Art Series at SBCAST

By Robert Bernstein

SBCAST is the Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology. A gift to our community by local technology wizard Alan Macy. Alan Macy is currently the Research and Development Director, past President and a founder of BIOPAC Systems, Inc.

His designs are on the border of art, science and technology. As one example, he makes chairs that respond to your breathing and heartbeat by making synchronized sounds and movements.

SBCAST is a live and work environment where guest creators can stay and have studio space to make innovative creations.

Last weekend September 11-12 was the first of a three week series of art shows by guest creators. The series will continue these next two weekends September 18-19 and September 25-26. Saturday the hours are 6:30-8:30PM and include a reception. Sundays the hours are 1:00-5:00PM. The address is 513 Garden Street in Santa Barbara.

The opening exhibit was with Meighann Athena Helene and was called “Rusted Roots”. Here are my photos from the opening reception.

Here a guest examines a collection of insects embedded in plastic:

Here is another variation using plant material:

Here were some of Helene’s once-living found objects that have been transformed into works of art:

The show title “Rusted Roots” is a reference to a technique she is using to expedite the oxidation of pastes of iron, bronze and copper. Here are some of the resulting works of art:

Helene created wings using her oxidation patina technique for herself and some of the other artists. Here she posed with former Isla Vista Food Coop General Manager Melissa Ilana Cohen:

Here people mingled in the courtyard of SBCAST:
One of my former engineering colleagues Dylan Cummings helped set up the show and he posed with me:
A number of other artists were in attendance. You may recognize Ron Glover, Dominique Reboul and Christine Dawn from Fishbon, Lucidity, Burning Man and/or Solstice:
Marco Pinter has the unique Museum of Sensory and Movement Experiences at La Cumbre Plaza that I have reported on in the past. Here he posed with his lady friend Marie and another friend:
I should add that my wife Merlie is also a local artist!
At one point all of the winged artists gathered for group photos, front and back!