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 Trails Open Studios 2025
*** Open Studios; Two Consecutive weekends, October 11-12, and 18-19, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sonoma County Art Trails is a free, county-wide open studios program showcasing 155 juried local artists this year. This premier annual October event invites art lovers to step inside the studios where creativity comes to life—connecting directly with artists in the spaces where they work. Visit one of the Art Trails preview exhibitions for an opportunity to see works from participating artists, and to plan your tour of their studios throughout Sonoma County during the event dates.
www.SonomaCountyArtTrails.org

Arts Guild of Sonoma
October 1 through October 27, Harvest of Art
*** Opening Reception Thursday, October 2, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Coinciding with the Sonoma First Thursday ArtWalk.
The October Guest Artist is Kate Knudsen, showcasing her assemblages that, in her words, ‘feel like reliquaries or altars — spaces that invite pause and witnessing.’ Also on view is work by 20 Arts Guild Member Artists.
140 E. Napa St., Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through January 11, 60 Years of A Charlie Brown Christmas
The holidays arrive early this year at the Schulz Museum with 60 Years of A Charlie Brown Christmas, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas. The new exhibition draws from the Schulz Museum’s vast collection, including never-before-displayed items, to become one of the most enduring and celebrated holiday programs ever. This is the story about how the very first Peanuts animated special was created.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through November 22, Family
The exhibition features work by Susan Adler, Laura Paine Carr, Trudie Folsom, Jane Gardner, Pamela Heck, Sterling Hoffman, Terry Holleman, Will McCoy, Jason Taylor Morgan, and Jennifer Weiss. Featured Artist is Pamela Heck, with Guest Artist Sterling Hoffman and Community Annex Artist, Susan Adler.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Corricks Art Trails Gallery/ My Daughter the Framer
Through October 12, Art Trails Preview Exhibit
*** Artist reception Friday, October 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Dozens of Artists, beautiful art, great refreshments, & amazing company will be on hand to celebrate Art Trails Open Studios season.
*** Corrick’s Anniversary Celebration Saturday, October 4, from 12 to 4 p.m.
Celebrate 110 years of Corrick’s special place in our community with live music, special treats, raffles, and lots more fun!
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com











Erickson Fine Art Gallery
October 4 through November 4, Ken Jarvela
*** Artist Reception Saturday, October 4, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Plein Air Paintings of Northern California.
324 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-431-7073
www.ericksonfineartgallery.com

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

Graton Gallery
Through October 19, Still Life Juried Show
The genre of Still life celebrates the artistry of everyday objects into compelling compositions that capture the essence of stillness and storytelling. Juried by Linda Schroeter.

October 23 through November 30, Take Comfort
*** Artists Reception Saturday, October 25, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Featuring artworks by Mylette Welch and Heather Myler. With Guest Artists Stephanie Behasa, Gary Martin, and Lynn Zachreson.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Hammerfriar Gallery
132 Mill St, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through October 20, Art Trails Preview
*** Opening Reception October 4, from 4 to 6 p.m.
A preview of work by some of the Art Trails Open Studios artists.
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 December 19, Watershed Moment
Artists associated with North Bay Letterpress Arts explore the connection between language, image, and place through the craft of letterpress printing. Some works incorporate natural materials—like handmade inks and paper from local plants—to deepen their relationship with the landscape that inspired them. North Bay Letterpress Arts, based in Sebastopol, is a vibrant hub for printing, learning, and creative exchange.
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org

Museum of Sonoma County
Art
Through November 30, Bruce Johnson: Sculptor
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 November 2, Día de los Muertos
The 29th Annual El Día de los Muertos, or ‘Day of the Dead’, is a holiday that is celebrated in Mexico, many Central and South American countries, and within the United States on November 1 and 2. A joyous remembrance of the lives of family members and loved ones who have died, the holiday is a celebration of the cycle of life with ancient roots. The exhibition explores both the deep traditions and contemporary expressions of Day of the Dead. The altars and artworks in this year’s exhibition are designed and created by Jesus Bravo, Rubén Guzmán, Nathan Gomez and other artists. The community altar, which visitors may contribute to, will be created by the Museum in collaboration with Liz Camino-Byers and her remarkable collection of Mexican art and craft.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through October 25, Spellbound
*** Artist Reception October 4, from 2 to 4 p.m.
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Oli Gallery
Through November, The Castro; A collection by Kishnu Kurmi
Oli Gallery is celebrating the Castro, San Francisco’s most amazing neighborhood. Join us and enjoy a visual journey that beautifully captures its wonderful essence.
16215 Main Street, Guerneville
www.oligallery.com

Paradise Ridge Winery
On-going, Return to Paradise
Paradise Ridge Winery and the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation are pleased to announce Return to Paradise – 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
On view; Love Songs for Kay: Coupled/Uncoupled
New Paintings by Harvey Brody, Love Songs for Kay is an anatomy of a symbiotic relationship between two artists with mostly opposite natures.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
www.paulmahdergallery.com

Pepperwood Gallery
Currently on view, Majesty of Birds
The exhibition features captivating mixed-media artwork by local artists.
2130 Pepperwood Preserve Road, Santa Rosa
www.pepperwoodpreserve.org

