Jaleel - A Young Artist of Parchester Village

Rae Hayward, Late Co-Founder of TAOLB, Honored by Mayor

Quilts in the Community!

Summer partnership with Familias Unidas

Summer Classes Now Underway

A Letter From Guillermo's Mom

Rae Hayward, Late Co-Founder of TAOLB, Honored by Mayor

Rae Hayward, Late Co-Founder of TAOLB, Honored by Mayor
Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and the Richmond City Council honored the late Rae Louise Hayward, Co-Founder of The Art of Living Black (TAOLB) and Richmond Art Center Board Member, at the City Council meeting on June 24.  A proclamation recognizing Rae's vision, dedication to the community, and many accomplishments was presented to her husband Stephen Hopkins, while the City Council's standing ovation embodied the deep respect and appreciation Rae earned by her work.

The Richmond Art Center is honored to announce that TAOLB will continue, and we look forwrd with pleasure to working with Stephen this coming year to present the 13th Annual TAOLB!

Quilts in the Community!

Last week marked the culmination of a three month project in which a group of children and adults from the Parchester Village Community Center in Richmond worked with artist Marion Coleman to form a trans-generational "quilters' guild".  The quilts were produced in the tradition of a  "time capsule", meant to reflect the history and current cultural climate of the neighborhood, but were also created to be functional, meant for everyday use.  In the beginning of June (5/30-6/1) they were on display at the Contra Costa County Fair in Antioch where each of the quilts produced so far were awarded by the judges first, second or third prize.

Summer partnership with Familias Unidas

To suppliment Familias Unidas's summer program for high school students of various grades, an intensive art course and production of a poster campaign that will focus on the most important issues they face in their communities and lives is taking place at the RAC this summer. In addition to the creation of their own campaigns, students will study the history of the poster and other forms of widely disseminated ephemeral material, as well as learn the basics of silkscreening.  We are really looking forward to having them around this summer!

Summer Classes Now Underway

Summer Art Camp!  There is still room in the second session of Summer Art Camp! Summer Art Spectacular for children 6 – 13 meets four mornings a week and will begin July 8 and run through July 25. The Richmond Art Center gratefully acknowledges our Gold Community Partner, California Oils Corporation for their sponsorship of our 2008 Youth Summer Art Camp.

Summer Adult Class Added.  Ed Lay will be teaching Stone Setting and Lapidary Jewelry class on Thursday mornings starting July 3 through August 28.  Class begins at 9:30 to 12:00 noon and will be followed by an open studio until 3:30.  Basic fabricating jewelry skills required.

Beyond the Classroom Jewelry Wednesday sessions have been extended through the month of July.  Use the well equipped RAC jewelry studio for 5 Wednesdays starting July 2 until July 30 from 10 am – 4 pm.  $100 members, $115 non members. .

Myong Stebbins will also be teaching intermediate/advanced painting on Thursday evenings from 6:30 – 9:30 from July 3 – July 24.  This class will concentrate on painting the figure. For more information or to register for any of these classes call Tracy at 510.620/6772.

A Letter From Guillermo's Mom

After 11 years on the wall, Guillermo, The Golden Trout, is taking a restorative rest. I am happy to report that she is in rather good shape considering her exposure to the elements all these years.  Volunteer friends, including Portumex’s Ricardo Gonzales, have once again offered to help me restore and repaint the popular sculpture, which first went up on the auditorium wall in 1997, after a year in the making. 

She was originally part of a larger installation, “Making Waves – Creating a Ripple Effect”, about the amount of drinkable water left in the world. The installation was in the courtyard and front hall gallery.  Guillermo was jumping up out of the “waves” in the courtyard and the metal waves surrounding it – and the installation included children’s work from local schools, art center classes and an educational component about world-wide water. 

Guillermo is 50’ long, made of 800 recycled hand-cut, hand-painted aluminum printing plates donated by Simm’s metal.  William Wareham, sculpture extraordinaire, welded the beautiful skeletal rebar structure.  The California State Fish was chosen for this project about survival, because it had been endangered in 1986 and came back to life in 1997,  as it was given the creative attention it needed to survive. Messages of hope are written on the backs of the scales and in the center of the eyeball.  I invite those in the community who might want to add their own messages to contact me through the RAC! 

Andree S. Thompson