Art in Sonoma County

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.
Please check with the venues for current status of health protocols, hours, events and exhibitions.

*** Designates an Opening Reception.

Art at the Source
Open Studios, June 7-8 and June 14-15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This annual open studio program represents some of the best art in Sonoma County. This year there are 129 participating artists who are opening their studios to show their latest creations. There will also be daily demonstrations at many of the studios. Visit one of the Preview exhibitions to view samples of artwork and pick up an informative catalog to plan your self-guided art tour. Preview shows are currently on view at Sebastopol Center for the Arts on High St, in Sebastopol, and Corricks Stationary on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa.
http://www.artatthesource.org




Arts Guild of Sonoma
Through June 30, Art Unleashed: 8 x 8 Art Show
*** Artists reception Thursday, June 5, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Creativity gets compact but boundless; the only rule? Every piece must fit within 8 inches by 8 inches; but how artists choose to fill that space is entirely up to them.
140 E. Napa St., Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org

Calabi Gallery
Extended through June 7, Pushing Boundaries
The legendary golden age of the California School of Fine Arts, known as A Period of Exploration, took place between 1945 and 1950. Later the school was renamed the San Francisco Art Institute. Pushing Boundaries features a number of SFAI artists including Susan Marie Dopp, Claire Falkenstein, Bella Feldman, Sonia Gechtoff, Pamela Glasscock, Robert Howard, Harry Jacobus, Walter Kuhlman, Evri Kwong, Frank Lobdell, Sutter Marin, Robert McChesney, Irving Norman, Nathan Oliveira, Hassel Smith, and Inez Storer, among others.

*** Opening Reception on Saturday, June 28 from 3 to 7 p.m. Gallery Group Exhibition.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through September 10, Paperback Peanuts
Downstairs Changing Gallery
The first Peanuts paperback came out in 1952, and it was followed by many, many more. The affordable, pocket-sized books were easy gifts to give, share, and collect and brought joy in good times and solace in bad for many fans. Discover the history of these beloved treasures and learn how it all started with someone who didn’t read comics at all!
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Corricks Art Trails Gallery/ My Daughter the Framer
Through June 21, Art at the Source Preview
*** Artist reception June 6, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The Gallery at Corrick’s & My Daughter the Framer lead off this year’s Art at the Source season! Featuring works from more than 40 Art at the Source artists. Explore, meet the artists, and get inspired for your Open Studio itinerary!
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com

Fulton Crossing Art Gallery
1200 River Rd., Fulton
www.fultoncrossing.com/exhibitions

Graton Gallery
Through June 15, A Touch Of Red
A juried art exhibition exploring the color red, bringing together artwork that uses the color red as an accent, or where the red is dominant; creating emotion, contrast, or just the joy of color. Each piece tells the story where the color red plays a role.

June 19 through July 27, Different Strokes; Expressions in Pastel
*** Artists Reception Saturday, June 28, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Featuring artworks by Tamra Sanchez and Bruce Hopkins, with Guest Artists Christine Church, Erika Linn, Hilary Mosberg, and Jay O’Neil.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Hammerfriar Gallery
Through July, Cadence
New Work by Bill Shelley, whose work is thought-provoking, visually and conceptually striking, and always surprising.
132 Mill St, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through July 6, Journeys
334 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
healdsburgcenterforthearts.org

IceHouse Gallery / Digital Grange
405 East D St., Petaluma
707-778-2238
www.digitalgrange.com

Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
Through August 29, Adam Wolpert; The Great Oak Series
This exhibition features a special selection of large-scale giclée prints (4′ x 6′) of paintings by Wolpert. The work showcases seven stunning oak tree portraits, capturing their beauty, individuality, and seasonal transformations.
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org

Museum of Sonoma County
Art
Through June 8, UNRULY: North Bay Artists from the San Francisco Art Institute
The exhibition honors the legacy of the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), the oldest and most influential fine arts school on the West Coast, which shut its doors in 2022 after 150 years of dynamic art making. The UNRULY exhibition specifically focuses on the impact and influence of SFAI in the North Bay. The show features the work of 18 regional artists, spanning multiple generations, who either studied or taught at the Art Institute. Collectively, they embody the spirit of boundary-pushing and experimentation that the school so famously fostered, affirmed, and supported.

June 28 through November 30, Bruce Johnson: Sculptor
*** Opening Reception Saturday, June 28 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Bruce Johnson: Sculptor, a landmark exhibition celebrating the life, vision, and legacy of one of Sonoma County’s most revered artists. The exhibition marks the first major museum survey of Johnson’s work since his sudden passing in 2023.

