There’s a new resident in Solvang, at the corner of Mission Drive (also Highway 246) and 5th Street. She’s rather large and scary looking, but very quiet. She’s in rather cramped quarters, but she’d better get used to it — she’s going to be there at least 10 years.

Her name’s Lulu Hyggelig, and she lives inside the Michele Kuelbs Tower Gallery at the California Nature and Art Museum. She’s the latest wooden trolls created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who at the end of 2024 had created 154 trolls around the world, all made from recycled materials.

Solvang’s new troll is special in a couple of ways: One, she’s the first permanent one to be located in California and,two, she’s the first one to be built completely indoors.

“I remember when we starting talking to him about building one of his trolls here to Solvang,” said Stacy Otte-Demangate, executive director of the CNAM. “He had done all of this works outdoors, but when he saw our circular room, he liked the challenge of getting one of his trolls to fit inside.”

Dambo likes to give each of his trolls a unique name and backstory, and with CNAM’s new resident, he was inspired by the many bakeries in town, he named her Lulu Hyggelig, and envisioned her as someone who scavenged for the local bakeries’ leftover breads and pastries and eat them back in “her” tower until she got too big to get out.

Dambo and his team arrived in Solvang on Jan. 20, and with the help of almost 50 volunteers during the museum’s temporary closure, Lulu was complete less than two weeks later. The museum reopened on Feb. 2 with Lulu on full display in the tower, portrayed as a whimsical creature trying to get comfortable in her cramped space. Also included on the room’s wall is the poem explaining Lulu’s story (which is also included on this page).

Otte-Demangate was thrilled with the result as museum patrons observed the sculpture and posed for photos in front of it. 

“I thought he did a wonderful job working the characteristics of the city, and especially the bakeries, into the character’s story,” she said. “He was able to get recycled wood from this area and even got some twigs and branches from local nurseries to make up her hair.”

Otte-Demangate said Lulu looks to be a permanent attraction at the museum, and confirms that “it will be here for 10 years at least”

People can observe Lulu and CNAM’s other exhibits during the museum’s regular hours: Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday).

To learn more about Dambo and see photos of all his trolls, as well as other projects, go to www.thomasdambo.com

Lulu Hyggelig By THOMAS DAMBO

THIS STORY HAS A HISTORY

THAT STARTS BEFORE THE PAST.

A TINY TROLL FROM FAR AWAY,

SHE SWAM THE OCEAN VAST.

SHE FOUND A COZY CITY AND

TOOK SHELTER IN A TOWER.

ON A STREET THAT SMELLED OF

DANISH PASTRIES, YEAST AND FLOUR.

AT NIGHT SHE SEARCHED THROUGH

ALL THE TRASH CANS PATIENTLY FOR 

PASTRY.

AND ATE THE CAKES THEY MADE TOO MUCH,

BEHIND THE LOCAL BAKERY.

THEN SLID BACK THROUGH THE TOWER DOOR,

BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS GONE.

AND SO SHE DID, DAY AFTER DAY,

A HUNDRED YEARS WENT ON.

BUT THEN ONE DAY, HER TUMMY RUMBLED LOUDER THAN A THUNDER.

SHE NO LONGER COULD SQUEEZE IT THROUGH THE DOOR TO FEED HER HUNGER.

TRAPPED INSIDE THE TOWER LULU LIVES A LIFE ALONE.

SO BRING A LITTLE CAKE, IF YOU 

INTEND TO SAVE YOUR OWN.

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John Iwerks has an insatiable artistic curiosity, a multifaceted artist with a love of natural landscapes. He is a graphic artist, geological illustrator, landscape painter, muralist, artist focused on geology, art teacher, stone sculptor, children’s book illustrator, chalk pavement artist, T-shirt graphic designer, and ceramic artist.

Additionally, he is a founding member of the Oak Group, a group of artists who, through their art, draw attention to the beauty of endangered landscapes and the need for their protection. He and his wife, artist Chris Chapman, were managers of the Arroyo Hondo Preserve, where they lived in an old adobe and painted the scenic views of the Gaviota Coast.

Iwerks was born and raised in Burbank, California, surrounded by art.

“I grew up in an artistic family,” said Iwerks. “My dad, Don, worked for Disney as the head of the machine and camera shop and was the recipient of an Academy Award for Lifetime Technical Achievement in the film industry. He created many of the filming innovations that were used by Disney Studio. My aunt Carlene painted, my uncle David was a portrait photographer, my sister Leslie is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, my brother Larry is a gifted landscape painter, and my grandfather, Ub Iwerks, created Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney in 1928.”

