Emerging artists gathered together Saturday night for Create: Fixate's eight year anniversary celebration. The theme for the event was "infinity" - taking the number eight and expounding on the boundless endeavors of its creators.

 

The festivity featured a mix of artists who mingled with interested viewers and potential buyers while DJs spun house and techno, setting the energetic tone for its thought-provoking collection.  Mediums ranging from photographs to paintings to video installations showcased the wide array of talented visionaries.

 

Michelle Berc, the program's founder, curator and executive director, believed that music stimulated the artistic vision for some of the works shown.  Heidi Spring, a featured artist, felt the show's direction was a "nice synthesis of music and art."

 

The upstairs loft gallery exhibited photographs and paintings from Northern Californian artists who were inspired by Gavin Hardkiss's electronic beats.

 

Denis Bieber, the musician's father, sat in front of a photograph and collage canvas in the image of his granddaughter, and said "there are some extremely creative pieces and I'll have a difficult challenge in choosing the 'best in show' because I have a bias for the San Francisco artists, but I found one or two downstairs that are absolutely phenomenal. I think they deserve to be shown in MOCA."

 

The "best in show" contest allows guests to vote for their favorite artists and the top three are rewarded prizes. Create: Fixate's mission is to spread artistic awareness as well as increase arts education "for teens and at-risk youth."  Their events are held quarterly and draw an average crowd of 1,500 people.