Sonoma Student Creative Artist Award winner Rue Gobbée featured at Arts Guild exhibit

Sonoma Valley High School graduate Rue Gobbée will be featured in the newly refreshed Arts Guild of Sonoma gallery during a two-week exhibit from Aug. 3–14.

Gobbée is the 2022 winner of the Student Creative Artist Award scholarship and will major in graphic communications at Cal Poly focusing on visual design in production, management, packaging and advertisement. In addition to Ms. Gobbée’s work, the 2D and 3D art of 25 Arts Guild of Sonoma members will be on display.

With only a few weeks to go before she heads to Cal Poly, Gobbée will be the guest of honor at the Saturday, Aug. 6, reception, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Arts Guild of Sonoma at 140 E. Napa St. The reception is open to the public and is the first community show of her work, featuring package design, editorial cartoons, digital illustrations and more. The exhibit will be in the front gallery of the Arts Guild of Sonoma and is funded by the Sonoma Plein Air Foundation. Refreshments will be served, and live music performed by Big Luv.

Describing herself as the “art girl” at school, Gobbée admitted, “I had no idea of the extent of my passion until I began to physically draw on a screen…I’m now certain this is what I want to do for the rest of my life: create and design with everything from a pencil to the latest technology. I am thankful for the guidance of my SVHS teacher, Mr. Andy Mitchell, who introduced me to digital art.”

Gobbée hopes someday to “help individuals, nonprofit organizations, causes and ethically sound companies speak to the world in visual ways, drawing metaphorically and explaining visually.”

Constance Schlelein of the Sonoma Cultural and Fine Arts Commission said, “We were impressed with Gobbée ’s initiative and drive. When Gobbée was able, during the pandemic, to work on a tablet, the light bulb just clicked on. She had found her perfect art medium. She explained to CFAC that her work just took off when she had the right tools for her vision. We are pleased to have awarded her the Creative Student Artist Award in hopes that she will use the funds for materials and the furtherance of her artistic abilities, education, and career.”

Christine Gonsalves of the Arts Guild of Sonoma said, “This show comes at a great time when the Arts Guild has just upgraded its displays, lighting, and interior, continuing our reputation as a significant Sonoma showcase of 2D and 3D works by local artists. This show supports young talent in Sonoma using new mediums and expanding the definition of art today.”

Sonoma Plein Air Foundation boardmember and Sonoma Treasure Artist Pat Meier-Johnson said, “This show of fresh new digital art demonstrates that arts education in Sonoma Valley schools and organizations can develop lifelong skills that enrich the individual student as well as the communities the student touches. As we have done in the past with the middle and high school exhibits at the Arts Guild of Sonoma, we are pleased to provide funding for this show and enable the public to easily enjoy new student art.”

Contact editor/publisher Emily Charrier at emily.charrier@sonomanews.com.