Flourish

Much to do about March

What do Mustard, Mud, and Music have in common? Yes, they all start with M... but they also all happen in Calistoga in March. Flourishing among the bright gold mustard flowers, the Calistoga Music Festival has evolved into a hipper, cooler music event for residents and tourists alike.

From 12-5pm on March 9, come stroll Calistoga's cute boutiques, explore the emerging art scene, and hear a variety of music (its not just jazz this year folks!) while sipping amazing regional wines.

At ECHO gallery we'll be hosting The Rebobs, a Napa based band who play dark and swingy gypsy jazz. Formed in early 2011 The group has performed at several venues including The Stork Club, The Uptown, The Retox Lounge and The Catalyst Club to name a few.  Also Charbay Winery & Distillery will be there, mixing it up with their locally made vodka cocktails. 

The $35 Ticket will include 10 tasting tickets, good for music, wine and food tastes. You can purchase tickets at the Calistoga Chamber webpage

Now on view at ECHO are the works of Maki Aizawa, Peter Hassen, Angela Willets, and Michelle Wilson in the exhibition "Proof of Some Existence". Their work explores identity, values, and the physical world. Read More...

And the mud? I recommend Golden Haven Hot Springs...they're having a 1/2 off special on couples mud baths right now!

Long Live Slack

Just wanted to give a shout out to the Slack Collective. This alternative art space in downtown Napa was partially the inspiration for ECHO gallery and they have jalready passed their one year anniversary. They've also just raised $3500 on Kickstarter for The Black and White Community Center which will become a much needed performance venue for the avant-garde. Slack Collective has already hosted many successful Open Mic and Movie Nights and regularly presents The Unwatchables-a comedy sketch group like no other.

Paul Slack is a visionary who rarely gets the credit her deserves, but you can read more on their Kickstarter page or in this recent article on Paul in the Napa Valley Register.

Congrats Slack Collective!! We look forward to 2013 happenings.

 

 

This Friday and Saturday are the drop-off days for the juried photo show at ECHO in Calistoga. Bring your photos ready-to-hang and enter the exhibition!

Up Valley Sunday

After a decade of living in Napa Valley and hovering around the Open Studios tour since my early days at the Arts Council, I finally made it up to the top of the map! Up valley, as its known - and one of the richest artist enclaves in the region. I started just a few yards from my front porch at Calistoga Pottery, which has been around for 30 years! Sally and Jeff Manfredi are pottery legends, and there is so much to choose from in their cute cottage studio, I wanted to linger for hours.

But up the hill beckoned the studio of Charlie De Limur. It was a stunning (and exhilarating) ride up Diamond Mountain Rd to a house that he and Gretchen built a decade ago. The Tibetan flags seemed appropriate against the beautiful forest view. Charlie's paintings are the opposite of black holes - you get sucked into a vortex of color. Even if we hadn't just rented "What Dreams May Come" where Robin Williams wanders through a painted afterlife, I still would have imagined living inside Charlie's landscapes.

One last stop was all we had time for so we hit a double whammy studio, the Red Barn studio of Jennifer and Anne Garden - two sisters from the immensely talented Garden family in St. Helena. I had peeked in Jennifer's letterpress studio before, but I never understood the depth of her letterpress collection. Massive drawers of letters and shapes in numerous sizes. She had to admit that even she didn't know exactly what was in all those drawers. But she gave us a quick demo as the chickens ran in for a drink, and we headed upsatirs to visit Anne. Anne designs prints with Jennifer but she also has a beautiful line of pillows and T-shirts that she silkscreens on burlap and toile. It was heartening to see things lovingly made by hand and that they were keepin it "in the family."

I hope some of you got out to explore more Napa Valley studios. This annual event is a great tradition that grows stronger and more mature each year. Congrats artists and thank you for sharing! You can see more photos in my Upvalley Open Studios album at the right...

The Slack Sense

Something told me it was time to visit Slack Collective…..actually it was a Facebook reminder for an exhibition on view there through August 18 called The Five Senses. The Slack Collective Gallery is now featuring changing exhibitions in addition to open mic nights, films, improv and other community events.

