For children discovering their talents, adults pursuing a creative passion, and seniors finding connection, Rio Vista’s Art & Music Center is more than a place to take lessons. Now, it needs the community’s help to continue providing those opportunities.
The Center has reached a critical point: lesson fees cover only part of the cost of providing its programs, and available funding is no longer enough to sustain them. Committed monthly donors are needed now to help keep these programs part of Rio Vista’s future.
The goal is to raise $60,000 annually through recurring monthly donations,…
Creating dependable support for art and music education and the community activities so many residents enjoy. Your gift helps preserve a place where students discover their talents, build confidence, and express themselves—and where neighbors come together through creativity and live music.
Monthly gifts of any size make a difference.
Committing now helps the Center meet ongoing expenses and plan responsibly for the months ahead. Donors receive a report showing how their contributions help students and programs, along with recognition on the Center’s website under “THANK YOU to Our Beloved Benefactors & Donors.”
Please become a monthly donor and help ensure these opportunities remain available to our community.
To give or learn more, call (707) 219-6002, email Rio@ArtAndMusicCenter.com, or visit www.ArtAndMusicCenter.com. The Center is at 219 Montezuma St., Rio Vista, CA 94571.
Art & Music Center Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax-deductible. Tax ID: 46-5230494.
A Place to Learn, Create, and Belong
Since arriving in Rio Vista in 2017, the Center has welcomed students ages 5 to 92 and brought neighbors together through art, music, and shared experiences. Behind today’s appeal is a story of dedication, creativity, and the belief that it is never too early—or too late—to begin.
Art and Music Bring Rio Vista Together
From first lessons to riverfront concerts the Art and Music Center creates opportunities for every generation
Community donations help bring free live music to Main Street overlooking the Sacramento River.
A child proudly shares a finished painting. An adult discovers the satisfaction of playing a favorite song. On a summer evening, neighbors settle into chairs on Main Street as live music fills the air beside the Sacramento River.
These experiences are connected by Art & Music Center, the nonprofit that has served Rio Vista since 2017. Welcoming students ages 5 to 92, the Center provides art and music education while creating occasions for people to gather, participate, and feel part of their community.
With no music programs currently offered in Rio Vista schools, its role is especially important for local children. Private instruction close to home gives young people an opportunity to explore music, while adults and seniors can pursue interests that have no expiration date.
Today, the Center is inviting residents, businesses, and local organizations to help sustain those opportunities. An important source of monthly support ends January 1, 2027, making dependable community giving a priority for the year ahead.
A lifelong commitment to teaching
The story began in Pollock Pines in 2013, when Douglas G Pearson opened Fine Arts in the Pines with handmade desks, donated supplies, and very little money. It took a year to establish the school, but it grew. A move to downtown Placerville followed in 2015.
In 2017, Pearson relocated to Rio Vista to help care for his elderly sister, Jayne. The school moved with him, added music instruction, and became Art & Music Center. At 95, he remains its founder, president, and art teacher, sharing his experience with students across generations.
Music instructors Groovy Judy Gascoyne and Bob Kinney bring their experience as performers into private, one-on-one lessons. Students can develop skills at their own pace, whether they are learning the keyboard, working through guitar chords, or returning to an instrument after many years.
More than a finished painting or a song
Art and music invite students to listen closely, notice details, make decisions, and practice. A difficult passage or an unfamiliar drawing technique offers a chance to work through frustration and discover that improvement comes a step at a time.
For children, those small successes can become a source of pride. Adults gain a creative outlet alongside everyday responsibilities. Seniors have opportunities to keep learning and share interests with others. Creating can also offer relaxation and a way to express feelings that are difficult to put into words.
Creativity that welcomes every generation
Under the guidance of founder and art instructor Douglas G. Pearson, students from age 5 to seniors explore drawing and painting while developing their own creative voice. Personal instruction helps beginners build confidence and returning students refine their skills, from shading a drawing to mixing colors and bringing a canvas to life.
Art offers something meaningful at every age: imagination and pride for children, a creative outlet for adults, and continued discovery and connection for seniors. Whether painting a landscape or drawing a beloved pet, students have a chance to slow down, express themselves, and enjoy creating in an encouraging environment.
The Center’s student photos tell a story of their own: colorful landscapes, carefully shaded drawings, playful animals, and faces filled with satisfaction. The work is individual, but the encouragement surrounding it is shared.
Music tells an equally meaningful story.
From children as young as 7 to seniors, students have enjoyed music lessons with professional musicians Bob Kinney and Judy Gascoyne. Their personal guidance helps beginners take those first steps and encourages experienced students to keep growing. Whether a student is discovering the piano, learning guitar or bass, or playing a favorite song, each lesson offers an opportunity to build skills, confidence, and a lasting connection to music.
Music has a place in every stage of life. For a child, learning an instrument offers a way to explore, express themselves, and experience the satisfaction of progress. For adults, it can provide a welcome creative outlet and the chance to pursue a long-held interest. For seniors, music offers continued learning, enjoyment, and connection. Whether someone plays, sings, or simply listens, music can bring comfort, stir memories, and give people something meaningful to share. The Center helps make those experiences accessible right here in Rio Vista.
Gift A Child Program
Through its existing Gift a Child Program, the Center helps children whose families cannot afford both lessons experience art and music education. Expanding that opportunity would allow more families to participate and give more children a chance to discover what they enjoy.
Free music that brings neighbors together
For three years, the Center has raised community donations to present free monthly summer concerts at the foot of Main Street. A different band performs at each concert, with the Sacramento River as a backdrop and residents and visitors gathering to enjoy the evening.
Each concert costs approximately $1,000: $500 for the band and $500 for the sound engineer. The Rio Vista Chamber generously provides the stage. A concert GoFundMe campaign, community contributions, and volunteer effort help make the series possible. Judy and Bob contribute unpaid time to producing these gatherings.
Free Monthly Open Mic Events
Held on the last Sunday of every month, the Center’s free Open Mic events have grown tremendously in popularity, bringing performers and listeners of all ages together to share their love of music. These welcoming gatherings give musicians a place to build confidence, share their talents, and connect with others, while neighbors enjoy live music close to home. More than a performance opportunity, Open Mic has become a valued community gathering—a place to discover local talent, make friends, and feel a sense of belonging.
Building on what the community already enjoys
The Center’s creative gatherings have also included Paint and Pour, Paint Your Pet, and rock-painting activities. These events offer approachable ways to try art, spend time with others, and enjoy making something personal.
With additional funding, instructors, and participation, future possibilities include a student band program, an Arts & Hearts program for seniors focused on creative expression and connection, and expanded children’s rock-painting outreach. These are plans for growth, alongside the immediate goal of sustaining existing instruction and community activities.
Please become a monthly donor and help ensure these opportunities remain available to our community.
To give or learn more, call (707) 219-6002, email Rio@ArtAndMusicCenter.com, or visit www.ArtAndMusicCenter.com. The Center is at 219 Montezuma St., Rio Vista, CA 94571.
Art & Music Center Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax-deductible. Tax ID: 46-5230494.