Art in Sonoma County

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Current Gallery and Museum Exhibitions

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.

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

Art Trails Sonoma County 2022
*** Open Studios, Saturday and Sunday, September 24, 25, and October 1, 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. *On Sunday, 9/25 studios will close at 4 p.m. in respect of Rosh Hashanah. 117 professional artists open their art studios for 2 weekends this fall and invite you to EXPLORE Sonoma County, ENGAGE with artists in their own studios and COLLECT beautiful art.
Visit one of the preview shows, where you can see Art Trails art and decide which open studios you would like to visit. While you’re there, pick up a free collector’s guide.
www.sonomacountyarttrails.org

Arts Guild of Sonoma
Through September 26, New / Fresh
Showing work by 22 Arts Guild members.
140 E. Napa St., Sonoma
707-996-3115
www.artsguildofsonoma.org

Astro Motel
Through November 25, Mary Fuller McChesney: Myth and Monument from Sonoma Mountain
*** Opening reception Thursday, September 8, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Talented in many genres, Mary Fuller McChesney found that her sculpture was often overlooked in favor of her husband’s, Robert McChesney, paintings. Working in cement mixed with vermiculite, she built and carved a world of mythic creatures deeply influenced by her philosophic studies as well as Maya and Aztec mythology. Eighteen pieces, three of them bronze, are placed throughout the Astro Motel’s property.
323 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa
707-200-4655
www.theastro.com

Calabi Gallery
September 3 through October 29, Mixed Bag
*** Artists reception Saturday, September 17 from 4 to 7 p.m.
The new exhibition is a reflection of the gallery’s eclectic nature, and features some new work by gallery artists, some newly acquired vintage works, and a selection of works from our vast inventory.
456 Tenth St., Santa Rosa
707-781-7070
www.calabigallery.com

 

 

 

Charles M. Schulz Museum
Through September 18, Spark Plug to Snoopy: 100 Years of Schulz
This exhibition kicks off a centennial celebration of Schulz’s birth on November 26, 1922, and reflects back to a world before Peanuts, by featuring original work by the artists who influenced Schulz and inspired him to become a cartoonist.
2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa
707-579-4452
www.schulzmuseum.org

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery
Through September 17, Transcend
Guest artists for this exhibit are Kathleen McCallum, Photography and David Taber, 3D Art. Resident artists are Laura Paine Carr, Jane Gardner, Pamela Heck, Terry Holleman, and Hanya Popova Parker. Featured resident artist is Clay Vajgrt, Acrylic Painting.
204 N. Cloverdale Boulevard, Cloverdale
707-894-4410
www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org

Cloverdale, CA
Through April 25, 2024, Cloverdale Sculpture Trail
Nine new sculptures have been chosen by the Selection Committee and are part of the 2022-2024 Sculpture Trail. The themes of these nine sculptures are diverse and show the creative thinking and craftsmanship of the sculptors.
cloverdalesculpturetrail.org/

Corricks Art Trails Gallery/ My Daughter the Framer
September 2 through October 22, Art Trails Preview Exhibit
*** Receptions, September 2, and October 7, from 5 to 7 p.m.
637 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa
707-546-2424
www.corricks.com

Fulton Crossing
September 2 through October 2, Art Trails Preview Exhibit
*** Reception, September 10, from 2 to 4 p.m.
1200 River Road, Fulton

Gallery 300
6780 McKinley St., Suite 130, The Barlow
707-332-1212
www.gallery-300.com

Gallery One
September 8 through October 2, Art Trails Preview Exhibit
*** Reception, September 17, from 5 to 7 p.m.
209 Western Ave., Petaluma

Graton Gallery
Through October 2, Graton Gallery Partners
Showing work by Gallery partner artists along with Guest artists; E. Ryder Sutton, and Jennifer Whitfield. Ryder Sutton is sponsoring “Rescue” a benefit for Compassion without Borders.
9048 Graton Road, Graton
707-829-8912
www.gratongallery.net

