sbrobert
By Robert Bernstein
February First Thursday had us running non-stop from opening at 5PM on to 9PM, an hour after the official end. Here are my photos and here are my videos.
We ran into my friend Tokai and her daughter Luna (orange top) and Luna’s friend as we began our race. Here my wife Merlie (far right) posed with them.
We told them about Opera Santa Barbara performing at 5:30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. But we stopped first to check out Legacy Art Santa Barbara at 1230 State Street and admired the diverse display of traditional and modern art in a variety of media.
We rushed over to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for the Opera Santa Barbara performance with singer Elijah Cineas and pianist Timothy Accurso. Our friends Tokai and Luna were inside. But the capacity of the room was only 35 and it was completely full. We were not allowed in. Ever more people kept arriving, frustrated that they could not enter.
After a couple of performance pieces, Tokai kindly stepped out so that I could go in and take some photos and videos. I followed up with Opera Santa Barbara later. Pianist Timothy Accurso very kindly told me the names and origins of each of the pieces in my videos.
He also explained the challenge of finding a good space for the performance. They used to be in Luddington Court near the entrance. But they felt this got in the way of people entering the museum. And street noise was a problem when the door opened. I contacted the museum with our concerns and I am hoping they will find a better room in the future.
Here are my three videos of singer Elijah Cineas and pianist Timothy Accurso performing. There was a theme of racial justice.
We left early to let other people in and also to give us a head start to our next destination: The film by Gail Osherenko “Birds of Los Banos”. At the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) office, filled with things for the Film Festival, soon to begin.
The film covered Jim Hurnblad of the Wildlife Care Network as he tried to protect the night herons and other birds that have found a home near the Los Banos pool. Jim was on hand to answer questions.
These birds need a place that is close to the shore, but also providing trees and safety from traffic. Those trees are a rare place of refuge. They also need a place that is fenced off to keep out dogs and people, which has been provided there, at least for now. I hope this film gets wider circulation and I hope the City is able to make this place a safe refuge in the long term.
Next we stopped in at the CPC Gallery for some stunning ultra-realist art by Susan Savage. I slowly became aware that CPC is actually Christ Presbyterian Church. The art has a religious feel to it. Susan explained to me that the scary looking thorns in much of her art are actually roots. Here she kindly posed with one of her amazing skillful creations. Please check out the rest of my photos and/or the CPC Gallery to see more of her work.
As we rushed down State Street we got this peek through the window into the art creation happening at the Painted Cabernet.
Then we were at Gallery 113 in La Arcada Plaza. This gallery is a cooperative effort by artists of the Santa Barbara Art Association who staff the gallery and display their art. Always a highlight of First Thursday. Here Wendy Fisher posed with some of her art. I know her husband Matthew Fisher for his fascinating quantum physics work at UCSB.
Then we were on to the Presidio (El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park) where it was at least a three ring circus of activity. One feature: Candles all around, along with a fire for gathering people for Chumash story telling. Here is my video of Alan Salazar amusing the crowd with his stories. His partner Mona was on hand helping sell his books.
Here Alan kindly posed with some of his books.
Next we caught a bit of historical California dancing from the 1800s.
We got a look at some historical photos from when this neighborhood was Japanese and Chinese. Here are a few photos of the Japanese community.
This woman demonstrated weaving on small hand looms.
Out back, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden had various plants and educational talks. I learned that a certain tuning fork pitch applied to manzanita flowers will cause them to drop their pollen! This simulates the frequency of bee wings buzzing.
We made a quick stop at Elizabeth Gordon Gallery, near the corner of Gutierrez and State Street.
Then it was a bit of an excursion to get to the Santa Barbara Center for Art Science and Technology (SBCAST), where generous host Alan Macy was providing space for UCSB Media Arts and Technology to show off some of their recent work.
Artist Haru Ji kindly posed for a photo after letting me explore her delightful virtual reality world, created through the Vive virtual reality system.
I also was able to enjoy a high-tech chair massage experience in one of the art studios. Alan Macy and his collaborators are constantly exploring biofeedback systems of sensors and actuators to give ever new experiences to participants.
For more information about upcoming First Thursday events, please go to https://www.downtownsb.org/events/1st-thursday
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