Santa Barbara Art Works gallery begins Virtual Arts Market

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Downtown arts gallery, Santa Barbara Art Works, is holding a virtual arts market. It will support the gallery's 25 residents with developmental disabilities who have lost income because of COVID-19-related gallery closures and canceled exhibitions.

The show's theme is "Adventures in Quarantine", showcasing artwork with unique houses, wild animals, mixed-media, abstracts and more.

Guests are encouraged to purchase the original artwork to help the artists taking classes at Santa Barbara Art Works.

Proceeds from the online sales of artwork, both originals and prints, benefit the Santa Barbara Art Works' COVID-19 Artists' Relief fund and helps local artists with disabilities earn an income.

"We provide community for them. We provide a place where they can create. And you know they just have a lot of fun here with their friends
and so that's what we're trying to continue to do for them while they're home is providing these art classes and art shows where people can see their works," Gallery studio manager Jacob Allio said.

The show runs through August 20 online at sbartworks.org/shop .

The primary goal of Santa Barbara Art Works is to help artists with developmental disabilities create, show and sell their work.

Currently, classes are taught remotely because of the pandemic.