Exhibitions from Mendocino Art Center

Current Exhibitions

Dorr Bothwell, THE SYMBOLIST

Online

THE SYMBOLIST
Icon, Mandala & Metaphor

Dorr Bothwell 1902 -2000

Dorr Bothwell, a self-identified symbolist, used visual imagery to convey abstract concepts.

In her artwork, Bothwell incorporates spiritual symbols from nonwestern cultures in which she had participated, their ancient origins juxtaposed against her contemporary personal life, with passionate dedication, intelligent humor, and insightful social comment.

In Shrines & Altars # 1 (1983), Bothwell pairs the image of a fashion model with that of a sacred cow. Gloria Mundi - “Glory of the World”- references the Latin expression "sic transit gloria mundi," in English, "thus passes worldly glory." In Bothwell's Gloria Mundi Mandala (1971) she combines images of worldly success, a Rolls Royce with a mandala hood ornament adorned with a crown, grasping hands, and a go-go boot, quintessential symbol of the era's "groovy babe." In Hare Krishna Icon (1983) the face of a cultural icon, Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, replaces the face of Krishna.

Bothwell viewed art as a direct mode to express her spiritual nature, allowing inspiration to flow through her unencumbered. In a piece on Dorr Bothwell for the March/April 1999 Mendocino A&E Magazine, Valliere T. Richard writes: Ms Bothwell’s Quaker background taught her at an early age to commune “within,” to “wait to be told…in their writings (great artists), you’ll find they always knew that something was painting through them. They were told what to do.”

Bothwell received many honors in her lifetime, including an Abraham Rosenberg Fellowship for work abroad, the San Francisco Women in the Arts Award, and two Pollock-Krasner grants. Her artwork is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, the de Young Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Long Beach Museum of Art, University California Irvine, the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland.

Bothwell’s papers are held in the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian.

Learn more about Dorr Bothwell:
https://www.williamzacha.com/artists/dorr-bothwell/about-dorr-bothwell/

This online exhibition was designed and produced in cooperation with the Dorr Bothwell Trust.

View Exhibition Details

FEARLESS, The Adventurous Heart of Dorr Bothwell

Online

Fearless, The Adventurous Heart of Dorr Bothwell
Risk and Reward in the 20th Century

Dorr Bothwell 1902 -2000

Dorr Bothwell, artist, designer, educator, and world traveler, was courageous at heart. Unapologetic in prioritizing her artwork, unwavering in her commitment and fidelity to that purpose, Bothwell allowed herself full person-hood during an era when women had no vote, literally in politics and figuratively at home. She viewed her career as a true vocation, a calling, and placed it above her own desire for traditional relationships,
comfort, or safety.

Bothwell’s adventure began in 1928 when she was just 26 years old and traveled alone to Samoa, spending two years living among the Samoan people, learning their language, songs, dances, and traditional siapo (Samoan tapa or barkcloth) design and methods of production. During this period, she was adopted by her Samoan hosts, Sotoa, the chief of the territory, and his wife, a process that included consenting to extensive, painful traditional tattoos, giving her Samoan citizenship, a solution that prevented her deportation by the United States colonial authorities. She loved her new family, and the people of Samoa, but felt that her art career required that she return stateside.

Soon after her return, artwork from Bothwell's time in Samoa was shown in two successful solo exhibits, at the San Diego Fine Arts Museum (1929), and at the Beaux Arts Gallery in San Francisco (1930), which allowed her to travel in Europe. Over Bothwell’s lifetime she would continue this pattern of deep exploration abroad, drawing, painting, photographing, learning the language, studying local textiles, and absorbing the culture. Some of the places Bothwell explored, sometimes for years at a time, sometimes returning, include American Samoa, France, England, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Tunisia, Bali, Java, Sumatra, China, Japan, and Mexico.

Bothwell had the unshakable faith that lives in the hearts of those with a clear and elevated purpose. Throughout her life she followed her artistic instincts across the globe, in a time when travel provided true adventure and a good measure of discomfort. It was with this combination of faith and focus that Dorr Bothwell became fearless.

Bothwell received many honors in her lifetime, including an Abraham Rosenberg Fellowship for work abroad, the San Francisco Women in the Arts Award, and two Pollock-Krasner grants. Her artwork is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, SF MoMA, the de Young Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Long Beach Museum of Art, University California Irvine, the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland.

Bothwell’s 1928 & 1929 diaries documenting her time in American Samoa are held in the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian.
https://womenshistory.si.edu/object/dorr-bothwell-diary:AAADCD_item_16517

Learn more about Dorr Bothwell on the website of the Mendocino Heritage Artists:
https://www.williamzacha.com/artists/dorr-bothwell/about-dorr-bothwell/

Bothwell’s story can be read in her own words in Dorr Bothwell: Straws in the Wind: An Artist's Life as told to Bruce Levene :

https://www.williamzacha.com/artists/dorr-bothwell/straws-complete/

This online exhibition was designed and produced in cooperation with the Dorr Bothwell Trust.

View Exhibition Details

Maxine Kim Stussy Frankel Sculpture Garden

Mendocino Art Center grounds, 45200 Little Lake St, Mendocino CA 95460

Maxine Kim Stussy Frankel (1923–2020)

The Mendocino Art Center is honored to present a selection of sculptures by celebrated California modernist Maxine Kim Stussy Frankel, generously donated by the Frankel Foundation. Installed throughout the Art Center’s garden grounds, the collection includes the powerful Nail Man alongside notable bronzes such as Horse and Rider, Abstract Horse, and Guard—works that reflect the strength and imagination that defined Stussy’s remarkable artistic career.

A pioneering sculptor within the postwar Los Angeles art world, Stussy earned recognition for her bold figurative forms, expressive use of material, and deeply personal visual language. Working across bronze, ceramic, and mixed media, she created sculptures that feel at once mythic, human, and timeless.

Through this installation, the Mendocino Art Center is honored to help preserve and share Stussy’s artistic legacy, inviting visitors to encounter these works within the natural setting of the Art Center’s gardens.

View Exhibition Details

Voices of Change: The David and Janet Peoples Collection

Online

In 2023, the Mendocino Art Center proudly received a generous donation of over 100 remarkable original artworks from the esteemed collectors, David and Janet Peoples. This collection, rich in diversity and depth, embodies a profound commitment to art as a catalyst for social change and representation.

David and Janet Peoples have been recognized for their significant contributions to the world of cinema for their work on films such as Blade Runner, 12 Monkeys, The Blood of Heroes, and Unforgiven among others. The Peoples’ creative journey has been marked by a desire to tell stories that resonate with the human experience, much like the artists featured in this collection. Together, David and Janet have cultivated a passion for supporting narratives that challenge the status quo through the realms of film and visual art.

The Peoples collection showcases a spectrum of politically left-leaning artwork. These artworks challenge societal norms, as well as featuring incarcerated artists. Each artwork tells a story inviting viewers to engage with themes of justice, identity, and resilience.

With the intention of supporting the Mendocino Art Center's mission, the Peoples have made these pieces available for sale. Proceeds will directly benefit the center, allowing it to continue fostering artistic expression and community engagement.

As you explore this exhibition, we invite you to reflect on the transformative power of art and the importance of amplifying diverse voices. The David and Janet Peoples Collection serves as a poignant reminder of the role art plays in advocating for change and bringing attention to the experiences of those who are often overlooked.
Join us in celebrating this unique collection and the vision of its donors, whose legacy in both cinema and the visual arts will continue to inspire future generations of artists and art enthusiasts alike.

View Exhibition Details