2, 12 - 1 p.m. 

This free concert will feature selections from Opera Santa Barbara’s upcoming production of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly 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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Carrizo Plain - A Sense of Place | Film Screening & Panel Discussion

Join the Wildling Museum on Sunday, September 29, 3 - 4:30 p.m. for a special screening of the new short-form documentary Carrizo Plain - A Sense of Place (2019), followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Jeff McLoughlin and featured film participants and artists Bill Dewey, Chris Chapman, and John Iwerks.

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SLOPOKE: Fine Art of the West at Flag Is Up Farms

Save the date for the annual SLOPOKE, an exhibition and fine art sale featuring art of the American West hosted at Flag is Up Farms in Buellton from September 27 - 29, 2019. The opening reception and awards ceremony is Friday, September 27 from 5:30 - 7 p.m.

The Wildling Museum is honored to partner in this year's event and will be judging the Best Wildlife Art Award, sponsored by Art of the West Magazine.

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Celebrating the National Lands of California

July 20, 2019 - January 19, 2020

First Floor Main Gallery

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce its second juried exhibition – “Celebrating the National Lands of California” – a showcase of fine art inspired by National Parks, Monuments, Preserves, and Recreation Areas located within the state of California.

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