Berkeley
California
Kala Art Institute News - June 9, 2023
Arts and Entertainment
June 10, 2023
From: Kala Art InstituteIn loving memory of Jim Melchert
We will miss our friend and mentor, the one and only Jim Melchert.
His wisdom, humility, dedication to his art and craft, life-long practice of experimentation and growth, generosity, and warmth are just some of the attributes that stand out about Jim.
As we visited his home and studio this spring to pick out a piece of his for Kala’s auction, he showed us all of his work in progress, new ways he was breaking and repairing tiles, and shared his thoughts and stories. His creativity in full swing throughout his life. We are so grateful for these opportunities and memories.
During that February visit he also showed us a redwood he planted in his backyard when he moved in decades ago. It was tall - really tall - symbolic of the passage of time and all that Jim shared with the Bay Area arts community.
Here’s to creativity, experimentation, resiliency, and repair, and most of all here’s to Jim!!
Our love goes out to all of his family and friends.
2023-2024 Media Arts Residency
The Media Arts Fellowship application is now open! Deadline is July 1, 2023
Apply today for Kala's Media Arts Fellowship supporting artists working on innovative projects in and across film + video, sound, animation, performance cinema, and media arts installation. This opportunity is open to local, national, and international artists. Kala will award 4 artists a $3,000 stipend, unlimited access to Kala’s facilities for up to 9 months, one-month artist housing at the Higby (for artists outside of the area), one free Kala art class or workshop, and a culminating group exhibition with the 2023-2024 Fellowship and Media Arts Cohort in the Kala Gallery.
Kala Artist-In-Residence Program
Are you interested in becoming an artist-in-residence (AIR) at Kala? Apply in Slideroom by July 15th 9:00 pm PDT!
Kala's AIR program is a subsidized fee-based artist residency that provides access to Kala's printshop, digital lab, black and white darkroom. Resident artists have 24-hour access to the printmaking studio and digital lab, individual storage space including a flat file and cubby, and opportunities to participate in Kala exhibitions. Kala’s shared artist apartment is available on a limited basis for artists coming from outside of Northern California (a 2 bedroom apartment, meaning you will be living with a roommate and sharing a kitchen, living room, and bathroom). Find out more here!
Community Figure Drawing Session
Date & Time: Monday, June 12, 6-9pm
Location: Kala Gallery and Classroom
Facilitators: Kala Staff
Come draw with us in the spacious Kala gallery! We will have a model for the full 3 hours during which participants can practice their figure drawing at their own pace, work on incorporating a figure into an existing piece, or however they’d like to use their time! Kala staff members – who are also practicing artists – will facilitate the session and offer any desired feedback or support. Kala will provide drawing boards and standing easels, but recommend that participants bring tools and surfaces of their choice to the session. Kala will have limited basic materials for general use (such as charcoal, graphite, and newsprint). The session will include a series of short poses (1 – 5min) as well as some longer poses (10 – 20min).
This community workshop is open to all 18 and above. The figure model will be unclothed for the duration of the drawing session. As of this month, mask-wearing is recommended but optional for all visitors in Kala’s gallery and community classroom. Space limited, please RSVP via Eventbrite.
Adult Class Highlights
Intro to Printmaking - 3 spots left!
Thursdays, June 15-Aug 3, 6-9pm
Location: Kala Printmaking Studio
Collage Mounted Prints: Scraps to Scenes
Location: Kala Printmaking Studio
Introduction to Reductive Linocut
Saturdays, July 8-22, 6-9pm
Instructor: Rich Fowler
Location: Kala Printmaking Studio
Multiple Plates and Color Intaglio
Sundays, July 9-23, 10am-4pm
Instructor: Kazuko Watanabe
Location: Kala Printmaking Studio
Interested in teaching at Kala? We're now accepting proposals for September-December. Visit our Adult Art Classes page to see our current offerings and read about what teaching at Kala looks like. If it sounds like the right fit for you, fill out the class proposal form. Priority deadline for all submissions is June 15, 2023 - but sooner is always appreciated!
Questions? Reach out to [email protected].
Camp Kala Highlights
Digital Photography: Making With Light - 1 spot left!
Ages 11-17
Tuesday-Friday, June 20-23, 10am-4pm
Instructor: Lee Oscar Gomez
Location: Kala Community Classroom & Gallery
Imaginative Puppets for Storytellers
Ages 6-11
Monday-Friday, July 31-Aug 4, 9am-3pm
Instructor: Risa Lenore Anderson Dye
Location: Kala Community Classroom & Gallery
More News... In Brief
- Family Pride Fest at JCC East Bay, Sunday, June 11, 10:30am-12pm. Drag story time, carnival and dance party!
- Open Call for The de Young Open 2023, a juried community art exhibition featuring artists from the nine Bay Area counties. Submissions open through June 18 or until 12,000 submissions received. Apply now!
- Open Call for Djerassi Resident Artists Program, four-week residency on a 583-acre ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Application deadline July 18, 2023.
- Become a part of the dynamic and creative Kala community by joining Friends of Kala Membership program today. Support Kala and receive all sorts of benefits!