Director’s Statement

Welcome to the 40th Annual Emeryville Celebration of the Arts. The City of Emeryville’s largest mainstay event is back to kick off an incredible month filled with events to celebrate Art & Culture month. Thank you to Oxford Properties Group and Public Market Emeryville for their ongoing support and generous donation of the venue space for this landmark anniversary event.

Past iterations of the Director’s Statement have thanked the many sponsors, volunteers, community leaders, and supporters for all the ways in which they make this show possible. To each of you, we are deeply grateful. This year I would like to use this small space to devote gratitude to Sharon Wilchar.

Prior to this year’s show, there has only been one person who coordinated all the pieces that make this annual event possible. A proud alumna of Saint Mary’s College, class of 1967, Sharon has been the stable and ever-ready force behind four decades of producing the Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, directing an enthusiastic team of artists who converted old industrial sites into exhibition spaces.

A textile designer in her own right, Sharon was part of a team of artists who successfully worked with the city to establish the 45th Street Artist’s Cooperative, creating dedicated live-work housing opportunities for artists within the city. She served on the city’s Public Art Committee for many years, and the city’s Bus Shelter Art Program has been named for her, reflecting her service to the city’s mission of installing art in public places.

The task of coordinating the production of a monthlong juried art show where 150 local artists annually submit more than 500 pieces of art for curation in an exhibition that has no permanent venue is nothing short of heroic. The fiscal discipline, volunteer engagement, and community good will required to regularly accomplish this feat can best be described as nothing short of wizardry.

For years, Sharon dedicated the Director’s Statement to thanking the many people who made the show possible. Today, I use it to dedicate this year’s show to Sharon, for helping build community and shape the perspective of Emeryville as a maker space for artists. Thank you, Sharon, for your commitment, steadiness, and passion for community art. We are grateful for your service.

On behalf of the Board of Directors for the Emeryville Celebration of the arts, we hope you enjoy the 40th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition. Welcome back.

John J. Bauters, Director