exhibitions
Teaching Artists Exhibition
Support the creative mind of our MOCHA Teaching Artists (TAs) at our second annual Teaching Artists Exhibition. Our TAs lead thriving creative lives producing their own works of art in addition to their year-round dedication as providers of art enrichment and instruction to hundreds of Bay Area youth.
Reception: Thursday, December 5, 2024 | 4:00 - 7:00pm
Exhibition: November 27 - January 17, 2024
Location: 1221 Broadway LL-49 Oakland, CA 94612
Lower Level of Oakland City Center
For more information, contact Director of Curation:
Kaya Fortune (kaya@mocha.org)
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Featured Artists:
Ariel Goldman, M.F.A.
Ariel Goldman, she/her, Walnut Creek, California home. Her arts education includes a Bachelor’s degree in painting and drawing from California College of Arts and a Master’s degree in animation from the Academy of Art University. When Ariel practices art, she focuses on painting and drawing, sewing and textiles, and illustration. She prefers painting with oils because she loves the creamy texture of oil paint and the way the paint can create layers that glow from within. She often paints portraits and so Frida Kahlo is one of her favorite artists as Kahlo’s portraits are honest, lovely, and powerful. When teaching art, one of Ariel’s favorite projects is drawing to music; It’s wonderful to see students connecting with music in a visual way that they wouldn’t have expected.
Faith Padgett, M.F.A.
Faith Henley Padgett (she/her) was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Before teaching for MOCHA, Faith advised at La Jolla Country Day School, and she has taught workshops for Poetry in America, The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, Milk Press of the Poetry Society of New York, and Sea Level. Her written work has appeared in The Journal at OSU, The Western Humanities Review, Hanging Loose, Permafrost, and Red Cedar Review, among others. After earning her M.F.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, Faith has relocated to San Francisco, unceded to the Muwekma, Ohlone, & Ramaytush people, where she gets inky pursuing her love of letterpresses and fiddling with type. Faith currently works as a Teaching Artist, and she finds herself returning to the artworks of Louise Bourgeois, Leonora Carrington, Cecilia Vicuña, and Georgia O'keefe, among many others. She is also inspired by zine culture, the history of the book as an art object, and the crossover between printed text and artistic expression.
Jill McLennan, M.F.A.
Jill McLennan (she/her) grew up in Providence, RI, and Chilmark, MA, where she developed a love for the urban and the natural. She attended Hampshire College in MA, with a focus on Painting, Drawing, Art History and Natural Science. After college, She went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she earned her Master’s in Art Education and Teacher Certification. McLennan's art practice explores the environment through drawing, painting, and linoleum block prints. Currently, she is inspired by exhibitions of work by Kehinde Wiley, Wangechi Mutu and Jaune Quick-to-see Smith. Her art lessons teach technique while emphasizing curiosity and are inspired by living artists from cultures around the world. As both an artist and a teacher, she is deeply invested in protecting urban nature, inspiring our youth, and spreading hope and joy in the world.
Keyaisha Garth
Bio coming soon
Meghan McLean, M.P.S.
Meghan (she/her) was born in a small house on the top of a hill in Hayward, California. She grew up immersed in the arts, attending non-traditional elementary and middle schools that encouraged hands-on learning and student-driven education. She earned her B.A. in Creative Writing at San Francisco State, and later an M.P.S. in Publishing from George Washington University. Over the years she has taught kids and adults the joy of exploring their curiosity through creativity. Lisa Congdon is one of Meghan’s favorite artists, as Lisa’s bold use of imagery, inspiring messaging, and bright colors sparks a sense of wonder that reminds Meghan of the joy of being a child. Meghan has recently also been inspired by the work of Brazilian artist João Incerti and his use of pattern and connection to nature.
Sydney Yount
Bio coming soon
Thea Hurwitz
Thea Hurwitz, she/her, is from Arlington, VA, and grew up exploring the free museum resources of Washington, D.C. Thea has a B.A. in Individualized Studies from New York University, where she devised her own major about accessibility in art education. A true mixed-media artist, Thea is interested in textiles, painting, collaging, ceramics, and more, and is currently exploring recycled art. She has a particular interest in children's literature and loves storytime at the library, and some of her favorite artists are children's authors and illustrators including Molly Bang, Maurice Sendak, and Eric Carle.
Past Exhibitions
Knowledge From Our Ancestors
September 6 - October 31, 2024
Featuring MOCHA Teaching Artist alumni Joaquin Newman and Founding MOCHA Teaching Artist, Kaya Fortune. Joaquin is an artist, activist, and art instructor, who works at Ashland Youth Center. Kaya has been working as a Teaching Artist at MOCHA for more than 30 years. His current position at MOCHA is Director of Curation and Culture Keeping. Together, they have inspired children in the Bay Area for more than 25 years and are mentors for countless young artists.
In the Spirit of Creativity
March 21 - April 20, 2024
MOCHA provides a space for students to experience their art in an exhibition at the Museum. We want our students to see themselves represented through their art, giving them confidence and pride in their expression. MOCHA sponsored an exhibition for our Department of Education (DOE) schools, which include Laurel Elementary School, OAK Academy and Bridges Academy. Madison Park Academy Primary was an additional in-school program represented in the exhibit. Teaching Artists will exhibit their students' work from grades TK thru 5th Grade.
Community Futures School
May 21 - July 11, 2024
MOCHA's Community Futures School (CFS) program uses Afrofuturism, arts integration, and futures literacy as part of a community-building toolkit to imagine and to implement their communities and their world. CFS Interns from MetWest and Castlemont High Schools created future forecasting projects including: Futuristic Portraits, Dioramas, Spirit Bowl Project, Scanning and Prototypes. In these projects, students present ideas about how they want to see the future with methods to solve social justice issues.
