News
SBTHP Presents The Art of Preservation The Oak Group Remembers Ray Strong
May 4, 2015
(SANTA BARBARA, CA)—The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) is pleased to present The Art of Preservation: The Oak Group Remembers Ray Strong on exhibit at Casa de la Guerra (15 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara) Friday, June 5 – Sunday, August 9, 2015.
The Art of Preservation is a collaboration with the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and the Oak Group, a collection of artists committed to the preservation of endangered local landscapes. Ray Strong played a key role on the formation of the Oak Group in 1986. The exhibit will focus on Strong’s role in the development of the Oak Group and the group’s continuing efforts to use their combined talents to foster the preservation and appreciation of open space in Santa Barbara. Works by Strong from the personal collections of Oak Group members will be displayed, as well as works by members inspired by and in tribute to Strong.
This installation is organized in conjunction with The Ray Strong Project, an initiative of Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery, which includes a series of events and exhibitions coalescing in June of 2015 at museums and galleries in the Santa Barbara area. Other participants include the City of Santa Barbara, The Easton Gallery, James Main Fine Art, Santa Barbara Art Association, Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery, and the Wildling Museum. For additional information, go to: http://www.theraystrongproject.com.
CALENDAR LISTING
The Art of Preservation: The Oak Group Remembers Ray Strong
Show dates: Friday, June 5 – Sunday, August 9, 2015
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 11, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. FREE EVENT
First Thursday: July 2, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. FREE EVENT
Location: Casa de la Guerra, 15 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara
ABOUT the Oak Group--The Oak Group artists are passionate about nature and committed to preserving local lands for wildlife, recreation, ranching, or farming. Working with conservation groups and landowners, OAK members record the beauty of these endangered landscapes to draw public attention and help generate funds to protect them. The Oak Group began in January of 1986 as a group of seven friends getting together to paint outdoors, sharing inspiration and informal critiques. They grew not only in number but in a strong desire to help save some of Santa Barbara County’s few remaining open coastal spaces from development. Their first exhibition in May of 1986 called “Endangered Landscapes” helped raise money for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and started a tradition of fundandconsciousness-raising for preservation causes.
