One thing that I personally love about this community is the eclectic range of smaller communities that not only find their niche in the environment but also manage to coexist together. These communities, whether it be LGBT, cowboy/western/redneck, family-oriented, musicians, artists, traditionalists, etc., not only have members crossing multiple boundaries but are also what makes up what is attractive about Guerneville, and the Russian River as a whole. I for one consider myself to be a member of many of these groups, including the artist genre. Where we live, we have a constant stream of things that inspire us and being inspired by nature, we concentrate on the beauty around us. I photograph the smaller things that give me inspiration, whereas others set-up their easels on the beaches of our lazy River and paint fantastic scenes in etherial colorful hues or find inspiration in the human form and feel free to openly express it. We have every right (and need!) to celebrate this energy of the human spirit.
I'm not alone in this expression. A small group of West County artists felt the same, and 17 years ago Art @ the Source took form. Originally, local artists had the fall Open Studios tours to look forward to, but it was the Spring air and beauty where we get the most inspiration. What better way to welcome Persephone than to open the doors to your studio and allow the world inside?
Art @ the Source is a collaboration that began with a handful of artists and the Sebastopol Center for the Arts and has developed into a time-favored seasonal event, with 153 artists and 84 locations throughout West Sonoma County. This weekend, June 11th & 12th, is the last weekend where the artists in the catalog will have their studios open to the public. So, get to the source of your favorite local art. Check out Art @ the Source's website, where this year you can now search by medium, locale, and artist's name. Drop by the Chamber Office OR the Sebastopol Center for the Arts for the catalog.
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