Little Baobab

Battery Godfrey

Private Community House

Hosfelt Gallery

The Dojo

Third Space

Noisebridge

The Faight

Queen of Hearts

Private Community House in Lower Haight, San Francisco

The Monument SF

Anoah Wang

Ruth's Table

The Continental Club, Oakland

Good Mother Gallery

African American Art & Culture Complex

Private Property Guerneville

Hiersoux  Gallery

Phoenix Hotel

Great Star Theater

MAG Galleries

Golden Sardine

The Center

Decentered Studio

Sluts

Michael Hruska

Page Street

The Chapel

The Ocean Room

Uzay Gallery

Saint Joseph’s Arts Society

Victoria Theater

Ground Floor SF

Capitol Art

Mission Space

Welcome to Decentered Open Mic, a space where you can shine your light, exorcise your demons and give others a glimpse into your corner of the universe. Music, poetry, storytelling or any art forms yet to be born on our stage, all are welcome. Join us every Sunday at 6pm.


Decentered Open Mic

Our multi-genre open mic features everything from poetry to stand up comedy, music, films and more. Every Sunday at The Center SF, join us!

Welcome to Decentered Open Mic, a space where you can shine your light, exorcise your demons and give others a glimpse into your corner of the universe. Music, poetry, storytelling or any art forms yet to be born on our stage, all are welcome. Join us every Tuesday at 7pm.


Our multi-genre open mic features everything from poetry to stand up comedy, music, films and more. Every Tuesday at The Faight, join us!

Gen Blend: A monthly intergenerational writers potluck and open mic

**Every First Thursday | 5:30 - 7:30pm**
Ruth's Table, 3160 21st St, San Francisco, CA 94110 | Free
Join Decentered Arts and our partners [Ruth's Table](https://www.ruthstable.org/), [Community Living Campaign](https://sfcommunityliving.org/), [Adobe Books](https://www.adobebooks.com/), and [Litquake's Elder Project](https://www.litquake.org/elderproject.html) for this inspirational event. Featuring Writers from the Community Living Campaign Writing Program, the Elder Project workshops, local writers across a wide age range, and YOU! Limited Open Mic time available for pieces under 3 minutes.

This is a free event and potluck! Bring something to share! Beverages available. Each month a delectable culinary creation by Amirali Mir will be shared, as a generous contribution to our potluck.

**Visitor Guidelines: **Face masks are optional.
**Access: **Ruth’s Table gallery and adjacent green space are wheelchair accessible.
**ASL Interpretation: **ASL interpretation is available upon request. 72-hour notice required.

**Registration: **_Free and open to all. [RSVP here](mailto:contact@ruthstable.org?subject=RSVP%20For%20Gen%20Blend&body=Hello%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20RSVP%20for%20Gen%20Blend%20on%20Thursday%208%2F8%20at%205%3A30-7%3A30pm.%20Name(s)%3A)._

**Donate: **The program is free, donations are welcome.

Support our mission further by making a tax deductible donation to DCA:
<https://givebutter.com/decentered>

**Support the Arts**

At Decentered Arts we believe in building resilient community through art of all mediums. To help achive this we produce Decentered Open Mic, Eventracker, Writers Group, Poolside Poets, curated events, and more to come!
Your support helps us keep this up and dream bigger.

[Donate](https://givebutter.com/decentered)



Gen Blend January 2025

An intergenerational writer's potluck and open mic. Every first Thursday at Ruth's Table.

On an evening in May the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Tactile Textures"

Think: fuzzy cardigans and feather boas, plush faux-fur with leather boots, spiky studs and silky slips, shaggy sweaters, velvet gloves, fluffy scarves, boucle coats and satin skirts, ribbed knits with metallics, fuzzy socks and platform boots, tactile layers—mix & match: fur, fleece, knit, silk, leather, sequins, spikes, velvet, whatever felt alive to the touch

Featured Poets: Rhea Joseph, Alex Miller, Eyra Dordi, Paul Reginato, Serena Chan, Ayla Ginger, Kelley Cape, Brandon Loberg, Anoah, Arthur Cow

Featured Musician: Thaillnai (Spotify: <https://open.spotify.com/artist/4U8W15h3s8Ym716CSmyUxF?si=AxeAunsGRD62fXgn-NY13w>
)

Dancers: Gabby Wei & Eline Castro


Poolside Poets May 2024

It's mental health awareness month, so the special edition of Poolside Poets will be all about Big Feels. Join us for an evening of inspiring poetry, live music, and dance performances at the historic Phoenix Hotel. Brought to you by Decentered Arts, Rhea Joseph, Alex Miller, Liz Cahill, and friends.

Interlude | A Teo Mata Fashion Show
📍 Groundfloor, 455 Valencia Street, San Francisco
📅 Saturday, January 7, 2023 | 7–11 PM PST

A celebration of what was - and what is to be.
Interlude marked Teodore Mata’s third and final runway show of 2022, closing the year with over 20 striking new looks from his latest collection. Held at Groundfloor in San Francisco, the event embodied Teo Mata’s continued evolution, blending timeless silhouettes with daring concepts, and introducing the label’s first ready-to-wear pieces.

The evening was defined by sophistication and intention. With a strictly enforced all-black formal dress code, guests arrived in elegant attire, contributing to the immersive and elevated environment that surrounded the show. The runway was framed by thoughtful stage design and accompanied by live music, enhancing the surrealist tone of the collection.

Interlude served not only as a milestone for the Teo Mata label, but as a reflective pause—a moment to honor past achievements while looking boldly toward the future. Building on the momentum of previous shows SCRAPS and BP2, this third act cemented Teo Mata’s reputation as a leading voice in San Francisco’s fashion scene.

Behind the scenes, Teodore Mata and his dedicated team continued to redefine the boundaries of fashion and art, committed to presenting work through avant-garde experiences and experimental design.

Presented by:
**Hotspot Creatives** – a Bay Area organization uplifting the local creative community through resource-sharing and event production.
**Decentered Arts** – proud key contributors to this dynamic evening of fashion and expression.


Teo Mata Interlude

Elegant looks for the surreal dreamer in you - guests embodied Teo Mata’s bold vision in all-black avant-garde glamour.

Thriving Together: AI Tools for Creative Community Success

On September 30, 2025, Decentered Arts Studio came alive with creative energy as artists, makers, and entrepreneurs gathered for Thriving Together, an immersive workshop exploring how simple AI tools could transform their creative practices.

Led by creative technologist Lem Canady and educator-performer Joon Kim, the evening wove together art and innovation, showing participants how mobile-first AI tools could automate marketing tasks—writing captions, designing posts, even running ads—so they could focus on what they loved most: creating.

Through hands-on demos and guided practice, attendees discovered how these apps could act as personal marketing teams in their pockets. Conversations sparked about reclaiming time, growing audiences, and building thriving creative communities without needing any tech background.

More than just a tech tutorial, the workshop became a celebration of collaboration and possibility—where artists learned to harness new tools not to replace their creativity, but to amplify it.


Thriving Together: AI Tools for Creative Community Success

Artists and dreamers harnessed pocket-sized AI magic, transforming marketing drudgery into creative freedom and collaborative momentum.


Guided Meditation with Gabi Gazzola

On September 15, 2025, Decentered Studio hosted its first Guided Meditation with Gabi Gazzola. The evening offered a gentle invitation into stillness, where participants released stress, restored balance, and touched a deep sense of inner clarity together.

