Pop-up art gallery enriches Loomis community

Loomis and south Placer residents only have until May 30 to visit the JB Art Gallery, located at 3667 Taylor Road in Loomis, next to the Loomis Town Hall. The JB Art Gallery is a contemporary art gallery exhibiting a selection of regional and national artists ranging from Placer County, the Bay Area, Southern California, Idaho, Texas and Missouri. The JB Art Gallery is run by part-time Loomis resident Sara Aibel. Aibel said she was a landscape architect for more than 30 years and has always been invested in the arts. "My older sister is a painter, my other sister is a jeweler and I was into design," Aibel told Gold Country Media last Friday. "My father was an engineer; (the arts) was just a part of my family." Aibel obtained her masters' degree in arts administration while residing in Boston 15 years ago. From there, Aibel got into managing and working for art galleries in Boston and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts and other arts nonprofit organizations for more than 12 years, according to Aibel. According to Aibel, the JB Gallery is host to nearly 70 pieces of art, including original paintings, handcrafted sculptures and jewelry, and fine art photography from 10 artists within California and throughout the United States. All of the artists showcased in the gallery are artists who Aibel has met throughout her years of working in the arts. Each piece of art is available for purchase and ranges in price. While the goal is to sell the pieces throughout the gallery, Aibel has another goal of bringing the arts to the Loomis community. "There's not a lot of opportunity for people to come to galleries like this around here," Aibel said. "I want to try and educate others (about the arts), and expose local artists." While the JB Art Gallery is only open to the public until May 30, due to the reactions Aibel said she has received so far from the public, Aibel will open another pop-up gallery in Loomis this fall. "The community (support) has been incredible," Aibel said. She has received support from local restaurants and businesses, and expects future collaborations with local businesses and wineries to encourage residents to visit the gallery. The JB Art Gallery is open to the public, starting at 11 a.m. from Wednesday to Saturday. On Fridays and Saturdays, the gallery is open until 8 p.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Aibel said that individuals who go out to dinner in historic Loomis will make their way to the gallery and walk through to end their evening. "We're finding that people just come passing by and then they walk in and they're just like, 'Whoa, I had no idea this was here,'" Aibel added. You can follow the gallery on Instagram at @jbgallery0018.