Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist, Works on Paper by the Artist and his Circle

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Satri Pencak
Mlle. Dembrowska, ca. 1858-59, Edgar Degas.

Mlle. Dembrowska, ca. 1858-59, Edgar Degas.

In a rare opportunity for Sonoma County visitors and residents, Petaluma Arts Center presents Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist, Works on Paper by the Artist and his Circle. Featuring more than 100 works, the exhibition includes 40 drawings, prints, photographs and a sculpture by Degas from his early days of making studies at the Louvre to work created late in his career. Also on view in the exhibition is work by artists in Degas’ circle of friends, acquaintances, and influence, including Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres, Gustave Moreau, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Degas was a brilliant artist who worked in a wide variety of media from painting, pastel and drawing, to printmaking, sculpture, and photography. However, this exhibition explores the more private side of Degas through his works on paper. Most of these, which Degas largely kept to himself for his own creative explorations, were discovered after the artist’s death in 1917. Drawings and monotypes, which are generally quickly executed prints, expose a more spontaneous, honest and uncensored side of an artist’s production. For the viewer, the typically smaller size of works on paper demands a more attentive consideration. The feeling of intimacy also derives from Degas’ use of family and friends as subjects. The exhibition offers a personal and thought-provoking glimpse into the life of the artist through portraits of his father, brothers, a niece, his long-time housekeeper, along with three rare self-portraits.

Self Portrait, 1857, Edgar Degas.

Self Portrait, 1857, Edgar Degas.

Though often referred to as the “reluctant Impressionist” Edgar Degas is thought to be one of the founders of Impressionism, and a key figure in the development of modernism. His scenes of contemporary life, off-center and cropped compositions, and experiments with color are among the hallmarks of Impressionist style. Beginning in 1874, Degas exhibited his work in all but one of the eight exhibitions organized by the independent exhibiting society that came to be known as the Impressionists. As with other modernists, Degas used photography to capture images and compositions for later use, and was also influenced by the cropping and sense of passing immediacy that a photograph evokes. The several photographs in the exhibition allow for a close study of these influences.

Mary Cassatt At The Louvre: The Paintings Gallery,, by Edgar Degas.

Mary Cassatt at the Louvre: The Paintings Gallery, by Edgar Degas.

All the works in Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist are drawn from the collection of Robert Flynn Johnson, Curator Emeritus of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and have never before been publically exhibited together. While the focal point of the exhibition remains the master and his circle, the value and importance of the collector must not be overlooked. Any exhibition that comes from a single collection retains the imprint of that collector. With passion, persistence, and thorough knowledge, the work on view here has been collected over a span of four decades. And in Mr. Johnson’s own words, “collections formed over an extended period of time allow the knowledge and taste of the collector to grow and mature.” What is included in a private collection, and what is not, is often a reflection of the collector’s taste, but also has much to do with current trends, finances, timing, opportunity, and sometimes luck. For example, the first piece by Degas that Johnson acquired for his collection in 1973 was Les Deux Arbres, ca. 1878, a lovely, small monotype of two trees. As a landscape study the piece was not of great interest to more seasoned collectors at the time, therefore available and affordable to Mr. Johnson. By far, the greatest value in the purchase of this piece was the ensuing passion to collect more.

Under the Lamp, by Mary Cassatt.

Under the Lamp, by Mary Cassatt.

Related Events:
General Admission for this exhibition: $10 General. Free for PACmembers.

Chasing Degas: My Four Decades Collecting this Artist and his Circle; Lecture by Collector Robert Flynn Johnson, Thursday, July 2, 7 to 8:30 p.m. $15 General, $10 PAC members.

Public/ Private: Collecting for the Community while Collecting Personally, a Balancing Act; Lecture by Collector Robert Flynn Johnson, Thursday, July 16, 7 to 8:30 p.m. $15 General, $10 PAC members.

The exhibition will be on view through July 26, 2015. For more information, or to purchase advance tickets go to their website, www.petalumaartscenter.org.

Gallery Hours:
Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open on Saturday until 8 p.m.

Petaluma Arts Center
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

 

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Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in June 2015

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Satri Pencak

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.

Art at the Source logoArt at the Source
June 6 & 7, and 13 & 14, Open Studios
Over 150 artists showing their work in 98 studio locations. Sponsored by Sebastopol Center for the Arts, the 21st annual Art at the Source Open Studios offers a variety of artwork including paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, photography, glass, and fiber art. All participating studios are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the two weekends. Preview Exhibition at Sebastopol Center for the Arts Gallery through June 14.
282 South High St., Sebastopol
www.artatthesource.org

Arts Guild of Sonoma
June 4 through July 6, June Invitational Exhibition
*** Opening reception, Saturday, June 6, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Showing work by featured artists Kate Blakeslee, Stacia Brady, Tawnee Callahan, Julie Cavaz, Tracy Child, Barbara Crow, Elizabeth Dekker, Kate Dumont, Mik Kitigawa, Lynn Hennesey, Suzanne Phillips, Eden Pieper, Jean Prominski-Shepard, Kathleen Sheils, and Margo Wilson.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
707-996-3115
artsguildofsonoma.org

Calabi Gallery
Through June 30, Summer Selection
The exhibition features a selection of contemporary guest and gallery artists.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through June 7, Ghosting Schulz
Schulz proudly wrote, drew, and lettered every Peanuts strip. He did, however, employ cartoonists who assisted him with other cartoon endeavors such as his sports-related comic strip It’s Only a Game and Peanuts comic books. Learn about Jim Sasseville, Dale Hale, and the artists of Charles M. Schulz Museum Creative Associates, who have attempted to capture Schulz’s indefinable line.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Chroma Gallery
June 3 through July 10, Metamorphosis; The Art of Change and Rebirth
*** Opening Reception, Friday, June 5, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The artwork in this show visually interprets transformative changes in appearance, character, structure or substance, such as the profound changes in our lives—the transformation from child to adolescent, adult to elder; the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through July 16, Medley
Group show with featured guest and resident artists.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Grass Bowl, by Carla Sarvis.

Grass Bowl, by Carla Sarvis.

Graton Gallery
Through June 28, three
Featuring oil paintings by Sandra Rubin, glass art by Carla Sarvis, and pastels by E. Ryder Sutton. Also showing work by guest artists Kerri Brandau, Brian Cluer, Jennifer Whitfield, and Ron Sumner.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Hammerfriar Gallery
Through June 22, Ain’t Natural
An exhibition of mixed media work by four artists, Jenny Honnert Abell, John Hundt, Sherry Parker, and Scott Wilson.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through June 7, Under Pressure: Printmaking in Modern Times
*** The Closing Tea, June 7, 2 to 4 p.m. Stop by, enjoy a casual cup (or glass) of tea and meet some of the artists. Featuring the work of 16 Northern California printmakers who use mediums steeped in traditional printmaking techniques, while re-interpreting, re-defining and re-envisioning the imagery and dimensionality of printmaking. Curated by Sue LaBouvie and C.K.Itamura.

June 11 through August 16, Clay & Glass
*** Opening Reception June 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Fourth Annual clay and glass exhibition featuring 16 talented California artists.
For list of exhibiting artists and see the HCA website.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com

Art of the Car - Copyright © 2015 IceHouse Gallery, All rights reservedIce House Gallery
Through July 4, The Art of the Car
Cars are a huge part of the fabric of our lives and as symbols of our culture. The artists included in this exhibition reflect a tradition of car art that can be nostalgic, fun and beautiful. Works include ceramic sculpture by Jon Gariepy and paintings by Chester Arnold, D.A. Bishop, Gale McKee, Rey Isip, as well as posters by David Singer.
405 East D Street, Studio B, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Heron Hall Art Gallery
Through August 30, Breathing Space—Paintings by Susan Ball
On view are new large-scale paintings and drawings by Susan Ball inspired by the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa
www.lagunafoundation.org

"Death by Exasperation" by Robert Williams.

“Death by Exasperation” by Robert Williams.

Museums of Sonoma County
Art Museum
June 5 through September 20, SLANG Aesthetics! The Art of Robert Williams
*** Opening reception with Hot Rods, music and food, Friday, June 5, from 5 to 9 p.m. See website for ticket information.
A true maverick, Robert Williams sought to create vital work that channeled the shifting energies and immediacy of counterculture, from the 60s onward, Williams’ paintings invoked a return to craftsmanship, figuration and demotic imagery that rejected the elitist tenets of conceptual minimalism.
511 B Street, Santa Rosa

History Museum
Through June 8, Art & Storytelling: the body map series
Featuring a selection of “body maps” along with video interviews of participants. The work derives from a community-based arts initiative started by the Museum to gather the diverse stories about the land and people of our region.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through July 5, Summer Solstice
An exhibition of work by Sonoma County artists interpreting the Summer Solstice. Juried by artist E. Ryder Sutton.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Fleming Crackle

Crackle, by Linda Fleming.

