Alameda County Arts Commission Regular Meeting
Alameda County Arts Commission 1106 Madison Street, Suite 336 Oakland, CA 94607 t (510) 208-9646 www.acgov.org/arts
ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
MONTHLY MEETING: Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 4:00 – 6:00pm MEETING LOCATION: Teleconference. Instructions are attached. Click on this link to join the video webinar: https://zoom.us/j/93877886945 Call this number to join by phone: 1-669-900-6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 938 7788 6945
Any member of the Audience desiring to address the Alameda County Arts Commission: Please follow the teleconferencing instructions. After receiving recognition from the Arts Commission, please state your name for the record prior to your presentation. Only matters on the agenda may be acted upon. If you wish to speak on a matter not on the agenda, please wait until the Chairperson calls for public input. Only matters within the Arts Commission’s jurisdiction may be addressed. Time limitations shall be at the discretion of the Chairperson.
For questions, please contact the Office of the Alameda County Arts Commission, main phone number 510-208-9646 or http://www.acgov.org/arts/contact.htm AGENDA I. General Business of the Alameda County Arts Commission A. Call to Order Diane Takei Gotanda, Chairperson B. Roll Call C. Teleconference Instructions Rachel Osajima, Director D. Approval of ACAC Minutes for May 12, 2021 VOTING ITEM Diane Takei Gotanda, Chairperson E. Public Forum (Time Limit: 3 Minutes Per Speaker) F. Executive Committee 1. 2021 Executive Committee i. Committee Members: Diane Takei Gotanda (Chairperson), Ernest Jolly (Vice-Chair), Sergio Suarez (Secretary), Grace Karr and Winda Shimizu 2. General Announcements 3. Review of Expectations Regarding Commissioner Attendance i. As per ACAC Rules of Procedure, Section 4-4: Arts Commissioners are expected to have good attendance and to not have three consecutive unexcused absences, or five absences (excused or unexcused) within a twelve calendar month period. 4. ACAC Executive Committee Meetings i. Monthly meetings take place on the 1st Wednesday of the Month, except when otherwise noted Meetings are open to the public. The next meeting: Wed., July 7, 3:30-4:30pm G. Arts Commission Appointments and Vacancies 1. Supervisorial District 1, Supervisor Haubert (Dublin, Livermore, East Fremont and Unincorporated East County) i. No Vacancy ii. Sawsan Jari Wolski, 1st Term: 12/15/20-3/31/2022; Grace Karr, 1st Term: 4/21/20-4/21/2024; Margaret Thornberry, 1st Term: 3/27/18-1/7/2022;
Agenda - Alameda County Arts Commission Regular Meeting, June 9, 2021 Page 1 of 3 2. Supervisorial District 2, Supervisor Valle (Hayward, South Fremont, Union City, Newark) i. No Vacancy ii. Mina Mangewala, 1st Term: 2/9/2021-11/26/2021; Sergio Suarez, 2nd Term: 2/6/21-2/5/25; Alejandra Wahl, 1st Term: 12/4/2020-11/7/2024 3. Supervisorial District 3, Supervisor Chan (Alameda, Central Oakland, San Leandro, San Lorenzo) i. No Vacancy ii. Andrea Guskin, 1st Term: 7/23/19-10/27/22; Jody Sahota, 1st Term: 7/4/2020-4/18/24; Theresa Rude, 1st Term: 2/9/2021-11/7/2024 4. Supervisorial District 4, Supervisor Miley (North and East Oakland, Castro Valley, Pleasanton, Ashland) i. No Vacancy ii. Winda Shimizu, 1st Term: 2/27/18-2/26/22; Usha Shukla, 1st Term: 2/9/2021-12/7/2024; Linda Willis, 1st Term: 3/2/2021-2/8/2024 5. Supervisorial District 5, Supervisor Carson (North and West Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany) i. No Vacancy ii. Rohan DaCosta, 1st Term: 6/18/19-3/29/23; Diane Takei Gotanda, 2nd Term: 5/15/20-5/16/24; Ernest Jolly, 2nd Term 9/22/20-11/8/24 6. Ex-Officio Members i. Current Participating Members with No Term Limits: Eileen Dalton representing the Director of the Community Development Agency; Carolina Gainey-Vejar representing the Dean of Fine Arts, CSU East Bay; Willie Hopkins Jr., Director of the General Services Agency / Dolly Bryan representing GSA H. Public Art Advisory Committee Appointments and Meetings 1. Committee Status i. One Vacancy ii. Current Members: Andrew Appleton, Vicky Chen, Elin Christopherson, Yes Duffy, Brian Laczko, Tomyé Neal-Madison, Scott Miner, Mimi Sullivan 2. PAAC Meetings take place on the 4th Thursday of the Month, except when otherwise noted meetings are open to the public. Next Meeting: Thursday, June 24, 3:30-5:30pm II. Director’s Report Rachel Osajima, Director A. General Updates III. Arts Advocacy Rachel Osajima, Director A. Advocacy on the City and County Level B. Californians for the Arts and California Arts Advocates D. Alameda County Arts Leadership Awards 2021 1. Selection of Awardees (Report: ACAC_6-9-2021_1) VOTING ITEM 2. Board of Supervisors Commendation Event: Oct. 5, 2021 (Tentative) IV. Public Art Amy Stimmel and Rosa Valdez, Program Coordinators A. Updates about Current Public Art Projects V. Arts Education Violet Juno, Program Coordinator A. Updates about Creative Community Engagement Services VI. Commissioner Reports Regarding Arts Activities (2 minutes each) Diane Takei Gotanda, Chairperson VII. Next Alameda County Arts Commission Meeting will take place on Wed., July 14, 2021, 4:00-6:00pm Diane Takei Gotanda, Chairperson VIII. Adjournment Diane Takei Gotanda, Chairperson
Agenda - Alameda County Arts Commission Regular Meeting, June 9, 2021 Page 2 of 3 TELECONFERENCING GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN MEETINGS OF THE ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION
Due to the Shelter In Place Order, this Meeting will take place via teleconference Alameda County joined Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties and the City of Berkeley in issuing similar health officer orders directing their respective residents to shelter in place. The initial order became effective, March 17, 2020, due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The orders limit activity, travel and business functions to only those that are essential. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-29-20 on March 17, 2020, governing the convening of public meetings. Pursuant to the Executive Order, all Members of the Alameda County Arts Commission may participate in their meetings without being physically present (via teleconference), and no teleconference locations for the public are required to be provided or noticed in the meeting agenda. The public must be given the opportunity to observe and address the meeting telephonically or otherwise electronically (through either audio or video, or both).
Members of the public may observe the meeting and may make public comments regarding matters on the agenda, or during the Public Comment portion of the meeting on a matter not on the agenda provided the matter is within the Arts Commission’s subject matter jurisdiction.
To observe the Meeting by Video Conference: Click on this link to join the video webinar: https://zoom.us/j/93877886945 Meeting ID: 938 7788 6945 If the link does not work, open Zoom web application and select “Join a Meeting” and then enter the Meeting ID. Instructions on how to join a meeting by video conference are available at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en- us/articles/201362193-%20Joining-a-meeting If you are using a computer: Use the raise your hand button and when you are called to speak, unmute your speaker. If your system does not have this feature, send a message to the host in the chat function.
To listen to the Meeting by Phone: Call the number below at the noticed meeting time. If you are calling in: dial *9 to raise your hand to speak. When you are called to speak the host will unmute you to enable you to speak. If you decide not speak, you may hang up and dial back into the meeting or simply notify the Staff you do not wish to speak when you are unmuted and asked to speak. Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) Meeting ID: 958 9810 8968 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adbzWsAgOH Additional instructions on how to join a meeting by phone are available at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en- us/articles/201362663%20-%20Joining-a-meeting-by-phone
To Submit Written Comment: Members of the public who wish to address the Arts Commission, are strongly encouraged to submit public comment at least 24 hours prior to the noticed meeting time. Send public comments to email address [email protected] . This email address will also be checked before the meeting and during the meeting. Please include your name and the agenda item you are addressing or if your comment falls under Public Comment. Your public comment will be read by staff during the meeting.
Questions: For questions regarding the teleconferencing instructions or other related matters, please contact the Arts Commission staff at [email protected] or phone 510-208-9646.
Agenda - Alameda County Arts Commission Regular Meeting, June 9, 2021 Page 3 of 3 Alameda County Arts Commission (ACAC) Minutes: Regular Meeting, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, 4:00-6:00pm Location: Via Teleconference
Commissioners in Attendance, (Absent), (Excused) District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 Grace Karr Mina Mangewala Andrea Guskin Winda Shimizu Rohan DaCosta Sawsan Jari (Sergio Suarez) Theresa Rude Usha Shukla (Diane Takei Gotanda) Margaret Thornberry Alejandra Wahl Jody Sahota (Linda Willis) Ernest Jolly
Ex-Officio Members in Attendance, (Absent), (Excused) Eileen Dalton representing Chris Bazar, Director of the Community Development Agency (Willie Hopkins, Jr.), Director of the General Services Agency Carolina Gainey-Vejar representing Dean of Fine Arts, California State University East Bay Vacancy representing Daniel Woldesenbet, Director of the Public Works Agency Vacancy representing Director, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive of UC Berkeley Vacancy representing President, California of the California College of the Arts Vacancy representing Director, Oakland Museum of California
Staff Present: Rachel Osajima, Director, Program Coordinators Violet Juno, Rosa Valdez, Amy Stimmel Visitors: None
I. A. Meeting called to order at 4:03pm by Ernest Jolly. B. Roll call: See top of minutes. Roll call taken. C. Teleconference Instructions – Osajima reviewed the teleconferencing guidelines. D. Minutes – Motion to approve the meeting minutes from April 14, 2021 as presented. Andrea Guskin moved. Sawsan Jari seconded. Vote taken by roll call. All in favor. Motion approved. E. Public Forum – None. F. Executive Committee, Approval of 2021 ARTSFUND Grantees as Recommended by the ACAC Executive Committee (Refer to Report: ACAC_5-12-21_1_Revised) – Osajima reviewed the report and thanked the Review Committee members. She also acknowledged Melissa Wilk, Alameda County Auditor- Controller; the Arts Commission office is administratively part of the Auditor-Controller Agency and Wilk authorized increasing the total grant funding which allows for the individual grant awards to remain the same amounts as last year despite the larger number of applicant organizations. Ernest Jolly recused himself and Winda Shimizu chaired the meeting during Motion 1. Ernest Jolly chaired the meeting during Motion 2 and continued as chairperson for the remainder of the meeting. Motion 1: The Members of the Alameda County Arts Commission approve the grant awards to the Berkeley Art Center, Fremont Cultural Arts Council, Dublin Arts Collective, and Pleasanton Art League for use during the grant period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023 as described in Report: ACAC_5- 12-21_1_Revised. The Alameda County Arts Commission recommends approval by the Members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Recusals: Ernest Jolly, Grace Karr, Margaret Thornberry, Sawsan Jari, and Usha Shukla. Theresa Rude moved. Andrea Guskin seconded. Vote taken by roll call. All others in favor. Motion approved. Motion 2: The Members of the Alameda County Arts Commission approve the grant awards to the 78 arts organizations not named in Motion 1 and as described in Report: ACAC_5-12-21_1_Revised for use during the grant period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. Margaret Thornberry moved. Theresa Rude seconded. The Alameda County Arts Commission recommends approval by the Members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Vote taken by roll call. All others in favor. Motion approved.
ACAC Meeting Minutes for May 12, 2021 Page 1 of 2
G. Arts Commission Appointments and Vacancies – As noted on the agenda. Osajima announced that Edric Kwan the designee for the Public Works Agency has left the County and she’s waiting for a new designee to be appointed by the PWA Director. H. Public Art Advisory Committee Appointments and Vacancies – As noted on the agenda. II. Director’s Report –See Advocacy, Item III below. III. Advocacy – A. Advocacy on the City and County Level – Osajima talked about the East Bay Cultural Alliance and thanked Commissioners who participated in meetings with the Supervisors. Other meetings are being scheduled. B. CREATE Alameda County and CREATE California – No report. C. Californians for the Arts and California Arts Advocates (CAA) – Osajima thanked all the Commissioners who participated in Virtual Visits with State Legislators representing Alameda County and in the Arts Advocacy Conference. She gave a recap of the events and Commissioners and Staff talked about their experience. D. 2021 Alameda County Arts Leadership Awards – Osajima encouraged Commissioners to submit nominations. The nomination deadline is May 14. IV. Public Art Services A. Updates about Current Public Art Projects – Stimmel and Valdez briefly described the current activities and projects underway. Valdez talked about the design development for the street banners along E. 14th St in Ashland, the new Castro Valley Public Art Guide, and videos on the Commission’s Youtube channel. Stimmel talked about the design development for the sandblasting project along Hesperian Blvd in San Lorenzo and working on a document and related information about the Public Art Program for the General Services Agency Capital Program including outlining key steps in coordination between Capital Programs and the Arts Commission. B. Ashland Common Project Update – Osajima provided background on this project of the Hayward Area Parks and Recreation Dept and Trust for Public Land (TPL). As approved last year by the members of the Arts Commission, Staff were working on entering into an agreement with TPL for the management of the new park’s public art component. Many months have passed and the County and TPL have not been able to reach an agreement and although that might still be possible, the timeline for doing such has been exhausted and the Arts Commission Staff have notified TPL and HARD that they will withdraw from the project. The Arts Commission will continue to be a community partner on the project. V. Arts Education A. Updates about Creative Community Engagement Services – Juno shared a slideshow about the Library + Arts partnership and the Veterans Arts Partnership. Juno talked about the 3 online workshops with the Library and a professional development series for staff. Virtual art gatherings with the Veterans will continue through the summer. Juno talked about the exhibitions program in the County Administration Building and said there will be the opportunity to open it to other organizations in the future when in- person exhibitions return. VI. Commissioner Reports Regarding Arts Events – Not recorded. VII. Next Meeting: Wed., June 9, 2021, 4:00-6:00pm VIII. Meeting was adjourned at 5:40pm. Minutes recorded by Amy Stimmel, Program Coordinator
ACAC Meeting Minutes for May 12, 2021 Page 2 of 2 Report: ACAC_6-9-2021_1 ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION MEETING OF JUNE 9, 2021 AGENDA ITEM: III D 1
TO: ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION FROM: RACHEL OSAJIMA, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: 2021 ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM: SELECTION OF AWARD RECIPIENTS AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SUMMARY This report includes all of the nomination statements for the 2021 Alameda County Arts Leadership Awards Program. Each member of the Alameda County Arts Commission will submit an individual voting ballot. Arts Commissioners are asked to select their first and second choice of one individual or a two-person team per supervisorial district. Once the votes are tallied, it is expected that one individual or one two-person team will be selected for each supervisorial district. If two or more individuals or two-person teams within one district receive a tie vote, Commissioners will attempt to conduct a re-vote to break the tie. Votes will be tallied during the meeting to determine the results. The Arts Commissioners will vote to approve the final award recipients and request that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors give commendations to the recipients. The anticipated date for the Board Commendation Event is October 5, 2021 The Arts Leadership Awards’ Commendation Event is schedule during this time to coincide with the Board of Supervisors’ annual proclamation in support of National Arts and Humanities Month of October.
