This weekend also presents a couple other happenings to mark on your calendar. On Saturday, 11/14, the artist reception for the new show up at the Riverfront Art Gallery will be held from 5-9pm.

Also this weekend is the reception for the Annual Members Show at the Petaluma Arts Center from 2-4pm on Sunday, 11/15. Due to the number of members, each artist was allowed to submit 1 piece of art that could not be larger than 20″ in any dimension. It is always an interesting show to see what our local artists are up to. The reception is always a buzz with a festive atmosphere. Hope to see you out & about with art this weekend!

1. Aurora Colors Gallery, 145 Kentucky St, 707-762-0131 – Art Glass discussion and hands on demo on fused kiln-formed glass.

2. Calabi Gallery, 144 Petaluma Blvd North, 707-781-7070 – NEW!

3. Dimensions Galleria, 115 Petaluma Blvd North, 707-763-3515 – Learn to color clay and transfer prints onto a felt-like material for framing with Diana Crain. 

4. Haus Fortuna, 111 Second St, 707-283-0166 – Special Holiday refreshments will be served.

5. Gallery One, 209 Western Ave, 707-778-8277 – Jewelry Truck show from 2-7 featuring Katya, fused glass artist.

6. Pelican Art Gallery, 143 Petaluma Blvd North, 707-773-3393 – Discussion of using paper and other materials in Collage.

7. Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St @ D St., 707-762-5600 – Opening day of the Annual “Members Only” Exhibition. 8. Purple Leaf, 23 Kentucky Street, 707-765-3950 - Featuring Artist Jan Lee and her award winning Grapes, and Artist Karen West and her teatime water colors. Enjoy tastings of Mighty Leaf Teas. NEW!

9. Riverfront Art Gallery, 132 Petaluma Blvd North, 707-775-4278 – Discussion of images of Lance Kuehene’s 2010 Calendar.

10. StarStruck Boutique, 123 Kentucky St, 707-766-6199 – Meet and greet the Artist, Chor Boogie.

11. Viva Cocolat, 110 Petaluma Blvd North, 707-778-9888

Click here to download the Art Walk Map for November 2009!

Hope to see you out & about on Friday!

What a treasure!  We spent mid day exploring the trails shared with bicyclists, hikers & people on horse back.  If you get a chance to go out there, be sure to go to the vista point where you can look back and spot the granary in downtown Petaluma.

Thank you to all those of you who worked so hard to preserve this local treasure!

I had been exposed to VTS a couple weeks before at my Rotary club.  I was fascinated at how easily the facilitator, Oren Slozberg, was able to get the audience to participate.  There was a safe environment of expression as each person raised their hand to give their interpretation.  The process of engaging the audience promotes evidential reasoning by asking each person what made them think what they thought.  Seems simple, but that process of asking is what prompts the person to think critically.

The school district is looking for support of this program.  I anticipate that each of you, our community members will get a chance to experience VTS next year on the Art Walks.  Stay Tuned…

If you’d like more information about VTS, you can go to http://www.vtshome.org.  If you’d like to find out how you can help the schools with this program, contact me!

Some changes are great for the Petaluma fine art scene and others very sad.

On the up side of change is the very exciting news: the Calabi Gallery opened its doors today at 144 Petaluma Blvd North.  Though my cold kept me at home,  I talked to owner/curator Dennis Calabi on the phone during the opening and it was clear there was fantastic energy in his gallery from the big crowd that was there.  Congratulations to Dennis for taking the next step in making Petaluma a great cultural destination.

I have to say how sad I was to read in the Petaluma Post that Aurora Colors Gallery will be moving from Petaluma Downtown.  This is truly a loss for the downtown and the Petaluma Art Community.  Vangie & Lyndon Pullins successfully  brought a spectrum of fine art to our downtown, starting with their own glass art.  Vangie served in several capacities for the Petaluma Arts Association, she has been key in the efforts to coordinate the downtown galleries and was instrumental with the Petaluma 150th celebration.  I would personally like to thank Vangie & Lyndon for their efforts in support of the arts in Petaluma and ask that everyone visit their beautiful gallery before the end of the year, particularly on the November Art Walk on Friday, November 13th to get a glimpse of what they have so tirelessly brought to Petaluma.  Best of luck to Aurora Colors Gallery!

Kudos to Margie Helm, Abraham Solar and Vicky Kumpfer for the increased participation in another fantastic El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration in its 9th year.  This year was amazing, with reportedly 1500 people at the parade last Friday night.  The exhibit at the Petaluma Arts Center is still available for another week.  If you haven’t stopped by to check out the alters and amazing art, I highly recommend it.  This event is incredibly positive change in our cross cultural efforts in Petaluma.  It’s one of the largest celebrations of its type in Northern California and we can be very proud of the committee that puts on this event!

So, fabulous things are happening in the arts. It’s time for all of us to harness the positive momentum in the arts.  It’s time for us, the gallery owners, the home furnishing merchants, the antique dealers, the musicians, the restaurant owners, educators, service providers and our customers… YES, you, our customers and our community, to join in the effort!

You ask “What Effort”?  I ask your help in getting the word out about Petaluma as an incredible cultural destination with top-notch restaurants, a full spectrum of shopping and what I believe to be the fastest growing art community in the Bay Area.  I ask that you help us simply by writing a note on your facebook page or a mention of the arts to visiting guests.  I ask that you tell your family, your colleagues, your friends and people on the street about the positive changes in Petaluma.  Studies indicate that visitors to a town who are there for a cultural event or attraction tend to spend a lot more dollars in that town.  So, please help us.

