East Bay Open Studios 2013

Save the Dates: East Bay Open Studios June 1-2 & 8-9

Oakland, CA: East Bay Open Studios offers an opportunity for art fans of all ages to visit artists’ studios, glimpse the creative process, and purchase work directly from local artists. This year, over 400 artists will participate, opening their studios to art adventurers across the East Bay.

Self-guided tours start in downtown Oakland at Pro Arts' gallery – East Bay Open Studios' Headquarters – with a visit to the Preview Exhibition. On view April 30 through June 9, 2013, the Preview Exhibition features over 400 artworks installed salon-style; an awesome display that quickly reveals individual treasures.

"East Bay Open Studios showcases the Oakland/East Bay Area as a destination for art," says Margo Dunlap, Executive Director of Pro Arts, the non-profit organization that has produced East Bay Open Studios for decades. "Visiting open studios is an opportunity to explore the phenomenal spectrum of artists and art practices in the region, and the unique places artists work."

A sampling of artists to see includes: Erica Kremenak, painting with a brew of oxides, colorants, oil, enamel, wax and solvents, shows her work from her industrial studio in East Oakland; Rebeca Garcia-Gonzalez opens her new studio, showing plein air paintings created in Richmond and San Pablo neighborhoods; Lisa Pfeiffer exhibits quirky drawings and silkscreens, one of fifteen artists at studios in a recently converted Fruitvale factory; in Berkeley, Toby Kahn presents a new series of photographs created using the same 35mm camera and single lens he has been working with for four decades; Addiam Tsehaye shows ceramic sculptures and mixed media works, referencing North East African materials and crafts, in her Temescal studio; glass artist Michael Spiegelhalter exhibits functional art made from old windows and recycled bottles in his West Oakland studio.

All participating artists are featured in the annual Directory of East Bay Arts (available in May 2013). Published and distributed in conjunction with East Bay Open Studios, the Directory includes artist listings, maps, a 12 month East Bay Arts Calendar and Arts Index. The Preview Exhibition at Pro Arts is located at 150 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. Admission Free

About East Bay Open Studios: East Bay Open Studios is the largest art event in the Oakland/East Bay region, spanning over 14 cities and 2 counties, drawing over 60,000 studio visitors over two weekends in June every year. Together, East Bay Open Studios and the Directory of East Bay Arts serve as essential resources for artists to cultivate new audiences for their work, network with their peers, professionalize their practice and make art more visible across communities. For visitors the event offers an opportunity to meet local artists, explore new neighborhoods, and discover art.

About Pro Arts: Supporting the arts within communities by serving the ongoing needs of artists. Pro Arts provides critical access to contemporary art in the region and serves as a regional hub for arts activities, curated exhibitions, advocacy, arts education and capacity building artist services – fiscal sponsorship to artists and professional exhibition services matching artists with community partners. We produce 22 exhibitions annually, exhibit over 580 artists, and reach an annual audience over 72,000.