Make our Exhibits Happen Next Year

This is a selfie of me wearing one of Ortbal's sculptures, while doing a public event with 30+ participants in Emeryville, as part of his exhibit prep.

Sculptor Robert Ortbal was very engaging at his artist talk during his Encounters exhibit (see above image) in Fall 2025. He spent over two years creating work for his spectacular exhibit and catalog.

Dear Friends,

This year has been such a landmark year at the Pence Gallery. We celebrated our 50th Anniversary as an organization, and we've reflected by commissioning a video to tell our story of the past 50 years, curated a 50 year exhibit of artworks, and threw a REALLY fun Membership Celebration & birthday party at the Pence for 120 people! 

 Artists Liza Riddle, Mark Goudy, Laura Van Duren, Kris Marubayashi, and (at end) Karyn Gabriel, with exhibit sponsors Hollie Malamud & Chris Kelsch celebrate the Abstract Language of Ceramics exhibit opening a few weeks ago. One of my favorite pieces in Laura Van Duren's studio back in fall 2025 was a must to include in the ceramics show! 

Recently, I hit 20 years as Director/Curator at the Pence, and my favorite part of my job is creating 10-15 meaningful exhibits every year by local and regional artists. I spend about two-three years working with a small group of artists, and we brainstorm about how to show their work to the best of its ability. I research their work, write and market their show, and work with our Designer and Marketing Associate on how to translate their show to the public. Then once we select the work, our Preparator creates a beautiful space over many days where the work is finally shared with the community.  We open up and hold our reception, and hold our breath for people to come through and share their impressions with us. 

I've worked with well-established artists, to completely unknown artists, and with each one, I try to connect and build a rapport to understand how to display their theme, their series, or their life's work.  In exhibiting at the Pence, the artist is trusting us with their precious work, something that they've worked years on to be able to produce.  Even with that, the Pence only sells about 10-15% of the art on display in our exhibits, and we have to ask generous members of the public to sponsor our shows. Each year, we have to raise $20,000 in sponsorship to cover the costs of our exhibits, from research, marketing, installation, staffing, reception, and insurance. 

I’m asking you to help me bring next year's exhibits to the Pence, which is now open for early giving. If you wait until May 7th, you can help us win big monetary prizes by just donating through the Big Day website.  All donations are tax-deductible and help us towards our goal. Click here to donate!

We have a generous match pool this year, including donors Les DeWall and Mary Stephens-DeWall, Sharna Hoffman, Mike Crump and Stephanie Kocsik, and Amina Harris, so your dollars get matched up to $11,500, thus making your donation make an even larger impact. 

Thank you for your friendship and support of our thriving artist community! 

Natalie Nelson, Director/Curator 😀I was selected a few years ago to display this tiny sculpture at a SF gallery & I was so honored to be on the other side of the gallery.