Curator Statement

At 1.246 square miles, Emeryville is a mere dot on the 6,984 square mile map of the greater Bay Area. But zoom in for a detailed look at this tiny gem to view its parks, community gardens, marinas, rational and beautiful new architectural designs and equally skillful renovations of industrial buildings.

Focus in a bit closer to the human level to discover an impressive community spirit that is nowhere more evident than in the 26 year old Emeryville Celebration of the Arts.

Events like this one are always dependent on the skillful leadership and experience of an individual like Sharon Wilchar who has guided the Celebration successfully for the last 26 years.

Of course, she has good material to work with: a large and varied community of working artists, an aware and supportive city administration and a cooperative, generous business community not to mention a cadre of devoted volunteers. When a community comes together in this manner for an annual ritual, an American version of the saints’ days and fiestas that travelers seek out across the globe is created.

In addition to the many Emeryville citizens that make this exhibition possible, I would like to thank all of the artists who offered their work as well as my fellow jurors for 2012, Kate Eilertsen of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and Seb Hamamjian of Hamamjian Modern for their careful attention.

Kathleen Hanna
Curator