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5 Ways to Give to the RAC on #GivingTuesday

  1. Donate today to help support our scholarships for local youth and adults, free community classes and events, and our galleries and exhibitions. Today your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous anonymous donor.
  2. Buy a Membership Gift Certificate at our Holiday Arts Festival on Sunday, December 4. Read more about the benefits of membership.
  3. Become a volunteer. Our volunteers are a vital part of the work we do and they help us with a variety of really important projects.
  4. Give us a thumb’s up review on Facebook, Google or Yelp. Tell others why you love coming to the Richmond Art Center.
  5. Support your local artists and buy local. Check out the Silent Auction, have lunch at the food trucks, sample local beer and cider and meet our Community Partners at the Holiday Arts Festival on Sunday, December 4
Donate Today for #GivingTuesday

Press Release: Richmond Art Center’s 54th Annual Holiday Arts Festival Partners with Local Nonprofits

Richmond Art Center’s 54th Annual Holiday Arts Festival Partners
with Local Nonprofits

Five Richmond nonprofits share their missions, sell their work in the Community Gallery at the Art Center’s annual holiday festival.

RICHMOND, CA — November 18, 2016—On Sunday, December 4, 2016, the largest community event and fundraiser for the Richmond Art Center returns for its 54th year, with over 50 local artists and artisan collectives participating. This year, the festival has expanded to present and give visibility to nonprofit partners with the Richmond Art Center, which include Rosie the Riveter Trust, Girls Inc. of West Contra Costa, NIAD Art Center, and RYSE Youth Center.

“We love our neighbor the Richmond Art Center and their annual Holiday Festival, said NIAD’s Gallery Director, Tim Buckwalter. “What a fantastic tradition. At NIAD Art Center, we delighted and honored to be a part of it. This year we’re pleased to showcase work from four of our emerging artists – Vanessa Bravo, Donzell Lewis, Shana Harper and Sara Malpass – who will be amazing works in clay, fiber, and clay.”

RYSE Youth Center will also be creating art to sell this year. Says Visual Arts Coordinator Vanessa “Agana” Espinoza: “The Visual arts team at Ryse Youth Center has been creating some new original handmade jewelry, art and crafts to share at the Richmond Art Center’s Holiday Art Festival. We are honored to present some amazing unique pieces for sale made by the talented young artists at Ryse. We are very excited about this partnership especially after collaborating on a youth-led mural in the front entrance of the Richmond Art center.”

“Girls Inc is so excited to be working with some very special young entrepreneurs, helping them to fulfill their desires for a successful career doing what they love to do,” says Cristal Banagan, Associate Director of Girls Incorporated of West Contra Costa County. “With the help of personal mentors, our young ladies are creating their businesses, and finding opportunity to “make their mark” with the help of the Richmond Art Center! Stay tuned in to these incredible young marvels and their beautifully creative creations, brought to you as only Richmond can!”

“Rosie the Riveter Trust will be selling a variety of unusual ‘Rosie’ items to benefit its work on behalf of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park,” says Marsha Mather-Thrift, Executive Director of Rosie the Riveter Trust. “Items will include a variety of unusual designs from the Rosie the Riveter National Park Gift Store. We are very excited to be participating in this years Arts Festival and supporting the greater Richmond community.”

Also present will be staff from The Latina Center, whose mission is to improve the quality of life and health of the Latino community by providing leadership and personal development opportunities for all Latinos.

The festival opens its doors to the public at 11am and ends at 5pm at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue in Richmond, CA. Attendees will be able to decorate their own canvas tote bag, perfect for shopping or carrying art supplies, create their own handmade terrariums, bid on silent auction items, mingle with many local artists and Richmond Art Center art instructors, and learn more about what’s happening in the Richmond nonprofit community. All within a few steps of great meals served up by Curbside Kitchen and Opie’s Gourmet Stacked Burgers.

This year’s Holiday Arts Festival features many new artist vendors, and gourmet food trucks and food vendors on site. Art collectors mark the day as an opportunity to bid on collectible, prized works by notable Bay Area artists. To see the list of vendors and community partners participating in this event, please visit the Holiday Art Festival’s web page as it will be continuously updated with current information: http://richmondartcenter.org/holiday-arts-festival/

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.

Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, 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.

Visit the Richmond Art Center’s website for more information: http://richmondartcenter.org/

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

Download a PDF of the press release here.