I snuck in for a peak at photos by David Anthony, mixed media by Joe Shea, and installations by Tim Kopra. I loved the way Kopra’s wonky chair whined at me when I entered “Who’s going to sit on me? No one ever wants to sit on me.” Across the room I noticed Anthony’s lovely black & white photos that recall some of my favorite works by Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Bernhard but in a more modern way.

And then Sheas richly textured paintings. Getting closer I recognized one of my favorite ingredients--coffee beans. Joe Shea incorporates them seamlessly, like an everyday medium. He adds colors, more texture and sometimes broken pieces of mugs and plates. I came to learn that Joe lived in Bolivia as a boy and never forgot the culture which somewhat centers on the production of the world‘s most popular pick-me-up. “Shea strives, among other aspects, to fuse the characteristically colorful soul of South American continent with the distinguished textural, sensual, and olfactory traits of the coffee bean.” I’d would say that he’s been very successful in creating a truly unique expression of both.

You can stop by and see the show next Wed, Thu, Fri at Slack Collective Gallery at 964 Pearl Street. Stick around on Aug 10 for the Open Mic night which is rapidly growing in fame beyond Napa.

Big props to Paul Slack for pulling all these cool artists together and supporting the alternative scene for many years. More images in the photo album "Slack Collective" at the right.

 

Double whammy week at ECHO

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you know about 2 events this week at our new alternative art space in Calistoga called ECHO (Every Creative Hand Occupied). We need YOUR participation to activate and perpetuate this place. Hope to see you there:

Thursday, July 26, 7:00-9:00 pm

LIVE MODEL figure drawing with Oscar Aguilar Olea. BYOM Bring your own materials. $15 model fee. Wine and snacks will be served.

Friday, July 27, 8:00 pm

ACOUSTIC NIGHT 4 the listener with Daniel Crook and Angelica Tavella. WE are moving the piano from Yo el Rey for this special night! No cover. BYOCOP Bring your own chair or pillow.

After moving up valley a year ago, meeting my fabulous husband J Kirk, and joining the Arts Council Napa Valley Board...I am taking on a new challenge. A new pop-up exhibition space in Calistoga called ECHO-Every Creative Hand Occupied. J Kirk and I are opening the space with a show called "Bright Moments" and a party on July 6. You can help get this project off the ground with a Kickstart grant of $5, $10, $25, etc. Any amount will help.

Please see our Kickstarter video at http://kck.st/LWJMmQ
Come look, listen, and be heard at ECHO!

Art n Gardens

I'm still out and about absorbing art in all its configurations. Besides being arty in the Napa Valley, I hit up galleries and museums all over the place. Last weekend I went down to L.A. to see my awesome brother receive two graduate degrees and to meet my fiance's brother Paul.

First stop, the Downtown Fullerton Art Walk where Paul (Bongo) and Chandra showed us around their cool neighborhood. We found a lot of inspiration at PAS Gallery/Magoski Arts Colony which is a hybrid gallery/artist collective that changes out shows monthly. They had a two-person sculpture show called Artifacts and Rituals featuring the work of Jon St. Amant and Evan Everest, plus several other mini shows in adjoining spaces. This was the heart of the art walk. Their mission, as stated on their website is, "To love people. All people." How cool is that?

The next day we were in Pasadena at The Huntington (Library, Art Collection, and Boatnical Gardens). There was no place more perfect for two art addicts in love. We checked out the Scott Galleries that held Mary Cassat's tender Breakfast in Bed, as well as work by Edward Hopper, and a dining set by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Library Exhibition Hall was heaven for bibliophiles and the Japanese gardens were my favorite placeto people watch. The herb gardens, roses, and tropical plants were just as impressive as the collection. I'm so happy I finally made it to The Hungtington. Next trip...the Getty Villa and maybe some more Culver City galleries.

More photos in the "Walking in L.A." album at the right (scroll down).

Next week its the San Francisco artMRKT and SF Fine Art Fair. Look for me if you're going.

 

Come meet the group of photographers I traveled to Myanmar with in January...photo show at Yo el Rey Roasting in Calistoga at 7:00pm.

Join us on March 10 at Ella Blu in Calistoga for a Blue Note Sidewalk Sale. Special prices on jazzy clothes and home accessories plus live music and champagne. Just down the street from the Calistoga Jazz Festival. Come see us 10 am to 4pm at 1125 Lincoln Ave.