Richmond Art Center Richmond Art Center

Press Release: Rosie’s Girls and the Richmond Art Center: Partnering for Strength

Two historic Richmond organizations are celebrating their ongoing, creative connection in this 80th year anniversary of the Richmond Art Center. For the past several years, the Art Center has partnered with Rosie’s Girls, a program designed to help girls build self-esteem, leadership skills, and physical confidence through an exploration of trades and non-traditional activities. The Rosie’s Girls program is part of the Rosie the Riveter Trust.

 

This summer, six local girls involved in the program learned the power and practicality of involving art in their lives. They participated in a Marketing and Design workshop taught by teaching artist Dawn Gonzales. The girls, primarily from low-income families in Richmond, spent three hours a week for four weeks and learned everything from creative brainstorming and design skills to concept  implementation and production.

“We covered new ground such as using graphic design software, message marketing and copywriting to incorporate the girls’ personal experiences into a branded promotional pop-up exhibit,” says Gonzales. “We learned to exercise resourcefulness, plan ahead, embrace our own uniquely creative ideas, and collaborate closely while having a lot of fun. It was an honor to work with these young women, our future leaders.

One foundation of the RAC’s success is that it believes that art is a critically important tool to for any child’s education, but especially in the K-12 years because of the thinking and creative skills it teaches. Once a child has the ability to think like an artist she can apply those abilities to almost any career she pursues and that’s why the Art Center is enthusiastic about one of its other popular programs – the STEAM camps and classes offered (science, technology, engineering, art, math) through our Art in the Community program.  The Art Center has adapted the well known STEM program and added the “A” to it, believing that the arts are vital to an integrated academic learning experience.

The Art Center’s screenprinting teaching artist Joyce Shon has worked with 30 Rosies for the past four summers, as a team with artist  Monica Gyulai. Shon explains, “The girls come to us at the beginning of the program to print tee shirts. One side has the Rosie’s Girls logo, to let everyone know that they are part of a team, and the other side has all of their names, expressed in their own hand, to remind them of their individuality. They learn the basics of screen printing, but also how to work together as a team.”

In general, the screenprinting class works with two groups of about fifteen girls. each group for one day. Some girls return for a second year, and Shon remarks, “Something I’ve noted is that they come back the second year with so much confidence and grace, and so willing to recall the skills they learned and help the newcomers. I credit the Rosies program with teaching the girls good values, teamwork and leadership as well as useful physical skills.  Seeing that keeps me coming back for each new group of girls. Oh, that and seeing the  delight and surprise of pulling that first print.”

Our Studio Education coordinator Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo has a unique relationship to Rosie’s Girls: “It made my day to see two of my favorite Bay Area organizations (Rosie’s Girls Trust  and Richmond Art Center) partner together to create such incredible work, that both honors the history of Richmond and looks upon the future. As a Rosie’s Girls Alumna and member of the RAC Education team, this is the kind of partnership and outcome I strive for and am so happy to witness it! It has been a joy to be a part of this project and watch it from start to finish. I look forward to planning future programming with these talented young women and continuing to work with the Rosie the Riveter Trust.”

We want to highlight that on Saturday, August 13th at 10 am, the National Park Service, in coordination with the Rosie the Riveter Trust, City of Richmond, and Richmond Museum Association, will be hosting the second Rosie Rally in the Craneway Pavilion, attempting to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people dressed up as Rosie the Riveter since World War II. The record was set last year with 1,084 people, and the organization hopes to do it again this year with a goal of 5,000 participants. The rally event recognizes and commemorates the important work women – and all workers – did on the Home Front during World War II, and many original Rosies will be there to participate and cheer on the younger generations.

Please check www.rosietheriveter.org/rosierally2016 for more details.

The Rally will be followed by the annual Home Front Festival, which will be held in Marina Bay Park from 12 noon to 4 PM. A “parade of Rosies” will walk along the Bay Trail after the Rally to Marina Bay Park, where there will be music, food, vendors, and fun activities during the afternoon.

