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
July 6 through July 31, July Exhibition
*** Opening Reception, Saturday July 8, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Spotlight on the paintings of Helen Mehl, one of the longest-term members of the Arts Guild. Other Arts Guild members will also be showing work in July.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
(707) 996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org

 

Calabi Gallery
Through August 19, 40 Years of Sonoma Valley Artist, Ray Jacobsen
Featuring oil paintings and watercolors by Ray Jacobsen (1938-2007).
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

 

 

 

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through September 10, It Was A Dark And Stormy Night
Charles Schulz brought his love of literature to his art, especially with his depiction of Snoopy as the “World Famous Author” sitting atop his doghouse using a typewriter. This exhibition explores Schulz’s love of literature, and highlights many Peanuts comic strips where books and writing appear in the lives of his characters.
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 July 22, Crossing Boundaries
Through paintings, sculpture and photography, the artworks by Sonoma County and Bay Area artists in Crossing Boundaries bridge the borders separating people, creating discourse across walls real or imagined. Themes include displaced populations, refugees, immigration, gender identity, personal and emotional boundaries.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through July 21, Sauté
Guest artists for this exhibit are sculptor Mike Laflin and collage artist, John Hundt. Resident artists include Laura Paine Carr, Jane Gardner, Terry Holleman, Sharon Kozel, Paul Maurer and Hanya Popova Parker. Pamela Heck is the featured resident artist.

July 22 through September 15, Tapas
*** Opening reception Saturday, July 22, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Showing the work of Laura Paine Carr, Jane Gardner, Pamela Heck, Terry Holleman, Paul Maurer, Hanya Popova Parker, with featured artist Sharon Kozel, and guest artists Branka Harris and Claude Smith.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Cloverdale and Geyserville
Through May 2018, 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 Trails Gallery
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com

Gallery One
Through September 3, Small Works Invitational
Artists include; Donna DeLaBriandais, Lynn Davis, Joyce Kelly, Judy Klausenstock, and Joanne Tepper.
209 Western Avenue, Petaluma
707-778-8277
http://galleryone.webdaki.com

Graton Gallery
Through July 9, Line and Color
Featuring work by Bruce K Hopkins and R B Ward and Guest Artists: Kate E. Black, Sukha Carfagno, Clark Mitchell, and Joane Taeuffer.

July 11 through August 20, Stormy Weather….Resist!
*** Opening reception, Saturday, July 15 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Featuring the paintings of Mylette Welch and the sculptures of the late Richard Benbrook, as well as guest artists, Char Wood, Ron Sumner, Joanie Springer, and Kathryn Boggs.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Hammerfriar Gallery
Through August 16, Beneath The Sea Ice, Paintings from Antarctica by Lily Simonson
Lily Simonson creates immersive large-scale paintings of arcane organisms in their otherworldly habitats. Simonson spent three months scuba diving and camping in Antarctica as the 2014-15 National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Awardee. Gallery Talk with artist and guest Biologist Gretchen Hofman, Saturday, July 29, from 7 to 8 p.m.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through July 16, POP! The Power of Printmaking
A juried exhibition exploring the unique ability of printmakers to express concerns about the world around them and share thoughts, ideas and visions through printmaking. Closing Tea, Sunday, July 20, from 2 to 4 p.m.

July 22 through September 17, Harvester
*** Opening reception Saturday, July 22, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Photographs by Erik Castro.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.org

IceHouse Gallery
Through July 30, (Mostly) Petaluma Portraits
Large-scale portraits in charcoal by Kathryn Keller, who creates large, life sized charcoal drawn portraits of women whom she finds leading lives of quiet heroism. The exhibition is in conjunction with the Face of Petaluma at the Petaluma Arts Center, and Portraits of Petaluma Pioneers at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum.
405 East D St. Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
Through August 29, FAUNA Paintings and Mosaics by Stacey Schuett
Schuett is drawn to using animals and insects as subjects for their form, grace and contrast, and makes pieces about local wildlife.
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org

Museums of Sonoma County
Art Museum
Through August 27, Eye Fruit: The Art of Franklin Williams
Viewed in its entirety, Williams’s oeuvre appears to have evolved out of a slow, accretionary process by way of intense introspection and meticulous technique. Curated by Susan Landauer.

History Museum
Through July 9, Fighting the Great War at Home and Abroad
Marking the 100th anniversary of US entry into the “Great War,” the History Museum of Sonoma County presents an exhibition exploring how WWI touched so many lives, both at home and abroad.

July 22 through November 5, Equine Epochs: The History of Horses in Sonoma County
*** Opening Reception Friday, July 21, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Equine Epochs recounts the role of the horse in Sonoma County. From the plow horse to the champion racer, explore the history and ongoing legacy of the horse in Sonoma County in this exhibition.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through July 30, ROOTS
An exhibition of works by Sonoma County artists, juried by Susan St. Thomas. The theme of “Roots” is interpreted as personal roots, historical roots, ancestral roots, tree roots, seedling roots and other creative interpretations of roots.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paul Mahder Gallery
Through July 15, Chris Beards – And After
A Solo Exhibition of New Sculptures that explores our imprecise perception and retention of the past. Inspired by personal loss, these sculptural works speak from the increasing distance of remembrance. Our narrative of the past becomes smoother – the sharp edges and painful thorns are softened and dulled. Rather than depicting a memory of an instance, these works give form to the idea of memory.

