Author Archive: Writers Workshop
Brewers in the Sierra
FiftyFifty Brewing
Craft Beer Brewing in the Sierra
Brewing in the Sierra typically refers to the process of making beer in the Sierra Nevada mountain region in the western United States. The Sierra Nevada is known for its stunning landscapes, outdoor recreation, and diverse ecosystems. If you're interested in tasting craft beer in this region.
- Water Quality: Water plays a crucial role in brewing, and the Sierra Nevada region is known for its clean and mineral-rich water. Many breweries in this area take advantage of the natural water sources to create unique and high-quality beers.
- Local Ingredients: Embrace the local flavors by incorporating regional ingredients into your beer. Whether it's using locally sourced hops, barley, or even adding unique elements inspired by the flora of the Sierra, local ingredients can give your brew a distinct character.
- Altitude Considerations: Brewing at higher altitudes can affect the brewing process. Lower atmospheric pressure at higher elevations can lead to lower boiling points, affecting hop utilization and the overall brewing process. Brewers may need to make adjustments to their recipes and processes to account for these differences.
- Community Engagement: Engage with the local community, which likely has a strong appreciation for outdoor activities and craft beer. Consider participating in local events, collaborating with other businesses, or even organizing beer-related activities that align with the interests of the Sierra Nevada community.
- Environmental Consciousness: The Sierra Nevada region is known for its environmental beauty, and there's a strong emphasis on sustainability. Consider implementing environmentally friendly practices in your brewery, such as recycling, water conservation, and energy efficiency.
- Seasonal Variations: The Sierra Nevada experiences distinct seasons, and this can influence beer preferences. Consider brewing seasonal or weather-appropriate beers to cater to the changing tastes of your customers throughout the year.
Whether you're look for a craft beer or starting a brewery or just brewing for personal enjoyment, incorporating the unique aspects of the Sierra Nevada region into your brewing process can create a special connection between your beer and the local community.
Rick Wise | Photographer
Rick Wise
Rick Wise spent over 50 years as a Bay Area cinematographer before moving to his current home in Amador City. Since relocating, he has turned to fine art photography as his medium. Wise, however, has created his own variation, using multiple images to produce a new artwork. He will be featured at Sutter Creek Gallery in November, with an opening reception on Saturday, November 4, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Each piece most frequently begins as a group of related photographs taken by the artist. With a blank canvas in Photoshop, Wise brings in individual shots to play with. He moves them around, excludes some elements, distorts others, and adjusts the scale until the parts combine into a new whole piece. He then plays with filters and additional masking to bring new life to the image. “At some point,” he explains, “a kind of shock goes through me, telling me this image is now complete.” The process for one piece might take from 5 to 50 hours.
Currently Wise is working on a series based on spheres, such as Sweet Potato Window. Visitors enjoy trying to parse some of his images, as in the case of Tamale Dreams, which may require a bit of study. The artist also offers his unique take on self-portraits or portraits of a loved one, calling them “Uncommon Portraits,” which can be ordered from the artist. Rick Wise is one of twenty-two local artists exhibiting at the gallery located in the heart of Sutter Creek at 40 Main Street. Besides original paintings and photography, the gallery offers affordable prints, cards, jewelry, pottery, scarves, and glass art, as well as framing services. The gallery is open Thursday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information, call 209-267-0228.
Tamale Dreams
Sweet Potato Window
Hard Wired
Big Crush | Amador County Wine Association
Big Crush Harvest Wine Festival
Wine - Food - Music - October 6th - 8th, 2023
The Big Crush Harvest Festival is the perfect time to see the harvest in action. It takes place amongst the rolling hills of Amador County. At each participating winery that you visit, you can expect to see the crush of the grapes.
Each year, Amador County celebrates the grape harvest by inviting frends and to join them in the festival. Each winery that you visit, you will be welcomed to the scenic foothills of Amador County.
For more information, contact the Amador Wine Association.
Jadon Kulling | Featured at Sutter Creek Gallery
Golden Gate Bridge
Jodon Killing featured at Sutter Creek Gallery
Saturday, September 2nd from 2:00 to 5:00 PM
Jadon Kulling was introduced to the visual arts and music early in life. His grandmother, Ilona Novaky, was an oil painter and a poet, and she encouraged him to excel in art and music alike. As his parents were musicians, art and music have become entwined and embedded in his life. Kulling will be the featured artist at Sutter Creek Gallery during September, with an opening reception on Saturday, September 2, from 2 to 5 in the afternoon.
Kulling is currently studying biology at Folsom Lake College and works with colored pencils. One of the reasons he chose this medium is its affordability as a college student. His artwork aims for high degrees of realism, saturation, and detail. “As an aspiring biology teacher, one of my favorite subjects is nature, though I dabble in architecture, still life, and portraiture.” He was introduced to pencil art in elementary school and began entering his artwork at the Amador County Fair in 2nd grade. Awards such as the Spinetta Wildlife Award and Best of Show encouraged Kulling to press on creating as a child. One of his goals with his art “is to inspire other young artists to share their work and develop their talents as it is never too early to start marketing yourself and making a difference in the world.”
Sutter Creek Gallery invites you to meet Jadon Kulling at the September 2 reception to view his work. He is one of twenty-three local artists exhibiting at the gallery located at 40 Main Street located in the heart of Sutter Creek.
