Children’s Mural Project to Add to Beauty of Garden
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is pleased to offer a FREE opportunity for children of the community to participate in the creation of a Native Plant Mural on Two Saturdays, October 13 and November 3, 10:00am – 3:00pm, 1212 Mission Canyon Road in Santa Barbara.
Gather family and friends and be a permanent part of the Garden! Join local art teacher Laura
Denny (dennydesign.net) for this fun mural workshop and help complete the new native plant alphabet mural for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. The children’s art will
be transferred to a permanent surface and then mounted on the side of the classroom leading to
the Garden’s Discover Garden. From A to Z, each panel will depict a different California Native Plant. All supplies will be provided and no experience necessary. For children ages 7-12 limited to a maximum of 12 students per class. Parents are welcome to bring a sack lunch and picnic in the Garden after the workshop. This class is free, but reservations are required. The cost of the workshop and production of the mural has been generously underwritten by an anonymous donor.
“We are so excited to have Laura leading this mural project for the Garden. The finished product will highlight native plants for visitors of all ages, and create a colorful welcome to the Discovery Garden.”
About Laura Denny:
As a child, Laura Denny spent many hours drawing and sculpting characters and their imaginary worlds. Art became a lifelong passion and pursuit. Laura graduated from UC Davis with a BFA in painting in 1988 and from Art Center College of Design with an MFA in sculpture in 1990. Since that time, she has been involved in designing masks, costumes, and sets for numerous theater productions. Drawing has remained a constant pursuit.
While Laura received her MFA in fine art sculpture, she feels most at home illustrating and sculpting characters and the worlds they inhabit. This vision is lived out on a daily basis through her own work, teaching art, a variety of mixed media projects, and drawing and creating with her children.
In addition to Laura’s whimsical illustrations, she has sculpted over twenty of her illustrated characters. Major influences upon her work include world travels and studies and the humorous work of William Steig, Arnold Lobel, and James Marshall.
Laura recently completed a mural with the students at Harding School. She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband and two children.
The cost is free to both SBBG members and non-members with paid admission. Registration is required. To register, call (805) 682-4726 ext. 102, email registrations@sbbg.org, or visit sbbg.org and click on “classes”.
To arrange an interview or to request high-resolution photos, please contact Joni Kelly, Communications Manager, at 805-682-4726 ext. 132 or via cell at 805-886-1869.
About the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden:
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a 78-acre educational and scientific institution fostering the conservation of California’s native plants and serves as a role model for sustainable practice in Santa Barbara, California. The Garden was founded in 1926 and is among the nation’s oldest botanic gardens focused exclusively on native plants.