essensual exhanges - ArtSpace404 Sonoma County
ArtSpace404 is pleased to announce its seventh exhibition, Essensual Exchanges: Field Notes on the Confluence of Land + Water in Sonoma County, as a continuation in its mission to present contemporary and experimental art exhibitions to the community.
Essensual Exchanges is an intimate and experimental investigation examining the natural world of water, plant and land systems in Sonoma County. Artists Sasha Duerr, Corey Hitchcock and Catherine Richardson create individual and collaborative chorography through empathic and intuitive connections to potent places. Each artist presents her field notes and particular methods of mapping, tracking, and relation to the local terrain, mirroring the intricacies of the landscape in their visual works.
The work in this show reflects the visual interpretation of insights gained from onsite studies and observations, and is a partnering of each artist’s involvements with the natural world. With Sonoma County as a common ground for artistic inquiry, natural water sources, dramatic and breathtaking coastlines, fertile agricultural changes, and historical settlements inform and inspire the work on view.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Originally from the Dales and Moors of Yorkshire, England, Catherine Richardson currently resides in Sonoma County. The contours, open spaces, and stone walls in England provided early exploratory interest in and a direct experience with the land. Her relocation to America provided clarity in the understanding that land-spaces were the invitation for a life-long dialogue and an interface for creative realms. Sonoma County now serves as a constant point of reference and site for inspiration in her work. Richardson is a recipient of the 2006 Sonoma County Artist Awards for Emerging Visual Artists and holds an MFA from John F. Kennedy University. She is a member of The B Club – a collaborative group of five artists working collectively on mail-based art produced in editions called The Pollination Project, as well as other site-specific projects. For more information visit
With an MFA in Textiles from California College of the Arts where she currently lectures, Sasha Duerr works with organic dyes, alternative fibers, and studies the creative reuse of materials. Her work is a cross-pollination of textiles with a consideration and sensitivity towards environmental systems inspired by ecological principles found in permaculture. Duerr also works with regenerative design for food, clothing, and shelter. Duerr’s installations and textiles investigate nature and nurture, and are dyed with a revival of nontoxic, organic place-based recipes. In 2007, Duerr founded Permacouture Institute with the Trust for Conservation Innovation to encourage the exploration of fashion and textiles from the ground up. Duerr’s extensive work with plant-based dyes and ecological principles through local land-based sources and community informs her art and practice. Her first book, Cultivating Color will be released in the fall of 2010. For more information visit
San Francisco native Corey Hitchcock currently resides in Sonoma County and holds an MFA from John F. Kennedy University. Hitchcock’s work in drawing, painting, and printmaking, for which she received the 2002 Cadogan/Murphy Fellowship Award, now serve as “blueprints” for her interactive installation projects. Her work explores cosmological mysteries relating to the relationship between man and reality. Hitchcock’s interdisciplinary work earned her a residency at The Lab in San Francisco, CA, where her work and studies culminated in an exhibition of “The Wicked Engine of Connected Desire”, a social sculpture and performance piece. Hitchcock is a member of the artist collaborative The B Club. For more information visit
HOURS + ACCESSIBILITY
ArtSpace404 is located at 404 Mendocino Avenue, Suite C in downtown Santa Rosa, CA. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 12:00pm to 4:00pm.
MISSION
ArtSpace404 is a contemporary, experimental art venue produced by the Arts Council of Sonoma County located in downtown Santa Rosa. ArtSpace404 serves the community by promoting artists and organizations through creative uses of the gallery space, showcasing “excellence” through various media to be experienced by the public. ArtSpace404 promotes the accessibility of art for everyone through outreach and added programming. For more information, please visit www.artspace404.blogspot.com or call (707) 579-2787 x103.
.........................................................................
Nicole Lee, ArtSpace404 Exhibition Director
Arts Council of Sonoma County, 404 Mendocino Ave., Ste. C, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
p. 707.579.2787 x103 f. 707.542.3412 e.
Labels: ART of Sonoma County, EVENTS
