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.
September 4 – November 21 Opening Reception: Saturday, September 7, 1pm-3pm Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804 Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm Exhibitions and events are all free and no rsvp is necessary
Richmond, CA: This fall, Richmond Art Center’s galleries will showcase a dynamic range of art, spanning innovative local visions and ideas, to traditional Japanese ink paintings, and beyond.
In the Main Gallery, Right Here, Right Now, Richmond celebrates local artists’ innovative work. Now in its third iteration, this biennial exhibition features new work by Anthony Delgado, Art Hazelwood, e bond, Erin McCluskey Wheeler, Helia Pouyanfar, Quinn Keck, and Taro Hattori, reflecting on Richmond’s history, environment, and vibrant communities.
“As the artists created new work for this show, a theme to emerge is ‘home’ in its many forms—physical, cultural, and emotional,” says Roberto Martinez, the biennial’s curator. “Maybe it’s obvious, but in a rapidly changing city, home is always worth exploring.”
Also opening at Richmond Art Center this fall are three more exhibitions:
Sentinels & Saviors: Iconic Avatars presents work by Joell Jones and Kim Thoman, who create space for introspection. Jones’ paintings explore a woman’s journey into self-discovery through pictorial art. Thoman presents abstract steel figures inspired by Chinese Terracotta Warriors, symbolizing guardianship and protection during her illness recovery.
Abi Mustapha‘s solo exhibition shares her new series of paintings that fuse portraiture with vibrant botanical landscapes. Mustapha states, “My hope is to elicit a sense of reverence for the magic of our interconnectedness.”
Finally, the Community Gallery will feature The Art of Sumi-e, showcasing Japanese ink brush paintings by students from Fumiyo Yoshikawa‘s beginner sumi-e class at Richmond Art Center, along with works by Sensei Yoshikawa herself.
An Opening Reception for all exhibitions will be held on Saturday, September 7, from 1pm to 3pm. All are welcome to attend.
Richmond Art Center will be open late on Friday, September 20, from 5pm to 8pm for a Sunset Social. The courtyard and galleries will be transformed into a space for celebrating the artists featured in Right Here, Right Now with performances, live art demonstrations, and more. It’s not often we open our galleries after dark – don’t miss it!
Richmond Art Center is located at 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.
About Richmond Art Center: Richmond Art Center has been sharing art and creating with the community since 1936. Our programs encompass classes, exhibitions and events at our facility in downtown Richmond, as well as off-site activities that bring free, high-quality art making experiences to WCCUSD schools and community partners. richmondartcenter.org
Right Here, Right Now is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Top image: Abi Mustapha, Dionaea, 2024, 30″ x 24″, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas
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.
Animation amazingness from Summer Art Camp at Richmond Art Center. Campers made over 50 short videos in the “Animation All Over” camp with Maggie Burns this summer. From flip-notes on sticky pads to crafting hands-on paper stop motion, they drew inspiration from their surroundings to bring pictures to life through movement.
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!
