James Stahlman

The Experience:

Meet two artists!

On Wednesdays through Sundays, you can make an event of visiting Emeryville’s Annual Art Exhibition at the southern part of Public Market Emeryville and then pop into the Food Hall for a bite to eat. This juried exhibition produced by Celebration of the Arts, features nearly 200 artworks created by 126 Emeryville artists and the Food Hall features 20 eateries and bars.

We had the opportunity to talk with Jess Cook and her husband Roberto Gastelumendi about their pieces in their first appearance at the 37th Emeryville Art Exhibition. Jess’ artwork Babosas (featured here) is a water-based stencil on bamboo ply. These are California’s enigmatic banana slugs, which were inspired by a camping trip by a riverside in San Mateo Memorial Park.

“These gastropods clung tightly to the underskirts of the river’s banks in the heat of the day,” explains Jess, “except for one brave soul sending itself on a slime rope swing into the river.” This behavior sent her investigating with their 4-year-old as to the possible inspirations for such an escapade. And thus, the inspiration for Babosas.

Her husband Roberto is a fine woodworker and creates furniture for the aesthetic and the functional. “I am working to create an experience with my furniture pieces,” he says. “They represent how I am always trying to tell a story, looking at the meeting of difference, and making things better. From when they enter a room, I want to create something that calls people’s attention, and gives them a feeling, an invitation.” He goes on to explain how he is also experimenting with a form that adapts to bodies in an organic way and improves the way people interact with the things around them.

What draws Roberto to Emeryville? “Emeryville is well-located, diverse culturally, translating in between two iconic and culturally-different cities.”

Jess continues, “I currently ideate, draw, and cut my work on our boat in Emeryville.” What draws her to Emeryville is the water and the ecosystem. “Especially this stretch from the mud flats and the migrating birds that frequent it, to the Emeryville Marina Park to Point Emery. We are almost-daily visitors, dipping in and out of the tidal beaches, greeting the resident seal, welcoming the pelicans and thanking the sun as it sets across the water.”

The art exhibition is open Wed – Sun, 11am – 6pm, through October 29.

Celebration of the Arts

The Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition is sponsored by Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Inc. Their mission is to foster an appreciation of the arts and artists of Emeryville, to promote the city as a culturally vital and progressive center for living and working, and, most recently, to partner with the City of Emeryville in the Rotten City Emeryville Cultural Arts District, a program of the California Arts Council.

More info. 510/652-6122.

Where:

5905 Shellmound St – Public Market Emeryville

Emeryville

www.emeryarts.org

The Experience:

Be Seen at the Art Scene + Meet the Artists!

You are invited to Opening Night of Emeryville’s Annual Art Exhibition Friday, October 6, 6-9pm at the southern part of Public Market Emeryville, 5905 Shellmound St. This juried exhibition produced by Celebration of the Arts, features nearly 200 artworks created by 126 Emeryville artists. On opening night you get to meet the artists and get a first look at their artwork as you listen to music by The doRiaN Mode: Vintage Jazz & Blues. A no-host bar raises funds for the Emeryville Youth Art Program. It’s always an electrifying opening night as the community celebrates the city’s thriving collective creativity..

We had the opportunity to talk with James Stahlman about his piece in his first appearance at the 37th Emeryville Art Exhibition.

Meet James Stahlman and ‘Incantation: House Smells’ It’s a mixed media monotype with lithography elements, refactored to create a single image. 30˝x22˝ According to James, a desire to provide the viewer of his work the ability to create a pleasurable experience inspired ’Incantation: House Smells’

“In this piece, the incantation is to remind the viewer,” says James, “to allow the scent of a room to affect their way of existing in that liminal space between nose blindness and nose bliss. To scent their homes to attract the energy they want to have personally and/or to share with others.”

He says that by reflecting on the work, there is a trigger to seek out something rare, missing or special in your life. It becomes an incantation to find joy.

Scents bring back fond memories of being at the shore or in your mother’s flower garden, easily done with scented candles. “As an interior designer and artist, attention to the details of a space is something I want everyone to have,” continues James. “Remember rooms of the past, and generally feel okay taking little trips to buy great scented candles.”

All in all – ‘Incantation: House Smells’ is a prayer mat, a quiet word with one’s self.

James has lived in Emeryville for seven years and this is his first time in the Emeryville Art Exhibition. When asked what it is about Emeryville, he said that “Emeryville has a shared appreciation, if not love, a synergy for living and working here. Emeryville was a pioneer in the live-work space.”

Celebration of the Arts

The Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition is sponsored by Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Inc. Their mission is to foster an appreciation of the arts and artists of Emeryville, to promote the city as a culturally vital and progressive center for living and working, and, most recently, to partner with the City of Emeryville in the Rotten City Emeryville Cultural Arts District, a program of the California Arts Council.

More info. 510/652-6122.

Where:

5905 Shellmound St – Public Market Emeryville

Emeryville

www.emeryarts.org