Works

Real people real art! Works gallery supports local artists and the annual auction gives collectors to buy original art from rising artists at reasonable costs.

After leaving the SJ Convention Center’s Snowboarding festival yesterday, my husband and I found ourselves in front of the Works Art Gallery. It sits in between the Center and the nearby public parking garage. It was free to go in so we excitedly entered to view the current art exhibit: American Gun Show.
Sculptures, paintings, prints, and 3D-​printed guns were all on display, and Bonnie at the entrance was happy to walk around with us and tell us about a few of the pieces and the artists who created them. She was well-​educated on the pieces and very interesting to listen to. They have some world-​known artists on display, and local artists’ pieces as well.
It was a wonderful collection and really fun to walk around. The gallery is small — leave them a donation if you enjoy the experience!

I came here on the self guided tour of the monthly Art Walk in downtown San Jose. This was probably my favorite art studio that I visited. It’s a studio full of indie games created by locals. One of the games I played was created by SJSU’s game development club. The workers or I guess they’re the owners or curators? greeted us and gave us a brief explanation that the games are not mainstream games, they also have a leave a game, take a game area, and gave us a brief background information on some of the game creators. After the explanation, they left us alone to play.

I came here to support a friend’s exhibit, and I was impressed by the whole venue. For a small space in Downtown, it felt open and welcoming for an art space. It’s modern and fresh, and I love that they have local artists in there.
I’m not sure how often they change out their artists, but I would recommend coming by to check it out.
Sometimes parking can be a nag. Basically, you just have to circle around the adjacent blocks to find something, so plan on walking a couple of blocks.

Saw the Against Me! show here. Works was great for an intimate performance. The crowd got rowdy at times but the staff handled it great, especially the guys who had to hold the speakers up the whole show. The show had cheap ticket prices, and still wasn’t to packed. The only downside was one toilet for everybody. Don’t get me wrong, bathroom line talk is very interesting. All and all, the show was awesome.

Been here a few times for South First Fridays, always a fun time viewing others work. I have a question though, did any of you go to the «live art» show earlier last week? I’m trying to find out the name of the artist who sang and played an acoustic guitar with his electric guitar buddy behind him. If anyone can send me a message with his alias/​band name I would deeply appreciate it!
This place and Anno Domini are probably the few worth looking at while strolling the strip on South First Fridays. Just my two cents.

A large, open and well lighted space. Street metered parking. Different exhibits each month.

We went to Works SJ because I noticed it was open for SOFA Fri 5÷1÷09.
The exhibit we saw was «Beast Figurative» lots of wild art, some very strange, even a hanging sculpture.
They had wine — I think w/​a donation.
If you’re doing SOFA or in the area, worth a stop. Photos allowed just No Flash.
Hrs: Th 3−7p, Fri & Sat 12 – 4

The Works Gallery, like Anno Domini, displays a few works of art by local artists. This gallery is not nearly as well attended as AD, but it is larger and the art is definitely more accessible. It’s proximity to AD certainly merits a visit on «First Fridays».

When this place is good, it’s great. When it’s not, you don’t even let the door close.
This place used to be on 3^rd street near a parking garage. Now it’s in place of where the ICA gallery used to be.
The WORKS exposes itself by its window wall. The most annoying thing about this place is the bell on the door. All of the fliers and design that comes out of the gallery is done by San Jose State design professor Joe Miller. It’s cool to see his «blunt» graphic designs, but sometimes it feels like he’s desperate to get his work seen. Like one time he had all his stuff showing in the back of the gallery. I’m not hating, just an observation.
The gallery is entirely run by volunteers while the art is provided by local artists, typically new college grads or locals. The space is quite large. The white walls make the place glow while the concrete-​like floor makes it feel pretty cool. A person who looks after the place sits at a desk way in the back of the gallery. These people, probably volunteers, aren’t that friendly but it could be worse.
This place is never as packed as Anno Domini. I’m not sure why. Maybe because this place never defines itself as a certain type of gallery (ie contemporary, urban, etc).
It’s all free so I’ll quit my whining.

GREAT!!! I was familiar with another art/​wine gallery and found this one. Steve Cooley was there tonite and gave me a ton of information. The space is amazing and I have to say this is not to be ingenuine but, I was impressed by the venue, the volunteers, the artist and the overall experience of art gallery .
A great prequel to an evening in downtown San Jose.

i would rate this 10 if the stars came up that high. each year works art space hosts san jose state university’s senior graphic design exhibition. this year it was
and it went extremely successful. joe miller has always worked out a deal with us. and it didn’t hurt that he is a design professor at state.
works finally found its new home on 1^st street at the design ghetto. its a bit narrower and deeper than the old works but it did our show wonders. this place is a great place regardless if it didn’t support SJSU. its a non-​profit organization that keeps the art culture and community in san jose alive.
p. s. its only a few doors away from the bars… ha