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My name is Greg and my work and art meld into one. Like many others during this pandemic my work life has been adversely affected. After over four months off, I am finally back out running a tugboat and doing what I truly love.  Moored in Richmond 29 July 2020 As my photography and art started with my desire to share my office view from the tug and being stuck ashore, out of work, has limited me to working with old images and continuing with experimentation transferring digital imagery into laser wood cut pieces.  Commission Sailboat Laser Wood Cut 10” x 15” I was super excited to get back out on the water and get some shots through the wheelhouse windows and off the tug. One night, after a long twelve hour watch, I was talking to one of the guys on the tug about my Office View Series and the series origins in 2010. After showing him some photos, jokingly I asked if I could take his photo. I’ve never done any portrait photography at all- for some reason it has always scared and intimidated me. Anyway- this one photo of Casey inspired me to start a new series. “Faces On The Water”  Casey 1 August 2020 In this new series I’ll be featuring gritty portraits of the people I share my work world with. The marine industry is filled with wonderful people from all over, with diverse cultures and backgrounds. In my Office View Series that I started on LinkedIn in 2010, I’ve attempted to share my view out of the wheelhouse windows. Now I turn my lenses towards my co-workers and office mates. I hope that this new series is as well received as my last. I feel I’ve grown in my art and my photography and perhaps this will help me overcome a long fear of portrait photography.  Shane 2 August 2020 During these trying times I try to remember my many blessings, one is the blessing and the honor to be part of this amazing 4th Street Fine Art cooperative. Our gallery, like so many businesses, across not only our country but across the entire world, has experienced closures and setbacks. I strongly believe in building and supporting the arts and the artists around me. Let us all continue to count our blessings and support local business and artisans when and where possible.  Working 31 July 2020
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By Sherrod Blankner When the news came on March 19th that all of California had to shelter-in-place and our gallery had close its doors immediately, we began to wonder if our little store would be a casualty of the pandemic. Our co-op had to pivot quickly from a brick-and-mortar gallery to an online ecommerce platform. (link to https://www.4thstreetfineartshop.com). Though we don’t yet know the future for our gallery, I wanted to write about the history of our group in this blog post, to give you, readers, an idea of the deep bonds that may help us survive. I joined the studio in 2003, when it was operating as “4th Street Studio” and located at 4th and Virginia. At the time, I was thirty-three, recently married and new to the East Bay. Like many of the artists, I worked a day job and dreamed of the day when I could paint full time.  The author, Sherrod Blankner, one of the artists at Street Fine Art, and her husband Andy Clason in 2004 at the old 4th Street Studio For ten years, the gallery was run by our fearless leader, Gera Hasse, who created a welcoming and creative atmosphere for all her artists. Because she handled all the stressful parts of the gallery, like making sales, paying rent and publicity, we artists just painted, lunched, and philosophized. Overflowing receptions and rockin’ Halloween parties symbolized the good times at the studio.  Gera Hasse (left), Leader of the original 4th Street Studio, in 2009  Artists of 4th Street Studio, circa 2010 In 2011, we experienced a near-death experience, when we lost our lease at our old location. Many of us could not imagine our group being scattered to the winds, never to be together again. In small scouting parties, we began searching for a new location that could hold at least fifteen people. The still lingering slump from the 2008 financial crisis helped us, for rents were low at the time. After multiple false starts we settled on a new lease three blocks from our old location. We moved into 2000 4th Street in October, 2012.  “Beauty and Contrast” Reception in 2018, 4th Street Fine Art at 2000 4th Street In our new location, we operate as a co-op, with the work distributed across our eighteen members. Learning to run a gallery as a group proved challenging. We’ve all had moments when we wanted to storm out in a huff and say “I’m never talking to you again!” but somehow we have persevered. After eight years in the new location, our doors are still open and a core group of the original members remains. New members have enlivened our group and schooled us in the latest technology to make and sell art. When COVID-19 hit, like many people, we thought it would last a month or two. Now we understand we may be facing a year of upheaval, with unexpected closures or little foot traffic. Still, when we met to decide whether we should give up, everyone voted no. The ties that bind us are long years of working together. We have given each other critiques, shared supplies, strategized on shows, consoled each other on failures and cheered (maybe a bit jealously) when some of our members scored shows in New York. We have never said the word “love” in our by-laws and mission statements but not giving up is a form of love. I am typical of many of our members—I got older, never really quit the day job or got famous, but I still smile with pleasure every time I pick up a paint brush. That’s why we still make art. Come by, friends, because we are still open!  