Time & Tide: The Art of John Wehrle
Exhibition: April 9 – June 14, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 5, 1pm-3pm | Learn more…
Panel Discussion: Saturday, April 26, 1pm-3pm | Learn more…
Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804
Time & Tide is the first major exhibition to comprehensively survey the work of Richmond-based artist John Wehrle. Best known for his murals in Richmond, the Bay Area, and throughout California and the West Coast, Wehrle’s diverse artistic practice spans more than 50 years.
Time & Tide highlights Wehrle’s expansive body of work, including murals, sculptures, “stitched” photographs, limited edition digital print portfolios, videos, and studio paintings. From his early years as a combat artist in Vietnam to his most recent digital photographic works, Wehrle explores themes of war, survival, the environment, and human progress, offering a profound reflection on our evolving world and social constructs.
Blending whimsy, allegory, and history, Wehrle is especially known for his public art, which has shaped Richmond’s urban landscape with landmark murals such as The Plunge (2010) and Revisionist History (1995). His murals and gateways across California continue to leave a lasting impact on communities statewide.
Curated by Jeff Nathanson, Time & Tide is accompanied by a catalogue, public programs, and self-guided mural tour.
This exhibition were organized by Richmond Art Center with generous community support and funding, in part, from the California Arts Council, Fleishhacker Foundation, Richmond Rotary, Zellerbach Family Foundation, and MB Jessee Painting.
A heartfelt thank you to the generous contributors: Teresa Albro, Emily Anderson, Lucy Anemone, Bruce Beyaert, Andrea Biren, Anna Blackman, Ronald Bogin, Judith Brodsky, Donna Brookman-Knight, Jan and Byron Brown – in memory of Don and Betty Hardison, Susan Chamberlin, Sas Colby, Robin Cooper, Betsy Davids, Pamela Dernham, Lisa Di Prima, Judith Dunham, Tanya Edgar, Robbin Henderson, Susan Hybloom, Matt Jacobson, Katherine Kiehn, Alan Krakauer, Tami Lau, Carol Law, Kathleen Lemmon, Jeff Nathanson and Connie Tell, Owen Oakley and Ellengale Toki Oakley, Robert Ortbal, Rachel Osajima, Dwayne Parish, Helen Ripple, Sue Rosenof, Brian Rothstein, Jos Sances, Diane Scheiman, Lynn Smith, Elizabeth Sojourner, Amy Spencer, Julia Starr, Joann Steck-Bayat, Lynn Stelmah, Amy Stimmel, John Toki and Pamela Stefl Toki, Catherine Waller, Paul Wehrle, Dave Weinstein, Chris Werlin, Larry White, Mary White, Jennifer Wolch and Michael Dear, John Ziesenhenne, Anonymous (5)
