Page 8 | Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties

Your Letters, Aug. 5

Letters to the Editor

Aug 4, 2026

Parking Lark

Parking in Sonoma County has become a feast-or-famine proposition, except the feast is usually happening somewhere you aren’t.

In Petaluma, finding a downtown parking spot now requires the patience of a monk, the eyesight of a hawk and the predatory instincts of someone circling a Costco sample tray. Drivers creep along at 4 miles per hour, scanning for brake lights and preparing to duel anyone who appears to be walking toward a parked car.

Sebastopol is no better. Parking there feels less like transportation infrastructure and more like an escape-room challenge. You may enter town freely, but whether you can ever stop the vehicle remains unclear.

Then there is Santa Rosa, where parking garages seem to reproduce when nobody is looking. The city has accumulated so much parking that it is reportedly getting rid of a garage. How extravagant you are, throwing away parking like that.

I propose we simply rename the experience. In Petaluma and Sebastopol, we are not “looking for parking.” We are participating in a mobile scavenger hunt. In Santa Rosa, meanwhile, drivers are touring an extensive collection of available concrete.

Somewhere between no place to park and more parking than anyone apparently needs, there must be a happy medium. Please tell me so.

Cassady Caution
Petaluma

Kapow

If you wish to catch up on your summer reading, may I suggest DC Finest: Wonder Woman: Enter the Cheetah, a reprinting of classic Wonder Woman comics from the 1940s.

In the first story, “Amazon Unbound,” originally published in July 1943, Wonder Woman fights Dr. Psycho, a depraved lunatic criminal mastermind whose bunkum is believed by millions.

Dr. Psycho holds a seance and summons a fake George Washington made of ectoplasm who spews forth Dr. Psycho’s perverted and self-serving version of the American narrative, chock-full of straight white male supremacist propaganda. But, in reality, Dr. Psycho and his evil henchmen are Nazis. Sound familiar?

David Madgalene
Windsor

Strategy of Strife: When Diplomacy Becomes Part of the War

Open Mic

Sophia Gonzalez

Aug 4, 2026

Strategy of Strife: When Diplomacy Becomes Part of the War

On July 10, President Donald Trump announced something that should have stopped Washington in its tracks: The United States would continue negotiations with Iran, but the ceasefire was over.

That announcement does not describe a temporary contradiction. It describes an emerging doctrine.

For generations, Americans were told that diplomacy and war were different roads. Diplomacy was supposed to keep armies from moving, create room for compromise and end violence already underway. Military force, by contrast, was the failure of that process—or at least its last resort. The Trump administration is erasing that distinction. It is treating talks and attacks as instruments that can be used at the same time, against the same country, for the same political objective.

The result is diplomacy without peace.

Listen to the language coming from Washington. Talks are no longer presented as a protected space where violence is suspended so difficult choices can be made. They are presented as another deadline, another test of obedience, another brief interval before the next strike. The question is rarely, “What would make an agreement durable?” It is more often, “How much pressure will force an agreement now?” That may produce a signature. It does not necessarily produce peace.

There is a familiar argument behind this approach: Bombing creates leverage, leverage produces concessions and negotiations provide a respectable place to collect them. But this logic quietly changes the purpose of diplomacy. Once that happens, war no longer interrupts diplomacy. War becomes part of diplomacy’s normal machinery.

This is dangerous for a simple reason: Negotiations require some minimum belief that restraint will be reciprocated. When one side is talking while also striking, blockading and publicly threatening more destruction, every diplomatic exchange takes place under a ticking clock. A proposal is no longer judged only on its merits. It is judged under fear of what may be hit next.

Real diplomacy should reduce the role of force, not normalize it. A serious negotiating strategy would begin with a durable ceasefire, clear limits on military operations, congressional authorization for any continued hostilities and sustained mediation through credible third parties.

Those are not gifts to an adversary. They are safeguards against turning perpetual war into standard procedure.

