Artist and SBCC alum Lety Garcia is happy to be focusing on her artwork, and sharing space for painting and exhibiting with three other artists who are partners of Linden Studio, a studio and gallery space in the heart of downtown Carpinteria, California (963 Linden Avenue). She paints large still-lifes, succulents and other drought-tolerant plants, street scenes, and architectural details, in oil and acrylic.
Lety fondly recalls her days at SBCC, where she earned an associate degree in graphic communications before transferring to UCSB to pursue her BA in art studio. Her studies included learning graphic arts programs and taking photography classes that included dark room techniques.
“Many of my SBCC art teachers were stellar,” Lety says. “They were on par with the teachers at UC, and in some cases better.” After college, Lety worked for ten years as a registrar in the collections management department at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. She later became the programs and public relations manager at the Art, Design & Architecture Museum at UCSB. Her experience led to involvement in the local arts community, where she served for a time on the board of directors for the Carpinteria Arts Center, and was instrumental in establishing the annual Carpinteria Artists Studio Tour.
Lety believes that going to Santa Barbara City College was a smart choice. It provided her with a great foundation, a chance to explore academically, and the opportunity to fulfill general education requirements at lower cost than going straight to a four-year college. “When talking with parents or kids about college, I always advocate for going to SBCC. Especially if students are local and can live at home – not everyone is ready to leave home when they’re 18, and that’s okay.”
Lety is grateful for her education and work experience, and now fulfilling her dream of dedicating more time to her art. Visit Lety’s website at LetyGarcia.com and follow her at @letypainter on Instagram.
