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Part open house, part gallery pop-up: Sonoma Art Walk

Posted on September 1, 2018 by Sonoma Valley Sun
Walking the Arty Road, from left: Lind Keaton, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art; Manette Fairmont, Fairmont Gallery; Kala Stein, Sonoma Community Center; and artist Jim Callahan.
Walking the Arty Road, from left: Lind Keaton, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art; Manette Fairmont, Fairmont Gallery; Kala Stein, Sonoma Community Center; and artist Jim Callahan.

Sonoma businesses are talking the art talk. On September 6, they’ll walk it.

The debut of the monthly Sonoma Art Walk, first Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. through November, is part open house and part pop-up gallery tour.

Some 20 venues — wine tasting rooms, retailers and restaurants on and around Sonoma Plaza — will host creative works. SVMA and Sonoma Community Center will also open their gallery spaces as part of the evening. See the map.

The featured work suits each location, and ranges from fine arts to more interactive demonstrations such as music, poetry or special culinary arts.

“We didn’t want to restrict how each host venue wanted to participate,” added Linda Keaton, Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.  “As a ‘creative’ event, we thought it was best to let each venue interpret Sonoma Art Walk however they liked.”

“Art is everywhere in Sonoma,” said Mark Bodenhamer, CEO of the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, one of the program partners.  “Many local businesses are already displaying amazing works of art on their walls, or are otherwise helping to showcase the work of the local artisans.

The event is a monthly opportunity for the participating businesses to shine an extra spotlight on Sonoma’s creatives and it provides the residents a new experience around the Plaza, Bodenhamer said.

Current participants include Adastra Wines, Artifax, Arts Guild of Sonoma, Bump Wine Cellars, Corner 103 (starting Oct.), Fairmont Gallery, Frenchie Picnic & Provisions, H Frank, Jean Edwards Cellars, Lake Sonoma Winery, Murphy’s Irish Pub, Rancho Maria Wines, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Sonoma Community Center, Sotheby’s Realty and Tiddle E. Winks. More are expected.

The Sonoma Art Walk will official kick off with a ceremonial Ribbon Cutting at 5:15 pm on Thursday, September 6, at the museum, 551 Broadway.  

The Art Walk was created through a partnership between the City of Sonoma, Sonoma Arts Guild, Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and the Sonoma Visitors Bureau.

For more information including an interactive map and list of participating venues, please SonomaArtWalk.org.




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