Marin Museum of Contemporary Art

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art A public benefit non-profit organization. MarinMOCA connects....artists, community, and artistic expression.

As the North Bay’s foremost contemporary art space, MarinMOCA showcases renowned local, regional, and national artists who offer fresh visions of place, person, and planet.

We’re honored to be featured in Hyperallergic’s “10 Art Shows to See in the Bay Area This Summer.”The piece reflects on ...
06/17/2026

We’re honored to be featured in Hyperallergic’s “10 Art Shows to See in the Bay Area This Summer.”

The piece reflects on the Bay Area art scene amid recent closures and funding cuts, and the ways artists and communities continue to sustain it. As the author writes, “what we have is something special, something worth fighting for.”

Thank you to Max Blue for this thoughtful recognition of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵, featuring work by Jay DeFeo, Nicole Phungrasamee Fein, Deborah Lohrke, Sandra Ono, Tressa Pack, and Veronica Ryan.

On view through August 30 at MarinMOCA.

Artist Highlight: Nicole Phungrasamee Fein (Nicole Phungrasamee Fein)Nicole Phungrasamee Fein is a San Francisco-based a...
06/16/2026

Artist Highlight: Nicole Phungrasamee Fein (Nicole Phungrasamee Fein)

Nicole Phungrasamee Fein is a San Francisco-based artist whose work centers on drawing as a negotiation between control and fluidity. Born in Evanston, Illinois and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Fein studied at Tufts University, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Mills College in Oakland.

Across her work, circles emerge like mirages or planetary forms, droplets gather into dense fields, and washes of color create luminous, shifting environments. Fein describes her drawing practice as an attempt to harmonize “focus and repose,” creating works that feel both meditative and charged.

Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in major museum collections including SFMOMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Hammer Museum, the Berkeley Art Museum, and the Menil Drawing Institute.

On view in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 at MarinMOCA through August 30.

Jay DeFeo often began with observed forms, moving through the recognizable toward abstraction, where imagery shifts away...
06/12/2026

Jay DeFeo often began with observed forms, moving through the recognizable toward abstraction, where imagery shifts away from fixed reference and into something more intuitive and spatial.
In a 1972 letter to artist Pat Adams, DeFeo described her approach as placing “organic forms of a provocative but unspecific nature in spaces that appear limitless beyond the boundaries of the panel.”
That tension between form and boundlessness runs throughout her work. Familiar shapes emerge, dissolve, and reconfigure, asking viewers to sit within uncertainty rather than resolve it.
On view in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 at MarinMOCA through August 30.

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Images:
1. Installation shot by Bradain Bello featuring Jay DeFeo, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches(61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2433. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society(ARS), New York.
2. Close up shot of Jay DeFeo,𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Ink, graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches (61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2434. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
3. Installation shot by Bradain Bello featuring Jay DeFeo,𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Ink, graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches (61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2434. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Jay DeFeo, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches(61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2433. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society(ARS), New York.
4. Close up shot of Jay DeFeo,𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches(61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2433. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society(ARS), New York.

Through June 15, every donation to MarinMOCA will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a generous supporter, doubling your im...
06/11/2026

Through June 15, every donation to MarinMOCA will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a generous supporter, doubling your impact.

MarinMOCA brings people together through contemporary art.

From exhibitions and artist talks to Family Days, youth programs, and arts education for nearly 1,000 local students, we are committed to making art accessible, engaging, and meaningful for our community.

None of this happens without the support of members, donors, artists, and visitors who believe in the value of creative spaces.

Your contribution helps sustain exhibitions, education programs, community events, and opportunities for artists of all ages to create, learn, and connect.

06/10/2026

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘖𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 curators Catherine Wagner () and Alexandra Bowes () discuss the ideas behind The Shape of Thought, exploring conceptual thinking, shared themes across mediums, and art’s potential as a form of political expression.

On view at MarinMOCA through August 30t

Deborah Lohrke’s 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 drawings are rooted in repetition, structure, and sustained attention. Working with fountain pe...
06/09/2026

Deborah Lohrke’s 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 drawings are rooted in repetition, structure, and sustained attention. Working with fountain pen ink and an ongoing exploration of color, shading, sheening, and shimmer, she develops compositions that begin as simple gestures and expand into dense, intricate systems.

