Our 6th Art in Nature Fundraiser celebrates eight resident artists from Ojai and Ventura who have spent the 2025-26 season embedded within the landscape of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. Their work does more than reflect the beauty of this place; it serves as a bridge between the human experience and the intricate ties to our environment.
When you contribute by buying a ticket, you are doing more than supporting a single program; you are sustaining the entire ecosystem that makes an artist's work possible. The Art in Nature Residency is at the center of our mission to EXPLORE the relationship between us and nature. Proceeds from each ticket ensure that the artists who come to create here have a functional environment: cleared paths, maintained facilities, and the human support necessary to bring their visions to life. By funding the Conservation Endowment Fund 501c3 non-profit, steward of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, you are directly investing in the collective effort that makes the residency possible and supporting our local artists in their career development.
THE EVENING EXPERIENCE:
- Meet the artists and explore seven site-specific installations throughout the Studio Garden.
- Experience roaming culinary stations by Chef Ryan Beckfeld and Seasons Catering.
- Support our non-profit through a raffle for special Taft Gardens experiences and enjoy presentations about the 2025-26 Artists in Residence.
EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
- Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
TICKET TYPES:
Fundraiser Event Ticket: $250
A Fundraiser Event Ticket admits one person to the Evening Opening Exhibition & Fundraiser Dinner.
$100 is tax deductible
Sponsor an Artist: $250
An Artist Ticket allows Taft Gardens to invite one local artist of our choosing who could not otherwise afford to attend this event. If you want to sponsor a specific artist of your choosing, please purchase them an Individual Ticket.
$100 is tax deductible
SUGGESTED DRESS: Semi-formal with comfortable shoes.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: If you or a member of your group has mobility restrictions please contact us ahead of time to coordinate special parking or golf cart transportation.
EXHIBITIONS:
9-MONTH STUDIO RESIDENCY
Rodrigo Ormachea with Hugo Ormachea
Son and Father, Ceramicist and Metalsmith from Ventura
Dual Exhibition: Forging Lineage // Linaje Forjado
1-MONTH INVITATIONAL STUDIO RESIDENCY
Russell Crotty
Visual Artist from Ojai
Solo Exhibition: Under the Celestial Canopy
9-MONTH RESEARCH NON-STUDIO RESIDENCIES
Summer van Houten
Analog Photo-Based Artist from Ojai
Solo Exhibition: Reciprocity Studies
Alicia Morris Soto
Children’s Book Author from Ojai
Solo Exhibition: Here, I Am
1-MONTH STUDIO RESIDENCIES
Tom Pazderka
Painter and Writer from Ojai
Solo Exhibition: Thresholds
Emily Thomas MaHarry
Painter and Printmaker from Ojai
Solo Exhibition: Between Sleep and Sky
Carol Shaw-Sutton
Fiber Artist from Ojai
Solo Exhibition: Saga and Raga: Cycles of Resilience