About the Area

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Although Humboldt County is only five hours north of San Francisco via Highway 101, the "North Coast" seems light years away, geographically and culturally isolated by dense redwood forests to the north and south, the Trinity Alps to the east, and the stormy Pacific to the west. "Behind the Redwood Curtain" is how the locals describe a region so defined by the landscape.

The beauty, diversity and isolation of this landscape has been drawing creative sorts to the region for decades. This is the place where Jack London researched dialog and traded fists in Eureka's waterfront taverns 60 years before the internationally acclaimed Martin Wong painted his friend (and fellow artist) Bill McWhorter driving around the same town in a gold cadillac. It's also where the venerable American painter Morris Graves spent the final 30 years of his life, living, working and inspiring the local art community from his lakeside retreat in Loleta.

In fact, a steady stream of artists have been finding their way to the North Coast for generations, adventurous souls in search of inspiration and a simpler life. So many artists have come to call the region their home that in a recent survey sponsored by the Lila Wallace Foundation, more than half of Humboldt's 121,358 residents said they created art on at least a part-time basis.

These artists have found remarkably fertile ground for their creative pursuits, since the North Coast offers tremendous community resources and support for the arts. While the coastal city of Eureka remains the cultural center of the region, surprisingly strong tribes of creative souls flourish in smaller, rural areas as well. Dell'Arte's International School of Physical Theatre, the Westhaven Center for the Arts, the Mateel Community Center and the Kinetic Sculpture Race all originated in tiny, scarcely populated locales.

Eureka

With just over 26,000 residents, Eureka is Humboldt's geographical and cultural hub. The historic town, which sits on beautiful Humboldt Bay, offers a surprising range of opportunities for cultural enthusiasts. Within the city limits are five museums (including Morris Graves Museum of Art), five dance companies, six theatre troupes, and several art galleries.

Public art flourishes in Eureka as well (the city boasts 26 murals and counting), and Art Alive!, Eureka's "First Saturday" art walk, draws the local community out by the thousands month after month. Numerous arts organizations are also headquartered in town, offering a variety of educational opportunities and support.

It's an environment artists have thrived in. Like the late Brenda Tuxford once said, "You can't throw a stick without hitting an artist in Eureka." The cornucopia of work being produced gets exhibited all over town, not just in galleries but in any coffee house, retail shop, attic or closet with wall space and an audience. This intermingling of traditional galleries and "alternative" venues infuse the community with a creative energy unique to the town.