Sonoma Community Center hosts free art day and open house

The Sonoma Community Center’s new fall arts programming will be introduced at its “Free Art Day & Open House,” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7. The annual event is an opportunity for community members to sample family-friendly art activities provided by the center, as well as have the chance to meet instructors of the upcoming fall classes.

The open house includes free ceramic studios where participants will be able to drop in and experience what it’s like to throw on a ceramic wheel or hand build with clay. A figure-drawing studio will be available for those interested in sketching, open to both beginners and advanced. And attendees of all ages will discover hands-on fabric crafts including a large-scale weaving project in the center’s fiber studio.

“More often than not I see residents surprised to find that the center offers even more than they imagined,” said fiber department head Eric Jackson in a press release announcing the event.

“This open house is the perfect day for everyone to see the full range of opportunities for themselves. Come explore, create and play.”

Included in the day’s scheduled activities are free ballet, tai chi, yoga and Pilates classes, a Free Spirits Gospel Choir performance, culinary demo and samples with Italian chef Maria Capdevielle, Gallery 212 art exhibition, kids’ clay activities, a community art collaboration, membership opportunities, games and refreshments.

Additionally, the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, new tenants of the Community Center, will be participating with open doors throughout the day and will offer a talk at noon.

“We are looking for caring adults to mentor our school youth in the 2019-20 school year, and we will have mentors and mentees here to share their mentoring stories and answer any questions about how mentoring works,” said the Mentoring Alliance’s Executive Director Lee Morgan Brown. “The Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance is so excited to have our office here at the Sonoma Community Center.”

See the full schedule of the day’s events and learn more about the center’s “Free Art Day & Open House” by visiting sonomacommunitycenter.org. The Sonoma Community Center is at 276 E. Napa St. Call 938-4626, ext. 1.