The Richmond Art Center’s new executive director, José R. Rivera, might be the non-profit organization’s most improbable appointment of its 84-year history. The arts education and exhibition center is prominently located at Richmond’s Civic Center Plaza and has four galleries, over 600 members, hundreds of art classes, an operating budget of over $1.5 million and serves thousands of underserved youth and adults in workshops and community outreach presentations. Visibility is RAC’s middle name, it could be assumed.
We are saddened by the death of artist Clayton Bailey on Saturday, June 6 at age 81. Known for his innovative and irreverent ceramic and metal sculpture, Bailey was a lead figure in the Funk Art and Nut Art movements. He lived in Port Costa for many years, and from 2013 until recently ran the Bailey Art Museum in Crockett.
Bailey first exhibited at Richmond Art Center in a group show in 1970. He went on to be included in exhibitions every decade at RAC until 2009, when he participated in a two-person show with his wife, Betty Bailey, called Robots & Watercolors. This exhibition was organized by Richmond-artist John Wehrle and featured over thirty of Bailey’s metal robot sculptures displayed beside Betty’s whimsical watercolor paintings. Betty died in 2019.
A Statement by John Wehrle
In art and life Clayton Bailey was generous to a fault. His eccentric creations, whether ceramic or metal, were always exquisitely crafted and whimsically logical.
Clayton’s work personified a serious quirkiness that was emblematic of a rich vein of irreverent humor that found fertile ground in Northern California.
I first became aware of Clayton’s work viewing Dr.Gladstone’s ceramic discoveries at the de Young in 1975. I was working under the CETA program and painting my first mural there. The elaborate comic nature of Clayton’s installation was delightful and memorable.
Years later, our artistic paths crossed again when Jeff Nathanson included Clayton and myself, along with other Contra Costa artists in the introductory North by Northwest show at Richmond Art Center.
For RAC’s 50th anniversary exhibition in 1996, Jeff commissioned Clayton to make a commemorative edition of “Dr. Gladstone’s Snake Oil” ceramic jugs as a part of the celebration. I still treasure mine.
Dr. Gladstone’s Snake Oil by Clayton Bailey
And Clayton and I both owned 1950 Bullet Nose Studebakers, albeit at different stages of our lives.
So it was an honor and a privilege when Clayton agreed to exhibit his robots along with Betty’s drawings at RAC in 2009.
Robots and Watercolors, Richmond Art Center, 2009
Clayton’s robots exist in a world, inspired by Captain Marvel and Studebakers, where a brighter future of robot butlers is just around the corner. In today’s world of plastic and pixels these robots propel a metal flea market past into the future. The pleasure of Clayton’s work lies in the recognition of the alternator or the teapot transformed into an anthropomorphic dog or tipsy ballerina. They ultimately speak as much to the human condition as to the world of technological wonders.
“Art of the Heal”, East Bay Express, By Janis Hashe, June 17, 2020
When it’s safe to do so, the venerable Richmond Art Center will reopen under new leadership. José R. Rivera, the new executive director, is well aware he’s assuming control as the RAC faces multiple challenges.
“Richmond Art Center appoints Jose R. Rivera as new executive director”, Richmond Standard, By Mike Aldax, June 15, 2020
The Richmond Art Center has appointed Jose R. Rivera as its new executive director.
Patricia Guthrie, board of directors president for the Richmond Art Center, described Rivera as having “a wealth of management experience and a deep commitment to the arts and community which we feel will help move the Richmond Art Center forward at a time of great societal change.”
Mientras tomo el mando del Richmond Art Center, mi corazón está triste por el asesinato de George Floyd y las más de 100,000 vidas perdidas durante los últimos meses de la pandemia de coronavirus. Esto, por supuesto, es en suma a las pérdidas de Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade y muchos otros.
As I take over the helm of Richmond Art Center, my heart is heavy mourning the murder of George Floyd and the over 100,000 lives lost during the past months of coronavirus pandemic. This, of course, is on top of the losses of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and countless others.
I am outraged and saddened by their murders. However, outrage is not enough. As philanthropy shifts its response to support our communities’ recovery, we wholeheartedly agree not to go back to the so called “normal”.
RICHMOND, CA: El Centro de Arte de Richmond (Richmond Art Center) se complace en anunciar el nombramiento de José R. Rivera para el cargo de Director Ejecutivo. La presidenta de la Junta Directiva, Patricia Guthrie, dijo: “El Sr. Rivera trae una gran experiencia de gestión y un profundo compromiso con el arte y la comunidad, que creemos que ayudará a sacar adelante al Richmond Art Center en un momento de gran cambio social”. La contratación del Sr. Rivera se produce después de una extensa búsqueda en la que participó la Junta Directiva, el personal del RAC y miembros de la comunidad.
RICHMOND, CA: The Richmond Art Center is pleased to announce the appointment of José R. Rivera to the position of Executive Director. Board of Directors President Patricia Guthrie said: “Mr. Rivera brings a wealth of management experience and a deep commitment to the arts and community which we feel will help move the Richmond Art Center forward at a time of great societal change.” Mr. Rivera’s hire comes after an extensive search involving the Board of Directors, RAC Staff, and community members.
Welcome to Richmond Art Center’s e-newsletter, With Love… . Through this publication we share art and ideas for creating together to help folks adapt, innovate and make meaning during shelter-in-place.
Staff at RAC are working to create something new, exciting and special for our online programs and we would like to hear from you!
How can Richmond Art Center support you and your families’ creative needs? Please complete this quick online survey and help shape our efforts to reimagine programing and explore different ways we can continue to connect to each other through art.
We will be closing the survey by end of day on June 1.
State funds support in-school and after-school art programs, as well as a new artist residency at RAC
Richmond, CA: The California Arts Council announced grant awards totaling $57,000 to Richmond Art Center (RAC). The grants RAC will receive are Artists in Communities, Artists in Schools, and Youth Arts Action.
Artists in Schools and Youth Arts Action grants will support RAC’s in-school and after-school art programs in Richmond schools this upcoming school year. The Artists in Communities grant will fund, in part, an artist residency, youth art photography class and exhibition at RAC.
