Director’s Statement

Gratitude this year for everyone involved in the 37th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition and also for what feels like a community-wide renewal of the importance of artists and the arts in our city. New arts initiatives are being implemented and still others are actively on the drawing board for our “City of Art and Innovation”. An exciting time.

After a successful five-year Cultural District pilot program of the California Arts Council, the state has now provided significant funding to the city to grow the activities of our Rotten City Emeryville Cultural District. Since the District’s inception, Emeryville Celebration of the Arts has been the program’s nonprofit partner and the energy all partners are now bringing to this team effort is ripe with promise.

A recent City Council workshop resulted in Council’s unanimous support of an expedited “re-look” at plans for an Emeryville Art Center. Hurrah! The brakes for this project have been on for far too long. As I move through the tasks to secure and create a gallery space for almost 200 artworks, the dream of a permanent home keeps me going. That and the visitors that fill the exhibition every October and the new connections created for and between artists. More entry artists this year than in our history. Something very good is going on, indeed.

And the gratitude continues. Thank you to Lauren Krause and Josh Turnbull with Oxford Properties Group and Mark Stefan, City Center Realty Partners, for their donation of the exhibition space at Public Market Emeryville. Thank you to the City Center Real Estate Services team and The Marketing Method Group.

Our board members Ken Schmier, Frances Gaston, Linda Boyd, Kava Massih, Pam Mendelsohn, and Albert Repola continue to enthusiastically offer their individual skills. Linda and Pam, you are the rock stars of volunteer coordination! So much great work goes on to coordinate our annual event. Volunteers are essential to the exhibition and all of this in support of the arts.

We returned to in-person studio visits this summer with Curator Kathleen Hanna and fellow jurors Emilee Enders and Jan Watten thoughtfully reviewing all the entries for the 37th Annual. Kathleen, with Alison McLennan, has worked her magic yet again. We are so fortunate. Publicist Genevieve Antaky and Designer Suzanne Anderson-Carey have gone over the top for us again this year. We ask a lot of each of you and your talents and dedication make our event shine. I thank you!

Deep appreciation for our loyal and generous donors, to Emeryville City Council for continued support of our organization, Community Development’s Chad Smalley and Amber Evans, Assistant City Manager Pedro Jimenez, and to Daniel Gonzales and Lewis Conway and all the Public Works crew.

Supporting the theme of new arts initiatives, our organization has its own surprise to share in 2024! But until then, we are honored to present to you 126 Emeryville artists and their combined creative spirit. Come on in!

Sharon Wilchar

Credits

Emeryville City Council
Mayor John J. Bauters
Vice-Mayor Courtney Welch
Council Member Sukhdeep Kaur
Council Member David Mourra
Council Member Kalimah A. Priforce

Emeryville Celebration of the Arts Board of Directors
Ken Schmier, Chair
Frances Gaston, Vice Chair
Linda Lee Boyd
Kava Massih
Pam Mendelsohn
Albert Repola

Director & Project Coordinator
Sharon Wilchar

Art Exhibition Operating Committee
Linda Lee Boyd
Frances Gaston
Kava Massih
Pam Mendelsohn
Albert Repola
Ken Schmier
Gwen Souza

Director & Project Coordinator: Sharon Wilchar
Curator: Kathleen Hanna
Publicist: Genevieve Antaky
Graphics & Website Design: Suzanne Anderson-Carey
Website Programming: Linda Lee Boyd
Printing: Autumn Press