The administration wants credit for talking while it keeps bombing. Americans should demand a higher standard.

Sophia Gonzalez is an American political analyst focusing on U.S. strategy, Middle East affairs and global security.

Swap, Sip, Stroll and Dance

Crush

Weeklys Staff

Aug 4, 2026

Point Reyes Station
Swap, Don’t Shop

Growing kids have a way of outgrowing everything except one’s budget. Marin Community Free Swaps offers a sustainable alternative with its seasonal Kids’ Fall Clothing Swap, where families can exchange gently used children’s clothing, shoes, backpacks, baby gear and school essentials—no purchase necessary. The volunteer-run event operates on a simple philosophy: Bring what one can; take what one needs. Whether one is donating, browsing or both, the swap keeps usable items out of the landfill while helping neighbors prepare for the school year and cooler weather. Strollers, furniture and toys can be left at home—they’ll have their own day. 10am–noon, Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Dance Palace Community Center, 503 B St., Point Reyes Station. Free. More information at taplink.cc/mcfs.

Healdsburg
Festa Italia

A taste of Italy arrives in Dry Creek Valley when Festa Italia di Healdsburg returns to Orsi Family Vineyards for an afternoon celebrating California-grown Italian grape varieties. More than 15 wineries will pour wines inspired by Italy’s legendary vineyards, while San Francisco favorite A16 fires up wood-oven pizzas, fresh seasonal salads and cannoli alongside handcrafted gelato from Gio Gelati. The festival pairs food and wine with live music and relaxed Wine Country hospitality, proving that Italian tradition has found a comfortable second home in Sonoma County. General admission tickets are available at a discounted rate with the promotional code EARLYBIRD26. Noon–3:30pm (VIP admission 11am–noon), Sunday, Aug. 16, at Orsi Family Vineyards, 2306 Magnolia Dr., Healdsburg. Tickets and more information at festaitaliahbg.com.

Petaluma
Living Earth

Australian artist Tracy Marie Shapland sees landscapes less as places than as emotional states. Her new exhibition, VISIONS OF THE LIVING EARTH: where the land remembers us, transforms the walls of Usher Gallery into a colorful meditation on memory, travel and the natural world, blending botanical forms, wildlife and imagined environments inspired by both Western Australia and Northern California. Working intuitively rather than from rigid plans, Shapland creates vibrant paintings that celebrate the connections between people, place and imagination. The opening reception offers a chance to meet the artist while enjoying local wine, refreshments and live music by the Loralee Christensen Combo. Exhibition runs Aug. 11–Sept. 6 at Usher Gallery, 1 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Opening reception 5–8pm, Saturday, Aug. 15. Free. More information at ushergallerypetaluma.com.

San Rafael
Downtown Dance

Downtown San Rafael becomes one big dance floor when Dancing Under the Lights returns for its third annual celebration of music, food and community. Fourth Street closes to traffic and opens to live entertainment, beginning with young performers from School of Rock before free salsa lessons with Salsa Dance Marin get everyone moving. The evening culminates with Bay Area party band Neon Velvet, while local restaurants, food trucks, craft beer from Pond Farm Brewing Co., Far West Cider Co. cider, an artist marketplace and family activities keep the festivities going between songs. Whether one is there to dance or simply soak up the summer atmosphere, it’s a lively reminder of what makes downtown San Rafael shine. 5–9pm, Friday, Aug. 7, on Fourth Street between A Street and Lootens Place, San Rafael. Free. More information at downtownsanrafael.org.

Local Hand at the Helm: Jason Nutt Appointed as Santa Rosa Interim City Manager

Daedalus Howell

Aug 4, 2026

Local Hand at the Helm: Jason Nutt Appointed as Santa Rosa Interim City Manager

Santa Rosa is a city of nearly 180,000 people that occasionally forgets how big it’s become. It may be the largest city in Sonoma County—and the fifth largest in the Bay Area—but it still carries itself like a small town.

