In 2003, Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA) established the art gallery in the Red Barn Classroom at Point Reyes National Seashore. Rotating painting, photography, and educational exhibits several times a year, themes of the selected shows reflect the natural or cultural aspects of the Seashore and surrounding area. The Red Barn Art Exhibitions of 2013 included:
Visit the Red Barn Art Exhibitions page to find links to pages where you can learn about the exhibitions from other years. "M.B. Boissevain, Marin's First Farm Advisor - Historical Photographs of Marin's Agrarian Roots: 1920–1950" The historical photographs of M.B. Boissevain were on exhibit in West Marin from October 1 through December 18, 2013. These magnificent images provide a unique opportunity to embrace Marin's agrarian roots and present bounty, as well as take an intimate look at what life was like for Marin ranchers and farmers during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The photos were exhibited in shared display at the Point Reyes National Seashore Red Barn Classroom in Bear Valley and the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History in Inverness. The public was invited to attend receptions at both locations on November 17. Both the Jack Mason Museum and the Inverness Library are located in The Gables, an historic house on Inverness Way. M.B. Boissevain began as the first University of California Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor in 1920. During this period, UC Berkeley, California's first land-grant university, was sending agricultural agents out to agricultural communities up and down the state to spread practical information and new methods about farming. M.B. Boissevain was the first farm advisor in Marin County and served as agronomist and community leader for 30 years, from 1920 to 1950. Boissevain was also a talented and prolific photographer, and his 4 x 5-inch negatives capture a rarely seen view of the people and the land during the early part of the 20th century. The 74-image collection chronicles the predecessors of Marin’s current farm families standing in their fields and with their livestock, implementing farm production and health innovations during this “progressive era” of agriculture, participating in youth education and development, and managing many of the same farms and landscapes that are part of Marin’s working landscapes today. A companion book of the images is available for purchase through the Point Reyes National Seashore Association at the Bear Valley Visitor Center’s bookstore and at the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History, as well as online and at Book Passage, Point Reyes Books, Toby’s, and the Tomales Regional History Center. "BayWood Artists Paint Point Reyes" BayWood Artists is a group of professional Northern California artists dedicated to helping preserve and protect areas recognized as particularly beautiful and important to future generations. "It is truly a gift when we can enjoy the wild open space and be part of Mother Nature’s work of art. Point Reyes National Seashore is the treasure we behold in our backyard, one that is vital for our future generations’ appreciation of natural beauty and the great outdoors." In recognition of the effort of preserving our parks, the award-winning BayWood Artists come together in giving back to the community through their art. Some of the most famous American landscape artists feature some of their best paintings in this art exhibit. The artists have gone to great lengths to capture the light and beauty of landscape and seascape of areas that are not easily accessible in order to create paintings; a window to the world of nature that we all have come to love. Some of the best known landscape artists in California, including Chris Adessa, Krystal Allen, Christin Coy, Ben Farnham, Jon Francis, Sherrill Miller, Victoria Mimiaga, Zenaida Mott, Lissa Nicolaus, Tom Soltesz, and 2013 Guest Artist Robbie Collins, contributed paintings depicting the natural beauty of Point Reyes National Seashore. This art exhibit was not to be missed! Half of the proceeds from this fundraising event were donated to Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA) to benefit the environmental protection of Point Reyes National Seashore. "Reyes of Light: Iconic Images of Point Reyes National Seashore" Richard Blair has been in a photographic frenzy for most of his adult life. He has been a professional photographer since 1967 when he moved to California. Natural and urban landscapes are his first love. He was park photographer for the National Park Service based in Yosemite Valley. Blair photographs in all formats, from 35 mm to 8x10 size negatives. He works in both black and white and color, and exhibits his work through the medium of photographic books, which he designs, publishes, and prints. Painter, writer, and photographer Kathleen Goodwin was born in South Africa. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would end up a professional painter. After settling in California in 1974, her artistic expressions evolved through stints as a journalist, poet, street artist, until she focused on painting. She and husband Richard Blair began publishing books of their photography with the release of their first bestseller "Point Reyes Visions" in 1999. Residents of the Point Reyes area for decades, both artists have had ample opportunity to capture the area in all its moods and spectacular light. Reyes of Light will provide visitors and locals alike new visions of their favorite places and new views ready to be discovered. In addition to the exhibition, the public was invited to an artists' reception at the Red Barn Classroom on Sunday, August 11, 2013. Visit pointreyesvisions.com for a preview of what you might see. Thomas Wood Paints the Marin Landscape In addition to the exhibition, the public was invited to an artists' reception at the Red Barn Classroom on Saturday, April 20, 2013. Specimens and Glass Houses Controversy surrounding theories of evolution have continually unfolded since British scientist Charles Darwin published his book On the Origin of Species in 1859. For contemporary printmakers Era and Donald Farnsworth, Darwin's writings offered the opportunity to explore notions about science, the natural world, and the chasm that sometimes exists between observation and belief. Collectors of strange and beautiful insect specimens and digital technology enthusiasts, the Farnsworths produced this exhibit series using insects from their own collection, as well as specimens from the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The highly detailed images were digitally captured and then overlaid onto printed chapters of Darwin's writings. Visitors also had the opportunity to view a 3-D triptych imposing photographed super magnified marine diatoms on to landscape features, an innovative centerpiece of the exhibit. In addition to the exhibition, the public was invited to an artists' reception at the Red Barn Classroom on Sunday January 27, 2013. |
Last updated: May 25, 2024