“We grew up around the Disney studio. You could use any bike that was available and cruise in the studio,” Iwerks recalled. “We’d sometimes go into the back areas where they were working on audio animatronics and watch them adjust the box that had knobs labeled ‘mouth,’ ‘shoulders,’ ‘eyeballs,’ etc. that animated the figures.”

Iwerks explained that as a kid he did cartoons and made stories out of them, “which was always fun.” He also said that in junior high he had a teacher who was very interested in what he was doing, making caricatures of the other students, and was encouraged to hang them on the wall.

After high school, he moved to Santa Barbara in 1973, where he met his mentor, landscape artist Ray Strong. Strong was a force in the California art world for 75 years, passing away in 2006. As an art educator, he taught hundreds of students over nearly six decades and helped establish several art schools, organizations, and art galleries.

“I was too late to sign up for City College but not too late for the Santa Barbara Art Institute. It was there that I met Ray Strong, who taught landscape painting,” Iwerks said. “I clicked with him. He was very supportive of young people. He would emphasize that you learn geology, so I started taking classes in geology at City College. We’d go on field trips to places like Death Valley and Cuyama and draw. I was out here in the sunshine in my shorts painting pictures for college credits!” 

Iwerks also painted in his free time.

“In the ’70s, my friends, my brother Larry, and I would take painting trips. We’d go to the desert and paint. We’d do a painting in the morning and another in the afternoon,” he said. “In some cases, we wouldn’t move for more than two miles before we camped again to paint some more. And we kept painting.”

In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Iwerks worked for two different animation companies in Santa Barbara: Big Blue Marble and Animated Cartoon Productions (ACP). 

“Ray Strong was the founder of Gallery 113, the first cooperative gallery in Santa Barbara,” he explained. “I started putting my paintings in there, then entered the Santa Barbara Art Association. Later I got into rock sculpture, carving them into shapes of animals.” 

In 1986, Strong and Arturo Tello germinated an idea to start a painting group of seven artists, which included John and Larry Iwerks. It was called the Oak Group.

“We decided that there were a lot of landscapes in Santa Barbara that were being developed, so we tried to fight artistically to preserve these areas,” said Iwerks. “The first Oak Group show was called ‘Endangered Landscapes.’ The first show was very successful. We gave 50 percent of the proceeds to environmental groups that were fighting overdevelopment. 

“We began with the Wilcox property on the Mesa above Arroyo Burro Beach, which was successful. At first the city approved the development, but the developers didn’t follow the timing of the development, so they reneged on their contract and couldn’t develop. The whole city had a fundraising event, and Michael Douglas came in and helped purchase the property, and it was given to the city. Another show was called ‘Vanishing Views.’

“On Santa Cruz Island, we worked as volunteers painting and had a show to exhibit the preserved land and donated 50 percent of the money to the Nature Conservancy.”

They have done 14 shows for the Land Trust of Santa Barbara County. Their next show will be in May. It is focusing on the protection of the remaining 27 endangered acres of Carpinteria Bluffs. It will be held at the Faulkner Gallery in the Santa Barbara Central Library.

Oak Group contributes visually, bringing attention to places that are endangered by development. Collectively the group has raised over $3 million for environmental preservation. The Oak Group started with seven artists and now has 26 members.

“We’ll be celebrating our 40th anniversary next year,” said Iwerks. “Several people from the original seven are still in the group.” 

Iwerks has done works all over the Central Coast.

“I did a mural at the Carrizo Plain National Monument. I did the illustration on the panels around the room at the Visitors Center,” he said. “I also did a permanent installation of a mural at the California Nature Art Museum of a valley oak habitat.”

Iwerks also painted the logo for the City of Solvang and did geologically themed T-shirt drawings for the Geology Department at Santa Barbara City College. In the early ’90s he began teaching landscape painting classes through Santa Barbara City College’s adult education program. 

His current classes focus on the Santa Ynez Valley. His first class will be at the Mission. His classes of 35 students last three hours. He does a demonstration for the first hour, and then he goes around to the students individually and educates and answers questions.

He and his wife recently completed five donated 30-inch x 40-inch paintings for Sansum Country Clinic in Solvang. 

Iwerks has been married to fellow artist Chapman for 25 years.

“I feel fortunate that we work well together and we like the same things and that we are able to collaborate on many projects,” said Iwerks. “That’s been a real joy, to share things, like the Carrizo Plain Visitor’s Center.”

