Gallery installation view of Echoes of Yosemite featuring work by William Keith and the California Art Club (CAC). / Photograph by Francis Tatem, 2025.
Fall Exhibitions at Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art celebrate the legacy of landscape paintings of Yosemite and Abstract Prints and Paintings by Gustavo Ramos Rivera
'Echoes of Yosemite' showcases works by the California Art Club in dialogue with the SMCMoA's legacy collection of 19th-century landscapes by William Keith, and 'Arreglos Intuitivos / Intuitive Arrangements' highlights prints, paintings, and collage.
This fall, the Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art (SMCMoA) presents two unique exhibitions that explore how art can serve as a medium to connect and cultivate community. Echoes of Yosemite showcases the College’s founding collection of work by the 19th-century landscape painter William Keith. Keith’s works are presented in dialogue with contemporary interpretations and renderings of Yosemite National Park created by members of the California Art Club (CAC). Arreglos Intuitivos / Intuitive Arrangements features paintings, prints, and collages by San Francisco-based artist Gustavo Ramos Rivera, who explores universal forms and folkloric memory through bright colors and abstract shapes.
SMCMoA will hold an artist talk with Gustavo Ramos Rivera and printmaker Kathryn Kain on Wednesday, September 17, at 1:30 p.m. in Hagerty Lounge in De La Salle Hall on the Saint Mary’s College campus. The opening reception for both exhibitions will be the following day, September 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. Opening remarks will be held in the museum courtyard at 5:30 p.m. These events are free and open to the public. The exhibitions will be on view through December 14, 2025.
Echoes of Yosemite brings together the artistic visions of Yosemite through two lenses: the classic landscapes of 19th-century painter William Keith (1838–1911) and the vibrant interpretations of contemporary artists from the California Art Club.
The exhibition showcases 11 works and archival materials from the Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art (SMCMoA) William Keith Collection. Born in Scotland, Keith immigrated to New York and later settled in San Francisco. Starting as an engraver, Keith pursued painting in the early 1860s, with his first exhibited subject, the Yosemite landscape. Keith’s depictions of the region through the early 1900s contributed to the park’s conservation and the foundation of the national park. Keith’s paintings were also referenced through John Muir’s unsuccessful pursuit of preserving Hetch Hetchy Valley, which began in 1908. The artistic impact and legacy of William Keith is complemented by over 50 works by contemporary members of the California Art Club. The contemporary works range in media from oil painting, pastels, and watercolor to bronze sculpture. The exhibition features a Yosemite reading corner and community journal.
About the California Art Club
Founded in 1909, the California Art Club (CAC) is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization built on the foundation of promoting and supporting contemporary-traditional fine art. As one of the oldest, largest, and most active art organizations in the country, the CAC is committed to keeping traditional art alive and believes that its unique outreach programs will continue to attract new generations of artists and patrons alike.
California Art Club artists featured in this exhibition include; Cliff Barnes, Barbara Brown, Larry Cannon, Al Carlson, William Cone, Jessica de Jesus, Rick J. Delanty, Sandy Delehanty, Dennis Durrell, Mardilan Lee Georgio, Shirley Lehner-Rhoades, Bradley W. Giles, Meisha Grichuhin, Carolyn Hesse-Low, Ellen Howard, Richard Humphrey, Roberto Jaramillo, Yifan Jia, Thomas Kitts, Paul Kratter, Richard Lindenberg, Carolyn Lord, Kim Lordier, JV Magoon, Adam Matano, James McGrew, Jim McVicker, Terry Miura, Olena Nabilsky, Susan Otten, Erika Perloff, Nadalena Radis-Cobbs, Radha Rao, Diane Rodriguez, Bonnie Joy Sedlak, Timon Sloane, Barbara Tapp, London Vale, Laura Wambsgans, Renae Wang, Nina Warner, and Karen Winters. Teresa Onoda is featured as a guest artist.
About William Keith
William Keith (1838–1911) was a Scottish-American landscape painter renowned for his evocative depictions of the American West, particularly the majestic scenery of California. After immigrating to the United States in the mid-19th century, Keith settled in San Francisco, where he became a central figure in the California art scene. Keith's earlier detailed work reflects influences of the Hudson River School, while his later work embraces atmospheric tonal qualities, pulling from romanticism and the Barbizon school. Keith maintained a close friendship with naturalist John Muir, as the two shared a deep reverence for the wilderness, which is reflected in Keith’s dramatic portrayals of Yosemite, the Sierra Nevada, and coastal redwoods. Keith's paintings played a key role in shaping the visual identity of California and the American West at the turn of the 20th century.
William Keith’s depictions of Yosemite and the region through the early 1900s contributed to the park’s conservation and the foundation of the national park.
Related Programs:
Poetry Workshop: Yosemite & Transcendentalism, October 1, 3–4 p.m. Join the Museum of Art for a discussion and poetry workshop. This workshop will provide a reading selection from various transcendentalist poets reflecting the times in which William Keith painted.
CAC Artist-Led Tour: October 4, 2–3 p.m. Join the Museum of Art and the California Art Club (CAC) for a 45 minute artist(s)-led tour of the Echoes of Yosemite exhibition. CAC guides include Richard Lindenberg, Rebecca Arguello, Paul Kratter, Kim Lordier, and Bill Cone. These artists contributed to the contemporary images of Yosemite National Park, which will be on view at SMCMoA through December 14, 2025.
