Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in December 2017

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 December 31, December Exhibition, The Holidays are Here!
*** Opening Reception Friday, December 1, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Give an original artwork to be treasured forever. The gallery is filled with large and small art, ceramics, photography, textiles, and handmade jewelry and one-of-a-kind cards.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org

Calabi Gallery
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through March 11, Mud Pies & Jelly Beans
It’s only fitting that a cartoon named Peanuts includes many puns about food. Patty and Violet are expert mud pie makers, Charlie Brown hates coconut, and Snoopy thinks about pizza, cookies, and the next meal in his dog dish.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Chroma Gallery
December 1 through 31, 4th Annual Small Works
*** Opening Reception First Friday, December 1, from 5 to 8 p.m.
On view are paintings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics, no larger than a foot square.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

 

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
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

Graton Gallery
Through December 17, Inside Out
Featuring distinctive abstracted paintings, filled with color, line and form, by painters Susan Proehl and Sandra Rubin. Also showing is work of four Guest Artists: Cynthia Jackson-Hein, Linda Malone, Matt Proehl, and Connie Robeson.

December 19 through January 28, From Clayton to Graton
*** Artists Reception Saturday, December 23, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Print maker and painter, Rik Olson, and his guest, childhood friend, Fred Kling, will share the upfront part of the Graton Gallery in their show. Also featured at the gallery will be the work of the skilled art students of painter Michael Coy.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Hammerfriar Gallery
December 2 through January 31, 428 Collective
*** Opening Reception and Holiday Party, Saturday, December 2, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Recent work by Maura Harrington, Cristina Hobbs, Pat Lenz, Jessica Martin, Caitlin McCaffrey, Susan Preston, Flora Skivington, Alice Sutro, Carol Vena-Mondt, Victoria Wagner, and Chelsea Wills. This group of 11 Sonoma County artists brings awareness to innovative and boundary pushing art being produced in our area.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
https://healdsburgcenterforthearts.org

 

IceHouse Gallery
December 2 through January 13, Catch & Release IV
*** Opening reception, Saturday, December 2, from 5 to 8 pm.
Quilts, Prints, Photographs, Drawings and more from the Robert Flynn Johnson Collection.
Continuing through January 7, Vita Collage
Presenting Objects, Art, Arrangements; signature work by designers and artists from Vita Collage in Point Reyes. Curated by Victoria Swift, the show includes jewelry, ceramics, textiles, glasswork, vintage finds, photography, collage art, shrines, small furnishings, books and object collections.
405 East D St. Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
Through January 4, Form & Color: It’s Wild Out There
Wildlife photography by Dave Strauss, whose recent images isolate single creatures, people, or other elements for careful inspection with minimal distraction from foregrounds or backgrounds.
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org

Museums of Sonoma County
Art Museum
December 3 through December 21, Art & Solstice
In this silent auction art sale, visitors are welcome to bid on artworks throughout the duration of the exhibition or purchase the piece at the “buy-it-now” price.
Art & Solstice Closing Party, Thursday, December 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. See website for details.

History Museum
Through January 7, 29th Annual Artistry in Wood
The exhibition reflects the legacy of arts and crafts on California’s north coast, as well as the local resonance between wood and the landscape. The work in the exhibition shows strong historical and regional influences, such as the distinctive style and philosophy exemplified by the woodworking program at the College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg. Beyond the more traditional forms of furniture and classic objects, Artistry in Wood is also known for work that pushes the boundaries of wood as an artistic medium.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through January 14, The River
Featuring artwork that evokes the river, real or imagined, through realism or abstraction, two- or three-dimensional. Exhibition juried by Marylu Downing.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paul Mahder Gallery
Through December 2017, Annual Holiday Group Exhibit
*** Reception, Sunday, December 3, From 6 to 8 p.m.
Celebrate the holidays with artwork by over 40 artists from around the world.
Continuing through January 1, 2018, Cast Glass Sculptures by Ann Wolff
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
www.paulmahdergallery.com

 

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Outdoor sculpture meadows. The winery buildings were devastated by the fire, but the vineyards and most of the sculptures remain unharmed.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
707-528-9463
www.prwinery.com

Petaluma Arts Center
Through January 6, Members Juried Exhibition
This year’s exhibition is juried by Michael Schwager, Professor of Art History and director of the University Art Gallery at Sonoma State University. This year PAC features the art of long-time member Jon Gariepy. Highlighting a featured artist accentuates the rich history and talent that resides in the PAC community.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through December 31, Passages
The show highlights mixed media work of Jill Mellick. In light of the devastating firestorms of Northern California, this is turns out to be an especially appropriate show. Mellick began to explore a dream she had of natural disasters using materials she gathered or found from across the world. For this show, she has selected pieces from her first group in the series, which she titled “Japan Dreaming”. 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

By Henry White

Riverfront Art Gallery
Through January 7, Late Fall Show
*** 2nd Saturday Artwalk, December 9, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The two featured artists for the current show are painters Laura Tovar Dietrick and Henry White.
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
Jack London Village
14301 Arnold Dr. Suite 8, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.sculpturesite.com

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Closing December 3, Got Glass!!!

December 8 through December 30, Members’ Show
*** Opening reception Friday, December 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Showcasing work by the talented SCA members. There will be a “people’s choice”, voted by the public, which will receive the annual Janet and Harvey Charnofsky award of $100. The winner will be announced at the end-of-show gingerbread and mulled wine party on December 30, from 3 to 4 p.m.
282 High Street, Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Rebeca.Trevino, Sardina de Plata (Silver Sardine)

Sebastopol Gallery
Through January 27, Rebeca Trevino and Jeff Watts — Creatures Big And Small
*** Artist reception Saturday, December 9, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Rebeca is an assemblage artist who combines objects in unexpected ways. Jeff Watts is a painter who works in oils. His subjects are frequently portraits of people, flowers or animals.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopol-gallery.com/

 

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through December 10, Two-Scale
Showcasing large-scale and mixed-media ceramic work by Todd Barricklow, Woody De Othello, Victoria Jang, Nathan Lynch, Mark Messenger, and Nancy Selvin.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through January 7, Forge and Stone: Work by Contemporary California Women Sculptors
This exhibition surveys sculpture by contemporary California women artists. These works challenge traditional views, and highlight the creativity and versatility of female artists. Artists included are Alison Saar, Ynez Johnston, Gwynn Murrill, Gertrud Parker, Jane Rosen, Lisa Reinertson and Diana Moore.

Also showing: David Ligare: Magna Fide (The Great Belief)
This exhibition explores David Ligare’s creative process by focusing on the steps it took to create his 2014 artwork, Magna Fide. Ligare is an American contemporary classicist painter.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
Through December 31, Susan Stover—Encaustics: New Work
Recent abstract work in encaustics by Graton-based artist Susan Stover.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753
http://ctalcroft.wix.com/artwallatshige/

By Lenona Winter

Upstairs Art Gallery
*** Holiday Open House, Artist’s Reception Saturday, December 16, from 12 to 6 p.m.
December Featured Artists; Carolyn Wilson, Lenona Winter, Jill Keller Peters, Dan Scannell, Ron Sumner, and Cynthia Jackson-Hein.
306 Center St., Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net

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About Satri Pencak

Independent Curator, art writer
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