IMG_3300Our special Rosie’s Girls Pop-Up exhibit booth that was designed and produced by Dawn Gonzales’ class this summer will be set up at the event, so we encourage you to stop by and say hello.

During this 80th anniversary year, what’s especially notable is that the RAC’s participation with Rosie’s Girls not only adds to the strength and depth of the Art Center’s program offerings; it hearkens back to our founding history. The RAC originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, rode her bicycle throughout Richmond, with a suitcase full of art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested including the women working at shipyards and factories during the war.   

This partnership with Rosie’s Girls is a continuation of Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.

80th Anniversary Gala Tickets on Sale August 15!

This year the Richmond Art Center turns 80! We’re planning a fun-filled event to celebrate the Art Center’s remarkable growth over the past four years and to honor our past, our present and our exciting future.80th anniversary image card

Early Bird pricing for tickets is $135 per seat and begins August 15 until September 5 (or are sold out). After September 6th, the price of a gala ticket will increase to $150. You can purchase tickets at our front desk or by calling 510.620.6772.

The night’s events include special guest Ryan Coogler, Sundance Film Festival winner and critically acclaimed director and screenwriter.

Coogler’s Fruitvale Station and Creed have captured film industry awards, and his upcoming movie, Black Panther, will bring Marvel comic book’s iconic hero to the screen. Born in Oakland, Ryan Coogler grew up in Richmond. His love of filmmaking began at Sacramento State University; he went on to earn an MFA degree from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

  • Enjoy a wonderful dinner catered by Richmond’s own Salute e Vita Ristorante
  • Relax to the music of Blues and Soul vocalist Terrie Odabi
  • Purchase exceptional art or a one-of-a-kind experiences at our live auction

Proceeds will benefit the Richmond Art Center’s award-winning programs. Our Fund-A-Need will benefit the Kato Jaworski Youth Scholarship Fund. We hope you’ll join us on October 1.

Reunion at the RAC

In honor of our 80th Anniversary, we’d love to hear from all of our past exhibiting artists who have shown work in our juried shows and curated exhibitions. Our goal is to compile and share your memories, art, and experiences as the Art Center has grown and changed.

If you would like to participate as a former exhibiting artist, we welcome you to complete this form and share what you can. Thank you for being instrumental to making the Richmond Art Center what it is today!

We will have an event to celebrate on Sunday, October 9 at 2pm. Please join us!

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25th Street Mural Update

Our partnership with RYSE Center to complete a vivid, artistic new mural at our 25th Street entrance is moving right along. Thanks to the Richmond Community Foundation, we received a mini-grant to work with our partner RYSE to completely revamp our mural. Students meet each week for several hours to work on the design they’ve created. We hope to have the project completed in the next couple of weeks, so be sure to check it out when you visit the Art Center!

Below is the original artists’ concept, designed by the participants.

RAC_Mural_V1 (1) (1)

“In July of 2016 the Visual Arts team at Ryse Youth Center started an incredible partnership with the Richmond Art Center. The youth started, sketched, planned, and started painting a mural at the entrance of the Richmond Art Center building with “What makes Richmond Beautiful” as the theme. There were many sessions of planning and brainstorming which sparked a lot of dialogue and ideas of how to maintain the cities beauty. The youth are very excited to add a visual voice to their cities landscape and a few of the young artists live across the street from the mural and get to enjoy it from their window. The young artists are taking a lot of pride in the learning process and it has been amazing to see their creative abilities unfold, develop and grow throughout the opportunity.” – Vanessa “Agana” Espinoza

All photos courtesy of Vanessa “Agana” Espinoza, RYSE Center.

Press Release: Richmond Art Center Presents Fall 2016 Exhibition Program in Conjunction with 80th Anniversary

THE RICHMOND ART CENTER PRESENTS FALL 2016 EXHIBITION PROGRAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH 80TH ANNIVERSARY:
MAKING OUR MARK and MARKING NEW PATHS

In conjunction with its 80th Anniversary, the Richmond Art Center will present two important companion exhibitions that celebrate the legacy of the Art Center as well as look to the future of art and emerging artists in the Bay Area.  