July 22 through September 17, Words Matter
*** Opening reception Saturday, July 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The Bay Area premiere of new paintings by Wosene Kosrof. Born in 1950 in the Arat Kilo district of Addis Ababa, Kosrof uses the script forms of his native Amharic as a core element in his paintings and sculptures, creating a new visual language that draws upon the artist’s Ethiopian heritage, while incorporating his experiences of living in the U.S.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
www.paulmahdergallery.com

 

 

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Outdoor sculpture meadows.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
707-528-9463
www.prwinery.com

Petaluma Arts Center
Through August 5, Face of Petaluma: Portraits of Our Town
A contemporary photographic portrayal of current Petaluma residents. Five photographers – Michael Garlington, Paige Green, Jude Mooney, Ramin Rahimian, and Michael Woolsey – have been making portraits and collecting stories from an array of local personalities, whose diverse and relevant stories are on view. The exhibition is in conjunction with the Portraits of Petaluma Pioneers at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Petaluma Historical Museum & Library
Through September 25, Portraits of Petaluma Pioneers
Showcasing personal images and public stories of a California Rivertown. The exhibition is in conjunction with the Face of Petaluma at the Petaluma Arts Center.
20 Fourth Street, Petaluma (Corner of 4th and B Street)
707-778-4398
http://www.petalumamuseum.com

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
July 21 through September 4, Close to Nature
*** Opening reception Saturday, July 22, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Woodfired ceramics by two new artists—Jonathan Stewart of Pasadena, California and Katsuura Aki of Shigaraki, Japan, and new work by Mitch Iburg, Kelly Farley and Bill Geisinger. Housed in a refurbished building with shoji and a small, serene Japanese garden, the gallery shows contemporary art by Japanese and regional Northern California artists.
1781 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay
707-875-2922
www.renbrown.com

Riverfront Art Gallery
July 5 through September 3, Showin’ On The River
*** Opening Reception and Second Saturday Art Walk, July 8, 5 to 8 p.m.
The gallery’s largest juried show to date, the 2017 Fine Art Show will have 61 pieces on display.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

 

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
https://art-gallery.santarosa.edu/robert-f-agrella-art-gallery

 

Sculpturesite Gallery
Currently on view; Steel Sculptor Richard Starks
Sculpturesite presents five outdoor sculptures by artist Richard Starks, who creates flowing abstract forms from sheets of metal.
Jack London Village
14301 Arnold Dr. Suite 8, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.sculpturesite.com

 

 

 

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through July 23
Main Gallery: Blue Juror: Randolph Murphy. Blue oceans, blue skies, blue cars, blue eyes, cornflowers and blueberries, seeing blue.
Gallery II: Painted Words, Juried Calligraphy Exhibition. Juror: Carl Rohrs.
Gallery III: The Art of the Portrait, Printmaker Pieter Myers brings the classical medium of copper plate photogravure to portraiture. The result is a contemporary interpretation of the portrait, using a blending of photography and intaglio printmaking.

July 28 through September 3
*** Opening reception, Friday, July 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Main Gallery: Fiber Art VIII, International Fiber Arts Exhibition.
Biennial Juried fiber art exhibition. Jurors: Wendy Lugg, Jason Pollen, and Eszter Bornemisza.
Gallery III; Korean Voices in Fiber: Translating Tradition into Contemporary Art
Curated by Mirka Knaster and Misik Kim, this show highlights the ancient heritage of fiber art in Korea as well as its vibrant modern transformation of both traditional and unexpected techniques and materials. This show is an opportunity to be introduced to a particular aspect of Korean artwork as part of our worldwide culture of textile arts. See website for related events and workshops.
282 High Street, Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sebastopol Gallery
Through July 29, Birds of a Feather
*** Artist Reception Saturday, July 15, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Wildlife photography by Jim Cyb. Jim’s stunning images often incorporate time-lapse images of one bird composited in Photoshop to create a single photograph, recording the bird’s movement across a rocky terrain or the arc of its dive for food.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopol-gallery.com/

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

 

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
July 1 through October 1, Albert Paley: Thresholds
*** Celebration and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony, Saturday, July 1, at 2 pm, in the Plaza (near duck pond), Walking tour to follow. Members Reception, 6 to 7:30 pm, at the Museum.
Albert Paley is an American modernist metal sculptor. This exhibition features Paley’s large-scale sculptures, drawings, and maquettes, and explores his process. In addition to the museum exhibition, the City of Sonoma will witness a summer-long display of several of Paley’s larger-scale works in Sonoma Plaza, Depot Park, at the Sonoma Community Center, and adjacent to the museum.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

 

The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
July 4 through September 3, Bob Nugent: Dialogues with Nature
*** Opening reception: Monday, July 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
A selection of paintings inspired by natural forms observed in the Amazon River Basin by internationally-renowned artist Bob Nugent.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753
http://ctalcroft.wix.com/artwallatshige/

 

 

 

Upstairs Art Gallery
Through July, Pieces of Me
*** Opening Reception Saturday, July 8, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Mixed aqua media and collage by Carolyn Wilson, Featured Resident Artist. Full of personal history and layers of meaning, Carolyn’s current series of collage pieces capture her experience living and traveling in England.
306 Center St., Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net

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