Gabi led the group with her signature presence—steady, compassionate, and transformative. Trained as a lawyer in Brazil before leaving her career to study yoga and energy healing in India, Gabi has since become an internationally respected yoga therapist, Pranic Healing master, and author. Her journey across five continents has shaped her integrative approach, weaving together tradition, healing, and lived experience.

This inaugural gathering marked the beginning of a new weekly practice at Decentered Studio, where community found calm, presence, and connection through shared silence.


Guided Meditation with Gabi Gazzola 

Guided by Gabi, Monday night transformed into sanctuary—where breath, spirit, and silence intertwined in a ritual of calm connection.

Community Yoga Class w/ Gabi Gazzola


📅 Wednesday, October 29, 2025 · 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM PDT

📍 Decentered Studio, 1175 Folsom St, San Francisco



On October 29, 2025, Decentered Studio opened its doors for a grounding Community Yoga Class led by Gabi Gazzola, a Brazilian yoga therapist, Pranic Healing master, and best-selling author known for her deeply integrative and compassionate approach to mind–body healing.



In this gentle yet powerful session, Gabi guided participants through a traditional yoga practice rooted in breath, alignment, and presence. The class unfolded slowly and mindfully, inviting everyone to move with intention, hold postures with awareness, and explore meditation as a pathway to inner stillness.



Drawing on wisdom cultivated through years of study and teaching across five continents, Gabi brought a unique depth to her practice—weaving together physical postures, breathwork, and energy awareness to support both body and spirit.



Whether stepping onto the mat for the first time or returning to deepen their practice, participants found a space to reconnect with themselves, cultivate patience and peace, and carry that sense of balance into everyday life.



🧘‍♀️ Guests came as they were—and left feeling grounded, renewed, and centered.


Community Yoga Class w/ Gabi Gazzola 

Guests flowed through mindful breath and movement as Gabi Gazzola guided a grounding yoga journey of presence, patience, and renewal.

Gen Blend: A monthly intergenerational writers potluck and open mic

**Every First Thursday  |  5:30 - 7:30pm**
Ruth's Table, 3160 21st St, San Francisco, CA 94110 | Free
Join Decentered Arts and our partners [Ruth's Table](https://www.ruthstable.org/), [Community Living Campaign](https://sfcommunityliving.org/), [Adobe Books](https://www.adobebooks.com/), and [Litquake's Elder Project](https://www.litquake.org/elderproject.html) for this inspirational event. Featuring Writers from the Community Living Campaign Writing Program, the Elder Project workshops, local writers across a wide age range, and YOU! Limited Open Mic time available for pieces under 3 minutes. 

This is a free event and potluck! Bring something to share! Beverages available. Each month a delectable culinary creation by Amirali Mir will be shared, as a generous contribution to our potluck.

**Visitor Guidelines: **Face masks are optional.
**Access: **Ruth’s Table gallery and adjacent green space are wheelchair accessible. 
**ASL Interpretation:  **ASL interpretation is available upon request. 72-hour notice required. 

**Registration:  **_Free and open to all. [RSVP here](mailto:contact@ruthstable.org?subject=RSVP%20For%20Gen%20Blend&body=Hello%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20RSVP%20for%20Gen%20Blend%20on%20Thursday%208%2F8%20at%205%3A30-7%3A30pm.%20Name(s)%3A)._

**Donate: **The program is free, donations are welcome. 

Support our mission further by making a tax deductible donation to DCA:
<https://givebutter.com/decentered>

**Support the Arts**

At Decentered Arts we believe in building resilient community through art of all mediums. To help achive this we produce Decentered Open Mic, Eventracker, Writers Group, Poolside Poets, curated events, and more to come!
Your support helps us keep this up and dream bigger.

[Donate](https://givebutter.com/decentered)



Gen Blend March 2025

On an evening in mid-August the Phoenix Hotel hosted our 19th Pooslide Poets. 

Guests came dressed in their best "Walk of Shame"
Think: disheveled glam, club top and sweatpants, slip dress and sneakers, messy bun, one earring, sunglasses indoors, flannel over sequins, heels with gym shorts, trench coat over pajamas, yesterday’s makeup, wet hair, hoodie and mini skirt, neon with fur, lingerie as outerwear, suit pants no shirt, oversized blazer and bare legs, socks and sandals, bedhead and smudged eyeliner, crocs with fishnets, morning-after eyes, last night’s outfit reimagined, regret couture, mix & match: satin, flannel, mesh, leather, denim, silk, whatever survived the night

Featured Poets: Carlos Quinteros III, Elijah Madnewton, Heather Gibbons, Jennifer Elizabeth, Liam Clickenger, London Pinkney, May-Li Khoe, MH Lopez, Niambi Walker, Nicole Rose Schoonbrood

Featured Musician: FREQz **<https://www.instagram.com/freqzzzz/?hl=en>**

Dancers: Erica Knox & Ai Yin


Poolside Poets August 2025

An evening of beautifully disheveled fun. 

On an evening in spring the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Superbloom"

Think: groundbreaking florals, petal-strewn slips and maxi blooms, corsage corsets, crown-of-daisies fascinators, tulle layered with wildflower prints, prairie dresses with combat boots, neon botanicals, embroidered garden jackets, chiffon ruffles and platform sandals, floral headpieces and vine-like jewelry, painted petal makeup, sundress with metallic boots — mix & match: silk, chiffon, lace, tulle, embroidery, sequins, denim, leather, whatever smelled like spring

Featured Poets: Rhea Joseph, Liz Cahill, Lucía Arrocha, Malcolm Squire, Maurice Vee, Sarai Schwartz, Ben Bernthal, Jelal Huyler, Jessica O'Brien, Krti T, Lauren Parker

Featured Musician: King Isis ( Spotify: <https://open.spotify.com/artist/7jz1wM1NdiskFWrlosZhVw?si=g0-uY5R4Sn-jTWd2922ZUQ> )

Dancers: Remi Blakesley & Noga Alpert


Poolside Poets April 2025

Botanical babes bloomed in wild florals while poets, dancers, and musicians turned the Phoenix Hotel into a springtime fever dream.


This event showcased 24 unique looks from fashion designer Teo Mata, which were meticulously crafted and selected for the show. The approach is an “art first way.” Hidden messages can be found in the garments that reflect Teo’s life and experiences as a designer. The collection was presented on September 10, 2022 at Uzay Gallery. This event was co-produced with Hotspot Creatives with Decentered Arts as a key collaborator.


Teo Mata BP2

A fashion show for San Francisco fashion designer Teo Mata hosted at Uzay Gallery. 

Catacombs III: Experimental Tundric Ice Opera
Saturday, Jan 20
7:00pm – 11:00pm PT

It was very likely the most bizarre experience attendees had all year.

Guests stepped into an alien temple surrounded by chunks of ice, a reflective tin foil guitarist, ice dance music DJs, extraterrestrial art, and a short, experimental, interpretive modern dance opera.

The entire venue was transformed into an immersive ice cave installation.

Attendees arrived dressed as plausibly theoretical aliens to experience space templic paintings, chunk ice sculptures, and otherworldly soundscape music.

Made by artists for artists, Catacombs was a cold dip into the tundric, extraterrestrial world of Nenom—a frozen, iceic planet and the setting for Anethemas, a strange-tundra opera and large-scale otherworldly art piece created by Xxhe. At Catacombs, guests were showered in the sounds of Anethemas, surrounded by ethereal dance, auroric light creatures, frozen sculptures, and trancing wind art. Garb was a key part of the experience—and guests found out why.