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
June 20, 2015 through April 2016, Conversations in Sculpture
*** Opening reception June 20, from 1 to 4 p.m.
The exhibition of large outdoor sculpture combines outstanding art with a beautiful and natural setting. Eleven artists explore the theme of Conversations—defined as an exchange of ideas. Participating artists are Terry Berlier, Welat Najeeb, Dee Briggs, Joey Enos, Linda Fleming, Jin Lee, JP Long, Nathan Lynch, Mark Malmberg, Gregory Pagel, and Sabine Reckewell.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
www.celebratesculpture.com or www.prwinery.com

Pepperwood Preserve
Through June, From Inspired Hands: The Art of the Wappo People
The exhibition is a celebration of Wappo artistry and culture. The Wappo people were stewards of Pepperwood for thousands of years and used baskets for everything from gathering seeds to fishing to cradling infants to cooking. Each basket, created by some of the world’s finest weavers, is an intricate work of art that holds strong spiritual significance.
2130 Pepperwood Preserve Rd, Santa Rosa
707-591-9310
www.pepperwoodpreserve.org

Mary Cassat at the louvre, by Edgar Degas.

Mary Cassatt at the Louvre, by Edgar Degas.

Petaluma Arts Center
June 20 through July 26, Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist, Works on Paper by the Artist and his Circle
*** Opening Reception Saturday, June 20, 5 to 8 p.m. $10 General, free for PAC members.
Featuring more than 100 works on paper, the exhibition includes 40 drawings, prints, pastels, and photographs by Degas, as well as works on paper by artists in his circle, including Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. See the website for list of related events.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

 

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
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 July 5, Two Photographers
Wine Country Retrospective, photographs by Lance Kuehne, and The Nature of My Journey, photographs by Jeff G. Allen.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
Gallery closed for the summer.
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
www.santarosa.edu/art-gallery 

Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma Campus
Mahoney Library Gallery
Through July 26, Alcatraz Florilegium
On view are 31 works by artists of the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists. The collection was created in collaboration with the Garden Conservancy and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to create a series of botanical drawings and paintings to document the Gardens of Alcatraz.
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma
www.santarosa.edu/library/art/mahoney

Sculpturesite Gallery
*** Saturday, May 30 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Grand Re-Opening Party to celebrate their move to Jack London Village in Glen Ellen.
Jack London Village
14301 Arnold Dr. Suite 8, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.anewleafgallery.com

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through June 14, Art at the Source Preview Exhibition
*** Opening Reception, Thursday, May 21, 6 to 8 p.m.
This preview exhibition features the work of the 157 artists participating in the Art at the Source Open Studio event on the first two weekends in June.

June 19 through July 31, Mainly Black and White
*** Opening reception, Friday, June 19, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Juried exhibition. Juror, Paul Mahder, selected nearly 60 artworks in a variety of media.
282 High Street, in the Veterans’ Memorial Bldg., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

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

Untitled Landscape, by Richard Diebenkorn.

Untitled Landscape, by Richard Diebenkorn.

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
June 6, through August 23, The Intimate Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn is most widely known for his signature large- scale, vivid abstractions, and through his earlier figurative work Diebenkorn became known as one of the founders of the Bay Area figurative school, a style of realism developed in northern Californian. Go to their website for related programs and events.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

 

The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
June 2 through August 2, Seiko Tachibana—Elements
*** Artist’s Reception, Monday, June 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Seiko’s distinctive art balances Asian tradition with minimalist modernity. Her work is expressed in a wide range of media, including drawing, painting, mixed media, and printmaking. Among printmaking techniques, she is a master of intaglio processes, particularly aquatint.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753

The Back House Gallery/Heebe Jeebe
Through June 8, A Peaceable Kingdom
A two-person show of work by Rich Benbrook and Mary Patterson.
46 Kentucky St., Petaluma
For further information 707-773 3222.

The Spinster Sisters Restaurant
Through June 7, dress code(x)
A solo exhibition of recent work by C.K.Itamura featuring two and three-dimensional mixed-media works on paper, hand drawn, printed, and sculpted into forms that resemble mysterious dresses, cocoons, and other wrappings.
401 South A Street, in the SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa
707-528-7100
www.thespinstersisters.com

By Chamisa Kellogg.

By Chamisa Kellogg.

The Wine Emporium
Through September 7, Women in Myth and Fairytale
*** Artist’s Reception on Friday, June 12 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Featured artist, Chamisa Kellogg, explores the role of archetypal female characters, from goddesses to little girls. Most of these stories center around themes like human desire, love, jealousy, vengeance, and longing.
125 N. Main St., Sebastopol
707-823-5200
www.the-wine-emporium.com/slideshow

Upstairs Art Gallery
June 1 through June 28, Painting Nature: The Art of Ron Sumner
*** Artist’s Reception, Friday, June 5, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Ron Sumner paints nature’s non-human inhabitants, especially birds.
306 Center St., Healdsburg
www.upstairsartgallerysite.com

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Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in May 2015

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Satri Pencak

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.

Collage by Kirk Hinshaw.

Collage by Kirk Hinshaw.

Arts Guild of Sonoma
May 2 through May 31, May Member’s Show
*** Opening reception, Saturday, May 2 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Showing work by Featured Artists Thena Trygstad and Kirk Hinshaw, and recent work by Arts Guild Members Sophie Acheson, Patricia Akay, Barbara Aliza, Anji Bartholf, George Dawnay, Dee Dushkes, Irene Guidici Ehret, Zaza Feterly, Yvonne Giambroni-Martin, Christine Gonzalves, Susan Heeringa-Pieper, Carol Larson, Jackie Lee, Nancy Martin, Brian Martinelli, Loran May, Helen Mehl, Ruby Newman, Bev Prevost, Joan Shepherd, and Lyn Swan.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org

Calabi Gallery
Through May 30, Spring Selection
The exhibition features contemporary artists Michael Ramos, Alejandro Salazar, Jim Spitzer, and Christian Velastegui, and many others.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through June 7, Ghosting Schulz
Schulz proudly wrote, drew, and lettered every Peanuts strip. He did, however, employ cartoonists who assisted him with other cartoon endeavors such as his sports-related comic strip It’s Only a Game and Peanuts comic books. Learn about Jim Sasseville, Dale Hale, and the artists of Charles M. Schulz Museum Creative Associates, who have attempted to capture Schulz’s indefinable line.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Chroma Gallery
Through May 10 Shinga Shell: Abstractions
The show features the vibrant abstract paintings of Sonoma County artist Shinga Shell. In her work, graphic marks and icons overlay brilliant fields of color. Some of the paintings are contemporary echoes of the raw street art of Jean-Michael Basquiat.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through May 14, Tempo
Group show with Guest Artists Jonqui Albin, Robin Spencer-Crompton, Peter Crompton, and Rebeca Trevino. Pamela Heck is the featured resident artist.

May 15 through July 16, Medley
*** Opening reception, Saturday, May 16, 5 to 8 p.m.
Group show with featured guest artists.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Landscape by Sandra Rubin.

Landscape by Sandra Rubin.

Graton Gallery
Through May 17, Musings
Featuring work by Pamela Powell and Rik Olson. Also showing are guest artists, Elizabeth Peyton, Vi Strain, Nancy Wheeler Klippert, Nancy Ricciardi, Shawn Lux, and Holly Jordan.

May 19 through June 28, three
*** Artists Reception, Saturday, May 30, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Featuring oil paintings by Sandra Rubin, glass art by Carla Sarvis, and pastels by E. Ryder Sutton. Also showing work by guest artists Kerri Brandau, Brian Cluer, Jennifer Whitfield, and Ron Sumner.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

"Fly With Me", by Sherry Parker.

“Fly With Me”, by Sherry Parker.

Hammerfriar Gallery
Through June 22, Ain’t Natural
*** Artists reception, Saturday, May 2, 6 to 9 p.m.
An exhibition of mixed media work by four artists. Jenny Honnert Abell’s mixed media work has cemented her need to create fantastic imagery that can tackle her demons and challenges in life. John Hundt’s collaged landscapes are completely believable in their respective contexts, in which a verisimilitude of perspective is maintained in spite of the impossibility of the situation pictured. Sherry Parker’s work shows an intense response to the poetics of life suspended between the real and the surreal. For Scott Wilson, obsessions with both comparative anatomy and natural history are constant, and are underlying themes in the majority of his work.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

"Maybe We Are Safe Here", by Laurel Prieto.

“Maybe We Are Safe Here”, by Laurel Prieto.

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through June 7, Under Pressure: Printmaking in Modern Times
Featuring the work of 16 Northern California printmakers who use mediums steeped in traditional printmaking techniques, while re-interpreting, re-defining and re-envisioning the imagery and dimensionality of printmaking. Curated by Sue LaBouvie and C.K. Itamura, the exhibiting artists are Todd Barraklow, Luz Marina Ruiz, Colin C. Teague, Max Dubois, Barbara Winer, Bryan Kring, Laurel Prieto, Rik Olson, C.K.Itamura, Jeff Hantman, isabel Proust, Nicholas Collins, Elaine Nehm, Judith Corning, Lyn Dillin, and Shari Arai DeBoer. For list of related events and workshops see their website.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com

Ice House Gallery
Through May 23, The Beatles at the IceHouse Gallery
An exhibition of classic black and white photographs of the Beatles by Curt Gunther who traveled with, and documented the band during their first American tour in 1964. This group of images captures John, Paul, George and Ringo on the doorstep of international fame.
405 East D Street, Studio B, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Heron Hall Art Gallery
May 1 through August 30, Breathing Space—Paintings by Susan Ball
*** Opening reception Sunday May 3, from 3 to 5 p.m.
On view are new large-scale paintings and drawings by Susan Ball inspired by the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa
www.lagunafoundation.org

Laguna by Susan R. Ball.

