RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK

For
This book represents our recommendations for Creative Growth in an effort to
establish the Oakland gallery as a dynamic contributor to the local art scene.
We very much enjoyed working on such an inspiring project. We would like to extend
our gratitude to Jennifer ONeal for opening us the doors of Creative Growth, and for
educating us on the art center, its beliefs and its struggles. We would also like to thank
all the artists that we have met during our trips to the studio, for welcoming us so
enthusiastically and for sharing with us their creative process, their feelings and their
experiences.
Thank you.
Elizabeth Hemingway, Thomas Karabatsos, Kimi Yech, Dong Yeon Kim and Andrea Osborne.
T hanks t o. . . T hanks t o. . .
The art from Creative Growth should have no problem getting the attention of locals because it is well
suited to the bay area. Creative Growth produces an art that is unconventional, and unconventionality is a
characteristic the bay area prides itself on.
Like most visionaries, however, Creative Growth is experiencing the backlash of a lingering prejudice. Can
people with disability and no classical training produce valuable art? Indeed, when gallery visitors or potential
buyers ask about the artist who produced the piece that they are interested in, the focus inevitably switches
from the art to the disability. For many, it is still a radical notion that people with developmental disabilities
cannot possibly make art that challenges them intellectually. People stop interpreting the art and they start
looklng tor Naws ano oetects. Tbls ultlmately ano untalrly oevalues tbe art.
How can Creative Growth address the many art enthusiasts of the bay area?
How to reach the trendsetters of Northern California?
How to appeal to local creative minds?
After all, these are the valuable and numerous locals of the bay area that Creative Growth does not currently
have a relationship with.
Creative Growth needs to make an active effort to center the discussion on its art. It also needs to present its
artists as such, as opposed to people with disability. Creative Growth needs a window for its art.
This window is the gallery; it needs to be exploited the right way.
I nt r oduc t i on and obj ec t i ves
2
Usually, the challenge for an art gallery is to gain credibility.
It is not the artworks that make a gallery successful. It is the recognition those artworks get, as much as the
buzz surrounolng tbe artlsts sbowcaseo, tbat reNect tbe success ot a gallery. Tbls success ls tben evaluateo ln
toot tratc ano sales.
When a gallery is young, the gallery becomes the platform that elevates its artists, as much as the up-and-
coming artists elevate the gallery back; this is the cultural tension that galleries rely on.
Creative Growth, however, has an enormous advantage. It has already produced artists that have gained
worldwide recognition. Some of Creative Growths most famous artists include: Merritt Wallace, Dan Miller,
Donald Mitchell, William Scott, Dwight Mackintosh, and Judith Scott. Their work has been endorsed by several
publlc gures ano bas even been seen worlowloe, wbetber ln gallerles, prlvate collectlons, museums or even on
fashion merchandising.
Creative Growth simply needs to capitalize on the success of these artists in order to elevate its gallery.
Creative Growth will achieve three goals by doing this:
- |t wlll establlsb ltselt as a strong member ot tbe local art scene by lncreaslng sales ano toot tratc.
- It will prove to even the most prejudiced that a disability is not an obstacle to producing valuable art.
- It will give the opportunity to new Creative Growth artists to showcase their work to a receptive
audience and get recognition, which will then assure a long-lasting success for the Creative Growth Gallery.
and get recognition, which will then assure a long-lasting success for the Creative Growth Gallery.
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RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK
Oakland has an up-and-coming art scene that locals are getting excited by they want to rival San Francisco
in a friendly creative competition.
Tbe Worlo ls Looklng at Oaklano puts tbe tocus on Oaklano's art scene, ano more speclcally Creatlve
Growths gallery and its world-famous artists.
The World is Looking at Oakland is a concept that leverages Creative Growths artists of international
recognition, whose fame will help raise awareness of the Creative Growth Gallery.
We want Oakland locals to know that because of Creative Growth artists, such as Dan Miller and Donald
Mitchell, whose work has traveled the globe, the world has caught an interest in Oakland and now has an eye
on the bay area.
We are suggesting four different ways to implement this concept.
- By presenting Creative Growth Gallery as a gallery that produces artists.
- 8y atrmlng a stronger presence at Art Murmur.
- By utilizing the billboard above the gallery.
- By inviting bloggers and media to a special event introducing the gallery side of Creative Growth only.
T he wor l d i s l ooki ng at Oakl and.
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RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK
Gallery bencb. Artlst Label wltb QR Cooe.
Gallery space wltb recommenoatlons lncorporateo.
Creative Growth Gallery ls tbe rst gallery space oeolcateo to tbe sbowcaslng ot tbe artwork ot people
with developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, as of now, people are relatively unaware that Creative Growth is
an open gallery for patrons to visit.
There is no mention of a gallery visible from the street, and while some wanderers might poke their head in to
gure out wbat tbe space ls, tbe open connectlon to tbe stuolo, wbere people are actlvely worklng, make tor a
confusing space that keeps people away.
