The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art celebrates its 10th anniversary with a fundraising exhibition, “5×5: Celebrating Ten Years,” featuring 450, five-inch-square works of art, Dec. 3-18. The items will be available for purchase via an online auction at westmont.edu/museum/5×5 that ends at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18.
The exhibition, which benefits the museum’s art programs, features artists Charles Arnoldi, Jessica Stockholder, Chakaia Booker, Lesley Dill, Barry McGee and Billy Al Bengston.
“I’ve been overjoyed by the generous response to our fundraiser from Santa Barbara artists, as well as nationally known artists,” said Judy L. Larson, Askew professor of art history and museum director.
“We are grateful for their willingness to support the museum’s educational outreach efforts, especially during such challenging and uncertain times,” she said.
The show features artwork in a variety of media, including oil paint, acrylic, watercolor, ink, printmaking, drawing, photography, and collage. Pieces range from abstraction to figurative works featuring landscapes, still life, and animal subjects.
“The quality and creativity of these small works have delighted me, and I believe visitors to the virtual exhibition will be impressed as well,” said Chris Rupp, museum curator and coordinator of the online auction.
The museum opened during the 2010-11 season with an art collection of 453 objects valued at $2 million. It has grown to 1,545 items, valued at more than $15 million.
The most noteworthy gift came from Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree, who donated works from her collection of Barbizon artists, including nine paintings by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. The Berger family from Los Angeles donated 22 Rembrandt prints of Old Testament subjects.
The museum is open by appointment only, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. To schedule a visit, email museum@westmont.edu, or for more information, visit westmont.edu/museum.