The Ren Brown Collection

Adventure with Mommy and Daddy to Bodega Bay. It was one of those times when you say you haven’t been there and your parents look exasperatedly at you and say «We totally took you here when you were 4» or some such age when you are least likely to remember things like drives to Bodega Bay.
My parents had their eye on a really nifty display table at «The Ren Brown Collection» and a day hanging out with my parental units and a free lunch sounded great on a grey day. I have to say, it was gorgeous wood. It looks almost like the top of it is floating. It is modern yet has classic Japanese lines/​silhouette.
Now while my parents prioritize awesome display tables for splurge purchases, I rather have luxury designer hand bags (which is the price range you are looking at for some of the items). That being said, Ren Brown and his store really make this place shine. He has a calm, knowledgeable, and cheeful personality that really makes you feel at home among all the beautiful items. The items are displayed beautifully and the art is also fantastic. I was particularly taken with some amazingly beautiful wooden cups and bowls. There was also a fantastic print of a cheeky looking Koi fish that made me really happy.
The little kid in me was taken by a really artful toy spinning top which Ren through in with our display table purchase. How sweet!
Whether you are in the mood to buy gorgeous Japanese/​Japanese inspired pieces or just dream about buying them, stopping by «The Ren Brown Collection» during your trip to Bodega Bay is a must!!!

The style and taste of this gallery is a rival to any other I have ever visited anywhere else. Ren Brown is a gracious and knowledgable guide to his deep and nuanced collection of Asian art. It helps to make Bodega Bay a joy to visit.

unexpectedly exceptional Japanese art. love this place. love Ren. its become increasingly contemporary, but I still love to stop in and check for some delightful woodblocks. Ren is a wealth of knowledge in his field.

We loved this gallery! While I love Asian art, I am not ‘educated’ in my art appreciation — but I can vouch for everything the other three reviewers wrote. Not only is the collection worthy of a LOT more time than we could give it (which means, I guess we’re coming back again), but their artistic vision extends to the cultivated gardens behind the main gallery. My wife and I spoke with Ren, and he was quite gracious.
Thanks!

Ren Brown and his partner (in business and life) Robert De Vee, have assembled in this out of the way locale one of the finest galleries of Asian art between San Francisco and Portland. While the sign notes that they specialize in modern Japanese prints (and they do have a lot of these), I was impressed with their eclectic collection including Philippine wooden sculture and modern pieces in a variety of media from Asian-​born artists now living and working in the western USA (itself being a very collectable category). I had just come from spending a weekend at the home of one of California’s major collectors of Asian art, and I thought I had become thoroughly jaded. What I saw here would have fit well into his collection.
For the stopper-​by who does not have a great interest in Asian art itself (or whose walls are already full), there is a beautifully designed Japanese Garden to the rear of the store that customers are encouraged to enjoy. That by itself is worth the stop.
Word of warning: There is no tourist junk here, no little thing to pick up as a souvenier. Prices start in the low four figures (and that is dollars, not yen). If you are a serious collector, this is the place for you, but if you cannot discuss Asian art with Ren at near his level, his patience soon wanes. It is, after all, a shop, not a museum.

We stopped here on a whim… wow! Great owners, great Asian and Asian-​inspired art, great gardens… a destination within a destination. My friend bought two pieces that were shipped so fast they beat her home in less than 2 days across country. Looking forward to going back, but not on Mondays or Tuesdays when they are closed.

Great gallery with the finest collection of modern, contemporary Japanese art and prints. I went here when it first opened many years ago and they have expanded to have an upstairs area now too.