2024 The Ren Brown Collection (Contemporary Japanese and Modern Prints by Artists Living in Japan)NEW

Nestled along the picturesque western edge of Sonoma County, the Ren Brown Collection beckons as a timeless testament to the harmonious blend of Japanese artistry and contemporary creativity. Established in the early 1990s, this art gallery finds its serene abode along the meandering Coast Highway One at the northern tip of Bodega Bay. Within its meticulously refurbished walls, adorned with the delicate elegance of shoji screens, and surrounded by a tranquil Japanese garden, the gallery unfolds as an immersive journey.

A major focus is on modern prints by artists living in Japan, including Toko Shinoda, Daniel Kelly, Ryohei Tanaka, Sarah Brayer, Katsunori Hamanishi, Yoshikatsu Tamekaneand others. Many have works included in the collections of prominent museums, and been exhibited around the world.  Some of this artwork can be found nowhere else in northern California. The original prints are done in traditional woodblock, as well as more Occidental mediums, such as serigraphy, etching, stencil, and lithography-often on fine handmade papers. Subjects and themes vary widely, and images are both abstract and representational.

Gallery Hours
Open Wednesday to Sunday
10 am to 5 pm (Closed Monday & Tuesday)

Location
1781 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay, CA 94923

About Ren Brown
Interest in the Far East has long been a part of founder Ren Brown’s life. A third generation Japanophile, he lived in Tokyo as a child, and has made numerous trips ever since. His first exhibit of contemporary Japanese prints was held while a college student in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, in the mid 1960’s. In 1980 Ren established Anshin Art as a part-time business located in Berkeley and devoted exclusively to Japanese prints. When his former partner decided she no longer had time to devote to the project, Robert DeVee joined Ren Brown, and the idea of a full-time gallery along the Sonoma Coast began to gel. Since establishing this gallery Ren has given talks at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and offered instruction to various art and civic groups as well as college classes about the contemporary print movement in Japan. He continues to make frequent trips to Japan to discover new artists.