From now until the end of September, visitors to the Napa Valley will have the rare opportunity to visit a museum, have a sip of the bubbly and view an exciting new art exhibit all at the same time. Though the Napa Valley Museum and Domaine Chandon are literally a stones throw from each other, this is the first time the two institutions have had a joint exhibit.

"We have been wanting to find an opportunity to collaborate with our neighbor Domaine Chandon, and this appears to be the perfect venture," said Eric Nelson, the museum's executive director.

The sculptures now on display join four other Botto pieces on permanent display at the Museum. All are a unique example of what the artist calls "RockArt," which involves the use of local rocks and stone of all shapes, sizes, colors and textures suspended and arranged through the use of carefully designed and crafted rods of powder coated steel.

The sculptures range from the whimsical to the dynamic, the almost-delicate to the forceful, as the artist works with and around the rocks that form the centerpiece of each construction. As Museum Curator Randy Murphy notes, "The work is very interesting, unique and beautifully executed."

"The Botto installation is the first of what we hope to be a whole series of outdoor exhibits," Murphy said. If the future lives up to the promise of this first exhibit, then the Napa Valley Museum and the art-loving public has much to look forward to in the years ahead.