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.
Apple Blossom Festival Art Show, Sebastopol
Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
*** Opening reception, Friday, April 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.
More than 60 artists of the Art Workshop of Western Sonoma County (AWS) are showing their work at the annual Apple Blossom Festival. The art show will be on view at Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
282 South High Street
www.awsomeart.org/apple-blossom-show
Arts Guild of Sonoma
Through April 29, Emerging Creativity Student Art Show
*** Art Opening Reception Thursday, April 4 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Works by students from Altimira Middle School taught by Cheryl Coldiron and from Sonoma Valley High School taught by Renate Kuprian were created especially for this show. Also on view is work by twenty-two Arts Guild Artist Members.
140 E. Napa St., Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org
Calabi Gallery
April 6 through June 8, Nature as Muse
*** Artist reception April 6 from 3 to 7 p.m.
The exhibition explores numerous approaches to nature, from traditional landscapes to contemporary visions of natural phenomena, to non-objective abstractions inspired by nature.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com
Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through July 14, 2024, Snoopy in Orbit
Into space with Apollo 10, aboard the International Space Station, and now around the Moon during the Artemis I mission—Snoopy is the first beagle on the Moon! See Snoopy, who served as the zero-gravity indicator for the Artemis I mission, now safely home to Earth, alongside more never-before-exhibited space-flown Peanuts artifacts!
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org
Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through May 17, Transition
The guest artists for this exhibit are Sharon Eisley: Oil Paintings on Wood, and Tom Ballard: Pedestal & Free Standing Sculpture, Corten Steel Wall Sculpture. Resident artists are Laura Paine Carr, Jane Gardner, Pamela Heck, Terry Holleman, Jason Taylor Morgan, Clay Vajgrt and Jennifer Weiss. Laura Paine Carr is the featured resident artist.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org
Cloverdale, CA
Through April 25, 2024, Cloverdale Sculpture Trail
Nine new sculptures have been chosen by the Selection Committee and are part of the 2022-2024 Sculpture Trail. The themes of these nine sculptures are diverse and show the creative thinking and craftsmanship of the sculptors.
cloverdalesculpturetrail.org/
Corricks Art Trails Gallery/ My Daughter the Framer
April 5 through April 30, By the Water, Under the Moon
*** Opening reception Friday, April 5, from 5 to 7 p.m.
On view are paintings, monoprints, and more by Barbara Kelley and Tim Haworth.
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com
Erickson Fine Art Gallery
Through April 5, Carol Setterlund I M A G I N E
The exhibition features sculptures and paintings by Carol Setterlund.
324 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
www.ericksonfineartgallery.com
Fulton Crossing Gallery
Through May, Cynthia Sumner
New and recent paintings are featured in this body of work which reflects aspects of both a personal and universal nature through richly abstracted textures.
1200 River Rd., Fulton
www.fultoncrossing.com/exhibitions
Graton Gallery
Through April 14, Sandra Rubin, Thea Goldstine
Also showing are Guest Artists Gerald Huth, Carol Decker, and Tom Tuchel.
April 18 through May 26, Roshambo
*** Artists Reception Saturday, April 20, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Juried Show, Anything made of or made on paper. Anything cut by scissors. Anything made of rock or stone or stoneware. Images of rock or paper or sissors.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net
Hammerfriar Gallery
Through May 9, Paper’s Edge: Mixed Media & Collage
Featuring the work of Deborah Salomon, Colin Talcroft, and Molly Perez.
132 Mill St, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com
Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through April 6, Fantastic
Young and Emerging Artists. Artwork with a focus on Fantasy and Imagination, created by local students, from elementary through high school.
April 11 through May 19, Renewal Celebrate Spring
Opening Reception, Saturday April 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.
334 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
healdsburgcenterforthearts.org
IceHouse Gallery / Digital Grange
Through April 5, Different Perspectives; Different Media
Explorations in metal leaf, lenticular, fresco and light box art, by Wayne Berger, Bill Kane, Joseph McDonald.
405 East D St., Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.digitalgrange.com
Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
Through April 26, Robin Dintiman Water and Dreams
Robin Dintiman presents her large-scale analog photographs of the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The work is about love of our natural environment and habitat. It is about the many hands working to restore and preserve this habitat. It is about seeing the dream for the future restored through the waters of the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org
Museum of Sonoma County
Art
Through May 26, A Question of Balance
This juried exhibition of work by Pacific Rim Sculptors features sculpture that explores the varied and multiple meanings and interpretations of “balance” which is commonly defined as a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight or amount, or something used to produce equilibrium.
History
April 20 through September 1, On Tap: Sonoma County Hops & The Beer Revolution
In 1977, using discarded dairy tanks and other cast-off equipment, New Albion Brewery started making beer in the town of Sonoma, launching the first modern microbrewery in the United States. Today, we take microbreweries and world-class beer for granted. Every year, thousands of people descend on Sonoma County for the release of internationally renowned beers. The exhibition explores the revolutionary beginnings of the county’s microbreweries, and the rich legacy of local hop culture that dates back to the 19th century.
