Fossemalle Dance Studio welcomes Hannah McNany as a new ballet teacher to their staff of dance teachers and choreographers. McNany has been dancing since she was 3 years old, ultimately receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance and completing a four-year satellite program with the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England.

Additionally, McNany’s ballet background includes training with the Santa Clarita Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, Ballet Met, performing with Peter & Co., and Quicksilver Dance, along with many others. She is also a SAG/AFTRA member and has appeared in many commercials, movies, and TV series.

McNany initially reached out to Christine Fossemalle, the owner of Fossemalle Dance Studio, about taking an adult ballet class. She took her class, and Fossemalle immediately recognized McNany’s technique and skills and ultimately asked if she would be interested in teaching ballet at her studio.

“With my 40-plus years of experience observing dancers along with my extensive training, I could tell
that Miss Hannah’s technique and skills were there from the very first barre exercises; then moving to
the center, as we say in ballet terminology, her knowledge and artistry continued to please and
encourage my thoughts towards having her watch my classes first and then come and teach for me,”
said Fossemalle. “That was our evolution, and the outcome was positive, and I am delighted
she is joining our team of dedicated teachers.”

Dance has been a part of McNany’s DNA from childhood.

“I started dance lessons at the age of 3 in Alabama, where I was born,” said McNany. “Both my parents are from the United Kingdom and immigrated to the United States in 1981. My dad is a rocket scientist and was the head of propulsion for JPL, which is what brought us to California when I was 7 years old. My mother is retired from Cunard Cruise Lines, so as a youth I was able to do a lot of traveling.”

After arriving in California, McNany continued her dance by taking classes at the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy and studied there through her grade school and high school years.

“I knew I wanted to get a degree, so I attended San Jose State and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance,” she said. “In my last year of college, one of my professors, Gary Masters, offered me a place in the Limón technique-based dance company, San Jose Dance Company. I stayed with them for quite a few years, then moved to San Francisco and started freelancing as a dancer.”

McNany toured with a number of different companies in San Francisco while continuing to teach ballet.

“I wanted to become a teacher in classical ballet teaching studies, so I enrolled in the Royal Academy of
Dance (R.A.D.) in London, England, and completed their four-year satellite program,” she said.

In the meantime, she continued teaching, got married to her husband, Colin, who was a winemaker in the Santa Cruz Mountains, moved to Manhattan Beach, and had two children.

“Since my husband was originally from Southern California, we used to visit his cousin in the Santa Ynez
Valley for family celebrations, and we fell in love with the region,” said McNany. “In 2019, we started our own wine brand, Marbeso, in Buellton. After years of commuting, we decided to move the family to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2023.”

She said they found the perfect house, built in 1883, in Los Alamos. The building originally sat on the Alisal and was moved to Los Alamos, the home being the second oldest in the town.

“Now that my son is almost school age, I was ready to get back to teaching ballet, and I look forward to
working with Christine in the fall,” McNany said. “I will be teaching six classes of various ages, groups, and levels.”

Fossemalle said McNany will be teaching some of her longtime students at the studio.

“For ballet, it is important and beneficial to have another set of eyes that compliments and broadens the training, both technically and artistically,” said Fossemalle. “Miss Hannah will bring our students her ballet expertise, her extended experience as a teacher and performer, and her desire to share her knowledge with the next generation.”

“I am very happy to share my students, both newcomers and current, with Miss Hannah, as she seems as passionate as I am about dance. Hannah will provide and ensure excellence in the field of ballet for newcomers as well as experienced dancers.”

McNany is equally pleased to be instructing at the studio.

“I am very much looking forward to teaching at the Fossemalle Dance Studio and passing along my
passion and knowledge of ballet with the students of the Valley,” she said.

Classes start on Sept. 2. They encourage early fall registration as their enrollment is limited to 10 to 12 students per class to provide the best possible attention to detail required for the Art of Dance.

Fossemalle Dance Studio is at 3595 Numancia St., Santa Ynez. For more information, call (805) 688-8494 or visit www.fossemalledancestudio.com

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Susan Farber, the owner of Sol Aromatics, is a natural perfumer and certified aroma therapist as well as a licensed marriage family therapist.

