There are many bird people among us, especially in a region as rich in aviary splendor and diversity as Santa Barbara County. The birders know who they are. Others may not have yet realized they are birders in training. All of which is to hover around the notion that the current bird-minded exhibition at Solvang’s Wildling Museum of Art & Nature will appeal to die-hard birders, dabblers, and, perhaps most importantly, those with an interest in genuinely creative aesthetic expressions based on specific themes.
There are no standard-brand bird paintings in the show Bird’s Eye View: Four Perspectives, curated by Stacey Otte-Demangate and Lauren Sharp. Each of the artists differs from the others in methodologies, aims, and materials, but they are bound by a common passion for bird love and lore. An additional component is short bird-related films by Santa Barbara filmmaker Michael Love, sponsored by the Audubon Society, celebrating local birding and environmental importance of our feathered friends.
Officially, the show consists of work by Chris Maynard, David Tomb, Shae Warnick, and Chester Wilcox. Unofficially, the “fifth Beatle” addendum at the entrance comes courtesy of the late, much-loved Santa Barbara artist Keith Puccinelli. His 2008 funk sculpture “Vultures II” is a massive construction made from trash, house paint, and other humble materials, asserting an implicitly ecological cautionary tale, an ulterior motive buzzing throughout the gallery.