Ralph Waterhouse has a lot to celebrate this fall. In October, the artist turns 80 and November marks the 40th anniversary of his eponymous gallery, which has been in the same downtown Santa Barbara location for nearly as long.
In recognition of these milestones, Waterhouse Gallery is hosting the first solo exhibition of Ralph’s work in more than 25 years in their brand-new sister gallery in nearby Montecito, California.
Sundown, oil, 36 x 60"
Diane Waterhouse met Ralph on a blind date in 1983. At the time, Ralph owned a gallery in northwest England’s Lake District where, charmed by the villages and mountains, he had taken up painting full-time in the early 1970’s. Diane didn’t want to move to England so they decided to open a gallery here, initially in Solvang, California, soon thereafter.
“Dan and Elaine May [former proprietors of May Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona] drove out here with some of their artwork to get us started,” recalls Diane. They have since grown into an establishment that has discovered and represents some of the finest painters working in contemporary and traditional realism today.
After the Rain, oil, 24 x 32"
When Diane met Ralph he was a successful wildlife painter working in gouache. He had garnered international recognition and continued to paint wildlife into the late ‘80s until he found liberation in painting the beautiful landscapes and seascapes in and around Santa Barbara.
“From starting out as a wildlife artist to painting the California landscape in oil with it’s beautiful light, Ralph has come full circle,” says Diane. “He has a rich and rewarding life, doing what he absolutely loves to do, meeting wonderful fellow artists who have become dear friends over all these years and having the privilege of owning a gallery for almost 50 years. He has met wonderful clients who have also become friends. His life has been fulfilling and very gratifying. He has been blessed because painting is his joy.”
Evening Light, oil, 12 x 16"
From mountain-framed fields and stands of eucalyptus to slow waterways, illuminated by the mid-day sun or in the golden hour of dusk, Waterhouse’s talent for capturing the area’s natural beauty—and unparalleled light—is on full display in the roughly 15 new works in the exhibition.
Devereux Summer, oil, 10 x 20"
Ralph has countless distinctions from arts organizations and currently serves as the chairman of the California Art Club Central Coast chapter, but perhaps more than anything, the Waterhouses are celebrating shared lifetimes immersed in and dedicated to art. “Art, artists and paintings have been our life,” says Diane. “I think our whole life is involved in art. It’s everything we do and all the friendships we’ve made and the artists we’ve met…we have 170 paintings in our house! It’s a passion we have and we practice what we preach.”
Waterhouse Gallery will host an opening reception at their Montecito location on October 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. The show will remain on view through the end of November. —
Waterhouse Gallery 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 3B • Montecito, CA 93108 • (805) 886-2988 • www.waterhousegallery.com
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