She has been making natural perfumes with ingredients and distillers sourced from all over the world, along with materials she grows in her own aromatic garden. She has been teaching workshops since 2016, but she has been making perfumes since she was 8 years old.

“My mother gave me a perfume kit, and as an only child, I played with it for hours,” she said. “That’s when I got really obsessed with the smell of violets.”

Among the variety of flowers and herbs she grows in her garden at home, she says that her favorite scent is still violets.

“I’ve always been a creative person and was always encouraged by my parents,” she said. “My father was a professional studio singer and my mother owned a plant store and had a green thumb.”

Farber’s studio is filled with an amazing number of bottled scents sitting on shelves, in closets, and in other areas around her home.

“I do my own extractions, bottle them, and use them in my natural perfume workshops,” said Farber, displaying her collection.

She says her passion blossomed when she moved to the Valley 11 years ago. She attended an event at the former C Gallery in Los Alamos to have a custom perfume made by perfumer Sarah Horowitz. She fell in love with the process and asked Horowitz where she could learn how to make perfume.

“Her studio was in Thousand Oaks, which I attended, and I asked her where I could learn how to make natural perfumes, not synthetic, and she recommended Mandy Aftel, who interestingly enough was a psychotherapist as well,” she said. “I went to her workshops in Berkeley and started teaching a modification of her workshop, which has evolved over the years. During the pandemic, I studied over the internet under an Israeli perfumer, Ayala Moriel. I studied with her for three years, with people from all over the world. In her workshops, I learned about tincturing, old-world perfume practices, and fragrance families. I learned how to make perfumes of different fragrance families. She also taught me how to create a natural version match of a famous perfume. This is one way perfumers learn to improve and develop their skills.”

She soon became passionate about obtaining essences from distillers from all over the world and also finding new materials to tincture.

“I also make natural incense,” Farber said. “I made one called ‘Open Your Heart’ after a breakup to open my heart again. I use incense and essences to create a positive mind and healing space in my psychotherapy practice.”

Farber is now passing her expertise to others.

“I’ve been doing workshops since 2016,” she said. “The experience of making your own perfume is designed to awaken your sensorial creativity and to stir olfactory memory. Our sense of smell is deeply connected to emotion and memory, making scent a powerful way to honor meaningful bonds. You work with a curated palette of natural essences to craft a personalized perfume — one that reflects your memories, inspirations, and connections.”

Describing a fulfilling experience she had in one of her workshops, Farber related a Mother’s Day story.

“In one of my previous Mother’s Day workshops, I had three generations of women from one family attend,” she said. “They co-created a single perfume together, not three individual scents. It was a moment when all three generations came together as a unit and created something that each of them loved and shared. That is such a powerful experience as a psychotherapist.”

Farber has workshops at different locations around the Santa Ynez Valley.

“I’ve held yearly workshops at the California Nature Museum since 2017. At one of these workshops, which was in conjunction with a Yosemite photographic exhibition, I incorporated conifer oils and found a distiller of Yosemite pine needles and incorporated his oils into the workshop. It brought to life the entire experience,” she said. “I’ve also given workshops at the Windmill Nursery, and I held a Mother’s Day workshop at the Strange Family Tasting Room in Los Olivos. I will be holding a workshop at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm on Saturday, June 21.

“I take special care sourcing high-end oils and I evaluate them. I source exquisite oils to provide the best aromatic experience for attendees. Please don’t wear perfume to the workshops. At these hour-long workshops, the attendees will receive an informative booklet about perfume making, your personal perfume recipe, and a vial of your perfume to take home.”

Last December, Farber opened an e-commerce store to sell her perfume and incenses and for private perfume-making experiences such as birthdays, bridal showers, and bachelorette parties, to name a few. 

“At the heart of Sol Aromatics is an appreciation for the sense of smell and its ability to evoke memory, stir emotion, and foster positive states of being,” she said.

For more information on her upcoming workshop at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm on June 21, or for more information, call (805) 886-5538, email SolAromatics@gmail.com or visit SolAromatics.com

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Interior designer and artist Patti Baldiviez had the idea of bringing a group of fellow artists together with the purpose of setting aside a creative space in which they would make time for their art and encourage each other to improve their skills and share techniques and ideas in a very collaborative setting. 

