Etched in Sonoma: A Living Legacy
Sonoma Community Center to host a curated exhibition of printmaking.
Sonoma, California. Etched in Sonoma: A Living Legacy, a curated printmaking exhibition by Simon Blattner and Barbara Wells, opens Friday, May 1. This exhibition celebrates the art of etching and the vibrant community of printmakers it continues to inspire. Rooted in a tradition that values both technical precision and creative experimentation, etching has long offered artists a powerful and expressive means of working in ink and paper.
The show will feature works by sixteen renowned, established local and International artists, and celebrates the creativity, mastery, and meaning of printmaking, with specific emphasis on intaglio etching methods. At the heart of this exhibition is the Print Studio at the Sonoma Community Center, a space where artists of all levels come together to learn, create, and share in the collaborative spirit of printmaking. Here, the exchange of knowledge, process, and ideas keeps the medium alive and evolving. This ongoing work is supported in part by a Griffin etching press, donated by Eastside Editions in 2008, helping to carry forward a tradition of fine art printmaking in Sonoma.
The works on view reflect both the history and ongoing vitality of etching in Sonoma. They bring together prints created by artists connected to Eastside Editions alongside those produced more recently by artists connected to the Community Center’s Print Studio. While varied in style and approach, these works are united by a shared engagement with the etching process and its unique visual language.
Together, they speak to a living legacy—one shaped not only by the artists who make the work, but by the community that sustains it. This exhibition honors etching as an enduring art form and the Sonoma Community Center as a place where that tradition continues to grow, inspire, and connect generations of artists.
The opening reception for Etched in Sonoma is Friday, May 1st, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a talk by the curators. Light refreshments will be served, with live musical entertainment by duo Tim Curley and Gary Halter. The exhibit will run through Sunday, May 24, in the Sonoma Community Center’s Gallery 212. It is free and open daily.
The show features artists Dennis Ahearn, Kim Anno, Chester Arnold, Kelly Autumn, David Avery, David Best, Mario Teleri Biason, Hannah Day, Jessica Dunne, Brett Grunig, Art Hazelwood, Frances McCormack, Jenny Robinson, Jean Schulz, Toru Sugita, and Don Williams.
Etched in Sonoma is the second in a series of exhibitions curated by Blatter and Wells coming to the Center. The first exhibition, Craft in the Valley, debuted in January 2026. Blattner has curated several exhibitions for the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, including Book Becoming Art (2025), together with Barbara Wells and artist Maki Aizawa.
As part of the exhibition, co-curator Simon Blattner, David Keaton, owner of Modern Art West, and Sonoma acclaimed artist Chester Arnold will engage in conversation on Thursday, May 21, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a Q&A in the Center’s room 110. They will pull back the curtain on the world of art collecting— How collectors discover artists, why prints have long been a favorite entry point for new collectors, and how buying art directly supports the creative lives of artists. The discussion will also explore the different types of fine art prints, what makes an original print special, and why printmaking has played such an important role in making art more accessible.
More information about Sonoma Community Center, Gallery 212, and the upcoming exhibit, Etched in Sonoma, visit SonomaCommunityCenter.org.
About Sonoma Community Center
The Sonoma Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1953 to serve the communities of Sonoma Valley with the mission of cultivating a vibrant community through extraordinary creative, cultural, and learning experiences. Originally built as the Sonoma Grammar School, which opened in 1916, the Center is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Community – Innovation – Creativity – Inclusion – Leadership
###
Media Contact:
Vanessa Rognlien
Executive Director, Sonoma Community Center
[email protected]
707-888-2155
Eastside Editions: https://www.eastsideeditions.com/
