Saturday, May 2nd - Sunday May 17th
The Strangers Project
Art & Soul is proud to host The Strangers Project, a globally recognized archive of handwritten stories that connects strangers through reflection, empathy, and shared voice. Presented in partnership with Friends of State Street, the installation invites visitors into an intimate, participatory experience that transforms the gallery into a space of human connection and collective storytelling.
This exhibition marks the launch of Space to Share, a pilot initiative by Friends of State Street exploring shared space through experiential art. Beginning at Art & Soul, the program highlights how thoughtful collaboration can expand audiences, activate place, and cultivate vibrant, layered cultural destinations.
Deep appreciation goes to our featured artist, Michael Vilkin, for believing in this initiative and sharing the exhibition space over the last weekend of his show, Pentimento, which will be on view in the Atelier Collective for it's closing weekend of May 3rd.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 11a – 6p:
- Saturday, May 2nd – Sunday May 3rd
- Thursday May 7th – Sunday, May 10th
- Thursday May 14th – Sunday May 17th
- 1st Thursday May 7th from 5–8PM
On view May 7th - May 17th, 2026
What's in a Tear
A tear gathers what words cannot.
Within a single tear exists a vast spectrum of human experience—far beyond sadness or joy. It may hold the quiet weight of hope, the tenderness of love, the grace of forgiveness, the warmth of gratitude, or a fleeting sense of awe.
This immersive installation by Emily Carey invites you to wander through a suspended sea of tears in the Atelier Gallery. Each tear becomes a vessel of emotion, a delicate reflection of something both deeply personal and universally shared.
As you move through the space, allow yourself to slow down—to listen, to feel, and to notice what rises within you.
Emily Carey is a multidisciplinary artist and maker, originally from England and shaped by a richly creative upbringing. Her work spans a range of mediums, often taking the form of immersive installations that encourage stillness, reflection, and human connection.
She is drawn to creating experiences that are at once intimate and communal—spaces where personal emotion can meet shared understanding. Each year, she extends her practice into the public realm by creating a float for the Summer Solstice Parade, celebrating her passion for community, ritual, and large-scale creative expression.
The Atelier Collective
Art & Soul is pleased to present unique and inspiring creative spaces that telling the stories of individual artists within the collective spirit of the gallery. From familiar names to emerging talents, these intimate galleries deliver art with commanding presence. Come experience these galleries within the gallery—curated for closer connection to the art.
Art With Heart -April
CHILDREN'S CREATIVE PROJECT
Art has the power to inspire, connect, and give back. Each month at Art & Soul, we donate a portion of our proceeds to a charitable organization that reflects our current exhibition or the passions of the featured artist. It's our way of honoring the deeper connections between creativity, community, and compassion.
By supporting Art & Soul, you’re not only investing in meaningful art—you’re also helping to make a positive impact, one exhibition at a time.
This month, we are honored to support Children’s Creative Project works with individual schools and school districts to design and implement programs that meet their needs and budgets. The Resident Artist Workshop program offers students and teachers the unique opportunity to work with local artists in the visual and performing arts.
Their programs place professional artists in PreK-12 schools to conduct and present participatory dance, music, theater, and visual arts workshops that provide opportunities for creative expression, skill development, and joyful discovery. Through these programs and performances, students increase their understanding of artists, the creative process, artistic perception, creative expression, aesthetic valuing, and historical and cultural arts heritage.
Wines with Soul — April
Margerum Wines
At Art & Soul, we believe that great art deserves a perfect pairing. Each month, we feature a wine that complements the spirit and style of our current exhibition.
This month, we are proud to have Margerum Wine Company in the gallery. Margerum is committed to creating handcrafted wines using only the highest-quality grapes, which enables them to make wines that are indicative of the place where they are grown. They strive to make wines naturally, with individual characteristics and personality. The scale of production is kept at a level where they can touch and know the wine as it is raised to the bottle—the antithesis of mass production—old-world techniques in the new world.
Enjoy a taste in the gallery this month, and visit the Margerum tasting rooms in Santa Barbara (19 East Mason Street) and Buellton (59 Industrial Way) to see all they have to offer.