RICHMOND, CA — July 22, 2016 — In celebration of its 80th anniversary and continuous service to the Richmond community and the greater Bay Area, the Richmond Art Center is preparing a major 2016 Fall exhibition, Making Our Mark. From September 13 through November 12 in three galleries, the exhibition will highlight 14 established and nationally known artists who have supported, and enriched the programs and exhibitions at the Art Center over the years. Included among these artists who reflect various philosophies and media (painting, ceramics, fiber, sculpture, and photography) are Christopher Brown, Squeak Carnwath, Enrique Chagoya, Lia Cook, Allan deSouza, Mildred Howard, James Melchert, Hung Liu, Richard Misrach, Richard Shaw, William T. Wiley, and Wanxin Zhang. The opening reception for these exhibitions will take place on Saturday, September 10, from 5-7 pm.

Consistent with the Art Center’s history and mission — to give voice to new artists and open the galleries to new visions, the Art Center has requested that each of these invited artists identify a younger artist whom they have taught or mentored, or whose work they believe should be shown and promoted. The works by these 28 artists represent both current and future generations of artistic voices.  

The Art Center has given many artists their first major exhibitions, helping establish the careers that have supported these artists to become the core of the Bay Area art community — exhibiting, teaching, mentoring, and lighting a path for emerging artists. For today’s younger artists, Making Our Mark presents one of the first major showings of their work. This exhibition places the work of these fresh voices in a historical context with the Art Center.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog of artwork and interpretation by the Director of Exhibitions, Jan Wurm. The complete list of artists included in Making Our Mark are Dru Anderson, Megan Atherton, Christopher Brown, Ethan Caflisch, Squeak Carnwath, Enrique Chagoya, Lia Cook, Sofia Córdova, Yvette Deas, Allan deSouza, Nathan Dollarhite, Michael Hall, Scott Hewitt, Mildred Howard, Hung Liu, Nicholas Makanna, Bruce McGaw, James Melchert, Richard Misrach, Kate Nartker, Deborah Oropallo, Shari Paladino, Johanna Poethig, Richard Shaw, Ehren Tool, Mary Hull Webster, William T. Wiley, and Wanxin Zhang.

In conjunction with the exhibition Making Our Mark, the Richmond Art Center has also invited Allan deSouza, Professor and Chair of the Department of Art Practice, University of California Berkeley, to guest curate an exhibition, Marking New Paths, in the Community Gallery. The exhibition will include 12 current MFA candidates presenting new works under the self-directed organization of the student cohort.

A number of talks by the artists and art critics regarding the work in the exhibition are planned during the course of the exhibition. The Del Sol String Quartet will also perform in the galleries, interpreting the work through their music and will conduct workshops for elementary, middle, and high school students. Please visit the Richmond Art Center’s website http://richmondartcenter.org/events/ for a full detail of activities and events relating to these exhibitions.

The Fall exhibitions are sponsored by BLICK Art Materials, Mechanics Bank, Jacobs & CO,  and Susan and Steven Chamberlin.

About the Richmond Art Center:

The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to young and old alike who reflect the diverse richness of our community. The Art Center features hands-on learning, well-equipped studios,  Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in its galleries.

Every year, the Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. The Art Center’s four galleries mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Hung Liu, William Wiley and Peter Voulkos have been showcased here.

The Richmond Art Center originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything at the Art Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.

Contact:

Julie Sparenberg
Communications Manager
julie@richmondartcenter.org
510-620-6772

Download a PDF of the press release.

Job Position: Facilities Assistant

We’re hiring!

Position: Facilities Assistant
Schedule: Part-time, 16 hours/week, flexible, non-exempt
Supervisor: Director of Human Resources and Operations

Essential Functions:

Under the direction of the Director of Human Resources and Operations (Director of HR/O), the Facilities Assistant is responsible for general maintenance of the Art Center’s galleries, studios and support spaces. Troubleshoots and performs minor repairs to equipment and furniture, some janitorial duties, setup and takedown of special events.  Knowledge and experience of basic maintenance techniques is essential.

