di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art maintains a permanent collection of works by Northern California artists that was originally collected by Rene di Rosa (1919-2010) and Veronica di Rosa (1934–1991). The collection contains notable works by artists living or working in the San Francisco Bay Area from mid-twentieth century to the early twenty-first century, highlighting a story of experimentation of the artists of the region. It is displayed in part, on a rotating basis, in the galleries at di Rosa.
This page represents a just a portion of di Rosa’s rich permanent collection. Stay tuned as we continue to populate this page with artworks from our collection.
di Rosa strives to be a resource for educators, students and lifelong learners. For research inquiries, please contact curatorial@dirosaart.org.
What the Owl Said
Sculpture
Stainless steel owl inscribed with poem 'What the Owl Said' by Michael Hannon, perched between two sledge hammers standing heads down on steel palette
544
Steel, aluminum, and wood
Sculpture
AR544
Fuller Goldeen Gallery
Purchase
William T. Wiley
1985
Fabricated under artist's supervision at Lipincott, Inc. (foundry), North Haven, CT
Inscription
WHAT THE OWL SAID / WHEN THE EARTH QUAKES / LISTEN TO ME, HOLDING ON / DEEP IN THE PINES. / MICHAEL HANNON
Poem by Michael Hannon
Owls
Object
54 in
24 in
17 in
William T. Wiley: Fables
April 19 - June 14, 2025, Sam Parker Gallery, Los Angeles