“Our group was formed almost two years ago out of a need to support other artists’ practices here in the Santa Ynez Valley,” said Baldiviez. “We came together really quickly with this strong intention in mind. I mentioned it to a couple of acquaintances that I knew were artists to see if there was an interest in forming a group, and each of them jumped at the idea. The accountability and support of a group can really create an inspirational and productive environment in which to thrive.”

The group meets on Monday mornings for three hours. They are Baldiviez, Linda Small, Christine DiPego, Susan Buchanan, and Karen Young. They come from different backgrounds and get together to honor their art practice. Each of them brings a different artistic background and style. 

“As in art, there is no uniformity to our individual styles. We can all say we have been artists all of our lives,” said Baldiviez. “Each of us participating in our art group has had a life-long passion of including art in everyday life. One of our members said it best, ‘There was no back up plan for my life. It was art or it was nothing.'”

The group’s meeting is definitely a collaborative effort.

“Each time we meet, we bring what we want to work on that day. Generally, we work on watercolor, small acrylic paintings, and all forms of mixed media. We specifically bring anything that is easy to transport and somewhat quick to dry, so it can be transported back home at the end of our art session,” said Baldiviez. “We discuss ideas and offer each other input, share art books and techniques. We have also worked on collaborative pieces, where one of us starts a piece, usually on watercolor paper, and each week another one of us takes it home to add to it. We pass it along until each one of us has added our unique artistic input, in our own style, using whatever medium we choose, and then we have a completed art piece.

“For our summer project, we have started gathering things that would be conducive to making our own brushes as a group endeavor. This type of brush is considered a mark-making brush, and the beauty of the brush comes from driftwood collected at our Central Coast beaches.  We then create a brush tip that can be used to create different effects in our art.”

Finding a space to meet every week has been difficult, but that has not deterred them.

“It has been difficult to find a space to meet every week, so we have been careful to keep our group small for this reason,” Baldiviez said. “Initially we met at the Mission for a couple of sessions, but unpredictable weather and wind made that hard to continue outdoors. Next we moved to one member’s home, who had a beautiful working space on an open veranda, but that became a lot for one member to be the weekly host in her home. For the last year, we have found another local meeting place that has worked out beautifully, for now. Unfortunately, the space would not be sufficient if the group were to expand, but we would welcome more artists if we had a larger space.”

Several members of the group are currently showcasing their art at CrossHatch Winery in Santa Ynez.

“Michelle Vautier, the owner, has been gracious enough to plan two artist receptions for us since the start of the gallery show,” Baldiviez said. “Bringing art and wine together has created an experience for local visitors who come to her relaxing venue in the heart of Santa Ynez. There are three of us from our group displaying works there that include mixed media, oil painting, and photography.

“In addition, two artists from Santa Barbara are currently showing mixed media and acrylic works on canvas. Michelle has been so supportive of local artists and has said that art is one of the foundations of Crosshatch, as evident in her wine labels. I encourage people to get in to enjoy this eclectic art show soon, as it will be changing again sometime early summer.”

Baldiviez said the members of the group enjoy creating something with peers.

“Being a part of an art group is a valuable experience, especially if one is serious about sharing their passion for art making,” Baldiviez said. “In a group setting, that passion can be manifested and supported in so many ways. Getting our pieces out into the community is a very vulnerable experience, but as we encourage each other, we are able to make the experience a positive one, and our art gets out into our community and beyond.”

CrossHatch Winery is at 1090 Edison St. #104, Santa Ynez.

For more information, email Pbidsales@gmail.com

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The weather was cool and cloudy and threatened rain, but that did not deter the over 1,200 people who attended the 9th annual Touch a Truck fundraiser at Bethania Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 3. Throngs of excited children explored all the different vehicles that were on display in the three parking lots behind the church. It was a day of family fun and exploration.

