One of our favorite Sonoma County drives is the two weekend art tour known as Open Studios from Art at the Source. This year the art weekends are June 4 & 5 and June 11 & 12. We’re always amazed at the high quality of art generated in Sonoma County and this is a chance to meet the artists in their studios. Whether you want to just look at their work or get into discussions about art and technique, this is a great opportunity to engage with your neighbor artists and get to know them and their passion.
You can download a pdf map of art sites online or just look up one or two sites to visit after looking through the Artists Gallery to find work you enjoy.
This artistic endeavor is sponsored by the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, a vibrant organization with an active calendar of visual, performing, literary and film arts.
Be nice to yourself and spend a weekend or two in early June in the company of some very creative people. This is among the best events Sonoma County has to offer.
Some Local Talent
Featured artists:
These are artists I have personally visited. Some are in ARTrails, some are in Art at the Source, some are in both, and some are independent.
Sally Baker 
Sharp focused watercolor still life with Asian themes. This is a true pro! Many prints and matted work available. Her studio is immaculate. Former high school art teacher who practices what she taught. Many artists could take a clue from her presentation and style. Excellent shadow work!
5990 Vine Hill School Rd
Sebastopol 829-0396
knsbaker@aol.com
Frank Gannon
Beautiful landscapes using unexpected vibrant colors and muted shades giving an almost surrealistic feel. Latest work features oil on board. Lots of seascapes with fog and smoke… interesting play with light. Makes me want to be there.
9610 Rio Vista Rd
Forestville 887-1858
merielenr@msn.com
Barbara Greensweig
Happy colorful flowers abound in oil and acrylic! Provincial scenes, vineyards, creeping vines, baskets of bloom, sunflowers, and lavendar. Lots of prints and cards available. Friendly and uplifting subject matter.
1549 E. Foothill Dr
Santa Rosa 525-8437
barbara@bgreensweigart.com
Craig Nelson
Consummate artist – the one who deserves to be framed in an ornate gold frame and hung in an all-important prominence above the fireplace position. Museum quality work. It’s no wonder that he is also selling his less-than-stellar early work. He is collectable!
3563 Alturia Hts
Santa Rosa 591-9327
craigzart@aol.com
Phil & Ann Leech
Jewelry made with precious metals and semi-precious stones crafted in an interesting and wearable fashion.
1416 Quail Ct
Santa Rosa 538-8557
leechstudios@sonic.net
Jerry & Deborah Kermode
Beautiful turned wood bowls and other objects. What can only be termed an improvement on nature. Absolutely gorgeous!
8891 Avila Ln
Sebastopol 824-9893
debjer@earthlink.net
Sandra Maresca
Oil and watercolor landscapes, figures, and animals. I love the crone clown series and the whimsical animals. Captures a moment in time. Vibrancy and form mixed with folly. A nice combination!
16120 Watson Rd
Guerneville 869-9419
croneclown@comcast.net
Carol Golden
Artists change and as they do their styles change. I loved her bold large figured women with sagging breasts and huge bulbous thighs. Now she is doing more introverted work in pastels with a more moderate controlled stroke. Where is she now I wonder? I have been looking for her all day….
Green Greenwald
Green is like walking art! Ever since I met him at Popeye’s in Sebastopol when he was sporting a swath of green hair and green cowboy boots to match, I have loved him! You might see one of his special cars driving around town. They look like something out of a cartoon. Or you may have seen one of his Cirque du Silly shows at First Night in Santa Rosa featuring sculpted form creatures come to life through the magic of puppetry. Or perhaps you’ve seen one of his giant statue/pedestals fashioned out of paper machie representing giant koi or some other undefinable object de arte. Green amuses me with his huge colorful canvases of pool playing samurai or his acrylic aquarium on display at one of his favorite sushi haunts. I know where he’s been because I know he’s been trading art for sushi!
Porcelain L.E.
Some artists go on to other things…very successful commercial artists producing tens of thousands of pieces of fine porcelain every year. Do you miss it, I ask? “The first ten thousand pieces was fun. The second ten thousand not so much and finally you just keep on producing because you have orders to fill and it’s a job.” Now they have retired to other pursuits. I am lucky enough to have several of their pieces in my home. Their kilns and studio lay dormant. Who knows? Maybe they will begin anew someday – we can only hope.