Marin County’s winter art season is buzzing, with galleries and museums from Sausalito to Novato bursting with exhibitions. These shows celebrate memory, culture, age, light, and the spark of local creativity.
From the iconic Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael to small coastal spaces in Bolinas and Point Reyes Station, there’s a lot to take in. Marin artists — and their Bay Area friends — are using canvas, clay, fabric, and immersive installations to tell their stories.
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Winter Exhibits at the Marin County Civic Center
The Marin County Civic Center, Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural gem just off Highway 101 in San Rafael, anchors the county’s visual arts scene. This winter, it’s hosting two exhibits that dive into identity, aging, and Marin’s cultural diversity.
“What About Age?” and the art of remembrance
From January 26 to May 6, “What About Age?” features Dana Koffenberger’s piece “Dreams of Grandma”. It’s a work that lingers on memory, family, and those stories we inherit.
The show nudges visitors from Mill Valley, Fairfax, and Corte Madera to rethink aging — not as decline, but as a layered, human journey.
“Multicultural Marin” through January 23
On view through January 23, “Multicultural Marin” highlights the vibrant communities that make Marin what it is. You’ll see influences from San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood to Novato’s North Bay families.
The exhibition shows how cultural traditions, migration, and local history shape daily life in Larkspur, Tiburon, and far beyond.
Mill Valley, Novato, and San Rafael: Contemporary Art Hubs
Outside the Civic Center, Marin’s winter brings a web of contemporary spaces. Locals and visitors can find fresh work in Mill Valley, Novato, and central San Rafael.
These towns anchor a lot of Marin’s creative energy right now.
Anthony Meier Gallery in Mill Valley
In downtown Mill Valley, Anthony Meier Gallery is showing sculptures by Libby Black through December 19. Black’s work toys with perception and material, asking art lovers from Strawberry, Tam Valley, and Marin City to reconsider the stuff of everyday life.
Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in Novato
At the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in Novato, “Art Fwd: 5x5x5” runs through December 21. This show features work by 135 Bay Area artists in a compact, punchy format.
Painters, sculptors, and mixed-media artists from Marin and San Francisco distill their ideas into tight, powerful statements.
Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael
San Rafael’s Falkirk Cultural Center hosts installations by Jean-Marc Brugeilles, Gerald Huth, and Chris Mosley through December 16. The elegant Victorian mansion, not far from Terra Linda and Greenbrae, sets the stage for contemporary installations that play with space, light, and texture.
Coastal Inspiration: Bolinas and Point Reyes Station
Out on Marin’s western edge, the coastline keeps inspiring artists and curators. From Bolinas to Point Reyes Station, winter exhibitions capture the rhythms of the ocean and the stories of rural West Marin.
Bolinas Museum’s “Susurrations”
The Bolinas Museum presents “Susurrations” through January 4. The show features work by Pegan Brooke and others, exploring subtle movement and quiet sound — the whispering of waves, grasses, and wind.
These themes resonate with visitors from Stinson Beach, Muir Beach, and Olema.
Gallery Route One in Point Reyes Station
In Point Reyes Station, Gallery Route One offers several exhibits through January 18. Shows like “Build/Destroy” and “Mi Vida/My Life” dig into construction and loss, personal history, and the tension between building a life and watching parts slip away.
These themes probably feel familiar to long-time residents of Tomales, Dillon Beach, and Inverness.
Dominican University and Other Marin Highlights
Back in central Marin, San Rafael’s academic and gallery spaces round out the season. Exhibitions focus on dreams, light, textiles, photography, and ceramics.
Students, faculty, and neighbors from Kentfield, Ross, and Sleepy Hollow can see museum-quality work without leaving home.
Dominican University of California exhibitions
The Dominican University of California in San Rafael hosts several exhibits, including “What Dreams are Made Of” through December 20. “Capturing Light” by Gifford S. Leoung runs through February.
These shows explore dreamscapes and the fleeting quality of light that defines mornings in San Anselmo and sunsets over Richardson Bay.
Textiles, photography, and ceramics across Marin
Additional highlights across Marin County include:
Whether you’re strolling through downtown Mill Valley or exploring the lagoons of Marinwood, there’s probably a gallery or museum nearby. Head out toward Bolinas along Highway 1 and you’ll find another spot inviting you in to see how Marin’s artists are interpreting age, culture, memory, and place this season.
Here is the source article for this story: Where to see artworks in Marin
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