The author, 17 years after joining 4th Street Fine Art, painting in the new studio  It’s taken me a little while to settle down and focus on making something specific these past few weeks. The world has been ravaged by a virus that prompted acts of courage, as well as political calculations and irrational policies. As during any crisis, heroes saved the day or at least the hour; villains, idiots, and villainous idiots gave humans a bad name. The majority of us, mere mortals, caught in between, tried to simply figure out what to do.  One thing soon became clear to most: the fastest antidote to the pandemic, if not to the virus itself, was self-isolation. As one of the privileged few not immediately (physically or economically) at risk, I was barely affected by the confinement orders themselves. The disease's progression, the wave of suffering it created, and the uncertainty of the future have dragged me down. I can't help but worry about my more vulnerable friends and family members. I am especially weary of the distance separating me from my aging parents, who live on another continent, and whom I probably won't be able to visit for a very long time.  Still, well aware of my good fortune to be able to "shelter in place" in a green and peaceful environment, I have set up shop in my backyard. Using leftover wire from previous projects, I have been making small sculptures. Some are reminiscent of trees, others pod-like. I thought to liven them up with lichen collected from fallen branches and twigs during walks. I added air plants for variety, and because they, like lichen, survive on nutrients in the air, light and a simple, if regular, spritz of water.  Once again, making art has helped me to process chaos and make some sense of it. These miniature ecosystems remind me of life during the pandemic. Arranging plants and lichen in their various wire niches, I think of our homes containing our lives, and families having to share limited space. Some of them are reunited after living independently, a challenging yet worthy exercise in communication and adaptability.  I look at my “life pods", and they make me smile. I remember the words of a teacher I recently heard interviewed (on podcast The Daily, “The Struggle to Teach From Afar”). She talked about how she was envisioning her classroom during the pandemic. She said one of the things she was going to miss most was the "calming caddy." It was a collection of simple things, such as a little stuffed animal or scented lotion. A child could pick these items up to help them deal with powerful emotions and bring them gently back to the classroom.  I hope everyone can find a little something to lift their spirits and lighten, even briefly, the weight of the world on their shoulders, a little something to remind them of how life, even when confined, can flourish. One silver lining of the pandemic might be how it makes us look inwards and, if only for a minute, find pleasure and hope in simple things.  Here are a few words from our artist, Michael Sacramento, regarding his current series: Urban Inspired  My collaged paintings are created with fragments of images, objects, textures and colors that are inspired by my day to day observations - from street scenes, billboards and posters to often overlooked surfaces, birds and architectural elements. The process of collecting and finding inspiration from these visual cues, then using them to create a new visual experience, is my choice of intuitive self expression.  Each painting begins on the computer, where I rummage through digital images that I have collected from my wanderings about town and life. My favorite images are of various surfaces (like asphalt, wood and metal), street birds and graffiti, and “magazine” portraits. When an image captures my attention, I use a program to cut, crop and change the colors. Then I place the image in an inventory that I use for the actual painting.  The process of creating the physical painting begins with a surface that I prepare with a combination of metal, plywood, pumice gel, acrylic sheets and acrylic medium. This combination is inspired by the aesthetics of functional elements from city buildings and streets. Then, I paint them with washes of acrylic to further emphasize the formalistic qualities of the surface. Once the surface is prepared, I begin to transfer and paint my digital imagery through various techniques. Most times, I paint focal images on plexiglass and lay them a few millimeters over the surface. The result is an amalgam of my various artistic interests.  These Urban Inspired paintings are a body of work where I incorporate various inspirations into one. This method of integrating seemingly independent images, materials and surfaces is my offering to the world. It is my fullest and most honest self expression.
