The Compound Gallery is a (hidden?) gem of the Bay Area. It's *free* to enter/browse and there are…read morepieces here ranging from affordable to pricier. 1) I enjoyed David Fullarton's collection, "Everything's Getting Worse and I'm Not Helping," as well as browsing local artisans' pieces. The curation of this gallery feels cohesive. The pieces here are rich with meaning -- great conversation starters, so it's definitely an excellent place to bring a friend or two. 2) I wish I caught the name of the owner/director I met there yesterday -- he was so warm and a great host! It was my first time, and he took the time to briefly show me around the different areas of the gallery whilst entertaining my questions about the history of the gallery/its artists. He also shared upcoming events and exhibitions (artist talks, for instance), inviting me to stay connected! 3) Parking here is pretty great (I was at the gallery on the weekend). There's also a small park across the street -- great place to hang out and debrief after enjoying The Compound. I highly recommend The Compound Gallery -- I know I'll be back soon.

I was a member for a little over two years. I learned screen printing there and I'm genuinely…read moregrateful for that. There's a lot to like about Compound and I'm bummed that I got such a sour taste in my mouth right at the end. Pros: - Fantastic equipment covering a huge range of making and printing. REALLY nice setup for screen printing. Bummer that you can only do water based but it makes sense overall from a mess and fumes standpoint. - Open at all hours - which is nice - Matt and Lena are friendly and welcoming when you join and were generally friendly to be around Cons: - At $250 a month, I paid over $6,000 total even though times/eras would naturally happen and I'd not use it for 2-3 months. This really stings. Month after month it just felt like too much for what it actually was. - Often times, you end up having to wait a long time to get certified to use certain things. Was frustrating that something as simple as the conveyor drier needed a $50 course + waiting for many months when it could be taught in 5 min. - Communication is fairly slow on support tickets. When I was leaving I couldn't locate my flat pack storage area as I hadn't used it but wanted to make sure it was clear since my friend had missed clearing hers out entirely. The owners didn't know where it was either - Almost always empty. Great for working but not great for meeting people or feeling like part of a community. When I occasionally would talk to people , they would often say 'so odd that this place is always empty.' - The message board is pretty much only used for griping about cleanup vs. anything very inspirational or community oriented. Sour taste right at the end for me: I accidentally left a new thing of emulsion in the screen printing fridge. I emailed them, waited 5 days, then followed up, then waited another 5 days, messaged on Instagram, then biked over in person. I saw Lena in the gallery, tried to wave her down, and she ignored me and walked the other way. I asked the front desk if I could speak with her and was told she was busy, leave a note. I left a note. Never heard back. I eventually just ordered another one and moved on. It's not about the $30. That's obviously trivial. But it's just frickin harsh. I spent a lot of money at that place over two years, cleaned up, and was friendly and can't even get a basic response? I wasn't badgering them... I sent one email, waited, and followed up at a normal cadence. Even a 'sorry, we had to clean out the fridge!' Anything. The fridge was packed to the brim with old emulsion that no one bothered to clean up, if anything it would help to free up some space. My friend had a similar experience, she accidentally left something behind (I think in her flatpack area as well) and instead of a simple heads up email... they charged her extra months. She had to fight/plead to get that removed. How you treat people when they are suddenly no longer paying you $250 a month says a lot... The equipment is genuinely great and if you're going to use it constantly, I'd still say its worth it. It's a gem of a spot in many ways! But if not, I'd look into more focused + more affordable spaces elsewhere like ace makerspace or a slew of others that have popped up. And whatever you do, don't leave anything behind !

In May, I shop for a couple birthdays and of course like to keep gifts locally made. So one May…read moreweekend I stopped in this maker's retail space and was delighted to find numerous affordable beautiful jewelry, art, and home & bath creations for sale. The staff was friendly and helpful too in answering all of my various questions. I decided on a few purchases that day, including this card for a Bay Area native friend. For any occasion that pairs well with a gift for a Bay Area enthusiast, I invite you to stop in.

Cute shop with nice selection of crystals. I got a few crystals and a bracelet. The woman who was…read moreringing me up asked me if I knew the price of two of the stones. I didn't, so she went to look. The total came out higher than expected, but I waited until I was home to review the digital receipt. Turns out I was overcharged for two of the stones and charged for 8 items when I only bought 7. Could possibly have been a mistake but enough to make me not want to go back.

