Welcome to Culture Connection

Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District's newsletter,
featuring the events, stories, and people of our community

Wishing you all a fun, safe and spooky all hallows eve. Still not sure what to do with your corpse this evening? Check out our Halloween roundup - there’s something for everyone!

GVNC: Share a brief history of ASiF.

Paoletti: The Artists’ Studio in the Foothills is a 4000 sq ft fully equipped studio arts center featuring private and shared studio space, three community classrooms and a gallery to promote resident and visiting local artists. The center opened its doors in 2008 with an original focus of offering studio space for artists and classroom space for local artists to teach in. At the end of its first year the need to develop a local artist gallery venue became apparent as there was not another gallery venue for local artists at that time.

The development of the gallery aspect of the art center was an overnight success - putting ASiF on the map as a hub for local artists as it offered them a brock and mortar "home" with opportunities to support themselves as working artists through gallery sales and art instruction. The final essential element to ASiF's success is that participating artists and teachers receive professional administration, production and promotional opportunities.  During its first four years, ASiF collected the contact info for over two thousand eager email recipients while developing a website, social media presence and marketing strategies to reach their ever-growing audience. 

Now in its 16th year, many of ​A​SiF's resident artists and instructors have been with ​the center ​since the center's first two years. ASiF is home to over 20 studio artists and instructors offering year-round programs, classes and art camps for adults and children​. Programs include weekday, weekend and evening workshops in a variety of media including drawing, painting, mixed media, encaustics, wheel throwing/pottery, sculptural ceramics, fiber arts, paper making, jewelry, metal smithing and more. A complete list of class offerings is available at https://www.asifstudios.com.

GVNC: Any highlights of staff, board members, or services?

Paoletti: ASiF's instructors offer ongoing weekly media based instruction for students of all ages in painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, papermaking, jewelry & metal arts, mixed media, paper mache and more. The majority of the art center's instructors have been teaching at ASiF for ten to fifteen years. Many of ASiF's students have been studying with ASiF instructors for five to ten years and have become exhibiting artists in ASiF's annual gallery shows.

GVNC: What is your mission statement?

Paoletti: ASiF's mission is to nurture a community space where art can be made, displayed and appreciated while creating ongoing opportunities for artists to support themselves through their art. "Draw, Paint, Sculpt, Make, ASiF art is your thing!"

GVNC: What do you hope ASiF brings to the community and the Cultural District?

Paoletti: ASiF is committed to the development and ongoing support of a visual arts facility, cultivating creative opportunities and community minded programs for artists of all ages. Its goal is to nurture the creative spirit of the community, providing a space where art can be made, displayed and appreciated.

Its dedicated facility in Grass Valley is a place where: The community at large is invited to witness support and participate in the creative endeavors of its local artists; Professional artists are offered studio space and opportunities to support themselves as working artists through gallery sales and fine art instruction; Artists coalesce to share, teach and support one another; Student artists are offered ongoing mentoring in weekly classes in a supportive and inspiring atmosphere.

GVNC: Any upcoming events you’d like to share with our community?

Paoletti: We currently have an exhibition up at the Rood Center as part of Nevada County Arts Council’s Art in Public Spaces program. Creative Capital takes a close look at the cultural and economic driver of creative hubs like ours.

The annual Smallworks Holiday Show opens on Friday, November 14 and runs through December. This juried gallery show features two and three dimensional work by local artists - perfect for Holiday shopping!

We’re also excited to be co-hosting the December Creatives Meetup with Nevada County Arts Council on Thursday, December 4th and our 2026 Resident Artist Show will be open in January.