On display were earthmovers, a garbage truck that seemed to be a favorite, vehicles from the fire department, the SWAT team, the police department, emergency and rescue vehicles, construction, safety, and farming equipment, a PG&E truck, the Solvang Trolley, Dennis Beebe’s 1942 Ford-built Jeep, and colorfully decorated food trucks, to name a few.

Children excitedly climbed into the driver’s seat, anxious to explore the inside of vehicle after vehicle under the guidance of friendly professionals who spent time explaining to the children the different gadgets. Periodically horns honked, sirens screamed, buttons were pushed, and loudspeakers on police vehicles conveyed the voices of delighted children. Families with sensitive ears could attend during the designated “No Horn” hour from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The family-friendly event also featured a range of entertainment, including face painting, custom helmet fittings, raffle prizes, and concession stands.

“One of my favorite events we do in the year is the Touch a Truck event. It brings people of all ages in the community together for such a fun time,” said Pastor Chris Brown. “It was one of our preschool parents who brought the idea of this event to us, and I thought it would be a great fundraiser. My hope this year is to raise $20,000. All of our sponsors are community members, and all of our trucks are community businesses. It’s a great representation of the community coming together. We would like to thank all of our sponsors, participants, and community members who came out to support our school.”

“We are very excited to open our doors to the community with our annual Touch a Truck event,” said Lola Gonzalez, one of the 100 volunteers who helped with the event. “We are also happy that we’ve had over 1,000 people attend the event. We had more vehicles this year for the kids to enjoy, and we have wonderful raffle prizes. Each preschool classroom comes up with a themed basket to be raffled off, and they are beautiful.”

“It was a big team effort from parents and our wonderful staff,” said Cat Uhl, chairperson for the event. “Our community family helped, sponsoring businesses and vehicle participation. We had more and different trucks this year, thanks to Valley networking. I am looking forward to another successful year. It’s fun to see the kids’ excitement. I was on the committee for four years, and this is the first time being the chairperson for the event.”

“It is amazing to see even 1-year-old children so enthralled in touching these enormous vehicles, pushing all the buttons, and climbing all over these giant machines. Even at that age, big trucks are magic to their imagination. It was wonderful to see the joy in the children’s faces,” said Jennifer Bennett.

All of the proceeds benefit Bethania Preschool and After School programs.

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Once again, the Stomp-ing Out Hunger Project was successfully completed on Saturday, April 12, with more than 200 kindhearted people gathering to set up and assemble a record 145,000 meals bound for Uganda and Ecuador. 

For the fifth year, Teri Harmon once again partnered with “Kids Around the World,” a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, to participate in “OneMeal,” which empowers groups to be a part of the solution of child malnutrition. Her event, called“STOMP-ing Out Hunger,” gathers together local volunteers to assemble food packets that are sent to children living in impoverished villages in Uganda and Equador. This food is distributed in different care points, such as orphanages, schools, homes, churches, and community feeding centers within each country.

People from all over the Santa Ynez Valley and beyond came to help, along with teams of people from Montecito Bank & Trust, Solvang Rotary, Dr. Morelli’s DDS office, Valley Christian Fellowship, Bank of California, Bible study groups, PEO Sisterhood, Presbyterian Church, Bilancia Pilates, and others. The biggest representation of support came from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with its 50+ members and 10 missionaries who helped to carry the heavy boxes of food packets and restock the bins as the stompers needed. Mary Jones and her team helped behind the scenes, and members of the Santa Ynez High School tennis team helped to set up the event the day before.

“This was no easy task given the number and weight of supplies that needed to be set out,” said Teri Harmon.

Teri and John Harmon’s family and friends from San Diego attended for the fifth year and were instrumental in running the whole project that was held at the Presbyterian Church’s Family Center in Ballard, with everyone wore matching T-shirts.

“Overall, it was a very large team effort to benefit children in need of food and nutrition,” said Harmon. “The organization Kids Around the World is the NGO that administers the food program and gets the assembled food packets to their intended destination once the boxes are packed. Each assembled bag contains six meals, and 36 bags are then packed into one box (216 meals per box) that can feed a child for an entire school year. This year, over 670 boxes were packed by the volunteers, thereby setting another event record for the number of meals packed (145,000+) in 4 hours,” Harmon explained.

