Recently, I made the trip to Napa and Sonoma after Turkey Day. It was a long weekend of weather, art, wine, and food from the gods. Not a bad way to spend the post holiday time. With the region being so close, it would be a shame not to take advantage of this beautiful part of California.
The best combo is a winery that features stellar art! As a result, took time to research which places would be a must stop. Visited Clos Pegase winery in hopes of seeing works. However, former owner Jam Shrem decided to donate almost his entire collection to UC Davis. In addition, he gave $10 million for a new museum to be titled in his namesake: The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Farrow Museum of Art. There were few artworks left for public view at the winery. Looking forward to seeing the collection in 2015.
Walking through St. Helena, I. Wolk Gallery caught my attention with a familiar sculpture peaking through the doorway. Closer look, it was created by Damon Hyldreth. I met him during my de Young museum residency in 2013. The gallery had a solid roster of artists in various mediums such as paintings, photography, works on paper, and sculpture.
Next stop was Andretti Winery featuring the compelling black and white photographs of Laura Norcia Vitale. Another location that exhibits art such as sculptures and paintings is Artesa Vineyards & Winery. Their artist-in-residence is Gordon Huether who has displayed pieces throughout the United States and completed numerous public commissions.
Saving the best for last was the di Rosa art collection. Located on over 200 beautiful acres, resides the massive collection of Rene and Veronica di Rosa. From their website: “Considered the most significant holding of Bay Area art in the world, di Rosa houses approximately 2,000 works of art by more than 800 artists.”
Highlights:
No matter where my travels lead, I’ll always search for art, dialogue, and different modes of creativity. Every region adds to the conversation. Napa and Sonoma didn’t disappoint but enlightened. Looking forward to the next adventure!
The links:
http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10092