LOVE this shop!! The owner even let me come in before the store was open as and make my purchases!…read moreI was visiting from Chicago and staying at the nearby Marriott, but working during the hours the shop was open. I popped over before my last shift hoping to catch it open, and it wasn't yet, but she was there stocking and let me in! I had such fun and picked up some beautiful locally-made art and treasures. Loved the cool decals, pins, so much art! Great place to pick up gifts and souvenirs from Oakland- not typical "souvenir" stuff, but the really cool prizes other people will love and ask "Wow, where did you get that???" Prices are very reasonable. Love that everything is locally sourced. Amazing shop!! If you are in Oakland, even for a day, stop by and purchase local art.

This is a cute little art space and I loved it. We only went by because we were waiting for my…read moresister to exit her hotel, about a block or so down the street, and were strolling around and ran into this little gem. The art is nice and cool, and they have a lot of art from local people. The person managing the gallery was next door doing some painting in a studio and he came over to welcome us. He had very large depictions of Africa, some were collages and some were painted. I would love to see them featured next to each other on a blank wall. But they were scattered about the shop. My picture features the art of Woody Johnson, a friend of my dad and my husband's. I'm quite familiar with his art and this is a new style. They have paintings of different sizes for every budget. Some big pieces, smaller framed pieces, some prints, and everyone in there was local. It's nice to support local artists and very necessary. They need the money, attention, time and love too. I will definitely be back!

Stopped by during First Friday's and this was our favorite gallery to visit! Modern artwork and a…read morebeautiful space. An IG-able spot for sure. It's got clean white walls, artwork that'll inspire you, and multiple rooms to explore.

The most consistently spellbinding gallery within Oakland Murmur…read more Johansson can be spotted on the corner by its text covered spotlight. Inside you'll find a classy gallery that has a faux grass ceiling. When I visited the artwork presented were oil paintings on aluminum and paint on transparency. These unusual mediums really played to their strengths. I didn't see anything else in Oakland this contemporary or experimental. Unfortunately I hear that they're moving to New York. I can totally see them thriving in a bigger city yet I cannot feel a tad betrayed. Nevertheless, I hope they strike it big.

I came by here for a street fair, and full disclosure, I worked for the founder in my first job out…read moreof college at another art center. The event went til 6, but was over about an hour or so before that. I was greeted by a nice young man who does transportation for some of the artists. They have art that I've seen before in my other visits. I'm not sure of the value because I'm not fully familiar with their inventory, nor do I know the artists. I know that they do work with professionals to collaborate and complete their art. It was fun, and I'd go to another opening if they had one.

Just saw a segment on CBS Sunday Morning about this group. The story was inspiring and uplifting. I…read morehad never heard of it. And the artists are amazing individuals who create beautiful unique pieces.

About three weeks ago I received an invite on Facebook to attend the opening event of a photo…read moreexhibit by Philip Hennen at the Joyce Gordon Gallery. I have never met Mr. Hennen, but I was always impressed with his photos titled Mood City posted on that website in one of the groups I belong to. His main focus were the urban areas of Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco, which brought back memories of growing up in the area. I love his work, especially the ones of Oakland Chinatown and West Oakland. The Joyce Gordon Gallery is a well lit gallery in the downtown area of Oakland. The ambiance is a comfortable one without being pretentious. What an amazing gallery to have works of the African American artists on display. Indeed this gallery and Sanchez Contemporary (Uptown) are welcome sites to the City of Oakland. I usually don't head back to Oakland in the evening, but Mood City beckoned my husband and me to attend this event and to show support to a Facebook friend. The presentation of the photos was beautiful. I finally met Mr. Hennen through another Facebook friend, Vanessa Williams, who was also at the event. Much appreciation to this gentleman who was very pleasant and engaging in conversation with everybody attending this event. The minor drawback to this gallery is trying to find street parking in the area. Public transportation (AC or BART) is easier than driving around the block or blocks in search of a parking space. Then there is also a parking garage close by. When in the area, stop by this gallery and admire the works on display of local artists.