Press Release: 54th Annual Holiday Arts Festival

54th Annual Holiday Arts Festival Is Richmond Art Center’s Largest Community Event of the Year

Richmond favorite festival hosts 50+ artisan vendors, local nonprofit community partners, gourmet food trucks and a silent auction.

postcardprstfrst_4x6_frontRICHMOND, CA — November 4, 2016—On Sunday, December 4, 2016, the largest community event and fundraiser for the Richmond Art Center returns for its 54th year, with over 50 local artists and artisan collectives participating. This year’s Holiday Arts Festival is on track to be a exciting experience, with many new artist vendors added to the roster, and gourmet food trucks and food vendors on site. Art collectors mark the day as an opportunity to bid on collectible, prized works by notable Bay Area artists. This year, the festival has expanded to present and give visibility to nonprofit partners with the Richmond Art Center, which include Rosie the Riveter Trust, Girls Inc. of West Contra Costa, NIAD Art Center, and RYSE Youth Center.

“The Holiday Arts Festival is a long-standing annual tradition that really brings the East Bay arts community together,” says Ric Ambrose, Executive Director. “This festival not only celebrates and showcases the talents of many local artists, but it allows a larger community to appreciate, own, and gift handmade art. We enjoy this annual opportunity to bring many new people to the Art Center so they can learn what we’re all about, and to gather with our longtime students and supporters.”

The festival opens its doors to the public at 11am and ends at 5pm at the Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue in Richmond, CA. Attendees will be able to decorate their own canvas tote bag, perfect for shopping or carrying art supplies, create their own handmade terrariums, bid on silent auction items, mingle with many local artists and Richmond Art Center art instructors, and learn more about what’s happening in the Richmond nonprofit community. All within a few steps of great meals served up by Curbside Kitchen and Opie’s Gourmet Stacked Burgers.

To see the list of vendors and community partners participating in this event, please visit the Holiday Art Festival’s web page as it will be continuously updated with current information: http://richmondartcenter.org/holiday-arts-festival/

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.

Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, 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.

Visit the Richmond Art Center’s website for more information: http://richmondartcenter.org/

Contact:

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

Download the PDF here.

Holiday Workshops and Classes!

holiday-workshops_page11_kat

Looking to add some creativity to your holidays? Or perhaps you want to make some gifts to give this season? Check out these holiday-themed one-day workshops and sign up soon!

Family Holiday Workshop: Gingerbread & Printmaking
Get ready for the holidays with some art making fun! Parents and children are invited to create fun and festive projects together including a Gingerbread sculpture to help kick off the holiday season. You’ll enjoy using a variety of materials and supplies.

Print Your Own Holiday Cards (Adults)
Looking for something unique to send out to friends and family this holiday season? Join us for this one day workshop to design and create your own holiday card using a variety of materials and techniques. No experience necessary!

Gifting From The Heart
Often, making something for someone else can free us up to access our own authentic creativity. Join us for this workshop to prepare two paintings to give as gifts or to get a jump on your own creative practice.

Felted Holiday Ornaments (Adults)
Create something special this holiday season and make your own felted holiday ornament. You’ll learn a simple and fun felting technique and come away with your own festive ornament to celebrate the holidays.

A Note from the Education Team

denriquezDear Art Center Family,

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Art Center.  As we close our celebrations of 80 years this year — and begin to look forward, we continue to ask ourselves, “What does it mean to be a community arts space in Richmond?” For us that means taking a closer look at our long, rich history, exploring how we connect with our community and finding ways to do it better.

We continue to strive for the Art Center to be a space where all feel welcome — whether you’re a first time visitor, someone trying out a workshop or class for the first time, or a long-time returning student.  The Education Office is conveniently located right at the Studio/25th Street entrance.  Lukaza, Marisa, and I are here for you — to lend a helping hand and provide support in ways we can.

And with the new year, we’re embracing a new look for our class catalog, a tree-friendly version — which acts as a simple brochure with additional details on our website.  We’ll be sharing an online version of this new catalog after November 9, and we’re very excited for you to get a peek at our Winter quarter classes. You can register for classes and workshops on November 29.

We look forward to seeing you around the Art Center this quarter!

Warmly,

Dominique and the Education Team

Fall Family Day/Skeletonfest Recap

This year’s vibrant Fall Family Day, Skeletonfest, welcomed almost 350 people to the Art Center. Focused on traditional arts associated with Dia de los Muertos, kids and grownups enjoyed making paper flowers, mini pinatas, metal milgros and Calavera hats. DJ Agana kept the mood lively and we were so proud to share our space with so many of our RAC family members. Read more from the Richmond Standard, 4Richmond, Richmond Confidential, and check out even more photos on our Facebook page.

Skeletonfest Is This Sunday!

