Jenny Raven: The Creative Growth Years 1979 - 1984

The Capital City Arts Initiative, also known as CCAI, presents its exhibition, "Jenny Raven: The Creative Growth Years 1979 - 1984" with artwork by artist Jenny Raven in the city’s Community Center Sierra Room, 851 E William Street, Carson City. The exhibition is available to the public through October 18, 2018. CCAI will host an exhibition reception on Friday, August 17, 5-7pm in the Sierra Room.

CCAI is proud to show Raven's work — with thanks to Nancy Raven, her mother, who resides in Minden, Nevada. Raven’s exhibition is a companion show to "Visual Oasis: Works from Creative Growth", a survey of art in the CCAI Courthouse Gallery through September 27.

Raven lived in San Diego, California, until the middle 70s. Following surgery for a brain tumor that left her disabled with limited short-term memory, her family moved to Berkeley, California. There she was able to access purpose and artistic guidance at Creative Growth Art Center. Raven worked in a variety of media, but she preferred drawing with pen and ink. Sadly, she died at 23 years of age but during the last five years of her life, she thrived as an artist at CGAC developing a mature style in her art.

The Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, CA, describes itself as “the oldest and largest nonprofit art center for adults with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities. Since 1974, Creative Growth has played a significant role in increasing public interest in the artistic capabilities and achievements of people with disabilities, providing a professional studio environment for artistic development, gallery exhibitions and representation, and a social atmosphere among peers.” Learn more about CGAC at www.creativegrowth.org/

CGAC’s large multi-room studio serves over 140 client artists weekly with instruction by professional artists in sculpture, painting, ceramics, fiber, printmaking, drawing, photography, and video animation. The Center’s gallery presents eight group shows annually making the prolific artists’ work available to the public year-round. CGAC continues to contract with Target stores for product design.

Exhibition essay writers, Andreana Donahue and Tim Ortiz, are co-founders of "Disparate Minds", an interdisciplinary project dedicated to increasing visibility and discussing the work of marginalized self-taught artists. They are co-authors of the multiple essays discussing work by people with disabilities published at their site, disparateminds.org. Through their research, writing, lectures, and curatorial projects, Donahue and Ortiz share their insights informed by extensive experience in this field as practicing artists, artist facilitators, and dedicated disability rights advocates.

The Sierra Room is open to the public during Carson City official meetings including the first/third Thursdays, 8am - 5pm, and many weeknights Monday - Thursday, 5pm - 8pm. For Sierra Room access, call 775.283.7421 or check meeting schedules online at www.carson.org/government/meetings-and-events

This exhibition is supported by lead donations from Carson Miller and from Nancy Raven.

The Capital City Arts Initiative is an artist-centered organization committed to the encouragement and support of artists and the arts and culture of Carson City and the surrounding region. The Initiative is committed to community building for the area's diverse adult and youth populations through art projects and exhibitions, live events, arts education programs, artist residencies, and online projects.

CCAI is funded in part by the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, John and Grace Nauman Foundation, Carson City Cultural Commission, Nevada Humanities and National Endowment for the Humanities, U.S. Bank Foundation, and Southwest Gas Corporation Foundation.

For additional information, please visit CCAI’s website at www.arts-initiative.org.