May Art Stroll

With this hot summery weather hitting us, we’ve got some smokin’ featured artists for you during this month’s Piedmont Avenue Stroll! Come party with us from 6-9pm  on Thursday, May 16th during The Stroll to celebrate some amazing local art and design.

We are extremely excited to feature the explosive and vibrant paintings of David Seiler, which depict a mythical world drawn from his own imagination. Featured designer MAK  of MAKBUILT has applied his unique brand of innovative artistry to his one-of-a-kind portable ‘boxes of boom’ that will make you the envy of every party as you bump your tunes in style.

Come see David’s pieces bursting off our walls all month long and stop by anytime to sample the extraordinary sound and retro stylings of the many MAKBUILT boom boxes at Rare Bird. Or you can check out MAK’s other finely crafted mad scientist creations: “Pistol Pete”, his custom-built motorized bicycle, and his exquisite and tricky made-to-order belt buckle knives.  David and MAK will be hanging at The Stroll on May 16^th from 6-9pm, so come by to chat them up, or discuss a ‘box of boom’ custom-made to your specs and aesthetic by MAK. As always, enjoy a little bit of wine, community, and shimmying to the seamless spinning of DJ SOB.

What: Piedmont Ave Stroll

Featuring: Fantastical paintings and drawings by David Seiler and re-purposed functional art by MAK

When: Thursday, May 16 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About MAK:

Oakland born and raised, MAK is the designer and creator of MAKBUILT, a line of re-purposed, fully functional, one-of-a-kind art.  A builder by day and an artist by night, MAK is influenced by music and street art – his own art combines yesteryear’s retro aesthetics with modern technology and functionality. MAK’s love for music and nostalgia for the era of his childhood inspired his own version of a boom box that re-purposed his father’s wooden briefcase into a portable sound dock enabling him to share his tunes wherever he rambled.  Many ooh’s, ahh’s and requests later, he created his own line of ‘boxes of boom’ under the pseudonym MAKBUILT.

MAK’s desire to investigate how things are made and function fuels his own innovations, leading him to turn his bicycle into a motor bike, and a belt buckle into a carved wooden pocket knife, and resulting in a finished carpenter’s “face-lift” of a vintage camera. Each one of MAK’s unique pieces is imbued with his personal touch: a devotion to craft and a flair for style. MAK continues to add new designs to his repertoire, so be sure to keep an eye on his work by following MAKBUILT.com and seeing his work in person at Rare Bird, in his hometown of Oakland, California.

About David Seiler:

Born and raised in the Bay Area, David Seiler studied at the Academy of Art, graduating with a major in sculpture. He has been showing art in Oakland since 2006. His drawings and painting depict explosions and a fictitious ancient California mythology.

April Art Stroll

Piedmont Art Walk has been renamed the Piedmont Avenue Stroll but it’s still the same great celebration of local art and community! Join us at Rare Bird as we settle into spring and celebrate local art and design during The Stroll, Thursday April 18th, 6-9pm.

Rare Bird is delighted to feature gallery artist Margarette Laizure, whose haunting paintings and drawing of animal life explore the connections between humans and animals. Featured designer Cheryl Brown’s steampunk-ish upcycled jewelry is made from watch gears and other antique finds. Come in anytime during the month of April to see Margarette’s paintings and to try on Cheryl’s wonderful wares that are always in stock at The Bird. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for The Stroll on April 18th, 6-9pm, where you can chat with the featured artists about their extraordinary works, drink a little vino, side-step or two-step to groovy tunes spun by DJ SOB, and mingle with your amazing Oakland neighbors!

What: Piedmont Ave Stroll

Featuring: Paintings and drawings by Margarette Laizure and industrial upcycled jewelry by Cheryl Brown

When: Thursday, April 18 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Cheryl Brown:

Cheryl Brown has been passionate about jewelry design for the past 20 years and her pieces can be described as upcycled industrial wearable art. Blending antique typewriter keys, watch movements, buttons, opticians’ lenses, light bulbs, skeleton keys, grandfather clock hands, MahJong bones, and triggers with industrial washers, gears, nuts and screws creates simple yet eye-catching pieces that highlight the beauty of antique workmanship and the simplicity of modern hardware. Materials are sourced from antique dealers, thrift, and hardware stores and every necklace, bracelet, earring and ring is unique and hand made in Oakland.

