VA Gallery: Member

The Paul Mahder Gallery

Written by George Gross on October 2, 2023.

In 2014, esteemed fine art photographer Paul Mahder expanded his celebrated San Francisco-based Paul Mahder Gallery, inaugurating a second locale amidst the verdant heart of wine country in Healdsburg, California. Housed in a striking double Quonset, adorned with luminous skylights and sprawling across 10,000 square feet, this gallery stands as the largest north of Los Angeles, intertwining museum-quality exhibits with a pivotal role as a vibrant cultural event space.

Embracing an eclectic array of artistic expressions—including painting, sculpture, photography, and drawing—the gallery has blossomed into a “mini-museum,” hosting numerous premier west coast exhibitions and carving out a unique niche within the community.

In 2022, the gallery further embedded its cultural roots, becoming home to The 222, a non-profit performing arts center. Now a stage where the threads of Jazz, film, poetry, choral and classical music weave into a rich tapestry of performing arts, the gallery hosts world-class events that spotlight the luminous talent of acclaimed artists, musicians, filmmakers, writers, and innovative performers. It has not only become a cultural beacon for the City of Healdsburg but also an eminent contributor to its artistic legacy.

Harris Gallery

Written by George Gross on October 14, 2023.

“”The Harris Gallery is a bonafide family affair. Serving as both a Fine Art Gallery and Wine Tasting Lounge. The father and son duo are not only artists but also (with the help of their significant others), wine curators. Together they have transformed a historic building in the heart of Healdsburg into a space that brings wine tasting and viewing visual art together in a dance of the senses.””

Erickson Fine Art Gallery

Written by George Gross on October 14, 2023.

“Erickson Fine Art Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery in downtown Healdsburg, California. Established in 1983 in San Francisco, CA. Erickson Fine Art represents artists residing in the Northern California region. The gallery is situated in a four story Palladio style building style with a front outdoor courtyard and specializes in abstract and regional landscape paintings, figurative and abstract sculpture and paintings in wood, metal, and stucco. Artists include Joe Draegert, Susan Hall, Jerome Kirk, Bob Nugent, Carlos Perez, Paul Van Lith, Sam Racina, Antoinette Von Grone, Kathleen Youngquist, Ken Jarvela, John Haines, Finley Fryer, Chris Grassano, Jeffrey Van Dyke, Carol Setterlund, Wade Hoefer, Kate Halpin and Adam Wolpert.”

Lori Austin Gallery

Written by George Gross on October 13, 2023.

Located on the Healdsburg, CA plaza, “Lori Austin Gallery specializes in contemporary fine art including abstract and representational paintings, sculpture, ceramic and glass by both regional and international artists. Our diverse collection features a variety of mediums and styles that will artistically enrich your interior and exterior environment. We are committed to providing a world class art experience in a unique and comfortable setting.”

Aerena Galleries & Gardens

Written by George Gross on October 3, 2023.

Nestled in the heart of the Bay Area, with prominent locales in Healdsburg Plaza, St. Helena, Napa, and Mill Valley, AERENA Galleries & Gardens emerges as a sanctuary for art and design, where the whispered tales of epochs are told through eclectic artistic expressions. Celebrating the prowess of emerging, mid-career, and established artists, each with their unique styles and media, AERENA doesn’t merely showcase art but orchestrates a vibrant dialogue between contemporary creations and curated objects from the 18th century to the present. Visitors find themselves amidst a rich tapestry of artworks, many of which are celebrated features in renowned museums, and corporate and private collections, symbolizing a timeless confluence of integrity, craftsmanship, and artistic professionalism.

AERENA offers more than a visual feast; it stands as a confluence where historical and contemporary designs coalesce, offering a sensory exploration through various eras of art and design. Within its walls and gardens, contemporary art and sculpture find harmony with finely-edited collections of furnishings, objects, and curiosities, narrating an uninterrupted story that flows from the past into the present. AERENA invites its guests on an explorative journey through times and styles, ensuring every visit unfolds a new layer of its rich, artistic tapestry, offering a unique experience where the echoes of artistic brilliance linger perennially.

The Christopher Hill Gallery

Written by George Gross on October 3, 2023.

