The Art Garage opening its doors
Frank Cavaz at the furnace. Photo: Frank Cavaz.
Three local artists—glassblower Frank Cavaz, painter/printmaker Julie Cavaz, and printmaker Terry Chastain—have teamed up to bring a unique kind of venue to Sonoma.
Called “The Art Garage,” the space on Eighth Street East will be introduced to the community at an Open House Saturday (10/29). The event is free and open to anyone over the age of 21. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served, along with a printmaking and glassblowing demonstration.
“We want to be a place where people come to talk about and experience art,” said Frank Cavaz. “We’ll have a gallery, printmaking classes and two- to three-day workshops taught by visiting artists.”
The idea has simmered for years among the friends, who first met in the mid-1990s. At the time, Chastain was co-owner of San Francisco’s Tinhorn Press & Gallery (later Tinhorn Public Works).
Terry Chastain and a work in progress.
In the cellar of Tinhorn Press was an art printmaking studio equipped for the production of intaglio, stone lithography, woodblock, monotypes and other techniques. Classes and workshops were frequent, and the place became a lively hangout for people involved in art.
The Cavazes, who met as students at the Rhode Island School of Design, had moved to Sonoma in 1996, where they founded Bacchus Glass, a handblown glass lighting company in a warehouse on Eighth Street East.
In 2005, the Chastain family moved to Sonoma. Gradually the artists developed the idea of creating a venue loosely modeled after Tinhorn. “We didn’t want to duplicate the past,” Cavaz said, “but we’ve certainly been inspired by it.”
Now the Art Garage is becoming a reality.
“What we’re hoping for,” said Cavaz, “is that the space creates a facility where people—whether they’re professional artists or simply people interested in art—can come to participate in art, be involved with art or just be exposed to art.”
To that end, workshops and classes will be held beginning this fall. The first classes include introductory and advanced glassblowing, printmaking and handmade books. Additional classes will be added in the future. Check the website, artgarage.com, in early November for more information.
The Art Garage open house is planned for 7-11 p.m. Saturday (10/29) at 21787 Eighth Street East #11. For more information, call 939-9416.
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Congratulations Terry and all. We hope to be able to actually come out and see you all some time soon. Thanks for keeping in touch. Your painting hangs proudly on our wall in a place of honor.
jjandjj