Laguna by Susan R. Ball.

Museums of Sonoma County
Art Museum
Through May 24, Andy Warhol to Kara Walker: Picturing the Iconic
This inaugural exhibition features a selection of prints from the 1960s through the present focusing on the concept of the “iconic.” The collection includes work by Pop icons Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, and Ed Ruscha, as well as by a selection of major contemporary artists including Bruce Nauman, Enrique Chagoya, Jeff Koons, Kara Walker, Lorna Simpson, John Baldessari, and many others.
511 B Street, Santa Rosa

History Museum
May 2 through June 8, Art & Storytelling: the body map series
*** Opening Reception and DJ Dance Party, Friday, May 1, 8 to 11 p.m.
Featuring a selection of “body maps” along with video interviews of participants. The work derives from a community-based arts initiative started by the Museum to gather the diverse stories about the land and people of our region.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
May 5 through May 11, Salmon Creek Student Art Show
*** Opening Reception for the Artists, Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m.
Showing artwork by students at Salmon Creek School.

May 15 through July 5, Summer Solstice
*** Opening Reception Friday May 15 from 5 to 7 p.m.
An exhibition of work by Sonoma County artists interpreting the Summer Solstice. Juried by artist E. Ryder Sutton.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Through May 31, 2015, 20@20: 20 artists at 20 years
A year-long outdoor sculpture exhibition by 20 artists; includes a selection of emerging artists along with a core group of internationally acclaimed established artists. The work is set in a stunning natural setting with meadows, and oak groves, in the historic Fountaingrove neighborhood in northwest Santa Rosa.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
www.celebratesculpture.com or www.prwinery.com

Pepperwood Preserve
Through June, From Inspired Hands: The Art of the Wappo People
The exhibition is a celebration of Wappo artistry and culture. The Wappo people were stewards of Pepperwood for thousands of years and used baskets for everything from gathering seeds to fishing to cradling infants to cooking. Each basket, created by some of the world’s finest weavers, is an intricate work of art that holds strong spiritual significance.
2130 Pepperwood Preserve Rd, Santa Rosa
707-591-9310
www.pepperwoodpreserve.org

Petaluma Arts Center
Through May 31, The Art of Rock ‘n Roll
On view are iconic photos, curated by Joseph McDonald, from the Rock ‘n Roll era as well as vibrant posters that announced the great rock concerts of the time. The exhibition includes photographs by Baron Wolman, Ed Perlstein, Jim Marshall and Curt Gunther, along with posters by Alton Kelley, Pat Ryan, and Stanley Mouse. A Groove Room with surround sound, and listening stations at selected photographs will be set up to enhance the total musical experience. For dates, times and tickets for special events, visit the Events page at petalumaartscenter.org.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
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
May 6 through July 5, Two Photographers
*** Opening Reception, Saturday, May 9, 5 to 9 p.m.
Wine Country Retrospective, photographs by Lance Kuehne, and The Nature of My Journey, photographs by Jeff G. Allen.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
Through May 14, 2015 Student Art Show
This event showcases artwork by SRJC art students and presents an opportunity to see what classes the SRJC Art Department offers in design, ceramics, drawing, photography, painting, printmaking and sculpture.
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
www.santarosa.edu/art-gallery

Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma Campus
Mahoney Library Gallery
Through July 26, Alcatraz Florilegium
On view are 31 works by artists of the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists. The collection was created in collaboration with the Garden Conservancy and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to create a series of botanical drawings and paintings to document the Gardens of Alcatraz.
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma
www.santarosa.edu/library/art/mahoney

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
May 21 through June 14, Art at the Source Preview Exhibition
*** Opening Reception, Thursday, May 21, 6 to 8 p.m.
This preview exhibition features the work of the 167 artists participating in the Art at the Source Open Studio event on the first two weekends in June.
282 High Street, in the Veterans’ Memorial Bldg., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through May 16, BFA Exhibition2015
The exhibition of work by students who have graduated from the BFA program at the SSU Art Department. Kadie Sue Anderson, Peter Brennan, Will Elias, Ashley Farlan, Daniel Gardner, Hilary Gattian, AliHaselbeck, Sarah Heyward, Dayana Leon, Isaac Lopez, Sarah Newcombe, Hadley Radt, Corriene Robertson, and Cameron York.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through May 17, Unconventional and Unexpected: Quilts below the Radar, 1950–2000
The exhibition shows how primarily anonymous, often self-taught women have often produced quilts for everyday use in their homes, that nonetheless articulate many of the same issues that have been at the core of the development of modern art during the second half of the twentieth century. The exhibition presents a selection of visually stunning maverick quilts from the mid to late 20th century, in a contemporary art framework.

Also showing: Shaker Stories—from the Collection of Benjamin H. Rose III
Dreamers, visionaries and utopian pilgrims, the Shakers thrived for more than two hundred years. Benjamin H. Rose III has assembled an exceptional, world-class collection of Shaker furniture and artifacts.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

"Behavior, Ad" by C.K.Itamura.

“Behavior” and “Ad” by C.K. Itamura. Photo credit, C.K. Itamura.

The Spinster Sisters Restaurant
Through June 7, dress code(x)
A solo exhibition of recent work by C.K.Itamura featuring two and three-dimensional mixed-media works on paper, hand drawn, printed, and sculpted into forms that resemble mysterious dresses, cocoons, and other wrappings.
401 South A Street, in the SOFA Arts District, Santa Rosa
707-528-7100
www.thespinstersisters.com

The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
Through May 31, Suzanne Jacquot—Abstract Painting
A recipient of the SFMOMA SECA award, artist Suzanne lives and creates her art in Sonoma County.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753

"River Road Revisited", by Cynthia Jackson-Hein.

“River Road Revisited”, by Cynthia Jackson-Hein.

Upstairs Art Gallery
May 9 through May 31, My Painting Passion—Capturing the Essence
*** Artist’s Reception, Saturday, May 9, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Cynthia Jackson-Hein’s plein-air paintings capture the beautiful but melancholy evidence of abandoned homesteads, of history and dreams overcome by drought or modern mega-farms.
306 Center St., Healdsburg, CA
www.upstairsartgallerysite.com

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@Large Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz, 2015

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Satri Pencak

IMG_0931On a rainy Sunday in late March, the dark morning rain clouds were breaking to reveal a beautiful day unfolding on the Bay as we sailed to San Francisco on the Larkspur Ferry “Sonoma”. The plan was to meet up with a number of friends on Alcatraz Island to see @Large Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz. The exhibition was organized by the For-Site Foundation and includes seven major art installations on the infamous island. Ai, a Chinese artist-activist and outspoken critic of cultural and political ideologies, conceptually created a provocative experience, with the help of many individuals that, according to the brochure, “. . . turns Alcatraz into a space for dialogue about how we define liberty and justice, individual rights and personal responsibilities.”

At the head of the Dragon, With Wind.

At the head of the Dragon, With Wind.

With Wind, detail.

With Wind, detail.

Three of us arrived by two ferry boats and a long walk down the Embarcadero. By the end of the day we tallied 10 to 12 friends that we encountered on the Rock, including one who literally “missed the boat” but stayed in virtual touch with us through texting and shared cellphone photos. We began our tour at the New Industries Building, which I would recommend, as it brings you immediately face to face with the head of the dragon. This large version of a traditional Chinese kite is the central component of the installation With Wind. Suspended from the ceiling, the stunning piece is colorful, dramatic, and friendly in a dragon-ish way. This is also where the dichotomies and layers of meaning and context begin. After we posed for our smiley tourist photos by the head of the dragon, the chill and depth of Ai’s intention and messages began revealing themselves. Beyond the gorgeous head the body of the dragon weaves among the pillars of a long, stark and dreary interior space—it hooks you and draws you in.

With Wind, detail.

With Wind, detail.

The individual segments that make up the dragon’s body carry quotations from activists who have been imprisoned or exiled, including Nelson Mandela, Edward Snowden, and Ai himself. The barren space, with peeling paint and broken fixtures is also festooned with smaller kites in various bird and floral shapes. These are symbols for nations that are known for violating human rights and civil liberties.

Trace, detail.

Trace, detail.

At the tail-end of the colorful dragon we entered an adjacent long room through a rusty doorway set in a wall with a grid of small broken windows. Here, displayed on the floor like a vast array of rugs, is Trace. The entire piece is constructed from thousands of small colorful LEGO blocks that visually connect the many individual stories into a unified matrix. The piece and its cleaver use of connecting units conveys one bold message about the more than 175 people, who like the artist, are not free to go or say as they wish. At the back of the room a large sign—seemingly set aside to be out of the way—declares “United States Penitentiary” and reminds us of where we are.

