Rooted in the pure spirit of bringing people together comes the event “You Art What You Eat.”  This entirely student run event is the brainchild of Galleria Revolucion and City College student Vanessa May.

“I want to springboard this community of creative people,” said May.

The twenty year-old Sociology and Art History Major from San Diego came to Santa Barbara about two years ago and fell in love with the area.

“There is truly beautiful work coming out of Santa Barbara,” May said, “and I want people to see it.”

Featuring visual artists Caitlin Gowdey from UCSB and Sam Donnell who lives in Carpinteria, the event brings together young artists from allover Santa Barbara.

This includes the musicians playing throughout the event.

Among the performers are City College student Colin Shepherd who will be playing guitar, and local band Junipero with their unique sound of violin, guitar, and a variety of percussion.

“There is really this microcosm of creation so to speak,” said May.

The featured visual artists Gowdey and Donnell will combine their different styles to produce a lively and complex show.

Gowdey is a 22-year-old, fourth year studio art major at UCSB. The multi-media singer-songwriter, involved in multiple post-folk psychedelic roots rock revival bands, is a prolific painter with an edgy and indiscriminate taste for all surfaces upon which she crafts her pieces.

Donnell’s work is a collection of original and tangibly abstract works of art.

“I’m really into patterning and symmetry in my work,” said Donnell.

Recently beginning to do paintings, Donnell said, “Painting is so much more thought out and more of a long term project, whereas drawing is more of a form of expression in a moment.”

Originally from Lawrence, Kan Donell moved out to Oakland in March 2010 and ended up in Carpinteria through World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. The organization provides the opportunity to work on a farm in exchange of food and other accommodations.

Yvette Casas, an Environmental Studies major at City College, is the representative of the Student Food Collective in Isla Vista. She is acting as the food director for the event.

“Both Vanessa and I are trying to create a different type of community and to put together events and ways to inform people about the things they may or may not know about,” Casas said. “In this case she [May] focuses on the local art coming out of the area and I am trying to inform people about their food. I’m really excited for what we’re going to serve.”

A free, self-serve organic salad bar will be offered at the event, donated by Shepherd Farm and Spring Hill Jersey Cheese Company.

The gathering will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 17 at 6560 Pardal Road, Suite C at The Coffee Collaborative in Isla Vista.