••• The backstory to Jeff Shelton’s Vera Cruz building on Santa Barbara Street, which he posted on Instagram, was news to me. (Photo courtesy Shelton.)
When word got out that Jeff had designed a building that would be covered with paintings, over sixty local artists showed up to contribute. Jeff’s instruction was to paint somewhere the artist had been or where they were from, or for the entryway, sea creatures. The Vera Cruz building is in part a tribute to Sanford Darling, who had covered his ‘House of 1000 Paintings’ in downtown Santa Barbara with paintings that documented his travels. As a kid, Jeff fell in love with the building, which was sadly stripped of its art in the late 70’s. If you’re curious, google Sanford Darling to see his remarkable creation.
And then in a subsequent post:
When the irrigation was being installed at the Vera Cruz building, the plumber, Jose Hernandez, told Jeff that he used to paint pottery. So Jeff asked if he’d like to contribute a painting and a week later, got this gem of the Sonoran desert.
••• A reader contacted me to say that a big Amazon meeting scheduled for 2022 at the Four Seasons Biltmore has also been canceled. Moreover, “the rumor is that the Coral Casino will separate and run independently from the resort.” This is just a rumor, of course, but clearly something is going on at the property. If you know more, let’s hear it: [email protected] or 917-209-6473, and anonymity is always guaranteed.
••• The price hikes are getting bolder: the very pretty house at 735 Fuera Lane is back on the market at $12.25 million after languishing for months at $9.95 million.
••• Opening March 26 at Sullivan Goss: “a groundbreaking exhibition of ceramic sculpture by Patrick Hall and Lynda Weinman, a collaborative effort that has the potential to have a lasting effect on the world of contemporary ceramics. […] Both artists share a kindred love of art, design, ceramics, and community spirit; but their history, practice, and aesthetic are remarkably distinct. Hall is a traditionally trained ceramics artist who received an MFA in ceramics from UCSB in 1984. Weinman was an early pioneer in computer and web graphics, and enjoyed a varied career as a college professor, author of numerous how-to books, and as an entrepreneur. In 2015, she dove head first into a ceramics practice, and shortly thereafter was pioneering the use of 3D printing technology to create computer generated designs. When Hall came to Weinman with a sketch of how they might meld their distinct visions, they ran with the idea.”
••• Eligible for a vaccine but having trouble landing an appointment? Try a Republican county, where demand is less likely to match supply. Apparently there’s often availability in Bakersfield.
••• The developer of the Cortona Point apartment complex in Goleta invited me over for a hard-hat tour—I love checking out construction in progress. It’s on around eight acres across Hollister Avenue from the Target shopping center, with 176 units in one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations (and each bedroom has a corresponding bathroom). The main target market is young professionals, so there are a lot of amenities, including several areas to socialize outdoors. (Then again, M. Special’s Goleta taproom is right across the street….) Occupancy is expected to begin in June.
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