As March ushers in spring, a new season full of the promise of brighter days and fresh blooms, Sacramento art spaces are brimming with fresh creative potential to match.
Allow your senses to experience the textures, colors and organic forms of nature with “Dreamscapes in Bloom,” a collaborative exhibition by local Sacramento artists Cara Gregor and Elise Mahan. Hosted at the Axis Gallery in Midtown, this exhibition celebrates art as “a practice of joy, grounding and creative escape,” according to Gregor. She says that both she and Mahan draw inspiration from “places we’ve been, places we call home, memories and dreams.”
With organic forms, including botanical motifs, the duo hopes to celebrate Spring and fuse their distinct mediums and styles into a cohesive experience. Mahan utilizes natural inks and watercolors on paper, while Gregor works with vibrant acrylic paints and mixed media on canvas. Together, their styles merge to create a gallery “blooming” with imaginative landscapes. The exhibit runs March 6–29, with a Second Saturday reception on March 14 from 5-8 p.m. During the reception, attendees will be able to make their own flower crown and engage with the exhibit by wearing bright or floral attire.
An artist talk and workshop will also be held on March 22 from 2-4 p.m., where the artists will
“lead a hands-on exploration of their creative processes.” An online description reads: “After a brief artist discussion, the group will then come together to make their own art. Inspired by flowers and natural elements foraged from nature and working with natural homemade inks, acrylic paints, and pens on watercolor paper, guests will be encouraged to create their own intuitive work of art. This workshop is about curiosity, experimentation, and connection rather than perfection. No prior art experience is needed, just a willingness to explore and bloom where you are.”
This ticketed event requires pre-registration online and costs $25.
Those with an appreciation of spring also know it’s not just a season of blooms, but also of sowing and preparing the land for summer and fall bounty. Spend time contemplating this effort while viewing the Sacramento History Museum’s latest exhibit, “Black Soil: Our Roots Run Deep.” This exhibit, created in partnership with the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum, honors the rich heritage of Black contributions to farming and agriculture in Sacramento and throughout California. Pairing historical education with contemporary creative expression, collaborators and artists from across the country will showcase their artwork in exhibits that honor the legacy of Black farming.
A day-long community celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, with half-price admission to the museum for the day. Enjoy a farmer’s market, crafts, cooking demonstrations, music and mingle with local farmers while observing the artistic, historical and culturally significant displays.
Artist contributors created unique new pieces from shovels, symbolizing “the toil of their enslaved ancestors,” according to the museum. The exhibition highlights the scientific and agricultural impact African Americans have had on food and agriculture, including tobacco, cotton, rice, peanuts and even ice cream.
Beyond the gallery wall
Fiber artists and collectors, this one’s for you. The annual Quilt Craft Sew Fest is returning to Sacramento’s Cal Expo, with a weekend of everything quilting, sewing and fiber arts on March 12-14. Organizers say it is their “biggest and best show yet,” with classes, workshops, fiber artists and craft supply vendors. This is a ticketed event, and $12 gets you admission all weekend. To purchase tickets and view show information, visit www.quiltcraftsew.com.
Comic books and cosplay might not be what comes to mind when you think of visual art, but the annual Sac Comic Con brings fresh opportunities to engage in distinct art forms that merge artistic skill, creativity and pop culture. With a charity art auction, speaker panels, costume contests and opportunities to meet and greet legendary comic artists and illustrators, this convention makes art collecting fun for anybody. Join the throngs of creators and enthusiasts at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For tickets and more information visit https://www.sac-con.com/
If you want to dive deeper into culturally significant art, you won’t want to miss the R.C.A.F. Influence Panel Discussion at Verge Center for the Arts on March 18. This discussion is part of ongoing programming celebrating and showcasing the legacy of the Royal Chicano Air Force activist art group with deep roots in Sacramento. The panel of seven contemporary artists — including Jesus Barraza, Xico González and Ruby Chacón — whose work is displayed alongside RCAF artists in the current “R.C.A.F: Mid Flight” exhibition, will share “personal stories of influence, collaboration and mentorship.”
According to organizers, the panel discussion will highlight “creative lineage, intergenerational exchange, and how the RCAF’s spirit continues to shape artistic voices today.” Registration is required and tickets are $10 for members, $20 for non-members.
Learn something new about agriculture, deep dive into an artist’s inspiration, or meet your illustration superhero; however you like to spend your creative time, Sacramento’s art scene this March offers more than just something to look at. Get inspired, try something new and “dig in.”
This story is part of the Solving Sacramento journalism collaborative. This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics, the city had no editorial influence over this story. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Hmong Daily News, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review and Sacramento Observer. Sign up for our “Sac Art Pulse” newsletter here.
By Marie-Elena Schembri
