Artists to Color with Children at Opening Reception of New Exhibit

A new exhibit opening today is not only highlighting the talents of local artists, but also encouraging local children to engage with art.

“We thought it would be a good idea to pay homage to Paddy’s [and] to give something back to the kids out here,” said Kevin Correa, a member of art collective &THEM who helped curate the show. “Hopefully it will inspire another generation.”

“House Blend” at at in Union City will feature a diverse array of artists, including Union City-based artists , Bryant Sina and Wayne Chan (aka ), along with greater Bay Area artists JP Neang and J.Todd.O.

From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, children are invited to meet the artists and color on sheets with each of the artists’ designs. The coloring event is followed by an opening ceremony at 4 p.m. The exhibit will run through September.

The show is the first in recent years not organized by , said coffee shop owner Paddy Iyer. The city organization will still host four exhibits a year, but Iyer will continue to seek out talent himself or via curators like &THEM.

“We want to give exposure to much more contemporary artists and more local talent. This is just one way of giving back to the community,” Iyer said. “The city liked the direction we were going in [and] was happy that local youth were helping to curate the show.”

Iyer said wanted to get involved with &THEM’s network of artists for the vibrancy and quality of the artists’ work.

“It really reflects the sentiments of their generation and that’s really what we want to convey to the community,” he said.

The art displayed in “House Blend” ranges from Chan’s cartoonish drawings and the soft and elegant strokes in Ho’s portrayal of women to the dark abstractions in Neang’s pieces and Sina’s edgy and functional works that span multiple mediums. (See samples of the works by clicking the thumbnail above.)

“It’s an eclectic grouping,” Correa said. “I really like the distinct styles. They all contrast each other.”

All of the artists have recently been featured in &THEM exhibits at San Francisco’s Hotel des Arts in. While the artists have started to receive more notoriety through the exposure, Correa, a Union City resident, wanted to pay tribute to the coffee shop, which serves as one of the most visible galleries in Union City.

“I respect Paddy’s as an establishment. A lot of the artists &THEM works with, I met at Paddy’s or through an extension of Paddy’s,” Correa said.

Sina, one of the featured artists, held his first solo exhibit at Paddy’s in 2008. Francis Ramos, another member of &THEM, worked at Paddy’s in the past and has had his photography displayed on the walls.

“Even though the arts community isn’t that deep in Union City, it gives them a beacon to follow,” he said.