Starting with a single triangle, Lohrke gradually builds repeated forms across the page, allowing her pen to wander freely and create maze-like structures that organically fill the surface. Once the page is complete, she begins exploring ways to connect the three corners of each triangle, activating a rhythmic movement where the forms begin to pulse and flow.

These drawings are described by the artist as meditative, restorative processes. Lohrke links this work to numerology and the significance of the number three, which she associates with creativity, communication, balance, and the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. The triangle operates as both structure and symbol, holding ideas of equilibrium, alignment, and the articulation of inner truth.

On view in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 at MarinMOCA through August 30.

Artist Highlight: Jay DeFeoA historical anchor within 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵, Bay Area artist Jay DeFeo (1929–1989) offers...
06/04/2026

Artist Highlight: Jay DeFeo

A historical anchor within 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵, Bay Area artist Jay DeFeo (1929–1989) offers a framework for thinking through perception, material inquiry, and space. Part of San Francisco’s Beat community of artists, poets, and musicians, her body of work moved fluidly across painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography over four decades.

Alongside her time in the studio, DeFeo was also a dedicated educator at a number of Bay Area institutions. Her work continues to resonate internationally and is held in major museum collections worldwide.

On view in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 at MarinMOCA through August 30.

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Images:
1. Mimi Jacobs, Portrait of Jay DeFeo, 1975. Gelatin silver print. JDF no. R6483. © Estate of Mimi Jacobs.
2. Installation shot by featuring Jay DeFeo,𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Ink, graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches (61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2434. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Jay DeFeo, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 (𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴), 1976. Graphite and acrylic on paper, 24 x 18 inches(61 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2433. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society(ARS), New York.

3. Close up shot of Jay DeFeo, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥, 1974. Charcoal and acrylic on paper, 11 x 8 1/2 inches (27.9 x21.6cm). JDF no. E1737. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists Rights Society(ARS),New York. Shot by .
4. Jay DeFeo, 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥, 1986. Enamel and acrylic with collage on paper, 22 x 18 inches(55.9 x 45.7 cm). JDF no. E2673. © 2026 The Jay DeFeo Foundation/Artists RightsSociety (ARS), New York. Shot by .

Calling all artists! Want to share your skills and inspire others? MarinMOCA is opening up slots for our education progr...
06/03/2026

Calling all artists! Want to share your skills and inspire others? MarinMOCA is opening up slots for our education program in San Rafael, and we’re looking for workshop instructors!

Whether you teach painting, printmaking, creative writing, or something totally unexpected, we want to hear from you!

Classes kick off in late spring, and proposals are due February 25th.

- 800 sq. ft. classroom in downtown San Rafael

- Flexible scheduling (half-day, full-day, or short series)

We look forward to hearing from you!

We’re lucky to be part of a region with such a strong commitment to artists, and our friends at Headlands Center for the...
06/02/2026

We’re lucky to be part of a region with such a strong commitment to artists, and our friends at Headlands Center for the Arts continue to play an essential role in that legacy.

Their annual Auction brings together artists, collectors, and supporters for an evening of great art, community, and celebration. Most importantly, it helps provide artists with the time, space, resources, and support they need to experiment, take risks, and create new work.

We’re proud to support Headlands and their mission to champion artists and bold ideas.

We hope to see you at the party on June 4th!

🌿 Summer Camp at MarinMOCA: Art in the Natural World 🌿Looking for a creative summer experience for your curious kid? Joi...
05/27/2026

🌿 Summer Camp at MarinMOCA: Art in the Natural World 🌿

Looking for a creative summer experience for your curious kid? Join us July 13–17 for a week of outdoor exploration, art-making, and hands-on discovery at MarinMOCA in San Rafael!

Designed for ages 8–11, this camp combines daily park visits with studio projects inspired by plants, rocks, textures, wildlife, and found objects. Students will create accordion books, wind chimes, shadow boxes, and more while learning drawing, sculpture, and assemblage techniques through both art history and natural history.

Led by professional artists and educators Lauren Volk and Sue Dedina.

✨ Scholarships are available.

📍 Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
1210 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael
🗓 July 13–17
⏰ 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Perfect for kids who love being outside, making art, asking questions, and turning observations into creative projects.

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Address

1210 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA
94901

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+14155060137

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