Sonoma County has been a magnet for artists and art connoisseurs for many decades, and continues to attract sophisticated artists and art collectors, along with casual art lovers. Combined with the sheer natural beauty, and general creative ambience, the area readily entices visitors, as well as long-time residents, to explore the many and varied fine art offerings. With the addition of great food, drink, and outdoor activities, it’s easy to spend a day, a week, or a lifetime traversing through the vineyards, forests, and rolling hills, along the scenic coast, and through the welcoming towns of Sonoma County.
The following is a partial list of local art exhibitions. Many eateries, wineries, and civic buildings also present changing art shows in their spaces.
*** Designates an Opening Reception.
Arts Guild of Sonoma
Through January 2, December Exhibition
***Opening Reception Friday, December 2 from 5 to 7 p.m.
One-of-a-kind art in every medium in the gallery, come to browse around and make your choices to complete your holiday gift-giving.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
(707) 996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org
Calabi Gallery
Through December, The Beat Went On: Late works by Sutter Marin
Known as a beat era artist and poet, Sutter Marin’s extraordinary paintings of the 70s and 80s were far out of the visual arts mainstream. Marin’s paintings will be accompanied by works by other artists of his milieu, including Paul Beattie, Roy DeForest, Madeline Gleason, Charles Howard, Jose Ramon Lerma, Mary Fuller McChesney, Robert Pearson McChesney, Deborah Remington, Reese Thornton, and Julius Wasserstein.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com/
Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through January 22, Mr. Schulz Goes to Washington
The lighter-side of politics and its intersection with the life of Charles Schulz is the focus of this exhibition, which features original presidential-themed Peanuts comic strips, correspondence with several American presidents, and Peanuts memorabilia, including campaign bumper stickers, buttons, and banners.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org/
Christie Marks Fine Art Gallery
312 South A Street, Suite #7, Santa Rosa
707-695-1011
christiemarksfineart.com
Chroma Gallery
Through December 3, Visible Dreams: Surrealism and Fantasy
Imaginative art inspired by dreams and the creative subconscious mind.
December 8 through January 8, Small Works Show
*** Opening reception Friday, December 9, from 5 to 7 p.m.
All Art is Under A Foot.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net/
Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through January 19, Fantasy
Guest Artists for this exhibition, celebrating the imagination through sculpture and paint, are Kenyon Lewis and Marilyn Sommer. Resident artists included are Laura Paine Carr, Jane Gardner, Shane Gidcumb, Terry Holleman, Sharon Kozel, Paul Maurer, and Hanya Popova Parker. Pamela Heck will be the featured resident artist.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org/
Cloverdale and Geyserville
Through May 2017, SculptureTrail
The Trail is an exhibit of sculptures on the main streets in of Geyserville and Cloverdale in the Sonoma County Wine Country. The Sculpture Trail is a year-round exhibit with sculptures changing every 12 months. You can download a map for your visit at www.101SculptureTrail.com.
Corricks Art Gallery
December 2 through December 31, Olson & McWethy
*** First Friday reception, December 2, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Realist painter Tatiana McWethy shows a selection of stunning trompe l’oeil painting, beautiful iconography, and more. Rik Olson shares his fascinating printmaking process.
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com/
Gallery at First
Through January 2, Fall Guest Artist Show
The Gallery at First presents a show featuring the work of three local artists—John Haines, Virginia Harrison and Mary Jarvis.
First Presbyterian Church
1550 Pacific Ave, Santa Rosa
707-542-0205
www.fpcsantarosa.org
Gallery 8
Through December 17, Seeing the Unseen; The Art Journey of Helena Leifer & Max DuBois
The different mediums of Leifer’s collages and DuBois’ monotypes are complementary as the exhibit combines pairs of artwork – each pair includes a monotype and a collage. Within each pair, both works reflect similar concepts. There are over 30 original works of wide ranging expression, including the dreamlike interpretation of human experience.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-573-9511
Graton Gallery
Through December 18, mere color . . .
New abstract paintings by Susan Proehl; with guest artists Rebeca Trevino, Paula Strother, Rosemary Ward, and Betty Ann Sutton.
December 20 through January 29, Sandra Rubin & Thea Goldstine
*** Artist Reception Saturday, January 7, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Rubin and Goldstine show new paintings with Guest artists Susan Berg, Matt Proehl, Daphne Wallace Gerlach, and Char Wood.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net/
Hammerfriar Gallery
Through January 28, Small Works
Eight Artists in ONE show; Sandy Deeks, Pamela Holmes, Britta Kathmeyer, Penny Michel, Frank Miller, Jann Nunn, Tramaine de Senna, and Bill Shelley.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com/
Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through December 31, 15th Annual Gift Gallery
During the holiday season, the gallery is filled with arts and crafts that are perfect for gift giving.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com/
Hopscotch Gifts & Gallery
14301 Arnold Drive #2A Glen Ellen
707-343-1931
www.hopscotchgiftsandgallery.com/
IceHouse Gallery
December 3 through January 14, Catch and Release III
*** Opening reception Saturday, December 3, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Art and curiosities from the Robert Flynn Johnson Collection.
405 East D St. Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org/
Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
Through January 3, Photographs of the Laguna by Joan Humberstone —in Memoriam
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org/
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Sculpture Garden
Through June 2017, Root 101
On view in the new Sculpture Garden is the inaugural exhibition of recent work by Bruce Johnson. The work is comprised of colossal wood sculptures made from salvaged old growth redwood, which he has been working with for over 50 years.
