Literature meets fine art this month when renowned Napa Valley artist Gilbert Wheat is featured in a one-man show at two venues in downtown Napa.

One venue will be the gallery that has long represented the artist, the MJ Schaer Gallery located in the Napa Mill; the other is the Napa City-County Library just one block away. It is part of the library’s Art in the Library program, a popular and innovative juried competition. Both exhibits will run through October.

An artist reception will be held at the MJ Schaer Gallery on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. with an R.S.V.P requested. Works on display at the Napa City-County Library in October may not be purchased at the library, but will be available through the gallery.

Wheat, a California native, studied for his M.A. at Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Vienna before joining the faculty of the art department of the College of Marin in 1965. He held this post until his retirement from the academic world in 1988. He has also been an active member of the Marin Society of Art since 1956.

“His realist and abstract styles of painting draw on a strong, delightful and inspiring array of subjects and compositions,” Schaer said. “His ability to incorporate a mixture of schools and subject matter, using both brilliant and subdued colors in a single painting is his artistic trademark.”

The personable 79-year-old artist still works daily in his studio in Carneros. Using acrylics, oils, graphite and mixed media he creates paintings depicting landscapes, vineyards and still-lifes in the rural and historic settings of the northern California wine country. 

“The fact that Gilbert’s vitality and sense of artistic adventure and perfection still drives him to paint every day, even as he approaches is 80th birthday, is really a testament to his desire to continue improving on his craft, of exploring new themes, refining techniques, working to capture the essence of the region,” Schaer said.

Often called one of “Napa’s great living treasures,” his work has long been sought after by local, national and international collectors, both private and corporate, and he has had exhibits at the world famous de Young Museum in San Francisco and at the Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento. His work has been exhibited and sold exclusively by the MJ Schaer Gallery for the past 15 years.

The MJ Schaer Gallery is open daily from 9 a.m until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Sunday or by appointment, and is at 500 Main St., Napa. For more information or to RSVP for the artist reception, call 251-3726.