Robby Poblete Foundation to Unveil Art Created from Decommissioned Guns and Hold a 'Healing Ceremony' for Gun Violence Victims and Survivors

VALLEJO, Calif., April 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Robby Poblete Foundation will be unveiling its inaugural Art of Peace exhibit on May 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Temple Art Lofts, 707 Marin Street, in Vallejo, Calif., during the city's monthly 2^nd Friday Art Walk. The event is the culmination of an eight-month project that started with the foundation's Solano County Gun Buyback held on August 26, 2017. Materials from decommissioned firearms from the buyback, as well as from weapons collected from law enforcement agencies from throughout Northern California were distributed to selected artists for The Robby Poblete Foundation's Art of Peace project to turn into art. Many of the weapons were directly related to crimes.

"My vision for this project was to take the destructive power of a gun and transform it into the healing power of art," said Pati Navalta, executive director of The Robby Poblete Foundation. "Many of these artists have been personally impacted by gun violence and this is their way of honoring their lost loved ones. It's not only a transformation of the guns, it's a transformation of everyone involved in this project who has been touched by violent crime."

Eight artists were chosen for the project: Keyvan Shovir of Walnut Creek; John Ton of Petaluma; Tsingwei Moo of San Francisco; Jean Cherie of Vallejo; Karen Lewis of Oakland; Kaytea Petro of San Francisco; Joel Stockdill of San Francisco; and Matthew Mosher of Orlando, Fla. All artists will be present at the event.

"As one of the artists who has been helping promote 2nd Friday Art Walk for the past four years, it has been a goal of our event to partner with other non-profit groups to promote art and culture in Vallejo," said Kathy O'Hare, co-owner of Obtainium Works Art Car Studio in Vallejo. "To that end, we have wanted to partner with non-profit groups that support art and culture in our community and are pleased to make that possible on May 11 with The Robby Poblete Foundation."

The event will take also include a pop-up dinner by League of Chefs at 6:30 p.m. on the 300 block of Virginia Street, followed by a "Healing Ceremony" at 8 p.m., during which survivors and family members of gun violence victims, surrounded by a drum circle, will be given parts of guns to place into a foundry to be melted down.

The exhibit will be at the Temple Art Lofts until June 29 and will be available for private showings for students as a means for educators and law enforcement agents to address the issue of gun violence among youth and young adults. To book a private showing for schools and/or classes, please email [email protected].

Tickets for the pop-up dinner can be purchased at www.leagueofchefs.com.

About The Robby Poblete Foundation

The Robby Poblete Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to reduce gun violence through its gun buyback program and transform the weapons into instruments of hope and opportunity through its art and vocational programs. www.robbypobletefoundation.org

About The California Wellness Foundation

The Art of Peace unveiling ceremony is funded in part by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness). Created in 1992 as a private independent foundation, Cal Wellness' mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention.

About 2^nd Friday Art Walk in Vallejo

Vallejo Art Walk is a monthly celebration of the arts, held in the Downtown Arts District of Vallejo, California. The event was founded in February of 2014 by local artist Sean Murdock and a small group of dedicated vendors. It is held on the second Friday of each month rain or shine. www.vallejoartwalk.com

Media Contact:
Pati Navalta, The Robby Poblete Foundation
Kathy O'Hare, Vallejo 2nd Friday Art Walk
[email protected]

Photos:
https://www.prlog.org/12704025

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE The Robby Poblete Foundation

Related Links

https://robbypobletefoundation.org