About Us
The Vault art gallery opened on a hot August night in 1991. It is a gallery of traditional art reflecting the area, from the Native American roots of these foothills to the urban influences of San Francisco and Sacramento flavored with the spices of the adobe West, European immigrants and the times we live in. The original conception of the gallery was as a western art gallery but somewhere after the third year we realized that "western" with all its connotations was too limiting a definition for the art in the gallery. Now the focus is fine, traditional art.
The gallery is located in a beautiful old building in downtown Sonora. A chain of gold rush era small towns adorns the foothills. Until recently, rural drowsiness has protected these towns from sweeping urban changes and allowed them to retain their charm. The Vault is located in just such a charming building, an old bank complete with copper doors, tin-tile ceilings and a massive old bank vault, in a charming town. The fifteen foot ceilings and large plate glass windows provide an elegant, nicely lighted enclosure for the art.
The gallery's foundation is the artist. This area has been an attraction to artists because of its beauty. Many well-known artists have visited this region, sometimes passing through only to be captured permanently by the unequaled serenity of the Sierras. Art and artist seem to be appreciated and nutured here. The best of this region's artists are represented by the gallery either permanently or during shows in their honor.
The patron will find pottery and glass pieces, sculpture and wood items, prints and photographs, but original paintings are the backbone of this gallery. There is a small selection of works by deceased artists both well-known and less so. There are works by contemporary artists both well-known and less well-known with prices for every budget. The gallery in its selection of art and the prices of the offerings attempts to reflect the community and the region.
The gallery is owned and operated by Kristen Kestly. She is dedicated to providing the personal services of a local gallery while providing fine art in a classic and elegant setting.
The Vault, Angels Camp
In keeping with the theme of being centered in a historic gold rush town, The Vault opened a second gallery in the heart of Angels Camp. This new gallery quietly opened as Artists Camp Gallery in July, of 2002. The Vault in Angels Camp offers the same dedication to quality to visitors of beautiful Calaveras County.
