Creativity Explored

04/25/2026

04/25/2026

🎉🍾 Here we go! The 2026 Art Changes Lives gala has officially begun !

Beautiful people gathered for a great cause — time to celebrate and lift up our amazing community of artists as they transcend their limitations.

Cheers!

04/23/2026

🤩 🖼️ One of our favorite parts of gala prep: picking up the artworks that will be made available at the Art Changes Lives auction, BEAUTIFULLY framed by our official framing partner ! We can't wait to reveal these hand-picked originals to our guests, and then send them home with some savvy bidders.

Big thanks as always to Orion for making our artists' work shine! See you guys tomorrow...

04/22/2026

☝️ Let the bidding begin!

One of the highlights of CE's Art Changes Lives gala is the chance to bid on the curated selection of new original artworks from our community of artists. Attendees to the celebration will be able to experience dozens of artworks on display as part of the evening's silent auction — but EVERYONE has access to place a bid on these powerful new works for a chance to make them part of your collection.

The full selection of artworks on auction is now available for browsing! Take a look and place your bid any time over the next few days — the auction concludes at 8:45 pm on the evening of the event this Friday, April 24.

Browse the catalog here: https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/artchangeslives/auction

Here's just a taste:

1. Vincent Jackson, Untitled, 2023, colored pencil on paper, 25.5 x 19.75 in

2. Kate Thompson, Untitled (Mariachi), 2016, marker and watercolor on paper, 22 x 30 in

3. Elana Cooper, Untitled, 2023, ink on paper, 21.5 x 15 in

4. Evelyn Reyes, Untitled (White Carrots), c. 2004–2009, oil pastel on paper, 11.5 x 17 in

5. Yahir Perez, Untitled, 2026, acrylic ink and paint pen on paper, 19 x 14 in

6. Yang "Buurin" Yu Zhen, Untitled, 2024, ink on paper, 18 x 24 in

7. Miyuki Tsurukawa, Untitled, 2019, acrylic on paper, 23 x 17.25 in

8. John Patrick McKenzie, in the sixties in their twenties, 2012, ink on paper, 15.5 x 23 in

9. Ricardo Gomez, Easy Fluffy American Pancakes, 2024, marker on paper, 25.5 x 19.25 in

10. Lance Rivers, San Francisco Skyline Waterfront, 2015, mixed media on cardboard, 15 x 20 in

04/16/2026

👀 Get ready for an art-filled weekend! Tonight's is the opening of ' at !

This year, we're excited to join San Francisco Art Fair as a Cultural Partner. The 14th edition returns to Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion April 16–19, bringing together a dynamic cross-section of modern and contemporary art from the Bay Area and beyond. With an emphasis on thoughtful presentation and curatorial rigor, the fair will reflect the experimental and inclusive character of the Bay Area while continuing its role as a year-round platform for the many voices across the region.

➔ Thursday, April 16, 2026: 6—9pm | Opening Evening presented by RBC Wealth Management
➔ Friday, April 17, 2026: 11am—7pm
➔ Saturday, April 18, 2026: 11am—7pm
➔ Sunday, April 19, 2026: 11am—6pm

🔗 Find pass info via the link in our bio!

04/15/2026

Last week's opening of 'Pretty City,' our new exhibition highlighting our artists' experiences of San Francisco, was SO MUCH FUN!

CE artists Isaias Gomez, Isaac Haney-Owens, Camille Holvoet, and Lance Rivers all have work in the show, and were there at the opening to celebrate with crowds of their admirers. And as always with our openings, the CE studio was open with hundreds of artworks available for purchase!

Come visit the main gallery at 3245 16th Street and experience the show for yourself — gallery hours:

Thursdays: 3:00–6:00 pm
Fridays: 3:00–6:00 pm
Saturdays: 12:00–5:00 pm

04/09/2026

🎉 Tonight is the night!

Join us for the opening reception for 'Pretty City' tonight, Thursday, April 9 from 6:00–8:00 pm⁠ at the main CE Gallery⁠ at 3245 16th Street!

One of our favorite parts of installing each show is seeing the beautiful work of our framing partner in its full glory on our gallery walls — just look at these gorgeous installation shots. Also, pro tip: if you purchase any unframed work from CE, you can get a sweet discount to get it framed with Orion! Ask our folks at the gallery desk about getting hooked up.

