Holding Court

Felted exhibition posters by Stevie Howell

Gregory Parkinson patterned and ikat pillows

Lawren Howell’s El Paseo courtyard gallery is filled with a curated selection of art, ceramics, artisan-made furniture, and objects animated by Elena Stonaker’s hand-stitched flower sculptures.

A pair of Brittany Sanders paintings

Chet Taylor’s oak chairs beneath a handwoven tapestry by Stefan and Helena Galkowski

Antique art and sculptures from Mexican artists with locally made ceramics

Written by Elizabeth Varnell
Photographs by Danielle Rubi

“The concept of presenting a curated space that feels like you’ve stepped into a collector’s home has appealed to me for a long time,” says Lawren Howell, the interior designer, stylist, and former Vogue editor who just opened HOWELL & CO. gallery in the El Paseo courtyard. Her roster of artists includes Ojai native ceramicist Mark Churchill, cocurator Nicole Alejandra Pierpont’s private collection from Mexico City, and felted exhibition posters made by her sister, textile artist Stevie Howell. And she’s found herself particularly enamored of chairs and tables by Los Olivos artist Chet Taylor. “My husband and I have been collecting wood slabs from fallen oaks in the Ojai Valley for years and making them into various furniture projects with different artisans,” Howell says. “There’s something about Chet’s interpretations that feel so cool and new. They’re the ultimate utilitarian object, but put together with such subtle connections and attention to detail that they become works of art you’d want to live with.” 30 El Paseo, Santa Barbara, howellandco.shop

See the story in our digital edition