If you crave culture, art is a way of life here

Art is an avenue for celebrating the outer view and the inner person—the landscape surrounding us, the streets where we spend our daily lives, and private life of the spirit, the soul, expressing our fears and joys, our failures and our dreams. The Peninsula is alive with a myriad opportunities to experience art, both as observer and as creator.

Throughout the year a variety of arts festivals celebrate creative work in an outdoor setting. The Peninsula also offers a vibrant mix of galleries, public art and artist groups that provide something engaging to do all throughout the year. There are ample opportunities to see new work by local artists as well as work by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists and to gain new creative skills or insights through classes or critique groups.

One of the best arts festivals in the United States is the Kings Mountain Art Fair held on Labor Day weekend in the beautiful redwoods along Skyline Boulevard in Woodside. This September 2-4 the fair will celebrate its 43rd year with 135 juried artists displaying and selling paintings, sculpture, jewelry and other types of art, plus 25 artists from the surrounding community in the Mountain Folk Art section. You can enjoy the peace of the forest as well as the beauty of the art.

Other festivals bring in a mix of music and food along with the art. Among the well-established festivals are Burlingame's Art in the Park in Washington Park (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 10

and 11) in Washington Park at 850 Burlingame Ave.; Menlo Park's Connoisseur's Marketplace (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 15-16) along Santa Cruz Avenue; the Millbrae Art & Wine Festival (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 2 and 3) along Broadway Avenue; and the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15) along Main Street.

While the festivals bring in artists as a temporary special occasion, there is a wealth of public art on view night and day every day of the year. The South San Francisco Cultural Arts Commission and City Arts of San Mateo have printed guides to the sculptures and murals outdoors in their respective cities. You can use the guides as a resource to map out your own art exploration adventure. South San Francisco's "Guide to Art in Public Places" is available by calling (650) 829-3800; The City Arts "Art in Public Places" map and guide is available at City Hall at 330 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo. The guides also are available at ARTshare.

Art walks are another way to enjoy a variety of art while strolling through town. Several Half Moon Bay galleries have collaborated to present Third Saturday Art Walks. From 4 to 8 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month you can stroll Main Street in downtown Half Moon Bay (after a jaunt over to the Dayle Dunn Gallery at 337 Mirada Road, where postcard guides to the other galleries are available) and enjoy refreshments, live music, artist receptions and artist demonstrations as well as the art on view. Downtown venues include Borsini-Burr, Coastal Arts League, Galleria Luna, Gallery M, Vibrantz, Courtyard Gallery, Personal FX and SoCo Gallery.

The Djerassi Resident Artists Program in Woodside offers guided tours of its grounds and sculptures (advance registration required). Take a "Walk in the Wild" and trek trails through the hills while seeing dozens of sculpted works created by artists who enjoyed residencies at the acclaimed program.

For a more urban experience, downtown Burlingame has several galleries within a walking radius, although they are not formalized into an "official" art walk. The 1212 Gallery, The Studio, Quent Cordair Fine Art and The Gallery represent a variety of artists and media.

The Peninsula is home to a number of respected galleries and art centers presenting a regular schedule of exhibits. The Portola Valley Art Gallery is situated in a wooded setting, with fragrant coeanothus and stately oaks along the path to the front door. Its 16 member artists include painters, photographers and potters.

Just up the road is a new gallery, SPUR Projects, begun by Jessica and Frank Lonergan as "an outpost for contemporary art," offering a program of exhibitions featuring work by emerging, mid-career and established artists working in media from painting and installation art to sculpture and video. The rustic building was formerly Jan's Valley Inn and, before that, Maloney's Bar.

Redwood City Art Center is a 10,000-square-foot space with three galleries for exhibitions and studios where resident artists work in a variety of media, from Chinese brush painting to murals to electronic arts. The center also offers classes in a number of disciplines for children and adults.

The Main Gallery, in a Victorian cottage, is now "home" for 22 juried artists whose work is on display in rooms large and small. Colorful and whimsical clay creations are joined by haunting photographs, intricate collaged works, paintings and more.

The Caldwell Gallery in the County Government Center features large works by San Mateo County artists. In May and June "Brush with Science" is showing work by Julie Newdoll; in July and August the exhibit will feature paintings by former jockey Tom Chapman.

