Santa Rosa’s Spring Maxfield has been a fixture of the local art scene for over three decades. She holds multiple art degrees, but Maxfield is not an artist — not in the traditional sense, at least.
As executive director of Urban Arts Partnership, her work involves organizing, promoting and supporting the output, and thus the livelihoods, of other artists who call Santa Rosa home.
“I want people to be who they are, and I feel like there’s so many people that aren’t able to fulfill that in the economy that we have in Sonoma County,” says Maxfield, who recently received a Merit Award from the city of Santa Rosa. “If there are ways to create economic opportunities for artists, then I want to help with that.”
Maxfield’s next event is the 20th annual WinterBlast, an interactive art parade and open-studio celebration in Santa Rosa’s South of A (SofA) Arts District on Saturday, Nov. 9 (srurbanarts.org).
Finding Motivation
What motivates me is brilliant people. I encounter so many amazing humans every day who are not getting to sparkle because they’re working jobs they hate to support their art, when really what they should be doing is being creative. I’ve spent the last 30-plus years trying to find ways to turn that into an income for people, so that they can quit their dull jobs and create an economy from what they should be doing with their lives.
Rising Tides
The more art that’s out there, the more people recognize that it’s accessible to them. The more artists that are selling work, the better they are going to be at getting more customers. A rising tide floats all boats. Creating that economy is about educating the public and providing opportunities for artists to sell their work and for people to find art that they love.
Santa Rosa’s Art Scene
There are so many different pockets, and you’ll really see a very distinct flavor to each. You’re going to find what you’re looking for; there’s a little bit for everybody. I do think that there’s a growing appreciation for art in Santa Rosa. It is much more supported by businesses and the city itself than when I first started here.
Heading to Winterblast
It celebrates the coming darkness and winter in general, and is an irreverent, silly commentary on the “SofA” designation that the city gave that area many years ago. Artists started it by just pushing their studio sofas out into the street and having a party, and it’s evolved from there. I think right now, the purpose WinterBlast serves is giving the public an opportunity to immerse themselves in a very family-friendly expression of personal creativity.