IMG_0964

Refraction, detail.

Refraction, detail.

After stepping outside we re-entered the same building through small side door and climbed the steep steps of the gun gallery to view Refraction. The long and very narrow gun gallery overlooks the rooms below where Refraction is installed. Based on the anatomy of a bird’s wing, the vast structure appears to be trapped in a dungeon. The ‘feathers’ are constructed from metal panels typically used as reflectors on solar cookers in Tibet, and embellished here

Refraction, detail.

Refraction, detail.

and there with tea kettles. These are items of domestic use and represent a desire for calm and normalcy in a country that is still struggling under Chinese rule. The piece is amazing in itself, but the attempt to view it was an even more powerful and disconcerting experience. The gun gallery was used by guards to control the prisoners in the area below. To get a glimpse of this huge wing in captivity was not easy. As I craned to catch a view through small bullet-shattered glass windows, I began to feel trapped and agitated. Layers of inferences and thoughts poured through me along with a visceral feeling of confinement that kept increasing—I realized I was now part of the piece.

Outside, the sun now sparkled on the water as we walked to the Cellhouse Hospital where several more pieces are installed. Inside we paused at Illumination, an audio piece set in two psychiatric observation rooms. The sounds of Tibetan and Native American chanting can be heard independently in each room but merge when standing outside. This blending of voices draws connections between China and the United States in their repression and subjugation of native cultures.

Blossom, detail.

Blossom, detail.

Further down the hall, in several other cells and medical rooms, you can peer through bars to see fixtures, such as sinks, tubs and toilets, filled with small handmade porcelain flowers. These are all part of Blossom, an installation that embodies reprieve and hope. The basins with blossoms glow warmly in the otherwise bleak and dim small rooms, and speak of the fragile “goodness” that dwells within all human beings, whether prisoners, guards, or visitors.

Blossom, detail.

Blossom, detail.

Deeper in the Cellhouse, located in A Block, is Stay Tuned—a sound installation set within individual cells. With doors ajar, a single tall metal stool invites visitors to have a seat and hear music, poetry and spoken words of people who have been incarcerated for expressing their beliefs. The words and singing contrast vividly to the implied isolation of the prison cells.

It’s an interesting ride, and well worth the effort, that becomes a thought-provoking and emotional journey—where you have the opportunity to consider the contrasts, dichotomies, layers of meanings and contexts that you encounter. It’s also important to note that the project was conceptualized and orchestrated by a person who has never set foot on the Rock, and who is imprisoned in his own country for his beliefs and activism.

Exhibition continues through April 26, 2015.
For more information about the project and individual pieces go to www.for-site.org

 

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The New Art Museum of Sonoma County

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Satri Pencak

ART_MuseumSCArt and History, like two siblings who’ve shared a room for years, finally get spaces of their own. It’s not that they’re incompatible; they actually share a lot in common and have great conversations. It’s just that each needs room to grow into their full potential while continuing the conversations—and we all get to benefit.

After years of planning, and considering various situations, the Sonoma County Museum Foundation proudly announces the expansion and official opening of its new Art Museum of Sonoma County. With the grand opening set for Saturday, April 11, 2015, the newly-created Art Museum of Sonoma County joins the renamed History Museum of Sonoma County, and the Sculpture Garden to span an entire city block of Seventh Street in downtown Santa Rosa.

Originally conceived as a history museum in 1985, the Sonoma County Museum’s collection quickly expanded to include paintings, sculpture and other works of art. Along with the growing collection and a desire for more programs, the need for expansion became increasingly apparent. To make room for everyone, a former carpet warehouse has been transformed into an expansive 4,500 square-foot contemporary art gallery featuring soaring twenty-foot ceilings, skylights, and museum specific environment controls. The new Art Museum is located at 511 B Street, just east of the historic post office building, its previous location. The former post office building will be solely dedicated to local and regional history, and renamed History Museum of Sonoma County.

The Sonoma County Museum Foundation will oversee the two semi-independent entities, while continuing their mission to celebrate and interpret the region’s rich history, art, and culture by exhibiting and collecting relevant objects and artworks, by serving as a vital community gathering place, and by inspiring visitors with dynamic experiences that engage, educate, and enlighten.

Future programs and exhibitions at the Art Museum of Sonoma County will feature artists who exhibit regionally, nationally and internationally. In addition, the Art Museum will offer public lectures, workshops, and other educational programming.

Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup I, Chicken Noodle (1968) © 2015 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup I, Chicken Noodle (1968)
© 2015 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The Inaugural Art Exhibition will be on view from April 12 to May 25, 2015
The spacious gallery of the new Art Museum of Sonoma County will open its program schedule with an exhibition entitled, Andy Warhol to Kara Walker: Picturing The Iconic. On view will be 90 works loaned by collector Jordan D. Schnitzer and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. Andy Warhol to Kara Walker: Picturing The Iconic brings together a selection of modern and contemporary art prints around the concept of the “iconic.” the works in this exhibition highlight major currents in art over the past sixty years. Curators emphasize both the serious, with works that speak to feminism or race relations; and the playful, with work that pokes fun at American culture.

The opening exhibit will include work by artists John Baldessari, Mark Bennett, Mel Bochner, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Enrique Chagoya, Christo, Robert Cottingham, Jim Dine, Kota Ezawa, Shepard Fairey, MK Guth, Jane Hammond, Keith Haring, Arturo Herrera, Robert Indiana, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger, David Levinthal, Roy Lichtenstein, Glenn Ligon, Nicola Lopez, Takashi Murakami, Bruce Nauman, Claes Oldenburg, Deborah Oropallo, Anton Perich, Mel Ramos, Robert Rauschenberg, Jim Riswold, James Rosenquist, Edward Ruscha, Roger Shimomura, Lorna Simpson, Kiki Smith, Kara Walker and Andy Warhol.

Robert Indiana, LOVE (1972), © 2015 Morgan Art Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS)

Robert Indiana, LOVE (1972), © 2015 Morgan Art Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS)

Collector Jordan D. Schnitzer states, “I am pleased to offer this exhibit at the opening of the new Art Museum of Sonoma County. I encourage people to bring their children to enjoy this art. I can’t talk about art without reinforcing the importance of it being a family thing. By taking children to the Museum you create family time that prompts conversations.”

Grand Opening Weekend Events
The new Art Museum of Sonoma County will open with a gala celebration on Saturday, April 11, 2015 with a gala party from 7:30 to 11 p.m. The event is themed “Studio 54” to honor the artists whose work will be shown in the inaugural exhibition, and who defined the modern “Pop” era of American art, and to reflect the glittering New York club scene of the time. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their finest disco outfits, and follow the spotlight to the red carpet walk. DJs, disco balls and divas will help create the experience. There will be opportunities to view the opening exhibition and purchase art at a silent auction. Food will be provided by Stark & Company Catering. Tickets are $175 for members and $200 for the general public. For more information or to buy tickets visit their website, www.sonomacountymuseum.org. 

Museums of Sonoma County
425 Seventh Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-579-1500

 

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Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in April 2015

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Satri Pencak

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.

2015-posterApple Blossom Festival
April 18 and 19, Apple Blossom Festival Art Show
*** Opening reception, Friday, April 17 from 7 to 9 p.m.
This annual art show features more than 100 new works by Art Workshop of Western Sonoma County members. You’ll find a variety of paintings, drawings, and photographs depicting a range of subject matter from rural landscapes to experimental abstracts. Awards for this year’s show were selected by Sonoma County artist Sandra Speidel.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 282 S. High Street, Sebastopol
www.appleblossomfest.com

Arts Guild of Sonoma
April 1 through April 27, Small But Grand Works
*** Opening reception, Saturday, April 4 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Celebrating the artistic talents of Sonoma Valley High School and other Valley students.

Also on view is the April Members’ Show, with recent work by featured Arts Guild Members, Sophie Acheson, Patricia Akay, Roberta Alexander, Barbara Aliza, George Dawnay, Irene Guidici Ehret, Zaza Fetterly, Yvonne Giambroni-Martin, Christine Gonzalves, Susan Heeringa-Pieper, Kirk Hinshaw, Carol Larson, Jackie Lee, Nancy Martin, Loran May, Brian Martinelli, Helen Mehl, Ruby Newman, Bev Prevost, Joan Shepherd, Lyn Swan, Thena Trygstad, and Jenny Whitfield.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
707-996-3115
artsguildofsonoma.org

Calabi Gallery
Extended through April 4, Art Inspired By The Natural World
*** First Friday Art Walk! Santa Rosa Arts District, Friday, April 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
This exhibition encompasses a vast range of artistic interpretations from traditional landscapes and realistic depictions of flora and fauna to abstracted evocations of the artist’s emotional response to the natural world. Artists include Douglas Ballou, Warren Bellows, Holly Downing, Pamela Glasscock, Karen Green, Fran Hardy, Joyce Ertel Hulbert, Mary Jarvis, Sun Jones, Carolyn Lord, Sherrie Lovler, Lucy Martin, Isabelle Proust, Jim Spitzer, Inna Talantova, and Richard Wagener.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through June 7, Ghosting Schulz
Schulz proudly wrote, drew, and lettered every Peanuts strip. He did, however, employ cartoonists who assisted him with other cartoon endeavors such as his sports-related comic strip It’s Only a Game and Peanuts comic books. Learn about Jim Sasseville, Dale Hale, and the artists of Charles M. Schulz Museum Creative Associates, who have attempted to capture Schulz’s indefinable line.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org 

Chroma Gallery
Through April 4, Dreamings: Australian Aboriginal Art
Though seemingly abstract, the multilayered paintings reflect the Aboriginal experience of reading the veiled secrets of the desert environment, its plants, animals and pathways.