Hammerfriar Gallery
Through October 8, Reflections on Gold
*** Reception Saturday, September 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. Plus History of Gilding: a talk and water gilding demonstration by Julian Billotte, at 5 p.m.
Frames from the Capricho Collection, an exhibit of antique and contemporary gilt frames and mirrors, drawn from the collection of Julian Billotte, master gilder and founder of Capricho Gilding Studios, San Francisco and Santa Rosa.
132 Mill St, Healdsburg
707-473-9600
www.hammerfriar.com

Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Through October 2, Beauty in the Beasts
Our world is a masterpiece made up of creatures from the largest mammal to the smallest organisms, and even beings from our imaginations. The exhibition celebrates fur, hair, scales and feathers by local, national and international artists.
334 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-1970
healdsburgcenterforthearts.org

IceHouse Gallery / Digital Grange
Through September 3, Hamlet Mateo
This Memorial exhibition showcases the work of Hamlet Mateo.
707-778-2238
405 East D St., Petaluma
www.digitalgrange.com

 

 

 

Laguna Foundation, Heron Hall
900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa
707-527-9277
www.lagunafoundation.org

Museum of Sonoma County
Art
Through November 27, Collective Arising: The Insistence of Black Bay Area Artists
Collective Arising features art by contemporary Black artists who have participated in interdisciplinary collectives, including nure, 3.9 Collective, House of Malico, CTRL+SHIFT, and Black [Space] Residency. Collectives—groups of like-minded individuals coming together to achieve a common goal—have offered space for Black artists to expand their practice, amplify their voices, and nurture one another. The artworks in Collective Arising—which includes textile, sculpture, glass, print, painting, photography, video, and installation—speak to the dual purpose at the core of the formation of artist collectives. Curated by Ashara Ekundayo and Lucia Olubunmi R. Momoh.

History
Through September 11, Manzanar: The Wartime Photographs of Ansel Adams
The exhibition features over fifty little-known photographs by Ansel Adams that depict how Japanese Americans bore their treatment at the Manzanar incarnation camp in central California. Taken during World War II, the black and white images were originally published in Adams’ book Born Free and Equal (1944) in which he protested what he called the “enforced exodus” of a American citizens within their own country. Now, 80 years after one of America’s most horrific decisions, this exhibition is an important lesson about the past injustice done to a community because of their national origin, the urgency of confronting injustice, as well as bearing witness to the resilience of the human spirit.

Working closely with the Sonoma County chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, the Museum also presents a selection of stories, objects, and images related to the experience of Sonoma County residents who faced forced incarceration in camps like Manzanar during the war.

Through September 11, Year of the Tiger: Chinese Traditions in Sonoma County 1980-2022
Featuring historic objects from the Museum’s Song Wong Bourbeau collection, as well as contemporary items generously provided from the Redwood Empire Chinese Association, the exhibition explores and recognizes the long history and continuity of Chinese traditions. The Chinese temple provided a sense of collective unity for Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans, and played a vital role in maintaining a connection with their cultural home. This exhibition shows that the important threads of community, culture, language, tradition, ritual, and history remain tightly woven into the fabric of Sonoma County.

Through September 11, Light, Clay, and Copper: Mid-Century Arts and Crafts in Sonoma County
The exhibition features three important collections from the Museum of Sonoma County: The photographs of Hansel Mieth and Otto Hagel, the pottery of Marguerite Wildenhain, and the metalwork of Harry Dixon. Each was a master of their artform and all were contemporaries that shared ideals and influences. Light, Clay, and Copper explores the connections and shared experiences of these four remarkable artists.
425 Seventh Street, Santa Rosa
707-579-1500
www.museumsc.org

Occidental Center for the Arts
Through September 4, Members Exhibit
OCA members present a diverse exhibit in a variety of media.