RULE REGARDING SUBMISSION OF BALLOTS Please note - All ballots must be submitted to Rachel Osajima via email by the deadline of Wednesday, June 9, 12:00 Noon
Arts Commissioners do not need to be present at the meeting on June 9. For Commissioners who will not be able to attend the Arts Commission meeting, those Commissioners may submit their ballots to Rachel Osajima by the deadline. Rachel will include all received ballots in the voting tally and present the results to the Arts Commissioners who attend the meeting. The Arts Commissioners who attend the meeting will make the final decision, through an official vote, of the selected awardees and recommend those individuals to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
PLEASE READ ALL OF THE COMPLETE NOMINATION STATEMENTS BEFORE CASTING YOUR VOTES
BACKGROUND This annual program enables the Alameda County Arts Commission to recognize five individuals, one from each of the five districts of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, for their outstanding achievements and contributions impacting the arts community and the residents of Alameda County. This awards program is a continuation of the Arts Commission’s annual Arts Day Event, first presented in Alameda County in 2001. From 2001 through 2004, the Arts Commission recognized one or a few individuals during a one-day Arts Day event held in October. In 2006, the Arts Commission expanded and formalized this annual recognition program. A copy of this year’s nomination instructions are included at the end of this report.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 1 of 33
An individual nominated for this program must be a resident of Alameda County during the period of the nomination and awarding process. The individual may be involved in any arts discipline including, but not limited to, music, dance, visual arts, literature, theater, film and video, traditional crafts and folk arts, and new media. The nominee may participate in a wide range of activities with Alameda County based arts organization(s) such as an artist, staff or board member, volunteer, donor, supporter, advocate, etc. Additionally, two individuals may be nominated together if their efforts, during the last two years or more, are through a business partnership and the individuals meet the criteria listed above including the requirement that both individuals are involved in the same Alameda County arts organization. Current Members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, elected officials within the Alameda County government, appointed Members of the Alameda County Arts Commission and Public Art Advisory Committee, and individuals who have received a past Arts Leadership Award are not eligible. Nominations must be submitted by Alameda County residents. Each individual may submit one nomination.
PROGRAM TIMELINE March-May Program and nomination information distributed to the Board of Supervisors and public May 14 Deadline for nominations to be submitted to the Office of the Arts Commission May 28 Report of nominations submitted to Members of the Board of Supervisors for review June 9 Arts Commissioners to select awardees and recommend to Board of Supervisors July 21 Arts Commission Staff to notify awardees Oct. 5 Board of Supervisors to present commendations to award recipients
SELECTION PROCESS After the Members of the Arts Commission vote on the selection of the award recipients, Rachel Osajima will contact all of the selected individuals to confirm their standing. If for any reason a replacement recipient is needed, the candidate with the next highest quantity of votes will be become the award recipient for their respective supervisorial category. If there is no clearly identified second choice candidate, the issue will be reviewed and voted on at the next Arts Commission meeting.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 2 of 33 2021 ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM COMPLETE VERSION OF NOMINATION STATEMENTS
The following information was submitted to the Office of the Arts Commission. The nominators’ names have been omitted from this report. ______
List of Nominees for Supervisorial District One A. Adam Fresquez Theater Manager for the Center for the Performing Arts and Education in Dublin. Contributor to preforming arts programs at StarStruck Theatre and Ohlone College, Fremont B. Kala Ghaty Founder of Kalamandir Art School, Fremont and Special Education Teacher at Fremont Unified School District C. Christie Inocencio Owner of Christie's Creative Cupboards, Fremont D. Lynn Seppala Long time Board Member and Past President of the Livermore Cultural Arts Council, Livermore. Leadership Board positions with the Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Del Valle Fine Arts chamber music series, the Livermore- Amador Symphony Association, Rae Dorough Speakers Series and the Livermore Las Positas College Foundation. E. Anupama Srivastava Founder and Artistic Director of InSyncKathak Dance School, Fremont F. Vanessa Thomas Co-Founder Dublin Arts Collective, Dublin. Promotes and supports the arts with the Livermore Arts Association, Tri-Valley Tourism Groups, Tri-Valley Youth Expo, and many local schools. ______
Adam Fesquez Theater Manager for the Center for the Performing Arts and Education in Dublin Statement Submitted by Nominator: Adam has been the theater manager for the Center for Performing Arts and Education in Dublin for about seven years. Every day he does everything he can to support, educate, and inspire the students of Dublin High School and community members who rent his facility. Without his tireless efforts, the arts would not be nearly as prominent in the Dublin community or the school district itself. During Covid times he has done all he can to record and edit video ceremonies, trainings, and athletic events for Dublin Unified School District so that the students and families could still partake in fun events from the safety of their homes. In the past, Adam has provided years of service in the arts with StarStruck Theatre, Ohlone College, Kaiser’s Touring Arts Program, and always finding time to lend a helping hand to his friends in other arts organizations so that the performing arts in Alameda County thrive and continue on.
Dublin Unified School District’s Center for Performing Arts and Education is open to rentals from all kinds of community events including dance productions, cultural dance ceremonies, orchestra events, and live theatre. The facility also houses all the arts performances for the Dublin High School performing arts programs. Adam has done a lot of work in the past with youth performing arts companies such as StarStruck Theatre and Kaiser’s Touring Arts Program. He also spent about 10 years working in the Gary Soren Smith Center at Ohlone
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 3 of 33 College where he supported events produced by the theatre and dance programs for the college as well as community rental events.
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Kala Ghaty Founder of Kalamandir Art School, Fremont and Special Education Teacher at Fremont Unified School District Statement Submitted by Nominator: Kala Ghaty founded Kalamandir Art School over twenty ago in Fremont. Since then, she has taught hundreds of students in visual arts as well as two highly specialized forms of classical South Indian art: Tanjore and Mysore. These two Indian art forms were developed in the 16th century and involve the application of gold foil to art pieces. Not many people are trained to teach this art form in our region, and so Kala is a special resource for those ambitious enough to learn it. Kala’s goal is to make art accessible to everyone regardless of their background or level of artistic skill, so she welcomes anyone who is willing to learn. Her students range from 5 years old to adults, though the study of Tanjore and Mysore are mostly taught to adults due to the discipline and a duration of time needed to complete them. Kala’s love of teaching and the creative process shines through when talking about her school. She chose a quote by Thomas Merton to describe this experience: “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”. This is what she strives to share with her students. In India, Kala earned her degrees in science and computer science. However, her passion for art compelled her to next train in the visual arts in both India and the Bay Area. She also studied Tandori and Mysore painting with Chitrakala Parashit in Bangladore India, and later studied traditional Lippan art and Kerala mural painting. Kala has an education specialist credential and has been teaching special education classes for twenty years in the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD). In her Irvington HS classroom, she is committed to regularly integrating the arts throughout her curriculum. Over the years, Kala has brought her students to participate in many arts events including at FUSD, the Fremont Cultural Arts Council (FCAC), Fremont main library, KKNC (an Indian community center) among others. At these events, students shared their visual arts creations as well as classical Indian works. She also encourages them to participate in art competitions with places such as the Alameda County Fair and the Alameda County Water District. Her students showcased their artwork at the Fremont Main Library for “Art IS Education month” for years. They also participated in the FCAC's cross-cultural exhibit which showcased art from different artistic traditions, with all artwork based on the theme of the Fremontia flower (a symbol for the City of Fremont). At this event, one of Kala’s students, Arathi Satish, spent around 150 hours on a piece that involved working with paints, gemstones and gold foil. The artwork showed a Hindu deity surrounded by Fremontia flowers. For KKNC events, her students have displayed art, made many props for plays, and done dances and drama. After studying with Kala, some of her students were ready to teach classes themselves. She helped a number of them set up their own art schools, including her own daughter, thus expanding the arts further into the community.
Kala founded the Kalamandir Art school twenty years ago, starting with a handful of students. Though she has never advertised her classes, attendance grew steadily over the years to 70+ students per week. She trusts that “if they are happy, they will tell others” and spread the word. Since she teaches her special education class full time, she teaches her art classes in the evenings and on the weekends. Her classes include drawing and painting, as well as handicrafts such as glass painting, foil art, ceramics, candle decorating, silk embroidery, murals, and quilting. As mentioned, Kala also teaches traditional Tanjore and Mysore art forms. Tanjore art originated in the town of Thanjavur, and is known for depicting deities and heroes from mythology. Its intricate designs are often brightly colored, and embossed with gold foil that Kala has to ship
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 4 of 33 from India. The paintings are typically made on wood boards, and decorated with cut glass, pearls, and semi- precious stones. Mysore painting is very similar, but uses paper instead of wood, and less of the gold foil, beads, and stones. They often depict more contemporary themes and have more elaborate landscapes. Kala encourages her students to use their own creativity when creating their art pieces, and so they may choose to make something unique from their own imagination or experiences. As a special education teacher in FUSD for twenty years, she has been able to touch hundreds of students with art. In her Irvington HS class, she has noticed that some of her students are very successful in the arts which helps to build their confidence, even if they have difficulty in academics. She also uses art to be inclusive of different traditions, for example teaching both Halloween and Diwali crafts, so she can cultivate cross-cultural understanding in addition to honing their artistic skills. Below are two statements from Kala’s students about her art classes: Kala Ghaty has taught countless students of different age groups different kinds of artwork for more than two decades. She is a versatile teacher who has expertise in different forms of art. One of the art forms, Tanjore paintings, a classical form of Indian painting is a very beautiful and unique art form. Over the years, many local students have been able to learn a new artform because of her guidance. She has also supplied the materials needed to do these paintings by getting the supplies from India. Kala Ghaty is an artist par excellence. She has expertise in several art forms as well as playing with different mediums. She is very creative and finds a way to achieve the final output by combining techniques. Kala works perfectly within the limitations of her students and encourages them to be the best of themselves while creating a wonderful art piece that they will be proud of. Lastly, she's very friendly and very funny and keeps the class light hearted. She always has a way to help her students fix or improvise their art pieces.
Christie Inocencio Owner of Christie's Creative Cupboards, Fremont Statement Submitted by Nominator: Christie at Christie's Creative Cupboards offers art and crafts programs for children and adults. Her programs are not only about creating art, but also about encouraging people to simply be creative and have fun. Christie is an encourager and gently pushes students in a positive way so they can find their inner artist. Patrons return to her programs time and again because Christie is fun and her programs are relaxing yet very educational. She offers programs to youth at juvenile correctional halls. Not only were these kids able to creatively express themselves, they also found a listening ear in Christie. Additionally, Christie has volunteered her programs to underprivileged children at countless homeless shelters.
Christie owns her own business "Christie's Creative Cupboards". Additionally she is heavily involved in the community through organizations such as Compassion Network and her local church.
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Lynn Seppala Long time Board Member and Past President of the Livermore Cultural Arts Council, Livermore. Leadership Board positions with the Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Del Valle Fine Arts chamber music series, the Livermore- Amador Symphony Association, Rae Dorough Speakers Series and the Livermore Las Positas College Foundation.
Lynn Seppala finished his five-year term as President of the Livermore Cultural Arts Council (LCAC) in 2020 and now serves as past president on the Executive Committee. Under his presidency, he took over Tuesday Tunes
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 5 of 33 in 2014, a 10-week free summer concert series in front of the Bankhead Theater. In addition, he single- handedly gets the pledges from major donors to fund this successful event that draws large outdoor crowds, an especially family-friendly event. He applied the same set of skills to carry through with the LCAC “booth” that occupies a full corner park in downtown Livermore during the yearly Art Walk event in October, providing mini-presentations of rock, jazz or classical music while volunteers promote LCAC organizations to the public. Lynn has been the driving force behind setting up a Marketing Committee within LCAC to tackle common needs among our arts organizations. He was instrumental in setting up a committee to support the school arts programs in a time when government funds were limited. In recent years past, he promoted the organizing of free tickets to school age children to attend LCAC organizations’ performances. Lynn provides the administrative connection to Livermore Library staff for the LCAC Celebration of the Arts, a month long display of arts organizations. Lynn made sure that LCAC celebrated its 50th anniversary by organizing and running a committee to throw a large dinner party, attended by over one hundred current and past representatives and friends of LCAC. He envisioned and oversaw the production of a video highlighting 50 years of accomplishments.
