Galleries open doors for progressive open house event

By Andrea Estrada
South Coast Beacon

You’ve heard of progressive dinners where guests indulge in appetizers at one house, move on to another for the main entrée and then conclude with dessert and coffee in yet another.

Well, three art galleries in Santa Barbara will host a progressive event of their own in the form of a holiday open house and artist’s reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

Collectively themed “Picture the Holidays,” the exhibitions feature new and vintage art works appealing to beginning and experienced collectors. Works begin at less than $200 and range to more than $10,000.

Refreshments at all three gallery locations will welcome visitors and featured artists will be on hand to discuss their work.

Staton – Greenberg Gallery at 15 W. Anapamu St. will present “The Gift Show,” a group exhibition displaying more than 50 photographs, including affordably priced images and “Santa Claus Beach” by photographer Keith Fishman, the first annual Staton-Greenberg holiday print.

A few blocks away at 7 E. Anapamu St., Sullivan Goss Ltd. offers “Begin Your Collection Here: An Exhibition of Small Works,” which features choice smaller scale paintings and drawings by independent artists representing realists, impressionists, genre painters, post-impressionists, modernists and contemporary artists. Many pieces are available for under $1,000.

The exhibition will include works by Ken Bortolazzo, Harry Carmean, Colin Campbell Cooper, Peter Cole, Anya Fisher, Michael Drury, Lockwood de Forest, Jon Francis, Robin Gowen, Stan Hollingsworth, Dan Lutz, Mariusa, Nell Booker Mayhew, Ben Mesick, Hank Pitcher, Miriam Slater, Susan Seaberry, Jack Smith, Sally Storch, Nicole Strasburg, James David Thomas, Sarah Vedder and Howard Warshaw.

Meanwhile, Waterhouse Gallery in La Arcada at 1114 State St., Suite 9, presents “Romantic Art of Matthew Peak,” featuring the work of Matthew Peak, an illustrator for the film and music industries whose true passion lies in the fine arts.

Also on exhibit will be a collection of new paintings by Ralph Waterhouse. He has participated in the Oil Painters of America Exhibitions, California Art Club Gold Medal shows and one of his paintings resides in the permanent collection of the Santa Barbara Historical Society.

For more information about the exhibitions, call David Staton at the Staton-Greenberg Gallery at 962.9876; Edward Cella at Sullivan Goss, Ltd. at 730.1460; or Catherine Steininger or Ralph Waterhouse at Waterhouse Gallery at 962.8885.