Strasburg Studio Archives: Did spring mislead us?

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Strasburg Studio Archives: Rediscovery in the Stacks

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Did spring mislead us?  

Thank you for joining me on this monthly trip through the archives of my studio. 

April SPOTLIGHT: "Winter Pools", 36x48" oil on panel, 2008.
Ask me about price, delivery and install

Winter Pools, 36x48”, oil on birch panel, 2008

As I write, the rain continues pattering outside my window. Despite the forecast of sun another storm looms, arriving later in the week. The coastline remains littered with the debris from the heavy rains and there is no sign of the sand returning to cover the shale on one of my favorite walks to Campus Point.
 
It has been another wonderfully wet winter on the west coast and it is spilling into a soggy spring. I won’t complain, I love the full reservoirs, the running creeks, monster tide pools and the ever-changing shoreline.  

"WINTER POOLS" captures the stark transformation of the coastline in winter.

“Winter Pools” captures the stark transformation of the coastline, where winter tides relentlessly tug at the sand, pulling it out to sea, just beyond the waves.
 
On rare days, like the one depicted, the clouds part, casting reflections of the sky upon the tranquil surface of tide pools. In this transient beauty lies the deeper truth about spring’s capricious nature, promising the fleeting moments when sunlight peeks through the clouds.

This painting first traveled to Solona Beach, San Diego in 2008 to be included in the exhibition "Surroundings" at Susan Street Fine Art. It returned to Santa Barbara after watching its siblings find homes and it remains a star in my studio, showcased these last few years over my sofa.


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Interesting local factoid:

DID YOU KNOW? From 1870 to 1890, Goleta Point was used as a whaling camp, with Italian and Portuguese crews situated at the locale.

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Strasburg Studio Archives: Rediscovery in the Stacks 

One treasure. One story. Once a month. 


I look forward to sharing the hidden gems in my studio in this monthly series.
Feel free to forward to other treasure seekers and art lovers.

 

Strasburg Studio Archives: Rediscovery in the Stacks

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Strasburg Studio Archives: Rediscovery in the Stacks

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An invitation to uncover hidden treasure. 

With the conclusion of my exhibition SURFACING at Sullivan Goss last September, and before returning to my brushes, the task of replacing the flooring in my workspace became the chore du jour.

My workshop, thoughtfully designed by my husband to support my artistic journey, became my haven in 2005. Eighteen years of work and five dogs battered the carpet leaving myriad stains and tracks, plus paintbrush debacles and plenty of tea spillage.

The time had arrived to say goodbye to the old flooring. We embarked on this seemingly herculean task, every last item had to be either moved out or moved aside before we could begin.

One of the great discoveries that emerged, while relocating the years of paintings, drawings and prints, from one end of the shop to the other, were the hidden gems tucked away and archived in drawers, storage bins and stacks. Some of these treasures in my inventory have weathered the passage of time, gracing exhibitions before finding their way back to the place they were born.
 
In the act of touching each piece, an idea blossomed, a monthly trip down memory lane, uncovering hidden treasures, those biding their time in drawers and stacks, excited to share their story, and waiting for another moment in the sun.  

One treasure. One story. Once a month. 

 I look forward to sharing the hidden gems in my studio in this monthly series. Stay tuned.

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Strasburg Studio Archives: Rediscovery in the Stacks

Twenty Twenty Three

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On this twenty-first day of December, the true turning of the year, at the equinox where we all walk out of the darkness and face back towards the light, it seems fitting to gaze behind us before looking ahead. The year started at the shoreline and will most likely end at the shoreline. The ocean is such a wonderful place to feel the vastness of what is possible.

Twenty twenty-three was replete with gallery exhibits, three different cabin adventures, two extraordinary weddings, a new floor in my studio and resonating from all these experiences is the profound warmth and kindnesses of dear friends. The years of Covid isolation make the communing with friends and family more meaningful, more heartfelt, more cherished.

Though winter has arrived, we are heading back into the light as the days start grow longer. Happy Solstice and a health-filled New Year!

Second Chances on First Thursday

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SURFACING @Sullivan Goss

Second Reception: THURSDAY, September 7th from 5-8pm

September is widely recognized as the official kickoff of the art season. Some galleries, reopening after a summer hiatus, offer up fresh exhibitions curated during the period of August's scorching hot days. Artists and galleries alike, eagerly await the return of art enthusiasts who have been away on their summer sojourns.