Napa Valley’s longest solely owned contemporary fine art destination, now in it’s 21st year. Acclaimed for our discerning approach and discovery of original art, we represent a distinguished roster of well-known and emerging national, international and regional artists. We invite you to enjoy the gallery in person and from afar, as we celebrate the past 20 years of purveying fine art. The gallery aims to provide a friendly, informative, entertaining and visually stimulating experience for all visitors within a comfortable setting. Our galleries feature original two and three-dimensional art pieces wonderfully displayed in a creative and relaxed gallery setting. These works represent a diversity of unique styles by leading international and regional artists of the 20th and early 21st century. We are proud to share our vast collection of fine art with private collectors and professional designers alike. We offer art placement and professional consulting services to interior design and architectural firms as well as corporate and institutional fine art buyers.

Pier 24 Photography Art Museum

Written by George Gross on October 7, 2023.

Located on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, Pier 24 Photography offers a tranquil, contemplative setting for experiencing photographic art. The venue houses the permanent collection of the Pilara Foundation, which commits itself to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of photography. They aim to engage the community through exhibitions, publications, and public programs. Visitors, including the general public, academic institutions, and museum groups, are invited for self-guided tours lasting up to two hours. Pier 24 Photography is free and accessible by appointment from Monday through Friday.

The Diane Arbus retrospective, Revelations, organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2003, inspired the acquisition of the Pilara Foundation’s inaugural photograph—a portrait from Arbus’ potent and emotional Untitled series. This emotional intensity has guided subsequent additions to the collection, which now boasts over 4,000 works by international artists covering the history and global scope of the medium. Core to the collection are works from photographers first showcased in the seminal twentieth-century exhibitions: New Documents (1967) at the Museum of Modern Art and New Topographics (1975) at Eastman House. In recent times, they have focused on acquiring works from emerging photographers, thereby reflecting the evolving practices within the field of photography.

Since its public debut in 2010, Pier 24 Photography has curated eleven exhibitions. The inaugural display explored significant themes present in the collection, with rooms dedicated to portraiture, contemporary Bay Area photographers, historical San Francisco images, early American color photography, and works generated by the Farm Security Administration (FSA). This initial exhibition also featured complete portfolios by Diane Arbus, Larry Clark, Lee Friedlander, and Garry Winogrand. In many of the exhibitions that followed, these themes have been delved into with greater depth.

The 1275 Minnesota Street Project

Written by George Gross on October 7, 2023.

Arts Ecosystem

Since opening in 2016, Minnesota Street Project’s main building at 1275 Minnesota has become a destination for San Francisco’s arts community – a place to experience exhibitions, installations, and gatherings. But MSP is much more than this one building: it’s an urban campus of three adapted warehouses inhabited by galleries, artists studios, nonprofits and art services. Together their presence builds the resiliency of the city’s arts community, adding a kind of social infrastructure.

Creative Buzz

Across the street at 1240 Minnesota, artists and visiting residents are busy at work. Within this industrial metal shell, freestanding plywood structures define neat rows of private studios, staging galleries and other shared resources, all open to the skylights above. Life within this hive of creativity spills out into the street through hanger doors and a clutch of picnic tables, engaging passersby.

A Third Pillar

Just down the street is 1150 25th Street, a complex of larger spaces – occupied by The McEvoy Arts Foundation, Altman Siegel Gallery, and Slash Art – along with MSP’s offices and art services. Designed for the needs of private collectors, including state-of-the-art storage and management, the art services arm provides a sustaining income source for the entire endeavor.

The Winfield Gallery

Written by George Gross on October 3, 2023.

Winfield Gallery was founded in 1989 by Christopher Winfield. The representation of contemporary art by established, mid-career, and emerging artists is our principal focus. We feature a variety of diverse practices including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and photography.

The gallery maintains a deep commitment to promote our artists’ careers. We host multiple exhibitions a year, collaborate with museum curators, produce catalogs and books, establish relationships with the press, and continue collector education and development. We work to create an atmosphere that builds bridges between the creative work and collectors and art enthusiasts at all levels.

Winfield Gallery also specializes in the resale of select works of art from the 20th century, and offer an effective and confidential alternative for the resale of important works of art from and on behalf of private individuals and institutions.