Welcome to Culture Connection

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

Thursday, December 4, 5:00 - 7:00pm

Artists’ Studio in the Foothills
940 Idaho Maryland Road, Grass Valley

Join us for the last Creatives Meetup of 2025 as we celebrate the many artists, teachers, and students that make ASiF the magical hub of creativity that supports and uplifts our creative community. The feature of our current Art in Public Spaces exhibition at the Rood Center, Creative Capital | Cultivating Community with Artists' Studio in the Foothills, owner and local artist Amanda Paoletti opens the doors of ASiF for a special evening of community, creativity, and our reflections on this last year.

Taking place during ASiF's annual Smallworks Holiday Show, the walls will be adorned with pieces by residents and community members.

Marina Caliari is the recipient of a Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District Mini Grant for her upcoming show Sunday Lunch at Nevada City Winery.

GVNC: What is your medium?

Caliari: I’m a mixed media artist, but mainly a ceramicist.

GVNC: At what point in your life did you realize your calling?

Caliari: I always knew, since I can remember, that I wanted art to be in my life.

GVNC: Tell us about your creative process. 

Caliari: I have several sketch books where I constantly scribble. I try my best to spend time in the studio everyday to keep my hands active and the ideas flowing. I’m constantly testing materials and learning new techniques to incorporate it into my work.

GVNC: What do you love best about our creative community?

Caliari: The sharing of ideas and the camaraderie there is between the artists. It really feels like we all support each other and that’s invigorating and inspiring. 

GVNC: Name two Nevada county artists you admire and why.

Caliari: Sam Bell is an awesome glass artist but a creative force in everything she does. Jori Jori is also an amazing creator of beautiful worlds with her intricate pieces. But there’s also Heather Heckler, Camille Bryant, Leila Srouji, Tawnee Kendall, Mira Clark, Sarah Coleman, Miriam Morris…, and many others that I admire greatly. Sorry It had to be more than two!

GVNC: What’s coming up for you?

Caliari: I have a show at the Nevada City Winery Gallery on November 21st called “Sunday Lunch”. The opening is at 5:30pm. 321 Spring St, Nevada City.

The pieces are in part inspired by growing up in Brasil in a very tight-knight family, and the memories of gathering, cooking, and spending time with my grandmas.

The exhibition contains ornamental wall pieces and functional work, hand-built using stoneware clay and then hand-painted with pigments and stains.

I’ll also be at the Nevada City Craft Fair on Sunday, November 30, from 10am to 5pm at the Miners Foundry.

GVNC: Please share your website/Instagram/business email and any additional links where readers can find your work.

Caliari: You can find out more about me and my work on my website at studio-caliari.com and follow me on Instagram @studiocaliari