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The Center for ArtEsteem

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Oakland, CA
The Center for ArtEsteem

Empowering individuals to be self-aware and inspired through art, creativity, and education. Rooted in West Oakland.

Social justice art org based on non-traditional approaches to healing

05/15/2026

ArtEsteem has a panel at the 12th Annual Bay Area Book Festival!

We present "Unleashing the Super Hero Within," a panel exploring Executive Director Amana Harris's curriculum, Self As Super Hero: Handbook on Creating the Life-Size Self-Portrait. ArtEsteem students and teachers will engage in dialogue about today’s youth, their creative needs, and the Self As Super Hero curriculum as a critical catalyst of self-reflection, family and cultural research, societal assessment, and artistic development.

The Self As Super Hero curriculum is a foundational aspect of ArtEsteem’s work, centering the student artist as they reinvent themselves to be the Super Hero they want to see in their communities. Students identify issues, both personal and in the world, and develop super powers based on their talents, the five senses, and objects of importance that can directly solve the problems they have identified.

Details:
Saturday, May 30th
10:30 - 11:30am
Community Room, Berkeley Public Library

Let us know you're coming! Link here: https://forms.gle/hzYdBPYBkNKp6Cf97

04/17/2026

In this final 28th Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition exploration before the big day tomorrow, we're shining a spotlight on our Digital Media class at Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy and their Unpacking Impact photography unit.

When crafting his curriculum for the school year, Teaching Artist JD wanted to use the medium of photography to help his students identify and process how they are impacted by their built environment and lived experiences, and how those aspects of life are impacted by them in return.

JD developed lessons where the primary goal was getting outside and taking in The Town. The learnings from these "photo walks" were enhanced by historical, technical, and cultural context taken in through field trips to physical spaces like the Oakland Public Library and the Oakland Museum of California archives, and digital spaces like the University of California's Calisphere, a primary source database.

“A lot of them have never held a physical picture of their own. We print photos in class,” JD explained during our class progress interview. With most students owning smartphones, the interest surrounding photography as an art form has dwindled. JD intends to bring intentionality back into photographic practice, and with it, a reflection of the self.

The students are moved by JD's call to look within themselves, focus on the present, and capture small yet significant moments.

Carol, a 10th grader, writes in an artist statement, "I enjoy the process of noticing small things and turning them into something important through my work. Through my art, I want people to feel a sense of connection, warmth, and appreciation for the little things in life. Most importantly, my work reflects how much I genuinely enjoy creating and sharing what I see."

Fellow 10th grader Jaydee feels similarly: "Taking these pictures shows how powerful a single moment can be when you pause long enough to notice it."

Linking the evolution and accessibility of technology to self-exploration and self-development within JD's Unpacking Impact unit makes for an effective, educational, and fundamentally, relatable art practice.

We are so excited for you all to view this photography project in person. Thank you for reading, and we hope to see you at the 28th Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition tomorrow!

04/07/2026

In this 28th Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition exploration, we are diving into units from two of our 6th-8th grade classes—Cultural and Political Art: Faux Stained Glass at Greenleaf TK-8 and Creative Ecosystems: An Ecology of Art at West Oakland Middle School.

At , Teaching Artist Gabby intended for students to explore the fundamentals of visual art through the lens of ecology and human experience.

The students learned about ecosystems as interconnected systems where living and non-living elements depend on one another. Inspired by ecology, world-building, and sandbox games, students designed and sculpted a cohesive set of clay magnets that exist within the same ecosystem.

This was an arts integration project—Gabby taught during the school day in science teacher Mr. Chalo’s classroom. The day we visited the classroom, Gabby’s students were shaping and forming their portions of clay with intent and purpose.

7th grade student Nakiyah shaped ants and centipedes alongside fried eggs and pancakes for their imagined “Bugs and Breakfast” ecosystem. “This is a random concept,” they elaborated, “since these are all things I like.”

Fellow 7th grade student Emely was directly inspired by Japanese animated shows, crafting the clay to represent characters and key objects like masks and symbolic plants.

Each student’s unique individual interests shone through their ecosystem themes.

At , Teaching Artist Cristina guided her students in creating ‘faux stained glass’ pieces with acrylic glass, exploring how visual art functions as a powerful form of communication, identity, and resistance across cultural and historical moments.

