Gualala Arts Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961
The following is an update of our current situation as of today, May 14, 2021.
• GREAT NEWS! Gualala Arts Center doors ARE OPEN! We are open for retail sales of art 7 days a week (11am to 4pm). The Global Harmony Sculpture Garden also remains open 7 days a week. Many thanks to the staff, artists and volunteers for creating a safe environment to embrace our challenges and rising to this occasion!
• “Safety First” is the common theme for keeping the Arts Center doors open! The staff at Gualala Arts has created a safe environment to stroll the halls with each room having: fresh Pacific breezes running though open doors, ceiling fans spinning above, air purifiers, sanitizer at entrance, central heat with dedicated furnace, ventilation filters, masks required from front gates of property, one person allowed in restroom at a time, requested to remain 6 feet apart outside and 12 feet inside, We have literally been up all night thinking of ways to go above and beyond any requirements for the safety of our volunteers, staff and visitors.
• More great news Mendocino County has moved into the Yellow Tier. With that said, and out of an abundance of caution, Gualala Arts and the Dolphin Gallery will continue to follow the protocols of the more restrictive orange tier but increasing our numbers of people per gallery. Our current plan is to stay one tier behind the current allowed. So far these numbers have been effective at keeping people safe and comfortable with minimal waiting while strolling through our sculpture garden. Even though the CDC has issued new guidance about facemasks and distancing, Gualala Arts falls under the jurisdiction of Mendocino County and the State of California guidelines. We will need to continue following our current set of protocols but assume the county will use this information to update their requirements.
• 2021 exhibits are scheduled for 1-2-month periods at the Dolphin, Burnett, Jacob Foyer and Coleman Hall Galleries. Openings will alternate months & days so that every month there will be an opening day the First and Second Saturday of the month from 11 am to 7 pm. We managed to figure out a safe way to host large group exhibits in person AND Online! We are also happy to give virtual tours to anyone interested via Zoom, FaceTme, Facebook video chat or Instagram Live. Please call 707-884-1138 or email sus@gualalaarts.org to set up a time. We are also happy to arrange an appointment to view exhibit at the Dolphin or Gualala Arts Center for a private tour before or after hours. We are exploring options to have the galleries open just for and your family pod; please call or email Sus if this interests you.
• We are very excited to have multiple exhibits in our galleries opening in May. The “7th annual Gualala Salon and Salon Salon des Refusés” is now on display in the Jacob Foyer and the Burnett Galleries and Online! at GualalaArts.org. Over 100 pieces were entered and our judges April and Ron Dammann have made their difficult selections and we are very proud of all their selections, our artists, the volunteer hanging committee, sponsors for awards, and Bruce Jones and the NCAG for curating the exhibit. We hope you will come see the fine works and make your selections for the peoples choice awards. In our Coleman Hall Gallery are 3 artists’ exhibits: Susan Nutter, “A Retrospective Ceramic Exhibit,” Sharon Nickodem, “Running out of Storage Photography Exhibit” and Ann Savageau, “Environmental Collaboration Poles.” All three of these artists have generously donated these collections to make this sale a true fundraiser for Gualala Arts. “One Women’s Dreams and Visions” by Carolyne Singer continues to be featured as the Dolphin Gallery Featured Artists Exhibit in May.
• The Annual Arts in the Schools exhibit has gone Online! is available for viewing at GualalaArts.org until June 10. The Mendocino/Sonoma “Arts in the Schools” exhibit represents hundreds of students from Fort Ross, Kashia, Arena, Point Arena High School, home study, Pacific Community Charter, and Manchester schools. Our coastal schools work hard to provide art programs that enrich students with time each week to create art, whether with full-time art programs, volunteer programs, or through grant funding. Research shows that art and creativity help children succeed in core curriculum subjects. Continuing to have art programs in our local schools is a huge accomplishment especially considering budget cuts to such programs.
• 60th Annual Art in the Redwoods” exhibit in August IS happening this year! As usual this is a call to our member artists and will be happening in person at the Gualala Arts Center and Online! in our new digital Gallery. Thanks to our generous sponsors over $5,000 in prize monies in 15 different categories will be awarded at Art in the Redwoods this year. We also hope to have live entertainment and some form of the “Hats Off “dinner fundraiser and opportunities to sponsor from Friends levels up the Grand Sponsor. Dates for this years fine art exhibit is August 19 through Sept 5. Look to our website and weekly eSketches for the most up to date information.
• THANK YOU! We made it through our first quarter BUT it is going to be a challenging 2021! We are calling on you—our faithful membership and art patrons! We will have our traditional fundraising campaigns: “60th annual Art in the Redwoods” and our year end letter campaign, “Bridging the Gap.” It is your generosity that has kept the arts alive and thriving for 60 years.
• YOU make a difference and are playing a key role in continuing the legacy of Gualala Arts. Thank you! Thank you! Thank YOU!!!
These are uncertain times for all of us to say the least. The board and finance committees are making prudent decisions with our Gualala Arts assets. If you find that you are in a position to help our revenue stream loss, it would be greatly appreciated. We are looking to continue our mission – to promote public interest & participation in the arts since 1961 – well into the future.
WE make a difference with our choices.
David Sus Susalla
Executive Director
Gualala Arts
Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961