In Belmont's Twin Pines Park, the Peninsula Museum of Art presents an ongoing schedule of exhibitions and lectures and also maintains a library of art books and periodicals that can be used on-site. In December 2005 the museum received a gift of one million dollars from Charles Homer, a donation launching the building fund to "grow" a new cultural facility. Through July 16 the museum is showing "Dangerous Visions," featuring work by winners and finalists in the 2006 Ultimate Eye Foundation competition. That will be followed by "Interweavings," a show of tapestries and wall works by Karin Moggridge and sculpture by Stuart Harwood opening on July 30.

Also in the Twin Pines Art Center is an intimate gallery curated by the Belmont Arts Council and the offices of ARTshare, the council of the arts for San Mateo County. On the second and third floors of the manor house are artist studios.

A few blocks up Ralston Avenue is the Wiegand Gallery at Notre Dame de Namur University. The gallery presents exhibitions of California and Bay Area 20th century art in a charming stone building that originally was the carriage house on the Ralston estate.

Continue up Ralston Avenue and you will find the 1870 Art Center. Formerly an elementary school, the complex has studios where 27 artists create their work and a gallery offering a regular schedule of exhibitions. Through June 11 the gallery presents "Passing Strange," a group show of fun and weird art by 1870 artists participating in Silicon Valley Open Studios held May 20 and 21. Many of the artists also offer classes.

ARTshare 25 in San Mateo is a second floor gallery featuring work by San Mateo County artists. The skylit gallery is a collaboration with the Peninsula Library System. Through June 29 it is showing the black and white photographic series "In Search of Fertility" by Tanya Lin Jaffe.

The Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica has artist studios and three galleries. Its two smaller galleries feature work by local artists and students, while the Main Gallery presents juried exhibits of 2D and 3D work. Among its special celebrations are Earth Day in April and Arts on Fire in February.

The Coastal Arts League in Half Moon Bay maintains a free museum and a museum store to showcase the talent of Coastside artists and arts groups. Exhibitions show sculpture, paintings, photography and ceramic work throughout the year. Annual juried competitions are part of its programs.

A number of other spaces provide regular exhibits. The San Mateo City Hall Gallery, curated by City Arts, shows a variety of work by Bay Area artists.

Mission Hospice shows work in its Pierre Salmon Gallery.

Linden Station in South San Francisco is a former paint factory that has been turned into artist studios. There is no gallery, but studio visits can be arranged on an individual basis.

The Lobby Gallery in the Burlingame Recreation Center shows work by the Burlingame Art Society and art instructors.

The Foster City Art Gallery in the Foster City Recreation Center exhibits work curated by the Foster City Arts and Culture Committee.

The Mercy Center in Burlingame presents several free exhibits throughout the year, including photography, fabric art, paintings and collage.

The Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park is a beautiful and historic setting of colorful gardens and Spanish architecture where artist studios, shops and a restaurant operate year-round.

In Pacifica, the Janice Rowell Gallery showcases contemporary American art and crafts.

Artists living and working on the Peninsula have several options for groups to offer support and critiques of their work and to stimulate new ideas and new directions. Meetings are open to the public, with visitors welcome.

The Sequoia Art Group, which has been active for 46 years, is one of the oldest on the Peninsula. It meets the fourth Friday of the month, with a artist demonstration following a brief business meeting. At the May meeting, Jane Hofstetter will demonstrate Yupo, a new plastic watercolor paper. In June, Myrna Wacknov will demonstrate a method that combines watercolor and pastel. Members include those just beginning their artistic endeavors to those with 35 years of experience. Program Chair Catherine Delfs notes, "We never stop learning."

Thirty and One Artists meets the Second Wednesday at the San Mateo Senior Center. In addition to demonstration meetings, the group does a cable television show which includes live painting demonstrations. "Paint outs," short-duration painting trips to various locales, are another activity of the group.

Other active groups include the Menlo Art League, Burlingame Art Society, Society of Western Artists, Peninsula Camera Club and Focus Photographic Society.

Links to a variety of local, state and national arts organizations, funders and media are available online at http://www.artshare.org.

