Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) recently welcomed artist Hannah Stevens Allen for the grand opening of her solo art exhibit Summer Series: A Tribute to My Father. The exhibit will remain on display through October at the Leigh Block Gallery, inside HSB, 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Ste. 100.

Twenty-five percent of the art gallery’s total sales will benefit HSB.

Allen’s work illustrates her personal journey of grief and nostalgia after losing her father in 2017. She draws inspiration from the summers she spent with her family in the Adirondack Mountains. Artwork has become a necessity in Allen’s grieving process.

“In the wake of loss, some people quit their jobs, start therapy, or get a dog. I did all those things in an effort to practice self-care. But I also spent time with my dad again, immortalizing him on canvas with paint and brush and drips of turpentine,” she said.

Allen’s collection also features colorful highlights of healing from her surroundings in California. She hopes to assist viewers to reconnect with their inner child, and to recognize the powerful benefits of creativity in dealing with loss.

For more information about the exhibit, call 805-563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.

Hospice of Santa Barbara provides professional counseling, support groups, and patient care services free of charge to individuals and families who are grieving the death of a loved one or experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness.

HSB also provides counseling in its offices and on 12 local junior high and high school campuses to children and teens who are grieving a loss.

For more about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call 805-563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.

— Angel Pacheco for Hospice of Santa Barbara.