About Margarette Laizure:

Margarette Laizure is a California native who has studied art in the here and abroad. Now she has returned to her Bay Area roots, and after much exploration in the arts and cultures of other places, remains inspired by humans relationship to nature, particularly  animals.

Through her gestures in painting and drawing, she hopes to bring a solid awareness of humans as animals and to show our curiosity about animals mirrored in their curiosity about us, as we are inextricably linked to the environment we share.

“I’ve always loved the movement of animals. But animals who will be still enough for me to draw them cause me to get out my pencils and sketch. So I went to Golden Gate park where you can see buffalo (otherwise known as Bison or as a friend pointed out, their Lakota name: Tatanka). They are rather like cows, grazing away and heavily padding around. They come out to bake  in the sun. They gaze at the equally curious human animals gazing back. Of all the animals I’ve ever known of, it is these buffalos that seem to blend so perfectly and to live so harmoniously in their habitat.”

March Art Walk

It’s starting to feel a lot like spring, rare birds, and we are packed to the gills with all your springtime needs! This month’s Art Walk on Thursday, March 21st from 6-9pm is the perfect way to celebrate the transition from winter, so come check out our featured artists and springtime wears at this month’s Art Walk.

We are excited to feature the dramatic and forgotten painting scapes by gallery artist Alan Grizzell, as well as pressed flora jewelry from local designer Kyla O’Neill’s line IMPRESSED by nature. Alan’s canvases will be up all month long for your viewing pleasure and Kyla’s stunning and unusual jewelry is just waiting to adorn you!

Come join the celebration of local art and design Thursday, March 21st, 6-9pm: meet Alan and Kyla to discuss their works, sip on some delicious wine, groove to the tunes being spun by DJ SOB and shop for all your spring needs!

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Paintings by Alan Grizzell and botanical jewelry by Kyla O’Neill

When: Thursday, March 21 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Kyla O’Neill:

Founded by jeweler designer Kyla O’Neill, IMPRESSED by nature is an Oakland-based business that specializes in handmade pressed flower petal and leaf jewelry.

In July 2011, Kyla began pressing the petals of Peruvian lilies, leading her to wonder if she could create jewelry that way.  So, she sealed the lilies in a secure, lightweight material, and voila: floral elegance in a wearable form! Since then, she has incorporated many types of flowers and leaves, even some herbs. She harvests most of her materials from plants in her Oakland garden and nearby areas. Kyla preserves the plants in handmade wooden presses for four weeks, then seals the dried petals and leaves in a thin plastic, making the jewelry durable and lightweight. All pieces are then hand-cut to ensure their integrity, and copper metal findings complement the plants’ natural tones.

IMPRESSED by nature’s goal is to preserve the brief, wondrous life of a plant, in a simple and stylish way that allows botanical sublimity to speak for itself and brings consciousness of plant life and the natural world to the fore.

About Alan Grizzell:

Alan Grizzell is an oil painter who recently made a cross-country move from Cincinnati, OH to Oakland, CA. He is a 2006 graduate of the Art Academy of Cincinnati with a BFA in painting and a recipient of Cincinnati’s Individual Artist Grant. His current work strives to shed light on the beauty of spaces across the U.S.  that may otherwise be forgotten. A ghost town outside of Death Valley, an abandoned convenience store in the middle of nowhere, and warehouses in neglected corners of cities are some of the places Alan has explored in past works.

February Art Walk

Hey Rare Birds, you are our Valentines! We feel so much love from our customers and we want to send love right back, so join us for this month’s extra-awesome artist-packed Art Walk on Thursday, February 21 from 6 – 9pm.

This month we are privileged to feature John Casey’s Hands & Pants II show, in which he collaborated with 50 of his Bay Area artist peers to create 50 one-of-a-kind art pieces. We’re also showcasing the unusual and gorgeous jewelry of featured designer Marie Allen.

Marie’s work and Hands and Pants II will be here all month long, so drop by to check out their art and see what other locally sourced goodies we have in store. And don’t miss this month’s Art Walk on  Thursday, February 21 from 6 – 9pm. The Bird will be jam-packed with artists, wine will be flowing and resident DJ SOB‘s tables will be serenading the crowd with sweet tunes.

