Santa Barbara Antique Art Show wraps Sunday

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- The Santa Barbara Antique Art Show wrapped today at Earl Warren Showgrounds.

Dana Wherity’s love of antiques developed in her childhood.

“Since I was a little girl, I was with my grandparents going to estate sales and to antique stores and to yard sales and just watching them connect with other people and hearing their stories, said Owner of Tumbleweed Found Dana Wherity.

Dana explains that many people buy antiques because they feel an emotional connection to the item that reminds them of their cultural ancestry or of their fond memories of the past.

“I had a woman buy a 1900 first edition, Snow White Book, because that was a childhood story that meant a lot to her. And she was in her eighties, you know, and it brought her great comfort and healing so that was really special,” said Wherity.

Over 60 dealers from around the country displayed art ranging from the 17th century to the mid century.

Antique items included everything from furniture and pottery to fashion and jewelry.

“There’s some very unusual pieces here that you don't typically see in your average antique show,” said visitor Jim King.

“This bull is a barbecue. It's both barbecue and smoke comes out of its nostrils. So it's both a wonderful line sculpture and a practical piece with purpose,” said Owner of “Off The Wall,” Dennis Boses.

Many locals say that they keep coming back to this antique show because they hope to find items that reflect the rich history of Santa Barbara.

“I think there's a lot of history here and especially in Santa Barbara, they have a lot of big Spanish, ornate things that are hard to find otherwise,” said visitor Sue Walseth.