History
Through September 7, It’s in the Mail! Sonoma County’s Postal History
Communication wasn’t always easy . . . or fast. A huge advance happened right here in Sonoma County when the world’s FIRST airmail delivery was made between Petaluma and Santa Rosa in 1911. The airplane that made that delivery was built right here in Sonoma County too – by a local race car driver and mechanic named Fred Wiseman. A replica of that airplane is a centerpiece for the show, which is only appropriate since the Post Office building that received that first airmail delivery is now the Museum of Sonoma County.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through June 21, Spring Forward
Watercolor Exhibit
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paradise Ridge Winery
June 15-ongoing, Return to Paradise
*** Opening Reception Sunday, June 15, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Paradise Ridge Winery and the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation are pleased to announce Return to Paradise â€“ a sculpture exhibition celebrating Walter Byck and Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars’ thirty year legacy of visionary leadership and community engagement through art and sculpture at Paradise Ridge. Curated by Jeff Nathanson (former director of the Museum of Sonoma County), the exhibition will showcase more than a dozen local artists, each with a unique and rich history of exhibiting at Paradise Ridge. In recognition of Walter Byck and Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars’ enduring dedication to supporting local artists and to bringing sculpture to Sonoma County, the exhibition will serve as a celebratory return for the participating artists.
Paradise Ridge Winery; in Marijke’s Grove
4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Fountaingrove, Santa Rosa
www.prwinery.com

Paul Mahder Gallery
Through June 15, Richard Bolingbroke; Cycles of Life
Cycles of Life, In Memoriam (1952 – 2024) is a celebration and overview of the life work of British-American artist Richard Bolingbroke. From his vivid watercolor paintings, known for their ritual compositions, fierce choice in colors, and hints of impermanence, a presence of mystery and belonging appear…fresh, yet familiar.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
www.paulmahdergallery.com

Pepperwood Gallery
On view, Sacred Habitat: the Visions of Ian Nelson
An exhibit of work by renowned local photographer and cinematographer Ian Nelson, presenting a captivating mixed-media event which showcases breathtaking visuals from around the globe, featuring not only stunning photographs but also thought-provoking short nature documentary films.
2130 Pepperwood Preserve Road, Santa Rosa
https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org

Petaluma Arts Center
Through June 7, Figure As Story in the main gallery, and Queer Time Capsule in the north gallery
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through June 8, Prints of the Sea, the art of Christopher Dewees
Showcasing traditional Japanese fish printing, or gyotaku, the exhibit features both new and older work by Dewees. Housed in a refurbished building with shoji and a small, serene Japanese garden, the gallery shows contemporary art by Japanese and regional Northern California artists.
1781 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay
707-875-2922
www.renbrown.com

Santa Rosa Arts Center
Through June 28, Still Life, A Moment in Time
On view is artwork featuring inanimate and everyday objects like books, tools, utensils, flowers and food, as the primary subject matter.

June 6 through July 28, Art Under the Influence
*** Artists Reception Friday, June 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Artwork inspired and influenced by other artists which demonstrate and acknowledge the influence of another artist on the concept, design or presentation of the work.
SOFA Arts District
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-526-0135
santarosaartscenter.org/

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
art-gallery.santarosa.edu/current-exhibits

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through June 15, Art at the Source Preview
Art at the Source is SCA’s annual award-winning Spring open studio program. This year there are 129 participating Art at the Source artists opening up their studios to show their latest creations. The Preview Show is an opportunity to choose the studios you would like to visit during the event dates.

June 21 through August 3, International Fiber Arts XII
*** Opening Reception June 22, from 3 to 5 p.m. Free for Members; $15/$10 nonmembers
International Fiber Arts XII is a juried exhibition celebrating innovative, forward thinking and traditional and nontraditional fiber techniques with 90 outstanding artworks.
282 South High St., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sebastopol Gallery
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopolgallery.com

Sebastopol Library, Forum Room
Through July 12, Convergence/Divergence
*** Artists Reception, June 1, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Paintings and Multimedia by Alan Azhderian and Jackie McCarthy.
7140 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol
707-823-7691

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

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through September 7, Nancy Genn: The Nature of Being
This retrospective exhibition of work by Berkeley-based artist, Nancy Genn, explores a long career rooted in the history of post-war American art in the fields of gestural abstraction and abstract expressionism. She is known for working in various media, including paintings, bronze sculpture, printmaking, and notably, handmade paper based on the Japanese washi papermaking tradition. Influenced by her extensive travels, Asian craft aesthetics, and spiritual traditions, her work features nature’s effects of light, landscape, and water, along with the human presence represented by architectural motifs and functional objects.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

Upstairs Art Gallery
Through June 29, Dance!
Laura Roney unveils her latest figurative series, Dance! These new oil paintings explore dance in its various forms. The work translates the joy humans feel in expressing themselves through the art of dance. Meet the artist: Roney will be hosting the Gallery on June 1, from 11 am to 6 pm.

The Stairway Showcase presents Karen Miller’s Singing with Color, a collection of pastels that highlights the vibrancy found in our natural surroundings. Meet the artist: Miller will be hosting the Gallery on June 2, 11, 15, 19 and 28 from 11 am to 2:30 p.m.
306 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net

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