Consequently this new body of work can be perceived as an analog to the human experience and how independent entities can be interdependent to create a higher, more textured and layered existence.  Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where did you grow up? Where do you live? Gregory Urban. I was born in Colorado but grew up in Florida. I have lived in the Bay Area since 1987 & reside on my 57’ yacht Élan in the Berkeley Marina. Tell us more about what you create. What style(s) do you work in, mediums, etc. Marine Industrial Photography/Art is what I’ve decided for a label for what I do. I’ve been printing my photography on canvas & metal, as well as matting & framing prints. Recently I’ve started to laser cut or burn images, including my photos, edited in Photoshop, on whitewashed birch or driftwood. I’m very excited about working in this new medium.  Where can we find your art besides at 4th Street? Instagram. @tugcaptain11 How long have you been creating? I’ve been taking photos from the tugs I work on since 2010 & have only recently been encouraged to follow my art and do something more.  When you're not making your art, what do you do? Push or pull big ships around. Is creativity a luxury or necessity for you? Tell us more about that. Both. Or just a natural instinct. My parents met in art school. Since I opened my eyes to the unique view/perspective of my office view I have been compelled to share it.  Did someone in your family, a friend or teacher introduce you to your creative side or have they helped you along the way? I grew up with photography & art all around me. Where do you find inspiration? Looking out the wheelhouse windows. What’s on the horizon for you and what you do? No idea. The possibilities with the laser cutting seem to be endless. Loving playing with the new technique. If money wasn’t an issue how would your life change with regards to your art? I’d devote much more time to it. What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out? Try to see things around you differently. I’m drawn to color & texture. Everyday objects or things you see, framed differently, or with squinted eyes, take on a beauty often not expected. Anything else you'd like to share? The Office View Series In 2010 I started a photo series on Instagram that I titled the “Office View Series”. My sole inspiration was to share my work or “office” view with people. This series is an invitation for the viewer to step out on the tug with me and to see what I see, how I see it, as an artist. Some days everything seems wonderful and different, the light almost magical. Other times it’s trying to see an ordinary thing in an extraordinary way. Everything is subject to the eye’s interpretation. My work celebrates my day to day out on the water. Please join me in my wheelhouse and let’s take a short boat ride.   Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where did you grow up? Where do you live? My name is Winnie Wong. I grew up in Hong Kong and came to the United States in 1984. I attended Cal Arts the same year, earned my BFA in Fine Art in 1987, and I have been living in the Bay Area since then. Tell us more about what you create. What style(s) do you work in, mediums, etc. I paint in oil; I draw with charcoal or graphite. I specialize in still-life, portraiture, and figurative paintings. My goal is to paint with fidelity. My paintings are filled with contemporary elements using time tested old-master techniques. I also teach drawing and painting. Where can we find your art besides at 4th Street? In my home studio and online from my website www.winnielwong.com Instagram: wlwong_art How long have you been creating? Visual art has always been a major part of my career. I have always been creating, in different media, such as color pencils, photography, video, and audio visual presentations etc. I have become a serious realist oil painter since 2006. I have always been fascinated with fine art painting since growing up. And I am fortunate to be doing what I love.  When you're not making your art, what do you do? I spend majority of my time practicing painting; I do have chores to do. For leisure, I like to travel. Is creativity a luxury or necessity for you? Tell us more about that. Both. I have always been a doing something. It is natural for me to be a creative person in many ways. Being a full-time professional artist has always been my dream. I would say it is quite a luxury for me. I have put it on hold for awhile; now I'm fortunate to have time to pursue art and my family has been very supportive. So I would say creativity is luxury because I have time and it is necessity because I am a creative person and it is unbearable if I don't create. What obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life? I know many artists do not make money. Many creative people cannot make enough to get by. I know many artists have to work odd jobs or change career path because they have family obligations to fulfill. The obstacle I encountered was