A Conversation with Nature: Ben Allanoff + Suzan Friedland

Gualala Arts is proud to present A Conversation with Nature: Ben Allanoff + Suzan Friedland, a collaborative outdoor sculpture exhibit by artists and longtime friends Ben Allanoff and Suzan Friedland curated by Katie Nartonis, opening Friday, June 12 from 4–6 pm on the Gualala Arts Grounds. The exhibit will remain on view through November 15.

Rooted in a shared reverence for the natural world and a desire to co-create, Allanoff and Friedland’s partnership began in the Mojave Desert, where they first met in Joshua Tree. Their artistic dialogue now comes to life in a series of site-specific sculptures that will be constructed in and around the Gualala Arts Center, inviting visitors to engage with the landscape in new and thoughtful ways.

Ben Allanoff, known for his environmentally conscious installations and recent residency at the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts in Mill Valley, brings a community-centered approach to sculpture. His work often incorporates natural materials and encourages public interaction. Suzan Friedland’s practice complements Allanoff’s with a poetic sensibility and a deep connection to place, making this collaboration a true “conversation”—between artists, materials, and the environment.

Together, their work explores themes of impermanence, ecology, and human connection to the land. Visitors are encouraged to wander the grounds, reflect, and experience the evolving dialogue between two artists and the coastal landscape they inhabit.