By Marie-Elena Schembri

Sacramento’s art scene is a melting pot of diverse perspectives, unique experiences, thought-provoking exhibitions and fun interactive events. This guide features a selection of new visual art events and exhibitions to ignite your imagination and help tap into the city’s creative spirit all month long.

First Friday in Oak Park

In vibrant Oak Park, First Fridays are a laid-back mixture of retail, culinary arts and live music experiences centered along the Broadway business corridor between 32nd and 36th streets. With just a few galleries, it’s a much quieter scene than Midtown Association’s Second Saturday, but still offers exciting creative encounters.

On Friday, Sept. 6, Patris Studio and Art Gallery on Broadway will host a First Friday reception with live music by Sacramento rock’n’roll and blues band Jammin’ James and Friends. The gallery will feature owner Patris Miller’s “Broadway Rain” oil painting series featuring familiar neighborhood haunts and glistening rain-soaked streets. A selection of other art will also be on display, including Victoria Brooks’ coastal and figurative oil paintings and Oak Park resident Scott Martin’s handmade jewelry.

Nonprofit maker space MADE Studio hosts regular workshops and events, including the upcoming indoor/outdoor “First Friday Makers to Market” night on Sept. 6 where attendees can tour the studio, peruse art and purchase goods from local vendors, witness live demos and create personalized tote bags, magnets, pencil bags, keychains and coasters using the studio’s dye sublimation and mini laser cutter. This is a family friendly event that promises a fun and engaging experience. 

If you can’t make it for First Friday, the studio will also host two workshops in September: a dye sublimation workshop with artist Ruben Reveles on Sept. 11 and “Product Photography” with Roberta Alvarado on Sept. 19. Both workshops are free with acceptance of an application. Space is limited.

Flower Fist Art Market, a new addition to Oak Park, opened its doors on Stockton Boulevard in June and features a “community-centered art space” along with a selection of local art. With pop-up markets and workshops, it’s a great place to visit any time, not just on First Friday. A group ceramics exhibition will open in the gallery on Sept. 20.

Sac Open Studios

Sacramento Open Studios, hosted by Verge Center for the Arts, is a two-weekend event where hundreds of artists in the region open the doors to their private studios and invite the public into their workspaces. Now in its 19th year, this annual event serves as a platform for local artists to showcase their work and creative process while forging connections within their communities.

With over 200 artists participating throughout Sacramento and Yolo Counties on Sept. 14-15 and 21-22, there’s plenty of time to enjoy art made right here in Sacramento. Free transportation is available through Sacramento Regional Transit. A kick-off party and preview event is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 12 at Verge Center for the Arts, with music, pizza and beverages available for purchase. Ceramic artist Cristina Arizmendi will demonstrate pottery wheel throwing at 7 and 8 p.m. A directory map, guide and artist bios are all available at sacopenstudios.com.

“Politically Charged” at Blue Line Arts

Looking for something off the beaten path? Venture to Roseville and check out “Politically Charged” at Blue Line Arts — a group art exhibition featuring over 80 politically themed artworks in various mediums including fiber, sculpture, mixed media, collage, photography and paint.

This recurring exhibition, which takes place every presidential election year, creates space for important discussions and expression around political ideas and topics. For Blue Line Arts Executive Director MaryTess Mayall, who co-curated the show, selecting a diverse range of viewpoints was a top priority for this exhibition.

“It’s really important to our mission as an arts organization to make sure that we are holding space for different perspectives. … So there are some liberal-leaning pieces, some conservative works. We are also touching on a couple of different topics such as immigration, women’s rights, voting … and a little bit of climate change too,” Mayall said. 

“Politically Charged” runs Aug. 31-Oct. 12, with a reception on Sept. 21 from 5-7 p.m. 

“More than Ordinary” at the Latino Center of Art and Culture

Miguel Gutierrez Jr.’s exhibit, “More than Ordinary,” showcases Latinx culture and community pride through captivating photography. This show, now on display at the Latino Center of Art and Culture, features photographs celebrating Latinx culture by featuring traditional cultural ceremonies, low-riders and everything in between. Gutierrez, a photojournalist, multimedia producer and the visuals editor for CalMatters, fixes his lens on communities across California, Mexico, New Mexico and Texas, highlighting the “beauty and grandeur” in Latinx traditions.

“The seemingly ordinary is full of vibrancy because we bring that life to it,” Gutierrez stated. An artist reception will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Latino Center of Art and Culture. 

“CrockerCon Art Mix!” and “Color Madness”

Visit the Crocker Art Museum’s Art Mix: CrockerCon#10 on Sept. 12 for some family-friendly fun. This all-ages event celebrates “all things comics, pop culture and cartoons.” Attendees can meet regional cartoonists, play locally developed video games, enter a costume parade, watch a live-animated comedy show and learn about the art of making comics. Cosplay is encouraged!

Also on view at the Crocker throughout September is Sacramento photographer Raúl Gonzo’s offbeat photo vignettes that poke fun at American culture with staged scenes that border the ordinary and bizarre. With bold color palettes, dynamic compositions and an immersive presentation — including the re-creation of a bright pink airplane scene that viewers can sit in — Gonzo’s “Color Madness” is as fun as it is funky. An artist talk featuring Gonzo and RW Media’s Randi Wilens on Saturday, Sept. 7 will explore the artist’s use of color and interdisciplinary approach. “Raúl Gonzo: Color Madness” will be showcased until Oct 20.

This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics and protocols, the city had no editorial influence over this story and no city official reviewed this story before it was published. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19.