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    • January 22–February 21, 2026

    Petaluma Arts Center
    230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
    Thursday–Saturday, 12:00–4:00 pm

    Crafting Curiosity features work from the inaugural Ranch Studios Artist Residency, created at the Eames Ranch in Petaluma, CA. Over two three-month sessions, a small group of artists transformed the Ranch’s barn and farmstead buildings into studios for experimentation, discovery, and play.

    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. The resulting work reflects the philosophy of Ray and Charles Eames, whose legacy demonstrates that inquiry, problem-solving, and play are powerful tools for learning, creating, and positively shaping the world around us.

    The residency carries forward a long tradition of agriculture and making at the Eames Ranch, shaped by Lucia Eames and her daughter Llisa Demetrios, both artists whose daily lives on the property integrated creative practice, stewardship, and experimentation.

    This exhibition celebrates not only what was made, but also how it was made: through curiosity, shared learning, and a belief in the generative possibilities that arise when we work together.

    Crafting Curiosity is an exhibition partnership between the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity and the Petaluma Arts Center (PAC). 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.

    Working across disciplines in fiber, metal, wood, ceramics, digital fabrication, and taking inspiration from the surrounding farmland and nature, residents explored new materials and processes while developing solutions to the visual, physical, and social aspects of their work. The residency is informed by Petaluma’s longstanding culture of creativity and its community of makers.

    Artists 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 free for Petaluma Arts Center and Eames Institute members. Admission for non-members is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors and may be purchased at the door. Children under 12 are free. For more information, please visit petalumaartscenter.org.

    Opening Reception

    Join us for an opening reception January 22, 2026, 5:30–7:30 pm. Free and open to the public. Please RSVP to attend.

    Attend the Opening

    Upcoming Events

    Curator’s Tour with Llisa Demetrios, January 25, 2026, 2:00–3:00 pm
    (Eames Institute members only)

    Panel Discussion: Material Innovation and Agricultural Space, February 7, 2026, 3:00–4:00 pm

    Botanical Ink Making with Lena Wolff, February 15, 2026, 12:00–3:00 pm

    Closing Party, February 21, 2026, 2:00–4:00 pm

    Please check back in January to register for these events, or sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest information.