The craft-curious—and those fascinated by the way space can inspire the creative process—will make their way to the Petaluma Arts Center this winter for an innovative exhibit showcasing some of the Bay Area’s leading artists focused on the spirit of agriculture and making.
Crafting Curiosity: Advancing a Legacy of Agriculture and Making at the Eames Ranch opens Jan. 22 featuring works created as part of new Ranch Studios Artist Residency—a program of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, a nonprofit dedicated to upholding the legacy and creative philosophies of Ray and Charles Eames, whose Eames Office produced some of the most innovative and influential design works of the modern era.
The artist residency took place over the course of two sessions, each three months long, at the Eames Ranch in Petaluma. During the residency, a select group of artists fashioned the ranch’s barn and farmstead facilities into studios for “experimentation, discovery and play,” according to eamesinstitute.org.
“Drawing inspiration from the Eames Archives and supported by research resources from William Stout Architectural Books, each artist responded to the questions that guide their practice.” Housed in Richmond, the Eames Archives includes nearly 40,000 pieces in its collection of works from the Eames Office.
Works created during the residency highlight the philosophy of Ray and Charles Eames, the mid-20th century wife-and-husband design team whose work spanned from architecture and furniture design to graphic design and fine art. The Eames Office’s acclaimed 1977 short film, Powers of 10, took viewers from the Earth to the outer limits of space and all the way back to a closeup view of an atom.
The Eames “legacy demonstrates that inquiry, problem-solving and play are powerful tools for learning, creating and positively shaping the world around us,” the institute continues.
The artist-residents in the inaugural spring and fall sessions of the program explored everything from forms and materials to sustainability and place-based storytelling to show the role design can play in positively shaping the world.
“The exhibit highlights early explorations from the inaugural residents, providing visitors with a first look at how the land, history and resources of the Eames Ranch play a vital role in cultivating creativity,” reads a joint announcement from the institute and arts center.
The 2025 Ranch Studios Artists in Residence include Windy Chien, Rie and Jay Dion, Chris Kallmyer, Travis Meinolf, Masako Miki, Yvonne Mouser, Kristen Stain, Nobuto Suga and Amy Rathbone, Pierre Gorgui Thiam and Lena Wolff.
The exhibition is curated by Llisa Demetrios, chief curator of the Eames Institute, with Jay Dion, studio manager for the Ranch Studios program at the Eames Ranch.
Demetrios, granddaughter of Ray and Charles, says the Eames’ legacy has always been about experimentation, generosity and “learning by doing.”
“With the Ranch Studios, we carry this legacy forward as well as my mother’s [Lucia Eames] by creating a space for contemporary makers to draw inspiration from the natural landscape while deepening their creative practices through place-based storytelling,” says Demetrios, highlighting Lucia’s longtime support of the Petaluma Arts Center. “[It demonstrates] the connection between agriculture, material studies and making.”
The Eames Institute last summer acquired an 88.5-acre property at Wood Hollow Drive in Novato, the longtime former home of Birkenstock, where a future Eames museum is planned. Located to the west of Highway 101, the architecturally eye-catching main building on the parcel was originally designed by modern architect John Savage Bolles.
The exhibit runs through Feb. 21. The free admission is underwritten by Llisa Demetrios. Hours are Thursday to Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. An opening reception takes place Jan. 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St., Petaluma.
For more information, visit eamesinstitute.org/crafting-curiosity or petalumaartscenter.org.
Related events include:
Panel Discussion: Material Innovation and Agricultural Space
Feb. 7, 3–4 p.m.
Botanical Ink Making with Lena Wolff
Feb. 15, noon–3 p.m.
Closing Party
Feb. 21, 2–4 p.m.
