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.
Please check with the venues for current status of health protocols, hours, events and exhibitions.
Arts Guild of Sonoma
140 E. Napa St., Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org
Café Frida Gallery
February 4 through March 27, Jaclyn Finkle
New paintings by Finkle show a raw intuitive process in which she allows the painting to evolve spontaneously as a response to the flow of her emotions.
300 South A Street, #4, Santa Rosa
707-303-5925
www.cafefridagallery.com
Calabi Gallery
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com
Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through March 13, Drawn from Life: The People and Places of Peanuts
Charles Schulz worked at finding new and fresh ideas to lend to his cast of characters, in addition to developing personas for the characters themselves. To do this Schulz drew from reality much of what he poured into Peanuts. He also borrowed some of the names for his characters from people he knew. Drawn from Life takes a closer look at the people and places in Schulz’s world that inspired the now well-known character names, traits, and gags.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org
Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through March 19, Isolate
Guest artists for this exhibit are Don Ketman, Wood Artistry and Clay Vajgrt, Painting. Resident artists are Laura Paine Carr, Jane Gardner, Pamela Heck, Terry Holleman, Shelby Young and Hanya Popova Parker. Terry Holleman, drawing, is the featured resident artist.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org
Cloverdale Sculpture Trail
Through April 27, Cloverdale Sculpture Trail
Ten new sculptures have been installed along the Cloverdale Sculpture Trail in downtown Cloverdale after a 3 month delay due to COVID-19. Cloverdale Boulevard between Citrus Fair Drive and 3rd Street is lined with an array of playful and provocative sculptures. What better way to spark our Imagination than with this impressive exhibit of public art? The current Trail will be available for viewing until April, 2022. For sculpture locations, download a map of the walkable Sculpture Trail.
https://cloverdalesculpturetrail.org/
Corricks Art Trails Gallery/ My Daughter the Framer
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com
Fulton Crossing Gallery
1200 River Road, Fulton
707-328-1934
www.fultoncrossing.com/
Gallery 300
6780 McKinley St., Suite 130, The Barlow
707-332-1212
www.gallery-300.com
Graton Gallery
Through February 20, Pastel & Ink
Featuring works by two new Graton Gallery Partners; Tamra Sanchez and Harry Frank. Guest Artists are Sabra Briere, Marsha Connell, Sandy McCubbin, and Connie Robeson.
February 25 through April 3, Small Works Juried Show
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net
Hammerfriar Gallery
132 Mill St, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com
Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through February 21, Members Show: Insight & Inspiration
New insights that arise while creating art often inspire artists to move off their familiar path and explore new terrain in their work. Insight and inspiration may be evoked by life-changing events, a fresh perspective of a subject, or a deeper understanding of the medium at hand.
334 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
https://healdsburgcenterforthearts.org
IceHouse Gallery
405 East D St, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.digitalgrange.com
Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
Through April 29, Conservation in Biodiversity Photography by Joshua Asel
Joshua Asel works as an advocate to create visual communication stories that cover Threatened, Endangered, keystone, and bellwether species. California Condors, rare marine mammals, and coastal landscapes are all part of this small cross-section of Joshua’s larger volume of internationally-recognized photographic work.
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org
Museum of Sonoma County
Art
Through June 5, Agency: Feminist Art and Power
The exhibition brings together the work of woman artists who represent different cultural backgrounds, generations, geographic locations, LGBTQ, and gender identities. Twenty-eight exhibiting artists explore the concept of agency—the capacity to act or exert one’s own power; to act independently, and to make free choices. The work examines empowerment, identity, gender roles, aging, gender fluidity, reproductive choice, women and work, violence, and urgent social topics that confront our understanding of what shapes us as individuals and communities.
History
February 5–Ongoing, Year of the Tiger: Chinese Traditions in Sonoma County 1980-2022
Featuring historic objects from the Museum’s Song Wong Bourbeau collection, as well as contemporary items generously provided from the Redwood Empire Chinese Association, the exhibition explores and recognizes the long history and continuity of Chinese traditions. This exhibition shows that the important threads of community, culture, language, tradition, ritual, and history remain tightly woven into the fabric of Sonoma County.
February 19 through May 29, Manzanar: The Wartime Photographs of Ansel Adams
The exhibition features over fifty little-known photographs by Ansel Adams that depict how Japanese Americans bore their treatment at the Manzanar incarnation camp in central California. Taken during World War II, the black and white images were originally published in Adams’ book Born Free and Equal (1944) in which he protested what he called the “enforced exodus” of a American citizens within their own country. Now, 80 years after one of America’s most horrific decisions, this exhibition is an important lesson about the past injustice done to a community because of their national origin, the urgency of confronting injustice, as well as bearing witness to the resilience of the human spirit.
Working closely with the Sonoma County chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, the Museum also presents a selection of stories, objects, and images related to the experience of Sonoma County residents who faced forced incarceration in camps like Manzanar during the war.
