MTC ART GALLERY

21st Century Preservation:
Our Community, Our Culture, Our Environment

A Mixed-Media Show By The Artists of the Artful Steps Program at Stepping Stones

About the Show

The artists learned about the importance of preserving our resources. They discovered how to create hand-made paper from discarded office supplies, which was transformed into beautiful collages. Other works include use of natural material that the artists collected such as flowers and leaves. Fine art pieces highlighting the value of clean water and ocean creatures are also featured.

Preserving Our Culture…

Through our arts and dialogue, cultures can be cherished and preserved. The paintings, drawings and embroidery in this section emphasize this sentiment. We learned about the history of “rainsticks,” a musical instrument found in many cultures, and created our own using recycled material.

Preserving Our Community…

This year, Stepping Stones created a community garden next to our center. The Steps Toward Wellness Program spearheaded this project, which has been a huge success.

The artists were inspired by the flora and utilized this theme in their fine art. We also had a photo workshop with professional photographer Kamua Amen-Ra in the garden. The photographs on display were taken by the Artful Steps artists with Kamua’s guidance and expertise.

This show also highlights the progression of our mosaic mural project that is installed in the front of our building and along MacArthur Boulevard. Meadow Presley, Artful Steps Teacher, collaborated with the artists to create this intricate design, which is of a nature scene that fades from day to evening. Meadow inspired and taught the Artful Steps artists to make the individual ceramic components, which are of a variety of plants and animals native to Northern California. The community has been extremely supportive of this project. While we are installing the mural, passersby stop and comment on how beautiful the mural is progressing or ask questions. Drivers beep their horns and give a “thumbs up” as well! In addition, the city of San Leandro, through its street beautification project, is helping fund the installation.

About the Program:

The Artful Steps Program at Stepping Stones Growth Center in San Leandro teaches developmentally disabled adults methods for self-expression through the visual arts. The goal of Artful Steps is to enhance individuals’ self-esteem and independence, as well as artistic ability. The Artful Steps teachers are accomplished artists themselves and have brought fresh and exciting art techniques to our program.

Community Awareness:

Through our community-based art exhibits, Artful Steps can enlighten the public about the artistic abilities of our clients. We appreciate the opportunity to showcase their talents and the support of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

For More Information:

Artful Steps is a nonprofit program that is funded by the Regional Center of the East Bay and supported by the San Francisco Foundation, the City of San Leandro, The Thomas J. Long Foundation and individual donors. We operate within Stepping Stones Growth Center, which has been serving persons with disabilities in the East Bay since 1975.

Donations are much appreciated as we are a 501©3 not-for-profit business, tax ID #94-6069868.
For more information, please contact Missy Brooks, Artful Steps Director, at (510) 567-2621, or missyhatley@steppingstonesgrowth.org

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