Jason Nutt, Santa Rosa’s newly appointed interim city manager, understands the contradiction.

“It’s understanding sort of the fabric and nature of our community and knowing what it means when we say that we’re the biggest small town in Northern California,” Nutt said during a recent appearance on The Drive 95.5 FM with this reporter.

Nutt’s appointment took effect June 27, following the departure of interim city manager Lori Ann Farrell. Mayor Mark Stapp framed the City Council’s selection of Nutt in the simplest possible terms: “It was an easy choice.”

“Jason is our first local city manager in 30 years,” Stapp said—a distinction that may prove especially valuable as the city faces budget pressures, substantial infrastructure projects and a larger existential question about what kind of city it wants to become.

Nutt brings nearly three decades of public-agency experience to the position. His career includes senior leadership roles with the City of Novato and County of Sonoma, as well as serving as Santa Rosa’s director of Transportation and Public Works.

Since joining Santa Rosa’s executive leadership team in 2019, Nutt has overseen more than 500 employees and approximately $300 million in budgets. He also served as emergency operations director and acting city manager during the Kincade and Glass fires.

On air, Stapp described the division of labor between elected officials and professional city staff. Council members establish policy and direction, while the city manager and municipal staff determine how to put those decisions into practice.

“We rely on Jason Nutt and the team of experts that we have in the city to make the operational decisions,” Stapp explained.

Nutt has lived in Santa Rosa since 2000 and raised his family there. The advantage of local leadership, he said, begins with an instinctive knowledge of place—knowing the neighborhoods, understanding the community’s character and not having to look up Santa Rosa High School on a map.

“You still wanna go down the street and say hi to your neighbor because that’s the way Santa Rosa’s always been,” Nutt said.

His first priority, however, is less sentimental and more urgent.

“My first issue and interest is getting us fiscally stable,” Nutt noted. “I wanna make sure that we don’t have to do the whole budget evaluation as a negative every year.”

Santa Rosa is navigating declining sales-tax revenue, rising operating costs and staffing levels that Stapp said have fallen well below earlier benchmarks. Nutt’s appointment comes as the city develops a two-year financial strategy and considers how to preserve public safety, infrastructure and neighborhood services amid continuing budget pressures.

Yet Nutt’s vision extends beyond managing scarcity. He spoke enthusiastically about downtown entertainment, outdoor recreation, stronger partnerships with schools, expanded business opportunities and even the prospect of attracting a professional sports team.

“I wanna see us start to have fun, start to enjoy, not have to worry about the budget and really take care of the community that we serve,” he said.

That balance—between fiscal discipline and civic imagination—may define his tenure.

“This is a time for the city to catch its breath and look around and say, ‘OK, where are we now?’” Stapp observed.

With Nutt at the administrative helm, the answer may come from someone who already knows the streets, the neighborhoods and the peculiar character of a city that has grown large without entirely believing it.

Fruitful Frolic, Sebastopol’s Gravenstein Apple Fair

Don R. Lewis

Jul 28, 2026

Fruitful Frolic, Sebastopol’s Gravenstein Apple Fair

Since 1973, the esteemed Sonoma County Farm Trails has pulled together the cutest lil country fair in the area, the Gravenstein Apple Fair. This year’s festivities take place Aug. 8 and 9 at Ragle Ranch in Sebastopol.

While promising oodles of fun, the Gravenstein Apple Fair is also nonprofit Sonoma County Farm Trail’s primary annual fundraiser and a celebration of the namesake heirloom apple and Sonoma County’s rich agricultural heritage. All proceeds from the fair benefit Farm Trails’ year-round programs, initiatives and scholarships in service of keeping “Farms Forever” in Sonoma County.

Also worth noting, the fair is the winner of the North Bay Bohemian’s Best Festival 2019–2026, Best Art Event 2026 and Best Charity Event 2026. It’s also a leader in sustainable event production; the fair has been more than 95% Zero Waste since 2018.

