Collection: Be Heard. Speak Up., Selected by Fenwick & West (online exhibition)

About the exhibition

For more than five years, Bay Area based law firm Fenwick & West has partnered with NIAD to create a group exhibition of Art Center works in their five offices across the country. Tied into National Disability Employment Awareness Month, these shows traditionally took place in October. Always the exhibitions were a lively and lyrical selection of art -- chosen by the law firm -- with the sales directly supporting NIAD artists.

Although the pandemic has changed many things in our lives, this now-annual exhibition is not one of them. From the vibrant self-portraits of Jonathan Valdivias to the Mexican folk-art influenced fiber work of Maria Radilla to the dynamic paintings of Christian Vassell and the oft-political and mimetic works of Danny Thach, this year's version is another sweeping smorgasboard of drawings, paintings and crafts. But, its available online with highlights available for street- or auto-viewing in NIAD Art Center's modified exhibition space (NIAD Windows) beginning October 23. And, of course, this time around all of this planning allows all art lovers to participate in Fenwick's exhibition.

Oh, by the way, you may notice that numerous works in the show seem to address this moment in time, that's intentional. Remember: Be heard. Speak up.

And enjoy the exhibition.

About the selectors

Fenwick & West LLP has a long history of service to the community through volunteerism and charitable giving as well as a strong action-oriented commitment to diversity and inclusion. Fenwick invests in corporate social responsibility through providing time and resources to organizations that make our communities a better place to live and work. Each of our offices has an active staff-led volunteer committee who create opportunities for year-round employee engagement as well as affinity groups connecting firm allies with diverse groups within the firm such as our AAEN (African American Employee Network) and our LGBTQ Affinity Group.

Fenwick  provides comprehensive legal services to leading technology and life sciences companies — at every stage of their lifecycle — and the investors that partner with them. We craft innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions in areas ranging from venture capital, public offerings, joint ventures, M&A and strategic relationships, to intellectual property, litigation and dispute resolution, taxation, antitrust and employment and labor law. For more than four decades, Fenwick has helped some of the world's most recognized companies become and remain market leaders, and today serves clients from locations in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, New York and Santa Monica. For more information, please visit fenwick.com

Thirsty Thursday

In conjunction with this exhibition, on October 29 at 6:00 pm PST, Fenwick & West's Michelle Hamilt and Ed Rymsha, curators of "Be Heard. Speak Up.," will host a Thirsty Thursday to discuss the show. They will be joined NIAD artist Shana Harper whose work is included in the exhibition.

Moderated by NIAD’s Director of Exhibitions Tim Buckwalter, Thirsty Thursday is our new event series bringing together artists and curators with interested people like you. Our guest speakers will drop some knowledge on how they selected the show and ideas about the art work in the show. The event is free, but to receive the passcode, you must register.