Weekender Encore: The 8th Napa Art Walk Explores Climate and Sustainability

By Linda Joshua

NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Art is a powerful tool for communication. It can increase awareness, enlighten us and motivate efforts to tackle consequential issues. So I was thrilled that the theme for the 8th Napa Art Walk, a biannual rotating exhibition of juried sculptures, is “Climate Action and Sustainability.”

“Grateful Harvest” by artist Denis Kleine - Tim Carl Photo

In downtown Napa action and sustainability have been priorities for the city since the passage of the “Climate Emergency Resolution” in 2022. Napa is invested in getting the public to think about and connect with the issue of climate change in innovative ways, while highlighting optimistic and imaginative artistic responses.

Recently I visited all nine pieces, starting with “Crumple and Flow” by Jacob Burmood, next to Cole’s Chop House. This structure is gravity brought to life. The artist invokes draped material, drawing attention to resources in our everyday lives. Ultimately, Burmood hopes the piece inspires us to take more care in our use and reuse of fabrics.

The next stop was “Cycles 3: Extinction” by Sonoma artist Peter Hassen on Main Street. The sculpture is three interlocking disks that form a sphere, each decorated with silhouettes of indicator species, whose health reflects the well-being of their ecosystems in a mandala. Hassen draws attention to the wider climate crisis, impacting not only our future but that of birds, frogs and other life forms.

8th Annual Art Walk Exibits - Bob McClenahan Photo

I next visited “The Windmills of Your Mind” by Patricia Vader, on Dwight Murray Plaza. It is made from recycled bicycle wheels with a windmill effect and swaying metal ball in the center to represent the flow and energy of our thoughts.

Also on the plaza is “Portal Paraboloid” by Greg Mueller. The installation brings to life an amazing hyperbolic paraboloid construct – a structure found in tree trunks, roots and branch transitions. With a graceful archway in the middle, Mueller creates a threshold transition between urban and natural environments.

Crossing over First Street brings you to EarthRise by MacRae Wylde on Parkway Plaza. This piece marries sculpture with the poem, “Earthrise,” by Amanda Gorman, an urgent call to action to save Planet Earth.

Discover the 8th Napa Art Walk sculptures. Click the map to explore interactive directions to each installation.

I then walked to “Bee Violet” by Allison Newsome on the Riverfront Promenade near Angele. This ingenious combination of art and instrument captures up to 300 gallons of rainwater. The artist is concerned about climate-caused weather events and hopes to inspire sustainable landscape.

The next stop was on Main Street, where I visited “Heavy Heart” by Pierre Riche, a melancholy piece that resonated deeply with me. Its message, symbolizing the heavy burden of carrying the weight of a seemingly futile cause, was reinforced that afternoon by a young unhoused man and his dog perched on the artwork. It’s a reminder that there are many daunting challenges as we work toward a more just society.

“Grateful Harvest” by artist Denis Kleine - Bob McClenahan Photo

Walking back toward downtown, I visited “Grateful Harvest” by Denis Kleine, a Lake County artist. Mother Earth hoists a salmon above her head, symbolizing the interconnection between humanity and nature. The artist reminds us that a healthy Earth provides all we need to flourish, while a lack of harmony threatens all.

The final stop was the corner of McKinstry and First. “Aurora” by Diego Harris is a reminder that Earth’s thin atmospheric layer is the only thing protecting us from the immense power of the sun, and that it is up to us to learn to live in harmony with our environment.

The walk took just 45 minutes and was a lovely way to reacquaint myself with the downtown Napa and Oxbow neighborhoods. You can also listen to wonderful artist-narrated gallery here. If something particularly catches your eye, all the art in the exhibition is for sale.

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Linda Joshua is an information governance consultant and a volunteer with Napa Climate NOW!