SebARTS' Open House showcases 'Everything we are'
SebARTS' Open House showcases 'Everything we are'
For artists and art lovers: Saturday, May 18, is a day devoted to Art in all its forms at Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Sebastopol Center for the Arts suffers from a bit of an identity problem: they have so many programs that it’s a little hard for the public to get their minds around what happens there.
Yes, they sponsor the county’s two big open studio programs, Art at the Source and Art Trails, as well as offering other local and international art exhibitions throughout the year. But they also have a community ceramics studio and art classes—plus film and music programs and, oh yeah, poetry and writing groups. You see the problem, or more to the point, the bounty that is Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
That bounty will be on display this Saturday, May 18, at the second annual, all-day SebARTS Open House.
The fun starts at 10 am with the Succulents and Ceramics Garden Art Sale, located outside in front of the SebARTS building. Succulents are a great fire-wise, water-wise and colorful plant for your garden, and Sonoma County Master Gardeners is teaming up with the SebARTS Ceramics department to host this fun sale. The event runs from 10 am to 1 pm, and proceeds benefit UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County and the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
From there you can wander inside where there is no shortage of ways to amuse and educate yourself about what SebARTS offers. You can make pinch pots in the ceramic studio or create a collage under the tutelage of SebARTS collage teacher Catherine Cruz. These activities are free and will be available from 10 to 3 pm.
Looking for a more intense artistic experience? From 10 to 12 pm, you can also drop in to the two-hour Abstract Artists Workshop with Amanda Rose for $25.
Are you more of an art lover than an artist? Then stroll through SebARTS main gallery, which is currently hosting the Art at the Source exhibit, featuring artwork from every artist from this upcoming open studios event, which takes place the first two weekends in June.
Several Art at the Source artists will be there to talk with you about their work. Artists from SebARTS’ Fall open studios program, Art Trails, will also be on hand to tell you about that program. The main gallery is open from 10 to 4 pm, and the artists will be there til 3 pm.
From 10 am to 1 pm, the new and emerging artists from SebARTS’ Incubator Program will open their studios behind the center’s main stage. See the work of Brian Kellog, Alyson Dobbert, Jenny Lauck, Erica Dincalci, Shaina Dehart, Kaya Rose, Shelley Anthos.
From 10 to 3 pm, in the center’s Fireside room, watch short films from the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival, and from 1:30 to 3 pm, watch a demonstration by calligraphic artist and poet Sherrie Lovler.
The music portion of the event starts at midday. The center’s choir, directed by John Mass, will be singing in the lobby from 12 to 1 pm. The Young Voices Concert, featuring the Sebastopol Charter School and the Analy High String Orchestra, will be singing and playing from 1 to 3 pm in the main auditorium, while the Hillcrest Middle School rock band, Gas Station Sushi, will be playing on the outdoor patio.
Throughout the day, from 11 am to 5 pm, in the parking lot around the center will be the Patchwork Artisan Market, which has partnered with SebARTS to create an all-day experience featuring activities, fine art, food trucks, Patchwork Show vendors and more.
Whew. As you can see, there’s enough going on at SebARTS this Saturday to keep you creatively engaged and entertained all day.
“We have so many programs and so many incredible folks that are involved,” said SebARTS director Serafina Palandech, speaking about the Open House. “It’s a way to really show the community all of the things we’re doing and all the ways that the community can join and participate. You know, we welcome everyone; it is a community art space, right? There’s all kinds of ways to get involved. And we just want to encourage everyone to learn more and find what they're passionate about and join.”