Decentered Arts was a Key Collaborator of this event.


Catacombs III: Experimental Tundric Ice Opera

Frozen divas, alien dreamers, and tundric sound wizards gathered in an ice cave—Catacombs was Nenom's glittering extraterrestrial opera rave.

Unlock Your Body’s Wisdom: Somatic Healing for Personal Transformation

Decentered Studio, in collaboration with Gather SF, hosted Unlock Your Body’s Wisdom, a somatic healing workshop led by Anna Bolender.

Participants moved through breath, sound, and movement practices to release stored tension, regulate their nervous systems, and open space for transformation. From shaking and intuitive expression to exploring the science of emotional release, Anna offered a pathway out of self-sabotaging patterns and into deeper connection with self.

A Somatic Embodiment & Intuitive Life Coach and Reiki Master, Anna guided with a blend of somatics, energy healing, and mindset work, helping guests rewire patterns and return home to their bodies.

The session invited the community to move, release, and rediscover freedom together.


Unlock Your Body’s Wisdom: Somatic Healing for Personal Transformation

Guests shook, breathed, and released together as Anna Bolender guided a somatic journey into freedom, embodiment, and renewed inner connection.

Decentered Open Mic 

Our multi-genre open mic features everything from poetry to stand up comedy, music, films and more. Every Tuesday at The Decentered Studio, join us!

Becoming the Truth and Nightmaretime
Fri, Mar 22 – Sat, Mar 23 · 7:30pm–9:30pm PT

Hosted by Your Friends' Basement Theater Company | Key Collaborator: Decentered Arts

Your Friends' Basement Theater Company returned with a thrilling double feature: two one-act dramatic plays by the brilliant playwright Emily Elyse Everett. Guests gathered for a night of terror, heartbreak, and intense drama at Uzay Gallery—grateful for the event space, though forever basement people at heart.

The performances began promptly at 7:30pm, with doors opening at 7:00pm. The evening featured two shows, each around 30 minutes, with a brief transition between them, totaling about 65 minutes.

Nightmaretime
Directed by Natalie Lista
Cast: Alison White, Andre Hessini, Cameron McCallie, Caroline Willian, Chloe Coultrip, Chris Lowrie, Emily Bender, Lauren Gifford, Mo Rahman, Theory Song, and Violet Trachtenberg

Becoming the Truth
Directed by Violet Trachtenberg
Cast: Andre Hessini, Chloe Coultrip, Emily Miller, Grant Bremer, Natalie Lista, Sara Saavedra, and Theory Song

The plays bravely explored intense themes, including obsessive-compulsive thinking, disordered eating, psychological abuse, suicidal thoughts, psychiatric hospitalization, surgical violence, and sexual activity, with an emotional tone similar to a PG-13 experience.


Becoming the Truth and Nightmaretime

Two raw one-acts unleashed terror and heartbreak; guests braved the basement spirit in bold, bruised hearts and wild minds.

Come join us for our monthly songwriting workshop.

The events will take place 2nd and 4th Mondays at Decentered Studio. 

. All are welcome- no experience necessary. These events are always free.


Songwriters Group Workshop

Join Decentered Arts’ monthly songshare—share songs, get feedback, or just listen. All levels welcome, instruments and support provided. 🎶

On November 5, 2025, Decentered Studio opened its doors for a grounding Yoga Class for Creatives and Artists led by Gabi Gazzola, a Brazilian yoga therapist, Pranic Healing master, and best-selling author known for her integrative, compassionate approach to mind–body healing.

In this gentle yet powerful session, Gabi guided participants through a traditional yoga practice rooted in breath, alignment, and presence. The class unfolded slowly and mindfully, inviting everyone to move with intention, hold postures with awareness, and explore meditation as a pathway to inner stillness.

Drawing on wisdom she had gained teaching across five continents, Gabi wove physical postures, breathwork, and energy awareness to support both body and spirit.

Whether newcomers or long-time practitioners, attendees found space to reconnect, cultivate patience and peace, and carry that balance into everyday life.

🧘‍♀️ Guests arrived as they were — and left grounded, renewed, and centered.


Yoga For Creatives and Artists

Join Ruth’s Table and our partners [Community Living Campaign](https://sfcommunityliving.org/), [Decentered Arts](https://decentered.org/), and [Litquake's Elder Project](https://www.litquake.org/elderproject.html) for this inspirational event. Featuring Writers from the Community Living Campaign Writing Program, the Elder Project workshops, local writers across a wide age range, and YOU! Limited Open Mic time available for pieces under 3 minutes. This is a free event and potluck! Bring something to share! Beverages available. Each month a delectable culinary creation by Amirali Mir will be shared, as a generous contribution to our potluck.
**Visitor Guidelines: **Face masks are optional.
**Access: **Ruth’s Table gallery and adjacent green space are wheelchair accessible. 
**ASL Interpretation:  **ASL interpretation is available upon request. 72-hour notice required. 

**Registration:  **_Free and open to all. [RSVP here](mailto:contact@ruthstable.org?subject=RSVP%20For%20Gen%20Blend&body=Hello%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20RSVP%20for%20Gen%20Blend%20on%20Thursday%208%2F8%20at%205%3A30-7%3A30pm.%20Name(s)%3A)._

**Donate: **The program is free, donations are welcome. 


Gen Blend: Intergenerational Writers Potluck January 2025

Join our vibrant literary potluck at Ruth's Table, featuring diverse writers of all ages sharing their work! Enjoy open mic sessions, delicious food, and community connection. Free event, all welcome!

Come use your hands and get crafty! Free bi-weekly, some supplies provided or BYO! All projects welcome or just come hang.

Come use your hands and get crafty! The Studio offers some supplies but you are welcome to bring your own. All projects welcome. Paint your nails, play nintendo switch read books. All hangs welcome. We ocassionally have guest artists leading workshops.



Craft n' Chill 

Craft n’ Chill invites everyone to unwind, get creative together at Decentered Studio.

An extraterrestrial art gathering and an experimental strange-tundra opera, visual art show, interpretive dance performance with 15+ local artists as participants.

Project Collaborators: Maxine Flasher-Duzgunes, Rosie Dater-Merton, Yuqi Sun, Em Hansen, Jubilee, Kelsie Jones, Zabby Starchaser, John Potter, The Continental Club Oakland


CATACOMBS IV: An Extraterrestrial Art Gathering

An extraterrestrial art gathering & strange-tundra opera.

Gen Blend: Intergenerational Writers Potluck November 2024

Ever wondered if you could join a larger dance performance without memorizing choreography?

Flocks of birds, schools of fish, swarms of ants—they all moved together through shared rules, not rigid routines. We gathered to explore how humans could do the same.

The lab began with facilitation by Evan Johnson, followed by an open session where participants proposed new rules for the group exploration. Scarves and bandanas added color and motion to the room.

Evan Johnson (he/they), a San Francisco–based cultural producer and theatre maker with over 15 years of experience, created playful, embodied creative spaces rooted in physical theater and collaborative performance. Their work centered connection, care, and collective creativity—inviting participants to explore, express, and build together.

The lab opened with Evan’s facilitation and unfolded into a shared experiment in inventing new movement rules together.


Group movement lab with Evan Johnson 

Participants explored collective movement through shared rules, guided by Evan Johnson—no choreography required, just playful, embodied experimentation together.

The High Fidelity Dance Lab came to Decentered Arts Studio on Saturday, November 15, from 3–6 PM PST — a three-hour deep dive into precision, clarity, and partnered connection.

