2024 Limited Edition Library Card Design Winners
Note: To view full size artwork, please click images.
Children
Carlo Barravino
Category
Visual Art
Title
We Are All Rulers of Our Artistic Journey
Artist Statement
“I was inspired by the Jean Michel Basquiat, his abstract and stunning style, something that was very fresh when he started to get famous. I was also inspired by his crown monogram and worked that into my piece. I was reading that he was a graffiti artist at one point and I think graffiti art can be a way for youth to express their form of art in urban areas such as Oakland. Jean Michel Basquiat inspired many artists around the world. When you first look at his art you may think it has many jumbled images but in fact those images reflect emotions and messages of injustice. His art spoke to many people.”
Lucas Oda
Category
Music
Title
African American Musicians
Artist Statement
“I am a student at an Elementary School in Oakland. I created this art "African American musicians" to celebrate African American music. I like music too! I play piano and Thai dulcimer in my free time. I am interested in music and people. Because music is universal, it can bring people closer. My mom told me that African-American musicians also played in movements for equality and justice. No matter who you are...we are brother and sister, we should treat people with respect.”
Molly Wolferson
Category
Literature & Poetry
Title
Angela Reads
Artist Statement
“When I first thought about doing a piece of art about African American culture I thought of the Black Panther Party. I learned about Emory Douglas who made the art for the Black Panther Party newspaper. So, I combined my favorite Black Panther Angela Davis, who is an author with the art style of Douglas, making a few changes of my own to create this library card. I hope you like it.”
Teens
Kiara Hunter
Category
Visual Art
Title
Spray Painting Oakland
Artist Statement
“There are many galleries and historical artists with fancy descriptions, but the main way I see artists display their artistic talent is through graffiti. This piece displays the buildings of Oakland that are most significant to me - the ones I see most often in my everyday life: the Tribune Tower, the FOX theatre sign, and the Oakland Federal Building.”
Cora Vera Keith
Category
Literature & Poetry
Title
Women of the Black Panther Party
Artist Statement
"My submission shows 3 women of the Black Panther Party who were artists, Elaine Brown, Joan Tarika Lewis, and Ericka Huggins. Elaine Brown is a writer and singer. Joan Tarika Lewis is a writer, visual artist, and musician. Ericka Huggins is a poet."
Carmen Lieu
Category
Literature & Poetry
Title
Blooming Knowledge
Artist Statement
“For this piece I wanted to express beauty and acknowledge these books. Though each book has sensitive topics, its impact is important. It acknowledges what happens and have happened to African Americans in everyday life. I read these books in school. It makes me really happy that students in Oakland are still able to be taught from these books. My English teacher taught me about book banning and how some schools ban books, especially books like these. I wanted to bring light and show the beauty of the books as seen with the bright, colorful foliage and flowers surrounding the book titles, in hopes to show how amazing it is that books like this exist to educate people on situations like these.”
Adults
Kelly To
Category
Visual Art
Title
Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
Artist Statement
“Growing up in SF, Emory Douglas had a background of getting in trouble with the police. However, when he grew older he wanted to become an artist but during that time period it was hard for Black creatives to find opportunities. During the Civil Rights Movement, he met members of the Black Panther Party, which was originally created to advocate that Black community have the right to bear arms, but eventually branched out to other social issues such as fair housing, free breakfast for children and more. He managed to use limited resources (most of the pieces he created were in his home) to pump out media like newsletters and graphics in hopes of interacting and educating the Black community. He became The Black Panther Party Minister of Culture. What stood out to me from his creative work is how he often represented Black Joy especially for children and mothers rather than focusing on just the racial disparities. He acknowledged the importance of intersectionality and wanted to include everyone in the movement.
For my submission, I drew Emory in his ‘style’ and utilized his use of typography, visuals, and collages to highlight his past and recent works emulating the printmaking-esque of his body of work. I chose to include his quote "Everything is designed not neutral" as it continues to be a relevant message to this day. Thank you.”
