Current Exhibits — News — California Nature Art Museum

All Trails Lead Inward by Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan

October 17, 2026 - April 12, 2027

Third-Floor George & Barbara Goodall Education Center

For artist Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan, California is both her home and her greatest source of inspiration. Sangeetha began exploring the state 15 years ago, and what began as time outdoors to recover from a crippling back injury became a lifelong passion. The natural landscape helped her heal, reshaped her perspective, and eventually led her to become an avid hiker and backpacker.

Every painting in this exhibition begins on the trails of the golden state. Sangeetha paints on location, returning with sketches, color studies, and observations that become the foundation for her larger studio paintings. Rather than capturing a single moment, the paintings are built from many visits and the memories that remain.

Terra Firma ~ Selected Works from the Permanent Collection

September 28, 2026 - March 28, 2027

First Floor Wildling Gallery

Terra Firma or “solid earth” is a term that grounds us in the natural landscape – both stabilizing and affirming our connection to the land. The California Nature Art Museum permanent collection ranges from engaging oil paintings to sublime photography. Works by artists such as Ray Strong, Meredith Abbott, John Marshall Gamble, and Chris Chapman record some of the natural spaces found in the Santa Ynez Valley, and beyond. This exhibition highlights the iconic landscape works found in the museum’s permanent collection.

Untamed Desert: Captured by Paulette Donnellon

July 26, 2026 - January 18, 2027

Members-Only Artist Reception: July 26 2026, 2PM-4PM

Second-Floor Valley Oak Gallery

The California Nature Art Museum is pleased to announce its 2026 summer exhibition, Untamed Desert: Captured by Paulette Donnellon, on view from July 26th, 2026 - January 18th, 2027.

Vast, rugged, and full of life, Untamed Desert is a photographic tribute to the extraordinary beauty of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Through her lens, Donnellon reveals the hidden stories of the animals that roam these arid landscapes. From the powerful, sure-footed climb of a desert bighorn sheep along rugged ridgelines to the alert, wide-eyed stance of a burrowing owl guarding its sandy doorway, each image reflects Paulette’s deep reverence for Anza-Borrego. This exhibition is more than a visual journey; it’s a celebration of the park’s wild spirit and a reminder that even in the harshest environments, beauty endures.

Lulu Hyggelig: California's First Permanent Thomas Dambo Troll

February 2, 2025 - January 31, 2035

Michele Kuelbs Tower Gallery

The California Nature Art Museum is pleased to present Thomas Dambo’s first permanent troll in California. Thomas Dambo is an internationally renowned Danish artist and recycling activist who is celebrated for his imaginative and colossal sculptures made from recycled materials. Specializing in creating enchanting wooden trolls, Thomas Dambo breathes new life into discarded resources, showcasing the boundless potential hidden within our world’s trash cans.

Current ExhibitsRuben MislangFebruary 2, 2025Thomas Dambo

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