Led by the teachers behind BAmF, the session opened with a clear framing: the workshop expanded the Advanced Following class into a full practice lab. Leads worked on initiating with clean, consistent impulses; follows trained to respond without distortion, keeping the frame honest and the conversation flowing. The room filled with co-created feedback and those satisfying “aha” moments when habitual noise in the dance was named and released.

In the second hour the group explored the Responsive Frame — how energetic intention met structural biomechanics — learning to hold and fill space together with the right balance of firmness and flexibility. The final hour invited time-and-space play: stretching, delaying, and amplifying phrases so following became pure artistry, and leads learned to build containers that invited creative risk.

By the end of the lab, dancers left moving cleaner, more connected, and creatively charged — perfectly warmed up to head straight to the Mission Fusion afterparty, where A’lan DJed into the night.


High Fidelity Dance Lab

Three-hour High Fidelity Dance Lab at Decentered Studio: partnered drills, responsive framing, time-bending phrases — leads sharpened, follows amplified, movement transformed.

Come join our monthly songshare! Come share what you’ve worked on this month, get feedback, or just listen! A guitar, Bluetooth speaker, and supportive friends will be provided.
As always, no experience necessary! If you have any desire to grow or start a songwriting practice with friends, this is the place for you. If you don’t have a song to share, no problem. Come listen and enjoy.
All songwriters group events are hosted by Decentered Arts. 

Happy songwriting! 🎶


Songwriters Group SongShare 

On an evening in mid-January the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Darkness Lifts Softly"

Think: lacy floor-length gowns and tactile velvet coats, sheer slips under oversized trenches, tactile lace with chunky boots, long chiffon layers and leather corsets, dramatic collars and soft gloves, floor-skimming skirts with combat soles, crochet capes and satin hoodies, feathered shawls with sturdy boots, tactile knit wraps and metallic accents, textured layers, muted noir palette with surprising shimmer—mix & match: lace, velvet, chiffon, knit, leather, satin, mesh, whatever felt soft, bold, and ready to rise

Featured Poets: Liz Cahill, Drew Sage, Rhea Joseph, Esperanza, Mr. Beal, Tifa Love, Vika, JR Rice, J. Enrique Martinez.

Featured Musician: Animal Prince (Spotify: <https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FiNgS5mawvNhPpOn00Qnp?si=O1Dyy-AaTSyJm4mwtirAjQ>)

Dancers: Nehemiah Aldrich, Erica Knox


Poolside Poets January 2025

Goth fairies in lace swayed through candlelight as poets whispered new year spells—guests WORE softness like armor and ritual.

On an evening in early October the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Meet Me at Sunset"

Think: sunset silks and sand-streaked denim, gauzy linens and terracotta, slip dress with sandals, straw hat and sunglasses, bronzed skin and bronzy highlighter, flowy kaftan and bare feet, linen blazer over a silk slip, crochet cover-up and heels, sundown sequins, warm ombre prints, driftwood neutrals, thrifted glam, sundress with combat boots, layered scarves and loose shirts, sun-kissed lipstick, last-light layers — mix & match: linen, silk, cotton, mesh, chiffon, leather, denim, whatever caught the golden hour glow

Featured Poets: Liz Cahill, Rhea Joseph, Spinelli, Theory, Giovanna Lomanto, Lorrie Chang, Denise Masiel, Charlie Getter, Jess McCallum, Maya Cowan, Sara Saavedra, Paul Reginato

Featured Musician: Alex in Waves <https://open.spotify.com/artist/71dmPddi53mtjP9lgacYjQ>

Dancers: Eline Castro, Gabby Wei & Heather Maitland


Poolside Poets October 2023

Guests glowed in golden-hour glam as poets, dancers, and musicians lit up the Phoenix Hotel for a dreamy poolside night.

Gen Blend: A monthly intergenerational writers potluck and open mic



Every First Thursday | 5:30 - 7:30pm

Ruth's Table, 3160 21st St, San Francisco, CA 94110 | Free

Join Decentered Arts and our partners Ruth's Table, Community Living Campaign, Adobe Books, and Litquake's Elder Project for this inspirational event. Featuring Writers from the Community Living Campaign Writing Program, the Elder Project workshops, local writers across a wide age range, and YOU! Limited Open Mic time available for pieces under 3 minutes. 



This is a free event and potluck! Bring something to share! Beverages available. Each month a delectable culinary creation by Amirali Mir will be shared, as a generous contribution to our potluck.



Visitor Guidelines: Face masks are optional.

Access: Ruth’s Table gallery and adjacent green space are wheelchair accessible. 

ASL Interpretation: ASL interpretation is available upon request. 72-hour notice required. 



Registration: Free and open to all. RSVP here.



Donate: The program is free, donations are welcome. 



Support our mission further by making a tax deductible donation to DCA:

https://givebutter.com/decentered



Support the Arts



At Decentered Arts we believe in building resilient community through art of all mediums. To help achive this we produce Decentered Open Mic, Eventracker, Writers Group, Poolside Poets, curated events, and more to come!

Your support helps us keep this up and dream bigger.



Donate



Gen Blend March 2026

On November 12, 2025, Decentered Studio hosted SOULESTIAL — Binaural Sound Bath: Galaxies Within, a live sonic journey into expanded states of awareness.

Kevin Njikam — performing as SOULESTIAL — led the evening. Mentored by David Gibson (former Pink Floyd engineer and founder of The Globe Institute), Kevin blended science and spirit to create live binaural brainwave entrainment: handcrafted ambient loops, crystal tones, and subtle beats designed to ease participants into alpha and theta states. No two journeys sounded the same — Kevin listened to the room and sculpted the soundscape in real time.

The night began with a short grounding intention, moved into a deep, immersive sound bath, and closed with gentle integration. Participants brought yoga mats, blankets, and cozy layers; tea and light snacks were offered afterward.

Guests lay back, softened, and journeyed inward beneath SOULESTIAL’s live, brainwave-informed soundscape.


SOULESTIAL Binaural Sound Bath: Galaxies Within

Journeyed through sound with SOULESTIAL’s live binaural sound bath — an immersive evening of relaxation, brainwave harmony, and cosmic restoration.

On November 19, 2025, Decentered Studio opened its doors for a grounding Yoga Class for Creatives and Artists led by Gabi Gazzola, a Brazilian yoga therapist, Pranic Healing master, and best-selling author known for her integrative, compassionate approach to mind–body healing.

In this gentle yet powerful session, Gabi guided participants through a traditional yoga practice rooted in breath, alignment, and presence. The class unfolded slowly and mindfully, inviting everyone to move with intention, hold postures with awareness, and explore meditation as a pathway to inner stillness.

Drawing on wisdom she had gained teaching across five continents, Gabi wove physical postures, breathwork, and energy awareness to support both body and spirit.

Whether newcomers or long-time practitioners, attendees found space to reconnect, cultivate patience and peace, and carry that balance into everyday life.

🧘‍♀️ Guests arrived as they were — and left grounded, renewed, and centered.


Yoga For Creatives and Artists 

Community Yoga with Gabi Gazzola

On September 17, 2025, Decentered Studio hosted its first Community Yoga Class with Gabi Gazzola. The morning began slowly and intentionally, with breath-centered movement, careful alignment, and moments of quiet meditation. Participants sank into stillness while cultivating strength and presence, carrying the practice into their daily lives.

