Beautiful gallery with very cool local events hosting local artists of different backgrounds and mediums. Our friend had an art showing here, and it was great to see his and other local artists post their work for others to enjoy. Staff is friendly and helpful to guide you around the gallery. There are 2 floors! Elevators are available for mobility issues or children/strollers. Parking is available on the street. The building is well maintained and clean/tidy. read more

I've been going here for 18 years, and I've always had a great time! the staff are welcoming, the art is beautiful, and they do so much for the community. Thank you Pence! read more

I am writing this review as an artist with approximately 40 years of experience in painting and the visual arts. This was my first time participating in an exhibition at this gallery, as I had been considering becoming a member. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing. Two weeks after the exhibition opened, I discovered that my artwork had been incorrectly labeled. Although I had clearly stated in my submission form that my work is "mixed media," it was presented as "watercolor." This is not a minor mistake--anyone with even basic knowledge of art can easily recognize that my work is not watercolor. Mislabeling directly affects how viewers perceive the artwork and can influence voting and audience feedback. I contacted the gallery by email to request a correction, but received no response. After repeated follow-ups over three consecutive days, I finally received a reply on the fourth day confirming that the label had been corrected. Such delays and lack of accountability are not acceptable in a professional environment. Throughout this experience, I felt that there was insufficient attention to professional conduct and respect for artists--especially emerging ones. I also sensed a difference in the way I was treated compared to others, which made me feel overlooked and unwelcome. In addition, when I inquired about the possibility of offering smaller works suitable for sale in the gift shop, my request was immediately dismissed without any review of my work. Only after I insisted did I send examples of my pieces, which I believe deserved proper consideration, yet my request was still not evaluated fairly. Due to this overall experience, I ultimately decided to withdraw my artwork from the exhibition. I did not want my work to continue being misrepresented or treated without proper respect. To make matters worse, the refund process for the $40 exhibition fee was handled carelessly. The gallery issued the check incorrectly three times, each time misspelling my last name. In the end, I had to write my name on a piece of paper to ensure the check was finally issued correctly. I also witnessed another artist whose ceramic work, valued at $1,000, was damaged while in the gallery's care. She was understandably upset, and this raised further concerns about how artworks are handled and stored. Overall, this gallery falls far short of the professional standards expected from an art institution. There appears to be unfair treatment of artists, with decisions seemingly influenced by personal relationships and favoritism, which is also quite evident on their social media presence. I sincerely hope that in the future this gallery improves in terms of communication, professionalism, fairness, and respect toward artists. read more

Very small (no cost) gallery in downtown Davis with three neat exhibits and some items for sale. The exhibits right now are Slice: A Juried Exhibit of Regional Art; Rochelle Mason Focus on Nature: Beyond Eden & Wildcats of the World; and Exhibit it! A Community Art Exhibit. All of them had interesting and beautiful pieces, some of which are for sale. We were greeted by Cindy when we arrived. After spending time in one of the rooms, she asked our thoughts and we discussed for a few before going to the next. Would definitely visit again. read more

I attended the 30th Annual Pence Gallery Garden Tour 2023 in Davis. I heard about it through one of the garden hosts - Janey & Jason Santos, who are popular garden YouTubers in the area. Their garden was more beautiful in person, and it was a pleasure to walk through it... along with the other gardens. The Pence Gallery itself is very nice. We stopped by because we had will call tickets for the garden tour. The lady at the front desk was very friendly and welcoming. She gave us a little goodie bag which we appreciated. The place was clean and organize, it was also serene and relaxing. As for the garden tour event, the description on the Pence Gallery website said there would be 7-10 gardens. Sadly, there were only FIVE + a stop at the gallery, and it literally took us less than two hours to do the whole tour. We definitely would have planned our morning differently had we known there were only five gardens. Hoping they offer more gardens next year! Other than that, we had a good experience at Pence Gallery and their garden tour event. read more

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The Pence Gallery is a small two story art gallery in Downtown Davis that offers free admission. Recently I came to visit with my friend who now lives in Davis again and likes to frequent galleries. I should make it a point to visit galleries more than I do, because even though I am no expert I do enjoy looking at art, and we have so many great galleries in the area. I found the Pence to be an intimate space and I liked that there were pieces available for purchase. I know Regina W. and I were both eyeing the ceramic donuts hanging in the stairwell for $40 each. Some of the collections on display during my visit were: Tinderbox: Water in the West Sculpture by Jeff Downing This mixed media collection featured found treasure from various west coast rivers and lakes, treasure that some might label as junk. I didn't think it was junk; I thought it was lovely. Each work had at least one glass bottle incorporated. Lauren Sullivan: The Golden State These were so beautiful. They were framed pieces in the stairwell, and featured antique topographic maps of National Parks, with stunning gold leaf shapes. If I could afford one of these I would absolutely buy one. Marsha Schindler: Life Whispers, Listen Carefully These installations were really cool, sculptures and carvings mostly, made from different materials. The trees with the faces of women were my favorite. On The Edge: CCA Clay Viola Frey inspired sculpture by students and alumni of the CCA (Ca College of the Arts) were displayed in a sunny room on the first floor. The R2D2 bong was my favorite, naturally. These collections were available in March, some through April of 2022, but one should check their website if they're curious about future collections: https://pencegallery.org/ read more