Lynn also contributes to the Alameda County arts community by being a board member, providing marketing support, grant writing, wisdom and work for many arts organizations. He is a founding member of the Rae Dorough Speakers Series (2008), a founding member and past chairperson of the Las Positas College Foundation (2002), and continues to serve on both boards. He was a key player in bringing the Pacific Chamber Orchestra to Livermore in 2006, serving as chair or co-chair for over a dozen years. He has served on the boards of the Del Valle Fine Arts chamber music series since 2006 as publicity committee member, the Livermore-Amador Symphony Association since 2015 as current treasurer and past vice-president. He has been involved with the Livermore Cultural Arts Council for almost 15 years in many roles. He is a significant benefactor and advocate for Livermore’s Bankhead Theater. Lynn Seppala is also a major donor for each of these for which he volunteers, and is a major donor for many other arts organizations and educational scholarship groups. The beauty of volunteering with Lynn is that he leads by working hard for these and many other projects.
The Livermore Cultural Arts Council promotes cultural and educational activities within the greater Tri-Valley, and strives to heighten community awareness of and appreciation for the arts. A coalition of 29 organizations, LCAC holds monthly meetings throughout the year, offering programs and speakers that serve to benefit and educate its member organizations.
Since it opened in September 2007, the 507-seat Bankhead Theater has welcomed hundreds of artists to its stage and on the plaza outside, representing a very diverse range of musical genres, dance, theater, comedy, and other performing arts. The intimate design provides excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics to every seat. From renowned world-class musicians to rising stars on their way up, from decades-old resident companies to young student performers, events at the Bankhead continue to bring joy and excitement to audiences of all ages.
The Rae Dorough Speaker Series presents renowned lecturers discussing timely topics in science, medicine, history or education at the Bankhead Theater. The RDSS goal has been to ensure that the general admission tickets are at reasonable prices, with free tickets to secondary students, and college students at a reduced price.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 6 of 33 The Las Positas College Foundation provides support for students in ways that the Las Positas College cannot directly support. Among other program support in the arts departments, it awards four major scholarships for up to two years in the performing arts for students continuing their education after graduation from Las Positas College.
Del Valle Fine Arts presents high quality chamber music concerts at the Bankhead Theater, bringing world class chamber music to the Tri-Valley area and introduces school children to classical music by offering free school assembly performances.
Livermore-Amador Symphony, a community orchestra of volunteer musicians with a paid music director/conductor and concertmaster, presents four concerts and an additional Pops concert. It also organizes an annual Competition for Young Musicians, presenting four youth awards for outstanding musicians. It sponsors a summer Youth Orchestra culminating in an August concert.
Pacific Chamber Orchestra is a regional professional ensemble dedicated to sustaining and extending the rich heritage of classical music for chamber orchestra through inspiring performances and engaging educational program. Many musicians are drawn from the San Francisco Symphony, Opera or Ballet Orchestras.
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Anupama Srivastava Founder and Artistic Director of InSyncKathak Dance School, Fremont
Statement Submitted by Nominator: I would like to nominate Anupama Srivastava for the 2021 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. Anupama is the Founder and Artistic Director of InSyncKathak Dance School based in Fremont, CA. In addition to preserving, actively practicing, and educating her students in the North Indian classical Kathak dance, she gives back to the community through her participation in various fundraising events and cultural and educational projects. In the past year she brought together the Bay Area performing arts community through a curated 10-episode video series that was very widely appreciated and generated a high level of positivity and goodwill in the community at an unprecedented difficult time due to the pandemic. This youth-focused project was titled "InSync We D.A.N.C.E." (Deriving.Artistic.Narratives.Via.Cultural.Exchanges). The Concept and Direction was by Anupama Srivastava. Reva Srivastava, Anupama’s disciple and daughter and a junior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, was the Artistic Director and Video Editor for this project. This project presented 50 items showcasing 6 out of the 8 Indian classical dances (Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniyattam, Manipuri), 2 classical music disciplines (Hindustani and Carnatic), 125+ participants (predominantly youth), 16 bay area dance and music institutions, many participants based in Alameda County. The motivation behind this project was to provide a performance and discussion platform for youth artists and seasoned artists, who might be low on motivation during the current pandemic. This was a forum for them to connect, discover common threads between different dance traditions, promote understanding and respect for diverse cultures, and explore possibilities for future collaborations. They also learnt about the two classical music traditions from India.
Anupama’s vision and this project were unique and innovative in many aspects. 1. It engaged youth artists predominantly. It was an innovative passion project involving months of work from planning, outreach, coordination, compilation and video editing, and was provided at zero cost to all
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 7 of 33 participants. Many other online festivals invite senior artists only and those involving youth participants charge a participation fee. 2. In addition to providing a performance platform to youth artists, it provided a discussion forum to engage them in a dialogue about mental health, sharing passions, collaborations, celebrating diversity, and healing a divided society. 3. It brought together prominent dance and music Gurus and experts in the Bay Area on a discussion forum to encourage and educate youth artists. 4. Despite the many distinguishing features of the dance and music traditions from different cultures of India, this project sought to highlight common threads between them and find ways to unite rather than divide. 5. Artistic and educational content of this project was at an unprecedented level presented in the Bay Area, showcasing similar techniques across different genres based on raagas from 8 out of 10 Hindustani Music Thaats (from North India) and their equivalent Carnatic Melakartas (from South India), and expressive items themed around festivals. Eminent Hindustani and Carnatic Vocalists and educators explained the nuances of their respective music disciplines.
InSyncKathak Dance School was founded by Anupama Srivastava, disciple of world renowned Kathak maestro Padmashri Guru Shovana Narayan. Based in Fremont California, this school offers Kathak training to students of all age groups. In eight short years since its inception, the school has over 140 performances and 50 awards to its credit. Training is provided through regular classes, workshops, summer-camps, lecture-demonstrations and information sessions by Anupama, her Guru Smt. Shovana Narayan and other invited professionals from the fields of music, yoga, health and fitness. The focus of InSyncKathak is to use the North Indian Classical Kathak Dance form as a creative medium to promote physical, mental, social, cultural, interpersonal and spiritual enrichment for students of all ages. This is a complete program that produces exceptional Kathak dancers who are strong, confident, sensitive and grounded individuals, and responsible citizens of the world. In the true spirit of the "Guru-Shishya Parampara", students are given rigorous training in a nurturing environment in all aspects of the Lucknow Gharana style of the traditional classical Kathak dance: nritta, nritya and natya. To develop into exceptionally strong dancers, they learn many life skills that help them succeed in other aspects of life as well. They are encouraged to internalize their dance experience and enrich their lives, and at the same time use dance as a means to express themselves and make a positive difference in the world. They stay rooted to their Indian origin, history, mythology and culture, and are also responsible and active contributors to the community they are currently a part of. They are guided towards developing cultural sensitivity, respect and appreciation of all other dance and music traditions as well. The dance school also seeks to engage senior and junior artists at large, beyond its own students. This has been demonstrated via various collaborations with dance and music artists of different genres in the past. More recently, the youth of the dance school were engaged in designing and presenting a video series “InSync We D.A.N.C.E.” (Deriving.Artistic.Narratives.Via.Cultural.Exchanges) that showcased different dance and music disciplines and engaged youth artists across the Bay Area. Details can be viewed at InSync We D.A.N.C.E. - inSyncKathak (weebly.com)
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Vanessa Thomas Co-Founder Dublin Arts Collective, Dublin Tri-Valley Artist Studio Tour (TVAST) Tri-Valley Youth Expo, TEDx EmeraldGlenPark, Cheza Nami, Dougherty Elementary School PFC, Fallon Middle School PFC, Pleasanton Art League and Livermore Arts Association.
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Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 1 of 3 Vanessa Thomas is one of the Dublin Arts Collective Founders. She is an instrumental member of many art organization in our valley. She is a Photographer and a writer for Patch. She write, support and promote the art scene locally and regionally. She works tirelessly to bring art organizations to communicate and work together. She was instrumental in creating a technology hub for TRI Valley art organizations. Vanessa Thomas Is an advocate for the arts and a role model for us and future generations.
She is involved with Dublin Arts Collective, Pleasanton Art league, Tri valley tourism, and many Photography clubs. She Volunteers at the local school to teach art and work with the schools to bring awareness to a diversity in the arts.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 2 of 3 Vanessa sees herself as a catalyst for connecting people with the aim of increasing the visibility of the arts. Nominated for Citizen of the Year in 2017 in Dublin for Volunteer Work in the Arts Recipient of the Mayor’s Award for Volunteer contributions to the community with the Dublin Arts Collective in 2019. Vanessa – - Worked on the Bulletin From Google beta testing project in 2018 and 2019 sharing hyperlocal news on arts events. Connected with the “Memory Project” through Danville Artist William Small, an artist focusing on portraits for a cause. Local school students participated in this ongoing art exchange with children in disadvantaged and resource poor settings. - Collaborated with TEDx EmeraldGlenPark Organizer Olga V Mack to include Tri-Valley artists in the first TEDx in Dublin in 2018. Expanded the artists involved in the TEDx Art Display in 2019 and delivered a TEDx talk on Community, Connection and the Art of Storytelling with the purpose of sharing her mantra TAP - Think. Act. Persevere. - Invited to participate in the Livermore Cultural Arts Council meeting to present on developments in Dublin and the future of the Cultural Arts Center. - Supported the East Bay Energy Art Competition celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Local students submitted artwork for this competition. - Partnered with the Pleasanton Art League and Livermore Art Association and served on the Technology Team led by LAA VP Christine Watters to host the regional general meetings for all Tri-Valley Artists to assist them in pivoting to online activities. - Secured a grant from the City of Dublin to provide Zoom webinar access to host pertinent sessions related to the arts including author and publisher Jessica Powers for National Novel Writing Month and Read Africa Week. Speakers for these events were sourced locally and extended to Tracy. - Invited to join the Tri-Valley Non-Profit Alliance Membership Committee in 2020 to support the needs of nonprofits in the Tri-Valley. - Hosted discussions in 2020 on inclusion, diversity and equity with local stakeholders with the aim of producing community events or artwork to continue the conversations. Also wrote articles highlighting art in the time of the black lives matter movement. - Participated in the Town Hall discussion on Cultural Tourism in the Tri-Valley with the Visit Tri-Valley group in 2021 to encourage regional collaboration in support of the arts. Currently Vanessa is part of the team of artists supporting the Tri-Valley Artist Studio Tour (TVAST) to be held in November 2021 where she will be assisting artists in the use of Instragram.
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The primary organization is the Dublin Arts Collective Nonprofit. It began as a project called the Dublin Art Collective in 2017 and Vanessa approached the City of Dublin Cultural and Heritage Arts Commission to propose a project connecting artists in the community. A presentation was given to the Commission in 2017 which they supported. Vanessa was then invited to participate in the Splatter Food, Wine and Art Festival where she proposed an information hub for sharing arts related information to the creative community. The first public event was held in April 2017 at the martial arts school, Kuk Sool Won of Dublin, where she is an instructor. She has encouraged creative projects at this school including a “Cards of Caring” greeting card project sending cards made by the students to South African children in hospital over the festive season in 2019.
Vanessa volunteered as Dublin Patch Mayor to cover community related stories including the arts and using the platform for highlight various artists in the tri-valley. She did this for three years and still currently serves as a contributor in addition to supporting the Dublin Patch Instagram presence. To view a list of the articles see the Dublin Arts Collective website.
She cooperated with several nonprofits on artistic programming namely Tri-Valley Youth Expo, TEDx EmeraldGlenPark, Cheza Nami, Dougherty Elementary School PFC, Fallon Middle School PFC, Pleasanton Art League and Livermore Arts Association.
Vanessa developed and ran the Art’s Cool Arts Enrichment Program at Fallon MS with assistance from Teresa Yue. The semester program was aimed at providing a taste of the arts to see which elements would connect with students as they explored the various arts including music, painting, theatre, photography and sculpture. Key local artists were invited to engage with the students including Phil Didlake (music therapist at Rhythm Innovation), Jennifer Huber (painter), Sawsan Wolski (painter and Frame Company owner), Rob Bennett (sculptor) and Trenton Torain (Grand Performing Arts).
The last indoor in-person event prior to lockdown was March 2020 where Vanessa was approached to facilitate a connection between nonprofit Cheza Nami and the Dublin Unified School District resulting in a multicultural assembly at Frederiksen Elementary. The request came because she had organized the first Culture Fest At Dougherty Elementary in February 2019 which was a celebration of diversity and cultural heritage. Cheza Nami professional musicians took the students and staff on an engaging and vibrant musical drumming tour across Africa during the assembly. A second event was planned at Murray Elementary but was not possible due to lockdown.
Vanessa has also been supporting events hosted by the City of Dublin and coordinated with other artists to create a display for the Santa Drive-Thru Event in December 2020 and the St Patrick’s Day Celebrate at Home event where artist Gina Gabriell produced a “Lockdown Leprechaun” online crafting video in March 2021.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 3 of 3 Vanessa Thomas is an extraordinary person who works endlessly to further artistic community connections and endeavors within the City of Dublin and the entire Tri Valley region. Originally from South Africa where she studied Genetics, she moved to Dublin around 2016 and immediately immersed herself in the community. She saw the need for coordination, support and promotion of the arts… so she set up a booth by herself at a local fair event called, Splatter. Soon, she collected like-minded friends and became Co-Founder of the Dublin
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 10 of 33 Arts Collective where her selfless sense of duty to the Arts community, her home of Dublin and the entire Tri Valley has made her a true role model. She has collaborated and inspired and worked side by side to foster projects for many art associations: The Livermore Art Association, Pleasanton Art League, Alliance for the Visual Arts and the new Tri Valley Artist Studio Tour. She brings a true sense of community spirit to all her endeavors, not only when writing for the local Dublin Patch but when she works to raise awareness for social issues, when she writes about community building and volunteers to promote truly wonderful causes to connect people not just in her new home but around the world. She created and worked with a program to connect children here with those in South Africa through the universal language of art. At home, she volunteers in schools to teach elementary age children the wonder of artistic expression. Vanessa raises her own two children, studies martial arts and somehow finds time to be a freelance journalist and photographer where she runs her own company, Fables and Flora.com. Her amazing efforts have been recognized - in 2017 she was nominated for Dublin Citizen of the Year for her volunteer work in the community and in 2019 she was a recipient of the City of Dublin Mayor’s Award. Please consider Vanessa for the much deserved recognition for her time in furthering the artistic community.
