January 29th | Create a Nature Journal with Artist Kathy Badrak

Start the New Year off right and join artist Kathy Badrak in making your own nature journal on Sunday, January 29, 2023, 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Wildling Museum. This class will provide a fun and easy introduction to the art of handmade bookmaking.

Attendees will create a simple bound journal perfect for setting intentions for the New Year, sketching, nature journaling, and more! Books will include pockets for collecting natural specimens and a magnifying glass to assist in your outdoor journal studies and doodles.

Class fee is $50 and includes all required materials. Class size is limited to 12 participants, advance registration required.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangJanuary 29, 2023Workshop, Art Class, Kathy Badrak, Nature Journal

January 22nd | Roy Dunn: Capturing Imagery of Our Wild Neighbors

Join us for a very special gallery talk with featured wildlife photographer and cinematographer Roy Dunn on Sunday, January 22, 2023, 4 - 5 p.m. Dunn will provide a fascinating look behind camera trapping and ethical wildlife photography, and will discuss stories behind his photography on view as part of Wildlife on the Edge: Hilary Baker.

General admission is $10.00. Current Wildling Museum member admission is $5.00. Advance registration is encouraged.

CANCELLED | Making Ornament Art with Cydney Miller

Enjoy a relaxing afternoon making two different style ornaments with artist and instructor Cydney Miller! Get in the holiday spirit and learn how to collage gold and silver leaf ornaments and then try your hand at elegant origami cranes and butterflies with festive specialty papers and decorative accents. Create one-of-a-kind holiday gifts or keep them up year-round as beautiful wall hangings! Class participants will make two of each style ornament, taking home four works of art in total.

Class registration fee is $35 and includes all required supplies and materials. Suitable for students ages 12 (with supervision) to adult, limited to 12 participants.

Ruben MislangDecember 11, 2022Cydney Miller, Ornaments, Art Class, Origami

December 4th | Holiday Marketplace

Join us at the Wildling Museum as we kick off the holiday season with our 11th Annual Holiday Marketplace! We look forward to welcoming you back to this favorite museum tradition on Sunday, December 4th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mark your calendars for this not-to-be-missed shopping event!

Enjoy one-of-a-kind shopping featuring talented local artisans and unique gifts that celebrate wildlife, nature, and the outdoors.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangDecember 4, 2022Holiday Marketplace, Holidays

November 7-16th | 3rd Annual Online Fall Silent Auction

Our third annual online fall silent auction returns this November! We can’t wait to share relaxing getaways, unique jewelry, fine art, local wines and delights just for you.

Mark your calendars and get ready to make your bids November 7 - 16, 2022! All proceeds benefit the Wildling Museum.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangNovember 7, 2022Fundraiser, Silent Auction, Fall Silent Auction

November 6th | Gallery Talk & Book Signing with Hilary Baker

Join us for a special gallery walkthrough of the Wildling Museum’s new fall exhibition Wildlife on the Edge led by artist Hilary Baker on Sunday, November 6th, 3 - 4 p.m. Learn more about the inspiration for her ongoing Predators series and enjoy the opportunity to hear firsthand stories behind the works on view.

Following the gallery talk will be a book signing of Baker’s recently published book Hilary Baker: Predators and Other L.A. Stories (2021)

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangNovember 6, 2022Hilary Baker, Gallery Talk, Artist Talk

October 20th | Dan Gerber: The End of Michelangelo

Join the Wildling Museum for a special poetry reading on Thursday, October 20th, 5:30 - 7 p.m. by Santa Ynez Valley-based poet Dan Gerber as we celebrate the release of his new collection, The End of Michelangelo.

Reading the poetry of Dan Gerber, we are summoned to this larger truth: Though we live in fraught times, on the tipping point of human self-destruction, we and our planet are still very much alive. General admission is $10.00. Current Wildling Museum member admission is $5.00. Seating is limited - advance registration is highly encouraged.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangOctober 20, 2022Poetry, Spoken Word, Daniel Gerber, Dan Gerber

Fire & Ice: Our Changing Landscape

April 9 - September 26, 2022

First Floor Main Gallery

The Wildling Museum is pleased to announce Fire & Ice: Our Changing Landscape, on view April 9 - September 26, 2022, featuring a wide diversity of artwork, including video installations, photography, paintings, mixed media, and more, illustrating aspects of fire and ice.

While aesthetically appealing, these dramatic visuals also invite conversations about how increasingly frequent and severe fires are altering our landscape, particularly in the Western United States. Equally concerning is the retreat of glaciers and shrinking snowpack, and warming permafrost in our colder climes. Also included in the exhibition is “Letters to the Future,” an on-site installation by artist Xavier Cortada of the University of Miami, which invites visitors to write down their own efforts to help mitigate climate change.