While Farm Trails executive director Carmen Snyder enjoys putting on a festival that celebrates our farming community, she also takes the underlying messages of the fair very seriously. Snyder says, “Farm Trails and the Gravenstein Apple Fair are committed to strengthening farming and food systems and educating the public about the importance of investing in all things local to create a more resilient and vibrant community. We prioritize showcasing our Farm Trails members, and this year, more than 80 member farms and producers will be participating in some way, from Apple Alley to Zero Waste.”

Again, “Zero Waste” isn’t just a snappy catch-phrase, and Snyder has the stats to back this up. She notes, “We are industry leaders in sustainable event production, receiving county and statewide recognition.”

Indeed, The Gravenstein Apple Fair recently earned the 2026 California Resource Recovery Association’s Outstanding Practices in Venue and Event Resource Recovery Award and Sonoma County Tourism’s 2026 Sonoma County Stars of the Industry Award for Environmental Stewardship/Sustainable Practices. Snyder proudly states, “For 16,000 attendees last year, we sent only 2 cubic yards of trash to the landfill—roughly half of the back of a small pickup truck.”

The weekend includes many highlights—for starters, the UN has declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer. James Beard Award-winning radio personality, Made Local Magazine podcast host and local foods champion Clark Wolf will moderate a panel discussion about the importance of female farmers to our local food system.

Panelists include Caiti Hachmyer, Red H Farm, Celebrating Womxn’s Leadership in Food; Jennifer Bice, Redwood Hill Farm – Capracopia; Lynda Hopkins, Sonoma County supervisor and farmer; Randi Black, UCCE North Bay Dairy advisor; Sarah Keiser, Wild Oat Hollow Farm; and Yael Bernier, Bernier Farms.

Undoubtedly, food produced by these women and many other local farmers will be put to use in the Artisan Tasting Grove, “a moveable feast” where local farmers and artisan makers come together in an attempt to please the palate. This year, there’s also an added twist with “Chef Bites.” Snyder explains, “We’re excited for the new ‘Chef Bites’ offerings, which bring together producers and restaurants to highlight the wonderful ways chefs are utilizing local farm products.”

Snyder adds, “There will be three sets per day, in addition to the main tasting area with more than 40 farms and producers sampling their culinary, drink and wellness products, all in the magical shaded redwood grove.”

The “Chef Bites” appetizing Saturday lineup includes Goldfinch in collaboration with Deer Valley Daughters & Sabi Greens, Bayou on the Bay in collaboration with Hei Ma and Sebastopol’s venerable Handline in collaboration with West Marin’s hidden gem, Heidrun Meadery (note that the Artisan Tasting Grove requires a separate admission).

Still hungry? Sunday’s lineup triples down with Rocker Oysterfeller teaming up with Liberty Duck and Raft Wines, Sonoma Hand Pie with Eye Cider Works and Viva Joon (with Kiss the Flower Honey Co.).

The fair also offers live entertainment: Saturday features The Hubbub Club, LaiddBackZach, SoloRio, John Courage’s California Country, Audio Angel & Her Good Intentions, Mission Delirium and LA GENTE SF. Sunday sees The Love Choir, False Bottom Band, Marty O’Reilly (in a trio formation), Miko Marks, Sang Matiz and Royal Jelly Jive all performing live.

But perhaps the biggest attraction of the weekend is the annual apple pie baking contest, which is free to enter, and, more interestingly, open to all ages. Longtime local food writer, author and cook Stephanie Klassen, whose latest cookbook, A Little Taste of San Francisco, features recipes and illustrations showcasing the best of what the Bay Area has to offer, has herself won the contest and since joined the ranks of judges. We thought we’d tap into her expertise for some apple pie baking tips.

