Art walk returns to showcase Calistoga
By Rosemarie Kempton
CALISTOGA, Calif. — After a long hiatus, Calistoga’s Art Walk returned in a new form on Aug. 5, and judging from overheard conversations, visitors on the art stroll from the East Coast and the Midwest were impressed with the town’s vibrant art scene. This free, self-guided art walk will be held again on the first Saturday of each month from 3 to 6 p.m. through December.
Most of the 10 art galleries participating in the Calistoga First Saturday Art Walk are within easy walking distance of one another, allowing people strolling the picturesque streets to interact and engage with a diverse range of artwork, also to shop and dine.
The impetus for reawakening the dormant art walk came from Thérèse Légère, a talented newcomer to the Calistoga art community who is not new to art. Légère opened Collings & Légère Art Gallery with fellow impressionist artist Marta Collings on Washington Street last spring.
Based on her seven years of experience in organizing art walks in Massachusetts, Légère was certain that they would benefit Calistoga.
“Art walks were so popular in Amherst, Massachusetts,” said Légère, who had been an integral part of the Massachusetts art community for 30 years. She recently moved to Northern California with her husband, Norman, to be near their adult children.
“The art walk there was really about community-building,” Légère said. “People came out to see their friends because they knew they’d be at the art walk. It was a time to see art and go out to eat in a restaurant.”
“Post COVID, after two or three years of isolation and separation, art walks are perfect for building community again,” she said.
Besides her desire to enhance Calistoga’s art environment, Légère said she had personal reasons for wanting to relaunch the art walk.
“I want to make friends,” she said. “I want to create community for myself and my husband because we moved here from 3,000 miles away, where we knew everyone. We didn’t know anyone here.”
Though she is happy to be living in Calistoga now, getting to know people in a new community during a pandemic wasn’t easy. Légère laughs ruefully over the timing of her move from the East Coast and her disquieting introduction to Napa Valley.
“It was September 2020. We were still in the plane coming here when the Glass Fire started,” she said.
Determined to promote local art and widen her circle of friends, Légère started talking to people about art walks. The Calistoga Chamber of Commerce told her it was a great idea and that they’d help promote an art walk but would not organize it.
In talking to local artist Karen Lynn Ingalls, who had been “very involved” with it, Légère learned that there had previously been a Calistoga Art Walk that was started in 2004 and was popular for about 10 years before ending.
Encouraged by Ingalls, Légère began sharing her dream of resurrecting the beloved art walk, but knowing from experience how much work would be involved, she was wavering “back and forth” about whether to commit herself to organizing it.
“If Lisa Marie hadn’t offered her support, I might have given up,” she said. “Lisa Marie and her artist husband, Shawn Smith, own Napa Valley Art on the Vine,” and she jumped right in. She is a wonderful graphic designer and a good organizer.”
Légère and Collings, in collaboration with Lisa Marie and Shawn Smith, are the primary backers of the Calistoga Art Walk revival. Impressed by the cadre’s enthusiasm for a monthly art trek, other art curators decided to join in.
Some artists whose work was being shown during the Calistoga First Saturday Art Walk were on hand at some of the galleries during the event. Jonah Ward, for example, was at Sofie Contemporary Gallery answering questions about his work. Seeing Ward’s impressive solo exhibit “Emergence,” is akin to stepping into a forest. He even used fallen wasps’ nests for some of his creations. Ward will be at the Sofie Gallery again during the Sept. 2 art walk.
Besides the aforementioned galleries, others that will be participating in the Calistoga First Saturday Art Walks include Ca’Toga Galleria D’ Arte, Calistoga Art Center, CAMI Art + Wine, EV Floral Design, Field Trip, Studio Kokomo and Yager Galerie.
Rosemarie Kempton is a Napa Valley-based journalist.
What a well- written insightful article on the art scene in Calistoga. Looking forward to attending the first Saturday art walk and enjoying the art galleries, artists and getting a bite to eat.