Chenue Gill holds a bear and salmon figurine that reminds her of her relationship with her husband, Barry.
Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley Sun
Jubilee. The name seems to bring up images of joy and celebration, and that is just what Chenue and Barry Gill hope visitors will feel when they explore Jubilee, their new gallery on Broadway. The Gills and their daughter Carrie Ann Colton have brought together a collection of beautiful and unusual sacred art that celebrates the spirit.
The Gills sought out folk and sacred art together on their journeys over the years, and many cultures and religions from around the world are represented in the artwork, jewelry, weavings, pottery and sculpture that populate the light and spacious gallery. This interlacing of varied spiritual expressions is a part of the Gills’ message. “We believe that it is important for people to surround themselves with these eternal images of hope and inspiration in order to live life more fully,” said Chenue Gill.
Gill is an exuberant and articulate woman whose infectious laugh frequently punctuates her conversations. “There is nothing somber about the spiritual; it should be a joyous experience,” she said. Gill, who has a graduate degree in planning and administration, specialized in setting up non-profit social service agencies; she then turned to work with the Christian Brothers as co-director of a retreat and spirituality center. When she married English and Humanities teacher Barry Gill 21 years ago, they became partners in Optimum Natural Foods and Products, Inc. in Napa, which they still own.
“We have friends in Sonoma and started coming to a church here,” said Gill. “Something about Sonoma drew us to it, we feel at home here.” Gill knew she wanted to do a project that brought together all the skills she had amassed and her passion for finding ways to improve people’s lives. “Almost overnight a vision for the gallery crystallized and I knew what I would do.” The Gills found a space for rent in Sonoma, and within three months opened Jubilee.
The gallery reflects all three family members’ desire to reach out to others through art. “We want to share art with others that will inspire and help people celebrate the inner beauty of their lives,” said Gill. “Everything in the gallery has a story.” The stories flow seamlessly together as she moves about the gallery, somehow uniting tales and traditions from disparate religions and far-flung regions.
Colorful weavings from Peru, based on a traditional hatband pattern that expresses freedom, share a wall with laughing Chinese Buddhas, intended to enhance a married couple’s life. There are figurines from Mexico, to honor ancestors on the Day of the Dead; small wooden prayer ladders inspired by Native American pueblo ladders, symbolizing rising to a higher consciousness; Feng Shui objects designed to influence wealth and career as well as love. A grouping of glass bowls contains ancient petroglyph symbols, and Russian figures stand alongside a collection of brilliantly hued mezuzahs made of fused glass. For self-decoration, there is a selection of handmade jewelry, and even a cozy children’s corner.
Jubilee will host events that give people a way to share in each other’s traditions. The first special presentation, Oct. 29-Nov.2, will celebrate the Day of the Dead. The centerpiece of this event is a multicultural exhibition of the work of high school seniors from Vintage High in Napa, designed and organized by English teacher Sushanna Ellington. The seniors will research their ancestors and design creations based on their findings about their roots that will be featured at Jubilee.
Other events are scheduled for each month, with the goal of making the gallery a gathering place and a welcoming destination. Chenue Gill explains that, “Jubilee is an historical season of celebration and rejoicing when people made pilgrimages to a sacred place. We chose the name in hopes that a visit to Jubilee will nourish and enrich the spiritual quest of the visitor.”
Jubilee is open Tuesday – Thursday 12 – 6 p.m. Wednesday – Friday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Open most Sundays, closed Monday at 520 Broadway, 707.933.8267
