Collaborative Works
Art by Barbara Libby-Steinmann and Anna Rochester
With works by Cynthia Pepper
In The Studio | March 1–30
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays | 11 am–4 pm
Collaborative Works is the debut show of Connect the Dots, a Marin-based non-profit founded in 2024 by artists and educators Barbara Libby-Steinmann and Anna Rochester with a focus on serving as a financial and creative incubator for aspiring and up-and-coming artists.
The Studio at Marin Art and Garden Center will serve as the backdrop for the “Collaborative Works” of the founding artists Barbara and Anna. It will also feature a selection of botanical watercolors by the late Marin-based artist, Cynthia Pepper.
Throughout the month-long show, the community is invited to collaborate with the artists through FREE hands-on workshops, artists talks, and more:
Opening Reception
Over the course of the month, the community is invited to participate in a collaborative weaving project that culminates at the closing reception. This fun and free hands-on weaving project is designed for all ages.
Previous weaving experience is not required and younger hands accompanied by an adult are welcome.
An afternoon in The Studio with artist Anna Rochester from 1 – 3 pm
Take a spin around the color wheel from 1 to 2 pm as we explore an easy way to think about colors. We will use watercolors for this fun experience that is best for ages 10 and older.
Followed by an artist talk with Q/A and demo, 2:30–3 pm
An afternoon in The Studio with artist Barbara Libby-Steinmann
Try your hand at this swirly easy-going activity to create decorative papers using Suminagashi, the Japanese ink technique for marbling paper from 1–1:30 pm. All ages welcome, all materials provided!
Followed by an artist talk with Q/A and demo, 2–2:30 pm
An afternoon in The Studio with artist Anna Rochester
Walk through the garden settings, gather your thoughts and make some mixed media art inspired by the beauty of the Garden. This multi-age mini workshop is from 1–2 pm. Materials included.
Followed by an artist talk with Q/A and demo, 2:30–3 pm
Closing Reception
Alas, it’s time to say goodbye to the fanfare and fun we all created during this time in The Studio. Connect the Dots Art Studio, Barbara Libby-Steinmann and Anna Rochester would like to thank all visitors for joining in. We offer extended kindness to the Cynthia Pepper & Val Hornstein Family for allowing us to exhibit Cynthia’s botanical watercolor paintings.
about the artists
Anna Rochester
Anna Rochester (she, her) received her B.A. in Art Education from the University of Oregon and her M.A. from the Art Institute of Chicago. From 1996 to 2010 she worked in Museum Education departments at world class institutes from the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at the University of Chicago to the Shedd Aquarium and, then at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Her work focused on leveraging museum collections and hands-on practices to enrich K-12 curricula, exploring the interface between artistic and scientific ways of inquiry. Since 2014, she has lived in Kentfield with her son, husband and dog. For Anna, art making remains both a way to represent the world and its abstractions, and a vehicle with which to engage with artists and students motivated by similar aspirations. Her latest project with the California Society of Printmakers involved working on an artist book called “Confluence”, in conjunction with Print Houston. Anna is thrilled to be the co-curator of the Marelli Window Gallery in San Rafael, which has been a shoe repair business for over 100 years!
Barbara Libby-Steinmann
Barbara Libby-Steinmann (she, her) lives with her husband in San Geronimo, California. She was born and raised in Switzerland. Barbara, holds a B.A. in Visual Merchandising and Illustration and a Visual Arts teaching credential. She is National Board Certified and has been working in visual arts education for two decades. Barbara has received county and statewide recognition for her teaching excellence and curriculum design. She is a leader in advocating for arts integration in schools and bringing art-making opportunities to her community. Her artwork has been published in editorial and community events such as “Hearts in San Francisco” and her paintings and drawings have been cherished by private collectors in the United States, Canada and Switzerland.