Vanessa is a founding member and leading voice in the Dublin Arts Collective where she has been the driving force to keep art projects in the City of Dublin in the spotlight of the regional arts movement that is gaining strength in the Tri Valley. She is a writer for the Dublin Patch where she helps to report on the goings on of all the literary and visual arts taking place in her city and the Tri Valley. She works closely with the Pleasanton Art League and Livermore Art Association on many projects - she organized all three associations to come together during the Pandemic to work in collaboration toward overcoming the technical challenges to allow the members to continue to meet virtually and display their works in virtual shows. She is a member of the new Tri Valley Artist Studio Tour and has helped lead a team to train artists how to establish and use their skills for promotion of the arts using Instagram.
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List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Two 1) Carl Larson Arts Educator at Newark Adult Education, Newark 2) Ruey Lin Syrop Curator for Hayward Arts Council's John O'Lague Galleria at Hayward City Hall; Board Member of the Hayward Arts Council and A.R.T., Inc. ______
Carl Larson Teacher at Newark Adult Education, Newark
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 1 of 11 Mr. Carl Larson has been teaching Tole Painting at Newark Adult Education for decades. I am told our class is one of the longest running classes in the country. Carl is a beloved community member with a loyal following of students. He also teaches across the country. Though he is a veteran teacher, Carl continues his own professional learning. In a time where community education is often cut due to low enrollment or budget
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 11 of 33 constraints, Carl's students actively lobby to keep the classes going. Though his class has not met due to shelter in place, Carl's community continues to communicate virtually and practice their skills at home.
Newark Adult Education serves adults in Newark and neighboring communities.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 2 of 11 Carl has kept the tradition of Scandinavian Tole painting alive in the bay area for the last 40+ years. He is one of the last active teachers of this technique in the United States and, until recently, has travelled throughout the US bringing this tradition to new painters and reinforcing the skills and education of experienced painters. Carl is an advocate for a tradition that is dying, even in Europe where it originated. He teaches traditional art forms including Rosemaling, Bauernmalerei, Hinderloopen and many others. His classes in Newark are always popular - often with waiting lists. While he draws in new painters every semester, many of his students have been learning for him for more than 30 years. He has the longest consecutively running adult education class in the US, and provides a supportive and thriving art community to seniors, younger painters and working adults. Carl is a national treasure in the Tole Painting and Decorative Painting communites and we are extremely fortunate to benefit from his dedication, talent and love of his community. He has been a positive impact and unsung hero to artists in Alameda county since the late 70s and now is the time to recognize his efforts (while he is still spry, healthy and active in his work).
Carl has been teaching for decades through Newark Adult Education as a primary organization. He has also taught, displayed his work and mentored painters at local tole painting and decorative painting groups around the East Bay, the greater Bay Area and nationwide. Carl's painting can also be found in a Scandinavian community center in San Francisco.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 3 of 11 Carl Larson has been a driving force in the Alameda County Art's Community for the past 40+ years. He has taught Decorative Painting for the Newark Adult School for the past 40 years + the Milpitas Adult School prior to that. He began his painting career at a small shop in San Jose. In 1978 he got his first ‘outside’ teaching Job at a small shop in San Leandro, although he had been teaching at the Adult School prior to that. He has since taught in shops throughout Calif. He has learned from many noted Master teachers throughout the Country, he continues to improve in his artistic Skills. Carl specializes in Folk Arts of Western Europe, primarily, Norway and Germany. He teaches 3 classes per week at the Newark Adult School, he draws students in from the entire Alameda County. He has inspired 100's of Seniors to paint, many going on to become teachers themselves as well as successful professional Artists selling their works at Festivals, Shops and Online. He has been a great influence to the Senior Community's throughout Alameda County. Most Seniors that come to his classes, know nothing about painting, he nurtures them along to become really fine painters. He gives them a whole new world to live in, encourages their talents and creativity. He is motivated by his students to keep it going, when he sees their happy faces and when they share what they have done on their own. I would venture to say that he has successfully taught 1000’s of students. These days Seniors have more time on their hands and need additional things to do to keep them busy. That is what he is doing for Seniors throughout Alameda County. He is greatly admired throughout the County, the State and the Country. As far as his contribution to Alameda County Artist Community during the past two years, is a bit difficult to describe due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. School has not been in session since March 2020. What I will say that he has done, is to continue to encourage his students with emails to encourage them to keep painting and he shares with them what he is doing. He
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 12 of 33 continues during this time to paint and learn so that he is more than ready with projects when class does resume.
Carl is involved in the Northern California Decorative Artists and has been since its inception. He is also a member of the California Rosemaling Association, as well as ‘Camp Norge Rosemaling Camp’. The NCDA is an Alameda County based Artist Association, organized in 1973, it is an affiliated chapter of a larger National Organization, the Society of Decorative Painters. The purpose of the organization is to provide education and information about the Art, to provide opportunities for members to sell their work, to educate the public about the Art with Library Displays, County Fair and other venues. Nationally known and local teachers are brought in to give the members opportunities to learn different styles and techniques. Carl has been an active member and supporter of this Organization since its inception. He has taught classes and supported the club in all ways. He has participated in Library Displays, demonstrated at the Alameda County Fair. He has always encouraged his students to participate in the County Fair and he has won many 1st place awards at the County Fair himself. He has also been a member of the California Rosemaling Association, which has many members from Alameda County. The CRA was formed in 1978 in Southern California, however it covers all of California and is often centered in Alameda County. It is also an educational organization, providing Classes for members and information to the public regarding the beautiful art of Norwegian Rosemaling. Carl has taught classes for the CRA and is an active member. Camp Norge Rosemaling Camp is a group affiliated with the Sons of Norway. Their purpose is to provide classes twice a year to persons interested in learning the Folk Art of Norway. It is provided at a Sons of Norway Camp located in the Sierra foothills. Carl, being an accomplished Rosemaler, has given up week ends twice a year for several years to teach for them. It is a privilege to be invited to teach for them. Carl has also organized retreats in the Redwoods at the San Francisco Family Camp. His talents, though primarily in Alameda County, are shared throughout the State. Alameda County is where he has influenced and nurtured the most people and created many Artists who would have never even attempted to pick up a brush.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 4 of 11 Carl Larson has taught painting to the community as well as nation wide for over 40 years. He is widely recognized and one of the foremost artists in the field of Folk Art, and all forms of decorative painting. He has contributed to historical buildings such as the Swedish Cultural Center in San Francisco. Carl has been published several times in the Decorative Painter publication. He tirelessly assists painters of all ages and walks and even during a pandemic has kept contact with students and continues to share and hone his craft. I nominate Carl not only as a fine human being and a stellar community member, but as someone who wants our art to continue to enhance society and leave a mark to share to for those who come along after us.
Carl has taught at the Newark Adult School for over 40 years three times a week in addition to national seminars. He also exhibits in the Alameda County fair and encourages all students to do the same. He organizes displays in our public libraries so as to share with the entire community.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 5 of 11 Carl has taught classes at the Newark Adult Education Center for over 40+ years. I have been taking classes from him for years as a senior citizen. He is encouraging, positive and loves to have new students enroll so that he can continue to pass on his knowledge and expertise in the Decorative Arts. He encourages his students to enter the Alameda County fair and he gives demonstrations at the fair. He has been active in the
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 13 of 33 Northern California Decorative Artists' organization since it was started in 1973 where he also teaches. He is invited to teach all over the country when he is not teaching us. His biggest influence is on the 100's of students/seniors from all over Alameda county and beyond, some coming as far from Modesto to take his classes. Since the COVID shutdown of schools, Carl has been in touch with his students by email, sharing what he is doing as well as encouraging us, as students, to keep painting and to post what we have accomplished. Carl has taught at the Newark Adult School for 40+ years. Through this he has provided spportive arts for seniors and younger adults. He is also active in the Northern Callifornia Decorative Artist's Organization since it was formed in 1973.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 6 of 11 Carl has been teaching the tole painting classes for adults in the Newark Adult Education (MacGregor school) for many years, at least 30 to my knowledge. I am his student for the last 10 years and looking forward to returning to the class next fall. His works are known in the USA and whole tole painting communities around the world. He is bringing various tole painting decoration styles, like English Channel style, Chinese, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Japanese, Russian, and others. He participates in all Alameda county fairs in Pleasanton, volunteers / organizes artworks presentations and receives awards. Hundreds of artists, old and not so old are participating in his classes and seminars; he always there to provide help to people and teach. He preserves the traditions of folk painting art in Alameda County and beyond.
He is very active in the Northern California Decorative Arts Chapter which is based in Alameda County- from the beginning. Norwegian Hall in San Francisco - he also had decorated the ballroom there. Alameda County Fair - ongoing. For me, the main organization is the tole painting class at Newark Adult Education. The class keeps going strong and supports the creative spirit of a lot of elderly artists, Carl had been emailing us regularly and sharing his work via emails, especially during this difficult 2020 year. Literally, hundreds of students love and respect Carl and attend classes as long as they can.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 7 of 11 Carl is an original member of No. California Decorative Artists (NCDA) Association started in 1973 in Ala. County. He does projects and library displays. Demonstrates painting at Ala. County Fair. Teaches classes as part of NCDA chapter. Encourages students to enter projects in Ala. Co. Fair. Has published projects and guides in The Official Publication of The Society of Decorative Painters (OSDP) - The Decorative Painter. He has taught classes through Adult Ed programs for 40+ years with over 100 Senior adults in current classes. He brings in artists from foreign countries to give instruction and other ideas. Many students are from foreign countries. There is broad interest in his classes (men&women). He travels to many states to teach for OSDP chapters as requested. Carl is known for bringing back projects for class from his travel. There very few teachers teaching this type of painting - it is becoming a lost art. European and World Folk Art. Many projects are from centuries ago and being redone today in our classes. I have painted with Carl since 2005 - when I encouraged him to start a beginners class for those who had no painting experience. A great education ensued. The last 2 years - prior to Coivid 19, many projects were completed. We left to isolation with a project that looks like needlepoint on a box lid - to be finished when we return. During Coivid 19 - Carl painted everyday on new projects and ideas which he shared with the classes by email as he completed them. We are looking forward to a return in Fall.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 14 of 33 Carl is an original member of Northern California Decorative Artists Association founded in 1973 in Alameda County. This group meets regularly to do painting projects. They make memory boxes for hospitals with painted decorated lids. The boxes go to families who have lost a child, cancer patients, and other children and adults as the hospital sees a need. They also do many other projects as a group. Carl is also involved with the National Society of Decorative Painters and teaches classes as well as publishes projects and instruction guides.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 8 of 11 Carl Larson has been an inspiration to those who have known him. He has been a decorative artist most of his adult life. He has participated in creating Library Displays, demonstrating his artistic skills at the Alameda County Fair, teaching classes as part of the Northern California Decorative Artists organization and teaching classes at both Milpitas and Newark Adult Education for the past 40 years. He has encouraged students of all levels to participate in the area of Decorative Art through his classes. He has also encouraged his students to enter their art work in the Alameda County Fair. He brings joy and the influence of art to the 100's of senior citizens (and younger) who participate in his classes and seminars all over Alameda county and beyond. He has kept in touch with his students encouraging them through the 2020-21 school year, during this pandemic, to continue to pursue the arts and the joy of painting by staying in touch with us via email.
Carl is very active in the Northern California Decorative Artists Organization which was organized in 1973. He has been active since the beginning. This is an organization dedicated to preserving decorative arts. Carl has taught at Milpitas and Newark Adult Education for the past 40+ years. Inspiring adults to pursue their gifts in the area of decorative art. Carl has entered the Alameda County Fair and encouraged his students to also participate.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 9 of 11 Mr. Larson has been an extremely positive force in teaching decorative folk art painting in our community for more than 40 years. He has taught the history, procedure & characteristics of many different cultures’ traditional folkart, which has shown us how beautiful each cultural is & how it fits nicely into our current lives. His well-attended classes, the only local decorative painting of this type, are loved by all, provide a supportive arts community. His influence has been specifically important with 100's of seniors, homemakers, working adults & even younger folks from all over Alameda County & surrounding communities, as people traveled far & wide to attend his classes. He is certainly a national treasure in the Decorative Painting & Tole painting circles. Although the past two years have been difficult due to the COVID pandemic & we have not had classes since March 2020. However, Carl has maintained close email contact with all of his many students and shared pictures of his paintings to encourage them to keep painting. This has been a tremendous relief outlet to people who were shut-ins. With Carl’s uplifting communications so often, no one could become discouraged. Newark continuing education as the primary organization. Local Decorative painting chapter. The community center in San Francisco. Northern California Decorative Artists' organized in 1973 based in Alameda County, he has been a member since the beginning. California Rosemaling Assocation. Camp Norge Rosemaling Camp. Swedish American Hall. Library Displays. Demonstrating at Alameda County Fair. Teaching classes as a part of NCDA, also encouraging students to enter the fair. His Adult Ed classes for the past 40+ years.
