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SOLSTICE ART BOX CONTEST

Solstice Celebration is pleased to announce the winners of the local  Elephant Parade® Art Box Contest. Solstice launched the Solstice Art Box Contest at the September Elephant Equinox in collaboration with the Elephant Parade®. The event featured Groovy Gary, one of the elephant sculptures from the Elephant Parade® created by Calico Cooper, Alice Cooper’s daughter. 

 

The contest was judged by members of the Solstice Board of Directors, community members, and local fine artists and graphic designers who were not participating in the contest.   Here are some of the entries:  https://www.solsticeparade.com/posterart/top-ten-art-box-submissions

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Elena Pablo

Twelve year old Elena Pablo, a student at Washington Elementary School, is the winner in the youth category for her design.   Elena says “It makes me feel proud of my art, and encourages me.  "I want to become an art teacher.”  She completed her drawing with colored pencils at Plaza Palooza, the opening of the Michael Towbes Plaza at the Santa Barbara Library.  Check out short video clip of Elena here.

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Christopher Noxon

In the professional category, the winning entry is Christopher Noxon’s “Phantasmagorical Elephant”. 

 

Christopher’s illustrations have been featured in The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, The Undo List, Modern Loss. At some point in his past, Christopher worked as a costumed character at Universal Studios, which may be another indicator of why he answered the "call" for artists from Solstice -- in addition to his desire to portray "the playful and the unexpected."

 

He also spent 30 years as a noted journalist for national magazines and newspapers, contributing to The New Yorker, Details, The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, and Salon besides his books and a whole lot more.

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Christopher's description of his design: "Drippy skies, patterned growth and telescoping orchards play across the surface of this lumbering lovable loxodonta".  Check out his website and this short interview of Christopher here

SUMMER SOLSTICE SPONSORS

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Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts -A feld of interest fund of the Santa Barbara Foundation.  •  The Hutton Parker Foundation • The Santa Barbara Foundation •. The Oshay Family Foundation •  Art from Scrap     A Litter Free Event 

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Copyright © 2025 Summer Solstice Celebration. All rights reserved.

SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION, INC.  PO Box 21141, Santa Barbara, CA  93121  805-965-3396  solstice@solsticeparade.com

 

Board of Directors: Justin Gunn - Board President; Ron Burd - Secretary; David Machacek - Treasurer; David Hefferman, Laura Knight,
Barbara Logan, Sharon Rich, Karen Ortiz, Jonathon Alburger Lisa Thomas

Advisory Board: Casey Caldwell, Teresa Kuskey, Stephen Meade, Irene Ramirez, Janet Reineck, Mark Sargent, Jacob Tell, Mark Sherman

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