portraits of things:
Gioia Fonda & Charlie Gill

October 9 – November 29, 2026
Reception: October 9, 6-9 PM
Artist Talk: Sunday, November 8, 2-3:30 PM

Interdisciplinary artist Gioia Fonda has long collected colorful toys, both for their intrinsic charm and as creative inspiration. As a student at California College of the Arts, she arranged small collectibles into still-life compositions, captured them on film, and processed the photos at a local drugstore. Captivated by these arrangements, her advisor, Charlie Gill, painted spare compositions based on her photographs—works that now hang alongside hers. For this exhibition, Fonda has created a series of new paintings featuring similar arrangements of toys and found objects. She is also offering an opportunity for members of the public to exhibit their own small works on paper, riffing on some of her recent photos. Artists may add to this display throughout the duration of the show.

Sponsored by the Pence Community Curatorial Fund

Waltz of Life & Limb:
Mercy Hawkins

October 3 – November 6, 2026
Reception: October 9, 6-9 PM
Artist Talk: Saturday, October 17, 2-3:30 PM

Waltz of Life & Limb pairs recent sculptural paintings by artist Mercy Hawkins, with her vibrant, large-scale watercolors on paper. With this work, Hawkins seeks to answer the internal call, to encounter what the body already knows, from our own inner rhythms, heartbeat, and breath, to dancing with wild arms. Her biomorphic shapes, formed of intersecting dots, dashes, and lines, speak to a sensory play of color, light, and movement. Her imagery evokes seed pods, flower buds, or microscopic creatures, immersing the viewer in an all-encompassing perception of nature.

This exhibit is sponsored by HF Richardson.

Out and About:
Danilo Campos

October 9 – November 29, 2026
Reception: October 9, 6-9 PM

Danilo Campos is a Sacramento-based artist whose recent series of paintings explore his love of new places and experiences. His antidote to everyday routines is to go out and wander, whether it’s a new neighborhood, a new place, or campsite. His current series of work reflects his way of seeming to mindlessly go ‘out and about,’ but coming back with gems of resources.

This exhibit is sponsored by Kim Ohlson & Allen Barnes

Please be aware that this exhibit is located in our upstairs gallery.

Access may be slightly limited due to occasional events and classes

that occur in this space. To ensure that your visit and enjoyment of

this exhibit is not interrupted, please refer to our Programs page.

Misuk Goltz’s Class:
Expressive Watercolor

October 2 – November 15, 2026
Reception: October 9, 6-9 PM

Misuk Goltz began teaching watercolor classes at the Pence Gallery in 2020, building a vibrant community of students over the last six years. Her classes have encouraged many students to explore new ideas, experiment with various techniques, and hone their skills in watercolor. This collection of work illustrates what her students have achieved during the course of her workshops and reflects the community of painting, encouragement, and friendship that she has fostered while teaching at the Pence. Participating artists include Frances Burke, Elizabeth Chen, Misuk Goltz, Megan Lowry, Kayoko Nishi-Schnier, Kim Ohlson, Jan O’Riley, Janice Purnell, Maria Rea, Lorie Topinka, and Fran Spitale.