Spotted: Downtown Oakland
What are you up to today?
I'm working at Burnt Oak Gallery. We're having a brand new opening — it's First Friday so we're having a show with 13 different women. They did a collaborative show, so I'm helping set up. Also, next door Bonnie's having her grand opening. She hand-makes her clothing: beautiful dresses, handmade children's pajamas, [and] purses. We're a tight community. So, this is Third Eye Gallery, This is Burnt Oak, and I'm also affiliated with Shop Maater. We're getting our vibes up and cleaning up the shops.
Is this the first First Friday you've participated in?
I've participated in First Fridays for so long — maybe 10 years. I used to sell handmade jewelry (I make handmade jewelry, I also paint and screenprint). And then it kind of blew up; I was doing that for about five years every month, then I stopped doing it after some things went down. A lot of stuff changed around First Friday. So then I found myself here, on 15th Street, building with a small community of artists and leaders. People with ideas.
So how long have these galleries been here?
They started popping up in the beginning of last year, starting with Mary Weather and Omiiroo, and then Tilde and Naming Gallery came up. Then, over here across the street, SideQuest, Third Eye and then Burnt Oak came probably around last summer. It's really special too because all of the people are open; they talk to each other, we try to have openings on the same days and invite everyone. If somebody comes into one place we try to lead them to the next door. It's like a family community effort.
What are your favorite places to hang out in the area?
Definitely 15th street — my whole life is on 15th street — but other than that, I love going to the Oakland Hills. I love East Oakland's parks and hills. I just had a great adventure with my friend Aambr — we went to Lake Anza in Berkeley Hills, and that's one of my favorite places in the world.
I just noticed all these plants set aside here in a container — what's going on with these plants?
Bonnie is going to make an arbor here to beautify the block. We're going to put a bunch of plants on the arbor, so people feel like they're in the middle of the jungle.
What's something that's caught your interest lately?
I've been taking a lot of photos and getting a lot of photos taken of me. It's interesting, it's been kind of challenging. It's bringing out a different part of my creative self. So that's been really inspiring and I'm trying to figure out where that's going.
Any particular type of photography?
I like taking portraits, but I'm trying to narrate a story of how I see the world, or how I'd like the world to be seen. So, collections of different experiences.
Is jewelry-making your main occupation? Usually people have a few things going on.
All over the place. I'm a painter, I'm a photographer, I make jewelry, I work here at the gallery, I'm also a waitress at Bissap Baobab, and I'm in a band. [laughs]
Do you ever have trouble juggling it all or does it all seem to work out?
Well the only thing that I have trouble with is prioritizing my finances. I want to do all of my fun creative projects, but I gotta work more — you know? But other than that, I go through phases. I'm an artist of different mediums, so I go through different phases of painting or making jewelry or writing songs.
What kind of music do you do?
I'm in a band called Snow Angel. We make psychedelic pop music. It's awesome — we have an electric sitar, backup singers, so we do a lot of harmonizing. It's kind of different — it's influenced by a lot of different genres and time periods. And we have a show at Awaken Cafe Friday the 19th of June at 8.
I also wanted to ask about your outfit today! How would you describe your style?
I like to think about it as coordinated, but comfortable. I'm really excited about my shoes because I just got them in the Mission.
Those look like some real hiking boots!
Yeah, they're like hiking boots — I thought they would be kind of cool, they're kind of like Timberlands but a little more rugged.
The jewelry is really nice too! Did you make this necklace?
No, I didn't make this necklace — a friend gave it to me. I have like a collection. This bracelet is from Harlem, these beaded bracelets are from Bolivia — my friend got them when she was out there — I like beads, I like culture, I like keeping the conversation alive.
What inspired the hair?
I've had dreadlocks for about six years now, I just wear my hair like this. It reminds me of a Triceratops with the three bun mohawk. I try to do different shapes with my hair a lot just because it can be molded in so many different ways!
