Eric Nelson, long-time executive director of the Napa Valley Museum, will be leaving that post Nov. 1. He’ll be leaving the valley as well, to become director of Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum at the beginning of next year. There he’ll be overseeing that museum’s anticipated rise to national prominence as it moves and expands.

“It has been my pleasure to work with the gifted and dedicated staff, volunteers and board at the Napa Valley Museum,” Nelson said. “The decision to leave has been difficult because of my strong ties to the community and my commitment to the mission of the museum.”

Nelson has been at the Napa Valley Museum since 1999, during which time the organization has grown significantly. An endowment of $2.8 million was established, and planning begun to create a new museum campus in downtown Napa.

Nelson was appointed to the Historic State Capitol Commission in 2001 by the Speaker of the Assembly Robert M. Hertzberg. He served for 10 years on the Board of Directors for the California Association of Museums and was a founding member of the California Exhibit Resource Alliance. In 2003, Nelson was chosen to participate in the Museum Management Institute, the preeminent education program for museum executives and the flagship program of the Getty Leadership Institute.

“The Napa Valley Museum has benefited greatly from your leadership and dedication,” Shirley Robinson Von Karl, president of the museum board of trustees told Nelson. “I speak on behalf of the full Board in observing that the future of the Napa Valley Museum remains bright thanks to you.”

The board has launched a national search for a new executive director. Ann Mosher, currently community relations director, will serve as interim director.

Pope’s artist in Napa

Overhearing art dealer Liz Lopez discuss a friend’s artwork over champagne and caprese at her favorite Italian restaurant in American Canyon, James Skeldon, a retired businessman and art patron, decided to introduce himself. A part-time resident of Italy, Skeldon had befriended a group of artists in Milan and Rome. As a result of the meeting between Lopez and Skeldon, these Italian artists will be showing their works in their first American exhibition, opening Friday in Napa.

“Tears and Desires of Tarot,” features paintings by Clara Brasca and Lorenzo Mullon, a poet and painter. Both are residents of Milan.

Brasca’s monumental female portraits explore light as reflected from her subjects’ soulful faces. Her powerful oil portraits depict tears of pain, rage, felicity, ecstasy and innocence in the heartrending supplications of the saints. Four of her madonnas were purchased recently by the Vatican for the pope’s summer home in Aosta, Italy.

In contrast, Mullon’s multi-edged, highly detailed works — each not much larger than a Tarot card — explore “the life of microcosms, of plants and butterflies.” Mullon invites the viewer to look ever deeper within the image — each contains a secret poem, inspired by the Latin carmine dant panem — “poems give bread.”

A meet the artists reception takes place 7-10 p.m., Friday at G Studio, 421 Walnut St., Suite 212, Napa. The show continues by appointment only until Nov. 16. Info, 255-2562

New at Stave

Stave Wine Lounge presents an exhibition of the artwork of Berrin Yavuzer through Dec. 15, with an artists reception scheduled for Oct. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Yavuzer, who works in acrylics, will speak about her work. She was raised in Turkey and her work has been shown around the Bay Area.

Stave Wine Lounge, an automated tasting venue, is at 1149 First St. at Coombs and is open Monday through Saturday from 3 to 10 p.m. For information, go to www.stavewinelounge.com.