I’ve noticed that Jeff and David Shelton continue to be the go-to designers for many of Santa Barbara’s high-profile architectural artistic projects. While I mean no disrespect — their work is undeniably distinctive — it does beg the question: what does it take for other creative architects and designers to receive similar opportunities in our city?
Given that our second-largest population is Mexican American — wouldn’t it be more meaningful to actually hire a designer from that community, rather than continuing to commission work that just borrows from Mexican and Spanish design?
Santa Barbara county is full of talented artists and visionaries. It would be so refreshing to see a broader range of designers represented in our public spaces. At a certain point, it starts to feel less like a celebration and more like a creative monopolization. Let’s widen the door.
