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Events
Madhubala, Bollywood film star. Color reduction woodcut by Julie Lapping Rivera (2019)
Ida B. Wells, pioneering African American journalist. Multiple block (chiaroscuro) by by Julie Lapping Rivera (2019)
Final Weekend / Closes on Sunday
Look Again: Portraits of Daring women
Saturday, May 23 through
Sunday, August 16
East Coast artist Julie Lapping Rivera has been creating a series of portraits highlighting women who were significant but often unsung in their time. This ongoing portfolio of woodcut and collage portraits represents brave and inspiring women from around the globe and across centuries, many of whose accomplishments have not been adequately acknowledged. This exhibtion was originally inspired by The New York Times “Overlooked” series, which, since March of 2018, has been sharing the stories of remarkable people who were overlooked by the Times’ obituaries in the past.
Look Again: Portraits of Daring Women is a touring exhibition developed in partnership with Julie Lapping Rivera and draws upon a previous exhibition mounted at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Massachusetts. It is being traveled by Exhibit Envoy.
In our presentation at the Grace Hudson Museum, we have supplemented the show with artworks around the theme of important women, done in various media by contemporary Mendocino County artists.
The Grace Hudson Museum nears completion, circa 1986.
A fundraising event in 1999 in support of expanding the Grace Hudson Museum.
save the date!
GALA 2026:
OUr 40th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, September 26,
5:00 to 8:00 PM
Help us celebrate the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Grace Hudson Museum by attending our 2026 Gala, organized and presented by the Sun House Guild.
Dinner will be catered by Ashlin Garbocci Gourmet Catering, and music will be provided by the Back Porch Trio. Ticket sales will be announced shortly, and will be available both on the Museum’s website and in person at our visitor services desk.
We are so grateful for the dedication and hard work of everyone who has participated in the Museum’s creation and growth. Help us ensure the Museum continues to prosper and fulfill its vital education mission for the next 40 years.
Rianatee Rand
writers read:
Ukiah’s literary Salon
Thursday, August 27
7:00 to 9:00 PM
After taking a hiatus in July, Writers Read returns. For the August program, the featured reader will be poet and a prose writer Riantee Rand, who writes in both French and English. Born in France during World War II, she traveled around the world with her husband before settling in Aspen, Colorado, and then making a home in the Mendocino Redwoods. Her poetry, fiction, essays and children’s stories have been widely published throughout the United States. Her new book, Crossings, is a retrospective of her poetry since the seventies, published by Wild Ocean Press.
Writers Read has been happening in Ukiah since 1999, and occurs on the last Thursday of almost every month. The program focuses on poetry, spoken word, short stories, song, and expository prose. The evening will begin at 7:00 with a reading by Riantee, followed by an hour of open mic starting around 8:00.
There is no fee, but donations are warmly appreciated.
Steve Winkle
First friday at the grace Hudson museum & opening reception
Friday, September 4, 5:00 to 8:00 PM
Our First Friday for September doubles as an opening reception for our latest exhibition, Deep Valley: People, Places, Memory. This show is our way of commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Grace Hudson Museum, the 150th anniversary of the City of Ukiah, and the 250th anniversary of our nation as we explore elements of the Greater Ukiah Valley — past and present — which have helped create and shape community. The show will take a look at places and associations such as Todd Grove Park, the Palace Hotel, Mendocino State Hospital, Pinoleville Rancheria, the Latino Americano Concilio; and, of course, the history and evolution of the historic Sun House and the Grace Hudson Museum.
Our musical guest for the evening will be singer/guitarist Steve Winkle, known for his eclectic mix of classic rock, R&B, country, contemporary pop, and his own compositions. You can also spend some time discovering or getting reacquainted with our core galleries, featuring Grace Hudson’s artwork, exquisite Pomo basketry, and Carpenter-Hudson family history. Plus, you can take an evening walk in our Wild Gardens. Refreshments will be available.
