23rd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition

MEDIA CONTACT:
Genevieve Antaky, 510/482-3553
gantaky@comcast.net
PUBLIC INFO: 510/652-6122 or
www.emeryarts.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EMERYVILLE CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS PRESENTS

23rd ANNUAL EMERYVILLE ART EXHIBITION
OCTOBER 3 - 25, 2009
5815 Shellmound Way, Emeryville, CA

The 23rd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, sponsored by Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Inc., featuring works of artists and craftspeople, both established and emerging who live or work in Emeryville, will take place October 3 through October 25, 2009, at 5815 Shellmound Way, Emeryville, CA. The show is open daily from 11 am to 6 pm. Public Transportation: MacArthur BART station, Emery-Go-Round Hollis Amtrak Route (weekdays) and PM City Loop Route (weekends); AC Transit Bus #19. For directions, log on to: www.emeryarts.org/directions.html or call 510/652-6122.

There was a gala public reception with the artists in attendance on Friday, October 2 from 6 pm to 9 pm. A no-host bar raised funds for the Emeryville Youth Art Program. Music was provided by the David Berson Bay Moods Quartet. Click here to view a QuickTime movie of the October 2 Opening. This video was filmed and produced by Second Sight Video & Multimedia. You will need to have an up-to-date version of QuickTime Player. You can download it for free from the Apple web site by clicking on http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/.

The 23rd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition continues to celebrate the work of Emeryville artists and includes paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, textiles, ceramics, and glass works. The artwork on display illustrates the myriad of artists in Emeryville, and shows their engagement with a host of aesthetic, political and social concerns. Jurors Paul Tomidy, independent curator and visual artist; Kimberly Johansson, owner, Johansson Projects, Oakland; Suzanne Tan, Executive Director, Berkeley Arts Center, Berkeley, have selected the collection of work from more than 100 Emeryville artists. Tomidy returns for the fourteenth year to curate this exhibition. (Works on exhibition are for sale.)

The mission of the non-profit Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Inc. is to foster an appreciation for the arts and artists of Emeryville, and to promote the city as a culturally vital and progressive center for living and working. For more than twenty years the Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition has continued to support this mission by providing a free public venue, open to all, to experience the rich diversity of artistic expression of those who live and work within the city of Emeryville.

“The Celebration of the Arts is a door to the arts community that is an enduring part of Emeryville – its past, present and very hopeful future,” states Sharon Wilchar, Exhibition Coordinator and Chair of the City of Emeryville’s Public Art Advisory Committee. “Every day hundreds of artists are working here. This juried exhibition is their yearly showcase.”

Contributing artists include Pamela Blotner, mixed media sculpture; Mari Andrews, sculpture; Susan Taber Avila, textiles; Joseph DiStefano, sculpture; Candace Kling, textiles; Reuben Margolin, kinetic sculpture; Rik Ritchey, mixed media painting; William Schwob, photography; M. Louise Stanley, painting; and Canan Tolon, painting.

Curator Paul Tomidy said of this Exhibition:
“The 23rd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition is a tribute to the tenacity and spirit of the artists who live and work here. Even in tough times these artists produce exciting art in a wide variety of expressions and mediums. There are newcomers alongside artists who have participated for many years. The show is a 'library' of today's art. Surely there is something for every taste, and always new surprises.”

Emeryville Art Exhibition juror Kimberly Johansson, owner, Johansson Projects, responded to her experience as an Emeryville Art Exhibition juror by saying:
“I had no idea this amount of dedication was going on right in the neighborhood. I was touched by many of the encounters I had with the artists and felt honored to be allowed in to view the work in their personal spaces. In many cases we were invited to experience a lifetime of art-making in artists' homes. Seeing the work in this context was a very special treat.”

Suzanne Tan, Executive Director, Berkeley Arts Center, Berkeley, states: “The experience of being a juror for this unique and inclusive community exhibition was a joy, full of surprises and new discoveries at every turn. The sheer number and array of artists living and/or working in Emeryville is staggering! It gave me a new awareness of the city's cultural vibrancy, and a deeper appreciation of the artistic process. I was honored to be included and welcomed so warmly into every new space we entered. Kudos to Sharon and Paul for pulling this off year after year!”

For the fourth consecutive year, the Emeryville City Council has approved a Purchase Award Program in connection with the Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition. A selection panel will review the works in the exhibition and make a recommendation for the Purchase Award. With the approval of the City Council, the artwork selected will be purchased from the contributing artists and become part of the City’s permanent collection displayed at City Hall.

The 2009 exhibition site is generously donated by BRE Properties, Inc. Sponsors for the 23rd Annual Emeryville Art Exhibit include the City of Emeryville, Pixar, Bayer USA Foundation, Bay Street Emeryville, Wareham Development Corporation, TMG Partners, Kava Massih Architects, BRE Properties, Inc., and IKEA.

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CALENDAR LISTING - ART EXHIBITS:
What:Emeryville Celebration of the Arts’ 23rd Annual Art Exhibit
An exhibition of artwork created by established and emerging artists and craftspeople who live or work in Emeryville. The work includes paintings, sculpture, photographs, textiles, ceramics, and glass works.

When:The exhibit is open to the public
October 3 - 25, 2009
11am-6pm, Open Daily

Cost: Admission to the exhibition and opening reception is FREE
Location: 5815 Shellmound Way, Emeryville, CA

Public Transportation:
MacArthur BART station, Emery-Go-Round Hollis Amtrak Route (weekdays)
PM City Loop Route (weekends); AC Transit Bus #19

Info/Directions: www.emeryarts.org/directions.html or call 510/652-6122