Statement Submitted by Nominator:
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 15 of 33 Statement 10 of 11 Carl Larson is an outstanding Art educator. He has taught Tole & Decorative Painting for over 40 years at Newark Adult School, NUSD, Newark, CA. Over many years Carl has inspired the love of art and decorative painting in Alameda County residents and so has enriched the lives of many Alameda County residents. Carl, himself, is an avid learner of folk art painting styles from all over the world, and is always learning a new folk art style, which he then teaches in his classes. Every semester Carl brings a new and interesting style of folk art painting to his students, so there is always something new to learn in his classes. His 3 Adult School classes fill up quickly, and there is often a waiting list. Carl is well-known and admired in the Decorative & Folk Art Painting world. Over many years, Carl has given much of himself to his students and the art he loves. Alameda County is fortunate to have him. He is a worthy nominee for this honor. Carl Larson is a member of Northern California Decorative Artists, based in Alameda County and The International Society of Decorative Painters. He is also a member of The Rosemalers Assoc. of California and Toling Belles of Santa Clara County. He has demoed at The Alameda County Fair and participates in Alameda County Library displays of decorative painting.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 11 of 11 Who would have known that Carl Larson retired as a butcher from Safeway and now teaches Decorative Painting Class in Newark? I have taken classes from him since 1988. He teaches intricate painting classes and always uses new techniques and colors. He takes advanced seminars and then passes along the information to his students. He is very generous with his time and talent. These traits are the main contributions of Carl to the arts community of Fremont/Newark. Also he encourages his student to enter the county fair. Carl teaches at the Adult School in Newark, CA.
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Ruey Lin Syrop Curator for Hayward Arts Council's John O'Lague Galleria and Board Member at A.R.T., Inc. Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 1 of 2 Ruey Lin Syrop has been instrumental in establishing strong communication and collaboration with the Board of Directors and membership of A.R.T., Inc., encouraging members to participate in online art exhibitions and art demos. She is responsible for the design and maintenance of the A.R.T., Inc. website. Since shelter-in- place, she has curated five group exhibitions, twelve solo exhibitions, and the latest jury exhibition and award recognition of exhibiting artists. Ruey took on the challenge of managing the technology of the board meetings on Zoom, engaging board members with technology and providing training in the use of this platform. Simultaneously Ruey has curated online group shows for Hayward Arts Council's John O'Lague Galleria at Hayward City Hall, including the Art IS Education exhibition featuring 152 HUSD art students. Her commitment to providing visibility and inclusivity for both organizations during the pandemic is remarkable. Her dedication to promoting both organizations has increased the nonprofit memberships 25% in these difficult times. A few years ago Ruey and her UC Berkeley Extension classmates founded an art group called 7+1 Collective. Their art mission is to focus on social and environmental issues. Ruey's paintings of the homeless crisis have been exhibited in many local galleries, recognizing the challenges facing the homeless population and creating much needed conversations about this public health crisis. She received a BA degree in Fine Art from the National Taiwan Normal University, and taught art at a high school in Taipei for three
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 16 of 33 years. She shares her skills in Chinese calligraphy by teaching free classes and mentoring young students in this art. She is organizing the exhibition "Affection for Calligraphy and Painting: An Artwork Exhibition from members of the Oriental Art Association" for Hayward Arts Council opening in the fall 2021. At the present time Ruey is curating "Celebrate Women!" featuring the members of the Bay Area branches of the National League of American Pen Women, opening on May 16 in the John O'Lague Galleria and sponsored by Hayward Arts Council. Celebrate Women! is a collaboration of 37 very accomplished Northern California artists, musicians, and writers—some of whom have achieved international acclaim. This year, prose and poetry videos can be viewed for the first time. Ruey's passion for the arts is evident in the energy and creativity of her volunteer projects.
A.R.T., Inc. is a 501(c)3 arts organization founded in 1984 by a group of artists at the Adobe Art Gallery in Castro Valley. The organization promotes art by encouraging artists to meet and exhibit their work. The group offers free art demonstrations, community exhibits, and social events. A.R.T., Inc. is associated with the Castro Valley Unified School District, which provides access to the Adobe Art Gallery and with Hayward Area Recreation & Park District, which provides access to the Adobe Art Center. A.R.T., Inc. is funded by its members and grants from the Alameda County Arts Commission.
Hayward Arts Council was founded in 1983 as a 501(c)3 arts organization with the mission to promote Hayward as a cultural center and to make the arts easily accessible to all members of the community. HAC maintains six galleries in Hayward: John O'Lague Galleria, Sunset, 808 A, Senior Center, Hayward Public Library, and Chamber of Commerce.The Hayward Arts Council collaborates with the Hayward Unified School District Visual and Performing Arts Master Plan, sponsors every year the Art IS Education Exhibition and sponsors the HUSD Band and Orchestra Festival bringing together all instrumental students from the Hayward middle and high schools to put on a concert. HAC provides awards to outstanding art students at four HUSD high schools, Chabot Community College, and California State University Hayward. Since December 2020 HAC recognizes student’s art achievement every month. HAC offers online art workshops by teaching artists free and open to the public every other month. HAC is funded by the City of Hayward, the Alameda County Arts Commission, HAC members, and the California Alliance for Arts Education.
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Statement 2 of 2 After Ruey Syrop retired from being an Integrated Circuit Layout Designer in Silicon Valley, she decided to devote herself to art. In 2016, she enrolled in art classes at the University of California Berkeley Extension (UCBE). In 2018, she earned her Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Visual Art. During the 2½ years she spent at UCBE, she came to know many very talented artists. Ruey met seven artists with whom she formed a special bond. She suggested they form a group to continue their artistic journey together. They called themselves the 7+1 Collective. In 2019, Ruey arranged for the 7+1Collective to have their first exhibition, Conversation, at the John O’Lague Galleria in Hayward City Hall. From 2016-2019, Ruey volunteered to curate artwork at Hayward’s Eko Café to provide a venue for emerging artists. In 2020, Ruey was appointed to the A.R.T., Inc. Board of Directors. Being in charge of Hospitality, she organized refreshments. She always made the events joyful and memorable for everyone who visited the Adobe Gallery receptions and the Redwood Studio demos. At the beginning of 2020, A.R.T., Inc. had a Members’ Exhibition in the Adobe Gallery. Soon, the pandemic began to spread, and the board considered cancelling most of its activities. With frustration and uncertainty looming, Ruey sensed everyone’s anxiety. Thanks to her experience as an Integrated Circuit Layout Designer, her problem solving skills came into play. She presented her plan to have an online exhibition to the board. At that time, she only knew how to use Google Photos to exhibit art. In April, thanks to Ruey's hard work and tech
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 17 of 33 savvy, A.R.T., Inc. had its first online exhibition with 49 members exhibiting their artwork! This show had viewers who lived far beyond the U.S. In August, Ruey volunteered to become the Website Exhibition Designer, and then she took over as Webmaster! Since early 2021, Ruey worked with several Board members to arrange a juried show which culminated with a successful May 8 reception; once again, Ruey was our charming Zoom host. Cash prizes totalling $725 were awarded to community members. Very uplifting for all. Ruey volunteered in the spring of 2021 to become the Curator for the John O’Lague Galleria. Ruey has exhibited her art there many times. She enjoys the challenge of striving for excellence. She reaches out and connects with community members who come from very diverse backgrounds and age groups. She excels at helping young people exhibit their art, writing and music.
As a person with a very positive outlook, Ruey always inspires people to be team players. She says, “There’s no way I can put on a show without everyone’s participation." She looks forward to curating an exhibition at the John O’Lague Galleria and continuing to volunteer at A.R.T., Inc. Although she spends a tremendous amount of time volunteering, Ruey is focused on making an impact with her own art.
Since 1994, Ruey has been a member of the Hayward Arts Council (HAC), but because she was working full- time and raising a family, her time for volunteer activities was limited. Now she is happy to be fully immersed in HAC activities, such as being Curator of the John O’Lague Galleria in Hayward City Hall. As Curator, she helps ensure a very diverse group of people exhibit their artwork. Through the years, her own artwork has been exhibited at John O’Lague Galleria as well as in HAC’s curated Hayward Senior Center. Since 2016, Ruey has been a member of the Sun Gallery. Regularly, she exhibits her work there. Passionately, through her artwork, she spreads awareness about social and environmental issues such as climate change and society’s mistreatment of homeless people. In 2015, Ruey joined A.R.T., Inc. in Castro Valley and has since participated in numerous exhibitions. Currently, she is a board member and the manager of the organization’s website. Her own art group, 7+1 Collective, meets bimonthly via Zoom to perform art critiques of one another’s work. Currently, they are planning their second show at John O’Lague Galleria in 2022. In 2019, Ruey Syrop became a member of the National League of Pen Women-Diablo/Alameda Branch. In 2021, she was asked to become a board member since she has been so helpful in promoting emerging artists, writers and musicians. Currently, she is creating Celebrate Women! a multimedia online exhibition for NorCal (Northern California) Pen Women on the John O’Lague Galleria website. The exhibition will run May 16 - July 17, 2021. Ruey enjoys helping emerging artists to connect with local businesses. Since 2019, she has introduced local artists to the owner of Snappy’s Cafe in Hayward in hopes of helping artists and small business people join forces. She’s always looking for new exhibition space and ways to help artists to showcase their work.
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List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Three A. Terry Guillory Founder and Board President of the San Leandro Players, Board Member of the Arts Council of San Leandro, and San Leandro Arts Commissioner B. Angela Wellman Trombonist, Scholar, Educator, and Founder of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, Oakland
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Terry Guillory Founder and Board President of the San Leandro Players, Board Member of the Arts Council of San Leandro, and San Leandro Arts Commissioner Statement Submitted by Nominator: Terry Guillory created the San Leandro Players theater group in 1999 as a nonprofit organization with a mission to bring quality affordable community theater to San Leandro and foster participation in the arts. For 20+ years, she has been founder, writer, actor, director and all-round promoter for theater arts, including Shakespeare in the park. The last year has been spent preparing cast members for a 2021 opening in their theater which is provided by the City.
Terry Guillory has served and supported the San Leandro arts community as a board member of the Arts Council of San Leandro (1998 to present), and as a Commissioner with the San Leandro Arts Commission (2017 to present). She continues to serve the San Leandro Players as president of the board while continuing her 43 years in the financial industry by day.
Through her work as president of San Leandro Players non-profit theater company, in 2019 Terry produced entertainment for the community with three shows: Kaufman and Hart's "You Can't Take It With You", Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", and Orwell ' "1984." She also produced, in collaboration with Dan Dillman's BAL Theater, a radio play fundraiser of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" to benefit the San Leandro Boys and Girls Club. Then 2020 was unfortunately postponed by the COVID pandemic, but Terry kept the theater alive by hosting Zoom play readings with loyal San Leandro Players volunteers, and is prepared to start again for the 2021 season!
Terry Guillory 's work as a San Leandro Arts Commissioner promotes arts in general, and includes public arts projects such as utility box art decoration, murals, and permanent art installations, including an upcoming sculpture by renowned local artist, Mildred Howard, at the Main Library.
San Leandro Players is a 501c3 non-profit founded in 1999 to bring quality, affordable community theater to San Leandro and encourage local participation in all aspects of production. Over the past 20+ years, 60 plays have been presented: everything from new work to Shakespeare. Over the years, San Leandro Players has also volunteered in free theatrical productions with the San Leandro Library, bringing hours of enjoyment to the entire community."
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Angela Wellman Founder of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, Oakland Statement Submitted by Nominator: I would like to nominate Angela Wellman, founder of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music for a 2021 Arts in Leadership Award.
Wellman received her undergraduate degree in musicianship and teacher education from Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a graduate degree in music education from the Eastman School of Music. She moved to the Bay Area in 1984 and founded the Oakland Public Conservatory in 2005.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 19 of 33 According to Wellman, the purpose of the school, she said, is to serve people traditionally unable to afford good-quality music education. At the heart of the conservatory's ideology, Wellman said, is American musical identity. During the pandemic, a time when many musicians struggle to secure platforms to maintain their creative presence. Wellman and staff manage to keep their Winter and Summer student afterschool programs active virtually while paring them with high profile artists such as Kev Choice, Destiny Muhammad (Harpist from the Hood), Cutis Landy, Aneesa Strings and more. This musical preservation helps to mend the gap in music education at a time when education in general is at the height of its challenge and the aftermath to come.
About Angela Wellman: Trombonist, Scholar, Educator, Angela Wellman, hails proudly from Kansas City, Missouri. She has performed with the McCoy Tyner Big Band, Joe Williams, Al Grey, Slide Hampton and other noted musicians. Ms. Wellman has a Masters degree in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music and is a Ph.D. Fellow in the School of Education, department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Growing up in Kansas City, Ms. Wellman was nurtured in a musical family and community. Her initiation into the world of Jazz as a player began while hanging out at jam sessions at the famed chitlin' circuit Local 626, the once–Black musicians' union in Kansas City and now sanctuary for the spirits of jazz pioneers such as Ernie Williams: The Last of the Blue Devils, Charlie Parker, Count Basie, and countless others who got their start in that very place. Ms. Wellman is the proud founder of the nation's first Public Conservatory of Music, The Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPCM). Founded in 2005 in Oakland, CA, OPCM is dedicated to the study of American Musical culture and identity.
The Oakland Public Conservatory of Music is a project of Music Is eXtraordinary, Inc, (MIX), a California 501c3 which provides music education for people in urban areas. Music Is eXtraordinary(MIX) was founded in 2001 by Musician/Educator, Angela M. Wellman. Ms. Wellman consulted with schools to develop music programs that reflected each school's culture. In 2004 MIX became a 501c3 non-profit and opened its first music center, the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPC) in 2005. OPC is part of a broader agenda to build a national network of Public Conservatories with a unified teaching philosophy and teaching practices that engender equity, belonging, and empathy through the music.
