The Art of Boro

Gualala Arts is pleased to present present The Art of Boro, a joint exhibition by award‑winning artists Harrison Goldberg and James Docker, on view Oct. 3 through Nov. 1 a the Dolphin Gallery in Gualala. An opening reception will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1 to 3 p.m.

This intimate exhibition features small works on paper and wood inspired by boro, the iconic Japanese art form rooted in repairing, patching and layering worn textiles. Translated as “tattered rags,” boro emerged from necessity during the Edo period (1603–1868) and continued into the Meiji era. Rice farmers, fishermen, carpenters and other working‑class families repurposed their garments, transforming scarcity into a visual record of resilience, resourcefulness and everyday survival.

Goldberg and Docker bring this tradition forward through their own mediums. Goldberg’s improvisational collages and Docker’s meticulously crafted wood pieces create a dialogue that extends the boro ethos from textiles to paper and wood. Their pairing underscores the profound influence Japanese aesthetics have had on Western art for centuries.

About the Artists
Harrison Goldberg A longtime Mendocino Coast resident, Goldberg has spent decades weaving together music, art, storytelling and wine. His career in Sonoma County’s wine industry included wine sales, wine‑themed artwork and label design. A multi‑instrumentalist jazz musician, he has performed, recorded and collaborated widely in the evolving language of jazz.

Goldberg is the author and illustrator of Once Upon a Tune: One Young Man’s Quest to Become a Jazz Saxophonist and recently completed a collaborative book with improvisational poet Philip Giles Marrinan, pairing 58 of his artworks with Marrinan’s responsive poems. He is also developing a multimedia fable that teaches the language of jazz through story, music and visual art, envisioned as both a stage production and interactive digital experience.

He continues to perform spoken‑word jazz, mentor young artists and create work that invites audiences to see and hear the world with renewed curiosity. More information is available at HarrisonGoldbergArts.com.

James Docker  holds an MFA from San Francisco State University and completed undergraduate studies at Pepperdine University. His work draws on a wide range of influences—historic and contemporary artists, craftspeople, architecture, and the structure and freedom of jazz. Japanese aesthetics, including boro textiles and traditional objects used in food service and tea ceremony, are visible throughout his work. Docker lived and studied in Kyoto from the late 1960s to early 1970s, an experience that continues to shape his artistic vision. Elements reminiscent of Piet Mondrian also appear in his compositions.

Docker has worked with wood for more than 60 years, designing and building homes, cabinets and furniture throughout The Sea Ranch, Napa Valley and the greater Bay Area. He began creating knife blocks and boards for friends and neighbors, and his woodwork has been described as “quilting in wood.” Above all, he hopes his pieces offer both visual delight and practical usefulness.