Oct 14, 2022 · 6 min read
Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation and CZI Launch ‘Expressions of Joy’ Art Exhibit
Seven San Mateo County community members and youth group share wide-ranging works of art
The Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation (RWCPAF) and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) launched a community driven art exhibit aimed at celebrating local arts and culture at the CZI Community Space, entitled, “Art Connecting Community: “Expressions of Joy.”
With the launch of the second installation of the community driven arts program, RWCPAF issued a call for artists of all ages and abilities, living or working in San Mateo County, California. Seven artists and a community youth group were selected to exhibit their thought-provoking and engaging artwork as the second of a semi-annual series of art exhibitions.
“There are many diverse and talented artists in San Mateo County, and we are pleased to celebrate and promote these seven artists over the next few months during this art exhibition,” said Pamela Estes, President, Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation. “The opening event is a wonderful way to bring the community together to put a spotlight on these wonderful artists and the beautiful work they’ve created, and the CZI Community Space will be open additional dates through March 2023 for the community members to enter the space and enjoy the art exhibition.”
The pieces in the exhibit were selected by members of RWCPAF’s art advisory work group, composed of local community members of diverse backgrounds, to implement semi-annual art exhibitions at the CZI Community Space.
“Many thanks to the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation for leading the way in celebrating local arts and culture and uplifting these artists,” said Andrea Jones, Director of Bay Area Giving at CZI.” “We are excited about this continued partnership and ongoing community driven events and programming in our Community Space.”
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Local art showcased at CZI Community Space art exhibit. Photograph by CZI
Artist Gato Rivera celebrating community at art exhibit launch event. Photograph by CZI
Local quartet performing for guests at art exhibit launch. Photograph by CZI
Yunan Ma, local artist, sharing her thoughts on exhibit theme, “Expressions of Joy.” Photograph by CZI
Community members enjoying the art exhibit program. Photograph by CZI
Pamela Estes, President, RWCPAF enjoying the event with members of the art advisory work group. Photograph by CZI
Launched in January 2020, the CZI Community Space offers convenient, high-quality meeting and event space to local organizations based in and serving San Mateo County, free of charge. Through dedicated space for organizations to connect, collaborate, and host a variety of community-led events and programming, the CZI Community Space aims to support a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant community.
RWCPAF joins Thrive Alliance and Redwood City Together as CZI grantee partners to lead the development and management of event programming for the Community Space with the goals of supporting local arts and culture, building community, and supporting non-profit leaders.
The artists featured in this exhibit are:
Yunan Ma was born and raised in China and came to the US at the age of 17. After graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Fashion Marketing and Management, Yunan worked at a well-known leather handbag company, where she mastered leather weaving techniques. Throughout the work experience, Yunan was fascinated by techniques for weaving and knitting subjects and discovered her passion in this field.
Whitney Parker is a full-time artist based in Redwood City, California. Her artwork is abstract but takes inspiration from nature and the California landscape. She aims to bring a unique interpretation of the environment while incorporating aspects of her fashion design background into the art itself.
Halle Donovan is an illustrator and painter currently working on her BA in Geography at UC Berkeley. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Halle grew up in the surrounding redwood forests, playing with newts, building faerie houses, and making up stories. She works in a variety of different mediums and enjoys exploring new ways to express herself artistically.
Tania Cardenas is a Cuban American artist who lives and works in Redwood City, California. She studied painting and photography at San Jose State University and received a BFA in 2002. Nature and the exploration of emotional landscapes are themes in her work. In addition to photography, she enjoys doing narrative, figurative paintings in oil.
Christine Ong-Dijcks, a Filipino born-Chinese artist, Christine offers comfort and fun through her warm, vibrant paintings of places and people and colorful, whimsical images of our wonderfully complex world. She graduated from Ateneo de Manila University and then studied Interior Design at the Philippine Institute of Interior Design, re-discovering her love for color and art.
Gato Rivera is a street photographer, community volunteer, and classic car enthusiast. His journey as a photographer began at a young age, capturing the culture and vitality of life across the Bay Area. His collection of photos focuses on the joy of people in the community. Gato resides with his family in Redwood City, California.
Karen Valdez is a young artist raised in the North Fair Oaks community of San Mateo County, California. She works at the Siena Youth Center and aspires to become the representation she longed for when she was growing up. Karen is a semi-professional chalk artist with exceptional skills in graphic design, photography, painting, and digital art.
Generation United is a non-profit organization serving the youth and families of the North Fair Oaks area in RWC. Their expressions of joy include: soccer, roller skating and art!
The art exhibit is open to the public on specific days throughout 2022 and 2023, click here to book your reservation.
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About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our communities. Through collaboration, providing resources and building technology, our mission is to help build a more inclusive, just and healthy future for everyone. For more information, please visit chanzuckerberg.com.
About Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation
Established in 2012, RWCPAF is a 501(c)3 public charity. The Foundation’s mission is to advocate, advance, and develop support for parks, recreational programming, community services, cultural activities, and the arts in Redwood City and surrounding unincorporated areas. The board works closely with the City of Redwood City’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services and provides technical, volunteer and financial support for entertainment and community events which enhance our quality of life. For more information, please visit www.rwcpaf.org
