The University Art
Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 am to 4 pm, Saturday and
Sunday, 12 to 4 pm, and closed Mondays and holidays. Admission is free.
The Gallery is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call (707)
664-2295 or e-mail us at art.gallery@sonoma.edu.
Founded in 1978
on the campus of Sonoma State University, the University Art Gallery
is one of the oldest art institutions devoted to changing exhibitions
of modern and contemporary art in the North Bay region. Located in Rohnert
Park, California, approximately 55 miles north of San Francisco, the
Art Gallery is part of the University's well-equipped and spacious Art
Department complex. It has 2,500 square feet of professional exhibition
space in two adjoining galleries, offices, and a storage facility.
The Gallery presents
exhibitions, public lectures, and educational outreach programs and
also publishes catalogues and brochures on contemporary artists of regional,
national, and international significance. A brief list of artists whose
work has been exhibited here over the years includes Terry Allen, Jennifer
Bartlett, Enrique Chagoya, Squeak Carnwath, Chuck Close, Sue Coe, Viola
Frey, Mineko Grimmer, The Guerrilla Girls, Mildred Howard, Robert Hudson,
Mike Kelley, Andre Kertesz, Maya Lin, Hung Liu, James Luna, Manuel Ocampo,
Judy Pfaff, John Roloff, Judith Shea, Joan Snyder, Richard Shaw, Bill
Viola, William Wegman, and William T. Wiley, Terry Winters, among many
others. Visitors can see stimulating and challenging works of art from
important private and public collections as well as new work directly
from the artists' studios.
In addition to programs
devoted to artists from outside the University, the Art Gallery presents
several exhibitions featuring the work of faculty and students. Annual
exhibitions by graduating BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) students and the
Juried Student Show, which is selected by noted professionals from the
art world, are presented each spring. Work by the Sonoma State University
Art Department faculty is shown in the Gallery every other year. As
part of its role as a teaching facility within the University, the Art
Gallery provides both Art History and Art Studio students hands-on experience
in the fields of museum and gallery methods and arts administration
(Sonoma State also offers a minor in Arts Management). The Art Gallery
hosts a variety of events, including the annual Art from the Heart fundraising
art auction, which features donated works of art by emerging and nationally
recognized artists from around the country and attracts visitors from
all over Northern California.
The University Art
Gallery is a rich cultural resource committed to serving both the campus
and surrounding communities. Exhibitions and public lectures are free
to all visitors. The Gallery also works with local schools and community
groups, offering outreach programs that help make contemporary art more
accessible to a wide range of people. It is a vital place where visitors
can look at and learn about art and talk with artists from around the
corner or around the world.
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