Harmon has had previous experience with serving the children the food packets in Swaziland, Uganda and Ecuador and has seen firsthand how important these meals are to those that qualify and need to receive them.

Harmon said that the team that packed the most this year, and in previous years, was led by Athena McCandlish. Her team was Tanner McCandlish, Russell McCandlish, Karina Miller, Shiva Miller, Levi Miller, Scott Miller, and Harmony Miller.

“Athena’s team was the first to start packing and last to leave,” Harmon said. “Solvang Rotary members organized by Walt and Kay Alves also stayed to the end, limping out with big smiles, knowing they had just completed something special.”

“Thank you stompers. Once again, you made a big contribution and difference in the lives of many children in need,” she said in conclusion.

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A multi-sensory community gathering called “Seduction of the Senses” was held from 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 8, at the Strange Family Tasting Room in Los Olivos.

This unique event showcased the collaborative efforts of three local professions: Chef Brittany Rice, artist Michelle Feldman, and apothecary Cassaundra Einolander. The evening was designed to captivate and delight all of the senses. Set within the aesthetically captivating Strange Family Tasting Room, guests enjoyed an evening exploring a multitude of senses. Along with wine tasting and mocktail delights, still-life paintings of Feldman were on exhibit, and small bites by Rice, of Rustik Farm Co., enhanced the taste dimension accompanied by four of the Strange Family’s finest wines. Additionally, Einolander, of Goat Barn Apothecary, presented a selection of herbal remedies and body care.

“I initiated this collaboration, envisioning a holistic sensory experience in an inviting environment for everyone to enjoy,” said Feldman. “This evening promises to be an enchanting journey through taste, smell, feel, and sight.”

Feldman describes what inspired her to form this collaboration.

“When I first entered the Strange Family Tasting Room, I was immediately struck by how closely its atmosphere resonated with my still-life artwork. The jewel tones and classic ambiance perfectly complemented my still-life style. I was so inspired by the space that I created still-life oil paintings of objects in the tasting room that will be displayed the evening of the event,” said Feldman. 

“The tasting room permanently features a diverse range of art in a salon-style display, aligning well with my genre,” she continued. “I was thrilled when they agreed to showcase my work and saw an opportunity to curate a larger event that would involve our greater artistic community. From the outset, the tasting room manager, Nicole Nalius, emphasized the importance of the space as a community gathering place. This inspired me to collaborate with other vendors to enhance the sensory experience.”

Feldman said the different senses blend together perfectly in her event.

“I believe viewing art as well as tasting wine are profound sensory experiences, essential for human exploration,” she said. “When you compliment those with additional experiences, they only heighten each other.”

Feldman also praised her partners in this undertaking.

“Bringing in chef Brittany Rice to do the food was an easy fit. Her expertise as the winemaker at Sunstone gives her the unique qualification to create a special food-wine pairing,” she said. “I was also looking to bring in a vendor that explores body care and touch and I was thrilled Cassaundra Einolander from Goat Barn Apothecary, could join. Cassaundra is also a chef and an artist, and she understands the importance of well-being and quality products. Her locally grown and handcrafted herbal wellness products are carefully formulated for an enhanced lifestyle. 

“Everything for this event fell easily into place. The community is encouraged to gather during our event. There is no pressure to purchase anything. My hope is that it brings the sensation of joy and good feelings to everyone in attendance.” 

Feldman is an accomplished artist who studied the fundamentals of oil painting through the lens of classical realism, focusing on still life, while cultivating a unique style that showcases her passion for paper, text, and the interplay of light and shadow. She views art as an immersive experience that engages the senses, evoking sight, memory, and emotion. 

Rice combines culinary mastery with a deep understanding of agriculture wellness, creating a sensory experience that delights the palate.

Goat Barn Apothecary is located on a small family homestead atop Figueroa Mountain. All of its herbs are either organically grown in its garden or sustainably wild-harvested from the family land, carefully hand-processed in small batches to create nourishing wellness products.

The Strange Family Tasting Room features botanical décor and a warm vibe, creating an inviting atmosphere that encourages relaxation, conversation, and enjoyment. 

