Art Center Ukiah

Just eleven days left to enter your artwork into the Juried art show Artist and the Automobile the Driving Force. Deadline August 26. Any paintings, photographs, sculptures, mixed media featuring some element of the automobile, or truck or even motorcycle. Pick up entry form at the Corner Gallery.

DeMania Trio Pre European Tour Concert ... April 9

Featuring Alex de Grassi on guitar, Michael Manring on bass, and Chris Garcia on percussion.

This is the first time this trio has appeared in the Ukiah area!

Two innovators of solo instrumental music, acoustic guitarist Alex de Grassi and electric bassist Michael Manring, join forces with percussionist and tabla player Chris Garcia (of the Zappa alum group, The Grandmothers) for a set of arranged and improvised music.

With influences from India to Appalachia to Latin America and the Blues, this trio fuses new sounds together with their original compositions and unlikely arrangements — think the Stones' Paint It Black in 7/8 time, and an improvised take on the traditional folk melody, The Water is Wide. De Grassi's sympitar (sympathetic string guitar) and Manring's liquid and ever-changing fretless sounds combine with tabla, kanjira, mbwata, and a myriad of percussion to produce a distinctly world twist to many of the tracks.

From moments of introspection to pure grooving, the DeMania trio covers a lot of terrain and leaves no stone unturned.

"...a jaw-dropping performance mixing warmth, humor, inventiveness and monster chops ... Each member of the group is a master ... a musician's musician." — San Jose Mercury News

Art Center Ukiah, 203 S State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482
Doors Open at 7:30
Performance from 8:00 to 10:00 pm
Tickets $15.00, or $17.00 at the door
Tickets Available at the Corner Gallery Ukiah and Dig! Music

Tom Johnsen is Featured Artist on Friday, April 2nd

We all know Tom Johnsen's paintings...like him they are abstract and bold. Showing along with Tom's paintings will be his New York cityscape photographs...colorful sunsets in the backdrop of the famed city.

Refreshments will be served complemented with wine from Weibel Family Vineyard at the reception from 5 to 8 pm. Music will be performed by Jim Tuhtan of Jazz Illusions.

 Come meet Tom Johnsen, hear music, and taste wine at 201 South State Street in Ukiah!

Special exhibit of Haitian art

Art Center Ukiah is featuring a special exhibit of Haitian art. Kirsten Gantzel Turner has generously put together an exhibit from her private collection of Haitian art in support of the fundraiser benefit for Haiti to be held Saturday March 6. Donations of Haitian art to be offered in a silent auction are also on display. The art will be on exhibit through March 27. For more information on benefit for Haiti please call Lynn Meadows at 707-462-2439.

First Friday featuring Christos Nikopoulos on March 5th

In March, Corner Gallery Ukiah features Christos Nikopoulos with his unique creation of “ARTGRAPHY…the blending of art, lens and technology…”  His dynamic expressions of every day experiences take the viewer to a new perspective of the world. Meet Christos at the First Friday reception on March 5th.

Christos is professionally trained in photographic portraiture, commercial photography and is an expert with enhancement skills. He is also the creator of “Design Art Images,” a boutique art form where he photographs a portrait of you or one of your personal items, and artistically enhances them, creating your personal one-of-a-kind work of art.

Christos resides in nearby Anderson Valley. He was winner of Best of Show at the 2007 Art in the Redwoods Fine Art Exhibit. He also shows his work at the Dolphin Gallery in Gualala, the Burnett Gallery, Gualala Arts Center, Howard Fine Studios in Hollywood, and Third Dimension Gallery at the Mauna Lani Resort, Kohala Coast Hawaii.

At the First Friday reception on March 5th, Chris Gibson with the Broadcasters will provide musical entertainment. Wayne Bauer of Tahto Winery will pour his local Mendocino County wine and the gallery will serve appetizers.

Alex de Grassi performing music for 1934 movie A Story of Floating Weeds

Alex de Grassi will  perform at Art Center Ukiah on Saturday, February 27th, in a West Coast premier of his original music for Yasusjiro Ozu’s 1934 silent film, A Story of Floating Weeds, along with a screening of the movie.

De Grassi was commissioned by the New York Guitar Festival to compose and perform this work, which premiered in January 2006 at Flushing Town Hall in New York. Reconstruction of the score was commissioned by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, for its 2009 Guitar Festival. 

This one night only performance is a benefit for ACU. After the film and a brief break, Alex will be available for a question and answer session with interested audience members.

Doors open at 7 pm. Film begins at 7:30 pm and runs 84 minutes with no intermission.