Gabi guided the class with warmth and clarity, drawing on a path that had taken her from a legal career in Brazil to deep study of yoga and energy healing in India. Her journey across continents—through teaching, healing, and writing—shaped the compassionate, integrative approach she brought to the mat.

This first class marked the beginning of an ongoing practice at Decentered Studio, where community gathered to ground, breathe, and renew together.


Community Yoga Class with Gabi Gazzola

Guests stretched into stillness as Gabi led traditional yoga—breath, alignment, and meditation weaving presence into everyday life.

On an evening the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Denim on Denim"

Think: double denim combos, jean jacket and jorts, bedazzled denim tops with denim gowns, cutoff shorts with denim trench, denim corset over a slip, patchwork jeans with sequins, oversized trucker jacket and mini skirt, denim shirt tied at the waist, denim blazer with bare legs, distressed jeans and silk blouses, hooded denim vests with combat boots, denim overalls reimagined as eveningwear, denim-on-denim mismatches, thrifted denim with metallic accents, jean shorts with tights, socks and sandals with denim, layered jean pieces and leather, lace under denim, whatever survived the wash

Featured Poets: Ladi Rev, Rhea Joseph, Papi Grande, LexThePen, Meg, Curandera Frida, Tera da poet, Shane King Zackery, Tucker Bryant, Tawo, ThaIllNai, Meg.

Featured Musician: Unorthodox Free Order aka UFO (Music: <https://linktr.ee/UFO1111>)

Dancers: Remi Blakesley & Erica Knox


Poolside Poets March 2025

Poets took the stage in head-to-toe denim—frayed, glittered, and reimagined—turning the Phoenix into a blue-jean dreamscape.

The ÉCLAIRÉS MARKET QUEST is a fashion pop-up experience focused on gathering people to reconnect with themselves through fruit, clothing, and connection.

For our second Market Quest, we invite guests to experience amazing food by Amiyah, homemade juice by Joseph, interact with a hand sewing station by Jawa, and learn home sewing machine techniques by the Éclairés designer, Cheick. Limited pieces from the new collection will be available for PRE-ORDER!

🍛🍛🍛
Amiyah will be cheffing up some home-cooked meals through her business @Shecooksafreakinglt.

Shecooksafreakinglot is a halal Caribbean fusion kitchen specializing in flavorful meal prep, catering, and individual plates.

The Event Plate:
Honey Cajun Wings & Butter Roasted Corn - $17.50

Plate is available for PRE-ORDER ONLY by Venmo @amiyah-shields.

🎟️🎟️🎟️
Event entry is $20 through Venmo or cash at the door and includes:
•1 juice token
•access to Cheick’s sewing workshop
•experience of the Éclairés brand and first look at the new collection

Proceeds from this event go towards the Éclairés Fashion Show on 4/11 and a portion will be donated to Noisebridge Hackerspace.

Noisebridge is open to the public and event entry is NTAFLOF

Come enjoy what the Éclairés Market Quest has to offer!


ÉCLAIRÉS MARKET QUEST 

Éclairés Market Quest—fashion pop-up with food, juice, sewing workshops, and exclusive collection preview, gathering community through creativity, craft, and connection.

On an evening in mid-March Saint Joseph’s Arts Society will host the return of Poolside Poets, presented by Decentered Arts alongside curators Baruch Porras Hernandez, Rhea Joseph, and Liz Cahill. In this breathtaking historic venue—founded by Ken Fulk—poetry, music, dance, and fashion will unfold together in a dreamy evening of performance and community.

Guests will arrive dressed in their best “Forbidden Fruit.”

Think: mysterious masquerade, red velvet and black lace, dark glamour and desirable anonymity, cherry-printed dresses and strawberry jumpsuits, masks, silk gloves, lush crimson tones, leafy greens, temptation couture, decadent textures—mix & match: satin, lace, velvet, mesh, silk, whatever feels deliciously forbidden.

The evening will also feature the debut of the Forbidden Words Quilt Project, led by Lorraine Woodruff-Long and Trisha Hickey. This international community quilt highlights 384 words and phrases banned or scrubbed from U.S. government communications, as identified by [PEN America](https://pen.org/). Created by more than 200 contributors across every U.S. state and six countries, the quilt transforms censorship into collective storytelling through fabric and thread. Learn more here: 
<https://quiltinginthefog.com/the-forbidden-words-national-quilt-project/>

Featured Performers: Tasha Malan ( [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3GRhNGSo9XSH5QyogIA8b9?si=neyITe0WQ-GGMw6RHDPg7A) ), Hidden Thread Music, Baruch Porras Hernandez, Maze

Dancers: Jin Lee Baobei, Erica Knox, Tobias Echeverria

More artists will join throughout the night as the soaring halls of Saint Joseph’s Arts Society fill with poetry, music, movement, and celebration.


Poolside Poets at Saint Joseph's Art Society 

Poolside Poets returns March 18 at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society—poetry, music, dance, Forbidden Words Quilt debut, and a Forbidden Fruit masquerade.

On an evening the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Origins"

Think: embroidered shawls and family heirlooms, patterned kurtas and woven blankets, pidgin plaids and hand-stitched aprons, beaded necklaces with old stories, patched denim with ancestral prints, ceremonial scarves over streetwear, bold cultural prints with modern silhouettes, expressive makeup and symbolic pins — mix & match: textiles, heirlooms, prints, embroidery, jewelry, whatever reminded you of home

Featured Poets: Aiya Madarang, Denise Maisel, Rhea Joseph, Lina Begonia, Thomas Cavazos, Flex Dalit, Yevgeniya Shtalenkova, Giovanna Lomanto

Featured Musician: Flying Shoe


Poolside Poets July 2024

An evening of dreamy poetry, live music and dance at the historic Phoenix Hotel.

Our monthly residency at Phoenix.

On the evening of April 11, 2026, the halls of African American Art & Culture Complex will transform into a vibrant gathering of fashion, culture, and community for “If I Grow Up,” a fashion show presented by ÉCLAIRÉS.

As guests arrive at the historic Fulton Street venue, they will first step into an immersive West African-inspired market experience. The space will come alive with conversation, craft, and rhythm: a legendary oil painter sharing their work, a local sculptor and upcycle artist displaying transformed materials, and the aroma of halal Caribbean fusion food filling the room. Nearby, a live drum circle will pulse through the space, setting the tempo for the night and welcoming the community into the experience.

Before the runway lights turn on, visitors will wander through this marketplace of makers-connecting with artists, exploring the textures of the community, and catching glimpses of the newest pieces from the Éclairés collection.

Then, at 7:30 PM, the show will begin.

If I Grow Up will unfold as a visual journey through consciousness-exploring the tension between individuality and the identities society places upon us. Each look on the runway will tell part of that story, blending Afro-toned palettes and design language with echoes of both vintage and contemporary streetwear. The garments will move between past and future, heritage and reinvention.

At its core, the evening will reflect the philosophy behind Éclairés-“the Enlightened Ones.” Through clothing, connection, and shared cultural space, the brand invites its community to reflect on who we are, who we become, and how creativity can illuminate the path between the two.

For one evening inside the African American Art & Culture Complex, fashion will become more than style-it will become story, memory, and possibility.


"If I Grow Up", a fashion show by ÉCLAIRÉS 

ÉCLAIRÉS presented If I Grow Up at the African American Art & Culture Complex-an immersive market and fashion show exploring identity, culture, and streetwear.

