Oakland Art Walk

On Saturday,  Annika and I drove down to Oakland for the monthly Gallery District Guided Walking Tour sponsored by Oakland Art Murmur.  I'd heard about this organization, which also sponsors a First Friday Art Walk (6-9 pm), but I didn't know much more than its name.  Turns out it was started by 8 galleries/art spaces in 2006 to promote art in Oakland. Now there are 21 galleries and 9 mixed-use art spaces.

Four Doors, Daniel Emoree , at Farley's Cafe

A group of us assembled at Farley's Cafe on Grand Avenue at 2 pm.  Maya Kabat, a painter and member of the Mercury 20 Gallery, rounded us up and led us across Broadway and along Telegraph Avenue to 25th Street,  the heart of the Oakland gallery district.



Our first stop was the Manna Gallery, where a member of the cooperative talked about how it works: members rotate showing their work in the gallery and also include some non-members in shows.   A few doors down, we dropped by the FM Gallery, which is a cooperative with a large space in the back where members have set up studios.


We spent an hour visiting galleries and looking at art until we had to sprint back to our car to head off the zealous Oakland meter maids.

Heart of the Oakland gallery scene

Several galleries in one building at 473 Telegraph

The Manna Gallery, a cooperative where members take turns showing their work

Work space in the communal studio at the back of  the FM Gallery, a cooperative of nine artists

Escape in Blue, Hadas Tall, at The Wall Gallery

Flowerpots stacked in the window of a studio on 25th Street

Warehouse416 Gallery on 26th Street.  The space includes a gallery, studios, performance space, and a meeting room for Toastmasters. The space was formerly a garage.

Black and White Armchair, Jody Medich, at Warehouse416

Map of galleries/spaces that are part of Oakland Art Murmur, also available on their website