“Experience the Southern Sierra Nevada from the viewpoint of painters, poets, sculptors, photographers and storytellers,” reads the back cover of the recently published Sierra Wonders. Late last year, the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers produced this exceptional book highlighting the creations of artists and writers as they pay tribute to the extraordinary wonders of the Southern Sierra Nevada. The project resulted in a remarkable document of this special place we who live here in Tulare County call our backyard.
Working in partnership with the publishers, Arts Visalia is proud to present a major exhibition highlighting works by many of the artists involved in the Sierra Wonders publication. Featured in the exhibition are paintings, photographs, pastels, watercolors and a few sculptural works, each of which appear in the original book. Also included in the exhibition are excerpts from a selection of the writings found in the book, both prose and poetry, an aspect of the original project which truly makes it complete.
Included in the exhibition are artworks by Steven Ball, Jana Botkin, Jeri Burzin, Deborah Campbell, Martha Castillo, Robert Chaponot, Elsah Cort, Rubia Delbosco van Roodselaar, Séamus Ó Dubsláine, Jim Entz, Frank Gabler, Carolyn Hartling, Nancy Jonnum, Shirley Keller, Cathy McCrery-Cordle, Dan McLean, Ellen Milinch, Matthew Rangel, Marn Reich, Mona Fox Selph, Cynthia Siegel, LaVone Sterling and Virginia Wilson.
The book was the brainchild of Karen Kimball and the late Nancy Jonnum, both long-time fixtures of the Three Rivers arts community. It serves as a testament to the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevadas, but also serves another purpose as a fundraising vehicle for the Arts Alliance’s Jonnum-Young Scholarship Fund, providing support to young people pursuing higher studies in the arts.
The project is presented now in a full exhibition format at Arts Visalia in the hope of shining a light on the talented individuals involved as well as to generate local awareness of the project and the worthy cause of supporting young artists in their pursuit of careers in the arts.
“Sierra Wonders: Treasures in Our Backyard” will be on display at Arts Visalia through March 28, with an opening reception to be held on Friday, March 7, from 6-8pm. Attendance is free and open to the public. Arts Visalia is located at 214 E. Oak Ave. in downtown Visalia. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 5:30pm.