Summer Art Extravaganza!

YEARS AGO, on a hot, humid, late-summer Friday afternoon, I was contemplating the dismal prospect of a two hour drive through traffic and the heat of the California valley to see my parents, when my friend Curtis called with a better idea.

I knew Curtis Arima, and knew his
Curtis' studio, where all the magic is made...reputation as a Bay Area metal sculptor and jeweler.  In fact, I've worn his jewelry for years myself, (and always dreamed of being the owner of one of his metal sculptures).  Matthew also wears some of Curtis' jewelry, featuring his new ring and a visit to Curtis' studio in his blog, 'Life in San Francisco.'

Like many artists, Curtis started young. 
The growing garden of sculptureIn fact, he and I have a connection through our work at craft fairs in grade school.  While I was doing public caricatures at the age of 12, Curtis was selling wearable origami in the same venues.

Curtis also started teaching at a very young age.  At the now-famous 'Kids n' Clay, ' Curtis learned to teach working with young children, teaching them basic ceramic techniques.  I've always been impressed by Curtis' ongoing effort to reach out and lead classes in metal, jewelry, ceramics, and sculpture.

The Art Show

So what is Curtis' end-of-the-summer exhibit?
So much artwork!!!

Curtis teaches a really cool summer class at the California College of the Arts for young high-school age artists.  Students for this program travel to Oakland California from around the world to live and work for a summer in an environment surrounded by fellow artists in this one-month program.

Can't find bracelets like these at Macys...I would have loved such an opportunity in high school.  It would have been like Harry Potter stepping into Hogwarts and feeling at home for the first time in his life.  

Curtis' class, usually ranging from 15-17 students, focuses on metal sculpture and jewelry.  They get to work with all the cool materials, fire, and chemicals in laboratory environments.

While other students in the summer
Curtis' corner of the exhibitprogram at CCA are learning to draw, paint, and do fashion design, Curtis' students are eagerly sawing, welding, and adding patina to jewelry that could be the envy of the cast from the original Star Wars bar scene.

Curtis challenges his students to create jewelry, sculptures, and 'site-specific-artwork' that can be personal as well as unique to its location.  While
Giant hummingbird or mini-balloon?collecting college credit, students are growing intellectually as well as developing new techniques.  It's always amazing to me the level of depth young artists have when they choose to explore death, war, the environment, and other issues of the day.

The annual students show at the College is always inspiring.  It always happily surprises me that students so young can also be in touch with timeless themes and concepts of  life.  There is a campus full of art from every department at the College, in every shape and form imaginable, and Curtis' students always keep me coming back.

Looking forward to next year!