Di Rosa’s Restored Sheep Come Home to Carneros With an Oct. 25 Roundup

NAPA: The 22 metal sheep sculptures that watched over Sonoma Highway for years are coming back. The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art announced on Oct. 14 that it will celebrate the return of the flock, an artwork by co-founder Veronica di Rosa, with the di Rosa Sheep Roundup Celebration on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the center, 5200 Sonoma Highway in Napa.

Veronica di Rosa placed the sculptural sheep on the property more than 30 years ago, according to the center. After a decade in the back pasture, and a removal from the front pasture for restoration, the flock is returning to center stage, the center said.

Photograph by Michael Cuffe, courtesy of di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, via EIN Presswire

The return of the sheep is more than a restoration.Rachel Miers, interim executive director, di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art

A studio restoration in Napa

Over the past several months, di Rosa board president and artist Gordon Huether and his Napa studio team have sandblasted each sculpture and refinished it with a durable powder coat, according to the announcement. The restoration was made possible through the studio’s gift of its time, craftsmanship and resources, with additional financial support from board secretary Madalene Rose, the center said.

After a decade in the back pasture, the flock is returning to the front pasture.

The celebration includes the center’s first-ever sheep naming auction, where guests can bid to name one of the sculptures for a year, with proceeds supporting the flock’s return to the front pasture. The center’s event page says all 22 sheep will be available to name, with a limited number of naming opportunities offered before the event for a fixed contribution of $5,000 and the remaining sheep going to the highest bidders during the event.

Barbecue, music and a ridge trail

The afternoon includes barbecue, wine and beer, live music, kids’ activities and art, along with remarks from the center’s staff, board and partners, according to the announcement. Tickets are $125 per person, and children 12 and younger are free, the center said.

Photograph by Michael Cuffe, courtesy of di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, via EIN Presswire

The celebration will also honor the protection of di Rosa’s upper ridge. Through a partnership with the Land Trust of Napa County and the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District, approximately 162 acres of the Carneros ridgeline, including Milliken Peak, are being preserved as public open space, with plans for a new public hiking trail to the summit lined with large-format sculptures, according to the announcement. The center’s event page confirms the ridge protection and the trail partnership.

Founded by Rene and Veronica di Rosa, the nonprofit center is home to a collection of more than 1,600 works of Northern California art, with a sculpture meadow of nearly 80 outdoor works, according to the center. It describes the Roundup as marking a new chapter under a new board and leadership team. Tickets are available through the center’s website.