Page 70 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2018.indd

The Ancient Art of Psanki
Call to Artists
CommunityJournaldocumenting
the October 2017 fires ~ Sonoma State Writing Center - Accepting submissions of artwork, personal narratives, photography, and poetry related to the fires and their aftermath through Mar 1. 1% of profits from sales of this journal will go toward fire relief efforts., 707-623-3072, dearsonoma. wordpress.com/
Purely Abstract ~ All media accepted. Apr 1 deadline. Dates Apr 28-Jun 3, Free, 5p - 7p, Healdsburg Center for the Arts, 130 Plaza St., Healdsburg, 707-431- 1970, healdsburgcenterforthearts.org/ artist-opportunities/calls-for-artist/
Day on The Green ~ Artwork Delivery Apr 28, 830a, Montgomery Village, 911 Village Ct., Santa Rosa, mvshops.com/all-events/day-on-the- green-4/, artrep@sonic.net
with Pieter Myers ~ Live models, All experience & skill levels. . $15; 7-9p, Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental, 707-953-3535, Pieter Myers, occidentalcenterforthearts. org/, prints@petermyers.com
Thursday Night Figure Drawing
By Sam Sirdofsky
Long referred to as Russian Easter Eggs, pysanki are a truly Ukrainian folk
art form based on mythical power symbols, dating back to the time of sun and bear worship.
Each symbol within the decoration carries a message portion, so one doesn’t simply draw designs...one WRITES a pysanka (singular). Clear into the early 20th century, pysanki were buried in fields to assure crop abundance, placed in graves to comfort the deceased, tucked into bedding, ground up and eaten as medicine, walked around barns, rubbed on animals to protect livestock, even left on doorsteps as a token of love.
As needs demanded, a single family might produce up to 60 carefully written eggs each spring, from chickens, geese, and pigeons.
Early in its formation, clearly recognizing the value of such potent power, the Eastern Orthodox church folded pysanki into their Easter celebrations with the symbol for fire repurposed as the crucifix. During the atheistic Stalin period, Pysanka writing was almost stamped out. A cherished part of the culture almost lost forever.
Today, as the Ukraine works feverishly to regain it’s separate identity, archeologists and scholars are carefully translating the symbols. Schoolchildren are learning pysanka writing, and serious artisans are working to become “Pysanka Masters” a once respected occupation.
Leslie Curchackh: Above and Below @ Riverfront Art Gallery, Petaluma
Important collections of antique pysanki may be found in London and New Structural works of art made entirely of
York museums, and a few priceless private from the Ukraine to Canada. While symbols are carefully adhered to, artistic choices vary greatly from
canned food, which is then donated to the REFB. 7a – 1p, Coddingtown Mall, 733 Coddingtown Ctr, SR, refb.org
Thru - Mar 4 ~ Wise and Sassy ~ Salon- style show for artists 60+. With the Ray Walker Swing Band. $20, 2 - 6p, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High St., Sebastopol, 707-829-4797, sebarts.org/
province to province with flowers, crops, and livestock in warm areas, deer and pines in the cold North.
Susanne Bean - Escher Town
Riverfront Art Gallery, 132 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma. riverfrontartgallery.com. Closed Mon. & Tues.
25 Photographers at
Riverfront Art Gallery
March 8 to May 6, Opening reception from 5:00-8:00, Saturday, March 10
Thru - Mar 11 ~ Mud Pies and Jelly Beans
Continuing Shows
Thru - Mar 24 ~ Power of Ten Scaling Up ~ Eames-inspired exhibition exploring how smallest to largest known things connect in the universe. Tues-Sat, 11-5p, Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St., Petaluma, 707-762- 56, petalumaartscenter.org/current- exhibition/
Thru Mar 25 ~ Tim Sullivan ~ Pacific Bay Gallery - Iconic Motion Pictures, Bodega Bay & Beyond in Wonderful Watercolors, 1785 Coast Hwy 1, Bodega Bay. pacificbaygallery.com
Thru - Mar 25 ~ The Essence of Spirit - Nature speaks to us in a language all her own, and artists Michelle Hoting and Susan St. Thomas each have a unique way of expressing what she hears. 11-6p, Sebastopol Gallery, 150 North Main St., Sebastopol, sebastopol-gallery.com/
Thru Mar 28 ~ Retrospective: Diana Torykian, M.A. U.C. Berkeley - Exhibit covers 50 years of art work from Graduate School to the present. Mon-Fri; 10-4p, Bistro Gallery
Thru - Mar 31 ~ Art Moura Voodoo- like works - Tue-Fri, 10-6p, Sat, 10-5p, Hammerfriar Gallery, 132 Mill St., Suite 101, Healdsburg, 707-473-96, gallery. hammerfriar.com/
Thru - Mar 2 ~ Sonoma ReCANstruction
25 photographers and 47 images with 707-579-4452, schulzmuseum.org/
a variety of techniques are featured in a juried ne art photography show. Well- studied images in the show instruct beginning photographers on time- honored techniques and approaches.
70 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 3/18
explore/exhibits/upcoming-exhibitions/
Thru - Mar 23 ~ National Arts Program Exhibition & Competition - Free, Finley Community Complex, 2060 West College Avenue, Santa Rosa, 707-543-4674, srcity. org/744/Art-Exhibitions
Thru Mar 25 ~ Birds Eye Views - Paintings by Ron Sumner - Watercolors of California birds. Upstairs Art Gallery, 306 Center St., Healdsburg. 707-431-4214, upstairsartgallery.net
Playful jokes about food. $5 - $12. Charles Schulz Museum, Downstairs Changing Gallery, 2301 Hardies Ln, Santa Rosa,
VISUAL ARTS cont’d on page 71