Love lessons

We intended the first cover story in d’ART, SN&R’s new Second Saturday guidebook, to be about money. We wanted to know who was buying art in Sacramento and whose art was worth buying. We called gallery owners and artists and asked questions like, “What’s the most expensive painting you’ve ever sold?”

We confirmed that Sacramentans are spending more on visual art than ever before. Lynda Jolley of JayJay gallery has sold more paintings over $10,000 in the past year than in the previous five. Pamela Skinner, who owned a gallery on a desolate stretch of the R Street corridor for more than a decade, has moved downtown and reports that business is booming. “It’s a really good time to be selling art in Sacramento,” she said. (And the formerly desolate block she used to occupy now houses the Empire Events Center, R15 and the new Cafe Bernardo.)

But what really surprised us—and in fact made us change our story plans entirely—is that none of nearly a dozen artists and gallery owners we talked to for “You Belong to Me” could stop talking about love. Whether laboring to make art, show art, sell art or collect art, there was only one reason for the effort: that “love at first sight” zing people experience when a piece of art resonates.

As evidenced by burgeoning Second Saturday crowds, more of us are looking for art we can identify with. To that end, SN&R offers d’ART to help you navigate Second Saturday in Sacramento and beyond. Inside the pullout section you’ll find details on the month’s art receptions, stories about the art scene, our own Route of the Month and a more detailed art map. Look for d’ART every second Thursday inside SN&R.

If you find yourself darting about this Second Saturday, don’t forget to stop by the SN&R offices at 1015 20th Street for our first ever staff art show, humbly titled Don’t Quit Your Day Job. Who knows? You just might fall in love.