Dear Creative Growth Community,
Over the past three weeks, everyone has done their best to adapt to new at-home lifestyles. For our staff, this has meant finding unique ways to transport the magic of Creative Growth, a home away from home for artists for the last 45 years, beyond the walls of our Oakland Gallery and Studio. While we haven’t (yet) replicated our Tuesday afternoon dance parties or field trips to inspiring Bay Area landmarks, staff members are regularly calling and emailing artists, delivering art supplies to their homes, and establishing new routines focused on keeping our creative community connected.
As we are all too aware, the shelter in place order that initially required us to close our doors has been extended until May 3. I am sorry we will not be regathering in the Studio on April 8 as previously hoped. Now that we know we’ll still be at home for some time, we’re realizing that the need for physical distancing is increasing the value of social closeness, not to mention the craving for creative outlets.
To that end, we invite you to spend time with our recently launched Stuck at Home Series, featuring art, insights, and anecdotes from the Studio. It’s an opportunity to hear from the artists and get to know their work up close. Looking for something hands on? John Martin’s inventive coloring book is now available to download for free HERE. Enjoy collaborating with John, an artist practicing at Creative Growth for more than 30 years, whose signature style transforms everyday objects into inventive mash-ups of form and function. You can share your interpretations of John’s work on Instagram with the #JohnMartinCG.
Creative Growth was founded on the belief that everyone has the ability to express themselves creatively, and the right to access the means of creative expression. It hasn’t been easy to transform a program based on in-person contact over these last few weeks, yet new avenues of collaboration continue to emerge in unexpected ways. If you can, please consider making a gift of any size to help us stay connected. Your donation will support art supplies and technology keeping creativity in the hands of artists. We may be dispersed, but Creative Growth continues to be a source of strength and resilience, and home to an astounding community. Thank you for being a part of it, and welcoming us into your home. We can all grow creatively, wherever we happen to be.
With gratitude,
Elizabeth Brodersen
Executive Director
P.S. Keep an eye out for an invitation to participate in a digital party with artists, staff, and partners from the community soon. We’ll join together online to celebrate the many gifts art brings us all.