self-criticism. I am the most harsh obstacle. I am a perfectionist and I have to overcome and accept the fact that nobody is perfect. I feel that I have not learned enough. I feel that I must work 100 times harder to be an adequate painter. I am the worst obstacle. I need to be kind to myself and be on the slow lane. Now I am happy to take baby steps and be grateful if I make progress. Did someone in your family, a friend or teacher introduce you to your creative side or have they helped you along the way? I remembered my mother taught me coloring with crayon when I was 3 or 4; one of my summer jobs was an apprentice to an realist portrait painter; my friend thought I had great artistic talent. All those things added up and it suggested that I could become a visual artist. I studied graphic design, photography, and digital imaging as my career choice. My family, especially my husband, is supportive. I am fortunate. Where do you find inspiration? I do not know exactly know how I was inspired. I know when I see some painting it moves me profoundly. I really want to paint like that painter. For example, I was in Boston Fine Art museum and saw Antonio Lopez Garcia's exhibition, I know that is the direction I would pursue - Realism, for visual pleasure; not narrative, not political art, not feminism... I just need to paint the most convincing and beautiful colors. That is where my inspiration is based.  What’s on the horizon for you and what you do?
I will open my own atelier. I want to invite learners of all age to unleash their creative potential. I love to share my artistic skills. I know many representational artists have great ideas, somehow, their works are hindered by lacking of skills. I graduated from fine art university; very little or no skills are offered in their curriculum. Techniques are never outdated, just like good grammar in writing, it is the necessary building block of a solid painting. Being able to describe light on the forms with good textures, and apply correct colors are critical. My atelier will fill that gap. Besides, opening my atelier, I will accept portrait commissions, like Neilson Shanks, Pietro Annigoni, and John Singer Sargent, I want to follow their footsteps to be a portrait painter. If money wasn’t an issue how would your life change with regards to your art? Money can do a lot for the fine art community. My goal is still the same, just larger in scale. I will open my fine art academy and make it an art center. I will have a museum for children's art. I will become an art collector. I will not sell my paintings, I will keep them all. What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out? Dream big. Be kind to yourself and believe in yourself. Learn as much as possible. Skills are learned and never out of style. Having some talent helps, but keep learning. Who are some artists that inspire you? Many. Spanish realist painter, Antonio Lopez Garzia, American artists, like, Jermery, Lipking, David Kassan, Dutch artist, Henk Helmantel, Chinese painter, Leng Jun, etc. Old masters like, Pietro Annigoni , Lucian Freud, Repin, Velazquez, and Neilson Shanks, to name a few.
Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where did you grow up? Where do you live? Hi, my name is Camille Torres. I'm a native East Bay Girl, but I predominantly grew up in Sonoma County. As an adult, I returned to the Oakland area and now reside in San Pablo. Tell us more about what you create. What style(s) do you work in, mediums, etc. I am a metalsmith, who focuses on jewelry and wearable sculpture. I mostly work in sterling silver, oxidized brass, gold fill and 14k gold. I'm really not partial to one metal over another. I love them all. They all have different temperaments, strengths, beauties and frustrations. Much like people. The mediums I choose to work with are mostly informed by color, the way they are worn and how they will react to the wearer. For example, I avoid making brass jewelry that has direct contact with the skin, as it turns skin green. Gold and silver are more friendly in these cases. Where can we find your art besides at 4th Street? I'm in 3 locations in San Francisco, Rock and Rapture, Love and Luxe, and I am premiering a bridal line at Atelier de Modistes this Fall. I'm at Sun Studios in Pacific Grove and the Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen. On the East Coast you can also find me at the Heidi Lowe Gallery in Delaware, and Ritual in Philadelphia. I will also be expanding to Oregon and a couple other California locations this winter.  