Palo Alto Art Center Explained

Palo Alto Art Center
Type:governmental organization
Purpose:arts, visual art education
Location:1313 Newell Road,
Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Coordinates:37.4441°N -122.1389°W
Key People:Karen Kienzle (director, 2009)
Formerly:Palo Alto Community Cultural Center

The Palo Alto Art Center is a multi-purpose center open to the public for art activities for all ages, located at 1313 Newell Road in Palo Alto, California. It is managed by the City of Palo Alto, California and supported by the non-profit Palo Alto Art Center Foundation (PAACF).[1] The center is located adjacent to Rinconada Park and the Rinconada Public Library.

History

The Palo Alto Art Center was originally named the Palo Alto Community Cultural Center when it was founded in 1971.[2] Hayward Ellis King served as a consultant curator in 1972.[3]

The building which occupies Palo Alto Art Center was built in 1953 by architect Leslie Nichols and used to be the location for Palo Alto's City Hall.[4] From 2010 until 2012, the building underwent major renovations which included adding additional classrooms and a new children's wing. In 2016, after the death of local art collector and printshop and press owner, Paula Kirkeby, her printshop and studio equipment was donated to the Palo Alto Art Center.[5]

Karen Kienzle has been the director of Palo Alto Art Center, since 2009.

About

Arts education

The Art Center has art classes for both adults and children, workshops, summer camps, and drop-in programs that take place in the Center's studios and classrooms. Courses include painting, drawing, mixed-media, ceramics, and jewelry. School outreach programs include offering schools with Project Look field trips and the Cultural Kaleidoscope program that pairs students from the Palo Alto Unified School District and Ravenswood City School District for art activities.[6]

Exhibitions and events

Visitors can view free exhibitions with artwork in a wide range of media, and participate in free events. Events include Friday Night at the Art Center,[7] Family Days, The Great Glass Pumpkin Patch, and the Clay and Glass Festival.

The City of Palo Alto maintains a list of past exhibitions. Some highlights are:

A Patrick Dougherty temporary installation called Whiplash (2016), which was a woven structure of willow branches forming a series of shelters was on display the lawn on Embarcadero Road and was a popular place where many people took photographs.[13] [14] Dougherty's sculpture was created in part by a team of volunteers and a crowdfunding campaign of $15,000.[15] In June 2020, the Dougherty sculpture was removed.

The center has produced solo exhibitions for many artists including: Christopher Brown, Jim Campbell, Joseph Cornell, Stephen De Staebler, Richard Diebienkorn, Marjorie Eaton, Keith Haring, Julie Heffernan, Mildred Howard, Jess, Carlos Loarca, Manuel Neri, Beverly Mayeri, David Park, Picasso, Alan Rath, Judith Selby Lang, Elizabeth Sher, Masami Teraoka, Ruth Terrill, Beth van Hoesen among others.[16]

The artists-in-residence program also provide opportunities for artists to engage with the public.[17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Palo Alto Art Center Foundation aims for more funding, engagement. Sheyner. Gennady. 2019-08-05. www.paloaltoonline.com. en. 2020-03-05.
  2. Web site: Art Center to undergo $7 million renovation. Kane. Karla. 2010-08-20. Palo Alto Online. en. 2020-03-05.
  3. News: 1972-09-13 . New curator for center . 23 . . 2023-05-20 . Newspapers.com.
  4. Web site: Palo Alto Art Center preps for opening day. Wallace. Rebecca. 2012-08-27. www.paloaltoonline.com. en. 2020-03-05. While Kienzle has been director only since 2009,.
  5. Web site: 2017-09-27. Palo Alto Art Center gifted with Paula Kirkeby Press. 2021-07-24. The Mercury News. en-US.
  6. Web site: Cultural Kaleidoscope . Palo Alto Art Center . City of Palo Alto . 13 February 2019.
  7. Web site: Colorful Friday Night at the Art Center - Palo Alto . Funcheap SF . 4 March 2019.
  8. Web site: 13 January 1980. Group Shows: Palo Alto Art Center. subscription. 2022-02-03. Newspapers.com. The San Francisco Examiner. 283. en.
  9. Web site: The Palo Alto Arts Center Explores the Concept of Play in New Exhibit. 2017. Juxtapoz magazine. Juxtapoz. 14 February 2019.
  10. Web site: Art exhibit explores the tiny, detailed worlds of dioramas . San Francisco Chronicle . SF Chronicle . 31 March 2019.
  11. Web site: Whiting . Sam . Sukey Bryan hangs the sky at Palo Alto Art Center . Datebook . San Francisco Chronicle . 31 March 2019.
  12. Web site: Kane . Karla . Art from above . Palo Alto Online . Palo Alto Weekly . 10 March 2019.
  13. Web site: A&E: Worth a Look. Palo Alto Online. 10 March 2019.
  14. Web site: The Top Ten Most Instagram-Worthy Spots in Palo Alto . Between Balloons (Solo Pine) . 13 February 2019.
  15. Web site: Around Town: Students build replica of Ohlone Elementary on Minecraft. 2020-07-20. Palo Alto Weekly. en.
  16. Web site: palo-alto-art-center-exhibition-archive-1971-2021 .
  17. Web site: Artists in Residence . Palo Alto Art Center . City of Palo Alto . 13 February 2019.