PETALUMA ARTS CENTER

Our History

The Petaluma Arts Council began in June 1998, as a grassroots effort to acknowledge and celebrate local artists and their contributions and to involve the whole community in appreciation, involvement and recognition of art as an enriching component of our daily lives. Petaluma has grown from a predominately agricultural town to a thriving city that includes high-tech companies, an historic downtown, and residents from all walks of life. While Petaluma's residents still value the quality of life the town offers, their needs have changed over the past years.

Our Purpose

The specific purposes of the Petaluma Arts Council are to provide:
1) An Exhibition Program which brings the work of a wide range of local and regional artists, from student to professional, into public places.
2) Interactive Community-Based Programs.
3) Web-based Artist and Art Resource Listing Service.
4) Registry for Artists. Businesses and designers can look through the registry to choose art that fits with their location or purpose.
5) Advancement of a Public Art Program for Petaluma.
6) Art Education for the public in a variety of media.
6) The establishment of a Visual Arts Center in Petaluma.

Our Progress

The enthusiasm and energy of so many Petaluma Arts Council supporters has been monumental and in a very brief time the projects undertaken have involved a large and diverse group in our community. We look forward to contributing to the rich history of the Petaluma Valley.

Our Staff

Virginia May MFA Ph.D.

Virginia’s background includes project and small business management. She owned the local Painted Door gallery of contemporary aboriginal art and has completed a Ph.D. in Transformative Learning and Change from California Institute of Integral Studies in 2011. She is a longtime Petaluma resident and artist.

Lyndi Brown

Lyndi Brownknows Petaluma intimately and is a skilled public relations and development professional, with many established relationships in the community. She recently completed a two-year major donor campaign for the expansion of Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma Campus (2006-2008). From 1985 to 1993, she led a promotional effort for the City of Petaluma through the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce. Her work enhanced Petaluma’s image from a “dusty cow town” (Time Magazine) to a “Victorian riverfront town” (Associated Press), and paved the way for Petaluma’s delightful mix of amenities enjoyed by residents and tourists: history, business, hospitality and arts.

Taylor Metzler

Taylor has a BAin Anthropology with special emphasis on Museum Studies, and a minor in Art History from Sonoma State University. She recently completed an internship at the diRosa

Board of Directors

Robert Bailey

was co-founder and Vice President of AMS Planning & Research, an international arts management consulting practice. Currently he is a consulting associate with the firm and works part time on arts facility development projects nationwide. Bob was the lead consultant for the 2004 feasibility study that led to the creation of the Petaluma Arts Center. He is married to Mary King, a physician for the State of California and has two adult children. Bob currently serves as Board Treasurer

Charlie Davis

Mary Dooley

of MAD Architecture, served as the architect for the new Petaluma Arts Center. Also an artist and resident of Petaluma for the last 20 years, she teaches art classes to elementary and middle school children at Mary Collins School at Cherry Valley.

Israel Escudero

Linda Frost

Tracy Gentry

was involved with the inaugural Arts Center capital campaign and grand opening events. A former business owner and award winning chef, her current professions include special event planning; entertainment production and logistics; community service; and teaching leadership skills to elementary school children.

Scott Hess is a commercial and arts photographer who has been based in Petaluma since 1985. His work ranges from landscapes to portraits to abstract work carrying layers of symbolic value. He is widely published in Northern California media and exhibits in galleries and other public venues.

Chris Irwin

Ph.D. is a financial advisor with EcoIrvin Investments (an affiliate of GBS Financial)in Santa Rosa, with 24 years of experience managing money for individuals, businesses and nonprofits. He teaches International Business at Sonoma State University. Chris and his wife, Dorian Bartley, are both musicians—Chris plays mandolin with a “jam band,” while Dorian is a bassist and singer with “The Artifacts” and “The Foxes.” Chris currently serves as Board Secretary

Alison Marks
has been a professional artist and educator for nearly 30 years. She co-founded the Petaluma Arts Council and served as President of the Board of Directors for 5 years. She is currently the director of the EXCEL for Youth Program at Sonoma State University.

Will Mendoza

owns several businesses, including Lala’s Creamery, and is a resident of Petaluma who enjoys and supports the arts. He volunteers with several local civic groups whose goals are to improve the quality of life for Petaluman’s and to support our diverse local economy.

Karen Petersen, Librarian, Mahoney Library, Santa Rosa Junior College, Petaluma Campus, is also a founding board member. Ms. Petersen is active in the arts county-wide including the Sonoma County Book Festival, the Literary Arts Guild and the Sitting Room, a community-based library in Cotati.

Geri Olson, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Sonoma State University where she teaches classes on personality, creativity and the expressive arts. She has integrated the expressive arts into her work for more than 30 years and teaches doll process workshops to art therapists, educators, parents, doll artists and children.

Advisory Council

Greg Colvin
Sheila Bride
Christina Kauk
Thom Knudson
Kristina Flanagan
Jessica Van Gardner
Ofelia Arellano
Mike Gorman
Warren Dranit
Christine Jones
Drew Washer
Jack Haye
Maureen McGuigan
Perry Freeman
Katherine Rinehart
John Crowley
Abraham Solar
Lia Bonagura-Transue
Gretchen Singer
Ellie Lichtenstein
Maggie Roth
David Keller
Gail Wilson
Harvey Charnofsky
Jane McDonald
Linda Postenreider