Mark your calendars for next Friday, October 1st when Strangerous, an exhibition in collaboration with Rob Reger opens at Creative Growth in Oakland. Reger is a Bay Area artist and the creative force behind illustrated heroine, Emily the Strange (he's also Gallery Extraña's co-founder). Strangerous features artwork by Creative Growth artists: Cedric Johnson, David Albertsen, Dinah Shapiro, Donald Mitchell, Franna Lusson, Gail Lewis, George Wilson, Jade Saren, John Martin, Juan Aguilera, Merritt Wallace, Nick Pagan andRodney Ridge . Also featuring Rob Reger’s own ‘rotating paintings.’ Exhibition is on view October 1 – November 12, 2010.

With an opening party, that will take place during Oakland’s monthly Art Murmur event, Strangerousis a marriage of the strange and the dangerous, a fitting Halloween-season-exhibition.

Curator, Rob Reger comes from a pop culture-neo-surrealist aesthetic in his personal artwork, and naturally gravitated toward the more abstract and peculiar side of Creative Growth artist’s work. Reger says about working with Creative Growth, “I'm blown away by what the artists here in the Studio do, how they approach art making, and their unique visions and explanations, (or not!) for their work. There is an absolute contagious creative spirit living at Creative Growth."

About Rob Reger: Reger’s local design house, Cosmic Debris—grew from a tangle of roots joining the DIY punk scene of the ‘eighties with guerilla art, surrealism, and the psychedelic explosion of the ‘sixties. Reger introduced the world to Emily the Strange—an icon of empowerment for young alternative girls and outsiders of all ages.

Featuring music by the all girl, middle-school- rock-band: Poison Apple Pie and Bar by ERA, Oakland

Also on view: Artwork from the students of Summer Scholarship Program 2010. Check out and collect the visionary work made by high-school aged artists with disabilities who have participated in the Creative Growth studio during Summer 2010.

About Creative Growth: Creative Growth Art Center serves adult artists with developmental, mental and physical disabilities, providing a stimulating environment for artistic instruction, gallery promotion and personal expression. Artwork fostered in this unique environment is included in prominent collections and museums worldwide.


WHAT: Strangerous: An exhibition curated by Bay Area artist Rob Reger.

WHEN: Exhibition and opening event during Oakland Art Murmur, Friday, October 1, 2010 from 5:00-9:00pm. Gallery event is free and open to the public. Also open Saturday, October 2, 11am-4pm. On view from October 1 to November 12, 2010.

WHERE: Creative Growth Art Center Gallery, 355 24th St., Oakland, CA 94612, (near 19th St. BART).

PUBLIC INFO: For more information call 510/836-2340 ext.15

PRESS PREVIEW: September 30, by appointment

IMAGES UPON REQUEST:jennifer@creativegrowth.org


FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer O’Neal, Curator / Gallery Manager:

jennifer@creativegrowth.org

Tom di Maria, Director:

tom@creativegrowth.org

Website: http://www.creativegrowth.org/