Special show shines spotlight on California as a biodiversity hotspot using the powerful art of Patti Jacquemain to illustrate the state’s wide range of species and ecosystems
The California Nature Art Museum (formerly the Wildling Museum) is thrilled to announce a very special celebration in honor of its 25th Anniversary, taking place on Friday, Sept. 19, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. This milestone event also marks the opening of a powerful new exhibition, “Wild in California,” featuring the work of Santa Barbara artist and museum founder Patti Jacquemain.
The exhibition shines a spotlight on Jacquemain’s mosaics and block prints, which beautifully depict the extraordinary diversity of California’s native wildlife — from mountain lions and condors to foxes and frogs. Known for its unique range of species and ecosystems, California is considered a global biodiversity hotspot, and this exhibition invites viewers to pause and reflect on the natural treasures that surround us. “Wild in California” will be on view from September 20, 2025 through February 22, 2026.
Since it first opened its doors in 2000, The then Wildling Museum has served the local community and tourists from all over the world, sharing the natural beauty found throughout California and beyond by a vast array of artists and their creative visions. Originally founded by Jacquemain, the museum has grown and changed over the years, moving from Los Olivos to Solvang in 2013. Yet one thing remains consistent: its mission. California Nature Art Museum (www.calnatureartmuseum.org) helps the general public understand complex issues of conservation and environmental science through art, by focusing on the amazing beauty and diversity of The Golden State. Using art to connect people to nature is an impactful way to touch hearts and minds. Never has nature been more challenged than it is right now, so expanding the museum’s reach is paramount towards building a sustainable future for us all.
This show includes both woodcut prints and mosaics of all sizes, showcasing the many bioregions and species that contribute to California’s rich biodiversity. When an ecosystem includes many plants and animals, as well as many different species, that space is described as having “high biodiversity.” Worldwide, there are just 36 regions officially designated as terrestrial “biodiversity hotspots.” The California Floristic Province was named a biodiversity hotspot in the 1990s and includes Santa Barbara County. The California Floristic Province stretches along North America’s Pacific Coast and parts of Mexico and supports a number of critically endangered species such as the California condor and red-legged frog. To be named a biodiversity hotspot, an area must contain many species and plant life that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. While the Golden State is famed for its high biodiversity, many ecosystems and species are under threat of habitat destruction due to demand for development and agriculture in California. The museum’s mission is to inspire stewardship of nature through art and education, and Jacquemain’s art provides a way to educate and connect visitors to California’s wild side.
Jacquemain is a prolific artist and passionate conservationist whose creative practice spans over five decades. Trained in printmaking at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Patti developed a distinctive visual language rooted in bold composition and deep reverence for the natural world. Her linoleum block prints and hand-cut mosaics often feature wild animals and native plants, blending fine art with environmental storytelling. In addition to founding the museum in 2000, she also established Mission Creek Studios in Santa Barbara, where she created much of her work and mentored fellow artists as well as the nonprofit Creekspirit Foundation.
Guests are invited to celebrate the museum’s history and mission to inspire stewardship of nature through art and education. The evening will include catered appetizers, the wines of Dierberg and Star Lane wineries, remarks honoring Jacquemain’s legacy, proclamations on the museum’s 25th anniversary by various dignitaries, and an exclusive first look at “Wild in California.” Tickets are $25 per person, and can be purchased by visiting: calnatureartmuseum.org/news/25th-anniversary-members-celebration. Advance registration is recommended as space is limited. Tickets include one free entry into a drawing for a museum gift basket.
“The museum’s 25th anniversary is the perfect moment to revisit the work and vision of Patti Jacquemain,” said CNAM Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate. “Her deep love of California’s wild creatures is evident in every piece, and this exhibition is both a tribute to her and a reminder of the beauty and fragility of our natural world here in the Golden State.”
For more information about the California Nature Art Museum, please visit www.calnatureartmuseum.org.
