1983—2023
From our humble origins in a Mission District garage in 1983, Creativity Explored celebrates 40 years of supporting artists with developmental disabilities in San Francisco.
Portraits of Michael Bernard Loggins, Cam Quach and Tony Gomez from the CE archives
Creativity Explored was founded by Florence and Elias Katz, an artist and a psychologist duo who believed that art is essential to life. Throughout our history, we've facilitated the art careers of hundreds of disabled artists — and changed the art world along the way. Our artists have seen their work exhibited in museums, galleries, and art fairs in over 14 countries and have earned over $2.2 million from their art. Our San Francisco studios are the center of a thriving creative community where all are welcome.
Join us this year at one of our many events and exhibitions to celebrate our legacy of community, empowerment and dignity.
Creativity Explored is our artists
✨
Creativity Explored is our artists ✨
Meet Maribel Guzman, December’s featured artist
Introducing Maribel Guzman, a quietly impactful artist and a pillar of CE's four-decade journey. Born in 1966 in El Salvador and currently residing in San Francisco's Mission District, Maribel has been an enduring presence in the Creativity Explored community since 2001.
Into the Brightness
Check out Oakland Museum of California’s Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD, a landmark exhibition of artists from the three progressive studios in the Bay Area founded by the legendary Florence and Elias Katz. The exhibition celebrates the work of contemporary artists with developmental disabilities and is on view through January 2024.
Calendar of Events
-
January 13 – March 23: Connections on view at Art Center of the Bluegrass
January 20 – January 24: Become Like Life Golden on view at Recology AIR Studios
Thursday, January 26: RELOVE Opening Reception at the CE Gallery
January 26 – March 25: RELOVE on view at the CE Gallery
-
February 4: Pet Portraits Day at SFMOMA with Yukari Sakura
February 11: CE Loves You Sale + Fashion Trunk Show
February 18: Blackiful Presents: Changemaker Portraits Workshop
February 18 – April 30: Library Cards by Creativity Explored at the SF Public Library
-
March 2 – March 5: Outsider Art Fair in New York City
March 4 – March 31: The Mail Art Club 2.0 on view at Minnesota Street Project
March 16: RELOVE Panel Discussion with Matt Gonzalez and Ana Teresa Fernández
-
April 13 – July 8: Figuratively Speaking at the CE gallery, curated by Hilton Als
April 23: Taking Space in the Art Marketplace, a CE-hosted panel at Art Market SF
April 28: Art Changes Lives, CE’s annual gala
April 29: Mindfield at Guerrero Gallery, LA
-
May 19 – January 28, 2024: Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD at Oakland Museum of California
-
June 3: Imaginate Saturdays is back at the CE gallery!
June 8: SF Design Week Open Studio
June 8: Flying Colors with Samedi Djeimguero at Haight Street Art Center
June 15: Des cartes pour se perdre (Maps to get lost) at Galerie Polysémie
June 17 – September 1: Wonderful Blackiful People at Creativity Explored II
June 24: Pride at Imaginate Saturdays at the CE gallery
June 30: Ode to San Francisco at Four Chicken Gallery, Oakland
-
July 20 – September 23: Eneight Vase on view at the CE gallery
-
August 4 – August 27: Creativity Explored with Hilton Als at Studio 540, Cedarville
August 19: Eneight Vase at Imaginate Saturdays
August 31 – September 28: HEAVEN Because in Heaven You Can See Everything at Hot House Gallery, Oakland
-
September 9: CE’s 40th Birthday Party
September 30 – October 28: Can’t Wait for Tomorrow at WAVE Collective
September 30 – January 7, 2024: Andrew Li featured in De Young Open
-
October 5 – December 16: Old Friends/New Friends on view at the CE gallery
October 6 – November 17: Today is the Greatest at NIAD Art Center
October 6 – May 5, 2024: Doris Yen featured in Bay Area Now 9 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
October 19: Design Friends at the CE gallery
november/DECEMBER
November 3: Holiday Art Drop launches to the public
NOvember 7
Our new book Art is Art is finally out! Pick up a copy at your local bookstore and enjoy a curated selection of hundreds of original paintings, drawings, illustrations, and sculptures — as well as quotes from and stories about CE artists!
November 18 – December 23: CE’s Ferry Building Holiday Pop-up, Saturdays from 8 AM to 3 PM
November 18–19: West Coast Craft at Fort Mason
NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 16
Browse hundreds of one-of-a-kind works, unique products, and our new book Art is Art. We’ll be kicking it off with two special nights of festivities, with drinks, music, and community!
VIP Soirée: November 30, 5 to 8 PM
Public Opening: December 1, 5 to 8 PM
Check back throughout the year for more about our featured artists.
Peter Cordova
Nita Hicks
Ethel Revita
Allura Fong
Ricardo Estella
Loren King
Hung Kei Shiu
“It’s all of us together, us artists and the public. We all like art, and we’re learning new things, and we keep growing.”
— Gerald Wiggins, CE artist since 2008
See what we’ve been up to:
Support our artists
Your contributions help us provide high-quality art materials, exhibition opportunities, and dedicated staff who support artists in all of their creative pursuits.
