Mix returns to SVMA

In the wine country, blending is something of an art. If your cabernet lacks complexity, bolster it with some cabernet franc. Though the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art certainly isn’t lacking in complexity (consider its current exhibit “From Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art: Johns, Rauschenberg and the Aesthetic of Indifference”), it does encourage a good blend, as in its regular social event “Mix,” which returns to the museum Aug. 23.
Billed as “the hot new nightspot,” the event is an admixture of “art, music and cocktails for art conscious, younger adults throughout the Bay Area.” Co-sponsored by San Francisco-based 7×7 Magazine, Mix complements the current exhibit of Robert Rauschenberg and Johns with an open bar for museum members featuring wines by Roshambo Winery. Music will be provided by J-Million and entertainment includes an interactive art project modeling the signature style of the artists on display.
Signature cocktails devised for the event will also be served as guests cavort throughout the museum (but don’t worry, they come courtesy of Sake 2 Me, Bluecoat Gin, and Lotus Vodka – a far cry from the turpentine or linseed oil of Rauschenberg and Johns).
“Our guest bartenders ‘Captain’ Lou Rios and Ivan Arredondo will come up with special drinks, in honor of the artists, or course,” said Jessica Rege, the museum’s development and marketing manager.
The Mix events are, in part, an outreach to a younger generation of prospective museum members as well as a means to foster community and conversation within an aesthetic experience. An annual membership is $35 and those who sign up prior to Mix receive free admission to the event (as well as its future incarnations) and access to the open bar. The first 100 new members will also receive a year subscription to 7×7 magazine.
“It is in the museum’s mission to provide a meeting place for people of all ages and backgrounds, and ‘Mix’ events are especially targeted towards a younger audience to encourage the appreciation of the arts, while providing a place for people to convene and socialize,” observed Rege. “Fostering community, like education, is integral to all we do at SVMA, and ‘Mix’ provides the means to do it.  The events not only showcase world class art, promote local restaurants and wines, but provide guests with the opportunity to engage with art.”
The coming Mix event will include an interactive art project for guests devised to playfully replicate the style of the work on display. Additionally, the local business community has embraced the event, including Maya Restaurant, which will remain open until 2 a.m. to receive Mix-minded revelers.
To enroll a SVMA membership prior to the event, call SVMA at 707.939.7862 or visit www.svma.org/mix/html.  A $10 entrance fee applies for non-members. Maya is located at 101 East Napa Street, walking distance from the Museum, in downtown Sonoma. The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art is located 551 Broadway, Sonoma, one half-block south of the historic Sonoma Plaza. All Mix events are made possible through the generosity of its sponsors, Kurt & Carol Krauthamer.