Klassen says, “This will be my third time as a judge at the Gravenstein Apple Fair’s Apple Pie Contest, so I’ve had the privilege of tasting a lot of amateur bakers’ best pies.” Her first, ahem, “piece” of advice is more of an overarching rule of thumb. She notes that “baking a great pie is a lot of work.”

But she also offers more tangible, veteran pie-making tips such as, “A fresh pie is the best pie,” and, “If possible, bake your pie early in the morning of the contest, allowing at least two or three hours for it to cool before the judging. Baking the night before is fine, too. Hot pie is soupy pie.”

Following this theme of timing, Klassen says, “Bake it for longer than you think.” She adds, “I’ve seen a lot of underbaked pies, where the crust is pale and bland and never got a chance to develop that beautiful golden-brown color and toasty-caramel flavor. Other tips to ensure a solid crust include using a metal or silicon crust shield, or placing a ring of aluminum foil over the crimped edge halfway through baking.”

While these tips are definitely helpful, her biggest tip might revolve around presentation. To this, she says, “Creativity is great, but does it truly serve the pie? Everyone’s ideal pie is different. But is an apple pie truly better for having grape jelly or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in it? Have fun, but also think about balance—crust, fruit and spices/sweetening all working together. If no one has ever put blue raspberry gummy worms into their pie filling before, there’s probably a reason for that.”

The Gravenstein Appel Fair runs 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8 and 9, Ragle Ranch Park, 500 Ragle Rd., Sebastopol. Ticket options at gravensteinapplefair.com.

Traveling Bard, Shakespeare Goes Site-Specific

Beulah F. Vega

Jul 28, 2026

Traveling Bard, Shakespeare Goes Site-Specific

In 2023, Los Angeles-based artist Nicola Vann wanted to do accessible, stripped-down Shakespeare that didn’t feel like an English class. She texted some friends, who texted others, and, like magic, assembled the first cast for a brand-new L.A.-based company: Bardfly Theatre.

“My family’s in Sonoma,” says Vann, as to what brings her theater north. “There seemed to be more demand than is met despite the numerous great theaters up here.”

Now for the second year, Bardfly’s performing in Kenwood and Santa Rosa with the Shakespeare comedy As You Like It.

“I wanted to do a show that has ties to nature,” notes Vann. “Plus it’s funny and has a lot of relevant themes.”

One of the things that sets Bardfly apart is the sense that there isn’t a barrier between the actors and the audience. “Bardfly is an immersive traveling production,” she explains. There are no lights or sets, and the blocking varies by venue.

“A certain amount of trust and improv are needed,” Vann says with a smile. For instance, this year for the two performances at Chateau St. Jean in Kenwood, the show will be presented in a traditional proscenium style, but when they move to Bees and Blooms in Santa Rosa, it will be in the round.

“We’re right in the middle of the lavender maze,” she points out. “It’s beautiful.”

So what should one expect if they go? “The show’s two hours,” says Vann. “We did truncate it, but it was a collaborative effort so nothing is lost that an actor might need to tell the story. There is also live music.”

The music is composed and performed by Robert Svetlik, an L.A.-based musician and actor in the show.

One thing to keep in mind is that the shows do not shy away from the Bard’s bawdiness. “It’s really PG-13,” says Vann of the show’s appropriateness. “But,” she continues, “the most important part is not to be afraid of Shakespeare.” She notes that her favorite part of the whole experience is when people come up to her after the show and say, “I usually hate Shakespeare, but this was fun.”

So if one is looking for a bawdy, funny musical adventure in two of the more beautiful places in a county known for its beauty, they may look no further than Bardfly.

Bardfly Theatre Co. presents ‘As You Like It’ at Chateau St. Jean, 8555 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, Thur, July 30 and Fri, July 31 at 7pm, and at Bees N Blooms, 3883 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa, Fri, Aug 1 and Sat, Aug 2 at 6:30pm. $35–$65. bardflytheatreco.com.

