ART GALLERY PROFILE/OLD ORCUTT
by A. Noet
 Ron Thatcher and his wife, Terri, have been collecting art for years, says Ron. After moving to Orcutt seven years ago, he and Terri decided the area could support an upscale fine art gallery. Two years ago they opened the David Ryan Gallery, which offers a diverse collection of art from around the world, and is named after the Thatcher 's son, David, who also created the gallery website.
Old Orcutt is hardly the place you 'd expect to find pottery from Peru or abstract oil paintings from France or Italy. The town was named for Bill Orcutt, the Union Oil geologist who discovered Old Maude in the nearby hills. A real gusher , as they 're called in the oil business, Old Maude flowed over a million barrels in its first 100 days and was arguably the biggest oil well ever discovered in California. After the oil business slowed down, Old Orcutt enjoyed the status of a quiet suburb of Santa Maria. Now, the Thatchers believe that Old Orcutt will be revitalized as an arts and antiques community. In addition to the Thatchers, an active group of businessmen and women are working to make that happen.
In addition to the eclectic mix of paintings, the gallery also has a sizeable inventory of bronze and stone sculptures. The stone pieces, from Zimbabwe 's Shona tribe, are very popular art objects, says Thatcher, because of their exciting history and creative beauty. He also notes that both Picasso and Matisse were ardent admirers of the Shona sculptors. Current fans can find about 100 stone pieces in the Shona gallery, ranging in size from small animals to four-foot tall abstract pieces.
Last year, the gallery began hosting monthly Art and Wine Parties. Terri Thatcher notes that the gallery is always packed for these events, which is a testimony to the art-lovers in the area. The event is held on the first Friday of each month, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, with wines poured by local vineyards. Hors d 'oeuvres are also served, and there 's a question and answer session at 7:30 with the featured artist and vintner. Jia Lu, the Beijing-born figurative oil painter who was the featured artist last August, has works in major corporate and private collections. September features the Mata Ortiz Pottery, and emerging artist Rando Schmook will be the guest in October. November 's special guest Robert Burridge, an award-winning abstract artist, is known for his brilliant color. Return to Top of Page
|
The David Ryan Gallery, one of the largest in Santa Barbara County, offers visitors a chance to view over 100 paintings on display by artists from ten different countries, with styles ranging from abstract to photorealistic.
The gallery also sells jewelry and pottery, including Chulucana from Peru and Mata Ortizócreated by potters from a small village in Mexico by the same nameóas well as handblown glass from Russia, Sweden, Poland and Brazil. Murano glass, from the famous Murano family, can be difficult to find and collectors come to Orcutt from around the country to find it.