For more information, visit chapmaniwerks.com

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Chris Chapman came into the world with the eye of an artist. She was born in Pasadena, lived at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains and attended school in Las Virgenes Canyon. As a youth she appreciated and absorbed the detail of the beauty of the natural world that surrounded her. 

Developing her innate artistic nature, she became a plein air landscape painter and a member of the Pastel Society of America and Santa Barbara’s Oak Group of dedicated land preservation painters.

“By character, I’m very observant. I see the little things. I remember walking home from the bus stop, and I’d be the only one looking up at the sky and urging my friends to, ‘Look at the sky!’ but nobody looked. I had a fanciful head, I think. I started writing poetry at 9, and at 14 I began painting. At 18 I attended college in Oregon,” she said.

She moved from Oregon to San Francisco, living there for a couple of years, but the city wasn’t her cup of tea. She returned to Oregon, where she worked as a bookkeeper for 10 years. 

However, she came back to California and the Central Coast to be with her parents and eventually found her own place in Santa Barbara.

“I started working for Mike Love as an office manager for the Beach Boys,” she continued. 

Although deep in the managerial aspects of her job during the day, she continued painting in her spare time, joining the Santa Barbara Art Association and doing oil paintings and watercolors. It was there she met her life partner.

“I met my husband, John Iwerks, at Gallery 113 and became a member of the Santa Barbara Art Association,” she continued. “John was managing Gallery 113 at the time. I had been working as a bookkeeper and became the manager/treasurer for the gallery and showed my art there.” 

In Iwerks, who was born and raised in Burbank, California, Chapman found another person whose life was surroundedby art.

“I grew up in an artistic family,” said Iwerks. “My dad, Don, worked for Disney as the head of the machine and camera shop and was the recipient of an Academy Award for Lifetime Technical Achievement in the film industry. He created many of the filming innovations that were used by Disney Studio. My aunt Carlene painted, my uncle David was a portrait photographer, my sister Leslie is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, my brother Larry is a gifted landscape painter, and my grandfather, Ub Iwerks, created Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney in 1928.”

Iwerks was also one of the founding members of the aforementioned Oak Group that Chapman was a part of.

In 1995, Chapman became interested in geology and took geology and art classes at Santa Barbara City College. She also taught a number of art classes at the SBCC adult education campus for 15 years. 

“My first class was called ‘Nature in Collage.’ I also taught watercolor, pastel, and botanical illustration. I originally thought I would become a writer because I liked to write, but I ended up being a painter of landscapes, with a little writing on the side,” she said.

While working at Gallery 113 and with the Oak Group, she and John Iwerks discovered they had a lot in common, dated, and eventually married.

“John and I were married in 1999. We camped out on the Carrizo Plain and painted on our honeymoon while on our way to the Kern River,” she said.

In 2000, the couple was asked to manage Arroyo Hondo Preserve before it opened.

“In October 2001, J.J. Hollister III negotiated the sale of the ranch to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, and since then the Land Trust has worked with great commitment to protect and restore Arroyo Hondo Preserve’s natural and historic resources, biodiversity, and native wildlife,” Chapman wrote in her book titled, “Stories of Arroyo Hondo.”

“I did all of the organizational work of setting up visitation summaries. There were researchers, biologists, habitat restoration people, the public, and school kids — all of that had to be on a spreadsheet to itemize the visitations,” she recalled. 

However, Chapman felt she was kept from her true calling. “Here I was in a painter’s paradise and spending all my time in front of the computer,” she said. 

After about five years, she asked her boss if he could show her Dos Pueblos Ranch so she could go there and paint. 

“He gave me permission to meet with the owners, and I just fell in love with Dos Pueblos Ranch. There was a little red hunting cabin under sycamore trees and avocado orchards near a watershed with trout,” she said. “He let us move in there. We lived there for nine years. They sold the up-canyon portion to an avocado company that restored the canyon. That’s when we moved to the Santa Ynez Valley. By that time, I was painting a lot and selling with the Oak Group.” 

She was commissioned to illustrate botanical watercolors in a book called “Chumash Ethnobotany” by Jan Timbrook, and the Carrizo Plain asked for her botanical paintings for its visitor’s center.

“They were printed on wood about 4 feet tall, so I had a room with printed botanicals and a big pastel painting in the main room of rain flowing over the Carrizo,” she described. “The Wildling, now called the California Natural Art Museum, produced a film about that, which John and I were both in. We were also in another film about Ray Strong. I was also on the board of the Wildling Museum.” 

Her book, “Stories of Arroyo Hondo,” was published in 2016 and contained not only her art but short stories and vintage photographs about the history of the region. 

“I wanted to write the history of the area in a way that was engaging and that paired with our paintings to assist the docents of Arroyo Hondo Preserve,” said Chapman.

Previously she wrote a book featuring her artwork titled “Portraits of Gaviota,” which was published in 2005. 

Chapman and Iwerks are also a part of “The Tuesday Group,” a group of artists that meet every Tuesday. It was startedby two female artists who wanted to paint plein air, and it has since grown into a large group that meets weekly at a variety of art-inspiring locations.

When asked about her hobbies and her life in the Valley, it seems that her day-to-day life is her hobby, for the most part.

“Gardening and painting are my two favorite things to do,” said Chapman. “But a lot of my time is taken up withrunning our art business.”

“What I appreciate most about my life is that John and I are best friends and teammates and that we both appreciate the spiritual nature of our earth and beyond,” she concluded.

For more information, visit chapmaniwerks.com

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R & B funk band Tower of Power will make its return to the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. Tickets for the show are $39, $49, $59, $69, and $79. 

Formed in 1968, Tower of Power is a 10-member band that has been performing and releasing music for almost 60 years. Currently featuring founding members Emilio Castillo and Stephen “Doc” Kupka, the group is known for its horn section and distinctive blend of funk, soul, and R&B. With a total of 26 studio albums, the band has featured an array of instruments over the decades, including saxophone, drums, keyboard, trumpet, trombone, and bass guitar.

Tower of Power earned the SoulTracks Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and have had eight songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100, including hits like “You’re Still a Young Man,” “So Very Hard to Go,” and “Don’t Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream).” From its first album, “East Bay Grease” released in 1970, to its most recent holiday album, “It’s Christmas” released in September of 2024, the group continues to be celebrated for their iconic sound and enduring legacy.

With one of the most influential horn sections in the music industry, the band has collaborated with numerous musicians across various genres, adding their signature sound to tracks by artists like Santana, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks and more. 

Don’t miss an opportunity to experience this legendary band perform live in one of the most popular venues in Santa Barbara County.

Located on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, the Chumash Casino Resort is an age 21-and-older venue. Tickets for all events are available at the THE CLUB at Chumash or online at chumashcasino.com

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Many patrons of the Solvang Library may have noticed the absence of a familiar and friendly face from behind the front desk and the stacks of books at the library. And indeed, you would be right. After 25 years of serving the community and its children, Carey McKinnon, the branch supervisor of the Solvang, Los Olivos, and Santa Ynez libraries, has decided to retire. Her last day was Dec. 14.

“It was time,” said McKinnon. “My husband Jeff McKinnon, who, for many years, was the drama teacher and the director of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Theater Group, retired earlier this year, and we thought it was time to open the next chapter of our lives.”

It was either by luck or serendipity that McKinnon found her way to working at the Solvang Library all those years ago. 

“My husband and I had been living in Chicago with our two children when he decided he had an urgent desire to return to California,” she said. “I was hesitant at first because I loved my life in Chicago. I had a job working as a researcher for a law firm, which I enjoyed. We had two children, and there was so much to do there, with great theater and restaurants.”

But she agreed to the move, with one stipulation: that they return to the Santa Ynez Valley to live. Carey had grown up for the most part during the ’70s and ’80s in Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley, where her grandparents had a winery called Carey Cellars on Alamo Pintado Road, now the site of Lincourt Vineyards. Plus, she and Jeff had a history locally, having initially met each other while doing an internship at PCPA. They both went their separate ways to different universities, Carey going on to graduate school to receive her Master’s degree in theater and communications from Temple University in Philadelphia. But they remained in touch with each other over the years and were married in 1990. 

Settling in Solvang, Jeff had found a teaching job in Carpinteria, and while raising their two daughters, Carey thought a part-time job would be fun. 

A friend of Carey’s mentioned seeing an ad in the local paper that the library was looking for help. She said she applied but didn’t get the job. Instead, she was told about another position that was open, that of branch supervisor. She applied, and instead of the part-time position she had initially looked for, she found herself with a full-time job and a new career.

“I took the job immediately because it was a great opportunity, and I love a challenge — plus it was close to home. So, my dream of living a relaxed life in the Valley with a part-time job went out the door,” she said. “It was my first and only library job. And I have loved everything about working at the Solvang Library these past 25 years.” 

McKinnon knows at least one thing she plans to do with her expanded leisure time.

“Now I will have more time to read some of the books that are on the shelves of the library,” she said. “I have great admiration for writers and there are so many to explore.” 

Over the years, she said she was fortunate enough to partner with community groups and create some interesting programs, such as Story Time and family-focused events, lectures, an online children’s book club during COVID, Community Reads, and Read Aloud events, to name but a few. 

On Dec. 12, The Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley gave her a going-away party, where close to 100 community members, library patrons, volunteers, and friends got together to wish her well in her new endeavors. She was presented with a crystal award in recognition of her years of service to the community. 

As the Valley grows, McKinnon sees the need to enlarge the library.

“I would very much like to work behind the scenes with the Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley and the City of Solvang to build a larger library for the community,” said McKinnon. “Our library is quite small, and I would like to see it expanded to incorporate spaces for a community meeting room, room for after-school homework help, and English as a second language tutoring. But there are many other things I would like to do as well, like gardening and hiking, and my list is growing.”

It has always been important to McKinnon to recognize what community service means.

“When you have a public service job, it’s important to remember that you aren’t working for the institution; your real job is working for the people you serve,” said McKinnon. “It has always been very important for me to recognize that.

“I have loved working at the library, but mostly I will miss seeing the faces of the children, the parents, and those of the community and the many visitors who find their way to the library.”

Feature Image: The Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley gave retiring Librarian Carey McKinnon a going-away party on Dec. 12, with close to 100 people attending. Pictured from left are Friends of the Library Board Members David Goldstein, Barbara Breza, Leslie Kirkby, Carey McKinnon, Valerie Kissell, Kristan Morrison, and Judine Victor. 

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The Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series proudly announces the third concert of its 2024-25 season, featuring up-and-coming mezzo-soprano, Tivoli Treloar, and distinguished pianist, Lucy Tucker Yates, at St. Mark’s in the Valley Church  at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in Los Olivos. This concert will take place on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m.

“I am delighted to introduce the talented mezzo-soprano, Tivoli Treloar to the Santa Ynez Valley,” said Artistic Director Dr. Robert Cassidy. “When I first heard her when she was a fellow at the Music Academy of the West, I was immediately captivated by her artistry and stage presence. She will be collaborating with the celebrated director and pianist Lucy Tucker Yates, who is on the faculty at UCLA.”

Treloar writes, “As for the recital program, I plan to include works in Spanish, German, French, and English,by composers including Korngold, Obradors, Poulenc, and Kurt Weill. The theme will center around pieces composed between the two world wars and will be entitled ‘In Between.'” 

Treloar is pursuing her Master of Music in Vocal Arts at The Juilliard School, where she is a proud recipient of the Kovner Fellowship. This season with Juilliard Opera, Treloar sings Dorabella in “Cosi fan tutte” and covers Blanche de la Force in “Dialogues des Carmélites.” Last season, she sang the title role in “Erismena” and covered Sesto in “La Clemenza di Tito.” As a studio artist at Wolf Trap Opera, Treloar also covered “Dorabella” in “Così fan tutte” and sang “Madeleine” in “Silent Night.” 

In 2023, Treloar made her professional debut with Long Beach Opera, singing the role of The Lover in the acclaimed premiere of Kate Soper’s “The Romance of the Rose,” directed by James Darrah and conducted by Christopher Rountree. In the summers of 2022 and 2023, Treloar was a Lehrer Vocal Institute Fellow at Music Academy of the West. Treloar is from Southern California, where she graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor’s degree in music from UCLA. With Opera UCLA, she performed as Galatea in “Acis and Galatea,” Cherubino in “Le Nozze di Figaro,” and Athena in the premiere of Kay Rhie’s “Quake.”

This year, Lucy Tucker Yates directed two premieres: Carolina Uccelli’s “Anna di Resburgo” for Teatro Nuovo, and Alyssa Weinberg’s “ISOLA” for Long Beach Opera. Her third opera by a woman composer in 2024 was Pauline Viardot’s “Le dernier sorcier” with Sing for Hope at the Bard Music Festival. She has performed as maestro al cembalo for Rossini’s Maometto II, Teatro Nuovo, Lincoln Center; and O+E (Orfeo ed Euridice), Seattle Opera, in her own elegantly poetic English version. For LA’s The Industry she played keyboards on “Star Choir, Sweet Land,” and”The workshop of the Comet/Poppea.” She was onstage continuo fortepianist for Aureliano in Palmira at the Rossini Opera Festival. Having begun her career as an internationally acclaimed soprano, Yates sang roles including Violetta, Gilda, Rosina, Beatrice di Tenda, Nedda, and Fiordiligi, with directors such as Gian Carlo Menotti and Franco Zeffirelli. Her time in Italy led to her teaching and translating Italian poetry. She is director of language studies at Teatro Nuovo; lecturer in opera at UCLA; a pianist-mentor for the Prima Voce Emerging Artist recital series in Los Angeles; a writer for the Santa Fe Opera; and Italian Diction Coach for the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera.

St. Mark’s in-the-Valley provides an intimate concert experience with seating for just over 100. St. Mark’s is pleased to offer the SYV Concert Series as a community arts enrichment program. All people are welcome to enjoy these concerts, and student tickets are free. Please secure tickets in advance online at smitv.ejoinme.org/SYVCSTickets

About St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church: Formed in 1926 and serving the Santa Ynez Valley at its present location in downtown Los Olivos since 1979, St. Mark’s practices a spacious Christianity and welcomes people of all faiths or none. St. Mark’s is a no-fee community center for non-profit groups and community meetings, an arts venue for musical and cultural events, a welcome center for residents and area visitors, and home to a vibrant, inclusive faith community. St. Mark’s top-flight, non-sectarian professional preschool serves Santa Ynez Valley families with quality early childhood education. The County-permitted SYV Community Kitchen at St. Mark’s serves as a regional food hub. St. Mark’s is also grateful to be home to the area’s Jewish community and a local Zen sangha (part of Santa Barbara Zen Center). Open doors, restrooms, free Wi-Fi, a shady courtyard, gardens, a labyrinth, and water for pets are available for visitors and area residents all day, every day. For more information, please visit St. Mark’s in the Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos (smitv.com).

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Students at Fossemalle Dance Studio had the opportunity of being taught a ballet class by the former ballet mistress for the New England Ballet, Miss Linda Giancaspro. The event took place early in October.

Straight from New York City, Giancaspro has been crisscrossing the United States with the desire to share her passion for the art of ballet through holding numerous dance conventions and classes.

“As teachers, we are always striving to enhance our advanced ballet students’ experience and expertise, so we were incredibly pleased and excited about Miss Linda Giancaspro’s visit,” said teacher and studio owner Christine Fossemalle. “Our ballerinas had the opportunity to take part in a master class, and it was an evening of joy, enthusiasm, and excitement. Our ballerinas lived up to the high expectations and rose to the challenges beautifully. The class was incredible, and each dancer had an experience of a lifetime.

“As their teacher, it was a treat for me to witness the work, the drive, and their accomplishments! Brilliant and uplifting for all involved! Each of them made me proud of their outstanding endeavors.”

Following the class, Giancaspro said, “Thank you, Mme. Fossemalle for hosting me and presenting the opportunity to work with your beautifully trained dancers! They have it all: focus, passion, and technique! Bravo ladies!”

“We wish to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Miss Linda for her exquisite and inspiring ballet class and for communicating her love and passion for the art of ballet,” Fossemalle said. “We will cherish the memories of this special moment for a long time to come. It encourages us to continue to strive for excellence in both technique and artistry. We are looking forward to welcoming her back.”

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The California Nature Art Museum in Solvang has announced its most ambitious project to date — commissioning Thomas Dambo, a world-renowned Danish artist who specializes in creating large, whimsical trolls made from recycled materials, to build his first permanent troll in California. 

Dambo who is celebrated for his imaginative and colossal sculptures, breathes new life into discarded resources, showcasing the boundless potential hidden within the world’s trash cans. The recycling artist chose to install his first permanent troll in Solvang, the Danish Capital of America, at the California Nature Art Museum. With the community’s help, this troll, whose name, back- story, and design will be kept a mystery until “she” (the only clue that has been revealed to date) will be constructed and installed in the latter half of January 2025.

Dambo has built well over 100 of these large trolls, each with its own unique story and name, in 16 countries, with 52 here in the United States, none of which are in California. This troll will be unique, as it will be the only one to behoused indoors. With the contract now finalized with the artist, the museum is launching an effort to complete the fundraising to build this troll which will quickly become a major visitor attraction in the Santa Ynez Valley and beyond. The museum has raised $120,000 to date and needs $180,000 to complete the campaign. It is also looking for in-kind donations to support the project, such as wooden pallets and used wine barrels. Given the large size of the troll, dozens of pallets and barrels will be required. Dambo always involves the local community during installation, so the museum will soon announce volunteer opportunities to be part of that effort.

“We are so excited and proud to be working with Thomas Dambo and to soon be hosting his first permanent troll in California as well as his only indoor troll. She will welcome visitors to Solvang and the Valley from our tower 24/7 and connect us to the unique Danish culture and heritage here in Solvang,” said Stacey Otte-Demangate, executive director for California Nature Art Museum.“ Most importantly she will be made out of recycled pallets and wine barrels, which speaks to our mission, and our love for the environment and desire to operate as a green business.”

Dambo has been commissioned to create a large, wooden, sustainably built troll to be installed in the museum’s highly visible tower, which faces Mission Drive, a well-traveled entry point to Solvang. The troll will welcome and attract both tourists and locals to the museum and the Santa Ynez Valley and provide special opportunities to engage the community. Dambo’s method of community involvement and his artistic ethics are a perfect match for the museum’s mission, which is “to inspire a love of nature through art.” His trolls reflect an ancient tradition in Scandinavian culture that remains relevant today.

“My mission is ‘Waste No More.’ Our world is drowning in trash while we are running out of natural resources,”Dambo said. “I spend my life showing the world that beautiful things can be made from trash, and I give new life to discarded materials by turning them into large-scale artworks. These projects come to life using hundreds of tons of recycled materials, working in and with local communities — who are the co-creators of the art that I make — because the mission I follow needs the involvement of everybody. My aim is to build 1,000 trolls using recycled materials all over the world.” 

Dambo crafts a unique story for each troll about the importance of exploring and protecting nature. Several months ago, Dambo was featured on “CBS Sunday Morning” and his work was recently profiled in the Washington Post and USA Today. Dambo has an active social media presence and shares stories of his unique trolls from all over the world.Dambo has a large following who enjoy traveling to find his trolls, most of which live outdoors in nature, as an enticement to get people outside. He even has a “troll map” to assist searchers in locating his pieces.

This very special installation would not be possible without the generosity of our early sponsors including the Schiele Family Foundation, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Visit the Santa Ynez Valley, Allan Hancock College, Margaret Weiss and Sterling Collett, and Belinda and Robert Hart. More information about the troll project can be found at calnatureartmuseum.org/news/thomas-dambo-at-calnam?rq=dambo%20troll which also includes a link for online donations. Donations of $500 and above will be listed on a sponsor board in the museum lobby, near the entrance to the Michele Kuelbs Tower, where the troll will soon live.

The California Nature Art Museum is open weekdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except Tuesday and Wednesday) and weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is supported by the generosity of its sponsors and members. For more information, please visit calnatureartmuseum.org.

To see Dambo’s completed works, go to thomasdambo.com/works.

Feature image: The sculpture “Bruun Idun,” which sits in Lincoln Park in Seattle, is one of 153 troll sculptures made out of recycled materials by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. A new one will soon by installed at the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang. Contributed Photo.

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Local artist Michelle Juliet Feldman is holding an art exhibit at the Los Olivos General Store from now through Nov. 10. Her exhibit includes unique landscapes that capture the hills, oaks, and light that are a special part of the Santa Ynez Valley, as well as abstract seascapes inspired by the Santa Barbara coast. The exhibit includes original oils on panel and rice paper. Most notably, there are exclusive prints of the Landscape Series printed on a special, archival rice paper, produced in her studio and only available through local exhibits.

Feldman received a BA degree in design from UCLA and studied printmaking at Tulane University. After successfully establishing her first stationery store, Honey Paper, in Los Olivos, she rebranded and opened a store in Solvang, The Giving Ink, a name that reflects her vision of art as a powerful medium to connect to the community. After the COVID pandemic, as a single mom, she said it became overwhelming for her to raise her twin children and run a business the way she wanted.  

Since the closing of her Solvang store, Feldman has blossomed from her love of paper and design to painting and printmaking, along with her passion to use art as a way to connect people and heal herself. 

“When I was a child I loved to draw and create art, and it was never supported,” said Feldman. “I never felt like I was good enough. And I struggled under that shadow most of my life.”

“I had a nest egg from the sale of my store in Solvang and began to create maps for weddings, wineries, and other commercial establishments. But I realized I was creating for clients, not for myself,” she said. “I felt the urge to pick up a paintbrush, and it felt good. Because I had so little faith in myself, I began to paint in secret, literally, in the darkness. I recognized that what I was doing made me feel good about myself and that it was something I should do more of. So, I began painting landscapes that were inspired by our local surroundings. It became like a kind of meditation which allowed me to look inward and connect with my inner self and my environment — a healing of sorts.”

It wasn’t just a solitary venture for Feldman, though.

“At the same time, I was fortunate enough to be invited into a small group of people to take art classes, which are given by a very well-known and accomplished classically trained artist and oil painter. I began taking her classes where she taught classic realism still life,” she explained. “She is teaching me the tools and skills I need to execute the kind of art I am interested in painting. All of this happened at the same time and both my art and I have blossomed since then, with my show at the Los Olivos General Store. The exhibit opened at the beginning of the year and has resonated with locals as well as visitors to the degree that it has surpassed sales of any artist previously in that space.”

