If you are in the need for something to do tonight, there is something awesome going down at the Santa Barbara Arts Factory. Check it out.

TONIGHT at The Santa Barbara Arts Factory $10pp
~ 208 Palm Ave Santa Barbara CA 93101….see http://www.facebook.com/l/3d9fd;thesbartsfactory.com

Dr. Sketchy’s is the little Brooklyn event that became a movement. Founded in 2005 by artist Molly Crabapple, Dr. Sketchy’s asked a simple question. Why can’t drawing naked people be sexy? The answer is… it can.

Dr. Sketchy’s branches have popped up in nearly 100 cities internationally, but there’s still a whole lot of world out there, so the cast and crew of Dr. Sketchy’s Los Angeles is hitting the asphalt to bring Dr. Sketchy’s Roadshow to your town. Yes, I’m talking to you, sir… right there.

From November 2nd through November 14th, Dr. Sketchy’s Roadshow will be presenting 13 alternative figure drawing sessions in 13 California cities from Costa Mesa to Sacramento. The schedule can be found at http://www.facebook.com/l/3d9fd;www.drsketchyroadshow.com.

Artist and art voyeurs need only bring a $10 donation and their favorite drawing supplies. Dr. Sketchy’s and the Roadshow’s art-centric host venues will provide everything else (top notch models, refreshments, casual networking opportunities, and an all around good time).

Join Danni Doll, Mysterious Max and Ringleader Bob for a couple hours of creative inspiration and social spectacle as Baby Tattoo Books presents Dr. Sketchy’s Roadshow in your town. Yes, sir, again… I’m talking to you. Come to draw, or come to watch; either way, you should come. Space at each venue is limited, so don’t be late. http://www.facebook.com/l/3d9fd;www.drsketchyroadshow.com

Besides the event at the Contemporary Arts Forum tonight which I mentioned in my previous post, there are a few other First Thursday happenings that I want to highlight. First of all, the wonderful show “Super Santa Barbara” will have its closing reception from 5 -9 at 121 Santa Barbara St. room 2. This was a really great show when it opened for one night at CAF before moving to its present location. If you haven’t seen it, make sure to add it to your plans tonight. To learn more about the show click here.

There is also a very exciting new addition to the list of First Thursday venues.  A large group of collaborators has gotten together to put the Casa de la Guerra Courtyard into use for local artists and musicians. I talked to organizer Joe LaCorte and he informed me that the Big Blue Ball will be making an appearance again. If you missed this large inflatable artwork last month, make sure to stop by to check it out. Details for the event are below.

Run for your life! It's the Big Blue Ball.

First Thursday and SBAC – Art Exhibit in Casa De la Guerra

Come see local artists and musicians showcase their talent on 1st Thursday in the beautiful downtown courtyard of Casa de la Guerra. In what we hope to be an ongoing series, this is a collaboration between the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, The Downtown Organization of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historical Preservation.

The details:
Location: Casa De la Guerra Courtyard, 15 East De la Guerra Street
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2009
Time: 5:00PM – 8:00PM
Special thanks to Artist and SB Arts Collaborator, Joe LaCorte, for spearheading this effort.

Finally, in a shameless bit of self-promotion, I have designed a multi-part, multimedia scavenger hunt that will begin at 6pm at Sullivan Goss. The winner will receive a $4,000 Hank Pitcher painting and four runners up will receive a free dinner for themselves and a guest with Hank Pitcher at the Arts and Letters Cafe. I’ve worked very hard on this and it should be very fun for those of you who enjoy puzzles and treasure hunts. But it won’t be easy.

Whatever you are doing tonight, make sure to go out and see some art. If you see something that you want to let people know about, contact me and I’ll help spread the word.

I’ve been incredibly busy over the passed few weeks, so I apologize for my absence. However, I plan on getting a couple of posts out today to highlight some of the events happening at tonight’s First Thursday event, beginning with the event at CAF. I’ve posted the Press Release below. It looks wonderful and has been highly recommended to me by some people in the know.

Tomorrow night CAF will be hosting a wonderful autumn event as part of the month long epicure.sb. It should be a great time with hearty fall wines and hopefully a great group of twisted pumpkin carvings. I’ve posted the details below.

Can anyone top this awesome Evil Dead pumpkin?

FRI. OCT. 30, 5 PM
Scorpio Rising: Pumpkin Carving Contest & Fall Themed Wine Tasting
In honor of late October’s astrological sign and referencing Kenneth Anger’s avant-garde film Scorpio Rising, join CAF and Kunin Wines for an evening of ghoulish delights. Join us before the witching hour, where judges will select the most devious and delightful pumpkins and award special prizes. Co-host Kunin Wines, known for some of the most exceptional vintages on the Central Coast, will offer tastings of their premiere selections, with a special focus on Autumnal pairings. This event is presented in association with epicure.sb. cuisine.libations.culture: a month to savor Santa Barbara. FREE, ALL ARE INVITED TO ENTER A PUMPKIN! Please submit between 12 PM Oct. 29 – 12 PM Oct. 30 to be eligible for awards and provide your own candle.

It’s a bit late notice but there is a really exciting show tomorrow night from 7 – 9 at the Contemporary Arts Forum. Local artists were asked to provide their artistic vision of how Santa Barbara might look in 50 – 100 years. Many of the artist that have been mentioned on this blog will be in the show. It should be wonderful. I’ll be going to the LA Artwalk at the Brewery tomorrow during the day, but I’m going to make sure to get back in time for this show. See this post’s tags below for a list of artists.

See you there.