Two Santa Barbara based artists, Jesse Alexander and Patricia Houghton Clarke struck up a friendship over a mutual love of photography. Both had traveled extensively, both had a love of immersing themselves in the communities they traveled to and both take deeply personal images that communicate the beautiful and complex worlds they inhabit.

Opening on Thursday February 2nd, at Gallery 27 in Santa Barbara, these two artists celebrate their connection to the world with all of us.

Jesse Alexander –

London in the 60’s.  Jesse is synonymous with Motorsports. He spent time in Monaco photographing the Grand Prix for major magazines, Car & Driver, Road & Track and Newsweek among many. In Observations, he turns his lens on two unique views of London. In his series House of Pow, Jesse looks at a unique sporting club focused on boxing. Shot in color and black and white, these images bring us down to the mat. We can see the smoke, smell the sweat, and taste the champagne and cigars.

In Alexander’s other featured series, Billingsgate, the portraits of the workers and purveyors of the Fish Market come alive.

Patricia Houghton Clarke –

As an observer of life and communities of the world, Patricia focuses her camera on the intimate details of daily life and our connection to our surroundings. Working with multiple cameras, film, digital and toy Clarke captures the essence of place. In Observations, we see three unique visions, three unique places. We see the structure of Berlin, the passion of a small town in Italy and a very personal vision of Asia.