Rita Ferri To Jury The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Art Exhibit

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Feb. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- Rita Ferri, Curator of Collections, Visual Arts Coordinator for the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, will jury the Art Show at the 69^th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.  The Art Show promotes local artists and provides a venue for them to display their orchid-themed artwork.

The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission is appointed by the County Board of Supervisors and makes recommendations to the Board on cultural arts policy.  The Arts Commission is involved with numerous city, county and state-wide initiatives on an ongoing basis.  They assist communities in raising funds for art programs and provide technical assistance and coordination to arts organizations, artists and local government.  Rita Ferri is the Visual Arts Coordinator and Curator of Collections for The Arts Commission and has been an arts administrator and award-winning arts educator for over 25 years.

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, the oldest and one of the largest annual orchid shows in the United States, will be returning to the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California on March 14-16, 2014. With over 10,000 visitors from all over the world each year and over 35,000 square feet of orchids in the display and sales areas, the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is one of the largest botanical attractions in the West.

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, which is celebrating its 69^th consecutive year, has become one of the many highlights and much-anticipated events in the Santa Barbara area.  The show attracts thousands of people of all interests from all over the world.  It appeals to a wide variety of individuals, including: avid photographers, interested amateur gardeners, enthusiastic orchid growers, and anyone who enjoys the captivating beauty of orchids.  It is a family-friendly event where children 12 and under are free with a paying adult.

Lauris Rose, Santa Barbara International Orchid Show President, said, “The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is honored and excited to have Rita Ferri, Curator of Collections at the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, educator, and respected member of the arts community juror the art exhibit at our 69th annual show.  The orchid flower has served as muse for centuries, and we are pleased to be able to feature the art created by our local talented arts community featuring the object of our show's obsession, ORCHIDS at our show.  With the participation of Ms. Ferri, we expect an even stronger involvement, on many levels, by the Santa Barbara arts community.”

The juried art exhibition managed by the Santa Barbara Art Association allows visitors to experience orchids as the focus of fine art and photography.  In addition to original, orchid-inspired art by local artists, Santa Barbara International Orchid Show attendees will marvel at the intriguing garden exhibits and floral arrangements by top local, regional and international growers.  For those who wish to bring a touch of orchid color home, the extensive sales area includes regional and international vendors offering thousands of blooming orchid plants, orchid-related art and growing supplies for sale. Visitor and exhibitor information is available on our web site at www.SBOrchidShow.com.

Commercial orchid growers in the greater Santa Barbara area open their facilities for special sales and tours during the show weekend of March 14-16, 2014. Area growers can be found at www.CaliforniaOrchidTrail.com.

The 39th Annual Cymbidium Congress, hosted by the Cymbidium Society of America, is also held in conjunction with the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. Registrants to the Congress focus on a day of lectures by international orchid experts, the Gala Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Awards Banquet and unlimited admission to the Show. Visit www.cymbidium.org for information on the Congress.

General admission to the show is $12. Seniors and students with ID pay $10; children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Individual tickets can be purchased at the show box office or through Ticketmaster. Group sales information is available on the website at www.sborchidshow.com, via email at sborchidshowpublicity@gmail.com or by phone at (805) 403-1533. The Show is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, March 14, Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16, 2014.

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to bringing the enjoyment of orchids to the public. The venue is easy to reach at the Las Positas Road exit from Highway 101 in Santa Barbara.

To find out more about the 69th Annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, visit www.SBOrchidShow.com.

About Santa Barbara County Arts Commission:

Formed in 1977, the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission is a 15 member County Commission appointed by the County Board of Supervisors who make recommendations to the Board on cultural arts policy. The Arts Commission serves as an umbrella for county arts projects, assists communities in raising funds for art programs and provides technical assistance and coordination to arts organizations, artists and local government. The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission is the regional cultural development agency, a State and Local Partner of the California Arts Council and manager of the County Percent for Art Program (http://sbartscommission.org/exhibitions/public_art.html). More about the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission can be found at sbartscommission.org (http://www.sbartscommission.org/).