Permanent Exhibition & Oral History Project, Sonoma County Stories
Sonoma County Stories is a permanent Sonoma County history exhibition that allows visitors to engage with the past through the power of storytelling. The exhibition captures Sonoma County’s rich history, defined by a confluence of cultures and people, and a powerful connection to the land. Featuring stories representing the many diverse histories and cultures of the county, this ambitious and innovative permanent exhibition has at its core the Oral Histories of Gaye LeBaron.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org
Occidental Center for the Arts
Through April 21, Metropolis
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org
Oli Gallery
April 6 through June, down•river
*** Opening and Art Stroll, Saturday April 6 from 4 to 8 p.m. Includes 5 Venues, over 40 Artists, and 400+ Artworks. Progressive art show Stroll in the town of Guerneville with Live Music, Food & Drink.
16215 Main Street, Guerneville
www.oligallery.com
Paul Mahder Gallery
Through April 21, Spontaneous Journey
Revisiting the works of visionary Bay Area artist John Anderson.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
paulmahdergallery.com/
Petaluma Arts Center
Through April 20, Art CONNECTS Us
Celebrating Youth Art Month.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org
Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through April 30, Welcoming Spring
Featuring newly acquired prints, ceramics and antiques to celebrate Spring. 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
Santa Rosa Arts Center
April 5 through June 1, Transformations: Recycled Art
*** Artists Reception Friday, April 5 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Annual exhibit of work by Bay Area and Northern California artists who created sculptures, assemblages and collages made by reusing materials which have satisfied their original use. The show promotes conservation of our planet’s limited resources, educating us to new, original uses for so-called disposable objects.
Through April 28, The Human Condition
On view, artwork that portrays, explores and celebrates some of the major events of human life, such as birth and death, emotions, conflict, or the meaning of life.
SOFA Arts District
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-526-0135
santarosaartscenter.org/
Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
art-gallery.santarosa.edu/current-exhibits-0
Sculpturesite Gallery, Glen Ellen
View over 30 outdoor sculptures by 15 artists throughout the beautiful grounds at Jack London Village, offering a selection of abstract and figurative sculptures, including wind activated kinetic works.
14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.sculpturesite.com
Sebastopol Center for the Arts
April 6 through May 5, Pulp: Book & Paper Arts
*** Artist reception Saturday, April 6 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Juried by Donna Seager, owner of Seager Gray Gallery in Mill Valley.
282 South High St., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org
Sebastopol Gallery
April 1 to June 2, Elemental: Air, Water and Earth
*** Artist Reception April 6, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Painter Katy Boggs draws inspiration from the ancient Greek philosophical concept of the Elements to illuminate the complexity of Nature. Her collection of cloudscapes, landscapes, and seascapes offer an understated yet impactful exploration of the elemental forces shaping Sonoma County.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopolgallery.com/
Sebastopol Library, Forum Room
Through April 30, Claude Smith, Drawings and Gestures
*** Artists Reception Saturday, April 27, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
This exhibition is a fusion of writing and drawing using ordinary materials and sometimes employing collage. Much of the work has been inspired by music, particularly free-jazz.
7140 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol
707-823-7691
Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through April 7, Print Press Play!
Featuring selected prints from the SSU Art Collection, including many spectacular prints by well-known artists.
April 18 through May 18, 2024 BFA Exhibition
*** Opening reception, Thursday April 18, from 4 to 6 p.m.
This annual Exhibition highlights the accomplishments of students graduating from the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program at SSU. This year the featured students are Margaret Avhenainen, Ash Gregorio, Owen Martinez-Alejandre, Sophia Ann Miller, and Andrew Olson.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
artgallery.sonoma.edu/
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through April 28, Tsherin Sherpa: Different Worlds
The exhibition presents the captivating artworks of Tsherin Sherpa, a globally renowned contemporary artist. Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tsherin Sherpa immigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998. The artist’s work is grounded in his personal experiences within the Himalayan Diaspora and his rigorous training as a thangka painter (traditional Buddhist art). Organized by Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, California.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org
Upstairs Art Gallery
April 1 through April 28, People Who Need People
*** Reception Saturday, April 6, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Artist, Tosya Shore, presents People Who Need People, a collection of watercolor paintings that capture the meaningful moments in a person’s life. Each painting elicits a visceral response as the artist’s subjects show a range of emotions from peaceful contemplation to solemnity to happy abandon. Bold color, abstract shapes and intriguing textures interact to heighten the intensity of each work.
Meet the Artist: Shore will be hosting the Gallery April 3 and 16, from 11 am to 6 p.m.
The Stairway Small Works Showcase presents Carolyn Wilson’s Color Conversations, a collection of new paper collage paintings that exhibit the rich textures, visual depth and nuanced colors for which the artist is known. Meet the Artist: Wilson will be hosting the Gallery April 5 and 6, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
306 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net
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Satri Pencak - Curatorial Services 