For the second time in three years the de Young Museum is holding the de Young Open, a juried show for community area artists. First held in 2020, this year’s Open features artists from nine counties in the Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma.
It’s a “salon-style” show, meaning art is hung side by side and floor to ceiling, flooding exhibit halls with colors, styles and subject matter. Out of 7,700 submissions to this year’s show, 883 were selected for exhibition.
Twelve artists from Sonoma County were honored, including: T Barny, sculpture; Anna Homchick, Loi Donaghe, Patricia Wachs, Luba Stolper and Jon Leafstedt, painting; Christie Marks, Nina Pullis and Kristina Nobleman, mixed media; Eileen Parent and Harry Franks, printmaking; and researcher Melissa Dittmore. The de Young Open is on display from Sept. 30 through Jan. 7, 2024. More information at famsf.org/exhibitions/de-young-open-2023.
Fun facts: The photo is T Barny’s “Aegis.” Aegis in classical art and mythology refers to Zeus and Athena’s shield. The shield shown here is made of Utah calcite, a warm, sandy-colored transforming translucent stone.
T Barny’s studio in the Alexander Valley is “Number 1” on Art Trails. Sonoma County Art Trails has 130 local artists open their studios to public tours for two weekends. Art Trails Sonoma: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, and Oct 7-8, from 10am to 5pm. Find them all at sonomacountyarttrails.org.
