The Sonoma County Woodworkers Association let the Double Jelly creep into their 26th annual show at the Sonoma County Museum. Here’s the Double Jelly greeting visitors at the entrance. For more about Artistry in Wood and the Sonoma County Woodworkers, read more…

For twenty-six years, the Sonoma County Museum and the Sonoma County Woodworkers Association (SCWA) have collaborated to present Artistry in Wood, a major showcase of fine regional craftsmanship. Over the years, Artistry in Wood has evolved from a modest exhibition featuring the work of local woodworkers, into something greater. While firmly grounded in Sonoma County, Artistry in Wood has developed a broader, regional reputation, drawing participants from Sacramento, Mendocino County, San Diego, and other areas of California. It has become one of the most respected annual exhibitions of woodwork in the state.

The exhibition reflects the legacy of arts and crafts on California’s north coast, as well as the local resonance between wood and the landscape. The work in the exhibition shows strong historical and regional influences, such as the distinctive style and philosophy exemplified by the woodworking program the the College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg, led for many years by James Kenov. Instructors and students from that program make frequent appearances in the exhibition, both as judges and exhibitors. Beyond the more traditional forms of furniture and classic objects, Artistry in Wood is also know for work that pushes the boundaries of wood as an artistic medium. The large-scale work in the Museum’s sculpture garden, Sequoia by local artist Bruce Johnson, is representative of the unique and bold approach taken by some of the artists who exhibit their work in this show.

[Text at the entrance to the Artistry in Wood exhibition.]