NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, tennis shoes and a backpack, a woman travels along a path winding through a peaceful countryside. Behind her, grass-covered rolling hills and vineyards stretch into the distance. Holding a map in her hand, she pauses beside an Open Studios Napa sign to look at the artists’ directory. Several other signs along the path read Open Studios.
This scene, captured in Dar Merle’s acrylic painting, was chosen by her fellow artists to grace the cover of the 2024 Napa Valley Open Studios artist directory and map. Inside its pages people can discover what studios they’ll want to visit, how to get to them and much more.
This is the 36th year that Art Association Napa Valley has presented Open Studios Napa Valley as a collaborative effort. Ninety artists in 57 studio locations throughout Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville and Napa are welcoming the public into their workspaces from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the last two weekends in September.
Live demonstrations taking place in many of the studios cover a range of media, including drawing, painting, ceramics, glass, photography, fiber, jewelry, metal sculpture, wood sculpture and printmaking.
Dar Merle
Dar Merle is a talented newcomer to Napa who moved here from the Redondo Beach area to be near her son, Mike Merle, and his wife, Nicole, in November. Since moving here, Merle has exhibited her acrylic paintings at the Silverado Resort, the Westin Verasa Napa and at the Napa Valley Wine Train.
She currently uses acrylic on canvas.
“My artistic passion is continually evolving, inspired by beautiful scenery, people, animals and vision paintings. I dream what I paint; I paint what I dream,” Merle tells visitors.
During Open Studios, Merle is showing her paintings with the talented watercolorist Heather Savage at Studio 24, located at 2252 First St.
Merle has been honing her artistic skills for a long time. She started drawing at age 3 and never stopped. Among her favorite childhood projects was creating paper dolls and designing glamorous gowns for contestants of beauty pageants.
Born and raised in Walteria, a neighborhood in south Torrance in southern California, Merle enjoyed an ideal childhood, playing on the nearby beach with friends and relatives.
“I loved swimming in the ocean with my cousin and eating on the pier,” she said. “There were hardly any houses there then, and we could play everywhere. It was like heaven. Everyone was friendly there, like people in Napa. In the 1970s the area changed when so many people flooded in because of the weather.”
Living near the beach until recently, she was fascinated by aquatic life. She loves snorkeling and “being underwater with fish.” Many of her paintings reflect the ocean’s influence in her life with sea animals and beach scenes.
Merle began working in a florist’s shop at the age of 14 and went on to become a floral designer, which she did for 20 years before going back to school at California State University Long Beach to become a speech pathologist. She worked in that field for the Torrance School District for 25 years.
Though she never stopped painting, she seldom exhibited her work during the years she worked for the school district. But after retiring, she exhibited her paintings at the Hermosa Beach Fine Arts Festival and in Redondo Beach as well as other places.
She worked with oils and watercolors for 25 years and then switched to acrylics 15 years ago. Although she didn’t go to art school, she took some art classes and loved live drawing.
“I love to paint people in motion, like ballet dancers,” she said. “I want movement rather than a static look. I hate doing still life.”
One of her vision paintings is a surreal scene of a woman lying down with her eyes closed and her body partially submerged in mist. She is surrounded by six white doves in midflight, their wings gracefully spread. The backdrop consists of a dark, cloudy sky, adding a dreamlike quality to the composition. The overall atmosphere of the painting combines tranquility with a sense of ethereal motion.
Owls and other animals are favorite subjects. She has been developing a series of humorous animal paintings because she wants to bring joy to people through laughter. One whimsical painting shows a cat with its head inside a fishbowl. The fishbowl has water and contains a few goldfish with the water still in the bowl.
What motivates her to paint?
“I want to make people happy,” Merle said. “I’m born to do it. Art is a gift I was given, and I need to share it.”
Morrie Warshawski
Morrie Warshawski, a poet as well as a visual artist, has a story to tell with each piece of art in his home, now open to visitors.
