Native Butterflies at Allendale Park

Sponsored by Oakland Parks and Recreation, Allendale Park and created through an open community participation. With research guidence from the East Bay Regional Park District ACE Arts artists Kristi Holohan, Elijah Pfotenhauer, Justin Divine, and youth apprentices Jose Vasquez, Onofre Avalos, and Santos created larger than life native butterflies.

The pieces were painted with community participation in the park.

Challenges of Champions (Oakland Public Library)

Stop by the main branch of the Oakland Public Library and check out the exhibit just outside the Teen Zone on the second floor. Special thank you to ACE Arts high school intern Rosie Pereira and Library staff for installation assistance.


The exhibit will be running through the month of January.

Dimond Gateway Mural

Although it has yet to be dedicated the Dimond Gateway Peace Park Mural has been completed. The work can be seen at the corner of Lincoln and MacArthur just aside the Dimond Gateway Peace Park.

The work was painted and designed the community at large facilitated/led by artist Kristi Holohan. the work was made possible by donations by:

ACE Arts, 7-eleven , Routh Stroup Farmer's Insurance , The Office of Jean Quan ,  Paws and Claws , Friends of Dimond Library , Dimond Buisness and Professional Association, Dimond Improvement Association , and Thu Banh (individual). Special Thanks to La Farine for snacks!



The work adds vibrant color to the community as well as increasing civic pride in the hundreds who helped paint the work and the thousands who see it every day.

Challenges of Champions-Reflections on Homicides in Oakland-Roundtable

Fellow Activists for a Safe and Healthy Oakland,

The Challenges of Champions Exhibit (click to view blog ) has been a moving reminder of our experiences as a community in dealing with homicides in Oakland (and in some cases beyond Oakland). The exhibit has toured public buildings, parks, and galleries in Oakland and San Francisco and received good reception and some press. I want to thank you for your interest and personal work towards peaceful solutions to Oakland's Violence.

The next stop for the exhibit is San Antonio Park on October 24th from 4-6:30. We will also have performances from POCAT as well as spoken word from Poor Mazganize Poetry Class  other performances and an alloted time for casual discussions about our next steps towards resolving armed and violent conflicts in Oakland.

Please forward this email and/or print out the flyer and distribute to Schools, Youth, Activists, Neighbors, Organizations, Churches, Groups, Artists, Community Members, Politicians, Crimewatch Groups etc etc etc. We want it to be intimate but also to have a decent turnout so we can have some great discussions, reflections, and make some tangible plans for the future. If you can't view the attachment for some reason then you can open it from photobucket (single flyer and X4 flyer). It also prints well in black and white. If you'd like additional flyers and can't print them then please contact me and I will have them printed and delivered.

Special thanks goes out to Oakland Parks and Recreation (George Henderson-facility director), the Cheeseboard Collective and Irvington High School for sponsorship of the program, and La Farine Bakery for their gracious food donation to the event. 

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer please feel free to contact me either by phone or by email.

Thank you for all of your efforts and I look forward to seeing you all on the 24th!

Street Style and Dream Seam School of Fashion

Fall 2009-Spring 2010

Project:

Come learn how to create your own professional fashion designs. We will instruct on basic sewing and pattern making to marketing. We will also visit various design studios and meet successful local designers. 

The class will conclude in a Fashion Show that showcases large scale bay area designers. The class is free and Oakland youth are encouraged to apply.

Space is very limited and we are now accepting applications. Download your application HERE 

Time and Location:

You can either attend the 

Street Style course on Tuesdays from 4:30-6:30

Located at downtown Rock Paper Scissors Collective

2278 Telegraph Ave. Oakland, Ca 

Dream Seam course on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30

Located at Tassafaronga Recreation Center 

975 85th Ave Oakland, CA

Applications can be mailed to or dropped off at either Street Style or Dream Seam location or emailed to ace.arts.eastbay@gmail.com

If you have any questions please contact Kristi Holohan at 415 420 8028 or by ace.arts.eastbay@gmail.com

Healthy Eats Cooking Class

Location:

Brookdale Recreation Center 2535 High Street

Project:

Come check our Culinary Arts Healthy Eats Cooking Class (open to participants 11 and over but anyone can eat pending food amounts). It'll start at 6:45 on the Third Thursdays of each month. You can also volunteer to teach a class with a healthy menu.

We'll be giving out grocery bags to take home after the Community Dinner (priority will be given to those who take part in Healthy Eats).

What Now America at KIPP Elementary

Spring-Summer 2009

Project:

ACE Arts partnered with What Now America to paint a mural on the back of KIPP Elementary for Earth Day '09. Volunteer Kristi Holohan worked with the school and WNA to create a simple design that the community could paint. Assisted by Volunteers Jessica Wise, Elijah Pfotenhauer, Hanif Panni as well as about 150 student participants

The work is scheduled to be dedicated to the school by the first week of the 2009-2010 School year.

Press:

Volunteer Artist Kristi Holohan and WNA participants BreShawn Clark and Daniel Norman got front page of the Oakland Tribune! 

Champions Paint Bikes

fall 2008

Project: 

Youth around the Champion Street area cleaned up, sanded down and custom painted old bikes. The participants were provided with appropriate safety gear (masks, respirators, & gloves) , drop clothes, tape, paint-markers, and of course spray paint. 

Eden Manor Senior Center

2009-present

Project:

Located at 3121 Fruitvale Ave. in Oakland, CA, Eden Manor is a senior home for the memory impaired. Led by artist Kristi Holohan, ACE Arts offers a class on the First Friday of each month. 

