More than 70 artists are showing Walnut Creek residents what California looks like through their eyes.
The price of admission is up to you.
"CALeidoscope: Evolving Reflections of California," the Bedford Gallery's annual juried exhibition, fills the first-floor gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts with work spanning ecology, cultural identity and historical tensions. The show runs through Sept. 13 at 1601 Civic Drive, open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., with pay-what-you-can admission for visitors 13 and older. Children 12 and under get in free.
Curator Emilee Enders, the gallery's Curator of Exhibitions and Programs, wrote that the show resists any tidy summary of the state. "Rather than seeking a single definition of the Golden State, the selected works explore our state's diversity from breathtaking landscapes and layered histories to its enduring role as a home for creativity and reinvention," Enders wrote in a statement published by the East Bay Times.
The exhibition was more than a year in the making. The call for entries opened July 24, 2025, with a submission deadline of March 26, 2026, and was open to U.S.-based artists 18 and older. Two outside jurors selected the final works: Juan Omar Rodriguez, assistant curator at the San José Museum of Art, and Amanda Sroka, senior curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. The competition awarded more than $2,000 in cash prizes.
Artists in the show include Cynthia Ona Innis, Bushra Gill, Doug McCune, Karen Rose, Melissa Mohammadi and Angela Sanders, whose piece "Skins" uses natural latex. Catherine McMahon's "Angel Island Detention" is made with handmade natural pigments on Dongba paper, linen and grommets.
The City of Walnut Creek, which runs the Bedford Gallery, highlighted CALeidoscope in its August city manager newsletter, noting that pay-what-you-can tickets are available to reserve online.
New this year, visitors can access a free digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app for context on the works as they walk through.
A Family Tour is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to noon. The gallery can be reached at 925-295-1417 or [email protected] for accessibility accommodations.
Upcoming at the Bedford Gallery:
- Through Sept. 13: CALeidoscope: Evolving Reflections of California, Wednesday–Sunday, noon–5 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 15: Family Tour, 11 a.m.–noon