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Collaborative art by John Casey and 50 local artist, and eco-jewelry by Marie Allen

When: Thursday, February 21 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Marie Allen:

Founded in 2005, Kinetik Soul Jewelry fuses geometric shapes with eye-catching designs of fashionable, artful jewelry that’s also eco-friendly. Marie, the designer and founder of Kinetik Soul Jewelry, was born and raised in San Francisco, California.  At a young age she discovered a nickel allergy which prevented her from wearing any fashion jewelry. It was both her love of colorful accessories and her determination to wear them that got her started on the path to jewelry making using unconventional materials such as wood. After years of trying different techniques and materials, her passion flourished in working with wood and metals.

About John Casey:

Oakland artist John Casey presents a sampling from his upcoming show Hands & Pants II, a broad collaborative venture employing 50 of John’s artist peers. John drew either hands or pants (blue-jean-clad waist-down shod figures) or both, in his simple pen-and-ink style on 8″x10″ Bristol paper. An invited artist was then given the hands and/or pants and asked to complete the figure in any way the artist saw fit. John’s intent was to create a collective storyboard using the “Hands & Pants” motif as a common recognizable character engaged in a variety of manifestations. The returned collaborations have gone far beyond John’s expectations in sheer artistic variety, producing an extended family of unique, individual beings.

Born on Friday the 13th in Salem, Massachusetts, John Casey has been drawing as soon as he was able to hold a crayon. He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston in 1988 with a BFA in Painting. Recently, John was awarded 2012 Best Artist by the East Bay Express. Currently he lives in Oakland, California with his lovely wife Mary.

January Art Walk

Happy 2013!  Join us as we fete the new year and our featured artists at Art Walk on Thursday, January 17 from 6 – 9 pm. Featured artist Max Kauffman’s otherworldly paintings reference folklore. Our featured designer, the mother-daughter furniture refurbishment team Bricolage, gives new life to old furniture.

Browse Bricolage and Max’s work throughout the month of January and don’t forget Art Walk on  Thursday, January 17 from 6-9 pm!  Join us to sip vino, check out our featured artists and rock out to our resident DJ SOB.

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: art by Max Kauffman and refurbished furniture by Bricolage

When: Thursday, January 17 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Bricolage

The mother-daughter team of Nancy Enkoji and Miyoshi Enkoji-Busch form the Oakland-based furniture refurbishing company Bricolage Oakland. The concept of bricolage — meaning  to fiddle, tinker, to  make creative and resourceful use of whatever materials are at hand — is applied to old pieces of furniture that may be a little beat up or just needing some tender loving care to be transformed into something new and beautiful. Bricolage’s mission is to rescue well-made furniture and give it a new life.  Nancy is a painter by trade and Miyoshi is a freelance photographer — together their artistic eyes bring a new vision to forgotten pieces.

About Max Kauffman

“My work is a return to earlier times, a post apocalyptic d.i.y. culture, where structures and life itself are cobbled out of anything at hand. It’s making the most out of what you have and what’s around you. Showing that our struggles, fears, victories and dreams haven’t changed much since the dawn of, us. Art is a release for me, a way to get things off my chest, a transference. More and more, I focus on that idea of transfer, segue, of exchange; through energy, life and death. That moment of perfect clarity or bliss, when darkness is washed away by new dawn. Hope springs.”

Currently residing in Oakland, California, Kauffman grew up in South Bend, Indiana. Through frequent trips from the countryside to the city of Chicago, Kauffman developed an affinity for both the bucolic and the urban – a duality repeatedly explored in his otherworldly works. Attending Arizona State University, he received an education in ceramics and anthropology, which continues to influence his fascination with visual folklore.

Kauffman’s work has been exhibited extensively across the United States in both group and solo exhibitions, as well as shows in Canada, Italy and Israel. His paintings have been featured by prominent art blogs and publications such as Juxtapoz, Lost at E-Minor and most recently Beautiful/Decay Book: 6. His work has been commissioned by clients such as Mountain Dew, Nike, and Arbor and he has contributed editorial content to a number of art websites and publications, including Hi-Fructose, Heeb, Analemma and Stuck Magazine.

December Art Walk

We’re so grateful for the amazing turn out last month for Art Walk and our Two-year Anniversary, thank you! Now it’s gift-giving season and Rare Bird is bursting with locally sourced goodies for everyone on your list. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for this month’s Art Walk on Thursday, December 20 from 6 – 9 pm.

