Mary Sophia Porter was born in Santa Cruz in 1868 to Benjamin F. Porter and Kate Hubbard and was the sole survivor of three children. She later married William T. Sesnon and together they hosted cultural salons from 1911-1927 in their Pino Alto home (now called the Sesnon House). The exhibition will feature many sketches and water colors from the historic scrapbook made during the salons, along with paintings by California artists Will Sparks, Ferdinand Burgdorff, Charles Dickman, Margaret Rogers, Cor de Gavere, Haig Patigian, and Frank Unger—all who attended the salons. Prominent California historian Geoffrey Dunn will contribute a catalog essay on the history of Mary Porter Sesnon.
Associated exhibition in the adjacent Porter Faculty Gallery:
Works by UCSC alumna and great-granddaughter of Mary, Molly Porter Cliff Hilts (Porter College ’81), will be on display in the adjacent Porter Faculty Gallery. State of Wonder includes work from her encaustic landscapes and her enigmatic bird portraits.
The gallery will host a series of salons during the 4-week exhibition (see website for details) including a special tour of the historic Sesnon House (Pino Alto) in Aptos.
The public is invited to the opening reception with live music on Thursday, April 12, from 5-7pm.
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FREE and open to the public.
Gallery hours: Tue-Sat 12-5pm with extended hours on Wed. until 8pm.