“Arthur Monroe: A Tow to Carry” is a bold new show at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art well worth a visit this summer.
The late abstract expressionist painter and community activist was an important member of the Beat circle in San Francisco’s North Beach and later set up one of the first live-work studios in the landmark Oakland Cannery.
He was dear friends with musician Charlie Parker and closely connected to other abstract painters, including Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Hans Hofmann. Curated in part by the artist’s son, Alastair Monroe, this is the first major show of Monroe’s vibrant, spirited canvases in nearly two decades.
The exhibition of Monroe’s work — over 25 pieces from 1958 to 2011 — runs through Sept. 8 at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.
The museum is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. General admission is $10 and free for SVMA members and those 18 and under. Admission is free every Wednesday.
551 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-939-7862, svma.org