Decentered Studio Launch Party – September 12, 2025

Decentered Arts unveiled its new gallery and community space in SoMa with a vibrant launch party. Guests explored artwork by Alvar Jacomet, swayed to live music by Tasha Malan, and danced into the night with a DJ set from Maryzelle. The evening marked the beginning of a new creative home for artists and community gatherings in San Francisco.


Decentered Studio Opening Party

Artists, dreamers, and dancers christened Decentered Studio’s SoMa home with bold art, live beats, and unforgettable San Francisco flair.

On November 26, 2025, Decentered Studio opened its doors for a grounding Yoga Class for Creatives and Artists led by Gabi Gazzola, a Brazilian yoga therapist, Pranic Healing master, and best-selling author known for her integrative, compassionate approach to mind–body healing.

In this gentle yet powerful session, Gabi guided participants through a traditional yoga practice rooted in breath, alignment, and presence. The class unfolded slowly and mindfully, inviting everyone to move with intention, hold postures with awareness, and explore meditation as a pathway to inner stillness.

Drawing on wisdom she had gained teaching across five continents, Gabi wove physical postures, breathwork, and energy awareness to support both body and spirit.

Whether newcomers or long-time practitioners, attendees found space to reconnect, cultivate patience and peace, and carry that balance into everyday life.

🧘‍♀️ Guests arrived as they were — and left grounded, renewed, and centered.


Gen Blend February 2026

On an evening the Phoenix Hotel hosted Poolside Poets.

Guests came dressed in their best "Mystical Seduction"

Think: lace and velvet, sheer layers and harnesses, forest-fairy wings with leather boots, lingerie as outerwear, cutouts with mossy textures, corsets under billowy capes, sultry slip dresses and thigh-highs, iridescent body paint and avant-garde makeup, floral crowns with chains, chiffon layered with leather, mesh and velvet mashups, feathered collars and harness straps, moonlit sequins and earthy boots — mix & match: lace, velvet, mesh, leather, chiffon, sequins, harnesses, whatever summoned enchantment and desire

Featured Poets: Ben Draffin, Rhea Joseph, Liz Cahill, Baruch Porras-Hernandez, Giovanna Lomanto, Denise Maisel, Blake Sugarman, Theory, Spinelli, Connie Lin, Jane

Featured Musician: Major Butta (Spotify: <https://open.spotify.com/artist/69whnvOI33go5sIHpIKpVq?si=Ziy8grTbR6OT1YazU1K_DA>)

Dancers: Jessica McCallum, Eline Castro & Gabby Wei


Poolside Poets June 2024

An evening of sexy poetry, live music and dance at the historic Phoenix Hotel. Brought to you by Decentered Arts, Rhea Joseph, Ben Draffin, Liz Cahill, and friends.

Release & Rise: A Somatic Healing Journey w/ Anna Bolender

📅 Tuesday, October 7, 2025 · 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Decentered Studio, San Francisco

On October 7, Decentered Studio became a sanctuary for release and renewal as Anna Bolender led Release & Rise: A Somatic Healing Journey.

Through breath, sound, and intuitive movement, Anna guided participants to shed stress, unprocessed emotions, and the weight of old patterns—opening space for clarity, calm, and authentic vitality to emerge. It was not just a workshop, but an invitation to step out of the mind, return to the body, and reconnect with its innate wisdom.

Anna, a Somatic Embodiment & Intuitive Life Coach and Reiki Master, devoted her life to helping others break free from self-sabotaging cycles and come home to themselves. Her gentle yet powerful approach blended somatics, energy healing, and mindset work, creating a safe container for deep emotional release and transformation.

By evening’s end, participants rose lighter, grounded, and more connected—equipped with simple tools to carry this renewed presence into daily life.


Release & Rise: A Somatic Healing Journey w/ Anna Bolender

On October 7, Anna Bolender guided a somatic healing journey to release tension, reset energy, and awaken inner vitality.

Participants joined the songwriting workshop led by talented songwriter, guitarist, and singer Ariel O, frontman of The Fancy Monkeys.

The session took place on December 22, 2025, from 7:00–9:00 PM at Decentered Studio. All were welcome — no experience necessary — and, as always, the event was free.


Songwriters Group  SongShare 

Songwriters gathered at Decentered Studio for a free workshop led by Ariel O of The Fancy Monkeys, open to all.

Decentered Arts opened our studio's doors for 14 artists for ArtSpan Open Studios. It was an incredible experience working with each artist and welcoming friends, neighbors and the general public to our studio. 

Artspan has been bringing the work of local artists to the public for 51 years.

Thank you artists: Aaron Chan, Abby Klinkenberg, Amadeo Vibat, Ana Mangold, Ankita Sancheti, Ashleigh Castro, Audrey Mohan, Belinda Huang, Chloe Lubinski, Dana Boyko, Julie Topp, Pooja Sathyanarayanan, Priyatam Mudivarti, Sheila Metcalf-Tobin.

Photography Manas Singh @theportraittale


Artspan Open Studios

Decentered Arts hosted Artspan Open Studios

Come use your hands and get crafty. We'll have plenty of supplies but feel free to bring your own as well.
Card making, painting, knitting, sewing, tarot, embossing, anything you'd like to do!
Hosted at a shoes off venue. We have a kitchenette, feel free to bring dinner or dishes to share.


Craft n' Chill - Watercolor Groove 

Craft n’ Chill: Watercolor Groove—paint and create freely; gather barefoot, share food, and enjoy cozy community vibes.

Past Life Regression Group Journey

On November 16, 2025, a doorway into the timeless opened at Decentered Studio. Guided by spiritual hypnotherapist and shamanic healing practitioner Samira Ghassemian, participants embarked on a profound past life regression journey, traveling beyond the boundaries of the present to meet the echoes of who they once were.

Through gentle hypnosis and guided visualization, Samira led the group into the deeper layers of the subconscious, where hidden memories and soul imprints awaited. These glimpses into past incarnations served as keys to understanding recurring patterns, dissolving fears, and reclaiming the wisdom their spirits had carried across lifetimes.

Whether participants arrived with curiosity or conviction, the immersive experience offered an opportunity to release what no longer served them, illuminate their soul’s purpose, and awaken a deeper sense of peace and clarity in their present lives.

Attendees wore comfortable clothing and brought yoga mats — and some brought journals to capture the revelations that unfolded.


Past Life Regression Group Journey

Journeyed beyond time and uncovered their souls’ hidden stories — a guided past life regression with Samira Ghassemian that healed and awakened.

On Sunday, November 9, 2025, Decentered Studio opened its doors to a deeply transformative experience — Embodied Manifestation: Release, Realign & Receive — a somatic healing journey led by Anna Bolender, a renowned Somatic Embodiment and Intuitive Life Coach dedicated to guiding people back to their bodies and inner wisdom.

In this immersive two-hour workshop, Anna invited participants to go beyond vision boards and affirmations, revealing that true manifestation begins within the body. Through gentle breathwork, grounding practices, emotional release, and intuitive movement, participants explored how the nervous system holds unprocessed emotions and limiting patterns — and how releasing them can open space for love, abundance, joy, and freedom to flow in.

Anna’s approach blended somatic healing with energy work and intuitive coaching, creating a nurturing space where participants realigned with their deepest desires and became an energetic match for the life they wished to create. Whether seeking fulfilling relationships, vibrant health, creative opportunities, or a deeper sense of freedom, attendees were guided toward receiving with ease and grace.

Guests came dressed comfortably and brought journals to capture reflections that arose. Together, in community and movement, they stepped into the version of themselves already living the vision they held within.


