Lotusland Art Sale

In an effort to rethink traditional in-person fundraising efforts, Lotusland has announced a new benefit event, Sanctuary. 

Earlier this year, 36 local artists were asked to create new work inspired by Lotusland. The artists were given three days to visit the Garden and only eight weeks to create, capture, and complete their muse at Lotusland. “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,” said Lotusland Executive Director Rebecca Anderson. Whether it be a painting of a specific garden, a sculpture using found materials, or art created in the Garden, it was a creative conceptual challenge that the artists were craving, especially this year, Anderson said. The art will be on display at GraySpace Gallery in Santa Barbara beginning next week, allowing in-person viewing for up to eight people at a time; it is then available for sale online. 

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. “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,” Anderson said. “In response to the pandemic, and the shortfalls we experienced as a result, we needed to rethink fundraisers.”

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. Hollister has long supported local artists through her work with Art from Scrap and as the former director of the Morris Squire Foundation. Turpin is an avid volunteer in the Insectary Garden at Lotusland, and both are passionate about showcasing Lotusland’s beauty and science through the eyes of a local artist community. “We knew this could be a special way for people to bring a piece of the Lotusland sanctuary to their own home,” explain Ashley and Casey, co-curators of the exhibition. 

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, and Ryan Shand.

The Online Art Sale & Gallery Exhibition launches next Thursday on Earth Day, April 22, and goes through May 3, 2021.

Visit www.lotusland.org/sanctuary for more information. GraySpace Gallery is located at 219 Gray Avenue.