On November 17, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) hosted a lovely gathering for its high-level donors and special guests to celebrate and enjoy the current exhibits, The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art and Encore: 19th-Century French Art from its own collection.
During the reception, more than 100 guests enjoyed cocktails and the breathtaking artwork. They were welcomed by Eichholz Foundation Director Amada Cruz, who opined that the importance of these complementary exhibits cannot be overstated, as they celebrate “this wonderful moment of creativity, which really led to the birth of modernism.” The Impressionists, Cruz noted, were actually quite revolutionary in their time and introduced everything that happened in post-19th-century art.
On display for the first time simultaneously are four Monets from SBMA’s own collection. The Dallas exhibit includes another seven Monets among that exhibit’s 49 paintings and sculptures.
Cruz proudly shared how the exhibits have attracted visitors from all over California and how they fit into the museum’s mission of integrating art and life. She thanked a long list of donors for supporting not only the exhibits, but also the education programs, art camps, and Art Learning Lab. Among the major donors were The Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Charitable Foundation, Manitou Fund: Nora McNeely Hurley and Michael Hurley, SBMA Ambassadors, Geof and Laura Wyatt, Carol and Michael Linn, and Nancy and Doug Norberg.
On a guided tour, Chief Curator James Glisson explained how SBMA is among an esteemed set of institutions hosting the Impressionist exhibit on loan from Dallas. The exhibit roughly coincides, Glisson noted, with the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionism exhibit in 1874. He explained the myriad controversial aspects of Impressionism and placed it in its historical context, before delving into specific works of art.
SBMA, which has more than 26,000 objects in its permanent collection, currently receives no government funding for its $10.7 million budget, rendering absolutely necessary contributions from these and other donors to sustain its operations.
In 2021, SBMA completed a six-year, $50 million renovation of its 113-year-old building. Donors make possible SBMA’s impressive exhibits, education programs, and outreach programs. The museum’s programming reaches more than 25,000 students and teachers each year, and its Art Learning Lab provides a free drop-in space for art-making for the public on the weekends and 1st Thursdays.
Options to support the museum include becoming a member or patron, both of which come with many perks. The annual Gilded Gala, which will feature actress Zoe Saldaña-Perego and visual artist Marco Perego-Saldaña on February 25, is sold out.
For an excellent review of the two current exhibits, please see Josef Woodard’s story, here.
Guests listen to the program. | Gail Arnold
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