Join us on Sunday, October 23 for this year’s Fall Family Day: Skeletonfest!  You can even add your name to our Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1825637091003311/

Celebrate the Fall and upcoming Day of the Dead at the Richmond Art Center with an afternoon full of fun and art-making for all ages. Make Calavera hats with Dawn Gonzales, mini honoring pinatas with Isaías Rodríguez, paper flowers with Lisa diPrima, and milagros and nichos with Malena Lopez-Maggi and Taylor Zarkades King. This event is free and open to all ages. Create and honor with us!

Kids Create in These Great Classes for Fall!

Back to school also means back to school for art. Check out these great class offerings for kids and teens to add creativity and color to their week! You can register online via the links below.

collagekidsfall

Calder Circus (Ages 6 – 8): Be inspired by the magic of Alexander Calder’s 1927 Circus to create dioramas, small wooden figures, animals and other fantastical creatures. We will work in variety of mediums including clay, found materials, fabric and paint.

Forms in Clay (Ages 8 – 11): Work with clay! In this class, young artists will learn a variety of techniques for making functional vessels in clay.

Home School (Ages 6 – 10): Students engage diverse art making approaches utilizing painting, clay, and drawing.

Kids & Teens Painting Studio (Ages 11+): Students will bridge the gaps between drawing and painting.

Teen Printmaking (Ages 13+): Teens will explore the processes of printmaking, through demos and experimentation.

 

Celebrating Our 80th Anniversary with Heart!

This year the Richmond Art Center turned 80 and we threw two big parties to celebrate! We’re looking forward to the next 80 years of sharing art, education and community with you.

collagecommunitcelebrate

Our Back to School Community Celebration was a family-friendly event, full of heart, art, and delicious food. All ages were welcome to share a meal with us at our new communal tables in the courtyard, and the first 80 guests received a special handmade ceramic bowl crafted by none other than our talented ceramics manager, Marisa Burman. Delicious rice bowls were cooked and served by RAC students and volunteers, and our bar was staffed by RAC staff. DJ Juice provided danceable music for hours and our teaching artists Michael Perkin and Joyce Shon showed people the ropes in how to screenprint their own limited edition tote bags (with hand-drawn art by our Studio Education Coordinator Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo).

We have a full album of photos on our Facebook page.

collagegala

Our 80th Anniversary Gala was a stylish, elegant event where guests mingled in the galleries, met some of the artists—including Hung Liu, Jim Melchert, Richard Shaw, William Wiley, Mary Hull Webster and Lia Cook—whose works are now on exhibition in Making Our Mark. With Board President Inez Brooks-Myers and Board member Susan Wittenberg driving months of planning, this gala was beautifully executed by our entire Board and a team of volunteers (with thanks to our Volunteer Coordinator Nisha Chauhan-McGrath). Custom screenprinted tortillas featuring RAC founder Hazel Salmi were a big hit, thanks to the Great Tortilla Conspiracy, and guests listened to jazz singer Terrie Odabi in our Main Gallery while enjoying refreshing Vodka cocktails and wine bar , which were supported by donations from St. George Spirits in Alameda, and Jacobs & Co. and Vintage 59 Imports.

Almost 200 guests enjoyed a 3-course dinner, catered by Richmond favorite Menbere Aklilu and her restaurant Salute E Vita. The evening ended with a lively auction offering donated art, trips, theater and sports events to a very generous crowd. The funds raised from the auction and the Fund-a-Need will go towards supporting the Art Center in the upcoming year.

You can see all of the photos of the gala here.

A Message from Jan Wurm, Director of Exhibitions

img_8562-1It was a great pleasure to see the enthusiastic gathering at the opening reception for Making Our Mark. The air buzzed with a sense of history – so many artists who had exhibited here in the past, including former director Kathryn Reasoner, former curator Michael Schwager, and former Board President, John Wehrle – all joined the astonishing group of artists in Making Our Mark: 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, Jim Melchert, Richard Misrach, Kate Nartker, Deborah Oropallo, Shari Paladino, Johanna Poethig, Richard Shaw, Ehren Tool, Mary Hull Webster, William T. Wiley, Wanxin Zhang – who have filled the Art Center with their vibrant works and challenging ideas.

You can see a collection of images from the event here.

These first two weeks of the exhibition have drawn many visitors and groups of students from California College of the Arts, Contra Costa College, and UC Berkeley. If you have not had a chance to see the current exhibitions, Making Our Mark and Marking New Paths, highlighting current MFA candidates at UC Berkeley, do come by for these stimulating arrays of artwork. If you attended the exhilarating opening, we hope you will come back and bring a friend! And we would love to see you at our upcoming artists talks. The first series of talks features Chris Brown, Enrique Chagoya, Yvette Deas and Megan Atherton on October 15 at 2pm. 

Best,

Jan

Visit and Contact

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

 

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