Community Day at the California Building

This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the California Building, 2505 California St. NE, as a haven for working artists and their studios. Join them for their first annual California Community Day and Open Studio event on  Saturday, August 13, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Mark Lusardi, a well-known and respected ceramic artist, will be setting up an outdoor kiln in the parking lot by Mojo Coffee where visitors can choose a piece of clay pottery to glaze and fire (for free!) in a process called Raku firing. It takes about an hour and a half to fire and cool the pottery, so be sure to tour six floors of open studios while you wait for your pottery to cool.

Besides the Raku firing, here are a few more highlights:

In the lobby, BNA is sponsoring a Mississippi River Visions public art project on which participants can paint, write a poem, work with fabrics, or create whatever it is that inspires them to envision a beautiful river in the future. What will it look like? How will it smell? (You get the picture.) Fine Artist Richard Luka will be the art director for this project. All ages are welcome to participate. BNA will also be doing a 15 minute presentation on findings from the recent Air Pollution Death Study at 11am, Noon, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm.

On the third floor, Aisha Formanski at Everthine Jewelry will be hosting a “make and take” demonstration. Come and stamp your own Northeast inspired charms to make necklaces!

On the second floor, the On2 Gallery will host a reception and solo exhibit of paintings by Reynaldo Diaz.