Uptown Art & Fashion Walk – Oakland Style Week

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UPTOWN ART & FASHION WALK

View art and fashion by Oakland’s artist and maker community in the birthplace of Oakland’s Art Scene on an art walk led by local expert Carolyn Smith

FREE WITH SUGGESTED DONATION

OCTOBER 21st, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Meet at Creative Growth Art Center, 355 24th Street, Oakland, CA 94612

REGISTER HERE

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Featuring:

• Creative Growth Gallery; View “Animals”, an exhibition featuring over 100 works by artists currently practicing in the studio. The gallery will also feature original textile designs and custom fashion designs for purchase from Creative Growth Center artists

• Mercury 20 Gallery; Join artist Andrea Guskin in a collaborative weaving activity on a giant tapestry loom from 2:30-4:30. Weave with upcycled fabrics sourced from local designers and thrift stores

• Manna Gallery; “Songs and Stories”, an exhibit of abstract paintings by Irene Nelson alongside an installation highlighting the incredible talents of Oakland Technical High School Fashion/Art/Design Academy students

• Local Language Art+Design+Fabrication; Installation by Artist in Residence Tabitha Soren

• Werkshack; Wearable art and clothing with a strong focus on sustainability. Join them and increase your understanding of how things are made and deepen your personal connection to the things you wear.

Space is limited to 30, RSVP requested. All ages welcome. Free with a suggested donation of $5-$15

Additional details, including Accessibility information by clicking the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/708064408707?aff=oddtdtcreator

Check out the full Oakland Style Week schedule here

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Creative Growth Art Center Presents "Text Me: Exploring Typography in Art" Exhibition

Exhibition will be open to the public from July 14th to September 2nd, 2023

(Oakland, California, July 11, 2023) – Creative Growth Art Center, a pioneering nonprofit organization supporting artists with disabilities, is delighted to announce its latest exhibition, "Text Me: Exploring Typography in Art." The exhibition, which focuses on the captivating world of typography, will be on display from July 14th to September 2nd, 2023 at the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, California.

"Text Me" invites visitors to immerse themselves in a visual journey that celebrates the power and versatility of typography as a form of artistic expression. The exhibition envelops the gallery in a captivating spotlight on typography, showcasing a remarkable collection of artworks that explore the intersection of language, design, and art.

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Typography has long played a crucial role in communication and has evolved to become an art form in itself. "Text Me" highlights the diverse ways in which artists utilize the written word as a powerful tool to convey emotions, narratives, and social commentary. From bold and experimental letterforms to typography-infused mixed media works, this exhibition presents a dynamic and thought-provoking exploration of the printed word.

Creative Growth Art Center is thrilled to present 'Text Me”' an exhibition that showcases the incredible talent and creativity of our artists. Typography has the ability to transcend language and connect people on a visual and emotional level. This exhibition is a testament to the profound impact typography can have and the unique perspectives our artists bring to this art form.

- Ginger Shulick Porcella, Executive Director of Creative Growth Art Center

An opening reception for "Text Me: Exploring Typography in Art" will be held on July 14th, 2023 from 5-8pm, providing an opportunity for visitors to engage with the artists and gain deeper insights into their creative process. The exhibition is free and the Creative Growth Gallery welcomes all to experience the immersive world of typography. The gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday by appointment from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Saturdays: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. For further information, please visit www.creativegrowth.org.

NYT's Favorite Places to See Art in California Feature

Creative Growth was featured in the June 8th, 2023 edition of the New York Times newsletter “California Today” as one of the “Favorite Places to See Art in California” … Our artists and staff couldn’t be more honored and thrilled! Read more here.

New York Times logo and headline “These Are Your Favorite Places to See Art in California” in orange text. Below text is an image of Creative Growth artist Dan Miller working with longtime CG volunteer Erica Chan Coffman. Besides the image is a quote reading” Creative Growth is one of the best and most inspirational galleries to visit. It is an art gallery for artists with intellectual disabilities. They have a day program for the artists, gallery shows and an annual art fashion show, and a stable of artists, a few of whom have pieces in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, among other places. “ - Colin Cooper, Berkeley

ERICA TANOV PARTNERS WITH CREATIVE GROWTH ART CENTER ON ERICA TANOV REVOLVE PROGRAM, FOSTERING SUSTAINABILITY AND SUPPORTING ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

L to R: Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve Skirt by Alice Ung; Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve Design; Erica Tanov x Revolve Skirt by Carol Fullen; Ying Ge Zhou working on Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve Design

BERKELEY, CA - (May 30, 2023) - Erica Tanov, a designer renowned for timeless clothing and a commitment to artistic endeavors, is proud to announce the launch of the Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve program. This innovative initiative aims to embrace circular economies, promote sustainability in the fashion and textile industries, and support artists with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities.

