Art begins when an artist and their materials enter into an ongoing conversation. What starts as an attraction between the two becomes an intimate relationship as the artist becomes more acquainted with the possibilities and limitations of their chosen media. In our 11 years of curating these Material Matters exhibitions, we have deepened our appreciation and respect for those relationships whether it is between the artist and stone, the artist and glass, the artist and wood, steel, paint, textile or even in this year’s exhibition, smoke.

Material Matters began as a small curation in the back area of our space on Sunnyside in Mill Valley in 2012. When we were installing, we had a conversation about how interesting it was to have so many different media in the same room and how every artist has a very private and personal means of expression. We decided then to mount a yearly exhibition focused on materials and in 2013, it was entitled Materials Matter. We changed it to Material Matters the following year, preferring the double-entendre it creates. 

Eleven years later, our hope is to share the satisfaction we have found in putting together these exhibitions and hopefully expand the viewers’ concept of the many forms that art can take.  

Featured artists are Robert Adams, Mari Andrews, Gale Antokal, Robert Brady, Joe Brubaker, Christian Burchard, Linda Craighead, Daniella Dooling, Jane Hambleton, Andrew Hayes, Kevin Kennedy, Michele Landel, Françoise LeClerc, Joanna Manousis, Claudia Marseille, Dennis Lee Mitchell, Jann Nunn, Judy O’Shea, Emily Payne, Jenny Phillips, Jane Rosen, Nick Taylor and Emil Yanos