Mission: OPC opens the world of music to all through access to quality, economical instruction in a nurturing environment. We value rigor and scholarship in our quest to preserve the musical traditions of Oakland. Vision: Oakland's diverse communities will make and hear music everywhere. Everyone experiences healing, harmony, non-violence and safe streets through learning and playing music together. Our music and educational process resonate with the aspirations of our communities and our native artists by reclaiming spirit and culture, illuminating ancestral authenticity. History: Since 2005, Oakland Public Conservatory has delivered masterclasses, performances, workshops, and community events by local and international artists. These guests have included world-renowned Count Basie Orchestra, two-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master Slide Hampton, Sam Burtis and Sonny Bravo (of the famed Tito Puente Latin Jazz Ensemble), trombonist Steve Turre, Zimbabwean master Ronnie Daliyo, former Harry Belafonte vocalist Branice McKenzie, John Santos, Airto Moreira, Marcus Shelby, internationally acclaimed Afro-Peruvian percussionist Juan Medrano Cotito, Rhiannon Giddens and the Carolina Chocolate Drops and a host of professional musicians living in the Bay Area. The conservatory has been featured in several local publications touting the success of its programs and initiatives. Upon invitation by the United States Embassy in Peru, our Frederick Douglass Youth Ensemble represented the United States in the First Festival of Music and Dance of African Descendants in Lima, Peru. In 2016, founding director Angela Wellman was presented with the Cultural Key to the City of Oakland by Mayor Libby Schaff.
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List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Four A. Gregory Conway Executive Board Member of the Jenny Lin Foundation in Castro Valley and Instrumental Music Educator B. Linda Garbarino Board Member of the Pleasanton Art League, Board President for the Museum on Main (MoM) in Pleasanton, and President and Chair of the Pleasanton Heritage Association C. Anne Giancola Board Member of the Pleasanton Art League, Co-founder for the Alliance for the Visual Arts in Pleasanton, Livermore and the Tri-Valley, Visual Arts Manager for Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center and Manager of the Bothwell Arts Center, Livermore ______
Gregory Conway Executive Board Member of the Jenny Lin Foundation in Castro Valley and Director of Instrumental Music at Hopkins Junior High School in Fremont Statement Submitted by Nominator: A consummate advocate of youth music education, Mr. Conway is an executive Board member of Castro Valley-based Jenny Lin Foundation, and has directed its summer program for 13 years. During the school year, Mr. Conway is the Director of Instrumental Music at Hopkins Junior High School, Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) teaching 35% of the school population. Under his direction (2005-present), the school’s ensembles have consistently earned superior ratings at California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Festivals and other competitions throughout the state/nation. Mr. Conway has also served on the CMEA (Bay Section) Board of Directors since 2006, and is currently the Large Group Festival Coordinator. In 2016, Mr. Conway was recognized by CMEA for “Achievement in Instrumental Music Education,” and in 2017 for “Excellence in Orchestra Education.” In 2018, he was awarded “Outstanding Music Educator”, while California State Assembly (District #25) honored him “Community Hero 2019” for his outstanding dedication and service to the community. To enhance students’ educational experience, Mr. Conway challenged Hopkins Advanced Orchestra with the National Orchestra Festival 2019. The only participant from California, the 70-member group earned “unanimous superior” rating and won second place at the event held in Albuquerque, NM—the first time that a Fremont-based music group competed at a national festival! At a home concert, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors had presented certificates to acknowledge the proud accomplishments of Mr. Conway. Mr. Conway is distinguished for his efforts toward bringing out the best in young people. He spends his entire Thanksgiving Break every year to record for students who aspire to join honor groups. To his credit, in 2020, Hopkins had 50 students accepted into All-Northern Junior High Honor Band—about 50% of the total number of students accepted in all of Northern California, and the largest number from ANY school accepted for the event! At the state level, Hopkins had 23 students in the CBDA (California Band Directors Association) All- State Junior High Honor Band—the most of any Northern California school, and 18 students in the CODA (California Orchestra Directors Association) All-State Junior High Honor Orchestra—the highest number of ANY school in California! The total (41) represented the most instrumental participants of ANY school at the statewide event! Another lasting contribution of Mr. Conway’s is the FUSD Summer Music Program. Through his personal resources, this program has for 15 years been made available free-of-charge to eligible students
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 21 of 33 of FUSD. In 2019, there were about 400 middle and high school participants. To benefit future musicians and to honor the success of Hopkins Music Program, the community had donated gifts to commission music paying tribute to Mr. Conway’s directorship. The first piece, Miraj, premiered in 2015—the first time in Fremont’s recent history to have an original piece of music written by a guest composer for a school ensemble! Ancient Runes premiered in 2016, and ...in the silence of the canyon in 2019. When any of these pieces are introduced during performances anywhere in the world, the audience would hear about Fremont!
Mr. Conway imparts to young people his passion for music through three organizations. Jenny Lin Foundation was established in 1994 following the senseless murder of 14-year-old musician Jenny Lin. This non-profit is based in Castro Valley with a mission to promote child safety and youth music education. For 25 years, Jenny Lin Foundation has offered a free summer music program for young musicians to continue to rehearse and perform with peers while school is out. In 2019, over 300 musicians from 35 middle schools and high schools of 12 Bay Area cities participated in the three music programs: Choir, Symphonic Band and Symphonic Orchestra. The program concludes with a large concert for young people to give back to the community. Mr. Conway is an executive member of the Board of Jenny Lin Foundation, and has been the Symphonic Band director for 13 years. In addition to holding an annual youth concert, the Foundation has established two scholarship awards, one to recognize promising musicians, and the other to honor academic and musical achievements at Canyon Middle School. What’s more, a beautiful viola has been donated to Castro Valley Unified School District’s Music Department, and is entrusted to an outstanding violist to use for a year. To celebrate the Foundation’s 25th anniversary in 2019, Mr. Conway requested a composition from renowned musician Richard Meyer. A dedication to Jenny, From Darkness Joyful Sounds Are Born featured a distinctive voice of the viola, her instrument, and any ensembles performing the piece in future would help raise awareness to child safety through music.
Boasting a strong music program, Hopkins Junior High School is the place where Mr. Conway has spent most waking hours for the last 15 years. Since joining Hopkins, Mr. Conway has not only continued the school’s tradition of excellence in the band program, but also introduced and continued to grow a string orchestra program, now one of nation’s best. As Hopkins’ Director of Instrumental Music, he directs five 7th and 8th grade instrumental classes, and volunteers to coordinate 14 elementary band and orchestra classes for 4th through 6th graders of the feeder schools. In a normal year, Mr. Conway also teaches 2 jazz ensembles and a full orchestra to strengthen his students’ musical experience. Under Mr. Conway’s direction, Hopkins’ two flagship ensembles—Advanced Orchestra and Wind Ensemble—have earned the highest possible “unanimous superior” rating at the CMEA All-State Band & Orchestra Festival every year since 2013 when the event was established. California Music Educators Association (CMEA) is the federated unit of the National Association for Music Education. Members include music educators of public and private schools, colleges, and universities in California. Since 2006, Mr. Conway has served on the Board of its regional affiliate CMEA (Bay Section) which strives to promote the advancement in music education. He currently coordinates large group festivals for schools in 15 counties in California: Alameda, Alpine, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus and Tuolumne.
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Linda Garbarino Board Member of the Pleasanton Art League, Board President for the Museum on Main (MoM) in Pleasanton, and President and Chair of the Pleasanton Heritage Association Statement Submitted by Nominator: Linda Garbarino is a longtime member and contributor to the Pleasanton Art League (PAL) and Livermore Art Association (LAA). As an award-winning artist, and PAL Board of Directors' member, Linda has a mission to find common goals with other nonprofits in our county. She expanded the partnership between PAL and Pleasanton Museum on Main to present many art activities. By expanding the annual museum art exhibit to include Saturday student art instruction, she further linked the two local non-profits in successful partnerships. Linda recently began developing grants for PAL to support its activities and promote member and community involvement in the PAL'S Pals art show for the area’s middle and high school students. Working with a talented team, Linda highlights artists' work on our social media pages and recently, promoting city’s nonprofits with the new Pleasanton mayor, Karla Brown. Linda was invited to participate in an upcoming televised interview on the local cable television station in June. In a recent televised program, sponsored by the Pleasanton Nonprofit Alliance, Mayor Brown encouraged businesses to display art through PAL's Art Circuit program. This is one of many programs creating visibility for art in our community. Linda with her artist husband, George, coordinate PAL's local art workshops and interact with the City of Pleasanton staff in promoting PAL events within the city’s Firehouse Arts Center and Harrington Gallery. Linda promotes the work of local Pleasanton Arts Council and volunteers to teach art classes to students enrolled in Pleasanton's summer programs. With the shutdown of many events due to the pandemic, Linda worked with fellow artists in the newly formed PAL/LAA Art Tech Committee to create the first virtual membership meetings, art demonstrations and lessons, all widely promoted on Instagram and Facebook, to the full community. Linda sees the future of art organizations with our youth and believes we must begin at an early age to instill the value of art in their lives.
Linda Garbarino's goal is to connect and promote nonprofit groups by finding common goals. She is currently the Board President for the Museum on Main (MoM) in Pleasanton where she promotes the common work of the Pleasanton Art League. She also makes connections with her work as President and Chair of the Pleasanton Heritage Association (PHA) promoting residential and commercial preservation through the appreciation of architecture that informs us about our past. PHA and the MoM have developed many joint activities including vendor street fairs, and preservation awards events. These expert and proven vendors and craftsmen are also invited to attend the PHA preservation events as their skills help maintain the city’s beautiful historic buildings. Each preservation recipient receives a bronze plaque with the date of their home. PHA members install these plaques and share photo spreads on their website and social media pages. Additionally, Linda has been a dedicated member of the Vanguard Music and Performing Arts, (VMAPA), organization for many years. As board vice-chair, Linda continues to support the performing arts for our youth by developing grants and chairing their Governance and Board Development Committee.
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Anne Giancola Board Member of the Pleasanton Art League, Co-founder for the Alliance for the Visual Arts in Pleasanton, Livermore and the Tri-Valley, Visual Arts Manager for Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center and Manager of the Bothwell Arts Center, Livermore Statement Submitted by Nominator: I nominate Anne Giancola, resident of Pleasanton and Visual Arts Manager for Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center in Livermore, for an Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. During the past several years, Anne has been an instrumental arts leader in the Tri-Valley and has demonstrated a passion for connecting artist in the region to the public and the public to artists. In doing so, she has created numerous collaborations among artists, raising the visibility of visual arts in the Tri-Valley communities by encouraging creativity by artists of all ages. As working artist, Anne has run a mural painting business for more than 18 years. Combining her skills as a community collaborator with her affinity for working artists, Anne brings together diverse community groups to develop exhibits, performing arts, seminars, workshops and public art projects.
As organizer for ArtWalk Livermore, a 20 year-art festival, Anne has been instrumental in bringing up to 100 artists to the community each year, including a socially distanced, mask-only, scaled-down version called ArtWalk Light during the Covid pandemic during 2020. As Co-founder for the Alliance for the Visual Arts (AVA), a non-profit art organization, Anne has provided an amazing resource for artists and for the arts community in the Tri-Valley.
As Manager of the Bothwell Arts Center in Livermore, Anne has arranged for and has personally taught numerous arts courses for people of all ages, from pre-school, elementary, middle and high schoolers to seniors. The Bothwell Arts Center also serves as a center for creative activity for approximately 15-20 resident artists to develop their art skills for themselves, with each other and the community. In 2018, I became a resident artist after completing my graduate studies in art at UC Berkeley after retiring. Soon after, I approached Anne with an idea to stage a unique multimedia art exhibit about the Holocaust, which she curated for me and engaged other artists in helping me to stage at the Bothwell Arts Center in 2019. That exhibit attracted over 650 people including 400 Livermore High school students.
Anne’s influence on the community is expansive and caring. While earning her Master of Science degree in Applied Communications from Fitchburg State University, Anne developed a developed a unique, inclusive and non-judgmental art program called “Let There be Paint”, which she teaches at area senior housing centers and low-income housing. Anne has also organized and staged numerous art exhibits for the public at the Bankhead theatre and other venues in the Tri-Valley, several of which I have personally presented my works at. Some of these exhibits have enabled people of different backgrounds and experiences to collaborate. For example, two years ago, Anne organized an exhibit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing. Recently, I participated with her on a unique collaboration with the Quest Science Center which was staged at the Bankhead Center called “Sketches in Code”. This unique exhibit of computer generated art drew rave reviews by socially distanced and masked visitors to the Bankhead during the past three months. More importantly, it further demonstrated Anne’s unique ability to bring together people of diverse backgrounds – in this case- artists, physicists, engineers and mathematicians to collaborate together and create a unique art and learning experience to be enjoyed by the public. In summary, Anne is a true leader in the Alameda County Arts Community, and is well deserving of this award.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 24 of 33 Anne is the Visual Arts Manager for LVPAC, which operates two venues, the Bankhead Theatre and the Bothwell Arts Center. The mission of LVPAC is to offer a broad range of arts opportunities and experience to engage Livermore Valley’s diverse community by becoming the heart of a vibrant cultural arts community. While the Bankhead has primarily offered many live music and theater performances, it has also served as a venue for numerous art exhibits, which Anne has managed over the years. Anne has also been responsible for managing the Bothwell Arts Center, which serves as a creative incubator for the Tri-Valley’s vibrant arts community providing a nurturing environment for artists, performers, and cultural arts organizations to create and grow.
For artists, regardless of their level, access to affordable space, and the support and freedom to explore and expand their creativity is essential. The Bothwell provides rental studios for artists like me, as well as space for classes, workshops, rehearsals, displays, and events provide working room for teachers to share their skills in areas from perspective drawing and watercolor painting, to music lessons and improv.
Besides being Visual Arts Manager for LVPAC, Anne is also a Board member of the Pleasanton Arts Council and a member of the Women’s Caucus for Art, a national non-profit arts organization which supports women artists, art historians, students, educators, and museum professionals.
