The art of 2021
Mara Abboud created “Majestic,” a limited-edition, indoor tile wall mural that measures 25.5 inches square. She spoke about her colorful career in July at the Santa Barbara Club. See the story at newspress.com/artists-journey.
Shana Moulton created “Whispering Pines 10,” which is part of the 2019 video in her multimedia exhibit. Her art was on display last summer at the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. The story is at newspress.com/surreal-scenarios.
PHOTO BY FRANK NEIMEIR, COURTESY ALAN ROSS 
COURTESY PHOTO
At left, artist Sophia Beccue created the abstract exhibit “Beauty Out of Ashes,” which was on display last summer at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Gallery. The exhibit showed how the local artist coped during the past two years while living with cancer and the pandemic. The story is at newspress.com/beauty-out-of-ashes. At right, Lynda Weinman stands with her 6-foot tall ceramic cactus. After she and her husband Bruce Heavin sold their company, lynda.com, in 2015, she decided to renew her passion for pottery. Her art went on display last summer at The Clay Studio in Goleta. See the story at newspress.com/ceramic-artist.
Susan Marie Reyes, a Santa Barbara singer, songwriter and artist, painted this acrylic work called “Lying on Clouds.” For the story on her “Beauty and Sorrow” exhibit in Carpinteria, see newspress.com/beauty-and-sorrow.
COURTESY PHOTO 
Lizabeth Madal
Randall David Tipton painted “A New Season,” a watermedia work that measures 26 by 20 inches. It’s part of the “Variations” exhibit that was on display last summer at the Marcia Burtt Gallery in Santa Barbara. See the story at newspress.com/marcia-burtt-gallery-presents-variations.
Art flourished at galleries and events in 2021 in Santa Barbara County, and the News-Press was there to get the story behind the art and the artists.
Here are the highlights, with references to News-Press stories that remain at newspress.com. Staff writer Marilyn McMahon wrote most of the original articles.
— Dave Mason
