The Feather River Land Trust announces an art show featuring depictions of Sierra Valley barns: “Stories in Wood” runs Aug. 23 through Sept. 21 at the Sierra Valley Preserve Nature Center and invites viewers to explore the work of three artists — Catherine Mackey, Diane Olivier and Laurie Wigham — inspired by the craftsmanship of Sierra Valley’s barns.
An opening reception is set for Saturday, Aug. 23, from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring a talk and question-and-answer session with Bill Copren and other guest speakers about barn building in Sierra Valley and restoration efforts. The reception is free to attend and includes wine, charcuterie and music.
The show is available to view during the nature center’s open hours: Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to check the preserve page for special hours and conditions before arriving.
Meet the artists
Catherine Mackey lives and works in San Francisco’s Mission District and has shown her work in galleries and museums around the country. She explores the demise and abandonment of structures no longer suited for today’s industries, and searches for the accidental moments of beauty caused by their neglect and decay.
Diane Olivier works in all manner of drawings, with a special emphasis on charcoal, pastels, landscape and the figure, and has exhibited widely. She’s maintained a studio in the 1890 Bryant Street building in San Francisco since 2006 where she works and holds community drawing classes.
Laurie Wigham works in the wilderness and on city streets, and her watercolors have been shown at galleries around the Bay Area. She founded and leads the SF Sketchers Meetup group, which has more than 5,000 members and organizes sketching events throughout the Bay Area.
