We Celebrated 25 Years of Guillermo the Golden Trout
We felt the love at our Go Fish! community party the other week. Thank you to everyone who showed up in support our first in-person fundraiser since the pandemic. We met our fundraising goals and had a great time doing it!
Special thanks to artist Andrée Singer Thompson, Mayor Eduardo Martinez, and former Mayor Rosemary Corbin, who spoke and reminded us of the power of artworks such as Guillermo the Golden Trout to express the ideas and vitality of our community.
MANY THANKS TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE
EVENT COMMITTEE: Michele Seville (Chair), Don Lau, John Boychuk, Monique Ziesenhenne, Jane Diokas, José R. Rivera, Addela Garboos, Kimberly A. Ross, Amy Spencer
EVENT SPONSORS: Mechanics Bank, Matt and Margaret Jacobson, Phillips 66, Overaa Construction, Sims Metal, Collins Management, MSH Group, Jan and Byron Brown – in memory of Gay Parker and the RACettes, Rosemary and Douglas Corbin, M.A. Hays Co., Martin McNair and Margi Cellucci, Susan Wittenberg, Ninomiya – Koda Charitable Foundation, James Wheeler and Joyce Shon
INDIVIDUAL DONORS: Denise Abersold, Robin Bernstein, Stephen Bischoff, Lisa Blade, Dawn E Nakashima, Amanda Eicher, Kathleen Gadway, Nancy Grant, Robert Herr, Nettie Hoge, Susan Hybloom, Michelle Knapik, Don Lau, Bertha Lay, Katherine Lui, Marla Misunas, Susan Moffat, Jeanette Nichols, Anne Oklan, Fredrick Page, Joanne Paulsen, Vita Rey, Rebecca Riley, Laurel Scheinman, Niran Shah, Kathryn Sibley, Leslie Smith, Amy Stewart, Lina Velasco, Wendy Warren, John Wehrle, Sol Werthan, Mary White, Melanie Wilkins, Monique Ziesenhenne, Minoosh Zomorodinia
IN-KIND DONORS: Agave Azul Restaurant, Andrée Singer Thompson, Catahoula Coffee, El Sol, Falkenstein Foundation, Ilene Conde, Inez Brooks-Myers, John Ziesenhenne, Kaleidoscope Coffee, Kao Sarn Thai, Lara’s Fine Dining, M.A. Hays Co., Michele Seville, Outback in the Temple of Venus, Patricia Bennett, Sue Hartman, The Dead Fish, The Factory Bar, The Grape Nest, Tokyo Fish Market
VOLUNTEERS: Breean Lowe, Gillian Belcher, Irene Hightower, Irene Thwaites, Iris Fisher, Jacqueline Mucha, Linda Gault, Lisa Krepela, Lisa Zimmer-Chui, Nia Crater, Renita Primm, Sophie Stathakos, Susan Hybloom, Tracee Coltes
BOARD: Michael Dear, Lina Velasco, Paul Collins, Nettie Hoge, John Boychuk, Jane Diokas, Helen Duhé, Susan Kuramoto Moffat, Stephen Nomura, Rachel Sommovilla, Monique le Conge Ziesenhenne
Richmond Art Center’s programs continue to provide pathways for lifelong arts learning through exhibitions, arts education, and community events. This Impact Report offers a snapshot of how our work over the past year has engaged the local community, especially Richmond-residents and under-resourced artists.
Behind the scenes, the organization is strong and stable. During two years of the pandemic we were able to stay afloat and operate without a deficit. In FY2022-23 Richmond Art Center planned a budget deficit – in order to build back quickly post-pandemic with new programs and staff – and were able to end the year with a much smaller loss than expected. We have been successful in securing new major grants while also increasing vital grassroots support through individual donations, memberships, and volunteer service.
And we’re proud to have received recognition for our work. Over the past twelve months, Richmond Art Center’s exhibitions have been positively reviewed in the San Francisco Chronicle, East Bay Express, Richmond Confidential, Daily Californian, and Artforum, to name a few. Parents Press selected our art classes and camps for “Best of” Reader’s Choice awards.
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA
FREE
Learn about Art of the African Diaspora in 2024! All artists interested in participating in the event, as well as those who have already registered, are invited.
Meet the Steering Committee members who are organizing the event
Fall art classes are now 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!
Announcing Major Commissioning and Exhibition Opportunity for Artists
Right Here, Right Now 2024
Deadline to Entry: Monday, October 16, 2023, 11:59pm
All artists who live and/or work in Richmond are invited to apply to participate in the biennial exhibition, Right Here, Right Now, Richmond.
Now in its third iteration, we are excited to announce that in 2024, with support from the NEA, the program will award $2,000 each to seven selected artists to make and exhibit their work.
Celebrating 25 Years of Guillermo the Golden Trout Saturday, August 5, 1pm-4pm | FREE Richmond Art Center (courtyard), 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond Event webpage: richmondartcenter.org/gofish
Richmond, CA: Go Fish! on Saturday, August 5, 1pm-4pm is a community party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Andrée SingerThompson’s iconic sculpture, Guillermo the Golden Trout. The event will honor Singer Thompson and wish Guillermo a happy birthday with art-making, games, live music, auction, and birthday cake.
