"Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more." -Vincent Van Gogh
April 2018
It’s April already…a time to watch our landscape bloom and regenerate, while celebrating the dynamic intersection of art and nature in Sonoma County. Being enveloped in the fresh embrace of spring is restorative — waking up our senses, reconnecting us with the natural rhythms of life. And reminding us of the healing power of nature and art, soothing the wounds we have collected along the journey.
Getting our hands a dirty in creating new work is a richly rewarding process – whether we are feeding the soil of our gardens or nourishing the souls of our community.
At Creative Sonoma, we welcome the seasonal farmer’s markets beginning to share their bounty, we explore our local parks, participate in the wealth of offerings to experience making and seeing art in nature, and we mark the 48th Annual Worldwide Earth Day.
Earth Day Celebrations, April 21 and 22
From downtown Santa Rosa to events in public lands and parks, celebrate Earth Day with performances, art making and environmental crafts, nature walks, and many family-friendly activities.
Día Del Niño / Day of the Child, April 29
A county-wide free program for families in celebration of the Mexican holiday Día Del Niño, the Sonoma Environmental Education Collaborative has planned events that will take place in every region of the county at 11 different parks and nature centers. Activities will include music, nature crafts, visits with animals, bug catching, family nature walks, bird watching and more.
Laguna de Santa Rosa: Art Exhibits
In the Laguna de Santa Rosa’s Heron Hall, nature-themed art exhibits rotate regularly. The current exhibit (through May 1) is by Sebastopol artist Rik Olson, who wrote in his artist statement:
Moving to Sonoma County 20 years ago opened up my vision to the beauty of nature. The natural environment, the colors, the forest, the ocean coastline are all inspirations to a visual person. Through the art of printing I try to produce images of the fullness of nature.
Sonoma County Regional Parks
Many of the parks frequently produce and host arts opportunities: in April, some of the events include grabbing a seat on a tarp and using free art supplies to create art in Foothill Regional Park, make Eco-Prints on Earth Day at Riverfront Regional Park, or experience Nature Heals: Creating Art in Nature at Helen Putnam Regional Park.
Sonoma County Farmers Markets
Windsor Certified Farmers Market is one of the earliest of the seasonal farmers markets, with its opening day on April 8 this year. They will also celebrate Earth Day during the April 22 market.