Of Paint And Pastures

What do Art and Ranching have in common? Apparently a lot. Creative people seem drawn to the land. This is particularly true of the Santa Ynez Valley, home to ranches of actors, writers, musicians and artists.

In celebration of that fact, my wife and I were privileged to participate in a joint outing of the Wildling Museum and the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum to explore this partnership of art and ranching as embodied in the life work of Channing Peake, painter and Buellton rancher.

A privilege indeed, for our destination was the UCSB Art, Design & Architecture Museum and the Peake/Picasso Exhibit. Few are immune to the romantic perception of the American Cowboy, and apparently Pablo Picasso was no exception. "There was an instant attraction" between the men, AD&A Curator of Exhibitions Elyse Gonzales explained, standing before a wall sized photo in which the two men stand side by side, Peake wearing a mischievous grin and Picasso wearing Peake's cowboy hat.

And so began a unique tour of the exhibit led by Ms. Gonzales, a transplanted Philadelphian in her fifth year as Curator at AD&A, and Channing Peake's widow, Cheri Peak who offered insights possible only from one who has lived intimately with the artist. The exhibit occupies two rooms and is designed to compare and contrast the work of both men and their influence upon one another. In many instances it is difficult to distinguish between the work of the two artists. The second room is devoted entirely to Channing Peake with photos, paintings, news clippings, letters and film exploring his work and life while in Oaxaca, Mexico, at Jabali Rancho in Buellton, in Paris and in Los Angeles. In this exhibit Curator Gonzales has fully captured the dichotomy presented by Peake's love for painting and for ranching, most fully epitomized by Channing's paintings of farm implements on his ranch rendered in modern style. No faux cowboy he, Peake rode and bred top quarter horses and Jabali Rancho was a plain, working cattle ranch like any other along Santa Rosa Road.

Our tour of the exhibit was accompanied by an intimidating array of curators and directors representing the three museums whose comments, questions and reminders sparked dialogue that few museum visitors encounter. No question went unanswered.

The net result? A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.