August 17, 2007

Grand Galleries Inaugural Exhibit Set

Opening Reception at Grand Theatre Center for the Arts

Tracy, Calif. -- The City of Tracy Cultural Arts Division will present The Making of an Artist as the inaugural exhibition at the Grand Galleries, Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, 715 Central Avenue in downtown Tracy, Calif. The exhibition will run from September 15 through December 15, 2007.

An Opening Reception with the Artists is planned for Saturday, September 15, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. as part of the grand opening activities at the arts center. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.

The exhibit features four accomplished artists from San Joaquin County, Lisa Cooperman, Adele Fox, Miguel Guerrero and Arturo Vera. "The Making of an Artist formally introduces the work, personalities, and lives of artists from our creative community into Tracy's first professional, contemporary art space," says William F. Wilson II, who is curator of the exhibit and Grand Galleries supervisor. "Through the exhibition and series of special events in October and November, we will explore the roles and value of living/working artists in our communities."

Lisa Cooperman is a sculptor, public artist, and educator who has lived in Stockton, Calif. for six years where she is currently the Curator of Education at the Haggin Museum. Her sculpture has been shown nationally and regionally with exhibitions from Washington D.C. to Oakland and San Jose. She is a national member of the A.I.R. Gallery in New York City. New work is currently on exhibition in the group show, Compass, at the Black & White Gallery in New York.

Adele Fox has exhibited work in cooperative, private, college, and university galleries. In 2006, her group of 23 works titled Nature Mind Continuum was exhibited at Delta Center for the Arts/Horton Gallery in Stockton. Currently, a collaborative piece is on view at the Visual Arts Gallery in New York City as part of The Missing Peace: Artists Consider The Dalai Lama.

Miguel Guerrero began sculpting in stone in 1971 and expanded to include cast bronze, welded steel, clay, and mixed materials. Since 1990, his focus has been on drawing and printmaking. His exhibitions have included numerous private commissions, a bronze sculpture on permanent display at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., and a commemorative woodcut placed in the Cambria in Corvo, Azore Islands.

Arturo Vera, a native of Guanajuato, Mexico, has spent more than 20 years mastering the art of professional photography, exhibiting extensively in California. He has received the Photographic Technical Excellence award, known as "The Silver Cindy," from the Information Film Producers of America, and the Best in the West Fest award from the Multi-Image Category.

"A few moments with a work of art can influence, inspire, and change lives. For these reasons, it is important to us that the inaugural exhibition features artists accessible to us," Wilson adds. "Whether in a classroom, museum or coffee shop, Adele, Arturo, Lisa and Miguel educate and positively impact those around them daily. They are celebrated professionals, but they are also respected for their colorful lives, candor and humility. These are artists who believe in the axiom that a deeper sense of community and family is possible by living with art."

The Grand Galleries Exhibitions Program will offer combinations of professionally produced exhibitions and arts-based events, featuring local, regional, national, and international artists, as well as arts educators and organizations in all disciplines and genres. Often, exhibitions will collaborate with the Arts Education and Presenting Programs to develop educational and interactive components such as demonstrations, gallery talks, receptions, residencies, and workshops.

Public hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and for one hour prior to performances on either of the Grand Theatre stages. Free parking is available on nearby streets and lots. Tours are available and gallery lectures can be arranged by appointment

The Grand Galleries are accessible to persons with disabilities and patrons are asked to call ahead to address special requests and needs at (209) 831-6ART (6278).

Further information regarding the Exhibitions Program is available by calling 209.831.6ART (6278) or visiting www.atthegrand.org.