Feat of Clay

It's a hot afternoon in Sonoma, and the Picassos are everywhere. They're lying on the floor set atop moving blankets. They're dotted with Post-It notes. They're sitting unguarded by the usual clear plastic vitrines that museums use to protect them, just sitting, on white movable dais stands. More Picassos are as yet uncrated, piled in packing material in massive wooden crates marked "Fragile," which still need to be pried open with a crowbar to reveal the treasures inside.

With Donna Summer and other sprightly dance music of the era playing over the system, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art executive director Lia Transue stands calmly amid the Picasso-driven chaos. Dressed down in jeans with her hair tied back, Transue gestures with a hand that is encased in a purple latex glove—a purple latex glove that casually holds yet another Picasso. "Let's try that one there," she suggests to her installation team, actually shaking the Picasso in emphasis.

By Gretchen Giles