“Origins” is a fitting theme for this year’s Ready to Hang, the annual community pop-up art show organized by Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, which operates the Community Arts Workshop (CAW).
Merriam-Webster defines “origins” as “rise, beginning, or derivation from a source,” and synonyms include “ancestry” and “parentage.” It’s often used as a way to describe who you are — your place of birth, history, or background. It’s a term that carries so much weight in today’s climate, where community members are forced to reimagine where they are from, or where they belong.
“The whole show is about camaraderie,” Michael E. Long, one of the original founders, says. “[It’s about] people coming together and reflecting on where we come from and where we are.”