Ongoing, Light, Clay, and Copper: Mid-Century Arts and Crafts in Sonoma County
The exhibition features three important collections from the Museum of Sonoma County: The photographs of Hansel Mieth and Otto Hagel, the pottery of Marguerite Wildenhain, and the metalwork of Harry Dixon. Each was a master of their artform and all were contemporaries that shared ideals and influences. Light, Clay, and Copper explores the connections and shared experiences of these four remarkable artists.
Ongoing, Go Big or Go Home: Taking Measure of Sonoma County’s Past
From agriculture, to transportation, to architecture, big stuff has big things to say about history. From giant tools, to a massive winery door, to a long Russian River canoe, to a surrey with a fringe on top; take a journey through the world of BIG THINGS and the stories they have to tell about Sonoma County.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org
Occidental Center for the Arts
February 5 through March 6, Celebration of Black History Month
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Paul Mahder Gallery
Through April 3, Journey To The Tower
Hand painted photo sculptures by Natalia Bertotti and Michael Garlington. Using a process of “in-camera collages” the artists re-created Pamela Coleman Smith’s illustrations of the Rider-Waites Taro Cards while simultaneously bringing a sense of humor and folly to the project.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
https://paulmahdergallery.com/
Petaluma Arts Center
Through March 26, Integrating Practice: Celebrating Teaching Artists of the North Bay
Artists represented are Sena Clara Creston, Frances McCormack, Joe McDonald, Chris Newhard, Chuck Pyle, Larry Thomas, and Shane Weare.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org
Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through February, Year of the Tiger
Artworks on view celebrate the Year of the Tiger. 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
Through March 6, Winter Show
Featured artist is Karen Spratt, Painting Into Collage. Spratt creates collages from cut up images of her paintings.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com
Santa Rosa Arts Center
Through February 27, Imaginary Voyages
The exhibit features artworks that reflect itineraries and landscapes grown from dreams, fantasies or visions.
Through April 27, SRAC Members Art Exhibition is on view at Finley Community Center, on West College Ave.
SOFA Arts District
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
https://santarosaartscenter.org/
Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
https://art-gallery.santarosa.edu/current-exhibits-0
Sculpturesite, Glen Ellen
Our indoor space is now closed, but our outdoor SculptureWALK exhibition can still be viewed 7 days a week.
14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.sculpturesite.com
Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through February 6, Favorite Things: Portraits
This is a non-juried, intergenerational, salon-style show. The theme of this year’s Favorite Things show is portraits of favorite people or animals.
February 19 through March 27, Still Life
*** Opening reception February 19, from 2 to 4 p.m.
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, books, vases, jewelry, coins, pipes, etc.) The exhibition was juried by Soon Y. Warren.
282 High Street, Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org
Sebastopol Gallery
Through April 2, Flight Path, Paintings by Sharon Eisley|
*** Reception Saturday, March 5, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Sharon Eisley presents a series of oil paintings exploring the decisions we make in our lives to turn one way or another, to stretch our wings and fly in a new direction, looking at what motivates us to make life choices, and the paradigms that constrain us.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopol-gallery.com/
Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
February 2 through February 5, Art From The Heart benefit auction
This year’s Art from the Heart exhibition takes place in the University Art Gallery, and will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Here, you will have the chance to view the auction items up close and personal, however, bidding will take place entirely online.
February 24 through April 10, A Beautiful Mess, Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard
The exhibition features work by 10 women artists, all of whom use knotting or weaving as their primary technique. Using rope, yarn, clay, and wire, these makers knot and twist their media into sculptures that range from minimalistic order, to joyful pandemonium, thereby upending traditional perceptions about the art of weaving, knotting, and macramé.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through April 24, Out of Our Minds: Clayton Bailey & Tony Natsoulas
*** Exhibition Reception Saturday, February 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Free for SVMA members, and $10 for non-members. Pre-registration and masks are required to attend this event.
This exhibition brings together two major players of the California Funk Art movement. Known for their satire, humor, and irreverence, Tony Natsoulas and the late Clayton Bailey created sculptures from clay and other materials that reflected a preference for unrefined and distinctive methods of construction.
This exhibition is also the first museum retrospective honoring Clayton Bailey, who passed away in 2020. A significant number of Bailey’s infamous robot sculptures are included in the show. Other programs and events related to the exhibition are listed on the museum website.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org
Upstairs Art Gallery
Through February 27, That’s Amoré
Linda Barretta, Beverly Bird, Sally Cataldo, Marsha Connell, Willow LaLand, Karen Miller, Gail Morgan, and Carolyn Wilson present That’s Amoré, celebrating the Valentine season. The Gallery is pleased to present paintings by Guest Artist, Jan Thomas. Her paintings are inspired by the landscapes she often sees around Sonoma County. The Staircase Showcase continues the theme with small work offerings by the full spectrum of Gallery Artists.
306 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net
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