How long have you been creating? How long have I been breathing? I've always been drawn to the arts, but my first real project was probably when I was 5 and my grandmother taught me to embroider. Textiles were my first love, but metal is my great love! When you're not making your art, what do you do? I love to dance. I'm a bit of a Zumba freak. I work in the corporate production world, but even that is a bit creative. I really love to decorate my house. In a way, everything I do is related to art in one way or another. I think the creative process is a state of mind. I believe in beauty and my art is an extension of that, but I find that my expression shows itself in the most mundane ways. The way food is presented at the dinner table, the composition of my sock drawer. Things like that. Maybe I'm just neurotic, but I enjoy organizing my life in such a way where I am constantly visually stimulated and inspired. Is creativity a luxury or necessity for you? Tell us more about that. I think both. As I mentioned before, I have organized my life in such a way where everything I do is an act of creativity. But as a person who has had the opportunity to study art and explore my imagination in a way that truly challenges me ... That is a luxury. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities that I have been afforded. Not everyone has the ability to pursue their dreams the way that I have. What obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life? I struggle with depression from time to time. At these times it's difficult to push through and motivate, but I always seem to find my way. I've also always tried to navigate away from haters. I don't need to subject myself to people who are unsupportive because I'm already my own biggest critic. I figure that position is already filled so I tend to surround myself by people that inspire me and aid my positive trajectory.  Did someone in your family, a friend or teacher introduce you to your creative side or have they helped you along the way? Yes. Almost everyone in my family is an artist in one way or another. My Mother and husband are my biggest cheerleaders. I've also always been attracted to creative people. But I will say that the person who inspired me to become a jeweler was Lucia Antonelli. The full story is on my website, but I knew her as a child and her work changed the way I saw jewelry and has deeply informed my creative process. Where do you find inspiration? Everywhere. I'm particularly interested in the way human industry and nature collide. The rogue dandelion that will not be thwarted by a sidewalk. The way glass is smoothed by the ocean. Pigeons. I love pigeons! What’s on the horizon for you and what you do? I have two basic lines of jewelry: The Imaginal Cell and the Valley of the Moon Collection. They have both reached a level of maturity that I am content with (for the time being) so I think it is time for me to start working on one of a kind pieces again. Designing is my favorite part of making. I have a lot of ideas and I they need to be let out. If money wasn’t an issue how would your life change with regards to your art? Gems. Lot's of gems! I would also be more prolific without a day job. I've always has a fantasy about starting an atelier. I would spend more time designing and creating wearable sculpture.  What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out?
Learn how to become your own best friend. Whenever I get down on myself about my art or otherwise, I put my best friend in whatever scenario I'm obsessing over and ask myself "How would I feel about it if she were in this situation?" "What advice would I give her?" It sounds silly, but it works. I'm usually harsher on myself thanI am on the people I love. Also, watch this: https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius?language=en I watch this TED talk at least once a year when I need a boost. It's has helped me with my creative process time and time again. I think all artists should see it at least once. Who are some artists that inspire you? Peter Schmid from Zobel Atelier, Jolante Bromke, Martin Bernstein, Wendy Ramshaw, to name a few. I'm also deeply inspired by the Art Nouveau Era. Erte, Mucha and Lalique.
Georgianna Krieger is a sculptor and kiln glass artist who lives in Oakland CA. When she’s not making art you can find her playing her saxophone at venues across the Bay Area. Tell us more about what you create. What style(s) do you work in, mediums, etc. In college, I was trained in traditional sculpture methods that date back thousands of years. About 14 years ago I discovered glass casting as a new medium for my skill set. In recent years I have also been enjoying the inventiveness of glass fusing. I am always working with textures and depth in my work and I think that has something to do with a lack of those qualities in our screen obsessed world. Where can we find your art besides at 4th Street? www.shesculpts.com
How long have you been creating? I’ve been creating since I could pick up a crayon. I used to carve sandstone around my Texas home when I was. kid. I double majored in sculpture and saxophone when I went to college. Somehow I still manage to create in both the world of music and visual art. When you're not making your art, what do you do? I play Jazz saxophone! I also teach art and individual saxophone lessons. You can catch me playing with Mary Lou’s Apartment at Yoshi’s March 2020.  Is creativity a luxury or necessity for you? Tell us more about that.