Anne has also judged numerous local art competitions including being a representative of Eric Swallwell’s CA- 15 Congressional Art Competition, Alameda County Fair Arts Judge in 2017 and 2018, Livermore Library teen art contest and the Colored Pencil Society Colored Pencil Society of America in 2019. Anne is recently serving as a judge for the East Bay Holocaust Education Center’s “Art, Writing and Video” Contest for all high school students in Alameda and Contra County, with the theme “Why is it Important to Remember the Holocaust?”. Anne also will be serving as a Panelist for the City of Berkeley Cultural Arts grants for 2021 and is currently an arts instructor for teens 13 and above class titled “Shaping Tomorrow’s Visionaries”, which is an art class about several prominent Alameda County community leaders. “Shaping Tomorrow’s Visionaries” is a 5-week series of classes to inspire students to examine issues, develop principles and appreciate Diversity, Community, Humanity and Environment. Taught by Anne, the hour and half weekly classes are a multimedia adventure into the process of becoming a visionary. Students will emerge from the series with a plan to make a difference through social action. In summary, with all the organizations and art activities and projects that Anne leads and helps serve in our community, I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award.
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List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Five A. Lisa Bullwinkel Founder and Director of the Berkeley Arts & Culture Hotline, Chair of the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission, Steering Committee Member for the Berkeley Cultural Trust, Co-Leader of the Community for a Cultural Civic Center in Berkeley B. Conceição Damasceno Founder, President, and Artistic Director of BrasArte, Berkeley C. Kathleen Henderson Art Teacher and Special Projects Coordinator at Creative Growth in Oakland and Artist D. Julie McCray Founder and Director of Shoh Gallery of Art, Berkeley E. Naima Shaloub Independent Musician and Educator, Oakland F. Leyya Tawil Artist and Director of Dance Elixir, Arab.AMP, and Temescal Art Center, Oakland G. Sharon Wilchar Director of the Emeryville Celebration for the Arts, Office Manager/Community Liaison to the City/Member of the 45th St. Artists' Cooperative, Inc., and Chairperson for the Emeryville Public Art Committee ______
Lisa Bullwinkel Founder and Director of the Berkeley Arts & Culture Hotline, Chair of the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission, Steering Committee Member for the Berkeley Cultural Trust, Co-Leader of the Community for a Cultural Civic Center in Berkeley
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Lisa Bullwinkel is Berkeley’s premier arts advocate. She has had a major impact on the arts in Alameda County for many years. During the Covid pandemic, she has made a point of keeping artists and arts organizations informed of opportunities for financial relief through her Berkeley Arts & Culture Hotline (BACHotline) and also provided free listings of arts events there. While serving on the Berkeley Arts Commission in recent years, she wrote and got funded the City of Berkeley Festival Grant Program. She was instrumental in doing the advocacy work necessary to get the City Council to increase funding for the arts grants, doubling the allocation from $250,000 to $500,000 per year. She encouraged the City Council and Cannabis Commission to protect art spaces from displacement by cannabis businesses and worked with the Council to include artist housing language in updated housing documents. Until recently she was chair of the Berkeley Cultural Trust, a consortium of cultural arts organizations that advocates for policies and actions contributing to the sustainability and well-being of the arts and artists throughout the city. She mentors younger executive directors and staff of Berkeley arts organizations, making sure they learn arts advocacy and introducing them to elected officials.
In 2020 she quickly became involved in leadership of the new group Community for a Cultural Civic Center to assure that artists and arts organizations would be informed about and included in planning for a major renovation of the Civic Center Park, Veterans Memorial Building and Maudelle Shirek Building (Old City Hall).
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 26 of 33 The Veterans Building is slated to become a center for the arts and the park will host festivals and performing arts events. She is dedicated to making the planning process open to all who are interested. She also serves on the UC Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund board as the art representative, making certain that a good portion of the grants they award go to the arts.
During Covid she created the Berkeley Music Circus, a weekly city-wide sing-along, to help provide some relief from isolation. She selected and posted the songs on her website and in the press.
The famously popular Solano Avenue Stroll and Parade was her brainchild in 1991 when she was the executive director of the Solano Avenue Business Improvement District, and she managed the event until 2006. Under the business name “Another Bullwinkel Show,” she has produced countless public and private events and festivals including the Berkeley Jazz Festival, Berkeley Kite Festival, North Shattuck Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival, Berkeley’s Fourth of July Celebration at the Marina, and a few events in Oakland. In addition, she has served as a consultant and mentor to groups planning arts events and festivals. She is a former dancer and operated the non-profit Full Spectrum dance studio in Oakland. She has worked on public art projects including tile mosaics and a human peace symbol photographed from above.
In summary, it is surprising that this dynamic, hard-working leader in the arts hasn’t received multiple awards already. Please consider her seriously!
Lisa is involved in many organizations, as mentioned above. Most recently, she is one of the leaders of Community for a Cultural Civic Center (CCCC), a group of individuals interested in supporting the renovation and revitalization of the Berkeley Civic Center, including Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, the Maudelle Shirek Building (Old City Hall), and the Veterans Memorial Building. The City invested in an elaborate study by Gehl Studio and partners that developed the vision statement: "Civic Center will be the heart of Berkeley’s community, with the prime space for civic life, culture and the arts. It will reflect the City’s diverse identities, celebrating its history, and contributing to shaping its future. A place of shared resources and a platform for free expression accessible to all, Civic Center aims to manifest the city’s values, advance social justice, and demonstrate the power of true public space." CCCC is working to develop cost estimates and advocate for the City government to continue pursuing the project, gathering public input and hopefully including major funding for the project in a bond measure next year. Lisa also continues as a member of the Steering Committee of the Berkeley Cultural Trust, which brings together representatives of arts organizations throughout Berkeley, including the Civic Arts Commission, for monthly meetings and helps publicize arts events through its Facebook page. Membership is free to arts organizations, artists and stakeholders interested in supporting the arts in Berkeley.
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Conceição Damasceno Founder, President, and Artistic Director of BrasArte, Berkeley
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Conceição Damasceno has been and continues to be a pillar of the arts in Berkeley and beyond. As founder, president, and artistic director of the nonprofit foundation, BrasArte, she is preserving and sharing the artistic cultural traditions of Brazil with the Bay Area. In addition to her role in leading BrasArte, she is a well- respected dancer, performer, and choreographer with extensive knowledge and experiences in the various
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 27 of 33 dances of Brazil. Each year, she produces a Yemanja Festival, Lavagem street festival, leads a group in the San Francisco Carnaval, in addition to sponsoring visits from artists from Brazil and around the world to perform and teach workshops in the BrasArte studio. Her decades long connections with artists around the Bay Area and Brazil speaks to her creative impact and influence in the worldwide artistic community. Conceição has created a cultural center in which all people are invited to take classes, perform, and become part of the BrasArte family and community. She works with youth and offers classes, summer camps, and opportunities to perform, providing space for youth to grow and belong in a caring community. Even during the pandemic, she continues to inspire and create online festivals and performances. Over the years, Conceição's influence has positively impacted hundreds of people by welcoming all to learn, dance, and celebrate together.
BrasArte is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the traditional dance and music of Brazil and to developing opportunities for cultural exchange between dancers and musicians of all ages from Brazil and the United States. BrasArte has organized many cultural exchange projects, including the Borboletas, the first and only children’s Brazilian dance troupe in the Bay Area. BrasArte has also sponsored many Brazilian cultural events, including the annual Yemanja Festival and an annual Lavagem celebration. One of the few arts and cultural organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area with a focus specifically on preserving the traditional dances and music of Brazil, BrasArte focuses on providing events and activities which enrich the lives of both Bay Area residents with Brazilian roots and those with an interest in discovering more about Brazil's extensive traditions.
By sharing the rich cultural heritage of Brazil with the varied communities located throughout Alameda County, BrasArte promotes a deeper understanding of South America’s largest country and the importance its African-Latin-European history had in its creation. By realizing these factors, Alameda County residents become more knowledgeable and caring citizens of the world. In order to provide additional insight into Brazilian culture, BrasArte’s in-house programs often include activities featuring traditional dance and music from Africa, South America and Europe. Being located in a city that prides itself on its diverse cultural, ethnic and racial background, BrasArte reaches out to the local Brazilian, African and other Latin American communities and presents them with opportunities to promote and preserve their unique and diverse cultures and heritages. These events include performances, dance and/or music workshops and classes, lectures and social gatherings. By maintaining close cultural ties to their traditions, these groups create stronger bonds within not only their own community, but with other communities as well.
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Kathleen Henderson Art Teacher and Special Projects Coordinator at Creative Growth in Oakland and Artist Statement Submitted by Nominator: While maintaining her personal art practice she is also an art teacher and special projects coordinator at Creative Growth where she has worked for several years. The last year has of course been impacted by Covid which has made it especially difficult to serve the needs of the special community she serves but she has thrived in her work creating a safe space for her students with disabilities to continue to expand their work. Henderson also curates the organizations magazine. Kathleen is an accomplished artist in her own right with multiple exhibitions and grants.
CREATIVE GROWTH ART CENTER is a non-profit based in Oakland, California that serves artists with disabilities by providing a professional studio environment for artistic development, gallery exhibition, and
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 28 of 33 representation. Founded in 1974, Creative Growth is a leader in the field of arts and disabilities, establishing a model for a creative community guided by the principle that art is fundamental to human expression and that all people are entitled to its tools of communication. From the first day Creative Growth started in the East Bay home of Elias Katz and Florence Ludins-Katz, the vision was clear. Art would be the path forward for people with disabilities to express themselves and a professional gallery would exhibit their work. The Creative Growth Studio is home to over 140 artists who work in a variety of media. Facilitated by professional artists, the studio provides artistic support, high-quality materials, and space for painting, drawing, ceramics, wood working, fiber arts, printmaking, and digital media. The studio is an open space, converted 12,000 square foot former auto repair shop.The Creative Growth Gallery exhibits and represents artwork by Creative Growth artists, securing a place for their work in major collections and institutions worldwide. It presents public exhibitions in the Oakland gallery and represents Creative Growth artists at national and international art fairs every year. As a non-profit gallery, the sale of each artwork is split 50-50 between the artist and Creative Growth, which uses the proceeds to purchase materials and keep the program running. Artwork made at Creative Growth has been acquired by prominent collections worldwide, including MoMA, SFMOMA, the Smithsonian, the Studio Museum of Harlem, Collection de L’Art Brut, American Folk Art Museum, and The Museum of Everything.Art collectors and donors are a critical part of the Creative Growth community. Art sales and individual giving make up the majority of Creative Growth’s funding, allowing us to to sustain the high quality level of materials and support in the studio and to continue to exhibit the artists’ work locally, nationally, and internationally.
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Julie McCray Founder and Director of Shoh Gallery of Art, Berkeley Statement Submitted by Nominator: Julie McRay owns and curates the Shoe Gallery of Art in Berkeley. As a local artists I began visiting this gallery about 3 years ago, attending openings and generally visiting to look at ongoing art exhibits, often with another artist friend. We would engage in conversation about the works and the art situation in the Bay area. Julie, herself an artist, has been very engaging and involved. It became clear that she is committed to showing local art and also to supporting other art galleries as well as artists and other art venues, particularly in Berkeley and Oakland. Although she shows works of men and women, she has given a good number of adept women artists a place to show -- thus a community of the arts. Some of these artists are well known in the community, some not. After a while, Julie suggested I contact an artist whose studio is in my neighborhood (Amrita Singhal) and whose work, she felt, I would appreciate. She was right. Julie agreed to give me an exhibition which was held Jan.-Feb 2020. In all of our dealings, Julie has been knowledgeable, warmly involved, innovative in her willingness to embrace both conventional and non-conventional modes of hanging and showing works. She developed a conception of my show that moved me very much as she had a deep understanding of the works and how the collection we chose fit together and should be hung. This became even more apparent when I received responses to this show which revealed how deeply Julie's concept brought out a whole sense of this work. Thus her exhibitions truly sound the depths of each artists' body of work. This is not an ordinary understanding and concentration; it is unusual. Julie is truly dedicated to the artists and their work. At the level of delivering, hanging and un-hanging one's work, Julie is involved, helpful, kind and generous. I am sure this is true for other artists she shows. Although owning a gallery is truly a business, it can also be a life's work; for Julie, it is not only her gallery, but the other businesses in the
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 29 of 33 neighborhood which benefit from her interest, involvement, keen eye and care. Her generosity, kindness, knowledge and ability are offered to the entire community. Julie McRay is a force to be valued.
Julie McRay is actively involved through the city of Berkeley, in the development of the Gilman area neighborhood as an art venue; this includes other galleries, restaurants, local wine shop, art studios in the area. I do not know much about this work but do know of her involvement and active interest. She is not just for herself or herself and her artists, she is about the Arts and about the Community. Personally, I do not know where she gets the energy as she is such a different kind of person than myself.
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Naima Shalhoub Independent Musician and Educator
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Naima Shalhoub is a Lebanese Arab-American vocalist, composer, performing artist, and educator based in Oakland, CA. All of her work, from co-writing songs with students in Oakland public schools, using music for community building in Alameda County Juvenile Hall, to engaging audiences with her powerful music, centers around a "deeply held belief that music and song are vessels for freedom and healing, holding the potential to energize movements working toward more just and loving futures." (Quote from Naima Shaloub) Her music travels beautifully between cultures and genres: moving from blues to jazz, hip-hop to the sounds of the Middle East-- she often incorporates the ancient Oud as well as traditional and modern Arabic songs. In 2020 she released her debut full length studio album entitled Siphr, which was partially funded by a Restoration Village Arts grant designed for artist-activists. The album explores her own Arab-American heritage (she is the daughter of Lebanese refugees from Rahbé) and issues related to injustice and the prison system: as in the song Roumieh Prison Blues, featuring lyrics written by incarcerated men in a Lebanese prison.
Naima has worked with students in music education (ages 5 and up) for years in Alameda County. In the summer of 2020, Chapter 510 & the Dept. of Make Believe paired nine elementary school students with nine Oakland musicians. Naima was one of those musicians, collaborating with local student Yahaira Mata to create the song Peace in their Heart. In addition to this project, she has been teaching music lessons to students (voice, piano, guitar) for years at numerous schools in the Bay Area including Aspire Public Schools in Oakland. She has continued this work virtually throughout the pandemic. Integrating music with her restorative justice work, she worked at Alameda County Juvenile Hall for a year and a half, incorporating art and music as part of a weekly community building circle with the young women as a staff member of RJOY (Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth). She founded and facilitated weekly intergenerational BIPOC arts-centered healing circle called Sista Cypher for women, girls and femmes (gender inclusive lens).
