Sherman Gardens’ lush garden setting plays host to an array of festivals, programs and art displays.
Current Exhibit – Located in the Historic Adobe
Harvest Beauty: The Artistic Labels of California Growers
New Exhibit in Sherman Library & Gardens’ Historic Adobe:
From the 1880s to the mid-1950s, California citrus growers used colorful paper labels on wooden boxes to identify and advertise their fruit, reflecting a rich social and commercial art history. With the advent of railroads, these labels became essential for shipping and marketing, evolving from stenciled images to eye-catching designs that promoted the California dream. Over 250 packinghouses used multiple labels to denote fruit quality, and skilled artists, often European immigrants, created these vibrant artworks. Label styles transitioned from naturalistic scenes to commercial art techniques, peaking between 1900-1930. The practice declined in the 1940s and ended by 1956 with the shift to cardboard boxes.
Past Exhibits
Re-emerging at Sherman Library & Gardens: Gene Bauer’s Golden Botanical Gardens
Gene Bauer (1926-2023) started making botanical serigraphs in 1972, when she became the first native flora chairwoman of California Garden Clubs, Inc. She focused on education about native plants of California through a series of monthly booklets. Each pamphlet was dedicated to one flower, plant, or tree that inspired her during her statewide visits to California botanical gardens.
Sherman Library is fortunate to have a complete collection of pamphlets featuring her original serigraphs, celebrating California flora which are now on display in the Historic Adobe.
Summer School is in Session – 2023: The Brandt-Dike Summer School of Painting