Embodied Manifestation: Release, Realign, & Receive

Somatic rituals to shed old patterns and awaken your magnetism — manifesting love, abundance, and freedom through embodied transformation.

Decentered poets teamed up with painter Joelle Provost for a poetry reading at Hiersoux Gallery in North Berkeley. 


I'm So Happy I'm Still Alive

Decentered poets teamed up with painter Joelle Provost for a poetry reading at Hiersoux Gallery in North Berkeley. 

On October 30th, Decentered Studio transformed into a sanctuary for The Samadhi Experience — a two-hour journey into divine consciousness. Through breath, movement, sound, and guided meditation, participants were invited to dissolve the noise of identity and rest in pure awareness.

Dr. Amaliny Yoganathan, a Tamil Siddha Yogi whose work bridges neuroscience, psychotherapy, and ancient mysticism, led the experience. With her voice, presence, and healing frequencies she guided the group into deep rest, heart-opening release, and radiant clarity — moments where the boundary between self and spirit gently dissolved.

The evening felt less like a class and more like a sacred encounter with stillness, surrender, and the vast inner expanse.


The Samadhi Experience

On October 30th, seekers entered Samadhi—guided by Dr. Amaliny’s breath, sound, and stillness into pure divine awareness.

Joelle Provost – Window into the Finite
📍 Uzay Gallery
📅 Thursday, July 20 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Guests gathered at Uzay Gallery for an intimate evening exploring the art of Joelle Provost. The event featured a talk by the artist herself, sharing insight into her work and the philosophies behind it. The evening continued with poetry readings by Liz Cahill and Paul Reginato, followed by a moving musical performance by Chris Portka. Light refreshments were served, and donations were welcomed to support the event and honor the contributions of the musical guest—though no one was turned away for lack of funds.

A Window into the Finite
Joelle’s paintings, created primarily on upcycled canvas with repurposed paints, invited reflection on interconnection and the finite nature of life in an age of diminishing resources.

As Joelle expressed in her artist statement:

“We seem to confuse our places of worship. Before anything else, there was water, there were trees, there were plants and animals. All of which could be deemed as having spiritual value. Forests were nature’s first cathedrals.”

Her words and works encouraged attendees to contemplate the soul of the natural world, the impact of consumption, and how reverence for the finite might inspire a more habitable and harmonious future.


Joelle Provost: Window into the Finite

Guests gathered at Uzay to reflect, as Joelle Provost’s soulful paintings stirred poetry, music, and reverence for the finite.

We hosted the talent show at a beautiful DIY festival put on by some friends in the community. 


Mercury Mine Monster

The Decentered Team took a break from city life and retreated to a beautiful property in Guerneville where some friends were throwing a DIY festival.  

On Saturday, November 8, 2025, Decentered Arts Studio (1175 Folsom St) hosted Gravitational Bond, a three-hour workshop (11:00 AM–2:00 PM) that explored trust, lift, and connection through partnered and group movement.

Facilitators Kadir Uyanik and Paula Planas Melgar led the session. Kadir — a playful partner-acrobat and movement artist known for teaching partner acro with warmth and precision — guided exercises that refined how participants led, followed, and carried one another. Paula — a nomadic contemporary dancer whose practice blends improvisation, breath, and poetic clarity — invited participants to open through feeling, breath, and creative play.

Together, they braided playful labs and somatic scores using simple prompts (hang, squeeze, float) and helium balloons as tactile improvisational partners. The workshop offered solo discoveries, partner experiments, and group jams that revealed how gravity, attention, and touch make and unmake bonds. It was accessible to all levels — participants wore comfortable clothes and, in some cases, brought a friend to move with.


Gravitational Bond

Gravitational Bond with Kadir and Paula was a playful, balloon-guided partner movement workshop that explored trust, lift, and embodied connection.

Poems to Spit or Swallow
 📍 Sluts the Wine Bar
 📅 Thursday, April 27 | 7:00 PM PT
An evening of sultry poetry and pole dance unfolded at Sluts the Wine Bar, curated by Liz Cahill, Rhea Joseph, and Decentered Arts.
The public gathered under the theme of **“Lacy Lawless”**—guests arrived dressed in pillowy pastels or gothic splendor, channeling everything from innocent peaches to sultry scoundrels. Either way, the poetry pampered.
Doors opened at 7:00 PM, giving everyone time to sip wine, settle in, and sample Sluts' signature snacks.
The show began at 7:30 PM, featuring a fiery lineup of poets and surprise guests. At 8:45 PM, Sluts’ dancers took the stage, delivering a special pole performance that closed the evening with bold, unforgettable energy.
**Performers included:**
 Spinelli, Rachel Godin, Ariel Corbo, Giovanna Lomanto, Ayla Ginger, Justin Bagnall, Diego Plascencia-Vega, Caitlyn Wild, Theory, Giorgia Sage, Stacy G, Denise Maisel, Sara Saavedra, Ava Maag, Paul Reginato, Eric Svarr, Lorrie Chang, Eyra Dordi, Blake Sugarman, Liz Cahill, Rhea Joseph, Barbie, and surprise guests.
Thanks to all who joined and brought the heat.


Poems to Spit or Swallow at Sluts

Laced in pastel and gothic flair, guests sipped wine and soaked in sultry poetry and pole at Sluts the Wine Bar.

Litquake, in collaboration with Decentered Arts, convened a luminous night at the Mission’s historic Victoria Theater. Patricia Smith opened with her invocation—“Dear ferocious dreamer… dear listener with the whole of your covetous heart”—and the room tilted into a shared present as Mia Ayumi Malhotra, Achy Obejas, Matthew Zapruder, and Gabriel Cortez delivered fierce, tender sets that honored language and community.

Doors had opened at 6:45pm and the house filled with neighbors, writers, and lovers of verse; admission was offered on a flexible, pay-what-you-can basis and walk-ups were welcomed when space allowed. After the readings, Decentered Arts hosted a bustling photobooth where pro photographer Michelle Castillo took free creative headshots for poets and attendees.

Poets were also invited to participate in the Pulse of Poetry in the Bay Area coffee-table project—an archival collaboration that promised to preserve the night’s voices. The evening folded into late-night conversation and new connections, a clear testament to the resilient, generative pulse of the Bay Area poetry community.


Dear Ferocious Dreamer: A Festival Finale in Verse

Litquake invited guests to join poets Mia Ayumi Malhotra, Achy Obejas, Matthew Zapruder, and Gabriel Cortez in bearing witness to the beauty and resiliency of our words and community at the Mission’s historic Victoria Theater.

On December 29, 2025, Decentered Studio hosted a cozy Craft n’ Chill. 

This week- Vision Boarding led by Denise!
Join us for a hobby hang. Come use your hands and get crafty. We'll have plenty of supplies but feel free to bring your own as well.

Card making, painting, knitting, sewing, tarot, embossing, anything you'd like to do!
Hosted at a shoes off venue. We have a kitchenette, feel free to bring dinner or dishes to share.


Craft n' Chill

Craft n’ Chill invited everyone to unwind, get creative, and make handmade holiday gifts together at Decentered Studio on December 1.

All are welcome at "The Last Stanza Lounge" in the Chapel Parking Lot. Raise a glass and join us to close out the 20th anniversary of Lit Crawl and the 25th anniversary of Litquake!

Ambiance and "The Last Stanza Lounge" conceived and executed by Decentered Arts. Music by Lightmotif.


