We are thrilled to invite our Central Coast community to the 6th Annual Art in Nature Exhibition Openings and Annual Fundraiser at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve.
This year, we are celebrating eight residents who will exhibit work in and around the Studio Garden. This is a unique opportunity to meet all the artists and explore their installations in the landscape that inspired them.
⭐ Evening Fundraiser & Exhibition Openings
Saturday, June 6th | 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
🌿 $250 per ticket
🌿 Meet the artists and explore seven site-specific installations throughout the Studio Garden.
🌿 Experience roaming culinary stations by Chef Ryan Beckfeld and Seasons Catering.
🌿 Support our non-profit through a raffle for special Taft Gardens experiences and enjoy presentations about the 2025-26 Artists in Residence.
⭐ Free Daytime Exhibition Openings
Monday, June 8th | 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
🌿 Meet the artists and explore seven site-specific installations throughout the Studio Garden.
🌿 Access is timed entry and ticketed by car (meaning you can bring as many people as can fit in your vehicle).
Enjoy this community event generously funded by a grant from the Ojai Arts Commission.
🌿 Ticket Info: Links for both the Evening
Fundraiser and the Free Opening Exhibition go live on May 6th at 9 a.m. Access them on our website under the “Events” tab.
Mark your calendars! These events are expected to sell out quickly.
Participating Artists in Residence:
9-MONTH RESIDENCY
Rodrigo Ormachea @rormache with Hugo Ormachea @ormacheajewelry
Son and Father, Ceramicist and Metalsmith from Ventura
1-MONTH INVITATIONAL RESIDENCY
Russell Crotty @russellcrottystudio
Visual Artist from Ojai
9-MONTH RESEARCH NON-STUDIO RESIDENCIES
Summer van Houten @summervanhouten
Analog Photo-Based Artist from Ojai
Alicia Morris Soto @alislala
Children’s Book Author from Ojai
1-MONTH STUDIO RESIDENCIES
Tom Pazderka @tompazderka
Painter and Writer from Ojai
Emily Thomas MaHarry @em_thomas_maharry
Painter and Printmaker from Ojai
Carol Shaw-Sutton @carolshawsutton
Fiber Artist from Ojai. Photos @mikaeljorgensen@jpegmountain
“Transformation” opens tonight at the awesome Brown Grotta Arts gallery. Wish I could be there, but maybe be next time. Two of my coiled pieces are included along with work by very exciting fiber artists.
✨ 🌵 📣 🎟️
Tickets are officially LIVE for the 6th Annual Art in Nature Residency Exhibition & Fundraiser!
These events celebrate the deep relationship between humans and their environment through site-specific installations in and around the Studio Garden
✨ EVENING FUNDRAISER DINNER & OPENING
Saturday, June 6th
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Join us for an immersive evening under the canopy.
-Experience: Meet our 2025/26 Artists in Residence and explore seven site-specific installations.
-Taste: Roaming culinary stations by Chef Ryan Beckfeld and Seasons Catering.
-Support: Participate in our raffle for exclusive Taft experiences to support our non-profit mission.
-Tickets: $250 (Available now!)
🌵 FREE COMMUNITY DAYTIME OPENING
Monday, June 8th
1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
A gift to our community, generously funded by the Ojai Arts Commission.
-Entry: Free, but timed entry is required.
-Note: Tickets are booked by car: load up your vehicle and bring the whole family!
📣 FEATURING THE 2025/26 RESIDENTS:
We are honored to showcase the work of:
Rodrigo & Hugo Ormachea @rormache & @ormacheajewelry
Russell Crotty @russellcrottystudio
Carol Shaw-Sutton @carolshawsutton
Emily Thomas MaHarry @em_thomas_maharry
Tom Pazderka @tompazderka
Summer van Houten @summervanhouten
Alicia Morris Soto @alislala
Graphic Design by @lulusandhaus
Photos by @mikaeljorgensen
🎟️ HOW TO BOOK:
Visit the "Events" tab on our website or click the link in our bio to book your Fundraiser tickets for Saturday or a free car pass for Monday.
#TaftGardens #ArtInNature #OjaiEvents #SupportTheArts #CaliforniaNature #SiteSpecificArt #OjaiArtCommission
I can finally share what we all have been working on!
A/V was a collaborative exhibit exploring the convergence of audio and visual art. The private exhibition featured 12 Ojai based artists, in a beautiful Ojai setting, sprawling through intimate interior and outdoor spaces.
Each piece was paired with a custom audio soundtrack.
Curation for this event by @noxonart , @willneutral and Chris Hacker. With collaboration by the @ojaimusicfestival .
Huge thank you to Will Thomas and Chris for the creative invitation to collaborate, hosting and for all of your hard work.
Thank you @willneutral for your audio creation and production wizardry, creating gorgeous compositions that resonated throughout the site specific spaces and beyond.
These clips are just a glimpse into what unfolded.
Thank you to everyone who came, who helped organize, @ojaimusicfestival for all of your contributions and helping to bring this event to life.
More on the adventure and collaboration between Will and me, coming soon.
Full list of artists:
@brittanysandersstudio@noxonart@rebeccamodes@joeldepartment@jpegmountain@bk.clay@rosemaryhhall@bengrace.co@carolshawsutton@marynevilleart@sallyenglandstudio@willneutral
#ojai #ojaiart #ojaiartists #audiovisualart #kelpart
It’s a wrap! Three days of wonder at Chris Hacker, designer and Will Thomas, musician’s house in Ojai where 12 artists were asked to collaborate with Will. We picked a spot on their gorgeous property to create a piece or installation, that Will would score with magic. It was one of the most creative and joyous projects I’ve ever worked on. Here’s my “Womb Room” piece you were invited to sit and melt into….aaah. The combination of music, texture and visuals created a deeply healing experience. I met and chatted with so many dear people🙏 PS - sorry this isn’t Will’s music…darn it…
Just received a copy of the new Basketry+ magazine with a grand new article about a sort of history of my work…..so cool, I had to share. Thank you to Ann Coddington and rest of the crew of the National Basketry organization for giving me a platform to share some of what I’ve been doing for the past 50+ years. @carolshawsutton@nationalbasketryorganization #basketry #fiber #fibersculpture
Article about my practice in the newest National Basketry magazine……@nationalbasketryorganization.org #basketry #basketryartist #fiberart #artbasket #fiber
Working on Fire Woman during my Taft Garden residency. She is inspired by the powerful destructive and creative force of fire to force growth and renewal. Many of the plants in this garden are native, Australian or South African are propagated by wildlife. I deeply feel this metaphor in my own life history and in our current cultural moment of environmental and political destruction. You’re invited to the public opening of this year’s resident artist gala fund raiser on Saturday, June 6th (tickets available thru website) or free public walk thru on Monday, June 8th. Go to: taftgarden.org after May 6th for registration & more information. Hurry this sells out fast! @carolshawsutton #fiberart #fibersculpture #felt #ecodye #goddess @taftgardens
