Note: Some events are open for PRS members only. Please consider joining!
Leah Aripotch, Anglefirsh 1, steel
Join Pacific Rim Sculptors for a Studio Visit with Oakland-based metal sculptor Leah Aripotch.
Working primarily in steel, Aripotch hybridizes forging and fabrication techniques to create highly detailed, organic forms that blur the boundaries between flora and fauna. Her sculptures are at once alluring and unsettling, exploring themes of duality, ambiguity, and emotional perception. Drawing from a childhood spent exploring the woods, swamps, and shoreline of Montauk, New York, her work reflects an ongoing engagement with nature, mythology, and the tension between beauty and unease.
Leah in her studio
During this in-person visit, guests will have the opportunity to step inside Aripotch’s studio, learn more about her process, and experience firsthand the intricate craftsmanship behind her work. From concept to material execution, her practice offers a compelling look at how traditional metalworking techniques can be pushed into expressive, contemporary forms.
Studio Visit Details Date: Saturday, May 24, 2026 Time: 1-3pm Location: 2311 Magnolia Street, Building 9, Oakland, CA
Leah Aripotch, Gloriosa Pugna, 2020, steel
Space is limited. Advance registration is recommended.
Museum Day at Oakland Museum
Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory
Join Pacific Rim Sculptors for a group visit to Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory at the Oakland Museum of California.
This landmark exhibition is the first major museum survey of Bay Area artist Mildred Howard, spanning over five decades of her multidisciplinary practice. Bringing together collage, found-object sculpture, and immersive installation, the exhibition explores themes of memory, identity, and the African American experience through deeply personal and historically resonant work.
Born in San Francisco and a lifelong resident of the East Bay, Howard has developed a practice rooted in both personal narrative and collective history. Her work draws from a wide range of influences, from African Diasporic traditions and textile practices to the cultural and political histories that shape the Bay Area and beyond. New and rarely seen works are presented alongside archival materials from her studio, offering insight into the evolution of her ideas and process.
We invite PRS members to experience this powerful exhibition together, with time to connect, reflect, and engage in conversation around the work.
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026 Time: 11am - 1pm Location: Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA
For tickets and more information about the exhibition:
https://museumca.org/on-view/mildred-howard-poetics-of-memory/
Pacific Rim Sculptors is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and a Chapter of the International Sculpture Center
Info@PacificRimSculptors.org
3259 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, California USA 95407