Support the Pence Gallery with me!

Hi! I'm Ro. I'm the Pence's new Office Manager, an artist, and a (sometimes) art teacher. I'm so excited to be a part of the Pence through all of these roles, and am grateful to be part of an organization that uplifts artists, brings new art and ideas to the community, and provides arts education to both kids and adults.

Why am I asking for your support?

As an artist, I've had the opportunity to exhibit my work with the Pence, most recently in the group show Worn, all about how clothing intersects with identity and culture. My piece, El Delantal (The Apron), was a love letter to my great grandmother and the time we spent together in the kitchen. It was so moving to be able to honor her on a gallery wall. I know she would have loved having the attention on her.

Opportunities like this are one of the reasons why I'm fundraising for the Pence. The flip side of curating great shows for the public to enjoy is that the Pence also provides meaningful opportunities for local and regional artists to exhibit work that is significant to them.

Our goal this year is to raise $20,000 for exhibitions. As I'm learning having been a Pence employee for a little over a month, making exhibitions happen is not simple or cheap. Your financial support helps create avenues for artists to show their work, and to develop and grow in their art practice.

Another program I'm asking for specific support for is youth education. How lovely, at a time when arts funding is being cut in so many places, for kids to be able to learn about and create art at the Pence!

I got some hands on experience with this initiative back in 2024 when I led a paper craft workshop for kids in the upstairs gallery and education space. The kids made collages of fauna local to the Davis area. It is astounding to see how creative, thoughtful, and able to concentrate kids are when you put art supplies in front of them and give them a mission. I'm always amazed by what they come up with! (did you see the cicada in this picture?!)

The Pence's educational programs continue to grow, and I'm asking for your support to bring more art to more kids. Our goal is $20,000 for youth education. We're trying to broaden the Art in Action program from a quarterly to a monthly event, increase ArtSmart field trip availability, and create a scholarship fund to expand access to these programs.  

At the Pence Gallery, we bring people together and build community through art. Art brings us together, to listen to and learn from one another. The Pence Gallery strongly believes that art is for everyone, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, physical abilities, or faith. Reflecting on our Mission Statement, we affirm that our goal is to serve the community by offering exhibits and programs that reflect and enrich the lives of people of diverse backgrounds.

I hope you'll join me in supporting the Pence Gallery!