When people do visit Creative Growth Gallery, the visiting patrons spend a short period of time inside the
gallery. Tbe reason tbey oon't speno longer ls because tbere are no speclc lntormatlon tor tbe artwork
displayed and no seating.
Tbe utlllzatlon ot Creatlve Growtb's gallery as an obvlous gallery space encourages toot tratc.
How to get people to walk in?
- Add the word Gallery under the Creative Growth signs on the windows to clearly identify the space as a
gallery.
- Add benches in the gallery space to invite patrons to spend time with the artwork, which further
distinguishes the space as a gallery and give more time for visitors to remember the art.
- Aoo Nyers promotlng tellow local gallerles tbat are vlslble trom tbe outsloe (most llkely near tbe wlnoow).
This will reinforce peoples perception of the space as a gallery, and also establishes Creative Growth as a
member of the Oakland art community.
- Relocate the reception desk to the back of the gallery, in order not to turn off the potential patrons.
Cr eat i ve Gr owt h Gal l er y s pac e
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RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK
Step 1: see tbe artlst label.
Step 2: scan tbe artlst label's QR cooe wltb your QR cooe scanner.
Step 3: watcb tbe vloeo.
How to turn Creative Growth gallery that elevates its artists?
How to leverage Creative Growths artists to elevate the gallery?
- Add artist labels with QR codes next to all artwork to inform and educate gallery patrons. The artist
label with QR code beside the artwork includes the artist name, artwork name, artwork date, art medium,
dimensions, artwork explanation and artist bio. When people scan the QR codes through their mobile devices
it will link them to a video. The video will show the process that the artists took to create their artwork and
gives the audience more ways to connect with the artwork and artist.
T he QR c ode i dea
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RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK
Creatlve Growtb Gallery montbly
collectlble Art Murmur maps.
Creatlve Growtb Gallery tree Art
Murmur maps.
Oakland Art Murmur allows for the socially inclined to get glances at what each gallery is showing and to
spread the word to their friends and family. Oakland Art Murmur is a meet and greet on the First Friday of
every month. There are 24 participating galleries located in relative proximity to each other; however, Creative
Growth Gallery is the furthest away.
Create postcaro maps ot Art Murmur maoe by Creatlve Growtb artlsts. Tbe Creatlve Growtb Gallery
Postcard Maps are available for free around the Art Murmur event and in other participating galleries.
Create collectlble Creatlve Growtb Gallery Art Murmur maps. Tbe Montbly Collectlble Maps are avallable tor
purchase at Creative Growth gallery during Art Murmur.
T he Ar t mur mur map.
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RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK
T HE WORL D I S L OOKI NG AT OAKL AND.
Cr eat i ve Gr owt h i s ar ound t he c or ner. 355 24t h St r eet
Tbe blllboaro ln lts envlronment.
Tbe blllboaro.
Despite national and international fame, Creative Growth Gallery and the artwork it showcases, Creative
Growth Gallery has low awareness among the community in which they reside, Oakland, California.
Utlllze tbe blllboaro beblno Creatlve Growtb Art Center tbat taces two large parklng lots useo by oowntown
Oakland employees.
Bi l l boar d i dea
13
Tbe blllboaro's slgbtllnes.
RECOMMENDAT I ON BOOK
Tbe teaser
We are senolng a travellng klt maoe by Creatlve
Growtb along wltb a caro tbat say Get reaoy
tor some worlo travellng. Tbe caro ls slgneo
by CGG.
Tbe klt lncluoes
CGG unoerwear
CGG eye mask
CGG tootbbrusb
CGG ear plugs
Tbe |nvltatlon reaos
Tbe worlo ln comlng to OAK.
No neeo to travel to 8erlln, Parls, New York or Tokyo to see worlo-class art. |t all orlglnates bere, ln Oaklano.
On //, CGG wlll teature, tor one nlgbt only, work trom tbe very artlsts lt launcbeo to tbe worlo a tew years ago, alongsloe tbe work
ot tbe new generatlon ot Creatlve Growtb artlsts.
Creative Growth has worldwide and national recognition; however, Creative Growth does not have a local
presence in Oakland or the Bay Area.
A blogger lnvltatlonal ls an event tbat wlll lntroouce Creatlve Growtb Gallery to 8ay Area bloggers ano locals.
The blogger invitational will stress the international fame of Creative Growth art and concentrate it locally.
The World is Coming to Oakland party showcases the internationally traveled work at Creative Growth
gallery for a special exhibition. The Artist Label QR Codes, next to the world-famous art, tells the story of the
work, who made it, where it has traveled, and who has endorsed it.
The blogger invitation establishes a presence of Creative Growth gallerys Oakland location in the minds of the
Bay area communicators.
Tbe lnvltatlon llst lncluoes members ot tbe local press ano lnNuentlal bloggers ot tbe 8ay Area (see appenol).
Bl ogger i nvi t at i onal
STEP 1: TEASER
STEP 2: INVITE
STEP 3: PARTY
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
8logger lnvltatlonal plannlng scbeoule.
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APPENDIX