“Join us on this special occasion to celebrate an icon of Richmond and the wonderful artist who created it,” says José R. Rivera, executive director at Richmond Art Center.
Guillermo the Golden Trout is the prominent fish sculpture that adorns Richmond Art Center’s building. At 50 feet long and weighing 800 pounds, the vibrantly colored sculpture made a big splash when it was installed in 1997 as part of Singer Thompson’s Making Waves – A Ripple Effect exhibition. The work became a permanent installation after it was purchased by Mayor Rosemary Corbin for the City of Richmond using the mayor’s beautification fund.
Twenty-five years later Guillermo the Golden Trout is a local landmark, and shorthand for visitors needing directions to Richmond Art Center: “Go to Richmond’s Civic Center and look for the big fish!”
Go Fish! will feature a so-fish-ticated line-up of activities for all ages, including fishing games, fish art-making, live music by Sueños Jazz, and food by Richmond restaurant El Sol. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn about Guillermo the Golden Trout and Andrée Singer Thompson’s artistic practice through an exhibition of her work. (In preparation for the big day Guillermo the Golden Trout received a light revamp earlier this year.)
Go Fish! is Richmond Art Center’s first in-person fundraiser event since the pandemic. While the event is free to attend, ‘Golden (Trout) Tickets’ are available for purchase to those who can show their support. Funds raised will go towards Richmond Art Center’s annual fund.
Go Fish! is open to all and no rsvp is necessary. Richmond Art Center is located at 2540 Barrett Avenue in Richmond.
Accessibility, Parking and Public Transportation: Ample free parking is available in the 25th Street lot across the street from Richmond Art Center. RAC’s facility is accessible to users of wheelchairs via two step-free public entrances. The Barrett Street entrance is adjacent to a parking lot with six accessible spaces. The 25th Street entrance is adjacent to a parking lot with three accessible spaces. Richmond Art Center is accessible by BART, AC Transit, and R-Transit. Parking and Entrance Map
About Richmond Art Center: For over 80 years, Richmond Art Center has served the residents of Richmond and surrounding communities through studio arts education programs, exhibitions, off-site classes, and special initiatives for community-wide impact. Richmond Art Center’s mission is to be a catalyst in Richmond for learning and living through art. richmondartcenter.org
For more information and images contact: Amy Spencer, amy@richmondartcenter.org
Images (top to bottom): 1. Guillermo drawing by Francisco Rojas 2. José R. Rivera, RAC’s Executive Director, with artist Andrée Singer Thompson 3. Guillermo the Golden Trout undergoes repairs for 25th anniversary
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS: VERY BIG FISH: Mechanics Bank, Jacobs & Company BIGGER FISH: Phillips 66 BIG FISH: Overaa Construction, Sims Metal, Collins Management, MSH Group, Jan and Byron Brown – in memory of Gay Parker and the RACettes, Rosemary Corbin FRIEND OF THE FISH: M.A. Hays Co., Martin McNair and Margi Cellucci, Susan Wittenberg, Ninomiya – Koda Charitable Foundation
For the first time celebrated JUNETEENTH with a free paint and sip event (June 2023)
With your help we can achieve even more over the next twelve months.
Can you donate to Richmond Art Center before the end of today?
Contributions by midnight tonight, June 30, will help keep Richmond Art Center in the black for our fiscal year. Anything you can donate will be greatly appreciated!
Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. (Richmond Art Center’s Tax ID is 94-6104204.)
Top images (left to right from top left): a student in the summer intensive class ‘Framing Identity’; Ashlée Garrison, Cynthia Brannvall and Derrick Bell at an artist talk for Art of the African Diaspora; Fencelines workshop participants show their painted slats; a young person gets creative with buttons at Spring Family Day; teaching artist Colleen Garland demonstrates using a kick wheel; exhibitions director Roberto Martinez with Andrée Singer Thompson; Mechica dancers; gallery visitors interact with Amanda Ayala’s artwork; and Duane using a floor loom in the textiles studio.
Wee Poets Features WCCUSD Youth and Richmond Art Center
For over thirty years Wee Poets on Channel 28 has supported literacy development through interviews with thousands of Bay Area children. This month three WCCUSD students and Roberto Martinez, RAC’s exhibitions director, were invited onto the show to talk about the WCCUSD Student Art Show.
Top Image: Wee Poet’s host Sally Baker speaks with RAC’s Roberto Martinez
Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. (Richmond Art Center’s Tax ID is 94-6104204.)
Top images (left to right from top left: a family making glass art at the Holiday Arts Festival; Printmaker Art Hazelwood demonstrates Emmy Lou Packard’s press in action; Solo exhibition artists J.B. Broussard and Donna Gatson; Calaveritas workshop instructor artist Daniel Camacho; a young student on a Youth Art Tour; teaching artist Colleen Garland; a student in the metals studio; ‘Stitching Stolen Lives’ book talk with Sara Trail; and volunteer Bree at the spring exhibitions reception.