Dive into mixed media and exhibit your work in our galleries
We love showcasing student artwork! Create some mixed media magic in these fall classes and see your work featured in our galleries this winter.Learn more…
Oceanic Adventures with Acrylics and Mixed Media
Thursdays, 10am-12:30pm, September 12 – October 17 Teaching Artist: Jennifer Linderman Capacity: 11 Students
Immerse yourself in a magical underwater world as you learn to paint a vibrant array of sea creatures using acrylics and mixed media techniques.
Tuesdays, 10am-12:30pm October 1 – November 19 Teaching Artist: Jennifer Linderman Capacity: 11 Students
Unleash your inner flower power with the possibilities of pastels. We’ll use floral arrangements to explore techniques to make different pastel media sing.
Loom alert! Two new weaving classes added to our fall class lineup
Weaving Curious: An Intro to Floor Looms
Thursdays, 5:30pm-8:30pm, September 26 – November 14 Teaching Artist: Laurie Kelsoe Capacity: 6 Students
This class will introduce students to the joys of weaving. Students will learn how to weave basic weave structures and how to read a pattern. Students will also learn how to wind a warp, dress their loom, as well as basic color theories. This class is perfect for absolute beginners, or students wanting to start from scratch with a refresher course on the technical side of weaving on floor looms.
Floor Loom Weaving 102: Techniques for Beginner to Intermediate Students
Thursdays, 12pm-3pm, September 26 – November 14 Teaching Artist: Laurie Kelsoe Capacity: 6 Students
Floor Loom Weaving 102: Techniques for Beginner to Intermediate Students Dive deeper into weaving! This class is for students who have taken at least one floor loom class and know how to dress a loom. Students will choose their own patterns and designs, and are encouraged to explore different weaving techniques including pile, soumak, and weft interlocking.
Are you interested in participating in Art of The African Diaspora? New artists, as well as past participants seeking a refresher, are invited to attend a zoom info session to learn about the 2025 program. Read the artist guidelines and come prepared with your questions.
Note, this info session is hosted by the AOTAD Steering Committee. If you have questions please contact them at aotadexhibition@gmail.com (Richmond Art Center is closed 8/31 for Labor Day Weekend).
Two exciting programs launching this fall. First, join me in welcoming Andres Serrano as our new artist-in-residence. Andres, a lifelong Richmond resident, brings a ceramics practice that explores themes of queerness, home, and culture. Additionally, the third iteration of the Right Here, Right Now, Richmond Biennialwill open in our main gallery, showcasing the talents of seven local artists.
Both the residency and the biennial are made possible through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. We are immensely proud to receive this national recognition for programs that uplift and celebrate local artists.
Are you a local artist or a creative at heart? I encourage you to explore our fall offerings—whether it’s by signing up for a class, applying to participate in the Holiday Arts Festival, registering for Art of the African Diaspora, or just getting messy at Fall Family Day. We hope that Richmond Art Center can support and inspire your creative journey.
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
José R. Rivera
Top image: e bond installing her work with assistance from fellow exhibiting artist Erin McCluskey Wheeler. Come see their work when ‘Right Here, Right Now, Richmond’ opens on September 4.
Welcoming Andres Serrano, Our New Artist-in-Residence
We’re excited to welcome Andres Serrano as the new artist-in-residence at Richmond Art Center. A lifelong Richmond resident, Andres brings a strong community connection and a creative practice focused on queerness, home, and culture through ceramics.
Andres holds an MFA in Art from San Francisco State University and a BA from UCLA in Spanish and Chicana/o Studies. His work has been showcased at the Berkeley Art Center, 500 Capp Street, and here at Richmond Art Center. Beyond ceramics, Andres is passionate about serving the Richmond community through various nonprofit organizations.
Outside the studio, you might find Andres biking around Richmond, experimenting with ceramic glazes, exploring Sprouts’ bulk bins, or enjoying the latest Real Housewives drama.
Andres shared his goals for this residency, saying, “I am excited to be working with the Richmond Art Center to continue supporting youth and local residents in our community through the arts, especially through ceramic arts. From my own lived experience, I had limited access to art and art studios, and this residency provides me with opportunities to spread the joy of ceramics and other expressive mediums within our vibrant Richmond community. This residency will allow me to deepen my connection within Richmond and provide space and opportunity for others to explore and enjoy themselves through art-making.”
About the Richmond Artist Residency: The Richmond Artist Residency is an 8-month program designed to support emerging and mid-career visual artists. The residency offers a unique opportunity for artists to pursue their creative work while actively engaging with the Richmond community. The residency also focuses on building skills in various studio disciplines such as ceramics, printmaking, and fiber arts, with access to technical support and shared studio equipment.
This Richmond Artist Residency is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Volunteers assist our team, help out in the studios, support outreach, and more. Volunteer benefits include a discount on classes. We can also support students (ages 16+) wanting community service hours for class credit.
*We especially need volunteers who can assist with light physical duties such as setting up and breaking down events.
Calling All Arts and Crafts Vendors! Be part of the 62nd Annual Holiday Arts Festival!
Event Date: Sunday, December 8, 10am-4pm Vendor Application Deadline: Monday, September 30, 2024, 11:59pm
Applications are now open for local artists, artisans, and makers to showcase their work at the Holiday Arts Festival. This shop-local event offers a fantastic opportunity to present your work to an enthusiastic audience of over 1,000 people who value hand-crafted gifts.
There is no application fee and first-time vendors to the festival are encouraged to participate.
Class Registration Opens Wednesday, August 14, 10am
Fall art classes are being posted on our website (don’t worry if the class says ‘Fully Booked’ this will change once registration opens). Browse listings now and plan which class you’ll sign up for. And don’t forget to get your scholarship applications in early!
Richmond City Council Chambers, 440 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804
In celebration of the Richmond Art Center’s new partnership with the Richmond City Council, our inaugural Council Chambers exhibition explores the relationships between nature, people, and the built environment—elements central to life in Richmond.
This exhibition features artwork created by the Richmond Art Center’s expansive community, including pieces from our students, teachers, staff, members, and volunteers.
With an 80-year history of serving the people and City of Richmond, our first Council Chambers exhibition pays homage to the vision and legacy of Richmond Art Center’s founder, Hazel Salmi. From the early days when Hazel would bike around town with art supplies in her basket to serve the burgeoning Richmond arts community, to the post-war decision to include an art center with studios and galleries in the Civic Center complex, to our current efforts to educate and empower local artists of all ages—we’re honoring the enduring commitment to the arts shared by the Richmond City Council and Richmond Art Center.
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this exciting new collaboration. More to come!
