Contemporary Art in Oakland since 2015
About GearBox Gallery
Art Gallery
GearBox Gallery is an artist-run contemporary art gallery located at 770 W. Grand Ave, Oakland, directly below the well-established Transmission Gallery. We are a member of Oakland Art Murmur, which promotes Oakland arts and creative events.
GearBox Gallery is more than just a membership gallery. As part of our mission, the gallery proudly supports local and regional artists through our exhibitions program. In addition to hosting an annual juried show, and awarding exhibition prizes, the gallery routinely invites guest artists and curators to present work in featured shows.
With an exhibition program that includes about 10 shows a year, the gallery also hosts receptions and artist and juror’s talks as well as other events such as sound experiences, poetry readings and book signings. Events are free and open to the public. Please join us in embracing the creative spirit in person by coming to our events!
History & Mission
Gearbox Gallery was founded in 2015 by a group of artists from Gallery 621 in Benicia, CA. After finding out the Benicia gallery’s lease would not be renewed, several artists began looking for a new space to house their vision for a collectively-run art gallery.
At a gallery meeting, Transmission Gallery Owner/Director Ruth Santee offered to rent a space she co-owned in Oakland just downstairs from Transmission Gallery. Many members drove to Oakland to see the new space. In the meantime, another space was found in Benicia. Half of the Gallery 621 members decided to stay in Benicia and the other half rented the Oakland warehouse space. Founding members Susan Aulik, Kari Brink, Jules Campbell, Susan Dunlop Stevenson, David Fitzgerald, Betsy Kluga, Phyllis Lasché, TaVee Lee and Joseph Mele worked together to transform it into GearBox Gallery, opening with a pop-up show, Engage!
In the years since, the gallery has expanded and improved the space with street level windows and upgraded lighting installed along the way.
Mission Statement: GearBox Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the work of its members and a broad range of regional contemporary guest artists, fostering community and education through intellectual and cultural exchange focused on the visual arts.
Artists’ Opportunities
Membership
GearBox members work together to run the gallery, exhibiting their own work regularly in the gallery and periodically showing their work in featured two-person exhibitions while providing exhibition opportunities for others.
GearBox is currently accepting new member applications!
Annual Juried Show
The gallery hosts an annual call for entries for a juried show inviting entries along a theme with a notable juror selecting the accepted work in a blind jury process. Typically the annual juried exhibition takes place in August/September with two prizes awarded. The Jurors Award Winner is invited to participate in a featured two person exhibition the following year and the GearBox Gallery Award winner is invited to show their work in a special exhibition in the Inner Room of the gallery.
Past jurors have included Jeremy Morgan, Jack Fischer, Nancy Toomey, and Auriel Garza, among others, with themes ranging from Sanctuary and My Back Yard to Bluets and Wild Mind.
Annual Call for Entries for the Inner Room
The gallery hosts an annual call for entries for the Inner Room, a special intimate viewing space within GearBox Gallery. Submit your proposal for the 2026 Inner Room Call for Entries by April 12th.
Gallery Contacts
Gallery email: info@gearboxgallery.com
Business Director: Jules Campbell
PR Director: Christine Ferrouge
Exhibitions Director: TaVee McAllister Lee
Secretary: Rachel Major
Gallery Members
Jules Campbell
Harry Clewans
Mittie Cuetara
Linda Ellinwood
Joy Every
Christine Ferrouge
Dalit Fresco
TaVee McAllister Lee
Eileen Starr Moderbacher
Rachel Major
Joni Marie Theodorsen
GearBox Alumni
Chronological, including years of membership, linked to their websites
Linda Stevenson Dunlop, 2015
Kari Brinck, 2015-17
David Fitzgerald, 2015-17
Jerry McLaughlin, 2015-17
Darrell Hunger, 2015-18
Jeff Snell, 2017-18
Joseph Mele, 2015-18
Phyllis Lasché, 2015-21
GearBox Guest Artists,
Curators and Jurors
GearBox Gallery is more than just a membership gallery. We proudly support local and regional artists through our exhibitions program.
Guest artists, curators and jurors are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Please pardon our transition to a new website, names will be linked to their GearBox Gallery exhibition as time allows.
Mimi Abers
Penelope Anstruther
Axis Gallery
Alan Azhderian
Katayoun Bahrami
Angela Baker
Drew Bennett
Janet Bogardus
Cameron Brian
Joy Broom
Demetri Broxton
Heidi Brueckner
Natalya Burd
John Casey
Chandra Cerrito
Carol Dalton
Dana DeKalb
Jessica Eastburn
Myra Eastman
Carol Elkovich
Jack Fischer
Linda S. Fitz Gibbon
Michele Foyer
Julie V Garner
Gillian Garro
Jane B. Grimm
Elena Gross
Ken Gulley
Vicki Gunter
René de Guzman
Lloyd Hamrol
Lauren Hartman
Victoria Heilweil
Stan Huncilman
Rose Kelly
Kimberlee Koym-Murteira
Pancho Jiménez
George Lawson
Jerry Leisure
Frances Lerner
Bachrun LoMele
Jeremy Morgan
Eric Murphy
Trent Nahas
Richard-Jonathan Nelson
Sarah Newton
Janet Norris
Spencer Pittenger
Matthew Priest
Deborah Orapllo
Parra O’Siochain
Sherry Parker
Maria Porges
Andy Rappaport
Joy Ray
Robert-Jean Ray
Samuelle Richardson
Sawyer Rose
Francesca Saveri
Robert Saywitz
Tiffany Schmierer
Karen Seneferu
Malik Seneferu
Joe Slusky
Leslie Plato Smith
Patricia Sonnino
Maryann Steinert-Foley
Dan Stingle
Joan Tanner
Bing Zhang
Above image: Revealing/Concealing, exhibition of work by Jules Campbell and Rachel Major, Oct/Nov 2024