The Friends of Rene and Veronica di Rosa ask you to join us in support and concern for the future of the di Rosa Art & Nature Preserve, Napa, CA., the di Rosa Art Collection, and its legacy.

PRESERVE the PRESERVE

Before his passing, Rene composed an epitath for he and his wife. No better words could express how Rene and Veronica di Rosa felt about the di Rosa Art and Nature Preserve Napa, that they created and the land it sits on.

HERE LIES THE CREATOR OF THIS PRESERVE 

HERE ABOUT SCATTERED IN THE SOIL THAT NURTURED ME

I NOW GIVE BACK TO NUTURE IT WITH MY ASHES

BACKGROUND: Over the course of four decades, Rene and Veronica were patrons and friends to a vast ecosystem of Northern California artists. Over 900 artists tell the story of collectors with singular instincts, an irreverence toward the correct, sensibilities for artwork that holds meaning, and a propensity for the eclectic. The Preserve features multiple galleries, a sculpture park, and a 35-acre lake, all located on 217 scenic acres in Napa Valley's famed Carneros region. Rene and Veronica used the sale of their vineyards to build an "art park" for the greater public. The Organization was incorporated as a nonprofit public benefit corporation in 2000. Today, di Rosa presents contemporary exhibitions by Bay Area-based artists and an array of educational programs for all ages, in addition to maintaining its permanent collection of notable works at the Preserve.

RECENT EVENTS: Stunned by January 2026 listing 'for sale' of the historic di Rosa Art & Nature Preserve a group of friends began to meet with the goal - to research the issues and possible ramifications of a sale. We are in talks with the di Rosa Board of Directors and executive staff. Thus far we have more questions than answers.

If a sale is successful what will happen to the di Rosa Art Collection, more over the permanent site specific, art installations that cannot be easily relocated? Separating the Collection from the land undermines the very foundation of what di Rosa was created to be.

PRESERVE THE PRESERVE

We ask for your support in our protest of the sale of the di Rosa Art and Nature Preserve. A recent letter from San Francisco artist Paul Kos sheds light on the significance of the di Rosa Preserve Napa campus, "I met Rene in the mid 60’s and he was still living in San Francisco. When he bought the property in Napa he decided he definitely wanted to open in a natural setting and thus Winery Lake came about. ....Rene could have made a gallery or small museum in San Francisco but he chose not to. He would be very disappointed if he knew that word "Nature" had been dropped from the title of the estate and that the property... that he spent years improving, is for sale."

The loss of di Rosa Napa would be a huge loss for all, Napa, the San Francisco Bay Area, California and the World. The long arc of justice for Rene, Veronica, the Artists in the Collection, and years of volunteer effort demands us to bring our concerns forward. If you too are concerned, please join us by adding your name to our protest.

In solidarity thank you. The Friends of Rene and Veronica di Rosa - Tom Thornley, Harris Nussbaum, Carol Poole, Norma I. Quintana, Diane Dame' Shepp, Alan Shepp, Paul Kos, Maggie Best

info@friendsofreneandveronica.org