January 1st Thursday

Celebrate the New Year at January’s 1st Thursday!

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Visit Downtown Santa Barbara for 1st Thursday, an evening filled with FREE art, culture, music and fun! The January 5th event will include more than 25 cultural art venues eager to show off exciting new exhibits, welcoming artist receptions, intriguing demonstrations and energetic live music.

Ring in the New Year at this month’s 1st Thursday as you promenade from each festive venue to the next, celebrating 2012. PrAna at Santa Barbara Outfitters is starting the New Year off right as local artist and co-founder of Surfers Without Borders Aubrey Falk shows her latest artwork and offers a presentation from 6-6:30pm. Begin your New Year with fresh kicks as all Toms shoes will be 10% off and with every purchase a donation is made to The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. Head on over to the Faulkner Gallery West at the Santa Barbara Public Library where self taught, native, folk artist, Justine J. Tompkins will be exhibiting her creative and quirky artwork. Walk through La Arcada Court to Santa Barbara Arts where local, fiber artist, Valerie McLean will be exhibiting a newly popular art form, perfect for the New Year. McLean uses felt in her work as she expresses that this material has made a transition from being purely utilitarian to an incredible art form.

Keep the New Year celebrations going strong as you continue over to Artamo Galleries to see Start With Art that will feature an overview of 20 artists represented by the gallery, for an artful start into the New Year. Make sure to pop in and drop your name into the free raffle for a chance to win remarkable works of art. Carry on your evening as you head on over to CASA Magazine for a New Years celebration as a dozen sculptors will be featured in a group show. Stop by for live music, sing-along and a great start to 2012. Round out your night at Tony Ray’s Restaurant and Cantina where photographer, Eddie Rosales will be exhibiting his personal photographs manifested from the Day of the Dead celebrations along with offering a special print in an auction that will support the Diabetes Research Foundation.

While 1st Thursday offers extraordinary exhibits and paintings indoors, be sure to check out the demonstrations, performance art and live music outdoors. Make your way over to the corner of State and Anapamu to check out Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) as they present the talents of these artistic and creative students. Carry on with your night and stop at the Marshall’s Patio to listen to the sounds of Carl & Bobby, a musical duo who takes songs to a different level with their Hawaiian, Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues and Country influences. End your first 1st Thursday of 2012 at Paseo Nuevo Center Court where Deanne Bunny will be performing her quirky Indie pop songs with dance, punk and folk influences.

All of these attractions and many more are FREE during 1st Thursday on January 5th. With over 25 stops on this month’s 1st Thursday map, there is sure to be something for everyone. For more information and a complete listing of the specific programming offered at each gallery as well as all public performances and interactive exhibits, go to www.santabarbaradowntown.com.

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