As a values-driven business, Erica Tanov has always been synonymous with time treasured clothing and artistic pursuits. With a dedication to thoughtful design, ethical consumption, and responsible manufacturing, Erica Tanov is excited to deepen its commitment through the Erica Tanov Revolve program in partnership with Creative Growth Art Center. 

The concept behind Erica Tanov Revolve is to provide a platform for the community to pass on their gently worn Erica Tanov pieces. By donating these items to artists at Creative Growth Art Center, individuals contribute to artful reuse and inspire the creation of one-of-a-kind textiles and wearable garments by talented artists. The resulting collaborative pieces will be showcased in seasonal exhibitions held at the Erica Tanov Berkeley store, where both the artworks and artists will be celebrated. All proceeds from these exhibitions will be donated to the Creative Growth Art Center, further supporting their mission of advancing the inclusion of artists with developmental disabilities in contemporary art and strengthening community.

We are thrilled to launch the Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve program," said Erica Tanov, founder of the eponymous brand. "This collaboration represents our commitment to sustainability, ethical consumption, and supporting an organization that is near and dear to my heart. By donating your gently worn Erica Tanov pieces, you contribute to a circular economy and enable Creative Growth artists to create unique garments that exemplify the power of collaboration and artistic expression.

Creative Growth Art Center holds the distinction of being the oldest and largest non-profit center for artists with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities. Since its inception in 1974, Creative Growth has played a vital role in raising public interest in the artistic capabilities and achievements of individuals with disabilities. Through its professional, multimedia studio environment, gallery exhibitions, and representation, Creative Growth empowers artists to express themselves and make a significant impact in the art world.

Participating in the Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve program is simple. Individuals can mail their gently worn Erica Tanov pieces, along with their name and email address, to the Erica Tanov Studio located at 1808 Fifth St, Berkeley, CA 94710. Local customers also have the option to bring their items directly to the Erica Tanov store at 1827 Fourth St, Berkeley, CA 94710. In gratitude for their contribution, participants will receive a 15% discount code towards any future Erica Tanov clothing purchase over $100, which can be redeemed online or in-store without an expiration date.

For more information about the Erica Tanov x Creative Growth Revolve program, please visit www.ericatanov.com/revolve.

Creative Growth Art Center's Annual Home Show Returns, Highlighting Work From Over 50 Creative Growth Artists

Curated Window Displays Feature Freestyle SAORI Loom Weavings from Casey Byrnes and Mixed Media Magic from Artist Sherry Stanley

Creative Growth Art Center is thrilled to announce the return of their annual Home Show exhibition, showcasing the work of over 50 artists with developmental disabilities. This beloved event celebrates the power of community and the talent of Creative Growth's artists, and will be held from April 27th to June 24th, 2023. The Home Show features a wide range of homewares and artwork, including hand-crafted pillows, woven blankets, ceramics, wood sculptures, dishes, linens and framed work. The exhibition highlights the importance of the home as a space of creativity, comfort, and connection, and showcases the incredible range of talent and skill present in Creative Growth's artist community. The opening night of the exhibition on April 27th promises to be a special evening, filled with stunning artwork and an opportunity to meet the artists and learn more about the creative process behind their work.

"Creative Growth's Home Show is a testament to the expansive talent and creativity of our artists, and a celebration of their unique contributions to the art world," said Creative Growth Executive Director, Ginger Shulick Porcella. "Through their artwork, our artists showcase the power of community and the transformative role that art plays in our homes and lives.”

Don't miss your chance to experience the magic of Creative Growth's Home Show. The exhibition runs from April 27th to June 24th, and is free and open to the public. For more information about Creative Growth Art Center and the Home Show, please visit www.creativegrowth.org.

Opening: Thursday, April 27th with an opening reception from 5 – 8 p.m. 

