happenings
Thursday, January 8th 5–8 PM
Layering
Art & Soul is delighted to present the Santa Barbara Fiber Arts Guild Annual Member Show, on view from January 8 through February 1, 2026. The Opening Reception will take place on Thursday, January 8th, from 5–8pm.
This year’s exhibition celebrates the richness and innovation of fiber arts through the theme Layering. Guild members interpret the concept through material, process, meaning, and technique—revealing how layers can inform both structure and storytelling.
Featuring works by 50+ member artists, the show showcases a wide spectrum of fiber-based media. The exhibition will also include live spinning and weaving demonstrations, along with hands-on opportunities for visitors to experience these techniques firsthand.
Mission Statement — Santa Barbara Fiber Arts Guild
The mission of the Santa Barbara Fiber Arts Guild is to preserve and promote the fiber arts through education and community engagement. The Guild supports public learning through demonstrations, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, publications, and other educational initiatives.
Bringing together fiber artists from across Santa Barbara County, the Guild fosters exploration of a wide range of disciplines, including weaving, spinning, knitting, basketry, papermaking, dyeing, felting, fabric printing, sewing, and more.
For more information, please visit www.sbfiberarts.org.
Thursday, February 5th 5–8PM
1st Thursday Art Walk
LIT: Love, Illumination, Transcendence opens 1st Thursday at Art & Soul, just in time for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival!
Drawing on more than 45 years as a storyteller in the theatre, Rod Lathim presents an immersive body of work that explores light as both medium and metaphor. Long engaged in creating works that reflect the human condition, spirituality, and the fragile beauty of life, Lathim turns to sculpting with light as a way to bring illumination, hope, and presence into an increasingly complex world. His artistic practice is deeply intertwined with his spiritual journey, a connection also explored in his book Finding the Divine Child: A Journey of Spirit, Light, and Art.
Rooted in themes of love, illumination, and transcendence, the exhibition draws inspiration from the ethereal qualities of both light and music—forces Lathim views as restorative and healing. With a background in music therapy and decades of experience witnessing the transformative power of the arts, he creates works that give visual form to music’s intangible energy.
Repurposed vintage instruments and found objects, rich with history, are reimagined as vessels of light, offering moments of reflection, peace, and renewal for the viewer. Rod is honored to have collaborated closely with Don Scott, Russ Carter, and Ricardo Duarte in the construction of these works, and to have partnered with Miguel Lee Leon and Clark James on numerous pieces featured in the exhibition.
