Art

Sacramento County trails in many categories in a national study that seeks to quantify the economic impact that nonprofit arts organizations have on their communities.

Grace Munakata's new paintings at b. sakata garo mix abstraction, pattern and imagery in fascinating ways that challenge our notions of what painting can be.

Colored shapes and bits of imagery come together in Grace Munakata's paintings and collages, which she describes as "a bit like crazy quilts." In "Bittern," a young girl stands in woods under an elusive bird. It's one of the exciting works in her show at b. sakata garo.

'You don't have to be a poetry fan to enjoy this show," said Crocker curator William Breazeale in describing "An Opening of the Field: Jess, Robert Duncan and Their Circle." But if you are, you will love this show that focuses on a fascinating 20th century artistic couple.

The life-size figure of a woman holding an oil-slicked shorebird in her arms greets you at the entrance to "Edge of Extinction," a powerful show of mostly ceramic sculptures by Lisa Reinertson at the Pence Gallery in Davis.

It's a long way from Manhattan's Lower East Side to suburban Davis. Hearne Pardee's journey to California covers 30 years of painting, exemplified by the 20 oils on view in his retrospective at Alex Bult Gallery in midtown.

After 18 years, the Barton Gallery has closed its doors – the victim of three burglaries in a week.

Reacting to concerns that subsidizing a new downtown sports arena could hurt funding for the arts, the City Council last week delivered a boost to some of the city's marquee cultural organizations and committed to helping others in coming months.

Going to Second Saturday? Here are our critic's picks of don't-miss art exhibits.

May is clay month in the Sacramento Valley. Long recognized as a hotbed of ceramic activity, the region has an extensive history of prominent ceramic sculptors, many of whom studied with the late Robert Arneson at the University of California, Davis

TODAY-SATURDAY, Sacramento Ballet company dancers perform works known for genius, athleticism and innovation as part of the Studio Dance Series

"The Last Collaborations of Laureen Landau" at Archival Gallery is something of a contradiction in terms. Because Landau died in 2009, she couldn't participate in a process defined as two or more people working together.

Geometric abstraction and narrative figuration vie in Roland Petersen's masterful paintings at the Elliott Fouts Gallery. A mini-retrospective, the show moves from nonobjective abstractions from the 1950s to fresh-off-the-easel works from his renowned Picnic Series.

Elliott Fouts Gallery - "Forever Picnics" is a show of 20 works by nationally known figurative painter Roland Petersen.

"Kind of Like a Sound," a bouquet of trumpetlike flowers, greets you on the first wall of Robert Ortbal's exciting show at Jay Jay. It's quirky yet beautiful, an elegant comedian made of unexpected materials.

Photographers Jay Spooner and Allyson Seconds wrap up their joint "Retrospectives" show with a fun-for-all closing night shindig Saturday at midtown's Little Relics Galleria.

Abstraction was a staple of art in the 20th century until it was rudely displaced by Pop Art in the 1960s. While abstraction took a secondary role for a time, it is once again popular with artists in the 21st century.

Though they are worlds apart, two shows at midtown galleries share a common thread.

Water, wood and earth are the three elements the Zhang sisters explore in their joint show at CSU Sacramento's Library Gallery. The sisters – Ling, Bo and Hong – were born and raised in the northeast China in the city of Shenyang, often referred to as the Detroit of China. Each has found a new home: Ling in Atlanta, Bo in Beijing and Hong in Lawrence, Kan.

TONIGHT- Capitol Pops Concert Band gives a free performance at the California Automobile Museum. A mix of automotive-themed arrangements, 1950s-'70s hits and traditional favorites will be offered against a backdrop of the exhibit "1968."

Alex Bult Gallery- "Waterworks" is a show of transcendent images of water, seen up close so that the image becomes abstract on first viewing

Like ancient Greek sculptures of gods and goddesses, China's terra-cotta warriors, on view at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, would have been brightly painted.

Museums – much like libraries – are places where voices are hushed and noise minimal.

On the surface, the works of Irving Marcus and Peter Stegall would seem to have little in common.

Strong, emotive color and dreamlike imagery come together in the works of prominent Sacramento artist Irving Marcus, whose paintings are up at b. sakata garo, 923 20th St., Sacramento.

"Pacemakers" at Beatnik Studios is a show of works by Sacramento gallerists and curators. A gallerist is a person who owns or directs a gallery; not to be confused with a "gallerina," one of those beautiful young women who assist gallery directors. 

"Face Yourself" at the Elliott Fouts Gallery is a show of self-portraits by artists who are not, for the most part, known for their figurative work. The result is a show that ranges from a straightforward, traditional self- portrait by Bryan Mark Taylor to a psychologically fraught painting by John Tarahteeff, who depicts himself as a sailor in a beached boat with a broken mast.

Second Saturday gallery picks by Victoria Dalkey

The Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission is offering grants of up to $1,500 to schools and community organizations that would like to hire artists for educational programs.

Jan Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and a half-century of paintings by Sacramento's Gregory Kondos are among the highlights of art exhibitions opening in 2013.

The saga of Ruby Bridges, a brave 6-year-old who became the first African American student to integrate Louisiana schools in 1960, came to life Friday at the Crocker Art Museum's Family Kwanzaa Concert.

Thieves made off with an unusual haul earlier this month in east Sacramento: five unfinished sculptures created by a prominent local artist.

They have gathered in a modest room on a brisk Thursday night to assemble a makeshift stage, run lines and finalize light cues. Their mood is light but purposeful as "curtain time" nears.