ROBLAR ARTIST RESIDENCY
ART • WINE • FARMING
Would you like to make art on a vineyard?
Would you like to live on an organic farm?
The Roblar Artist Residency is an immersive art + agriculture + viticulture experience. Located in Santa Barbara Wine Country, Roblar Winery and Farm span a glorious 40 acres in the heart of California’s Santa Ynez Valley. The property includes 20 acres of vineyards, 5 acres of produce farm, an onsite wine production facility, wine tasting room with award-winning restaurant, plus contemporary art venue, Indah Gallery.
This 3-week residency (March 1 - 22, 2027) is designed for visual artists who are seeking a peaceful yet engaging work environment, inspired by natural beauty and embraced by the soul of the land. Roblar is a holistic ecosystem where people, nature, and culture integrate and support one another. We invite select artists to be our guests, to receive nourishment from this special place while simultaneously contributing to the cultural vitality of the Santa Ynez Valley community.
Where you will live:
Artists live in “La Bodega”—a 3-bedroom casita on Roblar Farm. Each of the 3 resident artists have their own private bedroom and bathroom. The 3 resident artists share a communal kitchen and living area. La Bodega is steps away from our organic produce farm where you’ll see the warm smiles of Jorge and Sofia, often tending the crops from sunup.
*Please note—The Roblar Artist Residency is intended for artists based OUTSIDE of Santa Barbara County, in order to share the beauty of this special corner of the Earth with those who do not call it home.
Where you will work:
Artists work in Indah Gallery—a contemporary art space housed in a converted barn on the Roblar Vineyard. For much of the year, Indah Gallery is dedicated to rotating exhibitions of local artists. During the residency, the gallery transforms into a shared studio where our 3 artists in residence work.
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Indah Gallery is about 300 yards (or a 5-7 minute walk) from La Bodega.
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The shared studio space is 900sf with semi-private partitions.
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Easels and worktables are provided.
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Artists have 24hr access to the studio.
What you will eat:
Roblar Winery is home to an award-winning farm-to-table restaurant, headed by our Executive Chef, Terri Buzzard. All the produce from Roblar Farm is either used by the Roblar kitchen or is sold at our onsite farm stand. Our menu changes every 4-6 weeks as Chef Terri and Farmer Jorge rotate crops with the seasons, thus inspiring new, fresh dishes.
The Roblar restaurant is open 7 days/week, serving lunch from 11am-4pm Mondays through Saturdays, brunch from 10am on Sundays, and dinner service on Thursdays and Fridays only. The Roblar farm stand is stocked daily and residents may shop there for fresh produce.
*Please note—the residency fee does not include meals at the Roblar restaurant, but an optional Meal Plan may be purchased for $420. The Meal Plan includes lunch at the Roblar Winery restaurant every day of the residency. Lunch includes 1 entrée and 1 non-alcoholic beverage. Additional courses and/or wine may be purchased at the resident's discretion. Residents are free to prepare their own meals at La Bodega or eat out if they choose not to dine at the Roblar restaurant.
What you can do:
The Roblar Artist Residency is your time. Our program is designed for residents to have the space and inspiration to create freely. That said, one of the benefits of spending time in this unique environment is immersing oneself in the land and local culture. Therefore, during the 3-week residency we offer a variety of optional experiences in which our residents can take part.
*Please refer to the calendar below for details.
Week 1
MONDAY: Arrival, check-in and orientation. Welcome dinner in town (included in residency fee).
TUESDAY: Studio time
WEDNESDAY: Optional morning with Director of Farming, Jorge Reyes. If there’s one thing Jorge loves, it is farming. Residents can spend a couple hours walking the rows of crops with Jorge as he passionately discusses his organic farming methods.
THURSDAY: Studio time
FRIDAY: Optional winery tour with Head Winemaker, Max Marshak. Residents can spend an afternoon touring Roblar’s wine production facility to learn how Roblar wines are crafted. It’s hard to learn about wine without a bit of sampling, so some wine tasting is included in the tour!
SATURDAY: Studio time
SUNDAY: Studio time + optional crit with Residency Director, Max Gleason.
Week 2
MONDAY: Studio time
TUESDAY: Studio time
WEDNESDAY: Optional visit to local artists’ studios. There is a small but vibrant art community in the Santa Ynez Valley. Residency Director, Max Gleason, will take residents to visit 2-3 local artists’ studios to discuss their work.