First Fridays at the Grace Hudson Museum are always free all day and evening.
video recording
the man behind the brush: landscape artist ray stanford strong
The video recording of Mark Humpal’s presentation about Ray Strong can now be found on the VIDEO ARCHIVE page of our website. In this illustrated talk, Mark shares the story of Ray Strong’s long life: from his childhood in Oregon to his final years in Three Rivers, California. Along the way, he discusses Strong’s teachers, mentors, collaborators, and major accomplishments. The original in-person presentation took place at the Grace Hudson Museum on September 7, 2024, the day after the opening of Earth Portraiture: Ray Strong’s Northern California Landscapes, for which Mark served as guest curator. You can also access the video by clicking HERE.
This video was recorded and edited by Fuller Digital Media.
deep roots,
spreading branches
virtual programs
We are delighted now to have all three video programs that accompanied the exhibition Deep Roots, Spreading Branches: Fine Woodworking from the Krenov School, accessible to watch on the VIDEO ARCHIVE page of our web site. The videos include:
The Student Experience at the Krenov School, through the eyes and memories of former students Tim Coleman, Taimi Barty, John Shaw, and Phoebe Kuo. They also discuss their pieces that were included in the exhibition.
Through the Years: Insights from Krenov Instructors, in which you’ll learn about the beginnings and evolution of the Krenov School of Fine Woodworking from Creighton Hoke, who helped get the school started; David Welter, shop manager and ad hoc instructor for 30 years; and Laura Mays, the school's current director and lead instructor.
The Song and Dance: Krenov’s American Dreams. This features Krenov biographer Brendan Gaffney discussing the inspiration and circumstances that led James Krenov to Mendocino County, and to the establishment of a fine woodworking program in Fort Bragg.
Greenfield Ranch, Easter 1977
Promise of Paradise
Back to the Land Oral Histories of Mendocino County, on KZYX website
The Grace Hudson Museum is a proud supporter of this important oral history project. The weekly broadcasts have concluded, but you can still listen to all the episodes by clicking here for the Promise of Paradise archive on KZYX.
And to learn more about how it all got started click here to check out Jerry Karp’s November 2018 article in the Anderson Valley Advertiser.
Grace Hudson in the Sun House, 1912.
We are proud that Grace Hudson is featured in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s recent blog about
ten women who have given significantly to the world of art. All are affiliated with a historic artist's home in the
Historic Artists Homes and Studios program, of which the Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House is a founding member. Check it out!
https://savingplaces.org/stories/10-women-who-influenced-historic-artists-homes#.WqqHvsPwa70
Rufous Hummingbird and Scarlett Fritillary
Photograph by Rob Badger and Nita Winter
And in June, the National Trust for Historic Preservation website featured the Museum in an article
on our spring exhibition, Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change,
which ran from February 10 to June 17th. Read the article HERE!
Click on images or text for more information.
The galleries
Short-term exhibits in The Main Gallery highlight contemporary art, Native American cultures, Western American history, historic California art and local natural history. Permanent collections showcase Grace Hudson’s art; her family’s history; and Pomo culture and basketry.
the wild gardens
An outdoor Art and Education center is under development on the museum grounds. Located in a parklike setting, The Wild Gardens features native plant gardens with exhibits and art that teaches about our local environment and how Pomo Indian people managed this landscape.
the sun house
The Hudson’s charming 1911 redwood Craftsman bungalow home, the Sun House sits adjacent to the Museum and is available for docent-led tours. More than a century old, The Sun House allows visitors a glimpse into the Hudsons’ Bohemian lifestyle.
The Grace Hudson Museum highlights regional art, culture and natural history in the tradition of an extraordinary family – that of Ukiah native and nationally admired artist Grace Carpenter Hudson (1865-1937), her ethnologist husband, Dr. John W. Hudson (1857-1936) and her pioneering forebears. We provide opportunities for cultural engagement, art appreciation, historical reflection and hands-on learning.
