50 years after a cultural turning point, a look at how two rural communes drove the county’s very own psychedelic rise and fall. (Sonoma Magazine)

If a single work by David Ireland can puzzle, provoke and fascinate, what is the likely impact of a whole retrospective?

In 1967 Fred Martin noted in his studio journal, "You can work from the world within, you can work from the world without. But to work from the free passing between worlds, that is the difficulty."

Arriving at Garry Knox Bennett's Oakland loft, I am welcomed with a big hug by Geraldo Bennucci. "Ambrose is making lunch," he says, referring to Ambrose Pillphister, the painter, "and Garry's debating a fine point with a band saw. Vino?"

Robert Bechtle's sparkling California light and dense shadows, his gleaming American cars parked on empty streets, and his neat pastel row houses are like a reflection in someone's dark glasses. You see more of yourself than the wearer.

The painter Joan Brown died in an accident in India at such a moment of grace, when she was happy, at peace, and doing what she wanted to do--installing an obelisk of her design at the ashram of her Indian spiritual guru.

The first two things Noah Purifoy did after moving to the desert 10 years ago were to plant a cactus garden near his front stoop and build an adobe wall for a workshop.

The paintings of Maidu Indian artist Frank Day (1902-1976) describe Konkow Maidu ways, rituals and ceremonies, some of which he never saw or experienced.

A visit with ceramicist Beatrice Wood at her Ojai home when Wood was 96 years old--full of life, laughter and appetite.

Painter Harry Fonseca's modern Coyote myth is rich in humor and spiritual meaning.

For 50 years Charles M. Schulz created the popular comic strip Peanuts. Abby visited Schulz in Santa Rosa to talk about his ideas regarding the strip, its characters and the world of cartooning.