Watercolors by Bruce Washburn on display at Portola Art Gallery in January
“Light and Memory” — a retrospective exhibition of watercolor paintings by Bay Area artist Bruce Washburn — is featured in January 2026 at the Portola Art Gallery (75 Arbor Rd.) in Menlo Park.
A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, January 10, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Visitors can also meet Bruce at the gallery on Wednesday, January 14; Wednesday, January 28; and by appointment.
Memories play a central role in Bruce’s work — the places he has visited, the people who shared those times, and the moments that give those experiences lasting significance. Through a watercolor process grounded in responding, refining, and revisiting, he engages in a kind of visual time travel, moving between past, present, and imagined future.
He explains: “The places depicted in my work are special to me, yet often familiar to others. Some viewers may have equally strong memories of the subject, though very different from my own. I find that kind of connection especially gratifying.”
Bruce received his Fine Arts degree from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, and has spent the last decade following the reflective ways of watercolor. More of his works may be viewed on his website.
The Portola Art Gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
La Maison Rose, Montmartre, Paris” is one of the watercolors that Bruce Washburn will have on display during his January exhibit, “Light and Memory,” at the Portola Art Gallery.