LitCrawl Last Stanze Lounge

Decentered Arts is thrilled to present the recent works of Liam Clickenger for his solo exhibition, In Practice 🎨

The evening will feature an artist talk from Liam, light refreshments, live music from Black Hole Harvest, and cozy vibes🎵 Artist talk at 8pm

$10 suggested donation to support the music and photography but no one is turned away for lack of funds. 

**About the Artist: **
Liam Clickenger is a photographer & educator whose work operates at the intersection of observation and intimacy. His creative practice spans cultural & documentary, fine art, and environmental commentary, often centering presence, and the quiet moments that shape us.

Clickenger’s work has been exhibited locally and internationally, and he has taught photography at Bay Area colleges for more than a decade. Across disciplines and contexts, Liam's work reflects a sustained commitment to attention, ethics, and the long arc of photographic practice.

**About the Show: **

Over more than two decades, I have made images across shifting contexts and ways of working.

In Practice is a retrospective exhibition that brings together small groupings of that work, images that operate at different scales and distances, from aerial landscapes to street-level documentary projects. Some were made in motion. Others were made slowly. Some were exhibited. Others were held quietly in the archive.

Many of the pieces in this exhibition are one-of-one prints. They are artifacts of specific moments, materials, and processes that no longer exist in quite the same way. They are not editions designed for repetition, but singular objects shaped by circumstance, access, and instinct.

Seen together, the work forms points of contact between observation and intimacy, public life and private attention, and between places, people, and moments that would not otherwise meet.


Liam Clickenger - In Practice 

Liam Clickenger’s In Practice featured an artist talk, live music, and intimate photography spanning decades of observation and presence.

On Wednesday, November 19, Decentered Arts Studio welcomed a pulse of Spanish heat: CarOlé Flamenco’s Master Workshop (7:00–8:00 PM, Decentered Studio, 1175 Folsom St).

Ms. CarOlé Flamenco — a fifth-generation flamenco and Spanish dancer and director of Flamenco Spanish Dance Theatre of América — led the room through the essentials: posture and body alignment, footwork and rhythmic compás, and the cultural history that gives each step its meaning.

Beginners and curious movers learned technique, felt the music, and broke a sweat — all while tracing the lineage and emotion that make flamenco a living art. Participants came in clothes they could move in — and left with new steps, a louder heartbeat, and a deeper taste of flamenco.


CarOlé Flamenco’s Master Flamenco Workshop

Participants learned flamenco footwork, posture, and compás with fifth-generation maestro CarOlé — beginners were welcomed to feel the fiery Spanish heartbeat.

Gen Blend: A Monthly Intergenerational Writers Potluck and Open Mic

Every First Thursday | 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Ruth's Table, 3160 21st St, San Francisco, CA 94110 | Free

Decentered Arts, together with Ruth's Table, Community Living Campaign, Adobe Books, and Litquake's Elder Project, hosted this inspirational event. It featured writers from the Community Living Campaign Writing Program, the Elder Project workshops, local writers across a wide age range, and community members who joined in. Limited Open Mic time was available for pieces under three minutes.

The gathering was free and potluck-style. Guests brought food to share, beverages were provided, and each month a delectable culinary creation by Amirali Mir was offered as a generous contribution to the potluck.

Visitor guidelines stated that face masks were optional.
Ruth’s Table gallery and the adjacent green space were wheelchair accessible.
ASL interpretation was available upon request with 72-hour notice.

Registration was free and open to all. Donations were welcomed to support the program.

At Decentered Arts, we believed in building resilient community through art of all mediums. To help achieve this, we produced Decentered Open Mic, Eventracker, Writers Group, Poolside Poets, curated events, and more. Community support allowed us to sustain these offerings and dream even bigger.


Gen Blend July 2025

This session was led by Decentered Studio’s current artist, Tim Guan, who guided fun, vegetable-themed crafts 🥬

Guests used their hands and got crafty. Plenty of supplies were available, and participants also brought their own materials.

Hosted in a shoes-off venue, the studio’s kitchenette welcomed shared dinners and dishes throughout the gathering.



Craft n' Chill - Vegetable Art with Tim

Artist Tim Guan led veggie-themed crafts—guests brought creativity, shared food, and gathered barefoot in our cozy studio space.

Eunnuri Lee brings a bevy of new works to Uzay Gallery on July 29th. Fresh from a show in LA these works will be on display accompanied by Dan Gorelick. <https://dan.dog/>

Your ticket comes with one drink ticket and additional drinks will be available for purchase along with complementary tea. Light refreshments will be provided. Dress code: Late stage capitalist(ick) - dressed to the gods in your flyest fit. We will have paparazzi.

Event Photography:
Rhandy Purnell - <https://www.instagram.com/bisouspapillons_/?hl=en>
Jada Carmen - <https://jadacarmen.wordpress.com/>

Artist Statement:

Eunnuri is a Korean-American interdisciplinary research artist from Washington D.C. Born in South Korea, Eunnuri was forced to immigrate to the United States after her parents died - making her identity subsequently fractured from her roots. Her practice often incorporates this feeling of fragmentation and loss then recreates ideas of identity on the canvas. She is often addressing themes of cultural diaspora, ethnic plastic surgery, and Asian-American hybridity. She alternates between personal narrative and social activism while investigating the effects of media, race and intersectionality.

In the past Lee lost all of her work in the Little Tokyo Arts fire in Downtown LA. This heavily impacted her practice which relied on mementos from her childhood and birth parents. After this event, Lee’s methods of historical allegory shifted into an archival process of identity and interconnection - turning her interest from physical objects to digital information. Utilizing a diverse range of materials such as historical war propaganda to social media - she strategically composes both her perspectives while intertwining social, political and cultural environments.

Lee’s work is inspired by the potential of humanitarian reform, she is influenced by her perceptive nature and personal experiences. She uses her practice as a conduit to reflect her inner thoughts and feelings around forces of systemic oppression. From the reexamining of her past she seeks to create connections in the very differences that divide us. She believes that we must acknowledge history, build relationships within our communities and address the colonized space within ourselves. Lee’s artwork at its core asks viewers to introspect one’s past in order to construct a world with less unconscious prejudice by deconstructing the subconscious bias.


Eunnuri Lee: Capitalist(ick)

Eunnuri Lee brings a bevy of new works to Uzay Gallery on July 29th. Fresh from a show in LA these works will be on display accompanied by Dan Gorelick.

On Saturday, October 25, 2025, Decentered Studio opened its doors for Improvisational Dance — an Eco-Somatic Experience, led by somatic educator and dancer Serena Pickett.

Serena guided participants through playful improvisations and eco-somatic movement scores that invited them to feel the rhythms of the earth inside their own bodies. Drawing on her decade-plus dance background and environmental studies, she wove breath, imagery, and contact with natural patterns into a gentle practice that dissolved the illusion of separateness from nature. The session offered space to release tension, soothe the nervous system, and reclaim joy through embodied expression — accessible to all levels, with no prior dance experience required.

Participants moved in comfortable clothes, explored curiosity-led choreography, and left with a renewed sense of connection to their bodies and the world around them.


Improvisational Dance Class an Eco-Somatic Experience

Serena Pickett guided an eco-somatic journey of movement, play, and embodied connection with nature’s rhythms—dancing with the earth.

DECENTERED
ARTS

Where community meets art

Decentered Open Mic

Upcoming Events

DECENTERED
ARTS

DECENTEREDARTS

Where community meets art

Decentered Open Mic

Upcoming Events

DECENTERED
ARTS