She performs regularly in local venues such as Yoshii's, Freight and Salvage and The Sound Room and often performs to benefit local Alameda County communities and organizations. She often performs at events like Beloved Oakland 2020, which benefited local orgs like East Oakland Black Culture Zone.
This is only a selection of her work, but I hope it gives a sense of her commitment to using music to promote community building, social justice and healing for all ages through music. Naima is a unique and incredible voice in the landscape of the arts of Alameda County, a stand- out performer with a deep commitment to expanding the cultural dialogue within the county, educating youth on the benefits of music, and bringing the
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 30 of 33 healing power of music and art to all. I hope she can be recognized for her leadership in all these aspects and her continued positive impact.
Naima Shaloub has been affiliated with Alameda County arts organizations as a teaching artist, performer and educator. She has worked with Chapter 510, La Peña Cultural Center and Destiny Arts. As an educator she has worked for years with students ages 5-15 in Alameda County, from teaching with Aspire Schools in Oakland to special projects with Chapter 510 and the Dept. of Make Believe, to special projects like SHINE, a project in collaboration with East Bay Parks and Recreation and Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland as a songleader with families. In addition to performing in local venues such as Yoshii's, Freight and Salvage, The Sound Room and The New Parish, she often performs to benefit local communities and organizations. She brought her talent to events like Beloved Oakland 2020, Diaspora Arts Connection’s Let Her Sing® 2020: A Celebration of Female Voices (as Master of Ceremonies and as a performer) and for a East Bay Meditation Center fundraiser.
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Leyya Tawil Artist and Director of Dance Elixir, Arab.AMP, and Temescal Art Center in Oakland Statement Submitted by Nominator: Leya Mona Tawil is the director of DANCE ELIXIR and Arab.AMP, a platform that amplifies, contextualizes, and supports art and activism from a SWANA [South West Asia North Africa] and BIPOC perspective. SWANA distinguishes a geographic region stretching from Morocco to Afghanistan including North Africa, the Levant States, the Gulf States, Turkey, Iran, Cyprus, and Pakistan. DANCE ELIXIR has a proven record of providing resources and programming that foster cross-cultural understanding and respect. ELIXIR is a 501c3 organization that operates TAC: Temescal Arts Center – a community venue in Oakland. Founded in 2003, ELIXIR supports live trans-disciplinary performance, in a manner that engages local and international discourse. Under Tawil’s leadership, it has emerged one of few US organizations that specifically presents experimental performance works from an Arab perspective. Programs such as Arab.AMP, TACmusic, and Dabke with Us! have strengthened the SWANA community’s sense of selfhood, creativity, and civic agency within our city’s cultural ecology.
TAC is situated in a constantly shifting area of the Temescal-Telegraph corridor. TAC is devoted to keeping BIPOC and specifically SWANA voices broadcast in our neighborhood. Especially as COVID has severely reduced our ability to be able to gather and build community in-person, projects like this can be a lifeline for already struggling artists, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA communities to come together and remain connected despite physical distance. TAC is a curated venue that also operates as a subsidized rental space to hundreds of artists, healers, educators, and activists. The mission of TAC is to provide a place of sanctuary for diverse expressions and ideas to flourish. It is a place rooted in belonging and acceptance for artists to exercise their cultural expression, build identity, and connect to where they live and the people they live with in order to feel a part of a larger community. TAC supports experimental, community, and healing arts practices and provides the Bay Area with a space where non-binary and non-dominant ideas can thrive. At TAC, Tawil initiated and directs multiple community-driven programs including Dabke with Us! - Palestinian Dance & Music Program and TACmusic:: series. Both these programs offer free monthly workshops and seasonal performances that foster discourse and growth for the communities that they serve. TAC: Temescal Art Center is a venue for experimental, healing and community art in Oakland-CA. Deeply rooted in our values around equity, is an
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 31 of 33 imperative to sustain this space as one accessible to the local community of Oakland, especially as the forces of gentrification shift the landscape and push out long-time residents.
Equity Statement: Being one of the few US organizations that specifically presents experimental performance works from an Arab-American perspective, fostering a sense of belonging amongst historically marginalized populations is central to ELIXIR’s mission, values, and programming. With a focus on presenting work from the SWANA diaspora, region, and allied communities, ELIXIR supports local and international discourse and cultural empowerment. We present the work of other BIPOC communities in conversation with those of SWANA diasporic artists and prioritizes LGBTQI+ narratives throughout our programming. This prioritization is reflected throughout the organization from the board, to leadership, in partnerships, and in the artists ELIXIR presents.
More about LEYYA MONA TAWIL: LEYYA MONA TAWIL [Lime Rickey International] is an artist working with dance, sound and performance practices. Tawil is Syrian Palestinian American, engaged in the world as such. She has a 23-year record of performance scores that have been presented in 40+ cities throughout the US, Europe and the Arab world. Tawil was named the ISSUE Project Room Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellow for 2020 for her project called “Nomadic Signals”. She also received a 2018 Saari Fellowship in Finland. Her work Lime Rickey Internatonal’s Future Faith, commissioned by Abrons Arts Center and the KONE Foundation, was nominated for a 2019 Bessie Award in Music, and also acclaimed in Artforum International’s Performance Review of 2019. Her performance work has received commissioning and development support from Target Margin Theater's LAB 2019, Pieter Performance Space Residency 2020, Gibney Dance-in- Process Program 2020 and Kenneth Rainin Foundation NEW Commissioning grant.
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Sharon Wilchar Director of the Emeryville Celebration for the Arts, Office Manager/Community Liaison to the City/Member of the 45th St. Artists' Cooperative, Inc., and Chairperson for the Emeryville Public Art Committee
Statement Submitted by Nominator: Sharon Wilchar’s major achievements and contributions to the Emeryville arts community and the residents of Alameda County for the past two years include the same contributions she has made for the past 30 odd years. She is a true veteran of all of her remarkable endeavors and really has no peers!
Since 1973, Ms. Wilchar has been an extremely active member of the 45th St. Artists’ Cooperative, Inc. in Emeryville and played an instrumental role in the procurement of the main Co-op building that contains 37 low to moderate income live/work spaces for artists. As one of only three administrative staff members, she has served as the Community Liaison to the City of Emeryville, representing the Co-op’s 70 resident members, since the non-profit corporation was formed. Sharon created the Emeryville Youth Art Program, placing artists in the Emeryville schools, as the Co-op’s educational outreach program and has been its coordinator for 34 years. Sharon has been the Director of the annual Emeryville Celebration for the Arts exhibition for 34 years that is always the largest social event in the city each year. And, if that’s not enough, Sharon has also acted as the volunteer chairperson for the Emeryville Public Art Committee for 30 years. At any given time, the committee is made up of up to nine members who are Emeryville residents or business representatives. Currently, she is also acting as Office Manager at the 45th St. Artists’ Co-op as we usher in a new Business Manager and a new Building Manager, simultaneously. Sharon is a true leader and advocate in all facets of
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 32 of 33 community arts here in Alameda County. She displays an exemplary work ethic with impeccable attention to detail and as a great communicator, she promotes diplomacy, communication, equity and empathy. I, myself along with hundreds of other friends, collaborators and “fans” of Sharon Wilchar have nothing but praise for her achievements and endurance in supporting the arts in Emeryville. We offer her the highest recommendation possible as a candidate for the Alameda County Arts Commission 2021 Arts Leadership Awards, without reservation. This would be a long overdue and well-deserved honor.
Sharon is involved with: 45th St. Artists' (live/work) Cooperative, Inc., Emeryville; Community Liaison to the City of Emeryville; Emeryville Youth Art Program; Annual Emeryville Celebration for the Arts; Emeryville Public Art Committee The 45th St, Artist’s Cooperative, Inc Founded in 1973, the 45th Street Artists' Cooperative (Emeryville Artists' Cooperative) is the City of Emeryville's first established arts organization. Visual artists, musicians, choreographers, writers, designers and fine craftsmen, many of national and international stature, constitute their membership. Over the past three decades, the Cooperative has grown from a dozen studios in one converted warehouse building to nearly 60 studios in three buildings. Today, as a non-profit, limited-equity housing cooperative, it is a national model for affordable artist-owned housing. Working at this level of professional commitment demands a unique living and working environment. Renovating obsolete industrial warehouses has provided affordable, versatile studios, enriching the city of Emeryville culturally. In addition to providing live/work space for artists, the Cooperative offers the following services to the community: Emeryville Youth Art Program and Open Studios Tours.
Emeryville Celebration of the Arts is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering an appreciation of the arts and artists in Emeryville, CA, and to promote the city as a culturally vital and progressive center for living and working. The purpose of the organization is to produce and coordinate community-based events and programs that increase awareness of the arts and artists in all forms of creative expressions. The annual art exhibit, a juried show featuring works of over 100 artists who live or work in Emeryville, is sponsored by the city of Emeryville and held each year in October. Ongoing for more than thirty years, the annual art exhibit offers the opportunity to discover emerging talent along with new work by established artists.
Staff Report to ACAC_2021 Arts Leadership Awards Program_ Selection of Award Recipients Page 33 of 33 BALLOT - 2021 ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARD SELECTION June 9, 2021
Arts Commissioner Name: ______
Requirement – All ballots must be submitted to Rachel Osajima via email by Wed., June 9, 12:00 Noon
RULES REGARDING SUBMISSION OF BALLOTS Arts Commissioners DO NOT NEED TO BE present at the meeting on June 9 to submit their ballot. All ballots will be included in the voting tally. The Arts Commissioners who attend the June 9 meeting will make the final decision, through an official vote, of the selected awardees and recommend those individuals to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. . It is expected that one individual or one two-person team will be selected for each supervisorial district. . If 2 or more individuals or two-person teams within one district receive a tie vote, the Commissioners will attempt to conduct a re-vote. If the tie cannot be broken, both individuals or teams will receive an award. . Arts Commissioners are expected to vote for a 1st and 2nd place selection for each District.
PLEASE READ ALL OF THE COMPLETE NOMINATION STATEMENTS BEFORE CASTING YOUR VOTES
List of Nominees for Supervisorial District One Please mark an “X” in the box next to your 1st and 2nd place selection
1st 2nd Place Place
A) Adam Fresquez, Theater Manager of the Center for the Performing Arts and Education, Dublin
B) Kala Ghaty, Founder of Kalamandir Art School, Fremont and Special Education Teacher at Fremont Unified School District C) Christie Inocencio, Owner of Christie's Creative Cupboards, Fremont
D) Lynn Seppala, Board Member and Past President of the Livermore Cultural Arts Council, Livermore. Founding Board Member of the Rae Dorough Speakers Series and Las Positas College Foundation, Livermore E) Anupama Srivastava, Founder and Artistic Director of InSyncKathak Dance School, Fremont
F) Vanessa Thomas, Co-Founder of Dublin Arts Collective, Dublin
I am abstaining from voting in this category
2021 Ballot Page 1 of 3
BALLOT - 2021 ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARD SELECTION June 9, 2021
Arts Commissioner Name: ______
List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Two Please mark an “X” in the box next to your 1st and 2nd place selection
1st 2nd Place Place
A) Carl Larson, Arts Educator for over 40 years at Newark Adult Education, Newark
B) Ruey Lin Syrop, Curator for Hayward Arts Council's John O'Lague Galleria and Board Member at A.R.T., Inc. I am abstaining from voting in this category
List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Three Please mark an “X” in the box next to your 1st and 2nd place selection
1st 2nd Place Place
A) Terry Guillory, Founder and Board President of the San Leandro Players, Board Member of the Arts Council of San Leandro, and San Leandro Arts Commissioner B) Angela Wellman, Founder of the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, Oakland
I am abstaining from voting in this category
List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Four Please mark an “X” in the box next to your 1st and 2nd place selection
1st 2nd Place Place
A) Gregory Conway, Executive Board Member of the Jenny Lin Foundation in Castro Valley and Instrumental Music Instructor B) Linda Garbarino, Board Member of the Pleasanton Art League, Board President for the Museum on Main, Pleasanton, and President and Chair of the Pleasanton Heritage Association C) Anne Giancola, Board Member of the Pleasanton Arts Council, Co-founder for the Alliance for the Visual Arts serving Pleasanton and Livermore areas, Visual Arts Manager for Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center, Livermore and Manager of the Bothwell Arts Center I am abstaining from voting in this category 2021 Ballot Page 2 of 3
BALLOT - 2021 ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARD SELECTION June 9, 2021
Arts Commissioner Name: ______
List of Nominees for Supervisorial District Five Please mark an “X” in the box next to your 1st and 2nd place selection
1st 2nd Place Place
A) Lisa Bullwinkel, Founder and Director of the Berkeley Arts & Culture Hotline, Chair of the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission, Steering Committee Member for the Berkeley Cultural Trust B) Conceição Damasceno, Founder, President, and Artistic Director of BrasArte, Berkeley
C) Kathleen Henderson, Art Teacher and Special Projects Coordinator at Creative Growth, Oakland and Artist D) Julie McCray, Founder and Director of Shoh Gallery of Art, Berkeley
E) Naima Shaloub, Independent Musician and Educator, Oakland
F) Leyya Tawil, Artist and Director of Dance Elixir, Arab.AMP, and Temescal Art Center, Oakland
G) Sharon Wilchar, Director of the Emeryville Celebration for the Arts, Chairperson of the Emeryville Public Art Committee, Office Manager and Community Liaison for the 45th St. Artists' Cooperative, Inc., Emeryville I am abstaining from voting in this category
2021 Ballot Page 3 of 3