2 Close 2 the Sun

Ever wondered about collaborating? Getting started? What makes a successful collaboration?  Listen for the inside scoop from the experts!2 Close 2 the Sun: Art Obsessions from Mercury 20 Gallery in Oakland's Art District features artists, curators and influencers bring compelling content about art and artists.  In this episode, Art Collaborations - Why and How, gallery artists Jessica Cadkin, Dr. K. C. Rosenberg, and public artist and former gallery member Johanna Poethig share their insights on past and future collaborations, the value of them and how these enhance and interface with their personal studio practice. To learn more about these artists visit johannapoethig.com, kcrosenberg.com, jessicacadkin.com, ivstudios.com (Elizabeth Sher's webpage.  And mercury20.com, https://www.facebook.com/mercury20gallery, IG @mercury20gallery

Three Mercury 20 Gallery artists: Tara Esparanza, Raymond L. Haywood and Jill Mclennan and Oakland Art Murmur executive director Jean Marie Durant share insights about how art enhances community and community enhances art.   They share stories from their own experiences and art practice and tips on how to get involved with your own or Oakland's vibrant arts community.links:www.tarasorganic.com, www.taraesperanza.com, https://www.facebook.com/ raymond.l.haywood, www.ivstudios.com, www.jillmclennan.me, www.oaklandartmurmur.org, @taraesperanza, @jmclennanarts, @raymondlhaywood @oaklandartmurmur, @elizabethsher_artandfilm,

Three fiber artists from Mercury Twenty Gallery and acclaimed textile artist Lia Cook share their philosophies, motivations, pitfalls and techniques as well as their inspirations and challenges of marketing fiber art.  More information and link at Mercurytwenty.com

Episode 4 from 2 Close 2 the Sun: art obsessions presents Art Entanglements: a conversation with Johanna Poethig  a visual, public and performance artist and Chris Brown,  a musician, composer. and professor emeritus at Mills College. They will talk about their collaborations, their separate creative practices and their life together over the past 4 decades with a focus on their work together for Johanna's Upcoming solo show Hideouts, Escape Hatches and a submarine. It opens at Mercury 20 on February 19th.  Let's hear how they do it all!

Three photographers from Mercury Twenty Gallery and Jan Watten Director of Gray Loft Gallery present a lively discussion of  their philosophies and processes and how they keep their passion for the photograph in our images saturated world.  Featuring Brooks Fletdher, Neo Serafimidis and Jan Wattan moderated by Chris Komater

In this episode founding member Kathleen King gives a brief history of Mercury 20 Gallery, this year's 15th anniversary plans and best of all explains her own artwork evolving from abstract expressionist painting to constructions, installations and collages transforming society's discards which she finds on the streets of Oakland into aesthetic and profound works of art.

Because Mercury 20 Gallery (in Oakland, CA) is an artist run gallery, all members have a say in everything we do.  In tonights "trial" episode 8 members "duke" it out to decide on a name.  Spoiler alert - we got one!