Cristina’s inspiration for this project was the historical use of stained glass as a storytelling medium. Her intention is for their designs to serve as an outlet: “a form of storytelling through visuals, and because of everything that's happening in our world.”

The day we visited the classroom, there was a quiet atmosphere of focus as the students used pencil and paper to create cohesive and refined mockups from their design ideas.

A 6th grader named Delilah used light strokes of a pencil to outline Peanuts character Snoopy holding an “Abolish ICE” sign. When we asked about her message for the piece, she said, “a lot of people are fighting ICE around the country and trying to reunite their families.”

Vitalia, another 6th grade student, drew a teddy bear in front of a geometric pattern and shared that “the bear is meant to be a safe space,” an expression of empathy and comfort in response to the fear and anger communities are feeling from the current administration’s violently racist and anti-human actions.

RSVP to the Exhibition, taking place on 4/18/26 from 1-4pm at Studio One: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/28th-annual-artesteem-exhibition-love-surrounds-us-tickets-1979943108135?aff=socials

02/27/2026

In this 28th Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition exploration following “Rooted In Oakland, Rooted In Self” Unit with the Legacy Project, we're sharing progress from our after school class at Hoover Elementary with their Global Textiles unit!

Teaching Artist Alexa created a curriculum in which students learn about textile techniques from around the world, the difference between synthetic and natural materials, and how to create their own pattern work by integrating those techniques and materials.

When conceptualizing this unit, Alexa was inspired by her previous cyanotype printing projects, igniting a deeper love for the color blue and a heightened interest in indigo.

Through research and project testing, she decided to focus on textile practices from Nigeria, Peru, and Japan. The primary textile practice of the unit is Adire Eleko, an indigo resist-dyeing technique originated by women of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria (Adire = tied and dyed, Eleko = with starch).

After teaching them about the Adire Eleko process and Adire symbols, Alexa encouraged them to integrate the symbols they learned and symbols of their own choice into a design blueprint on paper before starting on the cloth.

One student, Ma’Liyah, was focused on applying her concept design centering a tree of life (Ige Iye Adire symbol) to her cloth when we visited Alexa’s classroom.

Aaliya, a student who was using symbols ranging from spirals to hearts said, “I like how I get to be creative,” reflecting similar sentiments about personal expression we heard in the classroom: “I used my imagination” and “I really love to draw!”

Read our article and delve deeper into Alexa's curriculum and her students' experiences as they journey toward completing their final projects: https://www.artesteem.org/news-grid/2026/2/27/elementary-28th-annual-artesteem-exhibition-series

RSVP to the Exhibition, taking place on 4/18/26 from 1-4pm at Studio One: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/28th-annual-artesteem-exhibition-love-surrounds-us-tickets-1979943108135?aff=socials

02/25/2026

As we approach our highly anticipated 28th Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition, we want to share about what's going on in our classrooms, and what you can look forward to at the Exhibition.

We'll start with the 2025-2026 cohort of ArtEsteem's in-house after school environmental arts, advocacy, and leadership program, the Legacy Project!

In his 1967 “A Time to Break Silence” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. shared, “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.”

Legacy honored MLK’s birthday and call to action by supporting Bay Area Youth Climate Summit in their second annual climate justice rally. In collaboration with 100+ youth, our students designed environmental justice posters, performed speeches about hope, and participated in the rally around Dolores Park in San Francisco. Their chants were heard throughout the park, with cars beeping and people clapping as they passed by.

The following weekend, Legacy students went on a Frontline Communities Toxic Tour of East Oakland hosted by Communities for a Better Environment. From the airport expansion at MLK Shoreline, to the abandoned lots at the Coliseum, to community organizing at EnCompass Academy (one of our ArtEsteem school sites), students were exposed to the health, environmental, and racial disparities that directly impact their neighborhoods.

This tour allowed students to contextualize the climate justice movement to include environmental justice within their own communities. To finish MLK’s quote, “In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

_____

Legacy students are undergoing an interdisciplinary year-long course which empowers them to become the artists, heroes, and changemakers their communities need.

In the fall, students created Día de los Muertos-inspired altars and sculptures, investigating ancestral stories and cultural memory through portraiture, symbolism, and mixed media.

In the winter, students are designing life-size Self as Super Hero paintings, envisioning themselves as heroes addressing real-world social and environmental issues they care deeply about.

