John Natsoulas Art Gallery

Location

521 1st St. (Corner of E Street, across from Davis Commons)

Hours

Wed-Thu: 11:00AM-5:00PM

Fri: 11:00AM-10:00PM

Sat-Sun: 12:00PM-5:00PM

Phone

(530)756-3938

Fax

(530)756-3961

Email

mailto:art@natsoulas.com

Website

http://www.natsoulas.com

The John Natsoulas Art Gallery, now called the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts, is the largest of the Davis art galleries. Situated downtown, it is an important part of our local art scene. They also operate the Log Cabin Gallery in the former Boy Scout Cabin.

Anyone is welcome to walk in whether they are looking to purchase art or not, so don't feel uncomfortable about going inside. Many people treat it as a museum with free admission. All art galleries are like this. Come back often because the shows changes nearly monthly. You can check out what they're currently showing on their calendar.

The John Natsoulas Gallery holds it's openings to coincide with the ArtAbout on the second Friday of the month. They usually have live music and refreshments during their openings.

This newly remodeled building (a former fraternity house) has a cafe and a small bookstore downstairs and four floors of art (five counting the roof). Be sure to visit all of the floors because the artists featured on the different floors are often very different. Also, be extra sure not to miss the back staircase. It is covered floor to ceiling with beautiful paintings and affordable art.

Personally, John especially likes Jazz music and figurative expressionist art -though he appreciates a wide variety of genres and is open to all forms of art. Not just the visual arts, but the Arts in general.

In 2009 they converted some of their downstairs space into a cafe, and built outdoor seating too.

They offer self-serve coffee drinks and tea.

Current Events and Exhibition Calendar

10th Annual Landscape Exhibition
Exhibition Dates 8/3/2011-10/1/2011
Opening Reception: 8/12/2011 7:00-9:00pm
Featuring the art of premiere landscape artists such as Deladier Almeida, Chella, Dwarka Bonner, Marti Walker, Mike Bagdonas, Philippe Gandiol, Marie-Therese Brown, Mryon Stephens, Andrew Dorn, and Leslie Toms.

Great California Paint Out!:
Event: September 10, 2011 9-3:00pm
Reception 7-10:00pm
Davis, California – On September 10th over 100 artists will gather in downtown Davis to “paint the town”. The event is being held in conjunction with the 9th Annual International Worldwide Paint Out. The artists will be painting in every style and any medium throughout the downtown Davis area— still life, neo-classical, impressionistic in every painting style and medium.

Sponsored by Utrecht Art Supplies of Sacramento, the Great California Paint Out will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on September 10, 2011. This festival allows accomplished artists to paint on their own and those who want instruction may paint with one of the master painters. This is not exclusive to landscapes, and all subjects available for observation are welcome. After the painting session is over, participants’ work will be hung inside the John Natsoulas Gallery. There will be an opening reception from 7 to 10 pm and a silent auction where the work will be sold. The work will be juried and awards given out. Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza and event sponsor, Utrecht Art Supplies of Sacramento, will present special Awards at 8:00 p.m. to juried artists

The 5th Annual Davis Jazz Festival: Beyond the Beat Generation:
Exhibition Dates: October 5 – October 29, 2011
Conference Dates: October 21 & 22, 2011,
Join in a rare opportunity to celebrate the renaissance spirit that characterized the American collaborative art scene in the1950s and early 1960’s for free at the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts of Davis, California. From October 21st-22nd, the 5th Annual Davis Jazz & Beat Festival will provide an interactive visitor experience featuring live performances in a wide array of artistic mediums.
The festival swings into action at the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts the evening of the 21st with a film showing of ‘Ferlinghetti.’ The film is based on the life of Lawrence Ferlinghetti, co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers and recipient of the BABRA Award for Lifetime Achievement. This will be followed by a Q&A with creator Christopher Felver. He has participated in the 53rd Venice International Film Festival and his films are widely shown around the world. The evening will continue with applauded poet and critic Neeli Cherkovski who has written twelve books of poetry, two acclaimed biographies and won the Pen Oakland-Josephine Miles Literary Award in 2005.
On Saturday the 22nd, over 150 performances by poets, painters, filmmakers and dancers will take place on three stages at and adjacent to the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts. Notable artists include the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, Winners of the 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 awards for best collegiate jazz group in the country as well as world famous beatboxer, singer, and pianist, ‘Butterscotch,’ winner of the World Hip Hop Beat-box Women’s Championship.

