Branching Out: Press Release

Date: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  3/15/25
APRIL EXHIBIT:  BRANCHING OUT
EXHIBIT DATES: March 31 – April 27, 2025
RECEPTION:  SATURDAY, April 5– 4 -7 pm
Join Carolyn Wilson to celebrate the show and learn about her artistic inspirations. Refreshments will be served.  
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Sonoma County artist, Carolyn Wilson, presents Branching Out, a collection of multi-media artwork that explores the strength and majestic beauty of trees.  Inspired by Kahill Gribran’s “Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,” Wilson’s expressionistic style collages depict trees, both real and imagined.  A lover of textures, Wilson specializes in creating collage that has a rich tactile surface built up by gluing multiple thin layers of rice and tissue paper to create complex surfaces.  That tactile sense seems very real in “Dreaming of Bluebell Woods,” where the branches seem to rustle in the breeze.  Root patterns take on a key role in “Barefooted,” a piece that takes us to a secluded lakeside spot at forest’s edge.  “Trees are so important, literally the lungs of our planet, these works enable me to express my deep appreciation for their beauty and enduring role in our lives,” commented Wilson.
An artist for over 20 years, Wilson has been a member of the Upstairs Art Gallery for  fourteen years (manager for thirteen years) and participated the Sonoma County Art Trails Open Studio program since 2014.  Her collage paintings have been published in two books: The Encyclopedia of Watercolor Techniques by Hazel Harrison (UK 2018) and The New Encyclopedia of Watercolor Techniques by Hazel Harrison (USA 2010), 
Meet the artist:  Wilson will be hosting the Gallery on April 4 and 17 from 11-6 pm.  

The Stairway Showcase presents Phyllis Rapp’s “Goin’ South,” a collection of colorful watercolors inspired by the lively spirit and rich colors south of the border.  Cactus plants, tropical birds, and flamenco dancers feature in a rich tapestry of works celebrating the vibrant culture and dynamic rhythms of Latin life.  “Tropical Toucan,” a delicious mélange of lush colors, transports the viewer to a special spot in paradise as artist Rapp takes us south in style.
Meet the artist:  Rapp will be hosting the Gallery on April 27  and 28  from 11-6 pm. 

Upstairs Art Gallery, 306 Center Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448. (707) 431-4214.: OPEN DAILY: 11am – 6 pm.   www.upstairsartgallery.net
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