please check us out on facebook, instagram, and you tube
for regular features and periodic news about the museum
Our
Next
Events
Klaktuuk, the Polar Bear by Gene North
Opening May 23
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.
Opening Reception, May 23 at 5:00 PM
Image courtesy of the de Young Museum, from Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm.
Image courtesy of the de Young Museum, from Matisse’s “Jazz” Unbound.
Image courtesy of the de Young Museum, from Isaac Julien: I Dream a World.
A Day at the de Young Museum
Bus Trip Organized by the Grace Hudson Museum
Saturday, June 21,
7:15 AM to 5:30 PM
Bus departs from Ukiah at 7:30 AM
Here’s a good way to kick off your summer! This year’s bus trip to the de Young Museum coincides with their special exhibition, Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm. This remarkable show features more than 250 personal photographs by Paul McCartney, along with video clips and archival materials, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the meteoric rise of the world’s most celebrated band. You’ll also have a chance to see Matisse’s “Jazz” Unbound, celebrating the de Young’s acquisition of Henri Matisse’s 1947 artist book on the circus and theater. It will be staged in conversation with other Matisse artist books from the de Young’s collection. And there’s Isaac Julien: I Dream a World, the first retrospective in the United States of the pioneering international video artist, Isaac Julien. Plus, you’ll have access to all of the de Young’s core galleries. Tickets include transportation and all de Young admission fees. Bring a lunch, or dine in the de Young's excellent café. Comfortable walking shoes highly recommended.
Tickets available through end of business on June 5. To purchase tickets online, click on the button below. You can also purchase in person at the Museum or by phone at (707) 467-2836. Please be aware: No Refunds after June 6, unless there is a waiting list.
Mendocino Evening by Antoinette von Grone
exhibition opening:
the art of wonder
Friday, May 23, 5:00 to 8:00 PM
Join us as we celebrate the opening of our latest exhibition, The Art of Wonder. Meet many of the artists who are included in the show, as well as some of the lenders. Brief remarks around 6:00.
Wine and other refreshments will be available. The reception is free and open to the public.
Denise Low
writers read: ukiah’s literary salon
Thursday, May 29, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
The featured reader for May is Denise Low, a former Poet Laureate of Kansas, and author of the recently-acclaimed House of Grace, House of Blood, (University of Arizona Press, 2024). Her essays, reviews, and poems appear widely, including recent offerings in Poetry Flash, New Letters, The Harvard Advocate, and The Nature of Our Times. Denise programs the Indigenous Voices series for The 222, an arts organization in Sonoma County, and she teaches online for Baker University, based in Kansas City. Learn more about Denise and her work at www.deniselow.net.
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 begins with a featured reader and then is followed by an hour of open mic starting around 8:00.
There is no admission fee but donations are warmly welcome.
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.
