By Kathy Chouteau
The Richmond Art Center (RAC) is gearing for a duo of exhibitions this summer including The View from Here and the Richmond Open Studios Preview Exhibition from July 3 through Aug. 17.
A joint Opening Reception for the exhibitions is scheduled for Saturday, June 29, from 1-3 p.m. Admission is free.
The San Quentin Prison Arts Project and Philadelphia Mural Arts are teaming up to present The View from Here in the RAC’s Main Gallery. The exhibition will spotlight the artwork of incarcerated artists from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and Philadelphia’s State Correctional Institution Phoenix who engaged in a creative exchange throughout the past year. Their collective work explores the artists communications within prison walls as well as the “realms where their minds wander beyond its gates,” according to the RAC.
Alumni and facilitators from the duo of prison arts programs will host a Panel Discussion and Paint Day Saturday, July 13 at 11 a.m. Afterwards, Eddie Ramirez—a former program participant—will display his mural painting technique while inviting community members’ to join in.
For its part, the Richmond Open Studios Preview Exhibition will gather approximately 50 artists in Richmond who are opening up their studios to public viewing Aug. 17-18. The RAC’s exhibition will offer a peek at the work of these artists, while also informing their strategies on their self-guided tours throughout Richmond neighborhoods in August.
Aside from the RAC, the artists are being hosted at the ar.ti.fact Gallery and NIAD Art Center in Richmond, with Richmond Open Studios being an independent project of the Visual Artists of Richmond.
The RAC is located at 2540 Barrett Ave. in Richmond. Its gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
