di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art

Photos courtesy of di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art

Picnics, Outdoor Sculpture, and New Exhibits DI ROSA CENTER for CONTEMPORARY ART

 BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR

It’s been a year of nimble pivots for everyone. Yet one thing is certain at Napa’s di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art — “Art and Outdoors” is one of the non-profit museum’s foundational pillars and has been for nearly 25 years. Highlighting this is the monumental sculpture For Veronica by renowned American artist Mark di Suvero. Prominently placed on the hillside in front of Winery Lake, it welcomes visitors to experience Northern California art in a stunning setting.

Drop in, take a walk and stay awhile. Beyond the distinctive blue gate on Sonoma Highway, a map pinpoints 68 notable works of art set among 200-plus acres along the shore. First-time visitors are astonished to find that the beautiful Carneros region's unrivaled expanses are just a 10-minute drive from downtown Napa. “Locals take gentle two-mile nature hikes in the spring. More ambitious hikers can climb Milliken Peak, the region’s highest summit. And as a bonus,” said Andrea Saenz Williams, Director of Education & Civic Engagement, “the birding here is fantastic.”

Delightful as the “art park” is, there’s still more. A permanent collection of 1,700 works focuses on contemporary artists with connections to Northern California, particularly from the 1960s through the 2010s. Due to the passion of American vintner and world-class art collectors, Rene and Veronica di Rosa, central pieces by Robert Arneson, Bruce Conner, Jay DeFeo, Mildred Howard, Carlos Villa, Mike Henderson, and William T. Wiley, among other notables, underscore di Rosa's mission to tell the story of time and place.

Two exhibitions are open this spring when guidelines allow. The Incorrect Museum: Vignettes From the di Rosa Collection is curated by the center’s new executive director, Kate Eilertsen. Exploring regional movements ranging from Funk and Nut art to Northern California conceptualism, she stated, “di Rosa’s remarkable collection is filled with untold stories and influential artists that have so much to teach us about this period in art history and its influence on artists today.” The second exhibition is Ceramic Interventions: Nicki Green, Sahar Khoury & Maria Paz, inspired by the Bay Area’s longstanding tradition of radical experimentation in ceramic arts that have pushed this medium forward in recent years.

Programming, educational programs, and civic engagement related to the exhibitions are important foundational pillars at the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art. The center provides visual arts programming for all ages, both in-person and through at-home digital content. Di Rosa furthers its educational mission by providing arts programming in the community with partners such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley, Arts Council Napa Valley, and Napa Valley College. Much of the educational content produced is now in both English and Spanish to increase audience reach.

Plan a Visit

Admission:

$20 for adults: Free for educators and ages 17 and under.

Hours:

Fri., Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free access to the gift shop during open hours.

Location:

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