Building on four decades of promoting preservation through art, The Oak Group will present its summer 2026 art show benefiting the More Mesa Preservation Coalition, June 2-29 in the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery, 40 E. Anapamu St.
The show’s title “Preserve and Cherish” is taken from a quote by Carl Sagan: “Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”
The mission of the More Mesa Preservation Coalition is to preserve the last remaining section of More Mesa threatened by development.
There will be a reception with the artists, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.
“Several Oak Group members have painted at More Mesa for over 40 years, witnessing its beauty and importance firsthand,” event organizers said. “Many people assume that More Mesa (300 acres of coastal bluff savanna and woodland in eastern Goleta) is already protected open space, but it isn’t.
“The land remains privately owned, is currently listed for sale, and continues to attract interest from real estate developers. Ongoing efforts to protect places like More Mesa face new challenges, making this exhibit and sale timely and crucial.”
Faulkner Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
The show will also be viewable online June 2-July 30 at www.OakGroup.org and www.moremesa.org.
Participating Oak Group members include: Meredith Brooks Abbott, Whitney Brooks Abbott, Rebecca August, Marcia Burtt, Chris Chapman, Bill Dewey, Rick Drake, Michael Drury, Rick Garcia, Carrie Givens, Kevin Gleason, Jeremy Harper, Kerri Hedden.
Also, Tom Henderson, Ray Hunter, John Iwerks, Larry Iwerks, Manny Lopez, Linda Mutti, Rob Robinson, Ann Sanders, Richard Schloss, Skip Smith, Thomas Van Stein, Arturo Tello, and John Wullbrandt. Guest artists include Karen Mclean McGaw, Ben O’Hara, and Sharon Schock.