Reel Meets Realism
Shining the Light on Artist Patricia Chidlaw
By Roger Durling | Photos by Ingrid Bostrom | February 2, 2023
Read all of the stories in our “Locals-Only Sneak Peek at SBIFF” cover here.
Known for her masterful ability to capture both urban environments and changes in light, renowned artist Patricia Chidlaw was an inspired choice to create the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival poster, a stunning depiction of the iconic Arlington Theatre. Here SBIFF Executive Director and a Santa Barbara Independent Contributing Writer Roger Durling shares his feature story about the painter — and the woman — behind the poster.
“Crop the bottom!” said the comment on Instagram about Patricia Chidlaw’s painting for the 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival poster. It was a reaction that we expected. But it is the bottom half of the piece (which showcases a parking lot with cars stationed against a wall) that elevates the work to the sublime.
“To be sure, Patricia’s work beautifully captures environments while not editing out the visual noise of power lines, graffiti, and disrepair,” says David B. Walker, CEO of the Nevada Museum of Art, where Chidlaw had a major exhibit in 2014. “These elements play antagonist roles in her eloquent compositions.”
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