Technothriller: What a ‘Maligned Little Subgenre’ Tells Us About Our Tech Age

Joe Mulcaire

Jul 28, 2026

Technothriller: What a ‘Maligned Little Subgenre’ Tells Us About Our Tech Age

As Steven Spielberg once said, “All science fiction comes true. It just does.”

That’s what the filmmaker had to say about the relationship between science fiction and reality in a recent interview he gave to promote his new film, Disclosure Day.

It’s a provocative claim, and one that reminded me of Soraya Murray’s excellent new book, Technothriller: Film and the American Imagination.

In the book, Murray dives into popular films like The Andromeda Strain (1971), War Games (1983), The Hunt for Red October (1990) and many more to reveal how the technothiller film subgenre provides a unique vantage point into contemporary anxieties and assumptions about the growing role of technology in our lives.

I recently caught up with Murray—a former professor of mine from my days in the film and digital media department at UC Santa Cruz—to discuss Technothriller. I asked her what she thought of Spielberg’s bold proclamation that science fiction eventually comes true.

“I love the statement,” Murray said with a smile. “There is some truth to it.” Taken together, she added, the films suggest that science fiction can come true—not literally, with A.I. and robots taking over, but through the very real anxieties surrounding them. “We keep seeming to innovate toward our own destruction,” she noted, rather than considering how ethics might guide technological development.

Murray taught a course about technothriller films at UCSC for several years. The class, as she told me, revealed technothriller films as “a great touchstone for connecting with students about the increasing presence of computational, biotech and military tech in our everyday lives.”

She is aware that not everyone considers films like Rollerball (1975) or M3GAN (2022) worthy of serious consideration for what they have to say about power and technology.

“Some of these films are B-films, yes, but they facilitate conversations about things that are really hard and really frightening, like existential dread,” Murray said. In fact, she argues, it is “because people don’t respect them in the same kind of way” that technothriller writers and directors “can actually say a lot more because they’re operating a little bit under the radar of the kind of scrutiny of the more lauded kinds of film.”

Murray points to Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy as two writers who established many of the tropes and archetypes of the technothriller genre. She observes that these two men both grew up “in the shadow of the bomb … with that anxiety hanging over them for almost their entire lives” and subsequently spent decades reflecting American’s Cold War-era anxieties in their works of fiction.

Of course, Crichton and Clancy were themselves drawing from older myths; one merely has to look to Frankenstein, or even the tale of Prometheus, for evidence that we’ve always feared that reckless innovation could lead to disastrous unforeseen consequences. But even though it’s “really, really tough to let go” of some of these foundational narratives, Murray finds examples within the technothriller genre that “are telling counter-narratives, saying other things about what’s possible and trying to create other visions of what may be.”

One such film is Gareth Edward’s The Creator (2023), which stars John David Washington as a disillusioned American soldier who is tasked with taking down a female A.I. scientist and her most sophisticated creation, which takes the form of a human child.

Murray points out that The Creator is a rare example of a technothriller film in which the “innovator and its innovation are not locked in a despotic, negative father-son relation, but rather a caring mother-daughter relation. It seems like such a simple change to make, but it opens up a whole new world of conversation about what can be and how we can relate to our innovations.”

In writing the book, Murray aimed to bring the unique insights technothrillers provide to a broad audience. She noted, “I wanted to hold up this maligned little subgenre that I thought was really important to help us think about our lives right now… (These films) are beloved by audiences, and I wanted to say: This is why these films really matter; this is what I see in them; this is what I hope you’ll start to see in them yourself.”

Soraya Murray’s ‘Technothriller: Film and the American Imagination’ is available to order from the MIT Press Store, barnesandnoble.com or bookshop.org. More at sorayamurray.com.

Blame Game, Pointing Political Fingers

Open Mic

Robert Nuese

Jul 28, 2026

On July 16, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller gave an important speech in Washington, D.C. Miller exhorted “normal” Americans to aggressively act to counter a huge threat to America: left-wing terrorism.