Petaluma Arts Center
Through November 1, Xicano Community Narratives
A collection of work by Bay Area Chicano artists. The artists invited to participate in this exhibition call Sonoma County home. Their work expresses individual stories of identity and experience, the experience of being Xicano today (American, Mexican, Californian, Indigenous), and being an artist in an ever-changing landscape. Dia de Los Muertos Altar & Closing Party, November 1, from 12 to 4 p.m.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through October 10, Pottery and Pigments
Historically, bowls were some of mankind’s first creations. From prehistoric times, vessels were needed for storing, cooking and as a utensil. They were central to rituals, and eventually became the focus for many artisans. In celebration of these humble beginnings, we offer an exhibit pairing recent three-dimensional ceramic works with two-dimensional paintings and prints on both canvas and paper. This exhibition showcases work by Japanese and American potters, painters and printmakers. 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 November 1, INKtober
The Inktober show highlights the beauty, originality and creativity of the inked surface. Artwork, up to 12″x12″, created using any of the various forms of ink –alcohol, oil or acrylic based, while strongly identified with the art of drawing, ink art can include mixed media art and printed imagery, such as etchings, block prints and lithography.

October 3 through November 29, Day and Night
*** Opening reception Friday, October 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Inqueries into the possibilities of contrasts.
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 October 19, 2025 Sonoma County Art Trails Preview
Sonoma County Art Trails is our award-winning annual Fall juried open studio program. The Art Trails preview show is an opportunity to see works from all participating artists, and to plan your tour of their studios throughout Sonoma County during the event dates. Open Studio Event Dates: Two Consecutive weekends, October 11-12 and 18-19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

October 25 through November 30, A Thousand Shades of Green
*** Opening Reception October 25, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Exhibition of artwork with the theme of Green, in all its magnificent shades.
282 South High St., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sebastopol Gallery
Through November 29, The Bones of Trees
*** Artist reception, October 24, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Demonstration and artist talk with Kalia on October 5, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Featuring woodwork by Kalia Kliban who makes one-of-a-kind wooden bowls, platters and boxes. Almost everything she makes is from locally harvested trees, which she transforms into durable and beautiful objects for everyday use. Every tree can contain treasures.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopolgallery.com

Sebastopol Library, Forum Room
Through November 15, Kaleidoscope
*** Artists reception Sunday, October 5, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Kaleidoscope is an exhibit of vivid photographs by the Santa Rosa Photographic Society.
7140 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol
707-823-7691

Sofie Contemporary Arts
Through November 2, Between Logic and Light: Material and Meaning in Abstraction
Startup Projects @ Sofie Contemporary Arts presents viewers a contemplative experience, inviting them to engage with abstraction as a language of perception, memory, and meaning. Through diverse media and personal processes, these artists challenge us to see how thought takes form—and how form can shape thought. The exhibition includes works by Jamie Brunson, Arminée Chahbazian, Cynthia Sumner, Delbar Azari, Fernando Carnaúba, and Ray Beldner.
1407 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga
707-942-4231
www.sofiegallery.com

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
Through October 18, Reclaim, Repurpose, Reimagine
Curated by SSU faculty members Eileen Parent and Stefan Kiesbye, the exhibition features works by five dynamic Bay Area artists. Spanning sculpture, fiber, photography, painting, and mixed media, these artists transform discarded materials into works that are not only visually striking but conceptually layered—engaging with urgent and often challenging topics.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
artgallery.sonoma.edu

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
Through January 4, Last West: Dorothea Lange’s California Revisited
Coinciding with the 90th anniversary of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Last West: Dorothea Lange’s California Revisited uplifts current movements for dignity in the lives of migrant populations upon which California’s robust economy and agriculture depend. The exhibition presents Lange’s iconic as well as rarely seen California images, putting artifacts of her documentary work in dialogue with contemporary works by artists Erik Castro, Warren Chang, Lewis deSoto, Bruce Haley, Ken Light, Hung Liu, Narsiso Martinez, Joel Daniel Phillips, and others. The exhibition also includes a video installation and live theater performances based on the book Last West: Roadsongs for Dorothea Lange (2020).
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

Upstairs Art Gallery
Through October 5, Being There In Plein Air
Beverly Bird presents Being There in Plein Air, a collection of paintings that capture the joys of enjoying nature firsthand. Working in oil, acrylic or watercolor, Bird loves to set up her easel and paint her landscapes direct from life. Meet the Artist: Bird will be hosting the Gallery October 4, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 6 through October 26, Inspired By Nature – Spiced By Tech
*** Artist reception Saturday, October 4, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Phyllis Rapp presents Inspired by Nature – Spiced by Tech, a collection of watercolor paintings that weave together figures, animals, plants to create compelling designs. Rapps’ joyous approach to color makes each piece a happy place, exuding a spicy fresh bravura with their intricate designs and intriguing subject matter. As she is developing her designs, Rapp is excited to use AI and other technical aids in her work. She finds that it does not replace creativity, and can enhance it. Meet the Artist: Rapp will be hosting the Gallery October 8 & 18, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Stairway Small Works Showcase presents Nancy Gray’s A Harvest of Sunshine, acrylic paintings that celebrate sunshine and the bounty of the harvest it brings. Meet the Artist: Gray will be hosting the Gallery October 21 & 22, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
306 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net

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