September 10 through October 9, Watercolor Exhibit
*** Artists reception Saturday, September 25 from 2 to 4 p.m., followed by Book Launch for Three Layer Watercolor Landscapes by Patrick Fanning.
Enjoy watercolors by Sonoma County artists in this fine exhibition!
3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental
707-874-9392
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Paul Mahder Gallery
Through September, Summer Exhibition
Featuring new and archived works by Gallery artists.
222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
707-473-9150
paulmahdergallery.com/

Petaluma Arts Center
Through September 24, Agri-CULTURED
The exhibition explores cross-cultural intersections of food and farming in our region. The project brings together food producers, purveyors, and artists who work locally and align with global concerns of sustainable practice and cultural memory.
230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma
707-762-5600
www.petalumaartscenter.org

Ren Brown Collection Gallery
Through October 9, Expressions in Clay
Featuring work by six Japanese ceramic artists. 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
132 Petaluma Boulevard North, Petaluma
707-775-4278
www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Santa Rosa Arts Center
Through October 1, Turning Pages: The Book as an Art Form
Traditional or Inventive, the Book as Object – A Work of Art. Sculptured or altered, from traditional codex to unfolding accordion book, Scrolls, fans, tunnels, and flag books, to name a few.
312 South A Street, Santa Rosa
707-526-0135
santarosaartscenter.org/

Santa Rosa Junior College, Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery
On-line visiting artist lecture series. Check website for schedule.
1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
707-527-4298
https://art-gallery.santarosa.edu/current-exhibits-0

Sculpturesite, Glen Ellen
14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen
707-933-1300
www.sculpturesite.com

Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Through September 4, Pulp: Paper & Book Arts
*** Closing Party Sunday, September 4, from 4 to 6 p.m.
The juried show features innovative and traditional explorations of book arts, paper arts, and paper sculptures.

September 10 through October 2, Sonoma County Art Trails Preview Exhibition
*** Artists reception Friday, September 16, 6 to 8 p.m.
There will be one piece of art from each of the 116 Art Trails participating artists.
282 South High St., Sebastopol
707-829-4797
www.sebarts.org

Sebastopol Gallery
Through October 2, a little of this, a little of that
Smaller paintings by Jeff Watts feature a collection of oil paintings with intimate, masterful views of animals, landscapes and the figure–intriguing worlds inside small spaces.
150 N. Main St, Sebastopol
707-829-7200
www.sebastopol-gallery.com/

 

Sonoma State University, University Art Gallery
September 8 through October 16, Farmworkers
*** Opening reception, Thursday, September 8, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Showing Photographs, Prints, and Paintings by Morrie Camhi, Erik Castro, Jay Mercado, and Christie Tirado.
Gallery Talk with photojournalist Erik Castro, Thursday, September 29, from 12 to 1 p.m.
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
707-664-2295
www.sonoma.edu/artgallery

 

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
September 10 through January 8, 2023, Raymond Saunders: On Freedom and Trust
*** Opening Reception Saturday, September 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Event is free for SVMA members, and $10 for non-members. Pre-registration is required for this event. The exhibition features 25 large scale mixed-media paintings by Saunders. Many of the works are experimental using stencils, impasto paint, and found objects. Saunders reuses many motifs in his work and repurposes commercial and cultural signs to create multiple perspectives and multiple meanings.
551 Broadway, Sonoma
707-939-7862
www.svma.org

Upstairs Art Gallery
Through September 25, Nature’s Audubon
*** Reception Saturday, September 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. Meet the artists, Ron Sumner and Donna Schaffer. Ron Sumner presents Nature’s Audubon, a collection of paintings that express he unique beauty and character of birds. After studying them in detail, Sumner carefully takes into account the detail of his subjects’ coloration, bone structure, and texture of the feathers.

The Staircase Showcase presents Donna Schaffer’s Vineyards Through the Seasons, a collection of small works that capture the vineyards beauty through evolving seasons.
306 Center Street, Healdsburg
707-431-4214
www.Upstairsartgallery.net

You can now hear Satri On-The-Air with KRCB, at random times during the day, or on the KRCB website / ArtBeat. 
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