In/Visible Talks’ co-founders Dava Guthmiller and Arianna Orland have long been fans of Creativity Explored’s work. Dava has been a patron since she just happened by an event at their Mission gallery 15 years ago. “I bought my first piece from John Patrick McKenzie at that first show,” she says, “and have been hooked ever since.” She has since purchased over 20 pieces from various artists, making her a devoted collector of “outsider art”.

Founded in 1983 by Florence Ludins-Katz and Elias Katz, Creativity Explored gives artists with developmental disabilities the opportunities, means, and studio space to create, and a gallery from which they can share—and sell—their work. More than 15,000 people visit the gallery and studio annually, and locals have consistently lauded Creativity Explored as the “Best Art Gallery in the Bay Area.”

Always looking for new takes on the creative process, Dava and Arianna have been inspired by the organization’s philosophies. “At Creativity Explored, the creative process is fully embraced in service of different motivations and outcomes than those that exist in the commercial design world,” says Arianna. “There’s a lot to be learned from that.”

So, naturally, when Dava and Arianna first started envisioning what would become In/Visible Talks and began to consider cultural partners, Creativity Explored was on their short list. “We wanted to be inclusive of the voices behind creative outcomes,” says Arianna. “Both Dava and I felt really strongly about hearing perspectives on the creative process from inside and outside of the commercial world.”

Creativity Explored made the first move. “Out of the blue, they sent us a note, telling us how excited they were about the first In/Visible Talks conference—and would we consider partnering with them,” says Arianna. The parties got together on the phone and started brainstorming. As a result, we’ve already held a Creative Studios Spring Cleaning Art Materials Drive benefiting Creativity Explored, an artist and a teacher from Creativity Explored appeared on a panel that Dava moderated at StARTup Art Fair, and Director of Licensing Ann Kappes is confirmed as one of our speakers at the 2019 In/Visible Talks Conference.

Coming up, the partnership will be on full display at San Francisco Design Week. Artwork created with materials collected at the Spring Cleaning Drive will be shown at their studio from June 2nd to the 17th, and on Wednesday, June 13, In/Visible Talks and Creativity Explored will present “Unexpected Inspiration,” a special event where we’ll be looking at what motivates people to create.

We hope you’ll join us there.