Toshia Christal has been creating art since her early childhood years. A Oakland native and self-taught artist of many mediums, she also practices photographer, jewelry design, cosmetology, poetry, and spiritual healing to say the least.
She has always worked within her community, her prior involvement has been, but not limited to HIV/AIDS outreach, prevention case management, group home and youth center counseling, as well as instructing arts including hair cutting within various schools and high security institutions for at risk youth.
In 2008 she became self-employed, turning her passions into her profession. She continues her path as an independent self-sufficient entrepreneur vending at local events, providing services to clients, teaching and exhibiting art as often as possible. A Berkeley high school Graduate of the 2001 class, she attended Laney college in 2008 where she completed the cosmetology course, the following year she obtained her AA in the same field. Berkeley high school was the last institution that she received any “formal” art education.
Fortunately, everything she “needed” to know she consumed during her high school years. This exposure to the basics, boredom with repetition, and constant curiosity were enough to manifest her own creative forces. She continues to quench her thirst for knowledge and new technique on the daily bases.
She will experiment with any material she can get her hands on, validating her nonconformity to any specific genre. She enjoys all mediums equally, choosing only one has never occurred to her, for she would surely feel boxed in. Her art is often feminine, vulgar, homosexual, figurative, political, abstract or infused with vaginas. The artistic reflections in her life are particularly stimulated by the art of African traditions, spiritual visions, nature, lovers, anatomy, and her gratitude for the mind and body of a woman.
She has always worked within her community, her prior involvement has been, but not limited to HIV/AIDS outreach, prevention case management, group home and youth center counseling, as well as instructing arts including hair cutting within various schools and high security institutions for at risk youth.
In 2008 she became self-employed, turning her passions into her profession. She continues her path as an independent self-sufficient entrepreneur vending at local events, providing services to clients, teaching and exhibiting art as often as possible. A Berkeley high school Graduate of the 2001 class, she attended Laney college in 2008 where she completed the cosmetology course, the following year she obtained her AA in the same field. Berkeley high school was the last institution that she received any “formal” art education.
Fortunately, everything she “needed” to know she consumed during her high school years. This exposure to the basics, boredom with repetition, and constant curiosity were enough to manifest her own creative forces. She continues to quench her thirst for knowledge and new technique on the daily bases.
She will experiment with any material she can get her hands on, validating her nonconformity to any specific genre. She enjoys all mediums equally, choosing only one has never occurred to her, for she would surely feel boxed in. Her art is often feminine, vulgar, homosexual, figurative, political, abstract or infused with vaginas. The artistic reflections in her life are particularly stimulated by the art of African traditions, spiritual visions, nature, lovers, anatomy, and her gratitude for the mind and body of a woman.
Art Shows
Femme Cartel/ Jan 2012 @ James and the giant cupcake Oakland
Hip Hop feminism/ March 2012 @ the roll up gallery SF
Bay area lady fest/ 2014 @ MOCO 17th st. Oakland
Black artist on art/ Jan. 2015 @ Oakstop Oakland
Oakland Photographers/ April 2015 @ Betti ono gallery Oakland
Oakland through our lenses/ April 2015 @ Women’s Cancer Resource Center Berkeley
'' Trigger Triumphal Terminus'' (solo show)/ May 2015 @ Black spring coffee Oakland
Artist and the DJ/ Nov.2015 @ T.Christal's creative space Oakland
Natural flow holiday party/ Dec 2015 @ Omi gallery Oakland
Vagina monologues 2015 Oakland
'' Inconsistent Composition'' (solo show)/ Feb-Aug 2016 @ Show and Tell Oakland
Chocolate and Art/ April 2016 @ SOMA gallery SF
Menstrual ritual show/ March 2016 @ Berkeley
The Black Woman is God/ July 2016 @ SOMA gallery SF
Night Light ('' Kutokwa na damu'' Installation)/ July 2016 @ SOMA gallery SF
'' For her father'' A solo photography exhibit/ Oct. 2016 @ The new parkway theater Oakland
The Black Woman is God ( Installation)/ July 2017 @ SOMA gallery SF.
Night Light (Installation)/July 2017 @ SOMA gallery SF.
(Muse)ic A love affair between art & sound/ July 2017 @ SoMar Bar
Tribe Oakland/ Aug. 2017 Oakland
Queen of hearts/ Aug 2017 SF.
'' Remembrance & Resistance'' Dia De Los Muertos/ (Install) Oct. 2017 @ SOMA gallery SF.
Oakland First Friday ''Art is Power''/ Oct. 2017 Oakland
Holiday art sale/ Dec. 2017 @ Pro Arts
''Lead Line Leak'' (solo show)/ July 2018 @ Rooz Cafe Oakland
''Clairvoyant Colorant Constitution'' (solo show)/ July 2018 @ Black spring coffee Oakland
The Black Woman is God/ Aug. 2018 @ SOMA gallery SF.
The art of Living Black Open studio/ Feb. 2019 @ T. Christal's Creative space
'' Family Is...'' / Feb. 2019 @ Women's Cancer Resource Center Berkeley
Femme Cartel/ Jan 2012 @ James and the giant cupcake Oakland
Hip Hop feminism/ March 2012 @ the roll up gallery SF
Bay area lady fest/ 2014 @ MOCO 17th st. Oakland
Black artist on art/ Jan. 2015 @ Oakstop Oakland
Oakland Photographers/ April 2015 @ Betti ono gallery Oakland
Oakland through our lenses/ April 2015 @ Women’s Cancer Resource Center Berkeley
'' Trigger Triumphal Terminus'' (solo show)/ May 2015 @ Black spring coffee Oakland
Artist and the DJ/ Nov.2015 @ T.Christal's creative space Oakland
Natural flow holiday party/ Dec 2015 @ Omi gallery Oakland
Vagina monologues 2015 Oakland
'' Inconsistent Composition'' (solo show)/ Feb-Aug 2016 @ Show and Tell Oakland
Chocolate and Art/ April 2016 @ SOMA gallery SF
Menstrual ritual show/ March 2016 @ Berkeley
The Black Woman is God/ July 2016 @ SOMA gallery SF
Night Light ('' Kutokwa na damu'' Installation)/ July 2016 @ SOMA gallery SF
'' For her father'' A solo photography exhibit/ Oct. 2016 @ The new parkway theater Oakland
The Black Woman is God ( Installation)/ July 2017 @ SOMA gallery SF.
Night Light (Installation)/July 2017 @ SOMA gallery SF.
(Muse)ic A love affair between art & sound/ July 2017 @ SoMar Bar
Tribe Oakland/ Aug. 2017 Oakland
Queen of hearts/ Aug 2017 SF.
'' Remembrance & Resistance'' Dia De Los Muertos/ (Install) Oct. 2017 @ SOMA gallery SF.
Oakland First Friday ''Art is Power''/ Oct. 2017 Oakland
Holiday art sale/ Dec. 2017 @ Pro Arts
''Lead Line Leak'' (solo show)/ July 2018 @ Rooz Cafe Oakland
''Clairvoyant Colorant Constitution'' (solo show)/ July 2018 @ Black spring coffee Oakland
The Black Woman is God/ Aug. 2018 @ SOMA gallery SF.
The art of Living Black Open studio/ Feb. 2019 @ T. Christal's Creative space
'' Family Is...'' / Feb. 2019 @ Women's Cancer Resource Center Berkeley