DOCENT-LED TOUR
Creative Growth is offering docent-led tours of their new exhibition: The Home Show. This tour is primarily for Blind and low vision visitors. The 45 minute tour will be offered Thursday, April 27 at 4pm and Saturday April 29 at 10:30am. Please contact Emma at emma@creativegrowth.org if you’d like to attend or for questions and concerns. 

Public gallery hours: 

By appointment: Tuesday – Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

For press inquiries and additional information: 

Media Contact: 

Ibby Sasso 

ibby@creativegrowth.org 

Gallery Contact: 

Nadia Ghani 

nadia@creativegrowth.org 

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6397 partners with Creative Growth to showcase artwork by Creative Growth artists at their Nolita store in New York

6397 is pleased to announce The Postcard Show featuring the original artworks of over 50 artists from Creative Growth. The Postcard Show includes works by noted Creative Growth artists John Martin, Lauren Dare, Danny Miller, Joseph Alef, Maureen Clay and William Scott, among many others. Works featured are rendered in a diverse variety of media resulting in an awe-inspiring collection.

Stella Ishii, the owner of the News showroom and creative director of 6397, is a long-time supporter of Creative Growth dating back more than 20 years. Her store at 199 Mulberry Street in Nolita is not only a space to showcase the 6397 clothing collections, but also to introduce and show the artwork of the artists, having hosted some ten exhibitions since opening in 2018. With her clothing brand 6397 Stella seasonally incorporates the artworks of various Creative Growth artists into graphic t shirts and printed garments with all proceeds going to the Creative Growth Art Center and the artist.

all photos courtesy Stella Ishii shot by Brent Kerr

Creative Growth Announces the Appointment of New Board President and Two New Board Members

Creative Growth is pleased to announce the recent appointment of a new board president along with two new members to its board of directors. Michael Breland, a Creative Growth board member for over two years, has been elected the new president of the board while Brad Aldridge and Erica Tanov were elected to the Creative Growth board at its November 2022 meeting. Breland, Aldridge and Tanov will serve as the Art Center’s newest board members in critical roles representing the artist community and providing essential counsel to the leadership, staff and artists of Creative Growth.

Outgoing President Stephen Walrod on Michael Breland’s election as the new president, "I am appreciative of the ways that Michael has supported me during my presidency and I know that he will be a great next president of the board of directors. Michael brings solid judgment, organizational knowledge and management experience, and a love for Creative Growth's artists and mission to his new leadership role. I am pleased and excited about his selection."

The esteemed group of newly elected members bring a wide breadth of skills and experience to the board and a deep dedication to the disability arts community. Learn more about Creative Growth’s newest board President Michael Breland along with board members Brad Aldridge and Erica Tanov below.

ABOUT MICHAEL BRELAND, newly elected board president at Creative Growth Art Center

Michael grew up in Berkeley, California, where he attended the College Preparatory School. He received a Bachelor in Architecture degree from the University of Southern California in 2010. Breland is a founding partner and principal at Breland-Harper, a Los Angeles based design and development firm. From the onset, a definite relationship between architecture, interiors, landscape design, and artistic intervention has been a driving force behind his work, with the hope of creating projects with subtle transitions between these disciplines. As a designer, Breland seeks to synthesize the traditional and the contemporary, all while being grounded in functionality, durability, and comfort. Breland and his partner, Peter Harper, live in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, where you can often find them entertaining their friends around the dinner table.

“I am deeply honored to have been elected as board president for Creative Growth. Since I was a teenager, the organization has always been a source of inspiration and a reminder of the importance of art in our lives,” said Michael Breland. “As Creative Growth celebrates its 50th year in 2024, the organization is uniquely poised to further its mission of advancing the inclusion of artists with developmental disabilities in contemporary art and strengthening community by providing a supportive studio environment and gallery representation. I look forward to continuing upon a foundation laid out by Stephen Walrod over his many years of involvement with the organization. I also look forward to my collaboration with our new Executive Director Ginger Shulick Porcella and the wonderful staff at Creative Growth.”

