Always fascinated by animals, I began to draw them seriously from life when I was at Scripps College (BA ’56) going to the San Diego Zoo and the County Fair, and drawing our goats, horses, cats and dogs at home in Ojai. Lucky in my teachers, I had been carving stone and wood, and making clay animals with Albert Stewart and Betty Davenport Ford. At the Claremont Graduate School (MFA ’64) taking ceramics from Paul Soldner, I began Raku firing. Later I worked in other media: soft sculpture, bronze, and cast paper, as well as clay. I showed work in California, the Philippines, the Midwest, and on the East Coast, wherever I was living or had connections.

JoAnne began her art career as a ceramicist over 30 years ago with my studies at the Seaward Ceramic School in my hometown of Seattle, Washington. While teaching ceramics at Santa Barbara City College in California, she discovered her love for sculpting. In addition to my own work, I assisted Donald Davis, an Italian marble sculptor of world renown, on numerous projects from 1977-1984. From 1978-1988, she worked with sculptor Todd Andrews enlarging small models to monumental size in T.A.S.C.O., a company they started in 1980.

The Santa Barbara Sculptors Guild (SBSG) is a non-profit organization serving as a community resource to encourage education, enjoyment, and appreciation of sculpture. Through quarterly meetings featuring guest speakers, exhibitions, special events, and community outreach, the SBSG provides a support system for sculptors and other interested individuals. The SBSG also facilitates interaction with regional, national, and international creative communities.

Guild History...
The Santa Barbara Sculptors Guild was organized in 1965 to promote interest in sculpture and for the exchange of ideas. Mrs. Frances Inis, Santa Barbara City College Adult Education teacher and sculptor, was chosen as the first chair.

SBSG Meets Quarterly - Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring and host two or more exhibitions per year.