And, as we transition from one season to the next, while children settle back into the routine of a fresh school term, it is an ideal moment to reunite with friends and explore the vast array of exciting new exhibitions on display.

September First Thursday events mark the launch of Santa Barbara’s own art season. SULLIVAN GOSS at 11 East Anapamu will host a brand new show in the main gallery titled SPACE while in the back and front gallery is the second chance to see my show SURFACING and Holli Harmon’s exhibit To Feast on Clouds. Most of the artists will be in attendance, myself included.

If you need some enticing JOE WOODARD has written a fabulous review of SURFACING in the Independent.

A Bit of Perspective 14x14” oil on cradled birch panel

Click to read the full article

The River's Journey: 5 year reunion at the Wildling

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We’re in the final days of the River’s Journey anniversary show at the Wildling Museum in Solvang. The show will come down on September 4th. The museum is offering a $50 off coupon with the purchase of a painting AND a free catalog from the original exhibition. Thanks to the museum for another chance to grace the walls and thanks also to the participating artists!

Another reason to visit the gallery - the catalogs are in!

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This catalog was published on the occasion of the Sullivan Goss exhibition: Nicole Strasburg: SURFACING, July 28 – September 25, 2023. Featured essays by Jocelyn Webb-Pederson and Jeremy Tessmer. Plus, artist statement and curriculum vitae included in back. Featuring 43 color plates. 40 pages total. Measures 8.5 x 11 inches, softbound.

Available in my SHOP, at the gallery and online at Sullivan Goss.

Special thanks to Jeremy Tessmer for all the help making this catalog beautiful and such a fantastic complement to the SEA CHANGE companion.

Preview inside pages

Remind me when we met?

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A week has passed since the opening of SURFACING at Sullivan Goss in Santa Barbara. With the show successfully launched, life now turns toward other, more mundane, pursuits; the long forgotten and neglected chores, the unglamorous tasks, that accumulate during the swirling excitement of completing a body of work and the subsequent installation at the gallery.

One luxury, post-reception, is time.

First to fill my calendar: take a long walk with a friend, followed by a plunge in the Pacific.

As we meandered the cliff and shoreline at Campus Point and while scurrying around the craggy rocks during the advancing tide, I was reminded of an image I painted from two decades ago. Still, this view surprises, inspires and holds my attention.

Every. Single. Time.

How does it do that?

Campus Point, Santa Barbara, CA, 2023

I created several versions of this view, small studies and a larger format oil painting, which caught the eye of my then “soon-to-be” husband. I created one last rendition in a size that would fill a wall in our dining room where it has lived for two decades, still bright, still shiny, still inspiring.

And, this morning, standing in front of the muse as it, once again, sparkled and posed, I caught my breath as the vision spilled its fairy dust reminding me that amidst the ebb and flow of life, some things always remain the same.

Point Break, 30x72”, oil on panel 2003

SURFACING catalog preview

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As with my 2021 exhibition SEA CHANGE, my current exhibit, SURFACING, will have a catalog to accompany the show. The layout is complete and the cover decided. I hope to have it ready by the middle of August if not sooner! It will be a beautiful companion to the first catalog, a match set, warm and cool, made up of the same subject, shore and sky, sand and sea. SURFACING will officially open at Sullivan Goss, 11 East Anapamu, Santa Barbara on Friday, July 28, 2023 with the reception on First Thursday, August 3rd from 5-8pm. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the gallery.

New Catalog Cover

“SURF: Once again, I am deeply engrossed in my longstanding relationship with the shoreline, entranced by the interplay of sand, sea, and sky.  My newest collection of paintings seamlessly continues the narrative established in my previous exhibition, "Sea Change," delving further into the exploration of color and composition, with an emphasis on the delicate balance between truth and memory.” (catalog excerpt)

Inside Catalog Page

Save the date: August 3rd 2023

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As many of you have guessed, from the image campaign on instagram/facebook, I have a show opening at Sullivan Goss in a few weeks. I’m busy in the studio getting the last of the paintings done and starting to turn my attention to letting people know that the work will be on the walls in August and September here in Santa Barbara. The reception will be during First Thursday openings August 3rd from 5-8 pm. The show officially opens on the Friday before, July 28th, 2023. It will feel good to emerge from the studio, see everyone and share what I’m working on.