This event was free to attend, with a limited number of food and wine pairings, that could be purchased in advance by contacting the tasting room at (805) 315-3662.

For more details, visit Michelle Juliet Feldman at www.michellejuliet.com, on Instagram, and Facebook;  Rustik Chef  at www.rustikchef.com, on Instagram and Facebook; Cassaundra Einolander on Instagram @goat_barn_apothecary; and Strange Family Vineyards at www.strangefamilyvineyards.com

For more information, visit michelle@thegivingink.com or email hello@thegivingink.com 

The Strange Family Tasting Room is at 2933 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

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Several years ago, the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce put a call out to artists in the Valley to paint a series of wooden horses that would be displayed throughout Santa Ynez. The call was answered, and many local artists painted large wooden horses, which can be seen at various locations throughout the township. 

One of the artists was Maryvonne LaParliere, who specializes in decorative painting, intricate hand-painted furnishings and décor, murals, trompe l’oeil, and fine and decorative art. She painted a colorful scene of the surrounding environs. It was displayed on the corner of Edison Street and Highway 246. Then in August 2023, it was stolen. This was the second piece of art she’d had stolen, the first being a mural she’d painted for Santa Barbara.

“I reported the theft to the police and put the information on all manner of social media, but it was never located, nor was the thief,” said LaParliere. “By October I had heard nothing back, so I sent a letter to Linda Small, the executive director of the Chamber, as well as to every board member to express my disappointment, as I was still upset about the matter. Heather Bedford, the owner of Inkings, sent me a nice letter offering her horse to me. She had requested a horse to paint herself but had never gotten around to it, so she offered it to me to paint in compensation.” 

LaParliere painted it over the course of a year, here and there, whenever she had time, using high-end professional acrylic paint with three coats of primer and two coats of varnish to protect it from the elements.

In March, she received a call from Small asking how the project was coming along. Although LaParliere had just finished the piece, she was hesitant to donate it again. She wanted to make sure that it would be on display in a safe place.

“I wrote to Krissy Castillo, director of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum and Parks-Janeway Carriage House, my thought being to donate it to the museum, but she was on leave,” LaParliere said. “In March, she emailed me about the unveiling of my new horse on their patio, behind the wrought iron gate.”

An unveiling of the newly painted and donated “town horse” was held at the annual meeting of the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce on March 20 at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum. The horse now resides outside the Carriage House in the patio section of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum so passersby can see it in all its glory,and remain safe. Many of LaParliere’s art pieces are also in the homes of well-known celebrities.

“I was so happy to donate the horse, which I call ‘Lucky One,’ to the Museum and Carriage House,” said LaParliere.“Horse and Carriage, it’s perfect and protected.”

The Chamber was also happy to have another piece of art in the museum.

“The Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce is so pleased that we’ve been able to facilitate this donation of Maryvonne LaParliere’s beautiful pony ‘Lucky One’ to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum.  It seems fitting to have had the pony unveiling at our Chamber’s Annual Meeting of Members,” said Small.

LaParliere is presently working on recreating one of Hans Christian Andersen’s papirklip pieces on a pillar upstairs in the newly reopened Hans Christian Andersen Museum.

For more information, visit laparliere.com, mv@laparliere.com or call (434) 962-3407.

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The Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum on March 20. Linda Small, the executive director of the Chamber, presented a slideshow that reviewed what the Chamber accomplished in 2024 and some of the highlights of future events in 2025.

Emphasized at the meeting was the unveiling of a horse that was painted by local artist Maryvonne LaParliere and donated to the Santa Ynez Historical Museum and Carriage House.

Artistically painted wooden horses graze around Santa Ynez thanks to the work and collaboration between the Santa Ynez Chamber and community artists, a project that was conceived by the Chamber several years ago and which has been well-received by merchants and visitors alike. 

The horse that LaParliere had originally painted was stolen from the corner of Edison and Hwy. 246 in 2023. The new horse now resides outside the Carriage House in the patio section of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum.

