Oakland Style is a celebration featuring culinary experiences, cultural conversations, art walks, fashion shows, musical performances, haute couture moments, vintage shopping and more.
On May 6th, 2022 Witness arrived! Housed in the former, and well-loved local fave shop Field Day, Witness is a special spot that carries with it the warmth of community and the celebration of the talent all around us! Witness is a retail, workshop and event space in downtown Oakland.
We primarily carry beautiful and unique pieces from local artists, designers and craftspeople. We host community gatherings like slow movement classes, tarot workshops, community support groups and more. We truly enjoy connecting with and serving our local community and beyond. Whether it's for a class, to find something sweet or to just simply say "hey!" we hope to see you soon!
ABOUT THE OWNER
Hi! I’m Corinne, owner of Witness. You may also know me as Critty Smitty, a muralist and illustrator here in Oakland. I’ve made art since - wow, I can’t even remember! My style and love of art and design has always been bright, joyful and wild. In 2011 I graduated with a BFA and fell into the world of retail through a visual display design internship. I kept in the retail world for several years. I had a stint as a DM for a bi-coastal fancy barber shop, doing brand and events for both a trendy glasses company and a denim brand folx go nuts over. What I deeply missed throughout all of those experiences, was the ability to feel safe and connected as my whole self (a Black, Queer, empathetic creative!) and to have the freedom to connect with others authentically. This led me to divest from the noise and toxicity of that world and follow the beat of my own drum. I left my job in the thick of the pandemic to focus on creating art, healing myself and supporting others. One of the most profound loves that's emerged outside of the arts is studying the supportive properties of plants and the healing that comes from being in stillness with nature. This exploration has allowed me to witness myself deeply. Witness is a space where we can celebrate the beauty around us- talented friends, a gorgeous community and the opportunity to learn and grow from each other in a no - BS way.