Waiting Offshore 10x30” Oil on cradled panel ©2023

The River's Journey catalog revealed again

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The River’s Journey celebration continues! Not only is the exhibition having an anniversary so is the catalog. Here is a sneak peek into the 120 page catalog from the exhibit that opened at the Wildling Museum of Art & Nature in February of 2018. (You can flip through the entire catalog on my instagram feed). This gem showcased articles from many voices in the community in addition to the six artists participating in the show. You can find it in my shop as well as at the Wildling Museum store. Stayed tuned for information about a reunion exhibit coming soon!

Artists on site at Jameson Lake November 2016

The year in review.... really?

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Do I have to? It was another doozy full of highs, lows sprinkled with chaotic activity. By the time I make it to the winter holidays I’m usually ready for hibernation and a long winter nap. It sounds so good, right? Friends in snowy places, like Canada and New Hampshire (you know who you are) have the perfect excuse to pull in the welcome mat, settle down by the fire with a stack of books and wait for the spring. Okay, maybe some winter activities are included but those are always optional.

Looking at my photo collection from 2022 the year both started and ended at the beach with plenty of visits to the seashore in between. My solace, my comfort has been found at the edge of the pacific. Joy and laughter with my husband and dog are created and felt there as well. It’s a meeting place with friends and where I run for time alone. It is a steady, unwavering presence that impacts who I get to be while traveling in this skin. I have the great pleasure of sharing these experiences from the inside out through my chosen work. In that knowledge I feel blessed every day. Considering the past few years of uncertainty and quarantine, without close connection to routines and the familiar patterns of day to day existence, my relationship to the sea and sky never wavers. My love for the pacific stays true.

Looking back or looking forward there will always be the sea, the sky, color, light, friends and fur balls. With love, I wish you all a wonder-full start to the new year.

Merry wishes for the holiday!

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Sulllivan Goss has done it again, another spectacular display from local artists in their annual 100 GRAND exhibition. Even though sales have been brisk there are still plenty of worthy entries waiting to be collected this holiday season.

Flight Song 1 10x10” oil on panel (FYI there is a Flight Song 2 that didn’t make the wall. You can ask to see it!)

After visiting the artpalooza in the front gallery, be sure not to miss the WINTER SALON in the back gallery. It is another space filled with myriad styles, sizes and colors for the collecting. Four of my paintings are on the wall accompanying other beauties by Nathan Huff, Phoebe Brunner, Hank Pitcher and Julika Lackner, to name a few.

When you weary of wandering the streets and stores in search of that perfect gift, stop in at the gallery to recharge your holiday spirit. Happy merry holiday!

Fall happenings & beyond .....

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It's October, the start to the last quarter of the year, the beginning of the end of 2022. It's a month that heralds the start of holiday fever and a ramping up to the new year looming. New work is emerging from the studio and finding new homes as well as annual exhibits. Here are just a few to check in with this coming season.

CREATIVE WOMEN III - GALLERY MAR CARMEL
OCT 21 through NOV 11, 2022

New Work by Twelve Regional Female Artists
Opening Reception Friday, October 21st, from 5 to 8pm.

Four new paintings will be showing alongside the works of 11 other artists in
this juried group exhibition celebrating women of the central coast.

More information can be found on their WEBSITE

VALLEY GOLD , 36x60” Oil on birch panel

SUNDANCE Home Catalog and SUNDANCE online have a new collection of paintings on offer. Thank you Sundance for the amazing environments that showcase my work.
See the collection HERE

LA PALOMA Restaurant in Santa Barbara has been open now for a couple years, making it through the toughest stretch of Covid quarrantine. This beautiful space has showcased seven of my paintings from the day it opened. I am honored to part of the gorgeous surroundings. Go have a drink, share a meal and visit the now permanent collection of work in this one of kind Santa Barbara establishment. Check out the MENU and make a plan to stop in.

All the wild that remains and OH! so very dry.

Plane, bus, plane, van, horse, helicopter, raft, speed boat, van, bus, plane. It seemed almost every mode of transportation in the short span of 6 days getting to the Grand Canyon and back again. We missed trains and motorcycles, hot air balloon? Each mode of transportation offered a new perspective of the classic western landscape. Scale. The vast quantity of the open western landscape, immensity of space, but also uninhabitable space and the evidence of the drought that continues to be ever present.