East Bay Open Studios Happy Hour

Mark your calendars for an East Bay art tour unlike any other!

During the first two weekends in June (June 5-6 and June 12-13),
East Bay Open Studios connects the public with over
400 artists in the East Bay.
Since 1979, this event remains the largest art event
in the region with an annual
audience over 50,000!

The East Bay Express is excited to be a part of the Open
Studios event, and we have planned a series of
Happy Hour specials at select bars in the East Bay.
From 6-9 pm, find $3 Trumer Pils at the following locations:

Missouri Lounge, Blakes on Telegraph, Spengers, Acme Bar, 
Uptown (Saturdays only), Somar (Sundays only), 
The Layover (Saturdays only), Merchants Saloon, 
The White Horse, Liege, Lucky 13

Find out more about the East Bay Open Studios
event through the Pro Arts event page.

Taking it a Step Higher

Yesterday I reached two career goals that are taking me to the next level in my leadership evolution. These accomplishments seem sudden on one hand, but they've been years in development. Or, I've been years in development.

The first is that I have been elected as President of the Board of Pro Arts, an artist service and exhibition organization based here in Oakland. I've been involved in the organization for years - acting as a Board consultant and also as an Artist-Member. Over the past six months in particular the organization has found its footing by taking over a gallery space on the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in Oakland's City Center. Their level of professionalism has increased and I'm impressed. Being involved in a leadership role, that is steeped in accountability, has me jazzed. I know that under the direction of Executive Director, Margo Dunlap, the organization is in good hands. We're going to make a great team - taking it to the next level.

The second is being hired on as the Interim Director of Operations and Communications for an Education Foundation based in San Francisco. This organization, which I'll identify in later a post, provides amazing college-prep programs for High School students. I've had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer over the past year. Several of my colleagues are involved in the organization and I trust them and clearly they trust me.

Both of these roles take me to the next level in my career. Now is my opportunity to utilize my leadership teaching and put it into practice. Stepping into my stretch zone in 2010 and living my dreams. Now to work on my art!

Boxes of Art

Last night I attended the annual ProArts Box Art Show and auction and was the winning bidder on a fantastic piece by Barbara Maricle. The auction featured 50 pieces of Box Art, works all derived from the same source material, a 5"x5" square block. I made a piece which started as a felted block but, because of technical difficulties, eventually became a block covered by Polaroid transfer images I made about 10 years ago. The piece is called, "She's Pushing the Memories Outside the Box" and unfortunately I didn't take a photo of it to share with you.

Here's Barbara's piece. I particularly like the crack in the wood which is has covered with little pieces of handmade paper. She's created an interesting contrast between the solid wood and the delicate paper. Are the little "x's" an effort to hide the crack, heal it, or to keep it together? I like works that encourage me to create a story.
About seven years ago I purchased another piece of Box Art from the same event. It is displayed on the top of the shelving unit in this photo of my apartment. The artist is Linda Glickman and she had a piece in last night's event as well.

Here's a close-up. It is called "The Life of Olive" and you can turn Olive's head with the little piece on the top which says, "Ripen". The dress inside the box is made of woven paper with English, Hebrew and Arabic words on it. On the left side of the box is a vanity style hand mirror for Olive and the right side has a slip for her dress. So much care and craft went into making the little details and I sense a narrative. Does Olive have many sides to her personality, perhaps she comes from a family of many cultures?
I've also hung a beautiful textile on the wall. It keeps working its way around my house. First a table runner, then a bedspread and now a wall hanging. I love the blues. Hanging it on the wall has changed this area of my apartment into an active zone. Previously it was a very empty space that I just passed through.

Jingletown

This weekend and next are the East Bay Open Studios organized by Pro Arts Gallery. Rene and I checked out an artist-district on the border of Oakland and Alameda called Jingletown. It is chock full of artist studios in old industrial facilities. The Institute of Mosaic Art is located here and you can see its influence on the artists and the neighborhood which is filled with Mosaics on street-front walls.

Got a shot of this very strange setup. Reminds me of Cadillac Ranch in Texas. Here's a link to Jingletown's history.