Participants engage in fine arts activities as well as social interaction. The works are hung on site as well as at local public centers. To volunteer please contact Eden Manor at (510) 533-3923 or ACE Arts at 415 420 8028/ace.arts.eastbay@gmail.com

Challenges of Champions (Part 1)

 2009

Project:

Through the combination of three art components: Letters (words), United Front (warriors), and Portraits of Champions (windows) Kristi Holohan curates a community collaboration to tour Public Locations in Oakland.

 

ABCO ArtSpace: 

Installed by volunteer team: Lhamdari Batmumkh, Adoni Ogbe, Kristi Holohan, Elisa Ofria, Ed Huang, and Marvin McMillian. The show opened in January and was in large attendance from College Park LPS students organized by teacher and mentor Steven Day.

Rock Paper Scissors:

Installed by volunteers at RPS Collective, Elijah Pfotenhauer, and Kristi Holohan. The work was seen as part of Oakland's Art Murmur

250 Frank Ogawa Plaza:

 

Nestled in official public buildings at Frank Owaga Plaza Challenges of Champions was installed in the Atrium on the ground floor. Volunteer installation team included Lisa Ruscioni, Megan McCrary, Maia Steward and Kristi Holohan

Studio One:

Seen at Studio One's First Friday, Challenges of Champions was warmly received by Oakland's Public Art Studio.

Logo/Anemities :

You can purchase hand printed Challenges of Champions tote bags, and tee-shirts for a donation. Each piece was hand crafted and totes are made from recovered materials. The works were produced in collaboration with Rock Paper Scissors Gallery Printshop by ACE Arts volunteers.

Press:

Indymedia

KGO

KQED

Oakland Tribune

Letters

2009

Project: 

A collection of anonymous letters written in dedication and memorial.

The letters are anonymous correspondence from citizen towards victims (both survivors and those slain) and families of victims involved in Oakland homicides.  The anonymity of the writings allows for a great amount of emotional outpour. The works are uniformly written in pencil on a single page lined school paper

.Collection:

The letters are collected through anonymous posts on Craigslist, through open mailings with residents, and by working with staff, participants, and YEPs (Oakland’s Youth Employment Program) at Dimond Park, in Oakland.  Student participants in school 

classroom presentations at the Fremont High School campus’ Media Academy have written additional letters.  Letters are continually being collected as an interactive component during Challenges of Champion’s 2009 Art Tour (scheduled throughout the Bay at a different location each month). As of July there are approximately 200 letters. 

Appearences: 

Letters to the Victims is part of the Challenges of Champions Tour, which visually and communally reflects on Oakland homicides.  The exhibit has been received coverage and mention from the following: KQED, KGO radio and other ABC syndicates, The Oakland Tribune, The Eastbay Express, and the Eastbay Monthly. The work continues to show through the bay area and is scheduled for the entire year 2009. In addition, the letters will be shown at 2009 Power to the Peaceful Festival in San Francisco as Part of ACE Art’s Oakland School 4 Peace exhibit. 

Publication:

It is our intent to create a publication of the original works and distribute the booklets to the Oakland Unified School District, as well as through various public community settings such as Oakland Public Library and The Parks and Recreation System.  The program will continue to collect letters throughout the publication as an opportunity for community grieving. We are seeking contributions towards these efforts. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. 

United Front (a memorial to Oakland's Slain in 2008)

Fall 2008-2009:

Project:

Created with participants from Oakland Parks and Recreation's Radical Roving Recreation (at Mosswood), through guerilla art's tables temporarily set up in in East Oakland and by participation at Oakland Art and Soul 2008. 

125 pieces of recovered wood were cut and shaped into representations of those who have been lost to violence in Oakland in 2008. The works range in size from 5" to 15" tall.  Scrap cuttings were donated by Economy Lumber paints were donated by Laurel Ace Hardware. The works were made from wood, acrylic, paint marker, and spray-paint.

Appearances: 

United Front was seen at 2008 Power to the Peaceful. The works are also part of a larger exhibit titled Challenges of Champions which is touring public spaces including galleries, parks, and public buildings for the year 2009.

Press Coverage:

Indymedia

KGO

KQED

Oakland Tribune

Volunteer:

To volunteer with installations and/or promotions please contact ACE Arts at ace.arts.eastbay@gmail.com or by calling 415 420 8028

Sausal on my Mind

Fall 2008:

Project: Lead by artist Kristi Holohan, creaded with Dimond After school program, Brete Harte Middle School volunteers with subject guidance from Friends of Sausal Creek and support from Oakland Parks and Recreation Aquatics Department, as well as with help from park passer-bys and artist volunteers Taylor Goode and Elijah Pfotenhauer. 

The work demonstrates the native plants and animal species of Saual Creek Watershed.

The work was created with acrylic and spray-paint. The informative mural lives at the entrance of Lion's pool in Dimond Park.

Putting the Pieces Together

                                                             

Fall 2008

Project Background & Description:

On June 16th 2008, at 1:30 in the afternoon, shock tore through the close-knit community when bullets struck two well-liked youths who were starting an exciting summer vacation. Horror ran through neighborhood friends and families.18 year old Edgar Torres was fatally struck. The gunfire was aimed towards Nicol Park, where many children were at play, and the youths hit by bullets were awaiting a bus. The bus stop sits directly in front of the park. The devastation has left the neighborhood in an unspoken boycott of the park while memorabilia for the slain youth, Edgar Torres, is enshrined around the area

    

In an effort to rebuild, heal, and strengthen our community, members of the neighborhood, the local NCPC (neighborhood crime prevention council),  ACE Arts and family of Edgar Torres created an installation in Nicol Park. The work, titled:

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER takes the shape of four puzzle pieces. Each piece visually represents a variety of elements of a healthy lifestyle:  family, exercise, education, and neighborhood diversity. The work has been painted by the community and dedicated in ceremony to the families of those affected. The work was supported by Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation, ACE Arts, and through contributions from the community.