Echoes of Yosemite Geology Talk: October 23, 2–3 p.m. Join the Museum of Art and Alice Baldridge, PhD, Professor of Geology and Director of the Earth Sciences Department, for a discussion connecting the works in the exhibition Echoes of Yosemite to the geology of Yosemite. In this multidisciplinary dialogue, Professor Baldridge will select sites represented in paintings on view in the exhibition Echoes of Yosemite and discuss what makes their locations—including Half Dome, El Capitan, and Bridalveil Fall—geologically unique.
Arreglos Intuitivos / Intuitive Arrangements
Featuring over 25 works created over 20 years, Arreglos Intuitivos presents the bold colors and gestural lines of Gustavo Ramos Rivera’s abstract paintings and works on paper. Based in San Francisco, Ramos Rivera merges Mexican pre-Columbian symbolism and Bay Area abstraction to explore emotions and meaning. Working in paintings, monotypes, and collages, he repeats and transforms totems and lines to reveal color fields that capture sensation and iconography specific to place and history.
“Many of Ramos Rivera’s works contain elements of collage and found objects that bring forward specific elements of his heritage and Mexican folklore. For example, lotería cards often make an appearance in his 1980s collage works on paper. The cards themselves speak to a traditional game that folds iconography and poetry together as an act of community and creation,” shares curator Britt Royer. “The inclusion of lotería cards creates space for vernacular cultural practices to be preserved and understood in a greater creative context.”
Many works exhibited are monoprints, a specific type of printmaking that combines monotype and matrix drawings. During this process, the artist begins with a metal or plexiglass plate that holds a drawn image, then the artist creates a painting over the image, which is printed as a monoprint. The matrix image is repeated each time the plate is printed, while the painted image changes with each monoprint. Ramos Rivera works with skilled printmakers in San Francisco, Mexico, and Switzerland, creating unique works specific to ideas that linger in these environments and distinct relationships.
Gustavo Ramos Rivera’s practice has established him as a vital voice bridging Mexican cultural traditions with modern and contemporary painting.
The exhibition also includes two portfolio publications with poems and monoprints, Xochitl in Cuicatl and Tango of the Scar. The objects speak to the collaborative nature of Ramos Rivera’s work. Xochitl in Cuicatl features text by Nahuatl-speaking poets presented with a suite of ten monoprints created by the artist. Tango of the Scar presents Ramos Rivera’s custom monoprints in dialogue with contemporary poet Juvenal Acosta’s long poem. The engagement of both English and Spanish texts through these books mirrors the engagement of the languages presented in the exhibition.
“Saint Mary’s College of California serves as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Presenting this exhibition in Spanish and English languages celebrates our students’ diverse backgrounds and helps us support the visibility of Hispanic communities and heritage,” stated Executive Director Lauren MacDonald.
Arreglos Intuitivos will be on view through December 14, 2025. An artist talk with Ramos Rivera is slated for September 17 at 1:30 p.m. Ramos Rivera will be in conversation with printmaker and collaborator Kathryn Kain. This program is free and open to the public.
About Gustavo Ramos Rivera
Gustavo Ramos Rivera (b. 1940, Ciudad Acuña, Mexico) is a celebrated abstract painter whose work is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of his native Mexico while also reflecting the expressive traditions of postwar American abstraction. Based in San Francisco, Rivera is known for his richly layered canvases that merge luminous color fields with universal symbols, creating a visual language that feels both ancient and contemporary. Over the course of his career, Rivera has exhibited widely in the United States and Mexico, with his work represented in numerous public and private collections, including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the San Jose Museum of Art, and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. Rivera’s practice has established him as a vital voice bridging Mexican cultural traditions with modern and contemporary painting.
Additional Programs:
Poetry Workshop: Arreglos Intuitivos / Intuitive Arrangements: November 19, 3–4 p.m. Join the Museum of Art for a discussion and poetry workshop. This workshop will provide a selection of readings from various poets who inspired Gustavo Ramos Rivera. Participants will explore and analyze the connections between literature and Rivera's art practice.
Music in the Galleries: September 27, 1 p.m., October 1, 2 p.m., November 5, 2 p.m., December 3, 2 p.m., December 13, 1 p.m. Join the Museum of Art for an hour of musical improvisation in the galleries. Bring an instrument, your body, or your poetry. Be inspired by our fall exhibitions while listening and collaborating with others.
About Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art
Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art (SMCMoA) is a landmark for art in Northern California, with a permanent collection of over 5,000 objects. Inspired by its founder, Brother Cornelius Braeg, the museum cares for the nation’s most comprehensive collection of William Keith paintings. The museum offers educational and programming opportunities, featuring rotating exhibitions twice a year, for the College and the surrounding community. SMCMoA is located across the street from the Soda Activity Center at Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, California. Programs and admission are free for all. Public tours begin on Saturday, October 11, and will be offered on select Thursdays at 11 a.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through December 13. Please contact Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art at 925-631-4379 or email museum@stmarys-ca.edu for further details. More information can be found at stmarys-ca.edu/museum or by following us on social media @smcmoa.
About Saint Mary’s College of California
At Saint Mary’s College of California, we inspire minds, engage with the world, and create opportunities for students to find their lives transformed. With small class sizes and professors who know you by name, the Saint Mary’s experience empowers students to thrive—whether you’re an undergraduate or a professional looking for the next step in your career. Founded in 1863, the University is proud of our Lasallian heritage and how it fuels teaching and learning in an inclusive and wonderfully diverse community. More than 3,600 Gaels study on our Bay Area campus nestled in the rolling hills of Moraga, just 23 miles east of San Francisco. US News and World Report puts SMC among the top five regional universities in the West. You’ll also find Saint Mary’s highlighted in the guide Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges—the first Catholic college and the first university in California to make the list.
