Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara
Art Gallery
Current Exhibition - FARE TRADE
by Patricia Houghton Clarke and Brett Leigh Dicks
March 22 – May 17, 2025
La Super-Rica Taqueria, Santa Barbara, California (2024)
by Patricia Houghton Clarke
Mira Lunch Bar, Wangara, Western Australia (2021)
by Brett Leigh Dicks
La Flor de Michoacan, Ojai, California (2024)
by Patricia Houghton Clarke
Le’s Cafe & Lunch Bar, Baywater, Western Australia (2021)
by Brett Leigh Dicks
The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the opening of FARE TRADE, an exhibition of photographs of taquerias in Central California by Patricia Houghton Clarke and lunch bars in Western Australia by Brett Leigh Dicks. Gallery hours are Saturdays 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and weekdays by appointment.
An opening reception will be held at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara on Friday, March 21st from 5 – 7 p.m. Drinks and appetizers will be provided, with a local taco truck on site serving tacos for purchase. Brett and Patricia will give an Artist Talk on Saturday, March 29, at 2 p.m. with Maria Salguero, a Senior Staff Attorney from the Immigrant Legal Defense Center. 10% of all art sales will be donated to the Immigrant Legal Defense Fund.
Photographers Clarke and Dicks have recently turned their reportorial lenses to vernacular architecture found on two different continents—taquerias in Central California and lunch bars in Western Australia.
The vivid colors and bold signage of these fast-food establishments situated on opposite sides of the equator are emblematic of how they similarly forge and fuel their communities. Both are typically family-owned businesses that possess a dogged determination to withstand the corporate fast-food onslaught—an ethos that Clarke, who has lived and photographed in Santa Barbara for five decades, has long embraced:
“These are cherished places where one can find far more than basic nourishment. The sense of community and service, joyful music, bold decorations, and financially accessible meals expands our broader sensibility of not only what it means to feed oneself in America, but what it means to be an American.”
Dicks, a long-time resident of Santa Barbara, experienced a sense of dislocation after moving to Western Australia in 2019. He was attracted by the visual quirkiness and working-class vibe of the Lunch Bars there:
“Lunch Bars are uniquely Western Australia, mostly owned and operated by immigrants. In sustaining the working class, they offer hearty servings of tasty, filling food and community spirit in a state that has built itself on blue-collar values.”
In FARE TRADE Clarke and Dicks present examples of architecture that we may take for granted. The stark yet poetic compositions of each photographer ask us to look again and notice how the structure and character of each eatery is unique. Together, these photographers have created a compelling, cross cultural collection of images, each one brimming with vibrant hues and local flavor.
Patricia Houghton Clarke’s award-winning photography reflects her interest in culture, history, and human nature, and has been featured in exhibitions and publications in the U.S. and Europe. Her photographs of the 2007 Obama Presidential campaign and Election Night in Grant Park are included in the Barack Obama Presidential Library collection.
Brett Leigh Dicks is an American/Australian photographer whose work explores society’s socio- political impact on the landscape. His photography has been widely exhibited in Australia, Europe, and the United States and is included within the collections of major libraries, galleries, and museums around the world. He currently resides in Fremantle, Western Australia.
The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB) seeks to promote quality in architecture, art, and design by fostering an understanding of excellence in the urban environment. The AFSB offers diverse programs serving Santa Barbara County that provide educational opportunities for the community with participation from local architects and design professionals. Learn more at afsb.org.
Art Gallery
The Art Gallery / Conference Room of the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara is a dynamic space within a historic setting for curated exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, and design. Four solo exhibitions and one group exhibition are presented annually.
Local artists, architects, photographers, and designers are invited to submit work created in a wide range of content, mediums, and styles. Drawings of local landmarks from the Kids Draw Architecture (KDA) program are featured in November and December.
Our Friday evening Opening Receptions with the artists are open to all. On Saturday afternoons the Gallery is open for visitors to contemplate exhibitions at their leisure. Throughout the year, we offer Workshops and Art Talks designed to foster creativity and dialogue.
To apply for an exhibition:
Read AFSB’s Gallery Mission & Guidelines, then email your CV, Artist Statement, Website, and 3-6 JPGs of your Artwork to the AFSB Gallery Committee Chair, Bay, at bayhallowell@nullgmail.com.
The Gallery Committee reviews submission several times a year; there are no set deadlines to apply. If there is interest, you will be scheduled for a Studio Visit. The Gallery Committee will notify you if you are selected.
Note: Exhibitions are scheduled approximately one year in advance.