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installation by Charlie Milgrim at Mercury Twenty
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“Since I’ve been in this neighborhood,” St. Lawrence relates, “I have watched this vibrant gallery community spring up out of nothing and start to gain national attention. All of us are networking with other local small businesses. And in a way, each artist at FM is their own small business.” And while making and selling art is a terrific gig, St. Lawrence is quick to point out that success requires training. “No one can magically make you into a successful artist or businessperson; they can only provide the community, facilities, and opportunities. This is why you go to CCA. Then, when you graduate, hopefully you’ve come to love the Bay Area and decide to remain here and maintain your connections. CCA really seems to produce motivated artists who stay active and thrive.” FM also functions as a gallery with rotating monthly exhibitions. It has featured Alex is Aurora B abayan (Painting/Drawing 2004), M ike L ees (Illustration 2010), Juan Santiago (Ceramics 2000 and current faculty member), jul ie ann travi s (MFA 2007), Jessie Rose Vala (Individualized Major 1999), and Ch ristoph er Vogel (Printmaking 2007). St. Lawrence feels good about the curatorial role he’s playing at FM: “If there is a theme emerging among the
FM artists, it is craftsmanship. We all make things by hand and appreciate hard-working artists who show attention to detail.” The Moon: R i s i n g Ov e r Oa k l a n d Sustainable fashion designers Cory Gunter Brown (Pre-College Program alumna) and C ass i dy Hope Wr i g h t (former Textiles student) are the founders of The Moon at 447 25th Street. They describe it as a “slow fashion” boutique and design studio, making and selling creative ready-to-wear and custom garments, jewelry, and novelties. Their products are all one-of-a-kind and make responsible use of society’s excesses—meaning, for instance, that they only use natural dyes, and that the materials, if they weren’t sustainably produced in the first place, were scavenged, repurposed, or donated. Brown cannot imagine having established The Moon anywhere other than Oakland. “Cassidy and I both grew up in Oakland. It’s our home. The people of Oakland are deeply passionate and creative, and it’s beautiful to be in the midst of so much creativity. You can’t ignore the world here; being here makes you think deeply about what you do and why.”