The Museum and Gift Shop are open during Main street road work!
As of wednesday, august 13, both lanes of main street are open to traffic with full access to the museum’s driveway and parking lot.
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Our
Next
Events
Klaktuuk, the Polar Bear by Gene North
Now on View
the art of wonder
Friday, May 23 through October 19
In this new exhibition organized by the Grace Hudson Museum, we present artworks in diverse media, authored by fifteen contemporary Mendocino County artists, that evoke a sense of wonder. The wonder could emanate from the subject matter or by the style or approach by which it’s rendered. It may also be caused by an unusual treatment of materials, leading one to ask, ”how did the artist do that?” Viewers will find art that may connect one to a place of spirituality, to the rhythms of nature, or to pondering the particles and energy that comprise the building blocks of our universe. Some of the art may stimulate in the viewer a fleeting moment of clarity around the mysteries of life, love, and other deep emotions, maybe even to a stronger appreciation for our shared humanity.
Learn more about The Art of Wonder from the Ukiah Daily Journal article that appeared online June 19 an in print on June 24. Click UDJ ARTICLE.
Mendo Evening by Antoinette von Grone
gala 2025:
The wonder of it all
Saturday, September 20
5:00 to 8:00 PM.
Join us for the Grace Hudson Museum's biggest and most festive fundraiser of the year. All proceeds from this event will support Museum exhibitions, public programs, education outreach, collections care, and upkeep of Grace Hudson's historic home and studio, the Sun House.
The theme for this year’s Gala is The Wonder of It All, which ties directly to our current special exhibition, The Art of Wonder, on view at the Museum through October 19. To find a museum of quality such as the Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House in a largely rural county is unexpected, astonishing, and nothing short of wonderful; and it is an inspiring tribute to a community which supported its creation and its growth over decades. Guests to our Gala will enjoy a live auction, catering by Garbocci Gourmet Catering , plentiful libations, live music, and the company of old and new friends
Tickets can be purchased online by clicking on the button below. You can also pay by mail, in person, or by phone at (707) 467-2836.
Painting Icons
Saturday August 23
2:00 to 3:15 PM
Hear Father Damian speak about the tradition of Eastern Orthodox iconography and his practice of creating iconographic art. A window into the heavenly realm, icons have a storied history and deep spiritual meaning. Father Damian serves as the Abbot at the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Redwood Valley. See his work in The Art of Wonder.
Lauren Sinnott
writers read: ukiah’s literary salon
Thursday, August 28, 2025
7:00 to 9:00 PM
Writers Read returns from its July hiatus with featured reader for August, Lauren Sinnott. Lauren is a fine artist, historian, and writer based in Point Arena. Ukiah became her second home while painting the block-long history mural on the Church Street side of the Ukiah Valley Conference Center over a four-year period. Lauren earned a BA, BFA, and MA in art and history at Rice University in Houston and has since made a living as a painter, seamstress, and designer. Her poetry is about this life, our culture and history, plus humor.
Writers Read has been happening in Ukiah since 1999, and occurs on the last Thursday of almost every month. The program focuses on poetry, spoken word, short stories, song, and expository prose. The evening typically begins with a featured reader and then is followed by an hour of open mic starting around 8:00.
There is no fee, but donations are warmly appreciated.
video recording
the man behind the brush: landscape artist ray stanford strong
The video recording of Mark Humpal’s presentation about Ray Strong can now be found on the VIDEO ARCHIVE page of our website. In this illustrated talk, Mark shares the story of Ray Strong’s long life: from his childhood in Oregon to his final years in Three Rivers, California. Along the way, he discusses Strong’s teachers, mentors, collaborators, and major accomplishments. The original in-person presentation took place at the Grace Hudson Museum on September 7, 2024, the day after the opening of Earth Portraiture: Ray Strong’s Northern California Landscapes, for which Mark served as guest curator. You can also access the video by clicking HERE.
This video was recorded and edited by Fuller Digital Media.
deep roots,
spreading branches
virtual programs
We are delighted now to have all three video programs that accompanied the exhibition Deep Roots, Spreading Branches: Fine Woodworking from the Krenov School, accessible to watch on the VIDEO ARCHIVE page of our web site. The videos include:
The Student Experience at the Krenov School, through the eyes and memories of former students Tim Coleman, Taimi Barty, John Shaw, and Phoebe Kuo. They also discuss their pieces that were included in the exhibition.
Through the Years: Insights from Krenov Instructors, in which you’ll learn about the beginnings and evolution of the Krenov School of Fine Woodworking from Creighton Hoke, who helped get the school started; David Welter, shop manager and ad hoc instructor for 30 years; and Laura Mays, the school's current director and lead instructor.
The Song and Dance: Krenov’s American Dreams. This features Krenov biographer Brendan Gaffney discussing the inspiration and circumstances that led James Krenov to Mendocino County, and to the establishment of a fine woodworking program in Fort Bragg.
Greenfield Ranch, Easter 1977
Promise of Paradise
Back to the Land Oral Histories of Mendocino County, on KZYX website
The Grace Hudson Museum is a proud supporter of this important oral history project. The weekly broadcasts have concluded, but you can still listen to all the episodes by clicking here for the Promise of Paradise archive on KZYX.
And to learn more about how it all got started click here to check out Jerry Karp’s November 2018 article in the Anderson Valley Advertiser.
Grace Hudson in the Sun House, 1912.
We are proud that Grace Hudson is featured in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s recent blog about
ten women who have given significantly to the world of art. All are affiliated with a historic artist's home in the
Historic Artists Homes and Studios program, of which the Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House is a founding member. Check it out!
https://savingplaces.org/stories/10-women-who-influenced-historic-artists-homes#.WqqHvsPwa70
Rufous Hummingbird and Scarlett Fritillary
Photograph by Rob Badger and Nita Winter
And in June, the National Trust for Historic Preservation website featured the Museum in an article
on our spring exhibition, Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change,
which ran from February 10 to June 17th. Read the article HERE!
Click on images or text for more information.
The galleries
Short-term exhibits in The Main Gallery highlight contemporary art, Native American cultures, Western American history, historic California art and local natural history. Permanent collections showcase Grace Hudson’s art; her family’s history; and Pomo culture and basketry.
the wild gardens
An outdoor Art and Education center is under development on the museum grounds. Located in a parklike setting, The Wild Gardens features native plant gardens with exhibits and art that teaches about our local environment and how Pomo Indian people managed this landscape.
the sun house
The Hudson’s charming 1911 redwood Craftsman bungalow home, the Sun House sits adjacent to the Museum and is available for docent-led tours. More than a century old, The Sun House allows visitors a glimpse into the Hudsons’ Bohemian lifestyle.
The Grace Hudson Museum highlights regional art, culture and natural history in the tradition of an extraordinary family – that of Ukiah native and nationally admired artist Grace Carpenter Hudson (1865-1937), her ethnologist husband, Dr. John W. Hudson (1857-1936) and her pioneering forebears. We provide opportunities for cultural engagement, art appreciation, historical reflection and hands-on learning.