Michael Breland, newly elected President of the Board, Creative Growth; artwork - acrylic on paper by Jessica Rodriguez

ABOUT ERICA TANOV, newly elected board member at Creative Growth Art Center

A California native, Erica Tanov moved to New York in 1985 to study fashion design at Parsons School of Design. After graduating she remained in Manhattan where she launched her eponymous clothing label in 1990. Erica returned to the Bay Area in 1994 to open her first retail store in Berkeley, then in 1999 opened a store in New York's Nolita neighborhood. She has since had stores in San Francisco, Marin and Los Angeles. Erica has expanded her business into home goods, e-commerce and design consulting, often collaborating with artists. She has been a guest speaker at SF Design Week, NY Design Week, a frequent jury member for CCA fashion department senior critiques, moderated panel discussions, including Fashion and Sustainability at The Battery in San Francisco, and authored the book 'Design By Nature', published in 2018 by Ten Speed Press. Erica is eager to play a bigger role in helping Creative Growth continue to thrive and grow and serve the community in the profound way that it does.

“I was introduced to Creative Growth over ten years ago when I attended the 2012 Beyond Trend event,” said Erica Tanov. “The experience was unlike any I'd ever had. The creativity, passion, enthusiasm and love I witnessed and felt was overwhelming. I knew immediately that I wanted to be involved with Creative Growth and jumped in to collaborate with the artists and CG team for the 2013 Beyond Trend runway show. I’m excited by the opportunity to share my skills, knowledge, creativity and insight.”

Erica Tanov, newly elected Creative Growth board member; artwork - acrylic on paper by Jessica Rodriguez

ABOUT BRAD ALDRIDGE, newly elected board member at Creative Growth Art Center

Brad Aldridge is a California native and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007 graduating with Honors in Art Practice and Theatrical Design. Aldridge is a design leader and creative strategist currently working as senior staff product designer at Instagram. Previously, Aldridge explored AR and Ambient Computing at Shopify and Google. He regularly speaks about design and is also a magician. He lives in Berkeley, California with his wife, son, and three cats. 

“As a disabled creative professional, I am excited to add to the diversity of the board roster through my own personal connection to disability, and how my own life has been enriched and much of my own success is connected to cultivating and practicing creative expression,” said Brad Aldridge. “I am motivated to help implement this mission at Creative Growth and to ensure that others can be inspired into a life enriched through creativity.”

Brad Aldridge, newly elected Creative Growth board member; photo credit: Vince Donovan Photography; artwork - acrylic on paper by Jessica Rodriguez

Creative Growth Announces Ginger Shulick Porcella as its New Executive Director

Creative Growth has appointed Ginger Shulick Porcella to lead the organization as its new Executive Director. Porcella will start in January of 2023, joining Creative Growth from their current position as Executive Director and Chief Curator of Franconia Sculpture Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which they have held since September 2019. Porcella has been selected to further the organization’s vision of bringing art and access to everyone, fostering a culture of care and respect, and amplifying the disability arts community through radical visibility and artistic expression.

“Ginger’s commitment to Creative Growth’s mission and the communities we serve, along with her energy and leadership experience, will be instrumental in continuing to build a community focused on advancing artists with developmental disabilities in the contemporary art world,” says incoming Creative Growth Board President Michael Breland. 

Ginger Shulick Porcella comes to Creative Growth with over 20 years of non-profit arts experience, most recently as the Executive Director and Chief Curator of Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota. Porcella holds an M.A. in Socio-Cultural Anthropology from Columbia University and a B.A. in Art History from DePaul University. They were previously the Executive Director and Chief Curator of MOCA Tucson, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the San Diego Art Institute (ICA San Diego), and the Executive Director of Art Connects New York. Porcella has curated critically acclaimed exhibitions such as: Cyclic with Cassils and Ron Athey; Blessed Be: Mysticism, Spirituality and the Occult in Contemporary Art; Amir H. Fallah: Scatter My Ashes on Foreign Lands; and, Dazzled: OMD, Memphis Design and Beyond. They are the Founder and Co-Curator of the current 4Ground: Midwest Land Art Biennial. Porcella’s exhibitions have been positively reviewed in Frieze, The New York Times, and Hyperallergic and in 2015 Porcella was named the “Voice of the Year” by the San Diego Press for their work transforming the arts and cultural ecosystem of Southern California/Baja.

In welcoming Ginger to the Creative Growth organization, Creative Growth Director Emeritus Tom di Maria says, “As we pass the baton to Ginger, we’re confident she’ll make a positive imprint on Creative Growth. Ginger’s outstanding support of contemporary artists, her curatorial background and proven non-profit management skills will have a critical impact in furthering Creative Growth’s vision of bringing art and access to all.”

Creative Growth’s New Executive Director Ginger Shulick Porcella