“This piece was inspired by a book I found in the Napa Library: ‘Japanese Kimono Paper Dolls in Full Color,’” he said, indicating a mixed-media work. “Each cut-out paper doll is inspired by a famous Japanese artist. In my case, I was drawn to the work of the Ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It's a mixed-media piece incorporating acrylic paint, spackling paste, paper and images of ginkgo leaves.”
Known for his work as a consultant, facilitator and writer who specialized in the nonprofit sector, Warshawski spent so much time on his career that he set aside his love of visual art for 50 years. Then, in his 70s he started taking art classes again at Napa Valley College. Now he is exhibiting his drawings, paintings and poetry extensively throughout the United States.
What motivates Warshawski to create art?
“I would say it's not a choice,” he said. “I have to keep exercising the creative part of myself in order to maintain balance in my life. It's like exercising and eating right and maintaining friendships, something I have to fold into my modus operandi on a regular basis.”
Parker Hall
Watercolor artist Parker Hall is participating in Open Studios for the first time this year. Visitors are welcome to his home studio the first weekend of the art event.
It may come as a surprise to people to discover that Hall is an artist — and a talented one, at that. This retired teacher is well-known in the community as president of the Napa Optimists Youth Basketball for 30 years and for his cooking show that now includes his grandchildren, “Cooking in Napa With Parker Hall,” which airs Saturday nights on Channel 28.
He said he got hooked on art later in life when he led his middle-school students through art projects, and he never looked back.
What motivates Hall to create art?
“I just like to paint,” he said, smiling. “It’s as simple as that.”
Nancy Willis
After a 20-year hiatus, Nancy Willis is participating in Open Studios again. Willis is an established painter and printmaker who teaches painting and printmaking at the Napa Valley College and Nimbus Arts.
Her work has been featured at stARTup Art Fairs in Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco and in recent exhibitions in Brooklyn, Albuquerque and Cincinnati. For the last decade she has focused on community-based projects, such as curating two museum exhibitions and advocating for the arts.
What motivates her to make art?
“My studio practice is the foundation for everything I do,” Willis said. “I am compelled to make art as it is the way I navigate the complex world around me.
“I like to get out and experience life and then come back to the studio to report on what I noticed,” she said. “Like so many artists working here, there are limited opportunities to present one’s work to the public, so I am excited about participating in Open Studios this year. In all my work, I create beauty as an antidote to conflict and aggression and to represent the human experience.”
How to View These Artists’ Work
Since it would be impossible to see the work of all the artists participating in Open Studios otherwise, Jessel Gallery in Napa has one piece of work from 75 of the Open Studios artists on exhibit through Sept. 28.
Open Studios Napa Valley is a free, self-guided art discovery tour that exists because artists believe in the value of opening their studios to visitors and sharing a unique artistic experience.
A portion of the proceeds raised through Open Studios goes toward scholarships for art students. The scholarship is available for one art student per public school and is typically given to six high school students and one Napa Valley College student. The recipient must have been a student in the art department, recommended by the art department chairperson and express an interest in continuing in the field of art or a related endeavor. The awarded funds are requested to be use toward tuition, fees or books.
This summer AANV awarded $1,000 each to seven students. During its 76-year history, AANV has awarded over $134,000 in scholarship funds to local students, according to Art Association Napa Valley president Janis Adams.
For more information or to download the 2024 Open Studios artist directory and map, go to their website.
If today’s story captured your interest, explore these related articles:
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Weekender Encore: Coppola Reflects on a Legendary Career at the Cameo
Ray Ray’s Tacos Adds Spice to St. Helena’s Expanding Food Scene
Sunday E-dition: Mental Health Tips for Caregivers and Students
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Rosemarie Kempton is a Napa Valley-based journalist.
Levity Corner
Caption contest: Pick your favorite caption or add your own in the comments below.
Possible captions:
"I call this: 'The Genius at Work.'"
"The hardest part of art? Capturing my magnificence."
"Sure, you’re cute, but have you seen me?"
"Every stroke is a battle between humility and perfection."