Miller repeated the theme of a recent presidential memo, NSPM-7. His speech, and NSPM-7, are based on a big lie that there is a huge wave of left-wing terrorism engulfing our nation. The lie is easily exposed by simple research but may influence many Americans, as the administration is repeating it, over and over.

The truth is there is indeed a great deal of extremist political violence—but it is almost all being perpetrated by extreme right-wingers. According to figures compiled by the U.S. government, in this country since 2001, right-wing extremists have committed at least 15 times as many murders as left-wing extremists. Similarly, far more non-lethal violent acts have been committed by right-wingers. There are many examples—but a striking one occurred on January 6, 2021, when Trump’s far-right-wing friends injured 140 police officers as they invaded and vandalized the capital.

In his speech, Miller used the terms left-wing terrorists, left-wing extremists and leftists, as if these all meant the same thing. Similarly, Trump has recently been conflating the word “communist” with progressive, socialist and even mainstream Democrat.

There are only a handful of left-wing terrorists in the U.S. They are not a significant threat. There are plenty of leftists with strong views who might be called extremists but who firmly oppose violence—many of them are part of a feared fringe: pacifists. There are tens of millions of leftists in the United States. They are better citizens than Steven Miller, who in an early speech argued that high school students should not bother to pick up their trash.

Robert Nuese is a retired general and electrical contractor in Graton.

Artistic Acres: Erma Murphy, Director of O’Hanlon Center for the Arts

Cincinnatus Hibbard

Jul 28, 2026

Artistic Acres: Erma Murphy, Director of O’Hanlon Center for the Arts

The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts is a cluster. Found a long way down Throckmorton Avenue, its small buildings ascend the apex of Mill Valley in steps and stages. On a high ridge above, eucalyptus grows. They cooled and spiced my climb as I rose to meet Erma Murphy, who has led O’Hanlon for the past six years.

Two buildings in the cluster stand out, monolithically, parentally. They are the former art studios of the center’s two founders and spiritual leaders—Dick O’Hanlon, the sculptor, and Ann O’Hanlon, the painter and philosopher-teacher. With plantings of flowering natives, Dick O’Hanlon’s modernist steel and granite sculptures stud the three-acre property. Ann O’Hanlon’s words are carved above the center’s open doors: “Art cannot be taught, only Perception.”

When the couple died without children, the O’Hanlons’ will disclosed an act of true philanthropy—they gave their assets to the art community so that generations of people could find their artistic voices and artistic families in their home.

That is the offer director Erma Murphy and her nonprofit board maintain for everyone. Tuesday through Saturday, O’Hanlon is freely open to the public and hosts many free and paid art events (one may bring a sketch pad, as the sunlit art library is inspiring).

Art centers such as O’Hanlon are the few unmetered public spaces in this part of the world. And would I liken them to public libraries—free public space as essential to the liberated soul as libraries are to a liberated mind (in a democracy).

Erma Murphy, what’s the vibe of O’Hanlon?

It’s a place to play and not be intimidated by having to do it right, and I think that’s what makes us unique—besides our rustic location.

Erma, give us abundance—could you share some of your upcoming offerings of your galley-residency-school?

Perception workshops, where people can start their art practice. Ceramic workshops—we have ‘build your favorite bird’ coming up. Monoprint, which is very popular, starts in the fall. We have writing workshops: a memoir writing class, a Sumi class, a Matisse class—that one is all in French. Ink painting, Shibori dyeing—workshops all the time. We also do special events and music; we have Sunday salons, and exhibitions.

I really enjoy your artist talks. Erma, I understand that the center has 10 openings a year (and two digital) and about 200 classes—as well as rentals, residencies and youth camps. How do you and your staff do it?

I realize that my job is really about … (laughs) getting people to do things. I know what needs to be done; let’s find the right person for the job to make it happen.

