Sonoma Valley Museum of Art (SVMA) has announced its 2026 exhibition schedule, a lineup titled “A Year of Joy Through Art,” featuring four artists whose works SVMA curators describe as sparking humor, exuberance and a celebration of the human spirit.
Linda Keaton SVMA executive director said in a statement, “At SVMA, we know that art can bring people together and elevate our community. These delightful exhibitions featuring truly imaginative artists inspire people to see the joy in art.”
Maija Peeples-Bright’s “Life is Just a Bowl of Terriers” runs through April 26.
Peeples-Bright is one of the few female artists associated with Northern California’s Funk Art movement, according to SVMA representatives. She is known for her “beasties” — robust compositions bustling with animals, forming surreal, imaginative landscapes. The exhibition will offer a retrospective look at her career.
The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art has announced its exhibition schedule for 2026, featuring the works of four artists including Maija Peeples-Bright. Peeples-Bright’s “Beast Sunburst entHAREs the Sky,” 2025. (Courtesy of Muzi Li Rowe)
Norma I. Quintana’s “Paradise of Memory/ Paraíso de la Memoria” runs May 9-Sept. 6. Quintana’s compelling portrait series explores the connection between memory and community identity. Inspired by itinerant photographers in Puerto Rico, her images focus on honoring everyday lives as a vital part of cultural remembrance. An opening reception is scheduled for May 9.
Norma I. Quintana
Norma I. Quintana’s “Oaxacan Women,” 2021. (Courtesy of Norma I. Quintana)
John Paul Morabito’s “Dancing in the Night” runs May 9-Sept. 6. A transdisciplinary weaver, Morabito will present shimmering, color-saturated tapestries adorned with beads and gold. The works merge digital interfaces with handwork and reflect on ethnicity, the sacred, and queerness, celebrating queer life and community, according to SVMA. An opening reception is set for May 9.
John Paul Morabito, courtesy of Patricia Sweetow Gallery
John Paul Morabito’s “Untitled (I need somebody to love tonight),” 2024. (Courtesy of
Patricia Sweetow Gallery)
“The Real Life Art History of M. Louise Stanley” runs Sept. 19-Jan. 3, 2027. Artist M. Louise Stanley is known for her quirky, spontaneous style and humorous, fantastical narratives, according to SVMA. The exhibition will reveal the real-life events that inspire her images, featuring selections of photographs, sketchbooks, studies and complete works from her personal archives, alongside finished pieces from Bay Area collections. An opening reception is set for Sept. 26.
Courtesy of Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
M. Louise Stanley’s “Garage Sale,”1996. (Courtesy of Sonoma Valley Museum of Art)
All exhibitions will be accompanied with public programming at the museum, including artist talks, panel discussions and hands-on art classes.
SVMA is located 551 Broadway and current museum hours are Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. General admission is $10 and is free for SVMA members and guests 18 years and under; Wednesdays are always free admission. For more information, visit https://svma.org/ or call 707-9397862.