THURSDAY: Studio time
FRIDAY: Optional visit to Chumash Museum and Cultural Center. The Chumash are the indigenous peoples of the Santa Ynez Valley and have called California’s Central Coast home for 9,000 years. In 2025 the Chumash Museum and Cultural Center opened in Santa Ynez, with a comprehensive exhibit of the arts, culture and history of the Chumash people. This land is steeped in Chumash soul, and the museum offers an unparalleled window into their world.
SATURDAY: Studio time
SUNDAY: Studio time + optional crit with Residency Director, Max Gleason.
Week 3
MONDAY: Studio time
TUESDAY: Studio time
WEDNESDAY: Preparation and installation of show. Residents will transform the studio into a gallery to display their work.
THURSDAY: Opening reception of residents’ works at Indah Gallery. The gallery doors will open for an evening in which the local community can come experience the fruits of the resident artists’ labors (pun intended). Final group dinner out in town after the opening (included in residency fee).
FRIDAY: Free day. Gallery will be open.
SATURDAY: Free day. Gallery will be open.
SUNDAY: Uninstall show
MONDAY: Departure
About the Residency Director,
Max Gleason:
Max Gleason has been a working artist for the past 25 years. He graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2002 with a BFA in sculpture and painting. In 2026 he completed a Master’s Degree at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, CA studying the intersection of depth psychology and creativity. Max has exhibited in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Santa Barbara, and has work in private collections around the US and in Europe.
In 2025 Max founded Indah Gallery, a contemporary art space in Santa Ynez with a focus on artists local to Santa Barbara County. His family owns Roblar Winery and Roblar Farm in Santa Ynez, and since 2010 Max has been actively involved in the operations of his family’s wine business.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the duration of the residency? 3 weeks, from March 1 - 22, 2027.
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What is the application deadline? All applications must be received by December 1, 2026. All applicants will be notified of acceptance by December 21, 2026.
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What is the application fee? $10. Applicants will be prompted to pay the fee when submitting an application.
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What is the residency fee? $2,500-2,900 (price varies based on bedroom size).
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What is included in the residency fee? The residency fee includes a private bedroom and bathroom in a shared casita. The residency fee includes app. 300sf of dedicated studio space within a 900sf shared studio. The residency fee does not include meals or transportation—although a Meal Plan may be purchased in addition to the residency fee.
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What does the Meal Plan cost and what is included? The Meal Plan is an optional add-on for $420. The Meal Plan includes lunch at the Roblar Winery restaurant every day of the residency. Lunch includes 1 entrée and 1 non-alcoholic beverage. Additional courses and/or wine may be purchased at the resident's discretion.
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Does the residency provide art supplies or studio equipment? The residency provides easels and worktables, but not individual art supplies. Residents are encouraged to bring their own supplies or order supplies online and have them shipped to Roblar in advance of their stay.
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What type of media are allowed? The Roblar Artist Residency is geared toward visual artists working in any media. That said, artists working in larger formats or three dimensions must be mindful of the constraints of the studio space and not interfere with the work of their fellow residents. The residency does not offer any specialized facilities such as a kiln, wood shop, metal fabrication, digital media equipment, etc.
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What if I am not a visual artist, can I still apply? Yes, we consider artists working in any format (writers, poets, dancers, etc.) if their process does not interfere with their fellow residents.
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What level of artists can apply for the residency? We consider artists at any stage in their career (emerging, mid-career, established).
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How many artists are in the residency at one time? 3
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Can I bring my pet? No, unfortunately pets are not allowed at the residency.
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Will I be able to sell my artwork in the final show? Yes, if the artist chooses, then artworks can be sold in the final show with 100% of the proceeds going to the artist.
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What happens to the artwork I create during the residency? Residents are fully responsible for the transportation, sale or disposal of any artwork created during the residency. Artwork CANNOT be left behind, as a free and clear studio space is needed for the next artists.
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I am coming from far away and will not have a car. How do I get around during the residency? The Santa Ynez Valley is an agricultural area with 4 small towns, all about a 10-15min drive from one another. For those residents without their own car, Ubers and taxis can be used, but please note that they are not plentiful and may require longer wait times than normal. Additionally, there is a small bus system that transports folks around the valley. For all offsite excursions (studio or museum visits) transportation is provided by the Residency Director. Lastly, the Santa Ynez Valley is a very bike-friendly area. Bikes can be rented locally, and cycling is a great way to take in the surroundings.
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What if I live in Santa Barbara County? Can I participate in the residency but not live at Roblar and commute to the studio? No. The Roblar Artist Residency is designed to be an immersive experience, free from the distractions of everyday life. The residency is intended to share the beauty of the Santa Ynez Valley with those who do not call it home.