Painting by Shinga Shell.

Painting by Shinga Shell.

April 8 through May 10 Shinga Shell: Abstractions
*** Opening Reception, Saturday April 11, from 2 to 4 p.m.
This month they inaugurate Emerging Artists, a new series promoting undiscovered artists. The first show features the vibrant abstract paintings of Sonoma County artist Shinga Shell. In her work, graphic marks and icons overlay brilliant fields of color. Some of the paintings are contemporary echoes of the raw street art of Jean-Michael Basquiat.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through May 14, Tempo
Group show with Guest Artists Jonqui Albin, Robin Spencer-Crompton, Peter Crompton, and Rebeca Trevino. Pamela Heck is the featured resident artist.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org 

"Musings", by Pamela Powell.

“Musings”, by Pamela Powell.

Graton Gallery
Through April 5, Small Works 2015
Annual juried exhibition of small work.

April 7 through May 17, Musings, work by Pamela Powell and Rik Olson
*** Opening Reception, Saturday, April 11, 2 to 5 p.m.
Also showing are guest artists, Elizabeth Peyton, Vi Strain, Nancy Wheeler Klippert, Nancy Ricciardi, Shawn Lux, and Holly Jordan.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net 

Hammerfriar
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com 

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through April 19, Art of Gastronomy
The work for this national juried exhibition was selected by jurors Spring Maxfield, Charlie Pendergast, Vicky Kumpfer and C. K. Itamura, and includes a variety of media. For a list of related programs and events check their website.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com

Ice House Gallery
Through April 11, Birds
Celebrating the art of rendering birds in various media.

The Beatles, by Curt Gunther.

The Beatles, by Curt Gunther.

April 18 through May 23, The Beatles at the IceHouse Gallery
*** Opening reception Saturday, April 18 from 5 to 8 p.m.
An exhibition of classic black and white photographs of the Beatles by Curt Gunther who traveled with, and documented the band during their first American tour in 1964. This group of images captures John, Paul, George and Ringo on the doorstep of international fame.
405 East D Street, Studio B, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Heron Hall Art Gallery
Through April 29, Celebrating the Wild
Featuring original illustrations and paintings by Molly Eckler.
900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa
www.lagunafoundation.org 

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through May 4, Rebirth; A Juried Art Exhibit
A juried exhibition exploring what it means to start over, to come alive again, to go through transitions and transformations. Juried by Sonoma County painter and teacher, Susan St. Thomas.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org 

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Through May 31, 2015, 20@20: 20 artists at 20 years
A year-long outdoor sculpture exhibition by 20 artists; includes a selection of emerging artists along with a core group of internationally acclaimed established artists. The work is set in a stunning natural setting with meadows, and oak groves, in the historic Fountaingrove neighborhood in northwest Santa Rosa.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
www.celebratesculpture.com or www.prwinery.com 

Petaluma Arts Center
Through April 5, Art Shapes the World
This 4th Annual Youth Exhibit features artwork by K-12 students in the greater Petaluma area.

Mick Jagger, by Baron Wolman.
Mick Jagger, by Baron Wolman.

April 18 through May 31, The Art of Rock ‘n Roll
*** Opening reception Saturday, April 18 from 6 to 11:00 p.m., featuring surf rock band, The Deadlies, from 8 to 11:00 p.m.
On view are iconic photos, curated by Joseph McDonald, from the Rock ‘n Roll era as well as vibrant posters that announced the great rock concerts of the time. The exhibition includes photographs by Baron Wolman, Ed Perlstein, Jim Marshall and Curt Gunther, along with posters by Alton Kelley, Pat Ryan, and Stanley Mouse. A Groove Room with surround sound, and listening stations at selected photographs will be set up to enhance the total musical experience. For dates, times and tickets for special events, visit the Events page on their website.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
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 May 3, Showin’ On The River!
This annual juried photography show features 57 images by 41 area photographers.
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
www.santarosa.edu/art-gallery

"Fentons Banana Split" by Juannie Eng

“Fentons Banana Split” by Juannie Eng

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
April 3 through May 2, Palates to Palettes
*** Opening Reception, Friday, April 3, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The artwork in this exhibition, selected by juror Virginia Tominia, explores various aspects of food and feasting.
Showing in Gallery II and III is artwork by Analy High School students under the guidance of teachers Tera Crawford, and Anita Sandwina.
282 High Street, in the Veterans’ Memorial Bldg., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sonoma County Museum
Through April 6, Indivisible: African–Native American Lives In The Americas
Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, the lives of Native and African peoples have been closely intertwined. Blended tribes worked to preserve their land and rebelled against displacement. Their unique African-Native American cultural practices through food ways, language, writing, music, dance and the visual arts have thrived.

Through April 20, Alison Saar: Thistle and Twitch
Informed by artistic traditions from the Americas to Africa and beyond, and by her mixed racial upbringing, Alison Saar fuses her paradoxical responses to the black-and-white delineations of political and social forces into a powerful, visual, and kinesthetic tension.

Robert Indiana, LOVE (1972), © 2015 Morgan Art Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS)
Robert Indiana, LOVE (1972), © 2015 Morgan Art Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS)

April 12 through May 25, Andy Warhol to Kara Walker: Picturing the Iconic
*** Grand Opening of the new Art Museum of Sonoma County, Saturday, April 11, 7:30 to 11 p.m., tickets available online.
This inaugural exhibition features a selection of prints from the 1960s through the present focusing on the concept of the “iconic.” The collection includes work by Pop icons Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, and Ed Ruscha, as well as by a selection of major contemporary artists including Bruce Nauman, Enrique Chagoya, Jeff Koons, Kara Walker, Lorna Simpson, John Baldessari, and many others.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through April 12, Student Exhibition 2015
The exhibition, which reflects courses offered in the art studio program at SSU as well as the students’ own creativity, features over 40 works of art in a variety of media—painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and mixed media. The artwork was selected by Amy Owen, curator at di Rosa, and Chris Thorson, whose work was featured in a recent SSU sculpture show.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through May 17, Unconventional and Unexpected: Quilts below the Radar, 1950–2000
The exhibition shows how primarily anonymous, often self-taught women have often produced quilts for everyday use in their homes, that nonetheless articulate many of the same issues that have been at the core of the development of modern art during the second half of the twentieth century. The exhibition presents a selection of visually stunning maverick quilts from the mid to late 20th century, in a contemporary art framework.
Also showing: Shaker Stories—from the Collection of Benjamin H. Rose III
Dreamers, visionaries and utopian pilgrims, the Shakers thrived for more than two hundred years. Benjamin H. Rose III has assembled an exceptional, world-class collection of Shaker furniture and artifacts.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

Painting by Suzanne Jacqout.

Painting by Suzanne Jacqout.

On The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
Through May 31, Suzanne Jacquot—Abstract Painting
*** Opening Reception, Monday, April 6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
A recipient of the SFMOMA SECA award, artist Suzanne lives and creates her art in Sonoma County.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753

 

 

Upstairs Art Gallery
April 4 through April 26, Rural Architecture: Paintings by Dan Scannell
*** Artist’s Reception, Saturday, April 4, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Dan Scannell is interested in the play of light on the buildings he sees in rural settings here in Sonoma County, the California Central Valley, and in his travels. These solitary structures set in wide open spaces have light playing off the surfaces and planes creating shadows and atmosphere, giving them a sense of a particular time and place.
306 Center St., Healdsburg, CA
www.upstairsartgallerysite.com

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Should Artists Have a Blog on their Website?

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Satri Pencak

There have recently been discussions with a number of people about whether artists should have blogs on their websites. I encourage artists to have a blog on their website, and that they post to it at least once or twice per month.

A blog makes the website more dynamic. It gives readers—be it friends, family, or potential collectors—something new to see, keeping them up-to-date on works in progress, projects, exhibitions, or musings about your process. A really good blog can also inspire comments and conversations among other people.

Hirokos Field, by Suzanne Edminster

Hirokos Field, by Suzanne Edminster

One really good example is a blog by Suzanne Edminster, on her website, saltworkstudio.com, and in particular a recent posting titled Art Critique 101. Take a look and find out for yourself why it’s good. Let me know if you agree.

