Rebecca Kaplan

Oakland Art Murmur adds 9 venues to First Friday

By Patricia Yollin
San Francisco Chronicle

For six years, Svea Lin Soll has owned Swarm Gallery in Oakland near Jack London Square. Now she is finally on the map.

This particular map lists the places open on the first Friday night of every month, when as many as 7,000 people turn out for an art walk organized by Oakland Art Murmur, an association of art and cultural venues that expanded southward in March to include Swarm and eight other places.

“I thought we were a good fit for Art Murmur. It’s a safe, inspired and creative thing,” Soll said as she watched people pour into her Second Street gallery on April 6. It was the first time the nine additional members were officially part of the Art Walk, which now stretches from 26th Street on the north to new territory in Uptown, Old Oakland, downtown and the Jack London district.

Two blocks away on Jefferson Street, the Hive was just as crowded. It includes a gallery and more than 30 artist studios. One of the liveliest belongs to John Casey, who has been involved with Art Murmur since it began in 2006.

“First Fridays have gotten so large that it’s become almost a logistical issue,” Casey said. “The idea of expanding Art Murmur made perfect sense because it diffuses the epicenter, at 23rd and Telegraph, and spreads people out. And we want to incorporate as much of Oakland as we can within reason.”

Art Murmur has grown to 21 galleries and nine mixed-use venues, such as cafes and shops with rotating art exhibitions. For the brand-new members, the expansion means greater visibility. For the public, it provides more options in a city with one of the highest numbers of artists per capita in the country.

Given the wider geographic boundaries and the 6 to 9 p.m. time frame, it would be almost impossible for people to hit every Art Walk stop unless they traveled at intergalactic speed and spent no more than five minutes at each place. There is, however, a more rational approach.

Target neighborhoods

Danielle Fox, director of Oakland Art Murmur and owner of Slate Contemporary Gallery on 25th Street, suggested targeting one or two neighborhoods. “I can see Jack London and Old Oakland as a good evening out, or Old Oakland and downtown/south of Grand as also fairly doable,” she said, adding that the free Broadway Shuttle makes it easy to get around and that the afternoon Saturday Stroll is a less hectic alternative, especially for families.

First-timer

On April 6, Jill Graham and her husband, who moved from Benicia to Oakland’s Temescal district seven months ago, took BART from MacArthur Station to experience First Fridays for the first time.

“I’m thrilled Oakland has something that takes away from all the violence,” said Graham, 54, admiring the nearby Fox Theater from the third-floor windows of Res Ipsa on 17th Street. “This is a different perspective on what Oakland has to offer.”

Unlike many galleries, Res Ipsa, which was opened in December by two lawyers who are Oakland residents, will not stage a new exhibition every First Friday – though that’s coincidentally what will happen May 4, when the works of painter Mitchell Johnson will be on display.

“He does representational and abstract side by side,” said co-owner Jonathan Ball, who brought out a binder of Johnson’s work. “He’s not a rock star and he’s not a starving artist.”

Ball said joining Art Murmur was a “no-brainer” because “the publicity and access it provides are terrific.”

Co-owner Frank Petrilli said, “It’s bringing folks into town. The idea is to elevate what Oakland is doing culturally.”

Res Ipsa’s white walls, narrow space and minimalist sensibility were a counterpoint to Betti Ono Gallery a block away on Telegraph Avenue. Even though it was only 6:30 p.m., people were spilling onto the sidewalk. Wine was flowing, a disc jockey had just put on “Love the Way It Should Be” and sunlight drenched a bright red wall.

“We would have been crazy not to be a part of Art Murmur,” said owner Anyka Barber, who opened her gallery in September. “It’s an awesome opportunity to show how Oakland is a destination.”

The crowd was as wildly diverse as Oakland itself. “One family with a baby stayed here three hours,” Barber recalled.

Phillip Mehas, who is on the Richmond Arts Commission, was taking it all in. He’s a First Friday veteran and had brought his girlfriend, who lives in Sonoma.

“I like to support emerging young artists, especially artists of color,” said the white-haired Richmond resident. “It’s always fun and entertaining, and you get good art.”

At 10 p.m., John Casey was still chitchatting with visitors to his studio, which featured graphite and pen-and-ink drawings in a style he described as “surreal realism,” with characters whose bodies morph into their emotions or state of mind.