Other subjects covered in the slideshow were sponsored business workshops that took place throughout the year that are of interest to Chamber members and community issues affecting the Santa Ynez Valley. The Chamber purchased four trash receptacles that were much needed in the Santa Ynez township; the Chamber brought on 20 new members in 2024; the Chamber held four social mixers where Chamber members networked and showcased their businesses. Regarding marketing efforts, the Chamber placed ads promoting the Santa Ynez township in a variety of popular traveler and destination guides and created a full-color brochure with a map to promote Santa Ynez and its Chamber members. Brochures are placed in hotels and high-traffic locations; the Chamber produced a 2025 calendar highlighting historical town photos and participating Chamber members; the Chamber held a traditional Christmas tree lighting for the local community in early December and promotes special holiday activities throughout the season.

“The main efforts of the Chamber are to promote the township in order to increase town recognition and to build economic vitality,” said Small. “The Chamber is trying to get visitors and Valley locals alike to drive a little farther beyond Solvang to experience and discover all that Santa Ynez has to offer: excellent restaurants, unique retail shops, including high-quality Western clothing and jewelry, wine tasting rooms, and more.”

Emphasized during the meeting was the Chamber’s 2025 Old Santa Ynez Days, its largest event of the year, to be held Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22. The Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Old Santa Ynez Day Rodeo committee, has planned a fun-filled community event for Saturday, June 21, featuring vendors, kid activities, live music, a beer garden, food trucks, and more. The Santa Ynez Rodeo will be held both Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22. 

For more information and tickets to the rodeo, visit www.syvrodeo.com. The Old Santa Ynez Days Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) qualifying rodeo.

For more information, visit https://santaynezchamber.org.

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A native of Asheville, North Carolina, artist Mary Kay West has been on a journey of discovery since she was born. Accomplished as an artist, adept as a practicing yogi, learned as a psychologist, and elegant in style and carriage, West has a knowledge of self that emits an aura of beauty and peace from within and without.

She discovered her innate talent as an artist in 2003 when she was admitted to the Fine Arts League of Asheville with master artists Benjamin Long III and John Mac Kah. She completed studies in classical drawing and painting in 2007 and moved to the Santa Ynez Valley to paint full-time. West specializes in sharp-focus still life, birds, and, more recently, trompe l’oeil. Her work has been described as timeless, vibrant, and masterful, earning her the designation of Associate Living Master by the Art Renewal Center. She currently lives and works in Guadalupe and teaches painting classes in Los Alamos and Santa Barbara.

 “I sold my first painting at 12,” said West. “A neighbor commissioned me to do a portrait of her dog. My mother was a well-known artist in the area, so I used to accompany her to her art shows. She was a watercolorist, but she taught me the basics of color and drawing. My father built me an arts and crafts station in my home, and both my parents encouraged creativity.

“My father also encouraged critical thinking and to develop an inquiring mind. He didn’t teach me things, he taught me how to learn, and there’s a critical difference. I had an ideal childhood, but adolescence kicked in, and I left home at the tender age of 16. I was in love and pregnant, and in North Carolina at that time, that would have disgraced my parents.”

West decided to flee for freedom, and the free spirit in her would not be curtailed, even though the police were looking for the runaways.

“My boyfriend and I drove from North Carolina straight through to Santa Barbara in his little Austin Healey, with the police looking for us. We rented an apartment, got married, and my daughter was born. We remained there for about a year, telling no one where we were,” she said. “That is my one regret. At the time I didn’t realize the pain it would cause my parents. But I was a free spirit and needed to venture out on my own.”

Realizing it was time to go home after reconnecting with her parents, the couple returned to North Carolina where West attended college.

“I attended the University of North Carolina and the University of Tennessee and received a degree in clinical psychology,” she explained. “I worked for the state as a clinical psychologist for 14 years, all the while wanting nothing more than to be able to express myself creatively.” 

“On an existential level, I have always questioned the reason for being, what is the purpose of life, and I knew that being a psychologist wasn’t it,” she said emphatically. “As we mature, we hopefully realize the difference between living an authentic life or putting on an act. That’s what we are taught as kids — to do what we should do versus following our own inner drive.”