December’s featured artist Jon Carling creates otherworldly pen and ink drawings that captivate the imagination. Our featured designer Niti Parikh uses reclaimed materials in her one-of-a-kind Happycardboards wall art.

Visit us anytime in the month of December to see Jon and Niti’s work, and to check out all our holiday items. Thursday, December 20 from 6-9 pm is Art Walk, so come by to drink wine, mingle with your neighbors and listen to sweet tunes by DJ SOB.

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Fantasical pen and ink drawings by Jon Carling and recycled cardboard wall art by Niti Parikh

When: Thursday, December 20 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Niti Parikh

Designed by Niti Parikh, HAPPYcardboards is a collection of unique wall art for all ages and interiors. Laser etched with original designs inspired by Indian Jali patterns or covered in nostalgic vinyl covers, each piece is hand assembled from recycled cardboard and reclaimed materials. Our goal is to provide sustainable and meaningful product for all spaces.

Niti is a mother, artist, and designer. She lives in Berkeley with her husband and their two kids, who inspire and challenge her every day. She founded NitiParikh Studio (NPS) in 2011 and the HAPPYcardboards line is designed and manufactured in her Berkeley studio.

About Jon Carling

November Art Walk

It’s harvest time and here at the Bird we’re reaping the rewards of our two years on Piedmont Ave. That’s right, November marks Rare Bird’s two year anniversary and we’re celebrating the best way we know — by gathering to witness local art, drink some wine and rock out for the Avenue’s Art Walk, Thursday November 15, 6-9pm. November is also Erica’s 30th birthday and Mama Bird would love nothing more than to celebrate these milestones with the customers, community and friends that are Rare Bird’s lifeblood. Come party with us at Art Walk!

This month, we’re privileged to feature the work of Oakland-based photographer Kevin Berne, whose eye for beauty encompasses the large, the small, the unusual and the humorous. In addition to his framed fine art pieces, we will be featuring frame-worthy note cards  of Kevin’s stunning photography. Our designer of the month is Kristina Elmasu, who hand-beads her artful and graphic earrings.

Kristina and Kevin’s work will be at Rare Bird starting November 1, so come by anytime. And be sure to join us for art, anniversaries, wine and sweet tunes from DJ SOB on Thursday, November 15 from 6-9pm.

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Photography and fine art cards  by Kevin Berne and beaded earrings by Kristina Elmasu

When: Thursday, November 15  from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Kristina Elmasu

Bay Area native Kristina Elmasu’s line of jewelry is 100% handmade. Each pair of earrings is carefully crafted, taking five to ten hours per set. She use glass seed beads and a peyote style beading technique to create each detailed design. Artfully crafted and handmade, no two pair of earrings is alike, just like the women she  makes them for.

About Kevin Berne

October Art Walk

It’s October, a month of  mysticism and magical, spooky nights.  Celebrate the fall and the month of the Trickster at Rare Bird with local artists Erin Crawford and Jacy Ceccarelli.   Walk the Avenue of artistic mysticism on October 18th, from 6pm-9pm, when 30 stores host artists and musicians, and party with their neighbors for the event that’s gathering more and more attention around the bay: Piedmont Ave’s Art Walk.

This month, Rare Bird is excited to feature artist Erin Crawford, whose striking paintings capture sensual movement and are influenced by nature and street art.   Another talented bird is our featured  designer and  ”scarfologist” Jacy Ceccarelli.  Jacy’s styling scarves, a line called Stolen Sunday, are decked out with hoods and pockets — perfect for the weather and the attitude of the Bay Area.

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Paintings  by Erin Crawford and scarves by Jacy Ceccarelli

When: Thursday, October 18 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Erin Crawford

Erin Crawford is a self-taught painter from the East Bay who has been painting since 2002.  She is deeply influenced by street art and graffiti, as well as music, dance, and nature. Using acrylic paints on canvas or wood, Erin paints a cast of evolving characters in various stages of repose or movement.  Over the last decade, she has shown in numerous group and solo art shows throughout the Bay Area. She also takes to the streets, vending at art fairs in an attempt to expose the world to her art—as well as to continually witness first-hand how the world receives and is affected by her creations.

About Jacy Ceccarelli

Jacy Ceccarelli from San Francisco is a self-described “scarfologist”. She is the owner and designer for the brand Stolen Sunday. The fun, funky style of San Francisco inspires her work. And running a small-scale scarf empire is made easy in San Francisco, as it is notorious for being a city where people wear scarves all year round. When she isn’t slinging seriously stylish scarves you can find her inventing new dance moves, giggling and causing as much trouble as she can.

