Join us at monca for two exciting exhibitions, Many Views of Bidwell Mansion ~and~ Enduring Landmarks.
The exhibitions will be on view July 10 - August 24, 2025 during museum open hours, Thurs - Sun, 11AM - 5PM. An opening reception will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025 from 6-8PM.
Many Views of Bidwell Mansion
Former Chico State University Art History professor, Dolores Mitchell, curated the exhibit which features various representations of the Bidwell Mansion, a California State Historic Park.
Located just three blocks from monca on Esplanade in Chico, the mansion was devastated by fire in 2024. This exhibition represents how the historic site impacted many different artists through the years. Presenting a singular building from many different vantage points and through many mediums solidifies how the site's history lives on. A range of artists, from novices to professionals are included in the exhibition and contributed artworks in many mediums including watercolor, pastel, linocut prints, photographs and more!
Eighteen artists capture the Bidwell Mansion in many significant moments, from a wedding celebration in one painting to the site of a plein air painting competition in another. The Victorian building is shown lit at night, with a dusting of snow, freshly painted pink, and in an ashen state of ruin.
Dolores Mitchell says, “I thought of Hokusai’s print series ‘Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji’ when naming the exhibit." Mitchell's painting of the mansion included in the exhibition depicts the view she saw for thirty years when crossing the Esplanade to reach the Chico State University campus.
Enduring Landmarks
The juried exhibition, Enduring Landmarks, features works representing significant architectural landmarks. Whether the buildings are well known or significant to the artist only, the selected works reflect how our surroundings are often sentimental or powerful upon consideration. Whether intentional or subconscious, architecture shapes our experiences, histories, and identities.
Artists responded to a call asking them to reflect on the places that hold meaning in their own lives, whether from their hometown, childhood memories, or travels afar.
Many of the artworks in the Enduring Landmarks exhibition capture the essence of significant architectural edifices - whether grand or humble, standing strong or lost to time.
Take a moment to admire representations of buildings you have never seen in person or maybe pass by daily. As time goes on, we see cherished architectural landmarks change, with natural weathering, preservation, and modern development. The exhibited pieces prove art can keep history alive and take you back in time.
Thank you at all of the artists who contributed to the exhibitions as well as the dedicated volunteers who coordinated and installed the exhibitions. We hope to see you at monca soon!
Pictured Artwork (on view in the Enduring Landmarks exhibition):
Summer Morning at the Temple, 2022 by Mark Powers
