Herding for the Holiday Season

Ah, the noble reindeer! We may not have an official town animal, but Santa Barbara’s holiday harbinger since 1997 has been artist Brad Nack’s annual herd of one-of-a-kind, intricately detailed and layered series of portraits of reindeer heading to our homes on an annual basis. These layers upon layers of oil, glaze, and varnish are a little too delicate to deliver down the chimney. The only way to get your pick of the herd to head to Nack’s 100% Reindeer Art Show at Roy on Thursday, November 21. 

This latest collection of reindeer paintings promises a mix of sassy, silly, shy, skeptical, and joyful expressions. If one speaks to you (or reminds you of a special someone), each reindeer is beautifully framed and priced between $200 and $500. 

“I never thought I would paint so many reindeer!” says Nack, who has painted more than 2,000 unique versions of the species over almost the past three decades. As he wrote in the 2021 book 100% Reindeer, dedicated to his herd, “These reindeer are out to get me; they have absconded with all my time, my energy, and my joy. They have forced me to create them. Each one is its own individual ….”

And the reign of the herd continues. Nack wrote just last week: “I think the expressions and emotions of the reindeer paintings might reflect what we experience as humans; maybe that’s what keeps it interesting.”

The festivities at Roy are also sure to be interesting. Come see the batch, along with old friends and new. 

Doors open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 21, at Roy (7 W. Carrillo St.).