Take an (Art) Walk in the Mesa

Santa Barbara’s Mesa Neighborhood has been home to fine artists for nearly a century. Over the past 21 years, this has been embodied by the Mesa Artists Studio Tour (MAST), and they are returning this year for their 22nd edition. 

The members of MAST, selected by peers to share their art, have earned a reputation through this annual autumn weekend event, which welcomes them to display their art and their unique neighborhood with the public for two days every November. On Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, MAST is welcoming the public at no charge to home studios tucked into the endearing corners of the Mesa.

The free, self-guided event opens the homes, studios, and creative spaces of 12 Mesa artists from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Visiting each studio is fun in itself, ambling up forested hillsides, and down ocean-view avenues. All of the studios are reachable within a day. The weekend features oil and watercolor paintings, sculpture, photography, metal art, mosaics, and collage, with opportunities to meet the artists and discuss their work in an informal setting.

This year’s participating artists are Karin Aggeler, Wendy Brewer, Helena Day Breese, Poppy Jewett, Myla Kato, Brian Kuhlmann, Jim Martin, Misa Art, Chris Owen, Meg Ricks, Wanda Venturelli, and Ellen Yeomans. Five of the participants will exhibit together on the grounds of one of the Mesa’s oldest homes, adding a shared outdoor stop to the itinerary.

The natural world is a recurring theme across all of the art, manifested through different materials and approaches. Ricks presents expressive landscapes, working with various pastels, oils, and acrylics; Yeomans also paints landscapes, and makes her own frames, as an experienced woodworker, adding dimension to her work. Kato’s art combines painting and figure drawing in an impressionist style. Jewett paints as well, and lives in the former home of painter Carl Oscar Borg, serving as a deep connection to the Mesa’s artistic history.

Photographers add another layer to the interpretation of the natural world. Owen’s photos center on desert landscapes and the ocean. Kuhlmann’s work features ancient trees, sky scapes, and wild horses. Day Breese centers her lens on the theme of ephemerality and uses unexpected angles to reframe familiar subjects. Together, these artists present unique lenses to look closely at the natural world, which is deeply ingrained in the Santa Barbara identity.

Other participants have sculptural and experimental approaches. Martin sculpts in stone and steel, with a minimalist approach to representing the tension between ancient objects and industry. Venturelli works across several different mediums, including glass and textiles, informing her work about nature and the connection to community.

The self-guided tour allows visitors to choose their own route and dedicate time to the artists’ work that interest them. Artists will be present at the sites to converse about their pieces and practices.

The Mesa Artists Studio Tour, with free admission, will take place Saturday & Sunday, November 14-15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Download the brochure and studio-location map at sbmesaartists.com.