Reflecting

Three women wearing leafy headpieces and necklaces, standing outdoors near trees and a wooden fence, participating in a cultural or ceremonial event, with a woman speaking into a microphone.
Two people cooking in a kitchen, one wearing a green apron and glasses, the other in a yellow patterned jacket reading a phone.
A group of people smiling and posing together inside a rustic room with wood walls, decorated with signs, flags, and artwork, with some children and a baby in the center.
Woman shopping for red curtains in a store with multiple red curtains hanging from rods.
Three people at an awards ceremony, with two women and one man, outdoors during sunset. The woman on the left wears a yellow sweater and brown skirt, the woman in the middle, with gray hair, holds a yellow ribbon rosette and an envelope, and the man on the right wears a blue shirt and cap, holding a microphone. All are smiling.

on 2024

Over the past 6 months, the Mendocino Art Center has entered a period of regeneration and growth.

We are grateful to members of our community, old and new, who have supported us in this new chapter and contributed to building community with us at the MAC. Below, take a look at what we’ve been up to this year.

Text that reads 'The Mendocino Beacon'
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MAC hires Dav Bell as new Executive Director

“Bell views the pairing of art and healing as ‘crucial to community building, personal relationships, transformative justice, and systemic reform.’”

Close-up of a man with glasses, beard, and short hair smiling outdoors in front of a wooden fence, wearing a dark blazer over a pink shirt.

New Board Members Join Our Team

A woman with short gray hair taking a selfie outdoors, with trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

This summer, we welcomed several new board members—all of whom are committed to making the MAC a more lively and inclusive space.

Meet Our Board
Smiling elderly woman with long gray hair, wearing earrings and a patterned shirt.
Close-up of a woman with long dark hair, light skin, and a small nose piercing, wearing a patterned scarf. She has yellow paint on her cheek and is looking to her left with a slight smile.
Close-up of a man with short hair and facial hair looking off to the side outdoors with a blurred natural background.
A woman with short, curly brown hair and glasses smiling, wearing a black jacket and a green scarf, standing on a city street at night.
Person with short dark hair smiling and looking to the side, surrounded by dried plants in an outdoor setting.

Mendocino Open Paint Out 2024

Our annual Mendocino Open Paint Out was a success, bringing together long-term MAC community members and folks alike to celebrate plein air painting.

Three people smiling and laughing during a celebration or award ceremony at an outdoor setting, with a woman holding a ribbon and a paper, a man speaking into a microphone, and a woman with long dark hair wearing a yellow sweater.
A person painting a seascape on a canvas near the ocean with rocks in the background, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and black shirt.
Two people cooking in a kitchen; one in the foreground stirring food, wearing glasses, a blue sweater, and an apron; the other in the background using a phone, wearing a yellow patterned shirt and scarf.

Decolonized Open Mic Nights

This new montly gathering is led by friends at Xa Kako Dile: and others interested in sharing poetry, art, music, stories, and more from a decolonized perspective.

A woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a black vest with patches and a graphic t-shirt, speaking into a microphone outdoors near a tree. She has earrings and a serious expression.
Close-up of black text reading 'The Mendocino Beacon' on a transparent or light background.
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Mendocino Art Center focuses on regeneration and inclusion

A group of people posing together indoors with various decorations and signs in the background, including a red bandana hanging on the wall, a small bookshelf, and signs reading 'Farm Table' and 'Black Lives Matter.'
A group of musicians performing a Taiko drum concert outdoors, with audience members watching.

“Bell wants all of the community to be included... incorporating native tribes, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.”

Welcoming New Artists in Residence

Young woman with glasses and red hair wearing a blue shirt standing outdoors with a textured white wall in the background.

We have brought back a beloved MAC program—the yearlong Artists in Residence. We recently welcomed 4 new ceramic residents, and hope to expand the program next year.

Meet Our Artists in Residence
A woman with dark curly hair, tattoos, and wearing an olive-green shirt is sitting on the ground in a desert landscape. She is holding pottery and surrounded by additional decorated pottery.
Man with dark hair and beard wearing a cap, black T-shirt with a dragon graphic, and camouflage sleeves, standing outdoors in a remote mountainous area.
A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a black sleeveless top with a round badge and red skirt, smiling in front of an abstract artwork.
A black and white magazine cover with the title 'The Mendocino Beacon' in large text.
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MAC exhibit highlights indigenous women’s struggle

Woman shopping for red skirts in a store.
A quilt featuring a depiction of a woman with braided hair, wearing a headband, and holding feathers and fabric strips, with the moon and stars in the background, and text reading "No More Stolen Sisters."

“[The] exhibit… draws attention to the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women…. [the MAC], in partnership with... local community organizations, has collaborated to honor the traditional cultural landscape and lifeways of the Pomo people.”

Eighth Annual Native Arts Expo

A group of Indigenous neighbors hosted the eighth annual Native Arts Expo at the MAC, featuring art and performances celebrating the rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions of Indigenous communities.

Groups of women wearing green leafy crowns and leis, participating in a cultural event outdoors with trees and wooden buildings in the background.
Two women sitting at a table outdoors, one playing ukulele. The woman on the right has a flower in her hair, earrings, and wears colorful necklaces. The woman on the left wears a black hat and a red jacket. The table has shells, a small green box, and musical instruments. A banner with a woman holding a bowl and water with the text 'Water Through Meadow' is hanging above. In the background, there are wooden objects and a clothing rack.

Expanded Workshop and Event Offerings

Three ceramic vases with handles on a sandy surface. The vases are black with some yellow, white, and brown accents, and they have a rounded shape with wide open mouths.

We have been working to strengthen our educational programming, offering more workshops in ceramics, painting, and other traditional mediums, as well as workshops and events on healing, grief, and collective liberation.

See Upcoming Workshops
See Past Workshops
Person welding inside a workshop with
A woman sitting on the floor, laughing, beside ancient stone ruins, dressed in a white garment and wearing glasses.

Launching the Greenhouse Residency

This new winter residency will bring 4 month-long cohorts of artists together to explore art, food, and climate justice on our campus. Our first session will begin in early December.

Learn More About the Residency
A woman with brown hair is writing in a notebook in a forest, with tall trees and green foliage. There are also close-up images of a hand with an acorn, yellow flowers, and a pink orchid, with text overlaid that reads 'The Greenhouse Residency'.

Support this work

Contribute to the Regenerative Future Fund below to help us continue building a regenerative space for artists to gather on the Mendocino Coast.

We need your support—help us reach our goal by December 31, 2024.

Contribute now