Artist Statement
“To see color and movement in the dark became my daily meditation.”
— Sylvan Butera Rich
Current Body of Work · Acrylic / Mixed Media on Canvas
From the spring of this year into the early weeks of summer, my studio space in Santa Barbara was surrounded by the sharp, persistent calls of a local nesting owl family, as well as during my weekly early morning runs. To see color and movement in the dark became my daily meditation. In many ancient traditions, the owl serves as the sacred vanguard of abundance and deep intuition, a reminder to trust the hidden work happening beneath the surface. When mid-summer arrived, the owls suddenly went silent, leaving the coast quiet. But the energy didn’t vanish; it integrated. This collection represents that transition.
In this body of work, I began painting less from direct observation and more from instinct, allowing what I have learned and absorbed from the world around me to move through me and onto the canvas. Color, movement, and form emerge from memory, experience, and an inner sense of what feels true. The paintings become a dialogue between the visible world and the internal landscape.
Blending the precise realism of our natural world with the fluid, impressionistic emotion of our internal landscapes, these works celebrate a season of harvest.
True abundance is cyclical; it requires active listening, dedicated incubation, and ultimately, a commitment to giving back to the community that sustains us.
About the Artist
Sylvan “Sylvie” Butera Rich is a Santa Barbara based artist whose acrylic paintings explore the beauty, movement, and quiet depth of the natural world. Inspired by the landscapes of California’s Central Coast, her work is rooted in a deep appreciation for place, color, light, and the restorative power of nature.
Art has been a lifelong passion for Sylvie, finding renewed purpose in 2020 as she sought connection, beauty, and stillness during a time of profound social change. Her paintings transform familiar landscapes into expressive reflections on tranquility, movement, and the enduring relationship between people and the natural world.
Sylvie’s work can be found in homes and businesses throughout the Santa Barbara area. Her creative practice is complemented by a longstanding commitment to education and community engagement. For more than two decades, she taught social justice education in East Los Angeles and at Antioch University, and she currently supports students through the AAPLE Academy Foundation at San Marcos High School while also writing grants for Unity Shoppe.