West decided to take up yoga because her job was not fulfilling,

“I started doing yoga as a clinical psychologist because I was so depressed,” she admitted. “What I discovered was that Western psychology was missing the boat. Western psychology focuses on dysfunctional behavior, while the higher yogic practice addresses the root of the problem, which is identification with the ego — our ego is the source of all our suffering. So, I quit psychology and started teaching yoga full-time and creating wearable art, which was sold at Macy’s. I then divorced my husband after a 14-year marriage. A year and a half later I remarried.

“A few years later I learned that master artist Benjamin Long III moved to Asheville from Italy. He started an atelierand I studied with him for four years. My second husband and I divorced after a 15-year marriage, and I subsequently moved back to Santa Barbara to be closer to my daughter, Lia. She had grown up in North Carolina but went to college at the University of California Santa Barbra. She has her doctorate in political science.” 

West continued to focus on her art, painting daily, teaching yoga, and eventually began teaching painting. 

“I continued to do my art, and by then I was displaying my work in Portico Gallery, and at Classic Art Gallery in Carmel,” she said. “I also continued to teach yoga, having done so for 40 years. I stopped teaching classes about eight years ago and have been focusing on my art ever since, although I still practice yoga on a personal basis. I have been teaching art for the past 18 years, once a week in Los Alamos, to carry on the classical realist tradition.”

West has recently been designated as a signature member of the California Art Club, a significant accomplishment.

“I am honored to represent the premier organization for artists in California,” she said. “Now my art can be seen at American Legacy Fine Arts in Pasadena.”

West’s art can also be viewed at Classic Art Gallery in Carmel, and Portico Gallery in Santa Barbara, as well as the permanent collection at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin.

Recently, her students from Central Coast Art League (CCAL), West’s atelier, held an exhibit at Café Joy at PARc PLACE in Solvang. The opening was extremely well attended and featured the art of some of her students: Nicole Burnett, Diane Connors, Michelle Feldman, Sally Jones, Pamela Macall, Karen Tuttle, and Rachelle Witt. West’s art was also on display. This impressive group of women meets once a week in Los Alamos under the guidance of West. The exhibit will remain at Café Joy until the end of June.

For more information, visit marykaywest.artspan.com or email mrykywest@yahoo.com

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Tom B. Burgher, the CEO of SLOPOKE Events, recently announced Derek Harrison as the featured artist and awards jurist for the 15th Anniversary SLOPOKE Art of the West Exhibition and Sale, which will be held Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 at the Octagon Barn Event Center in San Luis Obispo.

“We are pleased to announce that Derek Harrison is our Featured Artist and Awards Jurist for SLOPOKE 2025,” said Burgher. “He joins an august group of professional artists serving as awards jurist and featured artists. He is a full-time realist painter residing and working in Santa Barbara, a juried member of the California Art Club, and he was featured by Southwest Magazine as one of the 21 artists under 31 collectors should watch.” 

After studying at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, Harrison continued learning at workshops, seminars, and mentoring with well-known Western artists Jeremy Lipking and Morgan Weistling, as well as popular figurative painter Sean Cheetham. 

“Derek’s work focuses on the human form in western landscape settings with a nod to 19th-century painting but with a 21st-century flare,” Burgher explained. “He has received significant recognition as a young artist in print, film, and social media. Typically creating 10 major works a year, he has shown in numerous art fairs and gallery exhibitions worldwide, has had his work featured in several magazines and books and has won awards for his portrait and figurative pieces. An adjunct professor at Westmont College, he also teaches at the Los Angeles Academy of Fine Arts, the Scottsdale Artists School, and his own workshops in southern California.”

Harrison is eager to be a part of the event.

“I’ve always heard wonderful things about SLOPOKE,” he said. “It is my honor to be the featured artist and awards jurist of this year’s SLOPOKE. I love San Luis Obispo and many of my recent pieces were done from that wonderful location.”

SLOPOKE 2025 is set for the weekend of Nov. 1-2 with the Opening Reception for ticket holders from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at the Octagon Barn Event Center in San Luis Obispo. It is the event’s first year in SLO after spending the previous eight years being held at Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Eventbrite.

The Octagon Barn Event Center is at 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo.

For more information, call 805-569-1235 or visit www.the-slopoke.com and Facebook/Instagram @slopokewesternartshow. 

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