Photography — News — California Nature Art Museum

April 12th | Lecture and Book Signing: "California's Changing Landscape: The Way of Water" by George Rose

Lecture & Book Signing: "California's Changing Landscape: The Way of Water" by George Rose

FRIDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2024 / 4:30 PM–6:30 PM

At the California Nature Art Museum (formerly the Wildling Museum)

Over 140 stunning photographs capture George Rose's expansive documentation of California’s complicated and dramatic water story. George began this project during the Covid-19 pandemic, just as the effects of drought were becoming increasingly visible. Then suddenly, California was hit with record-setting rain and snowstorms in early 2023. This onslaught of water effectively filled reservoirs and – at least temporarily – ended the drought.

California's Changing Landscape: The Way of Water | George Rose

November 18, 2023 - July 8, 2024

Second Floor Valley Oak Gallery

The California Nature Art Museum is pleased to host California’s Changing Landscape: The Way of Water, a solo exhibition by renowned photographer George Rose on view November 18, 2023 through July 8, 2024.

Featuring more than 20 large-format documentary inkjet photographs of the Golden State, the exhibition showcases Rose’s recent expansive documentation of California's dramatic water story. His vast exploration of the state and its fraught relationship with water will culminate with the release of his forthcoming book of the same title, now available on our website and in the Museum gift shop.

Dunes: Visions of Sand, Light & Shadow

September 10, 2022 - April 3, 2023

Second Floor Valley Oak Gallery

Traverse the sand dunes with Central Coast photographer Bob Canepa in the Wildling Museum’s new Valley Oak Gallery exhibition, Dunes: Visions of Light, Sand & Shadow, on view September 10, 2022 - April 3, 2023.

The unique terrain of the Oceano Dunes, also referred to as the Pismo Beach Sand Dunes, has served as a wealth of inspiration for Canepa, who has visited these dunes weekly for years. From sweeping vistas of light and shadow to grains of sand caught in dewy moisture, Canepa has surveyed these weather-sculpted dunes from a range of perspectives, always finding something new in the shifting landscape.

CANCELLED | Oceano Dunes Adventure with Bob Canepa

Ready for an Oceano Dunes adventure? Enjoy a unique opportunity to explore the dunes with exhibiting photographer Bob Canepa on Sunday, February 26th, 8 - 10 a.m. Bring your camera and enjoy a guided morning walk through the area's flora, fauna, and landscapes. Great for photographers of all skill levels, or just for those looking to experience walking through the dunes.

Registration is $25.00. Member rate is $20.00. Limited to 12 participants, advance registration required.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangFebruary 26, 2023Bob Canepa, Photography, Oceano Dunes

January 22nd | Roy Dunn: Capturing Imagery of Our Wild Neighbors

Join us for a very special gallery talk with featured wildlife photographer and cinematographer Roy Dunn on Sunday, January 22, 2023, 4 - 5 p.m. Dunn will provide a fascinating look behind camera trapping and ethical wildlife photography, and will discuss stories behind his photography on view as part of Wildlife on the Edge: Hilary Baker.

General admission is $10.00. Current Wildling Museum member admission is $5.00. Advance registration is encouraged.

May 15th | Nic Stover Photography Critique & Image Review Workshop

Join Central Coast professional landscape and nature photographer Nic Stover for an in-person workshop at the Wildling Museum on Sunday, May 15, 2022, 2 – 4:30 p.m designed for photographers of all skill levels looking to improve their editing skills and take their work to the next level.

Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross

September 25, 2021 - March 20, 2022

First Floor Main Gallery

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross, on view September 25, 2021 - March 20, 2022 in the Wildling Museum’s main gallery. The exhibition will explore the American West through the lenses of both Ansel Adams and Alan Ross, and also includes selections from Ross’ international photography projects. The Wildling Museum’s exhibition marks the first institutional show dedicated to the two photographers’ works.

Past ExhibitRuben MislangMarch 20, 2022Ansel Adams, Alan Ross, Photography, Landscape Photography

Meet the Artist | Alan Ross in the Wildling Galleries

Join us for the final day of Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross on Sunday, March 20th and meet the artist behind the work! Internationally acclaimed photographer Alan Ross will be in the Wildling galleries from 2 - 5 p.m. to chat with visitors and share stories behind the works on view.