1212 Gallery
1212 Donnelly Ave., Burlingame 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays or by appointment (650) 342-1222 http://www.1212gallery.com 30 and 1 Artists
Meets second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the San Mateo Senior Center 2645 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo (650) 573-9832 (Gay Gentry) 1870 Art Center
1870 Ralston Ave., Belmont Gallery hours 1 to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays or by appointment (650) 595-9679 http://www.1870artcenter.org Allied Arts Guild
75 Arbor Road, Menlo Park (650) 322-2405 http://www.alliedartsguild.org ARTshare
10 Twin Pines Lane Belmont (650) 591-2101 http://www.artshare.org ARTshare 25 Gallery
32 W. 25th Ave., San Mateo 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (650) 591-2101 http://www.artshare.org Belmont Arts Council
Parlor Room Gallery 10 Twin Pines Lane Belmont noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 1 to 4 p.m. weekends (650) 591-6950 Burlingame Art Society
Meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. (except July and August) at Lions Hall, 990 Burlingame Ave. (side door) (650) 342-0684 (Charles Bettencourt) or (650) 344-5814 (Kay Johnson) Caldwell Memorial Gallery
400 County Center, Redwood City 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (650) 591-2101 http://www.artshare.org City Arts of San Mateo
San Mateo City Hall Gallery 330 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo Gallery hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (650) 522-7522 ext. 2787 http://www.cityarts-sm.org Coastal Arts League Museum
300 Main St. #3 and 6, Half Moon Bay 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays (October through May), noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays (June through September) (650) 726-6335 http://www.coastalartsleague.com Djerassi Resident Artists Program
2325 Bear Gulch Road, Woodside For tours call (650) 747-1250 http://www.djerassi.org Focus Photographic Society
Meets the second, third and fourth Mondays of each month at 8 p.m. (except December) at San Carlos City Hall, 600 Elm St., San Carlos Foster City Art Gallery
Foster City Recreation Center 650 Shell Blvd., Foster City (650) 286-3215 The Gallery
329 Primrose Road, Burlingame 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays (650) 347-9392 http://www.thegalleryart.net Half Moon Bay Art Walk
Third Saturday of every month from 4 to 8 p.m. (650) 726-4795 (Lillie Barrows) Janice Rowell Gallery
450 Dondee Way #11, Pacifica noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays or by appointment (650) 355-5060 http://www.janicerowellgallery.com Kings Mountain Art Fair
13889 Skyline Blvd. (Highway 35), Woodside 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Labor Day weekend (September 2, 3 and 4); breakfast served at 8 a.m. (650) 851-2710 http://www.kingsmountainartfair.org Linden Station
160 S. Linden Ave., South San Francisco (916) 257-3600 http://www.chaseboudreaux.com/linden.html Lobby Gallery
850 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and most Saturday mornings (650) 558-7300 The Main Gallery
1018 Main St., Redwood City 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends (650) 701-1018 http://www.themaingallery.org Menlo Art League
Meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Menlo Park Recreation Center, Menlo Park Mercy Center
2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (650) 340-7474 Northern California Council of Camera Clubs
http://www.n4c.org Peninsula Camera Club
Meets the first, third and fourth Tuesday of each month from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Central Park Recreation Center, Room A, 50 E. 5th Ave., San Mateo http://www.peninsulacameraclub.com Peninsula Museum of Art
10 Twin Pines Lane, Belmont Gallery hours noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 1 to 4 p.m. weekends Library hours 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays (650) 654-4068 or (650) 594-1577 http://www.peninsulamuseum.org Peninsula Open Studios
(650) 964-0494 http://www.PeninsulaOpenStudios.org Pierre Salmon Gallery
Mission Hospice 151 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (650) 554-1000 Portola Valley Art Gallery
765 Portola Road, Portola Valley 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays (650) 851-1563 http://www.portolavalleyartgallery.com Quent Cordair Fine Art
346 Lorton Ave., Burlingame 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily or by appointment (866) 267-3247 http://www.cordair.com Redwood City Art Center
2625 Broadway, Redwood City 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (650) 369-4096 Sanchez Art Center
1220 Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica Gallery hours 1 to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays (650) 355-1894 http://www.sanchezartcenter.org Sequoia Art Group
Meets fourth Friday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City (650) 369-6456 (Catherine Delfs) Silicon Valley Open Studios
(888) 330-6177 http://www.svos.org Society of Western Artists
Meets the third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m. (except July, August and December) at the SWA Center, 300 Piedmont Ave., Building E, Suite 500, San Bruno (707) 939-8039 (Brennie Brackett) South San Francisco
http://www.ci.ssf.ca.us SPUR Projects
888 Portola Road, Portola Valley 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and by appointment (650) 529-2040 http://www.SpurProjects.com The Studio
244 Primrose Road, Burlingame 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays (650) 344-1378 http://www.thestudioburlingame.com Twin Pines Art Center
10 Twin Pines Lane, Belmont noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 1 to 4 p.m. weekends Wiegand Gallery
Notre Dame de Namur University 1500 Ralston Ave., Belmont noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Closed during summer. (650) 508-3595 http://www.ndnu.edu