Milestone anniversary of 9/11 and CD themes for art show
“Belleza Y Tristeza,” which is Spanish for “Beauty and Sorrow,” is an acrylic by John Wullbrandt. It’s part of the “Beauty and Sorrow” exhibit now on view at Palm Loft Gallery in Carpinteria.
“Beauty and Sorrow,” a CD by singer-songwriter Susan Marie Reeves, and the 20th anniversary of 9/11, were the inspirations for a very special invitational juried art show on view through Oct. 25 at the Palm Loft Gallery in Carpinteria, according to owner Arturo Tello.
All mediums and styles of art were eligible for submission, and any size was acceptable. But each piece had to incorporate the theme of “Beauty and Sorrow” or any of the CD’s song titles: “Beauty and Sorrow,” “My Love Awaits,” “Tequila,” “Falling,” “Gone to Hawaii,” “Home on the Hill,” “Waiting,” “If I Could Dream Again,” “Today Is Our Day,” “Great Blue Sky” and “Sea of Love.”
BARET BOISSON 
NICOLA GORDON
“Once a year at this time, I host this show with the theme ‘Make Hay While the Sun Shines,’ but this year, it opened on Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of 9/11, which is why I thought the theme of beauty and sorrow was more appropriate,” said Mr. Tello, a well-known local artist and co-founder of the Oak Group of artists.
“I have a theory that with all the violence and inhumanity in today’s world, there is also all this beauty left to us.”
He also has a theory that many painters are frustrated songwriters like himself.
COURTESY PHOTO 
SUSAN MARIE REEVES
“I began songwriting when I was 50. I took an adult ed class with Nicola Gordon, who introduced me to Susan Reeves,” Mr. Tello, 66, told the News-Press. “Susan began playing her guitar at the gallery, and we decided that songwriters needed to share their songs. There needed to be a community of songwriters.”
In 2010, he began to host “Song Circles” at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the gallery.
“During the pandemic, we continued on Zoom. We have never failed to meet,” he said.
Arturo Tello, owner of the Palm Loft Gallery, spends time painting at Goleta Beach on Jan. 3, 2020 to honor Ray Strong (1905-2006). Each year on this date, Mr. Tello and the Oak Group of Santa Barbara, which he and Mr. Strong co-founded, gather to celebrate the birth of Mr. Strong.
Mr. Tello painted “Ray Day 2020, “ a “Beauty and Sorrow” acrylic, on Jan. 3, 2020, in honor of the late Ray Strong.
At the opening reception, Ms. Reeves performed the songs of “Beauty and Sorrow” on her guitar and ukulele along with Dennis Russell, Laura Hemenway, Lisa Macker, Carletta Erb, Mary J. Madden and Dan Phillips.
A painting of Ms. Reeves playing guitar was done by Mary-Gail Green King.
Besides Mr. Tello and Ms. Reeves, other artists in the show are Oleg Bondarenko, Baret Boisson, Molly Burns, Chris Chapman, Ms. Gordon, Ms. Hemenway, John Iwerks, Ms. King, Lindy Kern (ceramics), Jennifer Love, Nancy Pearson, Ms. Reeves, Rodolfo Rivademar and John Wullbrandt.
Arturo Tello, owner of the Palm Loft Gallery, painted this acrylic, called “Tenacity Tree, Beauty and Sorrow.” He explained, “This is the marker tree of where my mother’s ashes were sent to the ocean.”
Laura Hemenway painted “Home on the Hill,” an acrylic work.
When he is not painting or tending to the gallery, Mr. Tello keeps busy walking Ruby, a rescue Tibetan Spaniel Pekingese, and Leo, the cat who is named for the late songwriter Leonard Cohen, who wrote “Hallelujah,” and Leonardo da Vinci, the famous artist.
“Ruby insists on three walks a day, and Leo only walks at night,” Mr. Tello said.
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
FYI
“Beauty and Sorrow” is on view through Oct. 25 at the Palm Loft Gallery, 410 Palm Ave., Loft A-1, in Carpinteria. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily by appointment only. For more information, visit www.palmloft.com.
The “Beauty and Sorrow” CD can be purchased at the Palm Loft for $15 or online at susanmariereeves.bandcamp.com/album/beauty-and-sorrow-album.