Responsibilities:

 

  • Make minor building repairs(including replacement of light bulbs  and furniture and equipment maintenance or improvements
  • Assist with the prepping of art galleries for each exhibition and occasional art handling, installation of artwork and arrangement of gallery lights.
  • Conduct minor landscaping and clean-up in the courtyard area.
  • Assist with setup and takedown and cleaning of special events.
  • Sweep, vacuum, and mop all floors in studios, offices, galleries, halls and restrooms and coordinate the waxing of the floors as needed.
  • Restock all janitorial supplies in bathrooms.
  • Working as part of team the jobholder must be able to work under their own initiative to cope with rearranged priorities.
  • Interact with staff and visitors with a friendly and courteous attitude at all times.
  • Carrying out routine checks and inspection of facilities and equipment.  
  • Be part of Safety Committee to follow health and safety procedures and assist with specific health and safety procedures.
  • Work in a safe manner and utilize tools of the trade skillfully.
  • Other duties as assigned by the Director of HR/O.

Qualifications:

  • A high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement for the Facilities Assistant.
  • Some work experience as a handyman or in a skilled trade, carpentry or electrical is desirable.
  • Ability to bend and stand for periods of time is needed. Ability to lift as much as 30 pounds.
  • Enthusiasm for the work of the Richmond Art Center
  • Ability to coordinate a number of activities with multiple components requiring independent follow through and attention to detail

About the Richmond Art Center: 

A non-profit organization, the Richmond Art Center has provided nearly 80 years of excellence in arts education and exhibitions for the East Bay region. The Art Center’s mission is to be a dynamic arts organization that empowers and transforms individuals and the community through creative exploration, experience and education. The largest Art Center in the East Bay, the 1951 vintage modern facility is part of Richmond’s Civic Center Plaza and receives partial funding from the City of Richmond. The Art Center offers one of the most extensive schedules of exhibitions and art instruction programs in the East Bay, presenting 14 to 16 exhibitions in four galleries and providing 50-60 art classes and workshops in six studios four times a year to 400-450 students each quarter, ages 5 and up of all skill levels. In addition, the Art Center reestablished its Art in the Community program in 2012, providing after school art experiences to 17 schools and various community centers. The Art Center has over 670 members, 150 volunteers, 12 full-time and five part-time staff. The Center has an operating budget of just over $1 million.   

To apply, please submit the following materials via email:
Resume and a cover letter introducing yourself. Also include the names and contact information for three professional references.  Open until filled



Send all materials to applynow@therac.org
Compensation & Benefits: $13/hr plus paid, vacation, sick & holidays.

As condition of employment the jobholder is required to complete a live scan for fingerprint clearance and a (TB) Test.

The Richmond Art Center is an equal opportunity employer, values diversity and respects differences. 

Principals only. Recruiters please don’t contact this job poster.

Do NOT contact us with unsolicited services or offers

Register Today for Bring Art to Your Classroom!

Bring Art Flyer (2)We still have spaces available in our next Professional Development for Educators workshop series!

Bring Art to Your Classroom Workshop Series

Our engaging and informative Bring Art to Your Classroom workshop series is aimed at K-6 public, charter and private educators based in West Contra Costa who are interested in integrating art into other core subject areas, such as language arts, social studies, math and science or teaching art as a stand-alone discipline. This series is offered as three consecutive Saturday workshops. They are led by teaching artists familiar with students of various backgrounds and abilities.

Upcoming Workshops

Our next Bring Art To Your Classroom Professional Development Workshop series will talk place on July 30th, August 6th and August 13th from 1-5.
If you are interested and can attend all three dates, please apply here.

We’re Hiring: Art in the Community Coordinator

Position: Art in the Community Coordinator

Schedule: 24-30 hours, flexible schedule, non-exempt

Supervisor: Art in the Community Director

Position open until filled. Hoping to hire by September 1, 2016

Richmond Art Center: The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, and we offer exciting arts experiences for all ages. We do this through hands-on learning, well-equipped studios, traveling Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in our galleries.

Every year, we serve thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. Our four galleries allow us to mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists.

