MULCH- Art Inspired By Spring
Living Wall by Francis Dawson
On March 15, from 5:00-7:00 pm MULCH opens at the AFS Gallery. MULCH features the work of artists Scott Chatenever, Jaime Coxon, Francis Dawson, Barbara McIntyre, Judy Nilsen, Mary Price, Ron Robertson, Pali X Mano, and Pamela Zwehl-Burke.
MULCH is a multi media art exhibition featuring painting, ceramics, woodworking, horticulture, printmaking and assemblage. Mary Price, curator of the exhibition says that MULCH is “inspired by early spring, the scent of newly turned soil, the decay of organic and man-made materials, new growth and rebirth.”
Francis Dawson will be exhibiting his living art pieces in the show. These mandalas or living walls are made with succulents and other plant materials. Dawson says, “When I do this work, I’m not only creating, I’m co-creating with the Earth.”
Francis Dawson’s work is featured in MULCH at the AFS Gallery.
Dawson is a landscape designer and artist whose work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and more recently Santa Barbara Magazine’s Best of 2013 issue. Dawson is also the creator of the plant-based sculpture installation “Stochastic Probability” at the Jardin de las Granadas exhibition space in downtown Santa Barbara. Dawson is creating new pieces for MULCH. “Right now I’ve been working with the plants, making cuttings and propagating a lot. So, my work at the AFS Gallery will be about propagation and regeneration. It’s a perfect time for this show.”
MULCH is the second art exhibition of the year at the AFS Gallery which continues to bring the Santa Barbara community a wide array of art shows and exhibitions highlighting local artists and diverse art forms. The AFS Gallery is a program of Explore Ecology. Explore Ecology’s education and art programs combine environmental awareness and artistic creativity to create a connection between people and their environment.
Save the date! MULCH opens on Friday, March 15 from 5:00-7:00 pm and hangs in the AFS Gallery through April 13, 2013.
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson