For over 22 years, parents, friends, and the community have come together to produce an all-night extravaganza for the graduates of Santa Ynez High School following their commencement.

“The Safe + Sober Grad Nite tradition provides the students a well-earned celebration with their classmates before they head off into the world,” the school’s Grad Nite committee said in an email. “For the parents and the community, this event ensures that the 220 graduating seniors have an event that is safe, sober, legal, supervised, and drug-free, alcohol-free and smoke-free.  As a community, we all have an interest in seeing these young people safely launched into adulthood to pursue their goals and contribute back to their community.”

For information on how to donate, visit SYHSGRADNITE.com or follow along on Instagram (@syhsgradnite2025). You can also email syhsgradnitechair@gmail.com.

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Residential designer Zachary Ulrick is the author of a new book titled, “Homeowner’s Shepherd — A Guide to Your First Construction Project.” It provides invaluable information for those who are thinking about building a new custom home, remodeling, or adding an additional building on their property. 

Starting a construction project requires careful planning and consideration. Readers will be informed of the budgeting process as they explore how to select an architectural style, hire an architect or designer, navigate the permit process, and choose a general contractor.

The book also provides a basic guide to the types of questions to ask and familiarize yourself with the terminology encountered throughout the various project phases. Ulrick adopts a supportive tone throughout the book, reflecting his experience in guiding clients since opening his business in 2015. He designs custom homes, barns, and guest houses for his clients. He will celebrate his 10th year in business this March.

“Entering a construction project for the first time can be a daunting task,” said Ulrick. “My book ’Homeowner’sShepherd’ simplifies this complicated process in a concise guide. Readers will gain enough knowledge about the various stages of their project to feel confident and know what to expect as they navigate this journey.”

“The reason I wrote this book is because all my clients who are building or renovating their own homes sometimes feel like they are in over their heads. It’s a very daunting experience,” he said. “I wanted to create a book that they could use to make their experience more enjoyable, less stressful, and more informative.”

Born and raised in the Valley, Ulrick grew up in Solvang on Laurel Avenue, and attended Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.

“I tried to move away as many kids do, but returned to the Valley, and met my wife, Brooke,” he said. “We have one daughter, Orli, who is 6 years old and in kindergarten at the Christian Academy, where my wife taught before our daughter was born.”

Ulrick feels that he came upon his career in an unusual manner, starting a business while still in school. 

“I went to Santa Barbara City College and received a three-year degree in drafting, and during that time I started my own business, Ulrick Design, which provides all the plans that are needed for residential projects,” he said. “The business became very successful. I typically have 15-20 clients at a time or 40 or more projects a year, excluding the smaller projects. I recommend builders that I trust, and then I like to be onsite during construction in a supportive role to the client and the builders and sub-contractors.”

Ulrick has received high praise for the way he conducts business and his focus on his clients and their needs.

“The feedback I have received since starting my business is that my timeline is shorter, people can reach me quickly and get updated progress reports more rapidly. I used to work in construction before becoming a draftsman, which givesme a clear vision of how to design construction plans and the details of the project. Architects generally have no hands-on practical building experience,” he explained. “I also provide the technology required, providing 3D renderings of the project, which I think gives my clients a clear understanding of the design and proposed final outcome. I help my clients understand the permitting process and budgetary constraints. Santa Barbara County is a really difficult place to obtain permits even for something as simple as a remodel or an addition. I help navigate the red tape involved.”

Ulrick has an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to help others.

“I’ve always gravitated towards mentors who have shepherded me along the way and I hope to do the same for those wishing to build their dream homes,” said Ulrick. “In my book, I’ve tried to do a good job distilling the information I have gleaned over the years into something that would serve any project. This book not only prepares readers for the logistical aspects of construction but also empowers them to make informed decisions, turning their dream homes into a tangible outcome.” 

“Homeowner’s Shepherd” is self-published and available on Amazon or locally at The Book Loft. For more information, visit www.ulrick-design.com.

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Brigette Braly has a deep interest in mental, physical, and spiritual health and community. She grew up in the Valley and in August 2023 opened her first yoga studio, called SHIFT Studio, in Santa Ynez, which offers daily yoga classes in multiple forms, along with infrared sauna therapy, a cold plunge, and massage therapy to help the community to reach these goals, one shift at a time. 

“I come from a family of entrepreneurs where ‘doing your own thing’ was always talked about,” said Braly. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I always considered myself a late bloomer. During COVID, the only commercial yoga studio had closed and I started looking into opening up my own yoga studio. I looked into the legal aspects of owning my own business then went looking for available spaces to open up my new yoga studio. All of a sudden, things fell into place so I felt compelled to pursue it.”

Becoming a yoga teacher was not a part of Braly’s life plan. Initially, her dream was to go to Italy. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she studied Italian and learned yoga. 

“After graduating, I went to culinary school in Italy. Spending one year in Italy studying was fabulous. I returned to Los Angeles and after working in a kitchen for several years I realized that it was not my calling, yoga was,” she explained.”Yoga was a lifesaver for me. I realized all that yoga gave me through all the different chapters of my life and I acquired my first-level certification 10 years ago while living in LA.”

“Growing up, school was very difficult for me since I had ADHD,” she said emotionally, recalling the past. “Yoga has taught me how to focus, breathe, slow down, and to actually feel my body. Meditation has also been a valuable tool.”

But living in Los Angeles was not for her. Braly moved back to the Valley in December 2019, just before the COVID pandemic broke out.

“When I returned home, having been away just shy of 10 years, I started teaching yoga at Juicy Life in 2020. When it closed, I started to consider doing something on my own,” she said. “It took me a year or so to get the ball rolling. I looked at a few places but none of them felt right. Then I found the perfect spot. Originally I didn’t consider this space as viable as the rent was just a little more than I wanted to spend. But once I saw it, I loved it. It’s in the perfect location in a beautiful building in downtown Santa Ynez. I contacted Renee Allen Properties and met with the owner of the building Arthur Osha and we started having existential discussions immediately. We seemed to hit it off. He had other offers he said, but he liked the idea of a yoga studio and we eventually signed contracts.”

SHIFT offers daily yoga classes given by one of its 10 teachers. 

“All of the instructors here have been teaching yoga for between 10 and 15 years; they are well qualified,” she said.“The studio also offers infrared sauna therapy, a cold plunge, sound baths, and massage therapy. Celeste Pearlman is our massage therapist who is certified in 14 different massage techniques. She previously worked at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara and the San Ysidro Ranch. 

“This spring we are looking forward to offering facials and breath work. We also offer a group meditation every Sunday, following class, for whoever wants to join in. My goal is to share all the tools we’ve accumulated and to not do life alone.”

For Braly, it’s more than what’s being  done inside the business.

“It’s so much fun to see people get into some really deep conversations in the parking lot after class. I love that,” she said. “It’s really a big honor for me to have a business in the town I grew up in and love.”

SHIFT Studio is at 3563 Numancia St., Suite 103, Santa Ynez.

For more information visit Instagram @shiftstudiosyv, info@shiftstudiosyv.com or call or text (805) 717-5071 or visit www.shiftstudiosyv.com, which she said is “a work in progress” where you can find the names of all the yoga teachers and substitutes.

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SANTA YNEZ — The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic held its fifth annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) event on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the clinic, located on the reservation at 90 Via Juana Lane in Santa Ynez. The event provided children, ages 12 and under, with free dental work, including exams, cleanings, and more.

As one of SYTHC’s biggest events of the year, the clinic’s Dental Department provided dental care for any local child regardless of income or insurance status.  Children received a comprehensive oral examination (including X-rays when appropriate), teeth cleaning, oral health education, and dietary recommendations. Any treatment that was diagnosed during the exams will be completed at follow-up visits throughout 2025. The event was staffed by SYTHC dentists, registered dental assistants and dental hygienists. The event saw 28 children being treated with a total of $7,300 in services as no cost to their families. over $4,200 of dental services were provided to 19 children at no cost to their families. 

 “Our dental clinic looks forward to this event every year, because it gives us an opportunity to shine a light on the importance of pediatric oral health, and to hopefully make a positive and lasting impact on our young patients,” said Dr. Mike Savidan, dental director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, before the big event.
 
Located on the Santa Ynez Reservation at 90 Via Juana Lane in Santa Ynez, SYTHC accommodates more than 25,000 patient visits per year, has an active patient population of over 8,300 and employs 70 team members. The staff specializes in the highest standards of quality health care through modern medicine and cultural traditions. While the clinic’s comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services are available to Chumash Community Members, the clinic also treats non-native patients of diverse ethnic backgrounds with unique needs. The facility accepts Medicare, Medi-Cal and most major insurance plans.
 
The clinic is an unincorporated instrumentality of the tribe and is part of the Indian Health Service (IHS). SYTHC is also a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that receives grant and third-party funding as a mature contractor.  For more information, contact SYTHC at (805) 688-7070 or log on to sythc.org

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Five years after purchasing the former Willemsen Dairy property for public use, the City of Buellton and its residents got to see a big result of that acquisition on Feb. 8 with the grand opening of the new Buellton Library.

City, county and Goleta Valley Library officials were on hand to usher in the new facility in the refurbished building on 202 Dairyland Road, down the street from River View Park and right next door to the developing Santa Ynez Valley Children’s Museum.

In fact, Ashley Jenkins, the founder and board president for the museum was able to bring out a few games and activities for the kids outside the library, which also had an inflatable slide for entertainment. Also outside the building was a used book sale, a bookmobile from the Isla Vista Library, and staff inside to anwer any questions about the new place.

Leading a quick view of the inside, Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe pointed out the main area, with the big picture windows offering a view of the hills above the Santa Ynez River, as well as the main conference room that can be divided with a temporary barrier if need be, and a smaller room which will eventually be a store for the Friends of the Buellton Library.

Wolfe said the library was an example of the city trying to expand its focus.

“What I’ve been working on since I’ve been here is going beyond just the basics — filling the potholes, making sure the water turns on — and working more on community amenities,” he said. “Purchasing this [Willemsen] property reallyenabled us to dream big.”

Wolfe said the location of the new library opens up a new area of activity.

“It’ll really be much more of a social hub, and we will have activities going on in here,” he said. “Also, we have it in a nice neighborhood, and with the proximity to the [River View] park and the upcoming Children’s Museum, the Botanical Garden, we really have a nice row of facilities here.”

Holly Sierra, the former Buellton mayor, is now the president of the Friends of the Buellton Library organization and has served as a point person of sorts with the project.

“I think this started about three years ago; we decided to have the library here, and we were planning to have it openabout a year and a half ago,” Sierra said. “However, they ran into problems with the house that needed to be fixed, and it just kept getting extended.”

Sierra said the former library, located on Highway 246 next to the police station and City Council chambers, was closed in September to start the transition, and she is happy the new library is ready.

“I’m just so pleased with it,” she said. “This is, libraries are, the center of the community. People keep saying libraries are a thing of the past, and I couldn’t disagree more.

“I mean, we are planning so many incredible community activities here. We are going to be working with the city to put on some amazing programs.”

The opening culminated in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting in front of the library entrance, with Wolfe and Sierra beingjoined there by Mayor David Silva, Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, City Councilmember John Sanchez, and library officials and staff members.

Silva told the crowd to give themselves a round of applause for being able to celebrate the birth of a new library, which came to fruition after being first proposed five years ago.

“This is something our little community can be proud of,” he said. “It feels like you’re invited into someone’s home to come and read a book, sit by the fireplace, and have these wonderful views, and this wouldn’t have been possible without so many people to make this happen.”

In her turn addressing the crowd, Lewis admitted she was skeptical of the library proposal at first.

“I stand very humbled. I don’t know if you guys followed the progression of this library, but I was one of the ones that was like ‘Huh? You’re going to take a house on a ranch and you’re going to make it a library?'” she said. 

However, Lewis admitted that the efforts of Sierra and the other proponents of the library proved to be right.

“As I stand here this morning, walking in, and seeing it last night, it is stunning,” she said. “And, I could not think of a better way to utilize the property and make it a gem for the city.”

The library is now in operation and open five days a week: Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library will be closed on Thursday and Sunday.

For more information on the library and its programs and events go to goletavalleylibrary.org/about/santa-ynez-valley-libraries or facebook.com/BuelltonLibraries/

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For the third straight January, the Solvang Chamber of Commerce and Solvang Parks and Rec combined to provide an avenue for young Santa Ynez Valley residents to sell their homemade products, hone their budding business acumen, and for many display their creative talents.

The latest Jr. Entrepreneur Fair was held Jan. 17 at the Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall, the same site as the inaugural one in 2023. Last year, it returned to the Veterans Hall, and another Jr. Entrepreneur Fair was held in July during one of the city’s summer concerts at Solvang Park.

Solvang Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tracy Beard said another fair is planned for summer again this year, and also during the Solvang Julefest in December, where “they can sell some neat holiday stuff.”

Among the participants in the latest fair were a familiar sibling duo. Finn and Maisie Curtis, were in the same spot and had the same cause as last year, giving out copies of Finn’s Santa Ynez Way magazine and seeking support for a theater project. However, that theater proposal has changed from a re-opening of the Parks Plaza Theater in Buellton to a new theater in downtown Solvang.

“Last year, we had the idea to open up the Parks Plaza Theater again, and I actually got together with people who wanted to buy the building,” Finn said. “However, that kind of fell through.”

However, Finn decided to keep the theater idea, but change it to a small complex somewhere in Solvang.

“I would like to get something in Solvang because it would be easier to get people in because of all the foot traffic they have in the downtown area,” he said. “In Buellton, they really don’t have many sidewalks because the main road is the highway. [In Solvang] it would be easier because of the tourists that come in, and we could find an existing building that’s already up to code, unlike the Parks Plaza Building, where it would cost some money to change things.”

While the Curtises were publicizing something that was still just a concept, many of the young entrepreneurs had products on the tables to sell, many of them made from scratch and reflecting hobbies and interests that inspired them.

Twelve-year-old Berkeley Brown is a fan of comics and and author Dav Pilkey, who is known for his series of books featuring characters like Dogman and Captain Underpants.

Berkeley had several stacks of homemade storybooks featuring his own characters, led by Trashman.

“I had heard about how some authors I read would just find a random object next to them and make a character out of it,” he said. “So when I decided to do that, first thing I saw was our trash can, so I created the character named Trashman. After that, all my character sort of spun off from him.”

Berkeley’s “books” are written multi-page stories (each connected with a single staple in the corner) with his ownillustrations on the front. In addition to Trashman, he has created characters like Heat Hawk, Space Kitty, and Judo, who he describes as a “tiger that knows karate.”

Next to Berkeley’s table, were a couple of friends — Joseph Brown and Mason Morton — who put their interest in 3D printing to good use. The two had a tableful of plastic products like wall outlets covers, figurines, keychains, and fidget contraptions. But their signature creation was a “marble run” that moved a marble up via a small conveyor belt and a path of gullets and ramps where the marble traveled to the bottom.

“I’ve been making stuff on the 3D printer for a couple years now,” Joseph said. “It was a small one and I got to print rings, and a year later I got one that prints four colors at a time, and then I got a better printer and was able to do better stuff.”

Among the other products being sold at the fair included baseball cards, orginal artwork, beaded bracelets.

Nine-year-old Levi Sanchez found an outlet for his artwork, selling T-shirts with the illustrations.

“I come up with these drawings, and then I send them to a website where I enter the designs and they print them on T-shirts and send them back to me,” Levi said. “Doing that helps you understand how there is money you need to spend in order to sell your stuff, and how you balance that with the money you charges for the product.”

Beard, took some time to address the crowd and participants, thanking them for coming to the event, and also handed out gift bags to all the young entrepreneurs with information on the Chamber of Commerce and gifts cards to be redeemed at local merchants. She also said there will be another Jr. Entrepreneur Fair this summer, with the date and location to be announced.

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By Joanne Clarke

For the Santa Ynez Valley Star

Miranda Johnson has just honorably completed 18 months as a service missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is the daughter of Steve and Angie Johnson, longtime Santa Ynez Valley residents.

Miranda grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley. She attended Ballard School and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.

There are two kinds of missionary service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: a proselyting mission, where you will go to a location within the United States or somewhere within 150 countries worldwide and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and a service mission, where you stay in your home area, and perform varying kinds of service, emulating what Jesus Christ taught.

Like proselyting missionaries, service missionaries serve for up to 18 months (young women ages 19–29) or up to 24 months (young men ages 18–25). They live at home and serve locally. They serve as close to full-time as their circumstances allow. Each service missionary is provided a customized mission experience uniquely tailored to his or hertalents, skills, and gifts. During their missions, it is common for service missionaries to serve in multiple assignments, including approved community and charitable organizations.

Miranda had a desire to serve a mission, but because of her struggles with anxiety, she did not think she could work within the parameters a proselyting mission required. In a conversation with Lucy Liljenquist, a fellow member of the Solvang Ward, she found out that Lucy had served a service mission while living at home. 

That conversation led to Miranda making the decision to also serve a local service mission. 

During the past 18 months, Miranda has served in the following organizations and activities: Santa Ynez Therapeutic Riding Center, Elverhøj Museum of History and Art, Bethania Lutheran Church food distribution, Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society, Santa Ynez Valley Community Outreach, Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.

She has learned a great deal during her mission and enjoyed her many varied experiences.

Members of the Johnson family love the saying, “Proselyting missionaries are the Lord’s mouthpiece and service missionaries are His hands!”

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The outbreak of destructive fires in Southern California, most notably the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and Malibu and the Eaton Fire in the Pasadena area, is making its presence known up and down the state.

However, the catastrophe south has also given people outside the fire areas the chance to step up and offer assistance topeople and creatures of all kind. And that spirit has definitely emerged in the Santa Ynez Valley.

A big part of that relief effort has shown itself at the Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society facility in Buellton.

The SYVHS has welcomed in seven dogs that were up for adoption in Los Angeles-area shelters, according to Animal Care Supervisor Ally Boswell.

“In fact, two of them have already been adopted,” she said. “And there are others looking for a good home.”

Boswell said when the fires started up, SYVHS contacted shelters and offered to take some dogs in. She also pointed out that the dogs moved up to the Valley were one already up for adoption, rather than those displaced by the fire and are trying to reunite with their families.

“When this sort of thing happens, we have a network that we call partner shelters,” Boswell said. “We have a list of shelters and if they’re in an area that’s in trouble, we can go to that list and contact any of them to see if they need to move any pets.”

Boswell said they got their dogs from shelters in Pasadena, one that’s run by the city of Los Angeles, and another that’srun by LA County.

The Humane Society’s efforts didn’t stop with housing pets; it also organized a donation drive with food and supplies for pets in the fire areas.

“It was huge. We had our van completely full of stuff,” Boswell said. “We had a volunteer bring his pickup with a 4- by 8-foot trailer, and another volunteer who brought his van, so we were able to get it all down there.”

Boswell said that relief groups down in the fire area have requested people to bringing stuff because they’re already overwhelmed.

“They have more than they need in goods, but they’re still taking monetary donations,” said Boswell, who suggested anyone who wants to contribute should google “LA animal shelters” and find links to donate directly.

For the donation drive, Boswell said the SYVHS had an ally in Buellton Garage, located at Highway 246 in the shopping center where China Panda restaurant and Subway are located.

“They’ve had a bin there for people to drop off stuff, and we just picked that up to add to our stuff,” Boswell said.

Leslie Sherrill, operations manager for Buellton Garage, said the business frequently gets together with the SYVHS for adoption events and donations.

“We had an adoption drive here where they brought some pets,” Sherrill said. “We donated some of our proceeds from the day to help them out. We just love what they do and like to help, and it’s our way of giving back to the community.”

Having two entities work together like that illustrate what makes the SYV such a desirable place to live, according to Boswell.

“When you have something like this, it seems that everyone wants to come and help,” she said. “That’s what makes this such a great community.”

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Santa Ynez Valley residents and tourists got an early start to 2025 on the afternoon of Dec. 31, as a big crowd filled up Solvang Park at an afternoon New Year’s bash.

For the first time, the City of Solvang put together a New Year’s Eve party as part of its Julefest celebration. However, instead of staying up and counting down until midnight in U.S., the attendees celebrated with the county of Solvang’s founders: The countdown came at 3 p.m., when the clock struck 12 in Denmark.

Solvang’s first New Year’s Eve celebration came out of a desire for a post-Christmas activity to bridge the gap between Dec. 25 and the Solvang Tree Burn, according to Candice Libera, the marketing and events coordinator for Solvang’s Parks and Rec Department.

“We have over a month of stuff going on for the Christmas season, and we always end it with the tree burn in early January,” Libera said. “But we found that the schedule was kind of bare between Christmas and the tree burn, and just wanted something else to fill in the gap. And having something to do with New Year’s Eve was an obvious choice.”

And, of course, Solvang is known for being founded by Danish immigrants, and conveniently, Denmark is nine hours ahead, so the folks at Solvang Park were able to ring in 2025 at a decent hour.

“It’s great because we can bring in the families, and everyone’s fresh,” Libera said. “And we were able to get a great band (The Molly Ringwald Project), and Whiskey and Rye were able to bring their food truck in and have their own space.”

In addition, there were activities like (toy) ax throwing, cornhole and other games, as well as a booth offering face painting and henna tattoos from Buzzle Bee, a Los Olivos business.

However, the real focal point was The Molly Ringwald Project, the popular local band belting out some of the 1980s’ most memorable hits such as “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

The band was met with an enthusiastic crowd. One of the audience members, Wendy Demandante, was one of the first to start dancing in front of the stage, but eventually, the makeshift dance floor filled up leading to the countdown.

“This was really a great event, and I’m having a good time,” Demandante, who’s from Colorado but has family in the area, said. “It’s one of the reasons I like coming back here.”

Over to the side of the stage, Rashaad Jones and Amanda York, from Monterey, were showing some fine dance moves of their own.

“We do a lot of ballroom dancing so whenever we can get some live music we like to practice,” Jones said.

The couple said they were visiting Santa Barbara and decided to drive up to Solvang for the event before spending New Year’s Eve back down there.

“We heard about this thing they were having and decided to check it out,” Jones said.

“That’s the good thing about coming up here; there’s always something going on,” York added.

Meanwhile, over at the Whiskey ‘N Rye truck, Director of Operations Matthew Negrete was busy taking and getting out orders on the new vehicle.

“We just got this truck about two and half months ago, so we can get into some catering,” said Negrete, whose restaurant is on Atterdag Road. “When we found out they were doing this, we were able to contact the city and get the chance to set up here. We’ve been doing great today, and it’s great way to get our name out to the community and serve it.”

Eventually, the time came for the countdown to the “New Year,” as The Molly Ringwald Project’s singer Roxy counted down to 3 p.m. to loud cheers from the audience.

Also, in attendance was Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy, and he and Libera both agreed the event was a success, and could lead to more things added to future Julefests.

“This has been great, and it’s just shows what kind of community this is,” Murphy said. “I don’t remember how this idea came about, but we had people that saw an opportunity and made this happen.

“I think there are more possibilities for next year; we’ve been talking about setting up an ice skating rink somewhere, and thinking of other stuff to fill the gap until the tree burn, so we’ll see.”

So, until the next New Year’s afternoon party, cheers!

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The Lompoc Valley Art Association’s Cypress Gallery will be featuring “California Wilds”, an art show by Angelina LaPointe, from Jan. 2-26, 2025.

LaPointe is a printmaker living and working in Lompoc California. She studied printmaking and book arts at UC Santa Barbara’s College of Creative Studies. In 2014, she founded Sidecar Press, a letterpress studio where she creates block prints ranging from invitations to installations on a 129-year-old Chandler and Price letterpress.

LaPointe’s work draws on influences from print traditions, pop culture images, and art historical references. Her block print technique is based on the century’s old Japanese key block method, also looking to early 20th-century Art Nouveau design and the groundbreaking prints of the Russian Avant-Garde movement. She combines influences ranging from“full-color old-school” tattooing to xeroxed punk posters, to the 1970s science books that inspired and informed her childhood. Combining these varied visual languages builds a sense of familiarity and nostalgia in her work that appeals to a broad audience. She seeks to make work that is beyond its time and finds a place in the hearts and homes of her collectors.

“California Wilds” is a collection of prints that illustrate the states diverse and beautiful animal life displayed against the backdrop of its distinctive landscapes. 

“Our state contains so many iconic plants and creatures forming diverse and fascinating ecosystems,” LaPointe said.”Whether I’m printing a kelp forest or a rural road I strive to transport the essence of these spaces into viewers homes and lives.”

You can meet the artist, enjoy light refreshments, and visit the coloring table at a closing reception that is open to the public on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 1 to 3 p.m.   

The Cypress Gallery is at 119 East Cypress Ave. in Lompoc, across from the Lompoc Museum. The Lompoc Valley Arts Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, committed to expanding and supporting access and exposure to the arts in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valley. LVAA sponsors arts programs, events, communications, and other efforts that mutually benefit artists, businesses, residents, and visitors to the valley. To learn more about the arts in the valley, visit our website lompocart.org, and like our Facebook page “Cypress Gallery.”

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