Page 18 - Sonoma County Gazette - January 2018

Freestone Artisan Cheese
Conscious Collecting for Fire Relief
By Christina Sta ord
On the Thursday before Columbus Day Weekend, Craig Nelson traveled
to Charleston, South Carolina for a show at the Ella Walton Richardson Gallery. Craig arrived home at 11:30 pm on that fateful Sunday night. Two hours later, Craig and Anna, his wife and fellow artist, were eeing from their home in Fountaingrove.
Monday night found me glued to the constant news coverage of the res. I was dearly hoping that the two lifetimes’ worth of painting work amassed in the Nelson home might somehow be spared.
Unexpectedly, Craig appeared on the television. He had driven into his neighborhood on the re roads and was beating ames out around his driveway with a towel. The camera crew present
followed him around to the back of the house, where Craig used pool water to put out res starting up on his fence. The re ghters made a valiant stand at the top of his street and were able to save Craig’s house, the home above it and the three below it.
The next few days were hectic, as we all waited to see which way the wind might blow next. At Craig’s encouragement, we decided to proceed with the planned reception for his show at Sta ord Gallery entitled “Visions d’Vine: Portraits of Harvest”.
Chris Mengler, of Mengler Wines, came by to support the e ort and the reception was attended by friends, family and several of Craig’s students from years Past. We all marveled as Craig planned and completed a demonstration painting in three hours, working from a photograph.
”Visions d’Vine: Portraits of Harvest”, has consequently become a bene t for the communities, like Fountaingrove, impacted by the wild res. 10% of all proceeds will be directly donated for recovery assistance.
The demonstration painting became a silent auction item with 100% of proceeds going directly to the community. These funds will go a long way to assist our friends and neighbors.
Craig is coordinating a
group show with several
highly acclaimed Bay Area
painters at the start of the
New Year, which will be a
100% fundraising bene t
for ongoing Fire recovery
e orts. Details are being
worked out currently. as we are all starting to comprehend, this recovery is going to be a marathon e ort. Some of the homes that stand continue to be uninhabitable until further notice, let alone those homes, and lives, that must be completely reconstructed.
Craig Nelson’s personal and professional e orts are helping to directly support friends and neighbors much less fortunate. By collecting Craig Nelson’s paintings, people may simultaneously embrace what they love about Sonoma County, begin to restore a sense of normalcy and directly help wild re victims rebuild their lives.
Thank you for your thoughtful generosity!
Stafford Gallery
When I asked Omar what his mission is, he said, “We live in one of the most spectacular places I have ever
known. I want to encourage young entrepreneurs to create awesome food from this very fertile land we live on and work to make a living doing it”. He has a strong belief in the strength and ability of small, local businesses and entrepreneurs to make a di erence in the community. Another part of this mission is to launch and showcase local artisan cheesemakers, including some talented newcomers.
It is delightful talking with Omar about the many ne cheeses in the shop. I had no idea that cheese is seasonal and what can in uence the subtle avors of the cheese. It kind of reminds me of wine tasting, but I remember each thing I taste.
One of my other favorites in the shop are the varieties of vinegars. There’s nothing like a good red wine vinegar to dress a salad. It frames all the ingredients so perfectly.
I look forward to returning to Freestone Artisan Cheese to try out Omar’s crepes. I understand they are made with a very special Buckwheat, not bitter like most of the buckwheat products I have tried in the past, and they are
reasonably priced. Freestone Artisan Cheese
380 Bohemian Hwy, Freestone 707-874-1030 freestoneartisan.com
By Val Larsen
Barbara Winter once said,
“Creating a small world that impacts the big world is neither easy nor trivial”. Ben and Jerry often proclaiming, “If it isn’t fun, don’t do it”. Omar Mueller, creator of Freestone Artisan Cheese is
a re ection of those profound statements as he shares his passion for Farmstead cheese (and other locally sourced food delicacies) with visitors to his iconic cheese shop in the picturesque hamlet
of Freestone, one block o of Bohemian Highway.
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119 Plaza St, Healdsburg 707-385-1048 staffordgallery.com