#Petaluma’s Riverfront Art Gallery Celebrates Their 7-Year Anniversary

Art In The Park
Art In The Park

Supported by volunteers and donations, the The Petaluma Arts Association helps attract local artists by providing a great venue for them to share their artwork.  One way is by hosting Art In The Park at Walnut Park in downtown Petaluma. In 2003 it attracted two very talented local photographers Lance Kuehne and Jerrie Jerné Morago who carted their art and booths around in vans and passenger cars to show at this event. These two artists came to know each other at Art In The Park and shared a vision of a true cooperative fine-art gallery.  Four years later that vision would become a reality when they opened the Riverfront Art Gallery.  It has since become a mainstay of Petaluma’s culture and downtown landscape. Frequented by locals and visitors this gallery has come to be voted “Best of the North Bay” for “Best Art Gallery in Sonoma County” by the readers of the Bohemian in 2013 (for 6 years in a row).  After surviving one of the worst recessions in decades they were also our 2012 Petaluma People’s Choice Award for Best Art Gallery. The gallery now has twelve regular member artists. If you include the Juried and Invitational artists the collection can contain as many as 25 to 30 artist’s work at a time. Some of the artists are Petalumans and many are from surrounding Marin and Sonoma Counties.

Jerrie Jerne Moraga
Jerrie Jerne Moraga
Lance
Lance Kuehne

Jerrie, originally from San Francisco and long-time resident of Petaluma, grew into art over the years from accounting work to some graphic design and eventually photography. Over the years her photography grew into natural abstract art that is really unique and eye catching. Lance, originally from Lodi, graduated from University of Santa Cruz studying the arts and photography and now lives in Petaluma with his wife.  As a college student he took photos of his empty college campus one summer and he thought they were strange without people in them. But his friends and peers liked them which shifted his focus to landscape photography. Both Jerrie and Lance consider themselves naturalize Petaluma citizens and love the town for its culture, scenery, and close proximity to so many great places.