Art in the Community Program: The Richmond Art Center began in 1936 with the vision of one woman devoted to sharing her love of art with the Richmond community. Today, we bring high quality art-making experiences to young people and families across Richmond and neighboring cities. Art in the Community classes:

Essential Functions:  The Richmond Art Center is looking for a collaborative, experienced and self-motivated Program Coordinator to join our Education team. Our Art in the Community program is growing and we are looking to hire an additional coordinator to meet the growing demands of our sites. Under the direction of the Art in the Community Director, and working closely with the existing Coordinator, the new Coordinator’s primary responsibility is the coordination of offsite Arts Education Programs. This includes visits to sites, providing oversight of the program implementation, and supervising the teaching artists and volunteers responsible for instruction at various sites in Richmond and San Pablo. This team member also supports and helps shape the development of new relationships with collaborating organizations, the expansion of our programs, and the planning and implementation of our professional developments series for teaching artists. This wide-ranging position requires a strong commitment to equity & social justice, the ability to strategize creatively, and an outgoing and collaborative personality. The hours of position may increase over the course of this year.   

Responsibilities:

  •      In collaboration with the AIC Team, manage our partnerships with schools, community organizations and agencies which host the Art in the Community programs.
  •      Supervise teaching artists and volunteers. Give constructive feedback and monitor instructional outcomes.
  •      Participate in the development or revision of program policies and best practices.  Make recommendations based on field experiences and program data.
  •     Document and report on program implementation (enrollment, instruction, and compliance with agreements).
  •     Attend and represent the AIC program at relevant partner and community meetings
  •      Monitor teaching artist timesheets, requests for payment and/or reimbursement.
  •      Assist in the planning and implementation of AIC professional development offerings.
  •      Manage program tools and supplies.
  •      Generate, review or update AIC supporting materials.
  •      Coordinate the staffing of AIC tables at community events.
  •      Other duties as assigned by the Art in the Community Director.

Qualifications and Dispositions:

  •      Art program administration experience a plus
  •      At least 3 years of Teaching Artist experience
  •      Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  •      Ability to work in a range of community and program settings
  •      Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
  •      Thrives in a flexible and collaborative work environment
  •      Ability to make independent decisions on the spot
  •      Experience working with diverse learners across a range of age groups a plus
  •      Experience planning/delivering professional development experience a plus
  •      Personal creative practice a plus
  •      East Bay resident preferred
  •      Ability to lift 50 lbs
  •      Access to a car for all scheduled work hours

Compensation and Benefits:

  •      $18- $20 DOE
  •      Vacation, sick and holidays.
  •      Richmond Art Center membership and NARM benefits
  •      Quarterly free class at Richmond Art Center

To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and list of three professional references to applynow@richmondartcenter.org

We won the gold! Thanks to you…

 

pp bannerFour Gold Stars for the Richmond Art Center!

Thanks to you, our wonderful supporters, the Richmond Art Center won the top honors Parents’ Press Best of the Bay 2016 for our Arts and Crafts Summer Camp, Teen Focused Summer Camp, After-School and Enrichment Programs, and Art Classes!

We’re humbled and thrilled to receive these honors, and look forward to serving your families with even more exciting art offerings in the future. Thank you for believing in us and supporting the Art Center with your votes!

25th Street Entrance Getting Mural Makeover!

We’re excited to announce that we’ve received a Summer mini-grant through the Richmond Community Foundation and will be partnering with RYSE Youth Center to design and create a new mural on the ramp wall of our 25th Street Entrance.
As a part of our planning process we want to include the voices and ideas of the RAC community.  Please follow this link: http://goo.gl/forms/QlalsCOXyAoaIIwE2
to answer the question “What makes Richmond beautiful?”
We hope you’ll include your input and join us for the unveiling in early Fall (details to be announced).
Warmly,
Dominique Enriquez, Studio Education Director, and
Rachel Schaffran, Art in the Community Director

Visit and Contact

Richmond Art Center
2540 Barrett Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804-1600

 

Contact and Visitor Info
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat 10am-4pm