Frank Damiano, Ted Fontaine & Leslie Toms Dates:
Exhibition Dates November 2 – 26, 2011
Opening Reception: November 11, 7-9pm

The John Natsoulas Gallery sponsors more events than any other Davis Gallery. These have included:

• Workshops with noted artists
  

• Music performances, from jazz to alternative rock (i.e. The Six Organs of Admittance).
  

• Performance art shows
  

• Major conferences
  

• Beat Generation and Beyond
  

• The California Conference for the Advancement for Ceramic Arts (CCACA)
  

• The California Landscape conference and the The Art of Painting in the 21st Century
  

• The Davis Jazz Artists Festival
  

• Other events
  

• Blue Moon Literary and Art Review release parties
  

• Green Car Gala
  

• Tromp-l'œil
  

• Valentines show

Friday (February 10, 2006) KDVS Public Affairs Host Andy Jones and longtime Davis resident and UWP Lecturer Brad Henderson co-hosted a poetry book release party at the Gallery. Andy and Brad read their work, and signed copies of Split Stock, available now via John Natsoulas Press. It wasn't a rumor, all the hippest, artsiest, and best-connected locals were there.

Sacramento Valley's 5th Annual Landscape Conference 2007
The program featured plein air painting demonstrations by eminent Sacramento Valley landscape painters: Gregory Kondos, Chella, Deladier Almeida, Philippe Gandiol, and Marie Terese-Brown.

1st Annual Davis Jazz Festival 2007
The First Annual Davis Jazz Artists Festival comprised of both performances of music and art. Performances were led by: Nancy Ostrovsky, UC Davis Jazz Combo, Davis High School Jazz Band and Combo, Adam Jenkins and The Ganbare Spirits Ensemble, Dream Door, Capital Jazz Project and much more.

2007-04-14: The first annual Green Car Gala, the picnic day evening electric vehicle showcase.

John Natsoulas was alleged to have sold forged paintings in order to fund his gallery's 12,000 foot, $1.5 million expansion in 2000, according to a front-page October 15, 2006 article in the Sacramento Bee newspaper. Natsoulas settled a 2005 lawsuit with Henry Villierme, a once-famous abstract painter, who claimed that Natsoulas sold his paintings as works by the famous Richard Diebenkorn by forging Diebenkorn's signature on Villerme's work. Neither Natsoulas nor Villierme would comment to the Bee regarding the settlement, but others involved in the case backed the suit's allegations.

Fresno collector George Blair said he received the fraudulent paintings from Natsoulas, including one used as collateral for a loan he gave Natsoulas to fund his expansion. Blair said the paintings were bought for $175,000 and $180,000. The faux-Diebenkorn paintings were so well-done that no one questioned them until Villierme's son saw an advertisement for them. However, Blair does not believe that it is conclusive that Natsoulas himself forged the signatures.

• Very interesting. Now, it would seem Villierme is famous again. At least in Davis. As for Natsoulas physically taking brush to canvas and forging the signatures...it just goes to show he is an artist at heart. — SolidSender

Many of the events are free or charge enough to cover costs. John is a businessman, but he also cares greatly about building the greater Davis art scene -this shows in the plethora of events he holds. —SteveDavison

Beware about doing business with John Natsoulas. He has a well-earned reputation around Davis as someone who does not pay his debts. I am the owner of a small Davis business who provided a service to the John Natsoulas Gallery for an agreed-upon fee, and with a signed contract. John refused to pay his bill after the services were rendered, and treated me with extreme disrespect when I asked that he remit payment. Beware of doing business with John Natsoulas. I would strongly advise anyone to collect payment before providing John with a product or service. — BujhaGee

The UC Davis Ceramics department no longer attends, nor has anything to do with Mr. Natsoulas' premier event - the CCACA. — ChuckFrank