“Normally we’re a pretty private little enclave here,” said Casey, whose studio is usually open only two weeks in June. “Now we’re much more public. People can see us where we work, under the veneer, and ask questions. Not everyone is comfortable with that, but they should be. I’m more than happy to discuss my work.” {sbox}

Oakland Art Murmur: The next First Friday Art Walk takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Fri. For details, a map and parking and transit information, go to oaklandartmurmur.org.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/26/PKEK1O5C0U.DTL#ixzz1tw3cO4Q1

Oakland honoring gay rights on Valentine’s Day

By Matthew Artz
Oakland Tribune

Mayor Jean Quan and the Oakland City Council are hosting a Valentine’s Day reception at City Hall to celebrate the recent U.S. Court of Appeals decision invalidating 2008′s Proposition 8 that made same sex marriage unconstitutional in California.

The event is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and will feature a talk by Therese Stewart, San Francisco’s chief deputy attorney who was one of the primary attorneys arguing the case before the State Supreme Court.

“This Valentine’s Day, we celebrate progress toward equality marked by the recent court decision,” said Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, who serves the city at-large and is the first openly lesbian member of the council. “And we continue our work because we know that justice is not yet done.”

http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_19956856

Federal Review of MTC’s Role in Bay Area Transportation Planning Process: Your Input is Sought!

By Joyce Roy (Guest Post)

How are we doing?

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are reviewing MTC’s performance as the transportation planning agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. How are we doing?

Event

What: Public Listening Session Sponsored by FHWA and FTA
When: Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter, Dahms Auditorium, 101 Eighth Street, Oakland (across from the Lake Merritt BART station)

Can’t attend the meeting?

Via email, send written comments by January 31, 2012 to: cert.review@dot.gov
Via regular mail, send written comments by January 31, 2012 to:
Stew Sonnenberg
FHWA California Division
650 Capitol Mall, Suite 4-100
Sacramento, CA, 95814

or

Ted Matley
FTA Region IX
201 Mission Street, Suite 1650
San Francisco, CA, 94105

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

What is this about?

This could not have come at a better time!

MTC as the Bay Area’s designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) receives federal transportation funds.  MPOs must be recertified every four years.  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is presently conducting the certification review of MTC.

De-certification is rare but MTC was once only conditionally certified (I think that is the term) and had to show improvement in its public process.  That may, in fact, be why last December, a Public Participation Plan was approved after more than 4-years’ work.  But now they have decided to locate to a site that is not easily accessible for anyone without a car, thereby creating a barrier for participation by the elderly, disabled and the poor. That could possibly be grounds for denying recertification.

MTC is only one of three MPOs that do not incorporate land-use planning with transportation planning.  ABAG is the land-use planning agency and MTC, the transportation-planning agency.  For comprehensive planning, there needs to be a merger between the two. Presently, they share a building, but if the Executive Director of MTC gets his way, they won’t even share a building.

The feds should scrutinize the whole process of the MTC’s move.  This includes the back-room dealing that attempted to leave the public out and the lack of any vetting of the Joint Policy Committee which consists of the four agencies that were suppose to share a new Regional Headquarters.

The composition of the commission in which urban areas are under represented and transit agencies not even represented, as they are in most MPOs, means highway projects get preference over transit.  A recent example is the expansion of highway lanes.  And in this day and age of climate change when both the federal agencies and the state legislature are pushing for more people to get out of their cars!!

There are many grounds for decertifying MTC, or to put it more gently, for recommending redesignation be conditioned upon certain changes.

If MTC is threatened with de-certification, it could force them to sit up and fly right.  The timing couldn’t be better.  I have never seen them behave with such disregard for fiscal responsibility and the needs of the region.

But it all depends on what the Feds hear from the public, either as individuals or organizations. They do listen.

Joyce Roy
Transit Advocate

My Birthday Celebration – join us October 12th!

Volunteer for Oakland PRIDE

Oakland PRIDE is coming up on September 4th – they are looking for volunteers!

Can they count on you?

Volunteers are needed for entry gates, staff/volunteer check-in areas, and beverage control.  Shifts are 3 – 4 hours long, ranging from 6am to 9pm.  Volunteers are asked to attend an orientation at 495 Embarcadero West in Jack London Square at the following times:

• Monday, August 22 from 7-8pm
• Tuesday, August 16 from 7-8pm
• Wednesday, August 31 from 7-8pm
• Thursday, August 18 from 7-8pm
• Friday, August 26 from 7-8pm
• Tuesday, August 30 from 7-8pm
• Thursday, September 1 from 7-8pm
• Saturday, September 3 from 1-2pm

Please e-mail volunteer@oaklandpride.org if you’re interested in helping out!

Join Us to Support Oakland PRIDE!

Friends,

Please join me and Mayor Quan next Thursday, August 4th in City Hall for an exciting fundraiser for Oakland PRIDE!

And save the date for a reception and screening of LGBT film shorts that I’m hosting on August 11th in City Hall’s Council Chambers, which will also support PRIDE!

