Congratulations to visual artists Nicole Irene Anderson, Annette Goodfriend, Ash Hay, C.K. Itamura, and Nestor Torres Lupercio, and literary artists Leilani Clark, Ernesto Garay, Chelsea Kurnick, Joy Lanzendorfer, and Nicole R. Zimmerman. These winning artists were selected from a pool of applicants through a highly competitive process for a chance to have their work featured in a major exhibition at the Museum of Sonoma County. In addition to the exhibition, the winners are recognized through a cash award, public readings, and a professionally designed catalog combining their visual and literary work. The goals of the Discovered Awards program are to recognize excellence in the visual and literary arts, foster professionalism and increase exposure for emerging visual artists and writers, and to cultivate public awareness and appreciation of the role of creativity in our community. This program is made possible through funding from the Community Foundation Sonoma County and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Watch a video of the literary artists reading excerpts of their work, above, and view the 2019 Discovered Catalog, which includes bios, artist statements, and samples of all the awardees’ work, HERE.

All of the following events take place at the Museum of Sonoma County, 425 Seventh Street, in Santa Rosa.

Opening Reception

Friday, November 22, 2019, 5:00-7:00pm
Free to attend – no museum admission charged and no registration needed

The Museum of Sonoma County celebrates the opening of two exhibitions: Discovered: Emerging Artists of Sonoma County and Artistry in Wood. Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks while mingling with the artists. Special thanks to wine sponsor Virginia Dare Winery!

Going Public with Personal or Political Work: A Visual and Literary Artist Discussion

Thursday, December 12, 2019, 7:00-8:30pm
Free for museum members / Non-members $10 pre-pay or $15 at the door

Literary and visual art work can be a natural medium to explore topics that may be controversial, very personal, or just uncomfortable to talk about. Choosing to present this work can be socially alienating, or even dangerous for some. It can also be profoundly rewarding. In this panel we will hear from a selection of Discovered artists who will be asked to share their personal experiences and insight on going public with personal or political work. Panelists include:

Michael Shapiro, moderator
Leilani Clark, literary artist
Ash Hay, visual artist
Nestor Torres Lupercio, visual artist
Nicole Zimmerman, literary artist

Click HERE to register.

Discovered: Emerging Artists of Sonoma County – Visual Artist Discussion Panel

Thursday, January 9, 2020, 7:00-8:30pm
Free for museum members / Non-members $10 pre-pay or $15 at the door

Join us for an evening with the five 2019 Discovered Award winning visual artists. Learn about each artist’s inspiration, goals, and artistic practice. Moderated by Jeff Nathanson, MSC Executive Director and Discovered Awards Lead Juror, the panel will feature the following visual artists:

Nicole Irene Anderson
Annette Goodfriend
Ash Hay
C.K. Itamura
Nestor Torres Lupercio

Click HERE to register.

Youth/Teen Drawing Workshop with Nicole Irene Anderson

Saturday, January 11, 2020, 1:00-3:00pm
Free with museum admission

Join Discovered artist Nicole Irene Anderson for this beginning to intermediate level sketching/drawing workshop. This workshop will take place in the Museum’s contemporary art gallery where students will be sketching work in the exhibition. 
 
Nicole Irene Anderson is a visual artist working in painting and drawing media. Her subject matter revolves around evocative, melancholic landscapes and enigmatic, figurative imagery.
 
Drawing Workshop and materials are free with general museum admission. The workshop is recommended for ages 10 through 18. No pre-registration is needed. Space is available on a first-come basis.

“Creating New Traditions, One Cup at a Time” – Cup Painting Workshop with C.K. Itamura

Wednesday, January 15, 2020, 11:00am-12:30pm
Saturday, January 25, 2020, 2:00pm-3:30pm
Free with museum admission

Teatime is reinvented as a new tradition, with tea, treats, and a twist. This participatory social practice project offers visitors the opportunity to sit and sip tea with the artist, enjoy light snacks, reflect on the idea of creating new traditions, and paint hand-formed paper tea cups that will later become part of a large installation consisting of over ten thousand pieces painted by hundreds of people over the course of multiple years.

In her project, s+toryprobl=m :: 156, artist C.K. Itamura uses the sharing of tea, time, and the simple act of painting hand-formed paper teacups as a catalyst to explore ways that every person can create simple rituals, using simple tools and materials, to begin to mend communities, families, and themselves in an era where humans are becoming ever disconnected and distant from each other.

This painting workshop is recommended for adults and is free with admission. Space is limited to 16 participants. Pre-registration is required. 

Click HERE to register.

Responding to Visual Art in Poetry – Writing Workshop with Ernesto Garay and Chelsea Kurnick

Day 1: Saturday, January 18th, 10:00am-1:00pm
Day 2: Saturday, January 25, 10:00am-1:00pm
Free with museum admission

Join us for a two-part workshop open to writers of all experience levels. Participants are encouraged to attend both sessions, but are welcome to attend either day.

The word ekphrasis means description in Greek, and ekphrastic poetry is writing that responds to visual art — real or imagined. There are examples of ekphrastic poetry from antiquity through the present, and it remains as vital a form as ever. This two-part workshop will take place both in the art gallery and in the Museum’s classroom space. Participants will have time to experience the exhibition and will participate in generative writing exercises to create new drafts of poems inspired by the art at the Museum. Everyone will be invited to share their work aloud in the group if they choose. Discovered Award recipients Ernesto Garay and Chelsea Rose Kurnick will co-facilitate the exercises, each bringing their distinct perspectives on craft to the workshop.

This workshop is recommended for ages 16 and up. The workshop is free with admission and space is limited to 25 participants. Pre-registration is required.

Click HERE to register.