December 12th | Michael Miner: The Craft & Art of Large Format Landscape Photography

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce an upcoming presentation with photographer Michael Miner on Sunday, December 12, 2021, 2-3:30 p.m. Miner’s demonstration and lecture will explore the art, craft, and technical aspects of large format black and white landscape photography.

The event marks the museum’s first in-person event since early 2020 and seating will be limited.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangDecember 12, 2021Michael Miner, Photography, Lecture

Chuck Graham: Hidden Wonders of the Carrizo Plain

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce its April virtual program, Chuck Graham: Hidden Wonders of the Carrizo Plain, taking place Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Photographer and author Chuck Graham released his new book, Carrizo Plain: Where the Mountains Meet the Grasslands, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Carrizo Plain National Monument in January 2021. In his upcoming presentation with the Wildling Museum, Graham will share his experiences photographing the wild landscape, native flora and fauna of the Carrizo Plain over the last 15 years.

Past Programs/EventsRuben MislangApril 14, 2021Carrizo Plain, Chuck Graham, Photography

Critters of the Tri-County Region: 2020 Photography Juried Competition

September 1, 2020 - January 10, 2021

Juried Online Exhibition & Competition

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to present its 11th nature photography competition. Our 2020 competition highlights the native critters that call the Tri-County region home.

Winners from both the adult and youth categories will be displayed in an online exhibition through January 10, 2021.

Past ExhibitRuben MislangSeptember 1, 2020Photography, Photography Competition

Looking Beyond the Pandemic: An Online Collaboration with Allan Hancock College

August 25, 2020 - February 7, 2021

Juried Online Exhibition in Collaboration with Allan Hancock College

The Wildling Museum is delighted to collaborate with Allan Hancock College this summer featuring highlights from adult education instructor Michael Messina’s photography class. The students’ photography was first intended to be a Barbara Goodall Education Center exhibition, but with the intrusion of Covid-19, it has now evolved into an online Wildling exhibition.

Over the course of the spring semester, Messina’s class persevered online, adapting to Zoom and learning new skills and methods as they completed their course while navigating the pandemic, culminating in this virtual exhibition documenting various scenes of nature and wildlife captured as close as the students’ own backyards, as far as Africa, and as deep as beneath the ocean’s surface.

Community Exhibits, Past ExhibitRuben MislangAugust 24, 2020Allan Hancock College, Photography

Starry Nights: Visions of the Night Sky

February 1, 2020 - January 31, 2021

First Floor Main Gallery

The expanse of the open night sky has served as source of wonder for artists, poets, and scientists across cultures and millennia. Join us in celebrating the awe-inspiring beauty and mystery of the night across a range of media, including nocturne painting and photography, as well as poetry by Dan Gerber.

Solvang School: Inspired in Nature

February 6 - May 31, 2020

Third Floor Barbara Goodall Education Center

Inspired in Nature, features photography by 29 Solvang School Yearbook and Media students. The students, grades 7 – 8, were inspired by American transcendentalist writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “All good things are wild and free.” Students turned their lenses to nature, many finding inspiration in their own backyard with subjects ranging from pets and family members, to local landscapes and sunsets captured in both color and black and white.

Santa Barbara County & Beyond: Recent Photographic Landscapes By George Rose

November 16, 2019 - March 30, 2020

Second Floor Valley Oak Gallery

Enjoy Santa Barbara County & Beyond: Recent Photographic Landscapes By George Rose on view in the Valley Oak Gallery, including new works featured in George Rose’s latest publication, WINE COUNTRY Santa Barbara County.

POSTPONED - Photography in Focus: A Panel Discussion with Susan Jørgensen, Michael Miner, Ana Phelps, and George Rose

Join the Wildling for an intriguing panel discussion on Sunday, October 27, 2019, 3 - 4:30 p.m. with photographers Susan Jørgensen, Michael Miner, Ana Phelps, and Celebrating the National Lands of California exhibition juror George Rose.

Learn about the photographers’ individual processes and inspiration, as well as the changing nature of photography as an art form.

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