All the details are as follows:

Councilmember Kaplan & Mayor Quan’s Oakland PRIDE Fundraiser

Join Mayor Jean Quan & Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan

for a City Hall Reception & Fundraiser

Thursday, August 4th
Oakland City Hall – Mayor’s Office
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

with co-hosts:

Angela Berry | Lisa Charbonneau | Michael Colbruno | Richard Fuentes | Emily Rosenberg | Sean Sullivan

and sponsors:

Bank of America | PG&E | Wells Fargo

$50 per person / $75 per couple

RSVP to Hatzune Aguilar at (510) 238-7072 or HAguilar@oaklandnet.com.

Oakland PRIDE LGBT Film Shorts Screening & Fundraiser

SAVE THE DATE!

Join Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan & Friends

for a fundraiser & screening of LGBT Film Shorts
to benefit Oakland PRIDE!

Thursday, August 11th
Oakland City Hall – Council Chambers
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland
Reception  |  6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Screening  |  7:00 p.m.

More details forthcoming!

RSVP to Rachel Gregg at (510) 238-4908 or RGregg@oaklandnet.com.

I hope to see you there!  If you have any questions about these events, e-mail me or call Rachel Gregg at (510) 238-4908.

ACTION ALERT: Make Banks Pay, Make Government Work

We won recently a key victory in our fight against foreclosures – the City Council approved my request to endorse three important pieces of legislation:

 
• The Homeowner Protection Act (SB 729 – Steinberg/Leno): requires lenders to finish attempting a loan modification before moving into foreclosure
• The Title Transparency Bill (AB 1321 – Wieckowski): prevents foreclosure fraud by creating stricter requirements for verifying legal documents
  
• The Foreclosure Fee Bill (AB 935 – Blumenfield): discourages foreclosures by assessing a $20,000 fee
  

But there’s more work to be done, and I need your help:

For two years, I’ve been pushing for strong enforcement of laws that ease the foreclosure crisis by allowing us to levy hefty fines against banks that foreclose on properties and let them decay.

Join me this coming Tuesday, May 17th at Oakland City Hall (1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza) to speak in favor of rigorously enforcing these laws.  The meeting starts at 6:30pm in Council Chambers on the 3rd floor.  This is item #12 on the meeting’s agenda - there are a couple of items before this – so come, hang out, and speak in support of holding banks responsible for their blight!

(photo credit: Oakland North – 3/11/2011)

I’ve asked city staff to enforce these laws – to use our authority to directly fine a bank / corporate lender $1,000 per day, per property – rather than just placing liens on property that defer the problem.  Staff has insisted on using liens – but they’re not the solution, and they make the city or future homeowners clean up their mess.

Banks should pay for their own mess, not make it someone else’s problem.

Strengthening enforcement of laws against bank-owned foreclosure blight will:

• Clean neighborhood filth
  
• Revitalize our local economy
• Prevent excessive foreclosures

By enforcing the law, let’s make Oakland government work for us!

Some have suggested that we allow more time for meetings with banks and nicely ask them to pay.  But time’s up.  We have laws, and I need your help to make sure we enforce them.

That’s why I’ve pursued this.  I hope you’ll join on Tuesday, May 17th!

If you have any questions on how you can help, e-mail me or call my office at (510) 238-7008.

Onward & Upward: An Evening with Rebecca Kaplan & Friends

Join us for a happy hour and conversation about plans for 2011!

Join Councilmember Rebecca D. Kaplan & Co-Hosts:

Michael Colbruno
Andreas Cluver
John Gooding
Cynthia Lee
Hon. Nate Miley
Dan Rush
Phil Tagami

Thursday, February 24th — 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Pro Arts Gallery
150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland
(In the Plaza across from Caffe Teatro off Broadway @ 15th Street – map)

More than just a happy hour, join Councilmember Kaplan & friends to talk about the exciting things we’ve achieved together and all that we have on tap this year, like our work to create Oakland LIVE! at the Coliseum, efforts to attract new business to our city and our campaign to create safe streets and local jobs!

Food & Drink will be provided throughout the event!

Come for the fun, stay for the people, and help Rebecca start the new year off with strength by making a contribution to finish retiring last year’s campaign debt and help move us ahead!

$70 – $700 | sliding scale contribution – purchase your ticket today (or consider making a contribution if you can’t make it) – http://bit.ly/fwGwxD.

*UNDER 35 or LIMITED INCOME?  REDUCED-COST TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR JUST $35*

Let us know you’re coming with your RSVP on Facebook – or e-mail chris@kaplanforoakland.org. We hope to see you there!