September 15th | The Magnitude of the Problem: Wildfire in Beloved Places

Join us via Zoom on Thursday, September 15th, 4 - 5 p.m. for a virtual presentation with Suze Woolf, artist, and Lorena Williams, author and former wildland firefighter, as they discuss their work featured in the Wildling’s current exhibition, Fire & Ice: Our Changing Landscape, and wildfire in general.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangSeptember 15, 2022Climate Change, Fire and Ice, Forest Fires, Lorena Williams, Suze Woolf

Corazón del Pueblo: Nuestra Lotería

June 30 - September 4, 2022

Second Floor Valley Oak Gallery

The Wildling Museum is excited to be exhibiting a selection of climate and community-focused works from Corazón del Pueblo, a cultural and creative arts center based in the Santa Maria Valley.

These works were created in 2021 as part of a collaboration with the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. Corazón del Pueblo worked with Ethnic & Gender Studies (EGS) teachers to develop and implement a rigorous art project involving students from Santa Maria, Pioneer Valley, and Ernest Righetti High Schools.

Community Exhibits, Past ExhibitRuben MislangSeptember 4, 2022Community, Corazon del Pueblo, Santa Maria

Recent Acquisitions

March 4 - September 4, 2022

Second Floor Valley Oak Gallery

The Wildling Museum’s focus is to inspire a conservation ethic by bringing art and nature together through our collection and exhibitions. While the Wildling’s permanent collection includes 145 pieces, the artworks highlighted in Recent Acquisitions represent the newest additions to the collection, all acquired in the last five years. Collectively, they highlight our institution’s efforts to represent art or artists of our region, as well as broader California and its environment.

Past ExhibitRuben MislangSeptember 4, 2022Permanent Collection

August 18th | A Precise Look at Ice with NASA Researchers Denis Felikson and Steven Fons

Join the Wildling Museum on Thursday, August 18th, 4 - 5 p.m. for a special Zoom presentation by NASA researchers Denis Felikson and Steven Fons as they present “A Precise Look at Ice: Measuring the Earth’s Cryosphere with Centimeter Accuracy from Space.”

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangAugust 18, 2022Climate Change, Ice, Fire and Ice

August 14th | Summer Family Day

The Wildling Museum invites the public to attend a free Summer Family Day on Sunday, August 14, 2022, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Visitors are invited to bring the whole family and enjoy free museum admission during event hours, eco glitter tattoos by Parties and Paint by Kate, art activities for all ages, and more.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangAugust 14, 2022Summer Family Day, Open House, Community

Featured Local Artist | Debbie MacInnis

Enjoy new eco-printed and natural material artworks created by Santa Barbara-based artist Debbie MacInnis in the Wildling Museum Store from August 2022 - January 2023!

More than 15 framed eco-prints and cacti artworks are now available, along with a variety of eco-printed scarves, greeting cards, and mousepads. Explore works in person during your next visit, or browse available inventory in our online store.

June 15th | Following Fire: Documenting a Forest's Uncertain Future

Join the Wildling Museum on Wednesday, June 15, 5 - 6 p.m. for a special Zoom presentation by current exhibiting photographer David Paul Bayles and ecosystem scientist Fred Swanson as they share more about their work together, which weaves a complex story of forest resilience – retention of carbon, nutrients, and abundant life – countered by the challenges posed by a legacy of land use in an age of climate uncertainty.

June 5th | Join us for Brunch al Fresco!

Mark your calendars! We look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful Alisal Ranch Adobe for Brunch al Fresco on June 5, 2022, complete with our famous Mimosa and Bloody Mary Bar, a special live auction, and the presentation of our 2022 Wilderness Spirit Award.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangJune 5, 2022Brunch, Fundraiser

Spring - Summer Featured Local Artist | Holly Hungett

This spring and summer, enjoy new plein air works by featured local Santa Barbara-based artist Holly Hungett in the Wildling Museum Store! More than 15 framed paintings showcasing local coastlines, landscapes, and skylines are now available. Explore works in person or view available inventory in our online store.

Join us for a special meet and greet with Holly Hungett on Sunday, May 22 from 2 - 4 p.m., where she'll be at the Wildling Store to share more about her work.

May 15th | Nic Stover Photography Critique & Image Review Workshop

Join Central Coast professional landscape and nature photographer Nic Stover for an in-person workshop at the Wildling Museum on Sunday, May 15, 2022, 2 – 4:30 p.m designed for photographers of all skill levels looking to improve their editing skills and take their work to the next level.

Poetry Competition | Climate Change: Our Impact

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce its 2022 poetry competition, Climate Change: Our Impact. The competition is a celebration of Earth Day, and will culminate in a celebration hosted by Community Environmental Council (CEC) taking place on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara. This competition 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.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangApril 23, 2022Poetry, Earth Day, Climate Change, Community

Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross

September 25, 2021 - March 20, 2022

First Floor Main Gallery

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross, on view September 25, 2021 - March 20, 2022 in the Wildling Museum’s main gallery. The exhibition will explore the American West through the lenses of both Ansel Adams and Alan Ross, and also includes selections from Ross’ international photography projects. The Wildling Museum’s exhibition marks the first institutional show dedicated to the two photographers’ works.

Past ExhibitRuben MislangMarch 20, 2022Ansel Adams, Alan Ross, Photography, Landscape Photography

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