Ajuan Mance
Category
Literature & Poetry
Title
The Transformation of Silence into Language
Artist Statement
“This drawing is a visual representation of one of Audre Lorde's most famous quotes. In Sister Outsider, she writes, ‘[T]he transformation of silence into language and actions is an act of self-revelation.’ Although this quote is focused on writing, it can easily apply to all of the expressive forms through which Oakland's Black artists chronicle the people and places that shape our present and the hopes and values that shape our Black futures. The figures' rightward facing pose reflects the progress of Black movements for change. My choice to feature Black women is a nod to the centrality of women and femmes in both anti-racist organizing and Black literature around the globe. The medium is ink and digital collage on paper.”
Shomari Smith
Category
Hip Hop 50th Anniversary
Title
Oakland's Hip Hop 50
Artist Statement
“My submission is an homage to the rich Hip Hop legacy in Oakland California. Hip Hop music has employed, inspired, and enriched the African American community over the past 50 years and my design lists many of the artists with Oakland roots who have made significant contributions to the culture.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Main Library and Dimond Branch will hold all nine (9) winning designs. We recommend you reach out to branches before visiting them to ensure that your desired designs are still in stock.
81st Avenue Branch
- We Are All Rulers of Our Artistic Journey
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Women of the Black Panther Party
- Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
- African American Musicians
- Blooming Knowledge
- Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
- Oakland's Hip Hop 50
Asian Branch
- African American Musicians
- Blooming Knowledge
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Oakland's Hip Hop 50
Brookfield Branch
- Angela Reads
- Blooming Knowledge
- We Are All Rulers of our Artistic Journey
- Oakland’s Hip Hop 50
César E. Chávez Branch
- Angela Reads
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
- Blooming Knowledge
Eastmont Branch
- African American Musicians
- Women of the Black Panther Party
- Spray Painting Oakland
- The Transformation of Silence into Language
Elmhurst Branch
- Angela Reads
- Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Blooming Knowledge
Golden Gate Branch
- African American Musicians
- Angela Reads
- Blooming Knowledge
- Oakland’s Hip Hop 50
Lakeview Branch
- Angela Reads
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Blooming Knowledge
- The Transformation of Silence into Language
Martin Luther King Jr. Branch
- Angela Reads
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Women of the Black Panther Party
- Oakland’s Hip Hop 50
Melrose Branch
- We Are All Rulers of Our Artistic Journey
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Blooming Knowledge
- Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
Montclair Branch
- African American Musicians
- Blooming Knowledge
- Women of the Black Panther Party
- Oakland’s Hip Hop 50
Piedmont Avenue Branch
- Angela Reads
- Blooming Knowledge
- The Transformation of Silence into Language
- Spray Painting Oakland
Rockridge Branch
- We Are All Rulers of Our Artistic Journey
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Oakland’s Hip Hop 50
- Blooming Knowledge
Temescal Branch
- African American Musicians
- Blooming Knowledge
- The Transformation of Silence into Language
- Women of the Black Panther Party
West Oakland
- We Are All Rulers of Our Artistic Journey
- Spray Painting Oakland
- Women of the Black Panther Party
- Emory Douglas: The Black Panther Minister of Culture
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Cards are available while supplies last!
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Only the Main Library and Dimond Branch will have all 9 cards.
Other OPL branches will have four (4) designs--please contact your local branch to see which designs they have on stock.
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While you can collect different designs for Your Library card, only one (1) card/barcode number is allowed per patron to check out books, use digital resources etc.
You can upgrade your current library card to a Limited-Edition library card. Or, you can request to keep your current library card, while collecting the limited-edition card(s) of your choice.
If you currently do not have Your Library card or an account, you must sign up for one (it's free!) to receive a Limited-Edition library card, and/or to start collecting other designs. Email us at eAnswers@oaklandlibrary.org for support in accessing new or different library card designs.
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Cards will be available on February 5, 2024
Questions? Contact Tarshel Beards, Community Relations Manager