In the spring, students will learn more about local ecology and address a local pollution problem through eco-friendly reuse cardboard sculpture.

RSVP to the Exhibition and see the results of their learnings on April 18th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/28th-annual-artesteem-exhibition-love-surrounds-us-tickets-1979943108135?aff=socials

02/04/2026

The Center for ArtEsteem's 28th Annual Youth Art Exhibition is coming soon!

RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/28th-annual-artesteem-exhibition-love-surrounds-us-tickets-1979943108135?aff=socials

Join us at "Love Surrounds Us" to see the captivating culmination of this school year and celebrate the creative visions of our students.

________⁠

When? Saturday, April 18th | 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Where? Studio One – 365 45th Street, Oakland, CA 94609
________⁠

This year our theme is "Love Surrounds Us," speaking to the energy we cultivate within our classrooms through critically conscious, skill-building curriculum grounded in the framework of the 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing.

Our team of teaching artists have been facilitating deep learning since the beginning of the school year, ensuring that the artwork you will see reflects the progressive development they witness in our students' self-expression and self-esteem.

We are so proud to present the 28th Annual Exhibition, and can't wait to see you in April! ♡

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! Today's Attitudinal Healing Principle is #1: The essence of our being is love.

We ask that you listen to ArtEsteem student Sierra's reflection on embracing the love in the universe by believing in yourself, listening, learning, and living with an open heart.

What's your reflection for today?

Remember: personal development is cyclical—the process and practice of reflection allows for profound renewal.

♡ ♡ ♡

Featured Artwork:
Ane H. | 6th Grade
West Oakland Middle School | Arts Integration Program
Drifting Waters (2025)
Shredded Paper | Cornstarch | Methylcellulose | Acrylic Paint

Featured Music:
"Tell Me When To Go"
West Oakland Middle School, Cultural Arts Performance
2023 ArtEsteem Annual Exhibition

12/31/2025

Today's Attitudinal Healing Principle is #2: Health is inner peace, healing is letting go of fear.

We ask that you listen to ArtEsteem student De'onte's reflection on exercising his social muscles as a practice to let go of fear.

What's your reflection for today?

Remember: personal development is cyclical—the process and practice of reflection allows for profound renewal.

♡ ♡ ♡

Featured Artwork:
Ane H. | 6th Grade
West Oakland Middle School | Arts Integration Program
Drifting Waters (2025)
Shredded Paper | Cornstarch | Methylcellulose | Acrylic Paint

Featured Music:
"Tell Me When To Go"
West Oakland Middle School, Cultural Arts Performance
2023 ArtEsteem Annual Exhibition

12/30/2025

Today's Attitudinal Healing Principle is #3: Giving and receiving are the same.

We ask that you listen to ArtEsteem student Keilana's reflection about how understanding the diversity of everyone's individual minds and lives can help with the reciprocal natures of communication and bonding.

What's your reflection for today?

Remember: personal development is cyclical—the process and practice of reflection allows for profound renewal.

♡ ♡ ♡

Featured Artwork:
Ane H. | 6th Grade
West Oakland Middle School | Arts Integration Program
Drifting Waters (2025)
Shredded Paper | Cornstarch | Methylcellulose | Acrylic Paint

Featured Music:
"Tell Me When To Go"
West Oakland Middle School, Cultural Arts Performance
2023 ArtEsteem Annual Exhibition

12/29/2025

Today's Attitudinal Healing Principle is #4: We can let go of the past and of the future.

We ask that you listen to ArtEsteem student Sierra's reflection on how she works on mending the stressors that may arise from thoughts of her past and future through practicing letting go.

What's your reflection for today?

Remember: personal development is cyclical—the process and practice of reflection allows for profound renewal.

♡ ♡ ♡

Featured Artwork:
Ane H. | 6th Grade
West Oakland Middle School | Arts Integration Program
Drifting Waters (2025)
Shredded Paper | Cornstarch | Methylcellulose | Acrylic Paint

Featured Music:
"Tell Me When To Go"
West Oakland Middle School, Cultural Arts Performance
2023 ArtEsteem Annual Exhibition

Address

3111 West Street
Oakland, CA
94608

Opening Hours

Monday	11am - 5pm
Tuesday	11am - 5pm
Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm

Telephone

+15106525530

Website

https://www.artesteem.org/

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