I also ask for your feedback. If you have ideas about how we can harness this energy to ensure people find us on purpose and not simply because they were stopping on their way to the Coast, please join in the discussion.  We need your ideas and help to make this happen.

If you didn’t know that we have a booming art community, we need to find out why you don’t know about it.   I invite each person reading this blog to put Friday, November 13th on your calendar to take part in the Downtown Art Walk from 5 – 8pm.  Galleries & other merchants participating will have special educational presentations along with holiday cheer.  I’ll bet that you’ll find some awesome holiday gifts during the walk.  Watch this blog for the Art Walk Map for November.  Hope you join us in celebrating the visual arts, a growing slice of the full spectrum of arts in our wonderful town.

Here in Petaluma, we’re so very lucky to have one of the biggest cross cultural celebrations of Bay Area with the Petaluma Arts Council’s El Dia de los Muertos.  Here are some dates and places celebrating this colorful and embracing series of events!

From the Petaluma Arts Council:

El Día de Los Muertos/
Day of the Dead Petaluma 2009
a Program of the Petaluma Arts Council
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
El Día de los Muertos, Petaluma 2009 is underway!
Flames of the Heart / Llamas del Corazón
October 17 – November 2

Warm appreciation to our community for embracing the ArtsLive! presentations of “Real Women Have Curves” and our Altar Making Workshop. Both were beautifully done and well-attended!

All Exhibits are being installed this week!!
Flames of the Heart / Llamas del Corazón: the work of Latino Artists from Both Sides of the Border at the Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville Street at Washington Street  (Artists’ Reception October 24, 6 – 9pm with Fire Dancers and a Live Art demonstration.)
Taken by the Wind: Artists Interpret Papel Picado at Boomerang Gallery, 46 Kentucky St. (Artist’s reception Friday, October 23, 7 – 9pm)
Huichol Art by the Huichol Indians from the Mexican Sierra Madres at Aqus Café, 189 H Street (Artist’s Reception Thursday, October 22 5 – 7pm with music by Los Gu’achis.)
Flames of the Heart / Llamas del Corazón at the Mail Depot, 40 Fourth Street (Artists’ Reception Thursday October 22, 7 – 9pm with tamales and music by La Rondalla)
Erasing Borders by Gerald Huth at Pelican Gallery, 143 Petaluma Blvd N. (Artist’s Reception: Saturday, October 24, 4-7pm)
Children Remember: Children’s Memory Portraits and Shoebox Ofrendas at Petaluma City Hall, 11 English Street (Artists’ Reception Monday, October 19, 5:30pm before the City Council Meeting at 7:00.)
… and altars in over 80 venues in Petaluma (see Art and Altar Map)
Watch for these and other Day of the Dead events….

Introduction to El Día de los Muertos: Saturday, Oct. 17, 1 – 5pm at Colors of Spanish, 55 Maria Drive, Petaluma. For the whole family. An introduction to this multi-cultural celebration.

Opening Celebration: Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 – 4pm at St. Vincent de Paul Church Square. Dance performances by Ballet Sonatlan and the St. Vincent de Paul Aztec Dance Group. Drum and dance by Windsor Bloco. Mexican food, folk art, a Bi-National Health Fair and more!

Click HERE for a complete schedule of events, Art and Altar Map and more information!

The play “Real Women Have Curves” is being presented at the Arts Center with an Open Dress Rehearsal this evening and the actual performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm.

Also celebrating a first anniversary is Riverfront Gallery. They have a party in conjunction with next week’s Art Walk on Friday, 10/9/09 from 5 -8pm.

In addition to the party at Riverfront during the Art Walk, the official artist reception for Tracy Bigelow Grismann will be held at Gallery One. Locations for the art walk include Aurora Colors Gallery, Haus Fortuna, Dimensions Galleria, Viva Cocolat, Pelican Art Gallery, Starstruck Boutique and the Tea Room Cafe.

So, put the art walk on the calendar and join us downtown for an evening of art & enjoyment!

On September 1st, a committee showed up at Copperfields book store downtown to adorn one of the many windows with raffle donations from the PAA members.  There was an uncertainty in the air… a sense of longing.  As I worked with the volunteers, we realized what was missing, JoAnn Naylor.  JoAnn, a local artist who passed away in March of this year, was not there to help.  JoAnn was the person who brought the hangers, hammers, mounts & leadership to the task.  It was one of those moments when tears swell in our eyes & we realized how much we miss her.

Chris & Julie Cort are involved this year in Art in the Park.  Chris’ late grandmother, Dora Sherwood, would have turned 100 years old this year.  Chris used to help Dora with her Art in the Park set up as a youngster.  Dora, a founding member of PAA, painted as part of “Art in Action” in the early years of Art in the Park.  In the window at Copperfields, you’ll be treated to a portrait of Dora and a floral painting she had done years ago.  If you look close in the scrap book below the portrait, you’ll see a picture of the actual sitting when the portrait was painted.  It’s a very fun addition to this year’s event and we thank Chris & Julie for their enthusiasm for this very special occasion!

Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday & Sunday, Sept 12-13 from 10-5!  Also that weekend are 3 other great reasons to spend the day downtown on September 12th.  Family Day at the Petaluma Arts Center celebrating their “All Aboard” show,  at Steamer Landing in support of the Friends of the River in a heritage event and Cinnabar Theater’s Dance in the Streets at Theater Square.

Basically, be downtown the weekend of 12-13 Sept!  See you there!