The Astonishing Tale of Ludmilla and Thad Welch

Our Mission is to inspire meaningful connections to Santa Barbara history.

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

An illustrated presentation and talk by historian Hattie Beresford

Check-in will begin at 5:00 PM with a pre-reception of light snacks and complimentary beverages before the presentation begins at 5:30.

Join Hattie Beresford as she shares a tale of starving artists whose devotion to their craft overcame inconceivable privation with inventiveness and a magical spirit of adventure.By the time Ludmilla and Thaddeus Welch landed in Santa Barbara in 1905, the lean days were behind them, and they had become known for their powerful skills in expressing the glory of landscape through color and light. While Thad’s focus remained in Marin County, Ludmilla established herself as a valued member of the Santa Barbara Art Colony and embraced the local landscape and historic adobe structures with her brush. The story leading to their arrival in Santa Barbara, however, is fraught with adventure.

About the SpeakerFor nearly two decades Hattie Beresford has written a column for the Montecito Journal called “The Way It Was,” in which she has been able to indulge her long-standing interest in the people and events of Santa Barbara’s past. She is also a regular contributor to the Montecito Journal Magazine. She co-edited and produced the memoir of local artist Elizabeth Eaton Burton - My Santa Barbara Scrapbook, and authored Celebrating CAMA’s Centennial, and the sold-out book The Way It Was: Santa Barbara Comes of Age.

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