'Pretty City' is a journey through the unique neighborhoods of San Francisco from the perspectives of JayD Green, Isaias Gomez, Camille Holvoet, Lance Rivers, Guadalupe Ramos, and Enkh-Amar Shagdarguntev. By highlighting the visual intricacy just outside our front doors, Pretty City transforms our typical streets into captivating dreamscapes. Curated by CE Teaching Artist Tom Leach.⁠ On view through June 13!

Weekly gallery hours:

Thursdays: 3:00–6:00 pm
Fridays: 3:00–6:00 pm
Saturdays: 12:00–5:00 pm

04/08/2026

⏰ Last chance to get individual tickets to our Art Changes Lives gala celebration later this month!

Friday, April 24
6:00–10:00 pm
Fort Mason Gateway Pavillion

Join us for an extraordinary evening at Art Changes Lives! This year, we come together to celebrate the power of creativity to transcend limitations and open new possibilities. Our artists show us every day that expression has no boundaries — only opportunities to grow, connect, and be seen.

Guests will enjoy craft cocktails, delicious seasonal dining, music and dancing, plus live and silent auctions featuring exclusive new artworks, merchandise, and experiences. Your support at Art Changes Lives helps make possible everything we do for our community of artists with disabilities.

The deadline to purchase tickets to Art Changes Lives is this Friday, April 10, so claim your spot today: https://www.creativityexplored.org/art-changes-lives-2026

04/07/2026

💪 Call for volunteers! 💪

Will you put on the white gloves and help make a difference for artists with disabilities? We're seeking passionate art lovers with a little spare time and a little muscle to support the production of this year's Art Changes Lives gala celebration! We could use a hand in various areas, including setup, guest check-in, auction assistance, and more.

Art Changes Lives is CE's annual gala event celebrating our community and the artists who continue to push beyond expectations, redefining what is possible through their work and their lives. You’ll have the opportunity to meet and support emerging young talents, seasoned artists, and everyone in between at the most joyful party of the year.

Find out more about the help we're looking for and sign up for a shift via the link in our bio!

04/06/2026

Opening this Thursday! 🔜⁠
⁠
Pretty City
April 9–June 13
⁠
CE Gallery
3245 16th Street, SF

Opening Reception:⁠
Thursday, April 9
6:00–8:00 pm⁠
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/opening-reception-for-pretty-city-tickets-1983984881187?aff=oddtdtcreator
⁠
'Pretty City' is a journey through the unique neighborhoods of San Francisco from the perspectives of JayD Green, Isaias Gomez, Camille Holvoet, Lance Rivers, Guadalupe Ramos, and Enkh-Amar Shagdarguntev. By highlighting the visual intricacy just outside our front doors, Pretty City transforms our typical streets into captivating dreamscapes. Curated by CE Teaching Artist Tom Leach.⁠
⁠
Artwork: Lance Rivers, SF Diamond Heights Land Cap, 2025, colored pencil on paper, 17.75 x 20 in.

04/03/2026

Our gallery may be closed this week while we install our next show, but you can still catch CE artists on view as part of 'Beyond Barriers,' the current exhibition at student-run PLAySPACE Gallery ()!

CE artists Christina Marie Fong, Camille Holvoet, and Mary Ann Orozco each had a piece selected to be part of the show, and Camille and Mary Ann dropped by earlier this week to see their work on display. Don't miss it!

On view through April 10
145 Hooper Street
Open daily 9:00 am–9:00 pm
Closing Reception: Wednesday, April 8, 6:00–8:00 pm

Artworks:
Camille Holvoet, 80 or 90 years old. Camille is Old Now, 2013, ink and watercolor on paper, 22.25 x 15 in.

Christina Marie Fong, She Creature, 2017, acrylic and paint pen on canvas, 24.25 x 20.25 x 2 in.

Mary Ann Orozco, ... Memory, 2024, acrylic on paper, 29.75 x 22.25 in.

03/27/2026

⏰ Last chance — Hung Kei Shiu: Color Field closes Saturday!

These are the final days to catch our current solo exhibition featuring work by Hung Kei Shiu, one of Creativity Explored's first artists who began with us nearly 40 years ago. Don't miss it!

Known for his layered fields of dashes, dots, circles and small color blocks, Shiu’s signature style is instantly recognizable throughout his long career. His delicate build-up of marks create structured screens, often with layers of washed color behind.

Gallery hours:
Thursdays: 3:00–6:00 pm
Fridays: 3:00–6:00 pm
Saturdays: 12:00–5:00 pm