Yes (laughs), delegation. How do you and your board keep so many offerings free?

In part through our membership. Having 300 members helps smooth our finances.

What’s the best part of the work?

When people drop off artwork for a show, seeing their excitement and building that community.

You have lent me a book produced by the students of Ann O’Hanlon. It consists of things she said in her classes. At your invitation, I will end with one: ‘You are the discoverer of your own artwork—not its maker. Look into what it is to find it. And it will reveal to you what you are.’

Learn more: Go to ohanloncenter.org to find out the many ways to join and contribute to this art community in Mill Valley. Erma Murphy suggests coming for a first Tuesday art walk on Aug. 4 for a rare showing of the paintings of Ann O’Hanlon.

Sacred Art, Stand-Up, Poetry and Summer Scenes

Weeklys Staff

Jul 28, 2026

Sacred Art, Stand-Up, Poetry and Summer Scenes

Mill Valley
Sacred Spaces

Ancestry, ritual and memory converge in Ancestral Kinship Unmasked, a new exhibition by Jacqueline López featured during the Mill Valley Art Walk. Born on the Paraguay-Brazil border, López draws on her Guaraní Indigenous and Hispanic-Portuguese heritage to create vivid acrylic paintings, ceremonial masks and mixed-media altars that explore healing, transformation and spiritual lineage. Inspired by her grandfather’s folk medicine practice and her mother’s tradition of dreams and visions, the immersive installation invites visitors into a contemplative space where past and present meet in acts of reverence and renewal. 5:30–7:30pm, Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Mill Valley Aquatics & Fitness Center, 180 Camino Alto. Free. shamanist.art

Sonoma
Valley Laughs

The punchlines return to Andrews Hall as Valley Laughs serves up another evening of stand-up courtesy of Smit Show Comedy. Bay Area favorite Cody Smit hosts a lineup led by Los Angeles headliner Kiry Shabazz, whose sharp, conversational style has earned him a win in the StandUp NBC competition and an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Featured comic Sean McKenzie opens with his trademark blend of clever writing and disarming charm, while proceeds from the night benefit Sonoma Community Center programs. One may arrive early for the Laugh Lounge, where ticket holders can grab a drink before the show. 7:30pm, Friday, Aug. 7, at Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. Doors and Laugh Lounge open at 6:30pm. $25. Ages 21+. sonomacommunitycenter.org.

Petaluma
Found Poets

Poetry steps off the page and onto the stage when Found Poets returns to The Big Easy with Petaluma’s own Anna Simson as headliner. A painter, teacher and mother, Simson draws on her Mexican and Estonian heritage to craft performances that blend wit, vulnerability and hard-earned truths about identity, family and modern life. She’ll be joined by an accomplished slate of poets, including civil rights advocate Bernice “Bere” Espinoza, educator and author Tonya Ward Singer, Chicana poet Anaid Carreño and Sonoma County Human Rights Commission chair Katrina Phillips. Expect an afternoon of spoken word that is designed to be equal parts intimate, provocative and inspiring. 3:30–6pm, Saturday, Aug. 1, at The Big Easy, 128 American Alley, Petaluma. $15; free for ages 18 and under. All ages (some mature content).

Sausalito
Paint the Town

The artists aren’t just hanging work on the walls—they’re making it in full view of the public. The Sausalito Center for the Arts turns the city into an open-air studio during its Plein Air Invitational, where painters fan out across the waterfront, parks and downtown to capture Sausalito’s iconic vistas in real time. Visitors can watch the creative process unfold before the finished paintings join a companion juried exhibition of California landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes inside the gallery. The festivities culminate with an opening celebration featuring awards for the top works and a chance to meet the artists. Plein air painting takes place Aug. 2–6 throughout Sausalito. Exhibition runs Aug. 5–27 at Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway. Opening reception and awards 4:30–7pm, Sunday, Aug. 9. Free. sausalitocenterforthearts.org.