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I absolutely adore the pence! They always have such amazing exhibitions and works on display. Most of their artists are from the general region and they are even committed to supporting local artists and art students. I've been to many holiday sales and craft/art fairs here. They are great places to buy gifts and support local artists! read more

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I love this place. It's located in the heart of Davis. They always have a ton of affordable art. They always have amazing ceramics and mini paintings. Outside they have a really fun sculpture. Today's purchase was a dog sculpture with on a cone on it's head. It's well done and very funny. It goes perfect in my office. The gallery is mainly downstairs, but you can also visit the hallway and staircase above. Every time I'm in Davis I enjoy visiting this gallery. read more

Really enjoyed finding this local gallery. Featuring artists with ties to Davis, there is installation art, photography, oil paintings and ceramics. Since I also do ceramics, I could really appreciate the detail that went into these pieces! My favorites were the ceramic cupcakes -- apparently the potter/sculptor is also a baker. I can totally see that; the cupcakes have "icing" and it looks like the real thing. They are $35 apiece, but these will never grow moldy and you can't gain any weight should you eat it. (You may chip a tooth though.) Reminiscent of Wayne Thiebaud, the same artist also made cakes and fancy cookies ($25). There are two floors and the five-year-old building itself is light and airy; great space for a reception or fundraiser! Other items to purchase include jewelry,ceramic cups/mugs, sculptures, paintings, etc. Fairly reasonably-priced as well. The gallery itself is community-based; a 501c3, it relies on fundraisers and art auctions to fund the space. The gallery also has children's art workshops. read more

Such a quaint gallery in the middle of a bustling davis neighborhood. I loved this gallery, it was so cute and homey. Inside the gallery hung art pieces for sale, such as paintings and small porcelain figurines. The designer of the gallery was there at the time I went, she was super helpful with explaining the exhibits and friendly. It was very easy to talk to her. I loved the "Consilience between Art and Space" because it showed the intersection between biological concepts and artistic mediums. The exhibits were very cute (and yes for u instagrammers, very cool to take pictures with). The other exhibit had many paintings depicting humankind's relationship with the corporate world. The surrounding area was decorated with wall art and ceramic sculptures. read more

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Do not ask if Hunter is working today. Pence Gallery is not affiliated with any members of the San Francisco Giants, but does manage to put up some good numbers for art lovers. The small commercial gallery is located in downtown Davis on D Street, although the entry is between the street and the alley. On our visit, there was a rather large and unique interpretative art display related to the 2016 election. You need to see and read it to understand, if it is still around! The gallery also had a nice collection of sculptures and paintings at a somewhat reasonable price. There were also many smaller pieces for cool gifts and decorations even on a student's budget. You can easily see the collection in a few minutes and maybe even pick up a few items. Pence Gallery is a nice find for the area. read more

Always has diverse shows on that change from month to month. And their non-gallery activities, like the drawing class at night, are so much fun. Definitely worth a visit. Great for locals and when you've got visitors. There's live music at least twice a month. And it's free! read more

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Twice a month, Pence Gallery offers a figure drawing night workshop. It's fairly informal, with one model providing long and short poses. $15 for 2 hours. It can get crowded & warm, wear layers! read more

For a small gallery, Pence has a lot of interesting masterpieces from many artists. This brightly lit, colorful gallery features artworks using many different mediums. It also has a small gift shop at the entrance that you can pick out interesting souvenirs for friends or yourself, like a cute ceramic cake or handmade jewelries to functional tote bags. Pence Gallery is a good place to go on a cold, rainy day when you have out-of-town guests visiting! read more

I went in to the Pence Gallery for their Second Friday event with little to no expectations and came out with a memorable time. The gallery was filled with a wide variety of artworks, most of them by local artists, and had a vibrant atmosphere. One of the staff, Katherine, was particularly delightful as she was informative, friendly, and patient in answering our questions. Thank you, Kat! l would recommend the Pence Gallery to anyone looking for a wholesome family-friendly experience. read more

I lost one of pair of earrings last week. Scanned the remaining one and contacted the gallery this afternoon. Received a quick reply with how to find a replacement online since they no longer carry the item. Success! Ordered. Now I don't have to admit to my grandson that I lost part of his Christmas gift. I did part of my Christmas shopping at Pence Gallery. For a small place, they are impressive and the kind, helpful and quick response today. Awesome. read more

This was a bit of a mixed art gallery with small local artist items also for sale- knitted hats, jewelry, etc. Not your traditional art gallery feel but certainly Davis feel. I came for their art after dark series with live music and interactive art - (clay, or drawing on the wall with markers and colored penciled). Drove in from Sac, and for $10 I have to say I was kind of disappointed. First of all the event was listed to start at 7 but it really didn't start until about 8:15- they were still setting up, etc. when we got there. It was random fun for about an hour but I felt like they advertised the event to be more exciting than it was. The had wine and beer but not even 1 glass per ticket was included- just water. And the food that was offered was just popcorn, m&m's and some cheese and crackers. Again, didn't feel like the FB event post was accurate or clear about all of this. Overall sure it was a nice small little gallery, but I will have to truly think hard about leaving the grid again for events when this is my overall experience. read more