Advance tickets will be available at Dig! Music and at the Corner Gallery Ukiah for $12.

At the door price is $15.

Art Center Ukiah presenting Japanese Traditions - Contemporary Expressions

For the month of February, come see artwork in the Japanese tradition by Satoko Barash, Bonnie Bell, Laura Fogg, Cassie Gibson, Mac Magruder, John Marshall, Anita Sison, and Red Wolf, shown along with traditional Japanese prints, silk screen, and a wedding kimono. Reception for the artists is First Friday, February 5th, from 5 to 8pm.

First Friday featuring Ree Slocum and Bonnie Belt

The Corner Gallery Ukiah is showcasing "Landscapes and Beyond" by inland photographer Ree Slocum, author of "Artists of Inland Mendocino County." Showing with Slocum is clay artist Bonnie Belt, displaying her signature tree, sea, and heron bowls and vases, along with bamboo design mugs and plates. Come talk with Ree and Bonnie!

Ree has recently published a beautiful photographic book profiling inland Mendocino County artists. Most of us are familiar with Ree’s fine art flower photographic studies.  Her talent of working with natural light and f-stops to create landscape images brings us yet another inviting view of the natural world — her rarely shown framed landscapes.

George Husaruk will play flute and Jim Milone of Terra Savia Winery will pour wine. The wildlife that inspires Terra Savia just happens to fit the theme of landscapes and nature of this show. As their website says, "Our integrated farming and limited cultivation provide pleasure and purpose for all involved, but also serve to finance our conservation plan. A portion of our revenues directly supports several wildlife rescue and conservation groups in the communities where we work and play."

At the Crab & Wine Salute, the demonstration of painting on silk was really popular. So this time you'll also get a chance to see potter Adriana Dakin demonstrate how she makes salt and pepper women sculptures.

What's Happening for the Holidays

Our member artists and guest artists have brought in new pieces for the holidays! Our front window this month gives a taste of what's inside by highlighting a piece from each artist.

It's always changing ... come see!

For the holidays, we are open daily, Monday through Sunday, from 11 am to 6 pm.

Friday, December 4th, 5 to 8 pm: Holiday Showcase at First Friday Artwalk, Featuring All Artists

All two dozen artists from the artist cooperative will select pieces to show for this holiday season First Friday. From the Ukiah symphony, we're happy to announce we'll have a "String Quartet and Guest" playing for the evening.

As he did last December, Josh Metz from the Magnanimus Wine Group will pour wine for the occasion. The wines reflect sustainable, organic, and Biodynamic methods and the bucolic aesthetic of Mendocino County.

Santa Workshops in December

As part of the Main Street Program’s “Home for the Holidays,” the Art Center Ukiah Annex will host Santa Workshops on:
December 10th from 3 to 6 pm
December 12th from 1 to 4 pm
December 17th from 3 to 6 pm
December 19th from 1 to 4 pm
 
Kids can have their photos taken with Santa. We will have a holiday tree with artistic decorations. While you’re here, see the gallery and learn about upcoming classes.

Book signings: Member Ree Slocum signing her new book, Artists of Inland Mendocino County, on December 5 in Ukiah and December 20 in Willits. Read more.

News: Member Ann Maglinte was presented an award on October 25 — she is the 2009 Mendocino County Art Champion in the category of Artist! Read more.

Book Signings: Artists of Inland Mendocino County, by Ree Slocum

Following on the path set by Mendocino Coast photographer Larry Wagner and his two volumes of Artists of the Mendocino Coast, Ree Slocum’s book Artists of Inland Mendocino County profiles some of the most committed, talented, and creative artists found in inland Mendocino County, CA. Slocum photographed portraits of each artist and wrote an informative page about each artist that includes images of their work.

Ree's background is as a black and white film photographer, working as a freelance photojournalist and B&W lab technician in the early 1980s. She has a fine art photography business, Arcadian Images, sells her work in the Bay Area at art fairs, and is part of Corner Gallery Ukiah. Her work can also be seen at Blue Sky Gallery and JD Redhouse in Willits.

There will be two book signings:

Location: Willits Center for the Arts, 71 E Commercial Street, Willits
Date: Saturday, December 5 from 7 to 9 pm, in conjunction with the Willits Photo Club Exhibit downstairs

Location: Art Center Ukiah Annex, 203 S State Street, Ukiah
Date: Sunday, December 20 from 3 to 6 pm

It's a great chance to meet the artists, view their work, and buy an autographed book. Part of the proceeds will be donated to both art centers. Refreshments will be served at both events. The book sells for a special low price of $60 at both events. It will be for sale at bookstores and online for $65.