2024 Solstice Poster Contest Reception

The 2024 Santa Barbara Summer Solstice season is off to a start, with local artists submitting art for this year’s poster and T-shirt designs. Tuesday evening was the opening reception at Legacy Art Santa Barbara at 1230 State Street.

The winning entry will not only become the 2024 Poster and T-shirt design. It will also win a $500 prize. The art work will be on display until the end of January. Hurry on over and vote for your favorite design! And check out all of the other cool art!

Here are my many photos from the reception, including most of the art entries. This year’s Solstice Theme is “Flights of Fancy”.

There are so many creative and beautiful designs, it is difficult to decide! In my decades of observations, the most successful designs are bold with bright colors and without too much intricate detail.

Of course, I favor this design of my friend Pali because it meets those standards well.

Here Pali posed for a photo with some new friends.

But I also loved several other designs that fit the standards for good Solstice art. Katreece Montgomery posed with her beautiful “Flights of Fancy” entry. The best designs also uniquely fit the theme and hers certainly does.

Likewise with this creative piece by Judith Raimondi, who also had a starring piece last year. This one has a jester (as I usually am in some form) on the back of a phoenix.

Many pieces were magnificent works of art, even if it is difficult to see how they would work as poster and T-shirt art. Jessica Sierens posed with her mixed media piece that included feathers. For me it had a Mardi Gras feel to it.

My friend Mary Price has been Artist In Residence several times and she was still finishing up this piece just before the show opened.

Elvi Morris is another long-time Solstice artist and she posed with her “Fancy Fliers” art.

Paul Zagala Freedom posed with his innovative digital art along with his wife Krystal Zagala Freedom. Krystal has been working with Solstice for many years.

Nise Baker posed with her whimsical art “Bird on a Wire”

She also posed for a family photo with her son and his lady friend Luna.

David Peacock’s piece was rather minimalist. He explained it was designed for a Solstice hat.

Here are a few more pieces I especially admired.

Come on down to Legacy Art Santa Barbara and vote for your favorite design! And be sure to check out the other cool art! Here are a couple of more examples of what you will find there!