The Art Space OC, a joint venture between Community Engagement and Casa Bloom Studios,  showcases and highlights one local artist a month through a pop-up gallery experience. All exhibitions will be held in Downtown Santa Ana at Casa Bloom Studios, a space for creators, business owners, and artists to work in a flexible and collaborative environment. 

The exhibitions are presented by The Art Space OC and coincide with DTSA First Saturday ArtWalk, a free, all-ages, community-based arts showcase that takes place throughout Downtown Santa Ana on the first Saturday of each month. 

WHERE: Casa Bloom Studios, 109 W. 3rd St. Santa Ana, CA 92701
DATES: July – December 2023, first Saturday of each month (see schedule below)
TIME: 6:00-10:00 pm
COST: Free. RSVPs highly recommended.

THE ART SPACE OC 2023 ARTIST LINEUP SET

RSVP for any or all of the upcoming exhibitions shown below. Venue capacity is limited. RSVPs are highly recommended.

DECEMBER 2, 2023
FINAL ART EXHIBITION

See The Art Space OC artists together in one incredible exhibition! A selection of artwork from Britt Samuels, Albertina Norman, William Camargo, and Karissa Raya will be on display at this collective exhibition. Their inspiring works of art will leave an indelible mark on your soul as they challenge stereotypes, encourage introspection, and highlight the human experience. On this one night only, you will have the chance to meet and chat with several of the artists and learn more about their process and inspiration. You don’t want to miss it!

NOVEMBER 4, 2023
KARISSA RAYA
“RECLAIMING BIRTH”

Karissa Raya’s photographic series “Reclaiming Birth” is an honoring of birth as a deeply personal, physiological, intimate rite of passage. This transformative exhibition celebrates birth practices being reclaimed and a return to the wisdom of our ancestors as a basis for personal and community healing. In a time where racism is hazardous to the health of pregnant people and their infants, this reclamation and advocacy is necessary for communities of color.

OCTOBER 7, 2023
STEADY JENNY
“LIBRA SZN”

LIBRA SZN is a journey through visions, meanderings, discoveries, heartbreaks, and triumphs that invites patrons to peer into a small glimpse of Steady Jenny’s experiences as a Brown mother in constant survival flux, while never letting the overreaching arms of capitalism destroy the wonder of the human experience. This cornucopia of both moving and still images will travel through an abundance of visual beauty that may not always depict the socially accepted definition of what beauty is. 

A lively surprise outdoor engagement will commence in the last hour for all to collectively enjoy! Celebrate Steady J’s Born Day and share space with us for LIBRA SZN.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
WILLIAM CAMARGO
“BROWN MYTHOLOGIES”

“Brown Mythologies” combines four provocative photographic series by artist William Camargo into one thrilling exhibition. Camargo showcases work from “Origins and Displacements, his extended series that examines the history of Anaheim through interventions and the documentation of the city’s brown residents. The exhibition also features work from his series “After John Divola” which contests the history of photography, and his tattoo series, which looks at how the commodification of tattoos have perpetuated racial and criminal stereotypes. Lastly, he includes work from “All That I Can Carry,” a series that began during the pandemic, and highlights the sense of resourcefulness that immigrant communities hold on to.

AUGUST 5, 2023
ALBERTINA NORMAN
“IN BETWEEN SPACE, DREAMS, & FANTASY”

Multidisciplinary artist Albertina Norman's exhibition, titled "In Between Space, Dreams, & Fantasy," is a series of remarkable, photographic self-portraits painstakingly created in the tradition of surrealist masters Leonor Fini, Dora Maar, Claude Cahun, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo.

By using found materials to create elaborate props such as hand-painted backdrops, mysterious masks, and disembodied hands with talon-like claws, Norman creates intricate, living vanitas, embedding her own body into the work by merging her lilac-painted flesh with objects that symbolize her grief, fantasies, and dreams. The result is a vibrant and elegantly macabre display of both pathos and passion. 

JULY 1, 2023
Britt Samuels
"New Gods"

Renowned photographer Britt Samuels, Jr. will unveil his long-awaited first exhibition, aptly titled “New Gods,” at The Art Space OC. The exhibition promises to be a transformative experience as viewers are transported into a world where beauty, vulnerability, and divine power converge in an awe-inspiring display. Step into Samuels' realm and allow his lens to guide you on an introspective journey that challenges perceptions and leaves an indelible mark on your soul.