Feldman said she built a little studio in her home, which allows her to be with her children, who turned 14 years old this month, and flexible to their needs. But she really misses her shop, the connection to her customers and the social aspect of owning a store.

“My store was a part of my passion for art, for things that are meaningful and beautiful and creative,” she said. “I miss the social interaction. But the shop required me to do things for other people, thus it was called The Giving Ink. But my art, I do for myself. It became a journey inward to connect me to my authentic self. I’m now living my life using all of my senses to create and live a full life. I wake up every day and think ‘This day is awesome,’ which is something I never did before.” 

Feldman has been hard at work on several series of paintings, which are showcased on her website. These include Seascape Series, a reflective journey that seeks calm and clarity; Landscape Series, a celebration of nature’s beauty presented through oil on panel and rice paper; a Classic Realism Still Life Series, an exploration of how we perceive and translate the world onto a two-dimensional surface; Etching Series, dry point engravings of inspirational quotes and images, hand-painted to infuse personal touch and heart into each piece all of which is available online.

“I am so grateful to live in this beautiful Valley where I am continually inspired by the landscapes and to the Los Olivos General Store for their support in featuring my work,” she said.
 
Looking to the future, Feldman says she envisions hosting local exhibits, expanding online sales, and facilitating intimate workshops in her home to strengthen community ties.

The Los Olivos General Store is at 2900 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

For more information, email hello@thegivingink.com, on Instagram @thegivingink_mjuliet, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

Feature image: “Letters” is a print by Michelle Juliet Feldman.

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The 14th annual SLOPOKE Art of the West Exhibition and Sale was held Sept. 27-29 at Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang. This was the eighth year the event was held at Monty and Pat Roberts’ thoroughbred horse ranch. 

Tom and Debbie Loucks who now operate the California Horse Center on Flag Is Up Farms welcomed the 30 painters, sculptors, and a photographer who exhibited more than 300 works of art in their beautifully renovated event barn.

“It is a perfect venue for this first-class art show, a reception, or convention,” said Tom Burgher, president of Entreprise LLC, which produces the Annual SLOPOKE exhibit.

The SLOPOKE opened Friday evening, Sept. 27, to the foot-tapping original music of Chris Murphy and the Silver Mountain String Band from Los Angeles.

The 2024 SLOPOKE featured artist and awards judge who juried the award-winning art was nationally renowned wildlife artist Ezra Tucker, who started his fine art career in Solvang, where he and his wife Nancy raised their three children until 1999 when they relocated to Monument, Colorado.

Photos by Devyn Marseilles

The artists selected for awards include Lisa Skelly, who won Best of Show for her painting “Rock Steady”; Ariel Anton, who won Best Painting for her oil on canvas titled “Saving Some for Later”; and Pat Roberts, who received Best Sculpture for her narrative bronze “Javalina Havoc.” Each received the coveted silver SLOPOKE western belt buckle.

Three other artists received sponsored awards: Rick Hill received the Best Wildlife/Animal Art award, sponsored by Art of the West magazine for his colored pencil painting “Team Work”; Lee Rue received Best Figurative Art award, sponsored by Western Art Collector magazine for “A Place Called Home”; and Barbara Freund was the first recipient of a new award category of Best Depiction of the 21st Century West, sponsored by Southwest Art Magazine for her painting “21st Century Chuckwagon.” 

The People’s Choice Award sponsored by Western Art and Architecture magazine was awarded to Kelly Lewis at the close of the SLOPOKE on Sunday.

“The voting included patrons and artists and was surprisingly tight across all 30 artists,” said Burgher. “People were impressed with the quality and attractiveness of the art in this year’s SLOPOKE. Each of these artists receives a full-page advertisement in a future issue of these fine art journals.” 

Finally, in a gesture of gratitude for Tucker’s service as awards judge, Burgher presented him with a specially minted SLOPOKE belt buckle of a different design from those awarded to the artists.

Next year the 15th Anniversary SLOPOKE is scheduled for Sept. 26-28, 2025.

“Mark the date on your calendar now so you don’t miss this spectacular event next year,” said Burgher. “We already have 11 artists seeking acceptance for SLOPOKE 2025, so artists who want to exhibit should request an application now at slopokeartshow.com.”

Feature image: SLOPOKE 2024 artists and their assistants pose outside the California Horse Center event barn at Solvang’s Flag Is Up Farms on opening night.

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