Trygstad this year’s Treasure Artist

With bold, surrealist art made from found objects, Thena Trygstad’s signature style can be spotted from across a room. A bird cage becomes a hollowed-out doll and a fish is transformed into a wheeled contraption with her unique artistic touch.

But it was her efforts to make art accessible to all youth, regardless of their financial status, that earned her the title of Sonoma’s Treasure Artist of the Year. Presented by the Cultural and Fine Arts Commission, the award honors local artists who, in addition to promoting the arts, help enrich the Valley with their commitment to their craft.

“We had a number of gifted artists to consider, but after considerable discussion, the commission voted to select Trygstad in recognition of both her talent and her contributions to the Sonoma art community,” said Lisa Carlsson, chair Cultural and Fine Arts Commission.

Trygstad’s contributions to the community can be felt most strongly at Artescape Sonoma, which provides professional, free or low-cost art instruction to students in under-served neighborhoods. Located in Boyes Hot Springs, classes cover more than just painting and drawing, and have included book arts, paper arts, calligraphy, photography, cartooning, recycled and upcycled art, encaustic painting, sculpture, floor cloths, mosaics and more. Trygstad helped launch the nonprofit two years ago and has worked tirelessly to see it thrive, and hundreds of students have benefited from her tutelage.

In addition, she is president of the Arts Guild of Sonoma, the oldest artists’ collective in the state. She has also served as a guest instructor at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, and has mentored young artists on her own time. She helps to facilitate Sonoma’s popular Journey Book workshops, which invites people of all ages to tap into their artistic side using their own lives as inspiration.

In her letter of nomination, Barbara Jacobson, a Treasure Artist in 2012, wrote, “She (Trygstad) is a fine artist, teacher and craftswoman. I can think of no one more qualified, and would be honored to have her chosen as the 2014 Treasure Artist.”

The commission will host a reception to honor Trygstad in the coming months. Details of the reception will be announced when they become available.

Launched in 1983, Sonoma’s Treasure Artist program has been pointing the spotlight at local talent since 1983. Past recipients have included Linus Maurer, MFK Fisher, Norton Buffalo, Stanley Mouse, Kate Kennedy, Roger and Diana Rhoten, Cynthia Hipkiss, Chester Arnold, Dennis Ziemienski and Keith Wicks. In 2013, musician David Aguilar held the title.

For additional information, contact City Clerk Gay Johann, 933-2216.