I don’t remember a time when creating was not part of my life. Recently, I developed a creativity workshop to help others exercise their creative muscles. It’s been exciting to see my ideas inspire others in other fields. You can learn more about it here: www.georgiannakrieger.com/creativity
Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where did you grow up? Where do you live? I grew up in Columbus, Ga. I’m from a family that moved all over the US in the 80s and 90s. I bounced from Georgia to Oregon to California and Indiana as a child. We never stayed in one place too long. As an adult I settled in the Bay Area where I fell in love with how diverse and creative the many cultures of people there are. I’ve come to love the many aspects of country, mountain and city. I'm a mix of all these aspects. Tell us more about what you create. What style(s) do you work in, mediums, etc. I currently consider myself an acrylic painter. I started with watercolor and then painted in oils. While loving oils, I preferred the drying times of acrylics. I also am experimenting with mixed media and trying to push different styles that Speak to whatever I’m currently into. As far as categorizing my work, I don’t. I don’t like labels, or boxes. I like to go with whatever impulse is driving me in the moment. In the moment is my style. Where can we find your art besides at 4th Street? Muddykanvas.com  How long have you been creating? Since I was in kindergarten my art teacher was amazed with my cartooning but demanded I connect the lines. Even then I had a specific vision. When you're not making your art, what do you do? I’m always trying to be on the water somehow, someway. I’m also currently learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Somehow not related but yet they are the same. Is creativity a luxury or necessity for you? Tell us more about that. Any artist that doesn’t say necessity I don’t think I can hang with. You either have the itch or you don’t. What obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life? My grandfather was the biggest critic of being an artist. I vividly recall him telling me it was a ‘pipe dream’. Because of his viewpoint it drove me to prove him wrong. I love negative criticism. It’s my fuel.
Did someone in your family, a friend or teacher introduce you to your creative side or have they helped you along the way? I’m sure many teachers and other artists had a hand in shaping me along the way. I think you learn a little something from everyone and every experience. You have to be open. My mother took an art class and I remember my first memories as a child staring at her sketches of Disney characters. I can still remember that feeling of amazement in her pencil strokes. They spoke to me. That’s definitely where it all started for me. Where do you find inspiration? I’m inspired by music, long drives, moments in the shower, meditation, staring off into space. I mentioned being on the water. There’s something mesmerizing about getting lost in that fluid motion of waves and being in that moment. What’s on the horizon for you and what you do? I’m excited to be in Berkeley again. I’m looking forward to making art and seeing if people get it or not. I never know. I’m going to take the occasional commission and paint my visions no matter how childish or random they are. Then I’m going to live life one day til the next. Drink a little eat a little.  If money wasn’t an issue, would your life change with regards to your art?
I’d open a gallery and pay other people to run it for me. I’d have a venue of food art and I would paint huge murals and then give them away. What else is there to do. What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out? Don’t listen to the loud voices that judge you. Listen to your internal voice. If it works it’s meant to be. Don’t shove a square peg in a round hole. It’s not a race it’s an endurance challenge. Don’t do it for the money or else you’ll end up quitting. Be flexible be open. Who are some of the artists that inspire you? Everyone inspires me. Anything else you’d like to share? When people ask me about my art, I hate talking about it. If you look at it and you hear sounds in your head, or you recall the flavor of an ice cream, or you can smell an aroma that’s not there then I did a good job. I can't spend my life painting the same topic or theme because I’m never the same person from day to day. Although if I get lucky I can commit to a vision I have in my head. It becomes tangible and grows to life that’s the addiction of painting, the itch to see it come to life.