"Painting when you're the masterpiece is tricky."
Last week’s winner
In "Sunday E-dition: Frank Trozzo’s “IMAGINE THAT!” Art Show is a Fantastical Experience,” the winning caption was "The multiverse looks great, but is there coffee?” with 62% of the votes.
"The multiverse looks great, but is there coffee?"
"I really hope this dimension has better Wi-Fi."
"Is this where I find myself… or lose myself?"
"Somewhere in here, I left my other sock."
"It’s all fun and games until the clocks start melting."
Last Week
Charlotte Hajer and Jeni Olsen discussed the importance of suicide prevention in their article "We All Have the Ability to Help Prevent Suicide." They emphasized that openly talking about suicide is a key step in reducing its occurrence, particularly in Napa County, where local suicide rates surpass state averages. Highlighting the need to recognize warning signs and reduce stigma around mental health, they shared resources for starting conversations and accessing crisis support. They also encouraged community members to join efforts such as Napa County's Suicide Prevention Council to further support local prevention initiatives.
Rosemarie Kempton explored Frank Trozzo’s latest exhibit, "IMAGINE THAT! Frank Trozzo: Images of the Universal Mind," at the Steve Rogers Gallery in Yountville. The show featured 40 original paintings blending whimsical imagination and scientific curiosity, with themes ranging from playful animals to the explorations of quantum mechanics. Trozzo, a Napa-based artist with a background in teaching, goldsmithing and sculpture, draws on his love for animals and fascination with dreams and archetypes. His work, including popular series such as the "bear" and "animal alphabet" paintings, aims to bring humor and wonder to viewers.
Sasha Paulsen reflected on the historical and personal significance of Mexican Independence Day in "The Historical (And Personal) Significance of Mexican Independence Day." Paulsen recounted the story of her grandfather, Augustín Córdoba, who was born in Mexico and shared captivating tales of his life, including his connection to Mexico’s fight for independence. She also highlighted the legacy of figures like Benito Juárez and discussed her family’s relationship with Mexican heritage, especially during times of political turmoil. Paulsen noted how these stories shaped her understanding and love of Mexico.
Bob Niklewicz broke down the importance of soil pH in gardening in his article, “Do You Associate ‘pH’ With ‘plant Health’ or ‘please Help’?” Niklewicz explained how pH affects a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients, emphasizing that both overly acidic and overly alkaline soil can cause similar damage to plants. He offered practical advice on testing and adjusting soil pH, encouraging gardeners to experiment in smaller areas and seek help from nurseries or local gardening.
Dan Berger discussed the challenges facing the wine industry in "The Impact of ‘Pop Wine.’" Berger highlighted how declining wine sales, oversupply and rising costs are hurting wineries and restaurants. He pointed to the growing popularity of sweet, flavored wines, which he refers to as "wine impersonators," as a key factor in the stagnation of traditional fine wine sales. Berger also noted that consumer preferences for such wines are frustrating wine critics and sommeliers, who see these products as lacking the complexity and place that define fine wines.
Swan Day highlighted the Napa Valley Chamber Orchestra's collaboration with the Terry Family Band in "Napa's Terry Family Band Collaborates With Chamber Orchestra for Season Opener." The orchestra commissioned an arrangement of Jim Terry's ballad "Fire in the Wind," inspired by his experience in the 2017 Atlas Fire, for the season's first concert on Sept. 29. Terry, a beloved Napa folk musician, will perform with the orchestra, showcasing his deep ties to the community. The free concert, conducted by Ann Krinitsky, will also feature international folk music pieces.
Next Week
Next week we have more interesting articles from a host of Napa Valley Features contributors. The Master Gardener series on Wednesday, along with the new Green Wednesdays focusing on climate-related stories, will provide gardening insights, while Dan Berger will explore wine topics. Paul Franson will share surprising stories about musician vintners and Glenda Winders will delve into AI’s growing impact. There will also be more information to discover.
Very informative article, Rosy! I hope I can get to Open Studios this year.