September Art Walk

The season may be changing, but Rare Bird’s reverence of local artists remains a constant. Join us on Thursday, September 20 from 6-9pm  for our feting of local art and design at Piedmont Ave’s September Art Walk.

This month, Rare Bird is pleased to feature the passionate street art of painter Ernest Doty, and the whimsical designs of Linda La Touche, who repurposes everyday objects into beautiful, fun jewelry.

Ernest’s work will adorn our walls throughout the month of September, and you can accessorize anytime with Linda’s wearable art: earrings, cufflinks, rings and more. Stop on by during the opening reception September 20th from 6pm-9pm to enjoy wine, the tunes of resident DJ SOB, and to meet Ernest and Linda as you mingle with the amazing and creative community of Oakland!

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Paintings  by Ernest Doty and jewelry by Linda La Touche

When: Thursday, September 20 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About Ernest Doty

Prolific and passionate street artist Ernest Doty equates justice and vision in his pursuit for more wall space. At once a mystic and a social activist, Ernest seems to want to drag the rest of the contemporary world into an age of neo-enlightenment, kicking and screaming. His ancient characters, with their multiple, sad eyes have a message for us: their message is silence, compassion and social justice.

- Obi Kaufmann

About Linda La Touche

Originally from Union City, Linda moved to Oakland during her college years and immediately loved the city’s diversity, spirit and energy. Linda first discovered her “need to bead” in high school during preparation for senior prom when she couldn’t find the perfect earrings to accessorize her custom dress. Using remnants of that dress, she made her first pair of earrings and four years later La Touche Designs was born.  By repurposing everyday objects into beautiful adornments, La Touche Designs allows for the ‘bending of ones mind’ around objects’ typical purposes. La Touche Designs offers its collections with a hope of invoking joy, laughter, and a deeper level of appreciation for the creative ability that is always within one’s reach.

August Art Walk

It’s August and we’re basking in the wonderful feeling of having Piedmont Ave’s Art Walk recognized in the East Bay Express’ Best of the East Bay and San Francisco Bay Guardian’s Best of the Bay 2012 . Our devoted customers and amazing local artists are what make our art walk so special, so thank you! And what better way to celebrate than to come out for this month’s Art Walk on Thursday, August 16 from 6-9pm.

This month we’re featuring paintings by David Polka, whose flowing, abstract forms reference Native American art and graffiti, among other influences. Our featured designer, type.lites, creates candles with personality: soy candles with hand-typed quotes on each candle, wood wicks and lids featuring fun images. Come by Rare Bird anytime during August to view David’s paintings and type.light’s candles or to browse our other  finds.

Mark your calenders  for Art Walk on Thursday, August 16 from 6-9pm as we celebrate local art and the best customers in the bay with wine, snacks and the sweet grooves of  DJ SOB.

What: Piedmont Ave Art Walk

Featuring: Graphic paintings  by David Polka and soy candles by type.lites

When: Thursday, August 16 from 6-9 pm

Where: The Rare Bird – 3883 Piedmont Avenue – Oakland, CA

About David Polka

David Polka is a visual artist and graphic designer currently based in Oakland, CA.  Originally from Las Cruces, New Mexico, he is a graduate of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and has been exhibiting work professionally since 2006.

Drawing inspiration from abandoned and neglected places, stories and people, Polka’s work distills the ephemeral nature of human experience into a visual record of accumulated memories and emotions.  Flowing, abstract forms envelop figures weary from loss and hardship in an exploration of transitory connections.  Reflecting a myriad of aesthetic influences including Native American art, graffiti, anime, and Colonial and Byzantine devotional art, these images examine how personal interactions are fostered and eroded by adversity, revealing the lines connecting different facets of our existence with irrevocable patterns of life and death, destruction and rebirth.

About type.lights
Type.lites founders and former roommates Crystal and Tricia share a devotion for innovative design and a weakness for anything that tingles their senses of smell. As a result, type.lites was born – a cleverly packaged candle line featuring seven irresistible fragrances that will delight every candle lover. Their soy wax candles are hand-poured in the San Francisco Bay Area and set with wood wicks. Type.lites are not only easy on the eyes and nose, they’re also easy on the environment.