Page 35 - Sonoma County Gazette - May, 2018

“The artist’s vocation is to send light into the human heart.” ~ George Sand
Throughout our region and well beyond, the new millennium has ushered in an increasing recognition of Cloverdale as a dynamic incubator for an
ever expanding and inspiring range of culturally diverse projects and events focused on the visual and performing arts.
For example, there’s Friday Night Live at our downtown Plaza, the legendary FREE summer evening concert series plus family-friendly Street Fair that is produced by the Cloverdale Arts Alliance (CAA).
The good times start at 6pm with local wines and craft beers by the glass plus an exceptional variety of high quality foods for every age, palate, and pocket book prepared by quality vendors and a variety of popular local
While April gave us some more rain, the fourth month of the year also gave us some glistening sunny days. Now the vines are starting to leaf out and
it feels like new life has really begun to spring up. There are still plenty of reminders of the fires last fall – right by 101 the black branches of trees that once stood by a tiny stream are a few of the haunting reminders of that terrible time. But delayed weddings are keeping winery locations busy and the visitors who stayed away in the aftermath of the fires are now returning like bright, welcome migrating birds. And we start to turn to the coming summer and its many activities.
restaurants. Got kids? As you stroll along checking out the arts and crafts tables, don’t forget to check the activities for them, too!
The music starts at 6:30pm and, as we go to press, folks from at least four North Bay counties are eagerly awaiting the late April announcement of the June 1st to August 31st band line-up. Since it is now May, you can find the full schedule at: www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org/fnlmusic/. Looking forward to seeing you there! (P.S. The Gazette is a Sponsor so helps make this happen!)
As we look ahead with hope, let’s not completely forget that lovely May is technically the beginning of the fire season, and as the rains taper off, let’s all use this time to make ourselves and our communities safer.
Jazz & Blues: On Thursday, May 3rd, plan to visit CAA’s informal and engaging art gallery for the final performance of the 2017 season of the Jazz Club with renowned Jacob Szekely, a young man who revolutionized the use of the cello in jazz. Doors open at 7:00pm. $15 donation for members; $20 for non-members. 204 N. Cloverdale Blvd. (The 2018 season begins October 4th.)
One way of doing that is by attending the COPE meeting and breakfast at the Oriental (Grange) Hall in Geyserville on Sunday, May 6th. Organized by Pocket Fire evacuee Margie Hanselman, this particular COPE group focuses on the northeastern parts of Geyserville, but the information shared will be of use to anyone and all are welcome. Hanselman hopes that others will organize COPE groups throughout the rest of Geyserville.
Throughout the year on the 2nd Saturday of each month, CAA also produces the Blues Session bringing the best in local live performances during two solid hours of popular and classical songs from a wide spectrum of blues influenced American music. Gallery doors open at 7pm. $5 donation
Among other disaster-preparedness activities at this meeting will be a hands-on demonstration of how to use a chainsaw to remove debris and clear escape routes in an emergency. While much of the information will be fire- related since that is on everyone’s minds, COPE is actually designed to help communities cope with just about anything big and sudden – including fires, floods, and earthquakes. The idea is to foster resilience by learning useful skills and forming a community which is already in communication with each other, so the unexpected can be dealt with more effectively.
Speaking of the CAA Gallery, the imaginative visual art of Pamela Heck will be featured from May 18th to mid-July. For more information on all exhibitions, events and classes visit: www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org
May 16th, from 7-8:30pm, the Cloverdale Regional Library will be rockin’ out as The Farallons with Terry Mills, Tom Richardson, and Linda Weber bring us their unique Folk ‘n Rock sounds. Free! 204 N. Cloverdale Blvd.
Also this month, the Friends of the Cloverdale Library bring us the Annual Art Show featuring the works of Nancy Burres and Sharon Kozel. Nancy is a landscape artist venturing out into more abstract concepts, bringing a deeper emotions to her paintings. Sharon’s dynamic landscapes are created with oils, pastels, and watercolors. 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd Mon/Wed 10am-9pm, Tues/ Thurs/Fri/Sat 10am-6pm. Free!
One bright spot in the month of May is Geyserville’s long-standing May Day Celebration, held this year on May 6th from noon to 4pm in the afternoon. This event began in about 1925 and continues vigorously to the present day. Admission is free but you will want to bring enough cash to participate in the taste-testing for the Kiwanis Rib Cook-off and to enjoy
For a change of pace, the Books on Stage series of the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center (CPAC), our acclaimed live theater founded in 2007, presents “Telling the Story: Memoir and Truth” with authors Melissa Cistaro and Laurie Fox. Pieces of My Mother by Melissa chronicles her quest to understand what drove her mother to walk away from her children. Laurie’s My Sister From the Black Lagoon is an autobiographical novel of someone born into a mentally ill family. The two will discuss memoir vs. autobiography and how to write a book that’s emotionally true “if not completely factual”. May 10th at 7pm; 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd.; www.cloverdaleperformingarts.com; 894-2214. $10.
the other tasty food and snacks available. The traditional crowning of the May Queen will take place at 1:20pm and the 3rd-grader May Pole Dance at 2pm, along with music by Hilary Marckx and dancing from the local Ballet Folklorico. The fun is at the Hoffman Picnic Grounds at the north end of Geyserville, just beyond our iconic Red Barn on the east side of Geyserville Avenue – also known as the Redwood Highway.
Sam Sheppard’s “darkly, comic American masterpiece” and 1983 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama, True West, comes to CPAC on May 18th-20th and 25th- 27th; Fri/Sat 7:30pm; Sun 2pm. Students $12/Adults $25. Pay-what-you-can on May 17th at 7:30pm.
Art lovers alert – there are still a few tickets available as of this writing for the annual Oliver Ranch Tour where participants have a rare close-up look at the 18 art works adorning the 100-acre preserve devoted to site-specific art. The Oliver Ranch was created by Steven and Nancy Oliver with the first piece of art commissioned in 1985. Be aware that the art trail covers about 2.5 miles and there is some uneven ground, so wear good shoes. There are no restrooms and no wheelchair access. It’s usually a sell-out and it’s unusual that there
are still tickets available so close to the date, so don’t miss your chance. You can order tickets on-line at https://geyservillechamber.com/product/oliver- ranch-tour/. For more information, contact Karen Waelde at 707-857-1728 or moreinfo@geyservillecc.com. The tour is limited to 50 people.
Got more Geyserville news? Let me know about it at the email above!
5/18 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 35
Not invited to the Royal Wedding? Not to fret, Pet! On the same day as the nuptials, we are all invited to the Spring Tea and Fashion Show, a fundraiser for the Cloverdale Historical Society. Lunch begins with Kir Royale, followed by 3-course luncheon, including hand-made scones with lemon curd, clotted cream and jams, tea sandwiches, hand-made desserts, good old English
tea, and more! Enjoy Voss Signature’s vintage fashion show “Decades of Inspiration”, featuring fabulous designs by famed fashion icons. Historical Society 215 N. Cloverdale Blvd.; May 19th at 12 noon; tickets $45 per person or $360 for a table of eight available at www.cloverdalehistoricalsociety.org
As we close, we would like to thank the incredible volunteers and staff of all the organizations for consistently sending the light of the arts into the heart of our community.