The Compound Studios & Gallery

The COMPOUND Studios & Gallery is an artist run space that was established in 2008.  In 2010, The Compound Gallery & Studios moved to a new location in Oakland, CA. The new building allows for a fuller realization of what The Compound is…an art institution without the institution…an art school, without the school. Located in the Golden Gate Gallery district of North Oakland, the new building boasts nearly 8,000 square feet and was chosen because of its location, amazing natural light, and architectural grandeur.

Founded by working artist husband and wife team Matt and Lena Reynoso, the diverse creative environment is directly reflective of their interdisciplinary lifestyle and love for creating working spaces. Matt is often found building furniture, blacksmithing, or working in a variety of mediums, and Lena splits her time between painting, printmaking, and writing her (non art related) dissertation as and Ph.D candidate at UC Berkeley.

Conversations and interactions between studio artists replace traditional classes, and artists are often seen using traditional tools and methods in unconventional ways. The Compound studios are not tailored to suit any particular medium, and part of the goal is to provide studio artists with as many options as possible. The new studios provide over 600 feet of common area with access to kilns, a large format digital printer, a large etching press, silkscreening, sculpture studios, a woodshop, a metal shop with blacksmithing, sculpture studios, kitchen, lounge, yard, and permanent Artist’s Gallery. Studio artists are chosen based on their professionalism, dedication to their work, and their seriousness for the arts, and as a result the studios remain a thriving space where high quality art is made.

The Compound is the home to 17 working studios. More than just a community of artists, the Compound Gallery and Studios is establishing itself as a noteworthy place to for art collectors to find cutting edge art in a variety of mediums. All located under the same roof, the Main Gallery features high caliber Bay Area artists in monthly rotating exhibitions; the Artist’s Gallery showcases the current work of Compound Studio Artists; the Swee(t)art Drawing Gallery, curated by Obi Kaufmann specializes in drawings; and Professor Squirrel, a new small retail shop co-founded with Kerri Johnson, is filled with fine crafted objects and wonderful gift items.

The Gallery is open: Thursday-Sunday 12-6
Please stop by!
-Matt and Lena Reynoso