Besides original paintings and photography, the gallery offers affordable prints, cards, jewelry, pottery, glass and fiber arts, gourds, and framing services. The gallery is open Thursday through Monday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For additional information, call 209-267-0228,
Passion Flowers
Other Works
CA Capitol View
Best Birds
Frozen JR. | A production that warms your heart
Frozen Jr Cast
FROZEN JR. | A production that well warms your heart
Sierra Rep is ecstatic to bring SRT Jr’s production of Disney’s Frozen JR. to Summerville High School Theater from July 28 through 30.
The spectacular 60-minute musical, designed for school-aged performers, is based on the 2013 Disney film and the 2018 Broadway adaptation. The SRT Jr cast includes 43 students led by SRT Guest Artist Charlie Munday, with music director Scott Viets.
Do you want to build a snowman? You’ll love this fanciful and heartwarming stage adaptation of the top-grossing animated film of all time! Join Anna, Elsa, and all of your favorite characters as they embark on an epic, ice-filled journey of self-discovery, camaraderie, and the real meaning of true love. Adapted for young performers, this musical includes favorite Frozen songs such as “Love Is an Open Door,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,” and “Let It Go,” as well as wonderful new songs from the Broadway production.
With its empowering message of love and understanding, Frozen JR. is sure to melt your heart! For information on purchasing tickets, please call 209.532.3120 for reservations.
Sandra Campbell | Featured Artist for August
Tiptoeing Through the Tulips
Sutter Creek Gallery Artist for August - Sandra Campbell’s pastels and collages will be featured in August at Sutter Creek Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, August 5, from 2 to 5 p.m. Please join us to see her work and enjoy refreshments. Mountain Stream and Undersea Fantasia are pastels; the other images are collages. Thank you for helping to publicize this and all the Sutter Creek Gallery events.
Campbell didn’t envision becoming an artist until much later in life. Like so many children she enjoyed drawing, coloring, and painting. In college, Campbell discovered that she had some technical ability but still did not pursue it.
The desire to make art remained dormant until she retired and enrolled in a few classes in a variety of media. This led to a three-year stint studying pastel painting with master pastelist Thelma Davis of Placerville. She enjoyed the vivid colors and the control the sticks provided as opposed to working with brush and paint. Later, “I discovered collage which fired my imagination with the variety of papers to be used on any number of surfaces. And it can be combined with watercolor, acrylics, ink, pencils, and all sorts of things to create mixed media pieces.” Her subjects include landscapes, sea views, florals, still life, and animals in both media.
The artist joined the gallery in 2013 and is active in the Amador County Artists Association. Since the beginning of the year, she has taught a monthly class in college under the auspices of the Amador County Arts Council. Campbell is one of 20 local artists represented by Sutter Creek Gallery, located in the heart of Sutter Creek at 40 Main Street. On display are original paintings of all types, photographs, prints and cards, jewelry, pottery, and gourds. Custom matting and framing services are also available. For additional information, call 209-267-0228.
Bird in Bamboo
Underse Fantasia
Mountain Stream
Red Rock Country
A Black Irish Band Concert | At Railtown 1897
The Black Irish Band
A Black Irish Band Concert at Railtown
July 22, 2023
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation are proud to present "Legends & Lyrics: A Black Irish Band Concert" on Saturday evening, July 22, 2023. The unique musical experience performed by the popular progressive folk band will take place between two giant steam locomotives in the historic Roundhouse. The acoustic set will feature music unique to the railroad, Tuolumne County, and more.
A multi-talented five-member band known for Irish Folk and Gold Rush music – both traditional and original -- the Black Irish Band is focused on presenting acoustic music in a compelling and upbeat way that celebrates the rich stories of immigrants and those who built America. The strong vocals and up-tempo instruments breathe new life into old songs, and the band presents exciting original material with a distinctive flair. This accomplished band has headlined for many major historic events around the world and recorded nearly 100 original songs that appear on many of the band's CD recordings. For more information, contact Railtown or The Black Irish Band.
Grounds Restaurant | The jounary and story of Chef River Klass
Grounds Restaurant - Grounds began as a coffee, pastry, and sandwich shop, as one of the first places to move into the old Murphys downtown district. At that time, Murphys was still a few years from a full-blown revival and we were lucky that the community took to us right away.
Soon after opening, people started asking for more, so they expanded the menu to include a full bar. Within a year of opening, Grounds had become a local favorite serving breakfast, lunch, and dinners.
They are closed Monday & Tuesday and are open in Murphys, California the rest of the week. They were established in 1993 as a California coronation.
River Klass - River Klass loves horses. He was raised in Connecticut and learned to eat great food in Paris. His first job at age 14 was in a small café in Westport, Connecticut, and was his first restaurant job. He has worked in restaurants ever since. His travels have taken him through college, Paris, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.
In 1992 at twenty-nine, he opened his first restaurant called Grounds in what would become the great village of Murphys, California. While cooking at GROUNDS, River prepared many quick dishes for the kitchen staff. These delectable dishes became the fire behind the next restaurant, twenty feet from the first) Firewood opened in 2000. He has spent the past 25 years walking through the same door. River's continues to learn, adapt and deliver the finest experience to every guest.