Just as fish swim and birds fly, human beings create.
—Karen Altree Piemmem, Red Ladder Theatre Company, San Francisco

The act of making (whether it be artistic or scientific) with the goal of producing a more beautiful and better world is part of the human impulse. Makers demonstrate an “I can do it” attitude. They use materials in new ways, upcycle discarded objects, challenge familiar ways of doing things and invent new ones. Sometimes creativity, a force inherent in all of us, just needs a little inspiration. In this spirit, we invite you to the Koret Family Gallery: view artworks made of new materials in new ways, take a maker challenge, and rekindle your creative spark.

This exhibition includes works from SJMA’s permanent collection by Clayton Bailey, Ray Beldner, Ruth Bernhard, Vik Muniz, and Gay Outlaw.

At the San Jose Museum of Art, we believe learning is a lifelong pursuit. The Koret Family Gallery is inspired by educational initiatives at SJMA, from Let’s Look at Art, a free classroom outreach program in which volunteers lead K-12 children in engaging and interactive discussions about art, to the docent program, which provides public tours for drop-in visitors every day. The Museum serves as a dynamic resource for all those who are curious: school children and their educators, multigenerational families, creative adults, university students and faculty, and community members and groups. Annually, the education department serves 47,000 people of all ages.