This is a cool space that is conveniently located near downtown Oakland (transit hub). The main…read morespace itself is wheelchair accessible, but as for the single gender-neutral bathroom, I'm not so sure it'd be easy to get in there due to the angles and width of the doors, especially if your mobility equipment is wider than a typical doorframe. They have some nice artworks of black and African or African diaspora people on display right now. I came to the gallery as a part of an evening event in BlackSolidarityWeek and I appreciate that they allow this space to be used for such events and talks. It seems there's a lower level that requires stairs to access, did not get to see what was in there at the time.

This place is neat and it's a nice place to discover local designers. The original works here are…read moredecently priced --pretty reasonable actually. You can find a lot of modern artwork here as well as smaller works such as jewelry, cards, magnets and whatnot. The walls are covered from wall to wall with work. I didn't buy anything myself but it was nice to browse around. It'd be a nice place to find a gift for the art lover that you know.

A friend of mine paints there, and I have met other artists there who are very talented and…read moreconsider friends, although they're really more of acquaintances because I only see them at the gallery. You know what I mean.... A very large space, much larger than most galleries, and it's a working gallery, with artists painting amid the displayed works. Gera, the owner, is really cool and friendly. A great place to see a lot of very creative art and talk to artists as they create. They have a lot of events, usually on Saturday nights, which are always really fun, with music and good food and wine/beer/sodas/water. Plus, there's a huge free parking lot adjacent to the gallery, so parking is usually no problem. It's well worth checking out. I'm there often, and it's a great place to kind of just hang out. Buy some stuff and support the artists! It'll brighten up your home and help the arts.

I've never had a business treat clients like this ever. Total waste of time. Owners kept harassing…read morepeople for years. Customer service is horrible. Absolutely would not recommend them.

Went there for an opening February and had a great time. Good art in Oakland, and a great space in…read morethe east bay. I will frequent this venue more often.

I don't consider myself a natural artist, but after taking Introduction to Silkscreen with Emily…read morehere I feel like a spark of potential was finally lit. I thoroughly enjoyed the flexible after-work hours where I could relax and concentrate on just a few set tasks that go into making a screen and prints. The small class size felt both intimate and collaborative. I also loved how the teacher provided great materials to experiment with and Kala had all the necessary equipment. I'd love to come back and take more silkscreen later in the year!

Kala has some great art programs. One of them is Drink and Draw, a post-work evening activity that…read moreinvolves drinkin' an' drawin'. It's a rare opportunity for working folks who love art (but never get to do it) to be artistic and creative. We also hoped it would be an opportunity to meet people, relax, unwind, drink some wine, and hang out... but we discovered one fine weekday eve that it was lots of Draw but very little Drink. There are some serious art students in Berkeley! The art instructor was knowledgeable, talented and inspiring, and brought some great materials for us to use - handmade paper, high-quality ink, brushes. We did have to supply some of our own stuff, like scratch paper, pencils, erasers. She taught us new techniques and was very hands-on. A few completed projects even looked frame-worthy. Kala offers great programs if you want to do art in the evening. However, if you actually want to hang out with friends, catch up, and Drink with your Draw, you may want to go to a bar. Just sayin'...!

Such an amazing space…read more Aside from being a gorgeous gallery, it's also my dream house. Think "urban barn," with a small gallery below and a huge hardwood floored loft with vaulted ceilings and luxurious patio above. Vessel was the absolute stand-out spot for me during Art Murmur. They had a very simple but interesting sculpture exhibit downtstairs, and this dreamy little folksy musician (Anna Ash and the Family Tree) strumming and crooning away upstairs. It was all so bohemian. Vessel is a must, especially amidst the mish-mash of happenings during Art Murmur. But beware...you'll probably want to stay a while.

Will be attending Art Murmur properly in a few days…read more.. Vessel is such a hidden jewel of a gallery. Amazing and airy upstairs, opening to the fresh air...unique pieces displayed. It was the venue for a Yelp mixer that featured body art. Such a gorgeous space, and a great spot to stop off and reflect on the meaning and purpose of art for a bit. PS The rafters and angles with the sloped roofline create dedicated nooks and crannies of secrecy and mystique, which I find utterly charming. Reminds me of the wonderful days I lived off Gibbons Dr in Alameda.....a literal paradise of architectural gems.