Please introduce yourself. Who are you? Where did you grow up? Where do you live? My name is Mara Galvao. I was born in a small town in Goiás, Brazil, where I have wonderful memories from. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my family, since 2000. Tell us more about what you create. What style(s) do you work in, mediums, etc. I am an Abstract Expressionist painter. I use a variety of mediums like, acrylics, oils, inks, charcoals, enamels, pigments and more, to express myself through my art. I also make free style wall tapestries and textiles, using yarns, raffia, hopes... Where can we find your art besides at 4th Street? In my studio, by appointment.  How long have you been creating? I started painting in Brazil, in the 90’s, where I had my first exhibitions. When you're not making your art, what do you do? I have a husband, three kids and two granddaught that keep me busy. I love to cook for family and friends and I do it very often I also love to travel. I like books, movies and coffee... Is creativity a luxury or necessity for you? Tell us more about that. Ohhh, a necessity for sure. How can I survive without doing my art, my creations? I would go crazy. What obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life? I’ve had different types of obstacles, mostly not related to the art itself, but things that I had to deal with, In order to keep my creativity alive. Did someone in your family, a friend or teacher introduce you to your creative side or have they helped you along the way? I believe art has been always a part of me and I have a very supportive, wonderful family who has been on my since the beginning of my career. Where do you find inspiration? I get inspired very easily (laughter)... Anything beautiful, colorful, textured...I love to see or hear about other artist’s works, specially great masters. It makes me want to go straight to my studio and start to paint.  What’s on the horizon for you and what you do? I hope to be blessed enough to keep painting or doing anything creative for the rest of my life and felling amazing about it. If money wasn’t an issue, would your life change with regards to your art? I do what I do because I love it, so I think I would just keep going in the same direction, only with less stress (laugh). What inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out? I know It will sound like a cliche but I would say ,“never give up”. Photos and Videos from our Recent Opening Reception - Those Eyes Featuring Wendy Sparks and Jeff Torquemada A Conversation about Art with the Oakland Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) A young girl creating art at MOCHA.  Katie Sammon and Haldun Morgan 4th Street Fine Art spoke with MOCHA representatives Katie Sammon, Director of Programs and Haldun Morgan, Director of Marketing. FSFA: MOCHA has a new space at 1221 Broadway in Oakland. What's different? MOCHA: Our new space is great! It allows MOCHA to have simultaneous program spaces where we can interact with children and families through hands-on art making in our studios, and exhibit local art in our gallery. It was important to us that we remain in downtown Oakland, and the new museum is located in City Center, right at the 12th Street BART station. We look forward to opening our doors and welcoming people in to our new museum in January 2019. FSFA: What's special about MOCHA? MOCHA: We provide children, youth and adults opportunities to create, share, explore, and connect through art. MOCHA is unique because we're not a traditional museum; our space is not just for looking, but for creating and expressing too. And that’s what makes us special, the emphasis is not only on the artwork made but the engagement and learning that happens in the the process of making art. FSFA: What are your most popular programs? MOCHA: Our Camps for elementary aged students are very popular. Anytime school is out, MOCHA camps are happening. We also have Open Studio Wednesday through Saturday, which is a drop-in program for participants to engage with and explore the elements of art. Open Studio is not just for kids though; it provides opportunities for parents and kids to co-create and co-learn. On weekends, MOCHA is busy with Art Parties and other events. FSFA: When did MOCHA start? How does MOCHA work with schools? MOCHA: Our artist residencies started in schools in 1989 when California eliminated funding for arts. In addition to field trips to our museum, we’ve been leading artist residencies at schools and in community spaces for 30 years. If there’s a school without an art teacher, MOCHA provides an artist. These programs are true collaborations between MOCHA and our community partners throughout the Bay Area. Through our school, community and museum programs, MOCHA reaches 25,000 people annually. FSFA: Join FSFA and MOCHA for the Holiday Auction! This this Saturday, December 1st, 4th Street Fine Art is partnering with The Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) for something extra special. Click here to get the scoop!  A birthday party at MOCHA. |
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