 

 

 

 

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Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in March 2015

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Satri Pencak

By Satri Pencak

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.

Area Arts Gallery
Through March 20, The Art of Janis Joplin
Joplin’s paintings, like her songs, are for and about the people and stories that filled her heart. The images on view share the roots of the woman who sang Me and Bobby McGee, and Oh, Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz.
105 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-541-6521

Arts Guild of Sonoma
March 5 through March 30, March in The Gallery
*** Opening reception, Saturday, March 7, from 4 to 7. p.m.
On view is recent work by Arts Guild Members; Roberta Alexander, Barbara Aliza, Anji Bartholf, George Dawnay, Irene Guidici Ehret, Zaza Fetterly, Yvonne Giambrone-Martin, Christine Gonzalves, Susan Heeringa-Pieper, Kirk Hinshaw, Carol Larson, Christine MacDonald, Nancy Martin, Brian Martinelli, Bev Prevost, Joan Shepherd, and Lyn Swan.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
707-996-3115
artsguildofsonoma.org

Calabi Gallery
Through March 28, Art Inspired by the Natural World
This group exhibition encompasses a range of interpretations of nature, including landscapes, animals, and botanicals, as well as abstract renditions. The gallery features an eclectic array of artwork from the 19th, 20th and 21st century. Special event, Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m., Gallery Talk, Tapestries of Egypt –An Experiment in Creativity, by David Williams, followed by discussion with Joyce Ertel Hulbert on contemporary tapestry weaving.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through June 7, Ghosting Schulz
Schulz proudly wrote, drew, and lettered every Peanuts strip. He did, however, employ cartoonists who assisted him with other cartoon endeavors such as his sports-related comic strip It’s Only a Game and Peanuts comic books. Learn about Jim Sasseville, Dale Hale, and the artists of Charles M. Schulz Museum Creative Associates, who have attempted to capture Schulz’s indefinable line.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Aboriginal artChroma Gallery
March 11 through April 4, Dreamings: Australian Aboriginal Art
*** Opening Reception, Saturday March 14, from 12 to 4 p.m.
The tradition and symbology of Australian paintings reaches back thousands of years, when these patterns were first used for ritualistic body painting and sand mosaics. Though seemingly abstract, the multilayered paintings reflect the Aboriginal experience of reading the veiled secrets of the desert environment, its plants, animals and pathways.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through March 19, Prelude
Featuring resident artist, Paul Maurer, with guest artists, Joel Bennett and Rene Dayan-Whitehead.

March 20 through May 14, Tempo
*** Opening Reception, Saturday, March 21, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Group show with resident and guest artists.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Photograph by Robyn Beattie.

Photograph by Robyn Beattie.

Dog House Studio
Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15, Robyn Beattie
This two-day event showcases photographs by Robyn Beattie. The Studio will be open from 12 to 4 p.m. each day, and Lauri’s delicious pies will be served.
2371 Gravenstein Hwy South, Sebastopol
Turn at the Giant Yellow Duck
Lauri Luck, 707-477-9442

 

Graton Gallery
Through April 5, Small Works 2015
Annual juried exhibition of small work, showing 175 artworks created by 115 local artists selected by juror, Linda Schroeter.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Solutionaries, detail

Solutionaries, detail

Hammerfriar
March 20 through April 22, Solutionaries; A Real World Quest to Change the World
A unique blend of science, art and magic, this interactive exhibit invites participants, young and old, to join the quest to restore our planet. Designed for elementary and middle school children and their families, this first-of-its-kind interactive exhibit takes viewers on a quest to discover seven “Solutionaries”, heroes who have implemented strategies to solve climate change.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Unexpected Meringue, by Kathleen Youngquist

Unexpected Meringue, by Kathleen Youngquist

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
March 18 through April 19, Art of Gastronomy
*** Opening Reception Saturday, March 21, from 5 to 7:00 p.m.
The work for this national juried exhibition was selected by jurors Spring Maxfield, Charlie Pendergast, Vicky Kumpfer and C.K.Itamura, and includes a variety of media. For a list of related programs and events check their website.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com 

 

Ice House Gallery
March 14 through April 11, Birds
*** Opening reception, Saturday, March 14, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Celebrating the art of rendering birds. Dick Cole, Sylvia Gonzalez, Diana Majumdar, Robert Poplack, Michele Rosett, Stephanie Sanchez, and Joanne Tepper share their interpretations of birds in various media.
405 East D Street, Studio B, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Heron Hall Art Gallery
Through April 29, Celebrating the Wild
Featuring original illustrations and paintings by Molly Eckler.
900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa
www.lagunafoundation.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
March 6 through May 4, Rebirth
*** Opening Reception, Friday, March 6 from 5 to 7 p.m.
A juried exhibition exploring what it means to start over, to come alive again, to go through transitions and transformations. Juried by Sonoma County painter and teacher, Susan St. Thomas.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org 

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Through May 31, 2015, 20@20: 20 artists at 20 years
A year-long outdoor sculpture exhibition by 20 artists; includes a selection of emerging artists along with a core group of internationally acclaimed established artists. The work is set in a stunning natural setting with meadows, and oak groves, in the historic Fountaingrove neighborhood in northwest Santa Rosa.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
www.celebratesculpture.com or www.prwinery.com 

Petaluma Arts Center
Through March 8, Work & Play: The Eames Approach
The exhibition features work by the legendary design duo, Charles Eames and Ray Eames, who were major influencers of design aesthetic and culture in 20th-century America. Also showing is work by their daughter Lucia, and granddaughter Llisa.

March 14 through April 5, Art Shapes the World
*** Opening Reception, Saturday, March 14, 4 to 6 p.m.
This 4th Annual Youth Exhibit features artwork by K-12 students in the greater Petaluma area.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org 

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through March 15, Mikio Watanabe: Mezzotints
Japanese born artist, Watanabe, does meticulous images of the female figure in black and white, and scenes from nature—fish, birds, frogs, fruit and butterflies—in color. The artist will be in the gallery during the reception. 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

Glass Ball 369, by Marty Knapp

Glass Ball 369, by Marty Knapp

Riverfront Art Gallery
March 11 through May 3, Showin’ On The River!
*** Opening reception, Saturday, March 14, from 5 to 9 p.m.
This annual juried photography show features 57 images by 41 area photographers.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
Through March 12, 30 Years of SRJC Printmaking
*** Closing Reception on Thursday, March 12, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Original prints, works composed with printed elements, and other works on paper made by the Santa Rosa Junior College printmaking teaching staff of the last thirty years (1985-2015). Also on display are technically relevant historical examples of etching, engraving, mezzotint, woodcut, linocut, serigraphy, and stone lithography.
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
www.santarosa.edu/art-gallery

Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma Campus
Mahoney Library Gallery
Through March 26, Pepperwood Preserve
Paintings by Marsha Connell.
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma
www.santarosa.edu/library

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through March 29, Peoples
The focus of this juried exhibition ranges from representation of the body to the essence of human experience. Gallery II presents Five Beyond the Bridge, work by Chester Arnold, Frances McCormick, Kurt Kemp, Jennifer Sturgill and Mark Perlman. Gallery III is showing In My Imagination, paintings inspired by people and their stories by Mary Sanders.
282 High Street, in the Veterans’ Memorial Bldg., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org 

Sonoma County Museum
Through April 6, Indivisible: African–Native American Lives In The Americas
Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, the lives of Native and African peoples have been closely intertwined. Blended tribes worked to preserve their land and rebelled against displacement. Their unique African-Native American cultural practices through food ways, language, writing, music, dance and the visual arts have thrived.

Through April 20, Alison Saar: Thistle and Twitch
Informed by artistic traditions from the Americas to Africa and beyond, and by her mixed racial upbringing, Alison Saar fuses her paradoxical responses to the black-and-white delineations of political and social forces into a powerful, visual, and kinesthetic tension.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through March 8, SSU Art Faculty Exhibition
The annual Art Faculty exhibition, showing work by Carlos de Villasante, Nathan Haenlein, Kurt Kemp, Jann Nunn, Mark Perlman, Gregory Roberts, Libby Black, Mads Lynnerup, and Allison Watkins.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery 

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through May 17, Unconventional and Unexpected: Quilts below the Radar, 1950–2000
The exhibition shows how primarily anonymous, often self-taught women have often produced quilts for everyday use in their homes, that nonetheless articulate many of the same issues that have been at the core of the development of modern art during the second half of the twentieth century. The exhibition presents a selection of visually stunning maverick quilts from the mid to late 20th century, in a contemporary art framework.

