The first Friday of each month, the Wildling Art Museum in Los Olivos, a museum devoted to the art of America’s wilderness, screens notable films about nature or art and invites the public to come see them free of charge. The Museum also provides free popcorn and cookies, wine, water, and soft drinks. Reservations are not required, but space is limited and seats are available on a first come, first served basis.

The Free Friday Flicks are underwritten by a generous grant from The Valley Foundation.

“Celebrating the Land: The Art and Passion of Ray Strong”

This is a 45 minute documentary produced by Greenelsh Productions for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History in 1999 when the artist was 94 years old. Seeing the face and hearing the voice of this remarkable man speaking about himself, his art and his ideas, is a great treat.

“I’m leading a very full life because I’m a painter and I’m surrounded by fellow painters. And the empathy is such a fullness, it’s a wild harvest, but a very loving harvest.” With the opening words of this documentary, Ray Strong summaries the passion of his long life—landscape art and the fellowship of artists.”

Strong was born January 3, 1905 in Corvallis, Oregon and began painting at the age of eight. Some of his most acclaimed paintings are the dioramas in the Bird Habitat Hall of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, painted in the early 60’s. In the 1930’s, he and Maynard Dixon and others started the Arts Students’ League of San Francisco. He taught art at the College of Marin, lectured through the Association of Americana Colleges, and organized the Mendocino Art Center. In Santa Barbara, he co-founded the Institute of the Arts, and later, in his 80s, his energy and enthusiasm helped create the Oak Group featured in his video.”

The movie began at 7:00 p.m. and was shown at the Wildling Art Museum’s administrative offices, 2948 Nojoqui Street, Suite 4. For more information or directions, call 688-1082.