Quality Art on a Budget Hits Oakland

New gallery in up-and-coming Temescal district opens in time for Oakland's Art Murmur event Friday night.

Oakland will be getting an aesthetic injection Friday night in the form of Slate Art and Design, a new gallery that will feature emerging and mid-career artists.

The grand opening of the gallery will start at 7 p.m. to coincide with Oakland's Art Murmur, the popular first-Friday-of-every-month event when many galleries stay open late and serve drinks. Slate's opening night—the gallery’s normal hours are Thursday to Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.—offers a preview exhibition of five Bay Area artists: Caroline Seckinger, Carol Charney, Michele Hofherr, Christina Koci Hernandez, and Joanne Fox.

“I’m looking forward to introducing my artists. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and just celebrating the development of a new space to show creativity,” says Danielle Fox, the owner and gallery director. She explains that her gallery hopes to offer quality art that isn’t out of range of the average consumer. Typically, Fox estimates that most of the pieces will range from $300–$3,000 in price, a budget-oriented middle road that she sees as lacking in Oakland.

“I hope that visitors can walk away feeling that going to a gallery doesn’t have to be intimidating and that they can enjoy the experience and take it into their lives,” says Fox.

A native Oakland resident, Fox says that she’s happy to have her gallery in Oakland and especially in the East Bay because of its emerging eclectic atmosphere. As an Oakland based gallery, she says that her new gallery will make a special commitment to exhibiting Bay Area and Oakland Based artists.

“I live in Oakland so I’m an East Bay person,” Fox says. “I feel that Oakland and the East Bay are kind of underrated. You don’t have to go to San Francisco anymore to eat dinner at a nice restaurant or go see great art.”

For more information about the opening and upcoming exhibitions, check out www.slateartanddesign.com. Fox also invites visitors to see the gallery at Oakland’s Art Murmur, a group of gallery event that takes place every first Friday of the month from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., oaklandartmurmur.com.

 

 

 

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