Also showing: Shaker Stories—from the Collection of Benjamin H. Rose III
Dreamers, visionaries and utopian pilgrims, the Shakers thrived for more than two hundred years. Benjamin H. Rose III has assembled an exceptional, world-class collection of Shaker furniture and artifacts.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

The Art Wall at Shige Sushi
Through March 29, Janis Crystal Lipzin: Lightwork
Color photographs from Lipzin’s “Starflex Series”.
8235 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati
707-795-9753
ctalcroft.wix.com/artwallatshige

Upstairs Art Gallery
March 14 through March 29, The Color of Water–Watercolors by John Warner
*** Artist’s Reception, Saturday, March 14 from 1 to 4 p.m.
John Warner’s luminous and often intensely colorful paintings of coastal landscapes and seascapes from Canada to Mexico, Hawaii and the Mediterranean reflect a very personal sense of place. Warner studied fine arts at the Art Center College in Los Angeles and California College of Art and Crafts in Oakland.
306 Center St., Healdsburg, CA
http://www.upstairsartgallerysite.com.

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Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in February 2015

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Satri Pencak

By Satri Pencak

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 the 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.

*** Designates an Opening Reception.

Arts Guild of Sonoma
February 6 through March 2, February in The Gallery
*** Opening reception, Friday, February 6, from 6 to 8 p.m.
On view is recent work by Arts Guild Members; Sophie Acheson, Barbara Aliza, Anji Bartholf, George Dawnay, Dee Dushkes, Irene Guidici Ehret, Yvonne Giambrone-Martin, Christine Gonzalves, Susan Heeringa-Pieper, Kirk Hinshaw, Carol Larson, Christine MacDonald, Nancy Martin, Ellie Portner, Bev Prevost, Lyn Swan, and Joan Shepherd.
140 East Napa Street, Sonoma
707-996-3115
artsguildofsonoma.org

Foggy Morning, Mendocino Lichens, by Lucy Martin

Foggy Morning, Mendocino Lichens, by Lucy Martin

Calabi Gallery
Through March 28, Art Inspired by the Natural World
This group exhibition encompasses a range of interpretations of nature, including landscapes, animals, and botanicals, as well as abstract renditions. The gallery features an eclectic array of artwork from the 19th, 20th and 21st century.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through June 7, Ghosting Schulz
Schulz proudly wrote, drew, and lettered every Peanuts strip. He did, however, employ cartoonists who assisted him with other cartoon endeavors such as his sports-related comic strip It’s Only a Game and Peanuts comic books. Learn about Jim Sasseville, Dale Hale, and the artists of Charles M. Schulz Museum Creative Associates, who have attempted to capture Schulz’s indefinable line.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Christie Marks Fine Art Gallery
Through February 28, Close to Home
In this exhibition, artists Christie Marks and Max DuBois explore both the psychic and concrete aspects of everyday life. Beyond the surface, this work is affirmative expressing joy and hope even as it confronts difficult themes such as loneliness, poverty, and disenfranchisement.
322 Healdsburg Avenue. 2nd Floor, Healdsburg
707- 695-1011
 www.christiemarksfineart.com

Chroma Gallery
February 4 through March 1, Annual Small Works Show
*** Opening reception Friday, February 6, 5 to 8 p.m.
This show features paintings, sculptures and ceramics no larger than 12 by 12 inches. From elegant to elementary, iconic to comic, abstract to realistic–you will find affordable artwork, small enough to hang almost anywhere in your home. Presented along with the SOFA Arts District and Chroma Gallery, you can visit more than a dozen studios and galleries, representing over 30 artists. Refreshments and live musical entertainment at Chroma Gallery.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through March 19, Prelude
Featuring resident artist, Paul Maurer, with guest artists, Joel Bennett and Rene Dayan-Whitehead.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Graton Gallery
Through February 22, Anything Goes —A Juried Show
On view are 119 artworks created by 93 local artists selected by two jurors, Sonoma County artists, Sandra Speidel and Clark Mitchell.

February 24 through April 5, Small Works 2015
*** Opening reception on Saturday, February 28, 2 to 5 p.m.
Annual juried exhibition of small work.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.com

Who We Are, by Bill Shelley.

Who We Are, by Bill Shelley.

Hammerfriar
Through February 28, Bill Shelley; Who We Are
In his paintings, Shelley uses portraiture to address the identity of an individual, as well as the identity of the larger society, and how that society is structured.
132 Mill Street, Ste.101, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through February 8, Members Show 2015
This year’s theme is about ideas, feelings, and things that happen on the “Inside”, and includes all media. Demonstrations are scheduled during the show.

February 11 through March 8, Fourth Annual Young Artists Exhibition
*** Opening reception on Friday, February 20, 4 to 7 p.m.
Work by students from 10 local schools.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com

Ice House Gallery
Through February 28, Michelle Chayes & Jane Murphy
Mixed media works, featuring “The Queen’s Museum”.
405 East D Street, Studio B, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Heron Hall Art Gallery
Through April 29, Celebrating the Wild
Featuring original illustrations and paintings by Molly Eckler.
900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa
www.lagunafoundation.org

MLK and Obama at OCA.

Occidental Center for the Arts
February 6 through March 1, Celebrating Black History
*** Opening Reception Friday, February 6 from 5 to 7 p.m.
An exhibition of pre- and post-civil rights era memorabilia and art from the collection of Raynetta James, an African-American woman and Sonoma County community leader. Also on display will be a juried collection of artwork from local artists reflecting their personal views about Black history.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Through May 31, 2015, 20@20: 20 artists at 20 years
A year-long outdoor sculpture exhibition by 20 artists; includes a selection of emerging artists along with a core group of internationally acclaimed established artists. The work is set in a stunning natural setting with meadows, and oak groves, in the historic Fountaingrove neighborhood in northwest Santa Rosa.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
www.celebratesculpture.com or www.prwinery.com

Petaluma Arts Center
Through March 8, Work & Play: The Eames Approach
The exhibition features work by the legendary design duo, Charles Eames (1907-1978) and Ray Eames (1912-1988), who were major influencers of design aesthetic and culture in 20th-century America. Also showing is work by their daughter Lucia, and granddaughter Llisa who have continued the Eames legacy of experimentation and play as part of the creative process.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
February 5 through March 15, Mikio Watanabe: Mezzotints
*** Opening reception Saturday, February 7, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Japanese born artist, Watanabe, does meticulous images of the female figure in black and white, and scenes from nature—fish, birds, frogs, fruit and butterflies—in color. The artist will be in the gallery during the reception. 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 8, Winter Show
Group show featuring paintings, photography, and mixed-media by 10 invited artists.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
February 10 through March 12, 30 Years of SRJC Printmaking
*** Closing Reception on Thursday, March 12, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Original prints, works composed with printed elements, and other works on paper made by the Santa Rosa Junior College printmaking teaching staff of the last thirty years (1985-2015). Also on display are technically relevant historical examples of etching, engraving, mezzotint, woodcut, linocut, serigraphy, and stone lithography. Gallery Talk on Thursday, February 26, 12 to 1 p.m.
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
www.santarosa.edu/art-gallery

Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma Campus
Mahoney Library Gallery
Through March 26, Pepperwood Preserve
Paintings by Marsha Connell.
Lecture with the artist on Monday, February 2, 12 noon to 1 p.m.
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma
www.santarosa.edu/library

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through February 20, Wetlands
In the Galletta Gallery, the juried exhibition showcases artwork by artists from around the country that portrays the wetlands in all of their diversity and importance. Gallery II features “Laguna de Santa Rosa – Through the Seasons” photographs by the Tuesday Afternoon Photography Group and Santa Rosa Photographic Society. Gallery III features a selection of Native American basketry. For information about demonstrations and lectures, visit their website.

February 27 through March 29, Peoples
*** Opening Reception Friday, February 27, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The focus of this juried exhibition ranges from representation of the body to the essence of human experience. Gallery II presents work by 5 artists, Chester Arnold, Frances McCormick, Kurt Kemp, Jennifer Sturgill and Mark Perlman. Gallery III is showing In My Imagination, paintings inspired by people and their stories by Mary Sanders.
282 High Street, in the Veterans’ Memorial Bldg., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sebastopol Library Forum Room Art Gallery
February 3 through February 28, Side by Side: Sally Briggs & Students
*** Artist’s Reception and Artist Talk on Wednesday, February 11, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Sebastopol Library
7140 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol
(707) 823-7691

Sonoma County Museum
Through February 9, Hole in the Head: The Battle for Bodega Bay and the Birth of the Environmental Movement
The exhibition chronicles the story of a nuclear power plant, proposed for construction at Bodega Head in 1958, and its defeat by members of the local community in 1964. The exhibition includes photographs, artifacts and multimedia presentations with many video interviews.

Sea of Serenity, by Alison Saar.

Sea of Serenity, by Alison Saar.

Through April 6, Indivisible: African–Native American Lives In The Americas
Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, the lives of Native and African peoples have been closely intertwined. Blended tribes worked to preserve their land and rebelled against displacement. Their unique African-Native American cultural practices through food ways, language, writing, music, dance and the visual arts have thrived.

