Interactive, bilingual ‘Color of Emotion’ at Sonoma Ecology Center

Anna Senno and Olga de la Iglesia have come all the way from Europe to help Sonoma Valley heal.

Senno is a painter and videographer based in Paris, de la Iglesia a photographer from Spain – together they are bringing their interactive performance, “The Color of Emotion,” to town this weekend.

The first of the performances will be held at Sonoma Garden Park, on Saturday, and the second at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park on Sunday, both from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“All locals of high school age and older, particularly those still grappling with the memories of last year’s wildfires, are invited to attend either or both of these free, bilingual events,” said Don Frances of the Sonoma Ecology Center.

In the performances, participants are led to a private place where they change into all-white clothing provided by the artists. In a separate area, six buckets of paint are set out, each containing a different color associated with a different emotion: anger, acceptance, fear, joy, disgust and sadness, explained Frances. Then, under the guidance of the artists, participants paint themselves – their white clothes and even their skin. Afterward, a conversation is held between artists and participants, which is recorded and made into a short documentary by the artists, both of whom have film backgrounds.

Frances said that for the past week the artists have been in Sonoma developing a color palette – based on natural, locally sourced pigments and on the colors’ cultural meanings here in Sonoma.

The artists were invited to Sonoma by Ecology Center staff members, particularly Kim Jones, who met Senno in Paris, and Garland Lamb, who is sponsoring their residency in Sonoma. Lamb said she hoped the performances would be cathartic for Valley residents, and that she intends to help “build a tradition of art at Sonoma Garden Park and at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, both of which the Ecology Center stewards as places of connecting and healing.”

Child care will be provided at both of the free events.