June 4: Cultural Expression

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen, Times-Herald staff writer

Specializing in art created by or about African-Americans, Unique Creations Gallery recently reopened at 942 Tennessee St.

Necia Scott of Vallejo, who has been with the gallery for a year, said the owner hopes the move to a larger space will help the business expand in more ways than one.

"We opened 51/2 years ago, lower down on Tennessee, and moved up here in January," Scott said. "(Owner) Mary (Toliver) started her business to sell crafts at the farmers market. Then she opened a business that rented space to artists and craftmakers, and then, from there, began including art collectibles, then phased out the crafts and went to framed art."

The new location allows Scott, 43, and Toliver, 64, to keep adding new and interesting pieces for display and sale, Scott said.

Unique Creations sells paintings, pottery, gifts and collectibles. It also sells limited edition and original prints, some signed by locally, nationally and internationally known artists in nearly every conceivable style. Subject matters cover everything from Jesus Christ, Moses and Samson to Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner and Malcolm X, Masai warriors to saxophone players and everything in between.

The store sells works by painter Monica Stewart of Oakland, who will sign her art at the gallery June 21, painter/sculptor Annie Lee, painter Melvin King and painter and sculptor Thomas Blackshear II of Novato. The store also has collectibles by Ebony Visions, Daddy's Long Legs, Just the Right Shoe, Miss Martha's All God's Children and others.

Vallejo artist Daniel Fields has work in the gallery, as does former Vallejo resident Thearthur Wright of Oakland, who developed a technique involving bleach on colored paper that produces a shimmery golden image.

Wright said he started out as a writer and wound up a visual artist.

"I wanted to write the great American novel," Wright said. "And I got some poetry published. But about that time, I started painting, and that started taking over."

Wright describes the day he discovered what bleach could do on black paper as "a Eureka moment," and the beginning of a new career. It took some experimenting, but Wright thinks he's got the process down.

"I use a toothpick or bamboo skewer, and what emerges are gold-hued images," said Wright, a retired electrician. Among Wright's work available at the gallery are golden renderings of a tiger, Sojourner Truth and King Tut's death mask.

Wright said he thinks he'll probably be able to make a living entirely on his artwork within the year.

Originally from San Francisco, Scott said she has lived in Vallejo 14 years and has always loved art.

"I've always been into art," Scott said. "I've always been a collector, and just by coming into the shop all the time, I just got into it."

Among Scott's favorite pieces are the soapstone carvings from Kenya and the other colorful, realistically detailed sculptures.

Scott said she thinks Unique Creations fills a niche in Vallejo.

"It fills an important gap as far as a black art gallery," Scott said. "It's a place for people to come, talk, and explore what there is in terms of art. And it's a place to showcase local Bay Area artists."

Scott said the gallery draws clients from all over the Bay Area.

Derek Crutchfield of Napa, a first-time customer, is one of those.

"I'm here looking for some African-American art," Crutchfield said. "It's nice to be able to find art you can identify with, as people of color. There are not many shops like Unique Creations that identify with my background."

Toliver said her love of art grew out of her desire to bring something to the community that didn't exist.

"When I was a child, I didn't see black art. We had florals or white art in my parents' home. Black art wasn't available," said Toliver, who worked more than 20 years at the local C&H plant. "I just like black art, and the more I became involved with it, the more I liked it. And I had a vision and a goal to bring something to our community that we didn't have. Now we're having people coming from all over for African-American art. They call from all over the United States."

Toliver said her other main goal is to help give local artists a start, and she's proud of the success some local artists are beginning to enjoy.

Scott said the number of gallery visitors has declined some since the move, but said she and Toliver are optimistic that once people catch on to the new location, things will pick back up.

Unique Creations also offers individualized framing services, and will help clients find specific items even if the gallery doesn't carry it, Scott said.

Unique Creations is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, call 649-8665.

-- E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.