We headed out for First Friday in Fort Bragg and walked in the rain as we made our way through six galleries in the downtown area. The crowds were pretty impressive for a dreary evening, but what else you do when the fog rolls in on the coast, except enjoy an evening viewing art. Most of the galleries in town are co-ops like the Northcoast Artists. We enjoyed our stroll and saw some great work,although mostly pottery,watercolor and drawings. There was several interesting mixed-media works at The Partners Gallery.
The next week we headed out after an early abalone dinner to Mendocino for Second Saturday to check out downtown Mendocino. The town was a bustling art mecca started in the 60 and running through the 80's but seemed to have lost its luster in the past three decades. Most of the shops are crafts, jewelry, ceramic, mostly gifts – and some really beautiful gifts. If you are looking for a special event gift, it provides a wide variety of artistic crafts, glass, art to wear and jewelry.
The fine furniture (unique woods and design) at the Highlight Gallery on Main Street www.thehighlightgallery.com was exceptional. A $27,000 price point for a large dining room table and chairs was good to see. The area is well-known for the connection to famous woodworker James Krenov. There is a school College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture in Ft Bragg that caters to woodworkers around the world. This is the only gallery that the owners engaged us as we entered and as we left. Several of the galleries, like Panache, Prentice/Zacha Bay Window weren't even open.
We then headed down Main St to the sunset deck of the Artists Co-Op of Mendocino www.artcoopmendocino.com . It seemed like the place to be if you enjoy a glass a wine while enjoying the sunset, but wasn't overly impressed by the work, remember art is subjective.
We next headed up Karsten St to the Open-Door-Arts at the Historic ODD FELLOWS building. They were hosting a small local Mendocino artists as well as a fundraiser for Ft Bragg's sister city Otsuchi in Japan, which was wiped out by the Tsunami. The event is sponsored by the Ft Bragg Otsuchi Cultural Exchange Association. Over a number of years, they have been hosting exchange students from this area with students from . The silent auction of over 100 items runs through July 3 at 7pm.
Then off to the Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino Art Center with roots back into the 60's. They offer an artist in residence program, which Ken participated in the winter of 2006. The art center juries artists from throughout the country and abroad, mostly master students providing them low cost living quarters, studio space, equipment and gallery space over the winter. As with any residency, it is rewarding to surround you with other artists developing a body of works and striving for personal and artist's growth. Imagine Ken doing a show with a group of MFA students, who didn't want to price their work in a gallery show?
In the summer, the center is host to retreat style workshops held by art instructors in all mediums; drawing, painting, fiber, jewelry, metal, ceramic, sculpture etc. Ken was particularly drawn to the metal forging, which over the years, he continues to include in his works.
The center has a new director and it will be interesting if the Art Center can recreate itself in the ever changing art world.
Stone Sculpture - The Three Ages of Woman
The Three Ages of Woman – a sculpture we saw a couple years ago is now complete. John Fisher, a sculptor who lived in a small village of Querceta, near Pietrasanta in northern Tuscany spent 11 weeks on site creating this sculpture during the summer of 2007. John enjoys the social aspect of sculpting in a public setting, engaging the viewers and answering their questions. He has completed other public monumental works in Santa Barbara and Fairfax, VA.
The sculpture is for sale, 50% of the proceeding benefits the Mendocino Art Center's Building Renovation Project. If you know anyone interested, the sculpture was sculpted by hand/chisel from a ten-ton eight foot tall block of Texas limestone.
For those historical buffs out there, the Mendocino Art Center is of the grounds of the former Preston Mansion, which was featured in the James Dean movies East of Eden. It burned to the ground in 1957 and the Art Center founder Bill Zacha acquired the property.
We enjoyed our time on the coast... we will be back in August.
We enjoyed our time on the coast... we will be back in August.