February 20 through April 20, Alison Saar: Thistle and Twitch
*** Opening reception, Friday, February 20, 6 to 7 p.m. $10
Informed by artistic traditions from the Americas to Africa and beyond, and by her mixed racial upbringing, Alison Saar fuses her paradoxical responses to the black-and-white delineations of political and social forces into a powerful, visual, and kinesthetic tension.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
February 12 through March 8, SSU Art Faculty Exhibition
*** Opening reception, Thursday, February 12, 5 to 7 p.m.
The annual Art Faculty exhibition, showing work by Carlos de Villasante, Nathan Haenlein, Kurt Kemp, Jann Nunn, Mark Perlman, Gregory Roberts, Libby Black, Mads Lynnerup, and Allison Watkins.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
February 14 through May 17, Unconventional and Unexpected: Quilts below the Radar, 1950–2000

Sunburst Quilt, at SVMA

The exhibition shows how primarily anonymous, often self-taught women have often produced quilts for everyday use in their homes, that nonetheless articulate many of the same issues that have been at the core of the development of modern art during the second half of the twentieth century. The exhibition presents a selection of visually stunning maverick quilts from the mid to late 20th century, in a contemporary art framework.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

 

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Art in Sonoma County: Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions in January 2015

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Satri Pencak

While navigating around the vineyards and rolling hills, along the scenic coast and forests, and through the welcoming towns of Sonoma County, be sure to stop in at some of the numerous art galleries, art centers, and museums where you can find a wide range of art on view. Many wineries and eateries also have art on exhibit, offering an experience of great food, refreshments, and fine art. Here are some exhibitions on view right now:

*** Designates an Opening Reception.

Calabi Gallery
The gallery features an eclectic array of artwork from the 19th, 20th and 21st century.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
January 14 through June 7, Ghosting Schulz
Schulz proudly wrote, drew, and lettered every Peanuts strip. He did, however, employ cartoonists who assisted him with other cartoon endeavors such as his sports-related comic strip It’s Only a Game and Peanuts comic books. Learn about Jim Sasseville, Dale Hale, and the artists of Charles M. Schulz Museum Creative Associates, who have attempted to capture Schulz’s indefinable line.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Signs of Life, by Christie Marks.

Signs of Life, by Christie Marks.

Christie Marks Fine Art Gallery
January 15 through February 28, Close to Home
*** Artists’ Reception, Saturday, January 24, 5 to 7:30 p.m.
In this collaborative exhibition, artists Christie Marks and Max DuBois explore both the psychic and concrete aspects of everyday life. Beyond the surface, this work is affirmative expressing joy and hope even as it confronts difficult themes such as loneliness, poverty, and disenfranchisement.
322 Healdsburg Avenue. 2nd Floor, Healdsburg
707- 695-1011
www.christiemarksfineart.com

Painting by Sergio Lopez.

Painting by Sergio Lopez.

Chroma Gallery
January 2 through January 29, Art Of The Figure
*** Artists’ Reception Friday, January 2, 5 to 8 p.m.
Featuring works by artists who attended Chroma Gallery’s Life Drawing sessions in 2014. Since early in 2014, more than 30 artists have met to paint and draw from live models. The show includes dozens of artworks, ranging from spontaneous two-minute gestural drawings to paintings done over several hours.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-293-6051
www.chromagallery.net

 

 

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through January 16, Potential
Showing a variety of work by resident and guest artists.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Fulton X Gallery at Fulton Crossing
Through January 11, Urban | Suburban | Rural
This exhibition examines the environments we choose to live and thrive in. How does the place we live in shape our lives? Also showing, Handmade + Functional, featuring handmade and functional objects and wares that make life beautiful; stuff we use every day to create our environment, our identity.
1200 River Road, Fulton
707-331-4348
www.fultoncrossing.com

Graton Gallery
Through January 11, Fun & Games
Work by Mylette Welch with friends, Nancy Winn and Diane Allison-Stroud. Also showing is work by Guest Artists, Cynthia Jackson, Ann Sete, Deire Shibano, and Marcia Lavine.

January 13 through February 23, Anything Goes
*** Artists’ Reception, Saturday, January 17, 2 to 5 p.m.
Juried show featuring the theme of “Anything Goes”.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
January 8 through February 8, Members Show 2015
*** Artists’ Reception, Saturday, January 17, 5 to 8 p.m.
This year’s theme is about ideas, feelings, and things that happen on the “Inside”, and includes all media. Demonstrations are scheduled during the show.
9130 Plaza Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
www.healdsburgcenterforthearts.com

Ice House Gallery
Through January 3, Catch and Release
Featuring affordable artworks from the collection of Robert Flynn Johnson.
405 East D Street, Studio B, Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.icehousegallery.org

Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, Heron Hall Art Gallery
January 3 through April 29, Celebrating the Wild
*** Artists’ Reception Saturday, January 24, 3 to 5 p.m.
Featuring original illustrations and paintings by Molly Eckler.
900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa
www.lagunafoundation.org

A New Leaf Gallery| Sculpture Site
On view is Harriet and Her Rhino, by Carol Schwartz, recently commissioned by Napa Valley Vintners, Ann and Dick Grace, who challenged Schwartz with the idea of creating a rhino to accompany the young Harriet, and represent the current plight of a species nearing extinction.
At Cornerstone Sonoma, 23588 Arnold Drive (Hwy. 121), Sonoma
707-933-1300
www.anewleafgallery.com

By Marylu Downing.

L to R: Downing, Glasscock, Sutton, Rubin

Occidental Center for the Arts
January 2 through February 3, What We Do Now
*** Artists’ Reception Friday, January 9, 5 to 7 p.m.
Showcasing work by four women artists, Marylu Downing, Pamela Glasscock, Sandra Rubin, and E. Ryder Sutton.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paradise Ridge Winery Sculpture
Through May 31, 2015, 20@20: 20 artists at 20 years
A year-long outdoor sculpture exhibition by 20 artists; includes a selection of emerging artists along with a core group of internationally acclaimed established artists. The work is set in a stunning natural setting with meadows, and oak groves, in the historic Fountaingrove neighborhood in northwest Santa Rosa.
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa
www.celebratesculpture.com or www.prwinery.com

Petaluma Arts Center
January 17 through March 8, Work & Play: The Eames Approach
*** Reception on Saturday, January 24, from 4 to 7 p.m.
The exhibition features work by the legendary design duo, Charles and Ray Eames, as well as two artists who learned from them; their daughter Lucia and granddaughter Llisa. These artists, two of whom have been Petaluma residents, include experimentation and play as part of the creative process.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Currently on view are Woodblock Prints by Haku Maki (1924-2000). A prolific printmaker, Maki is known for textural effects and embossing done with cement applied to the blocks. Major subjects are tea bowls, Japanese characters, and fruit. 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
January 7 through March 8, Winter Show
*** Reception, Saturday, January 10, 5 to 9 p.m.
Group show featuring paintings, photography, and mixed-media by nearly a dozen invited artists.
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma Campus
Mahoney Library Gallery
January 15 through March 26, Pepperwood Preserve
Paintings by Marsha Connell.
Lecture with the artist on Monday, February 2, 12 noon to 1 p.m.
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma
www.santarosa.edu/library

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
January 15 through February 20, Wetlands
*** Opening reception Thursday, January 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
In the Galletta Gallery, the juried exhibition showcases artwork by artists from around the country that portrays the wetlands in all of their diversity and importance. Gallery II features “Laguna de Santa Rosa – Through the Seasons” photographs by the Tuesday Afternoon Photography Group and Santa Rosa Photographic Society. Gallery III features a selection of Native American basketry. For information about demonstrations and lectures, visit their website.
282 High Street, in the Veterans’ Memorial Bldg., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sonoma County Museum
Through January 11, Roseland: Stories from the Community
As part of the Museum’s storytelling project, the people who live in Roseland tell their story in words and images. Once an industrial area for Santa Rosa, today Roseland serves as an entry point for many immigrants and refugees.  

Through February 9, Hole in the Head: The Battle for Bodega Bay and the Birth of the Environmental Movement
The exhibition chronicles the story of a nuclear power plant, proposed for construction at Bodega Head in 1958, and its defeat by members of the local community in 1964. The exhibition includes photographs, artifacts and multimedia presentations with many video interviews.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.sonomacountymuseum.org

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
January 31, Art From The Heart 2015
The 31st annual Art from the Heart silent art auction and party takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 31. Proceeds from the auction directly benefit the Art Gallery’s exhibition, publication, and lecture programs. Free previews of the artwork on January 28, 29, and 30; call for gallery hours.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through January 25, Eleanor Coppola: Quiet, Creative Force
A comprehensive retrospective of the work of Eleanor Coppola, including examples of her early work from the 1960s in design, art films, conceptual art, and costume design, as well as a selection of drawings, photographs, sculptures, and collaborative installations. The centerpiece of the exhibition is “Circle of Memory,” a room-sized installation composed of straw bales, photographs, and sound, which create a space for memorializing children who have died or are missing.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

Landscape, by Henry White.

Landscape, by Henry White.

Upstairs Art Gallery
January 10 through January 25, California Colors – Henry White
*** Artist’s reception, Saturday, January 10, 2 to 5 p.m.
Henry White’s paintings of the hills and oak woodlands show the progression of California’s seasons from the brilliant greens of the Winter and Spring through the golds and duns of Summer and Fall.
306 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-4214

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