50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa
http://formandenergy.com/new/root101/
Museums of Sonoma County
Art Museum
Through January 29, Faith Ringgold: An American Artist
The exhibition features story quilts, works on paper, tangkas, soft sculpture, and original book illustrations by Ringgold, who is also a celebrated artist, writer and educator.
511 B Street, Santa Rosa
History Museum
December 11 through April 2, 2017 The Beat Goes On: Peace, Love and Rock & Roll in the North Bay
*** Opening reception Saturday, December 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. $15/ members free.
The late 1960s was as volatile a time in music as it was in the rest of society. Music became part of the national conversation about youth, free love, drugs, and rebellion. The Beat Goes On features rock posters, artifacts and images that trace the influences of music, counterculture and rebellion in the North Bay Area.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org/
Occidental Center for the Arts
Through January 15, Art & Gifts Toute Petite
Art in miniature for friends and family await your expressions of giving, sharing and gratitude. Handmade books, paintings, sculpture, jewelry and more.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org/
Paul Mahder Gallery
Through December, Holiday Group Show
Numerous artists showing a variety of media.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
www.paulmahdergallery.com
Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Through April 2017, Geometric Reflections: Celebrating Ten Years of Voigt Family Sculpture
This exhibition celebrates ten of the highly regarded artists who have been an important part of the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation. The sculptors in this exhibition are Roger Berry, Dee Briggs, Riis Burwell, Robert Ellison, Peter Forakis, Charles Ginnever, Edwin Hamilton, Ned Kahn, Jann Nunn, and Doug Unkrey.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
707-528-9463
www.prwinery.com/
Petaluma Arts Center
Through December 11, Floribunda
Floribunda features the Hunt Institute’s 14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration, with 36 artists from 9 countries showcasing works ranging from watercolor with gouache to relief engraving. The exhibition also includes three Bay Area artists who create 3-dimensional representations of flowers. See website for related workshops and events.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org/
Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Currently on view, New-Found Treasures, featuring recently acquired mid-century woodblock prints and other acquisitions.
1781 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay
707-875-2922
www.renbrown.com/
Riverfront Art Gallery
Through January 8, Late Fall Show
*** Art Walk Reception Saturday, December 10, from 5 to 9 p.m.
Featured Artists; Painter Henry White, Scenes From Sonoma County; and photographer Michael Riley, Landscapes and Reflections.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com/
Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
Through December 15, From the Forest Floor—Deborah Kirklin
In this series of still life paintings, Kirklin has arranged found objects from the forest floor on a tabletop to create a landscape type space. Although the objects are painted from observation, she extracts the color from memories of landscape, and times of day.
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
https://art-gallery.santarosa.edu/robert-f-agrella-art-gallery
Sculpturesite Gallery
Through January 7, New Sculptures
Sculptures by a number of gallery artists in mediums ranging from glass, bronze, steel, painted steel, ceramic, stone, resin, wood and mixed media are on display.
Jack London Village
14301 Arnold Dr. Suite 8, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.sculpturesite.com/
Sebastopol Center for the Arts
December 2 through December 31, Members’ Show 2016; Small Work, Big Deal
*** Opening reception Friday, December 2, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Showcasing the work of SCA’s talented members.
282 High Street, Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org/
Sebastopol Gallery
Through January 31, An Invitation to Imagine: Paintings by Teri Sloat
*** Artists Reception on Thursday, December 1, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The exhibit explores Sloat’s imaginary folkloric paintings and her “intense love” of pastels.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopol-gallery.com/
Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through December 11, Cries and Whispers: Paintings by John Yoyogi Fortes and Cate White
Cries and Whispers features the work of two Northern California artists who share a love of the painting process. While their imagery is clearly distinct from one another, they both create complex, colorful, and personal paintings that at times evoke graffiti art and the narrative quality of graphic novels.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through December 31, XXc Icons of Photography
Spanning one century of groundbreaking images featuring many of the world’s renowned artists, the exhibition presents a unique opportunity to view the best of world photography. Including portraiture, landscape, photojournalism, abstraction, fashion and works that defy genre, this selection presents masterworks from private collections throughout California.
Also showing: Pairings: 16 Artists Creatively Combined
Focusing on contemporary art made in the last decade, Pairings includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, photography, video art, and more. The 16 artists featured in the exhibition have been brought together into pairs, to highlight points of intriguing connection between their works.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org/
The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
Through December 31, Colin Talcroft – Recent Work
Abstract photography and collage by Colin Talcroft. Color, texture and an exquisite sense of composition characterize work from the past year in both media.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753
http://ctalcroft.wix.com/artwallatshige/
Upstairs Art Gallery
Through December, Holiday Gift Show
*** Artists Reception Saturday, December 17, from Noon to 6 p.m.
Featuring jewelry by Jo Tobin-Charleston, Joanne Noble, Brittany Ketcham Roney, Susan Harter-Oshiro, Luann Udell, and Robert Yelland. Artisanal creations by John Bennett, Melissa McCann, Peggy Parr, Nancy and Brian Roberts, Nancy Winn, Jonqui Albin, Randy Snyder, and Michael Ecton.
306 Center St., Healdsburg
www.upstairsartgallery.net/
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