CETA like WPA at SMUD
Untitled, from James Motlow’s “Alkali Flat” photographic series, 1977.
Back in ’70s, the heyday of platform shoes, high-waisted trousers, a famously mendacious presidency, an unjust war and skyrocketing oil prices—hey, that heyday kind of sounds like today—the federal government created the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. Similar to the Works Progress Administration of the ’30s, the unemployed trained for a vocation on a government-provided stipend. One of the vocation programs was art, and city assessment studies claimed the most positive transitions into the working world came from the art program.
Art is a Real Job at the SMUD Gallery exhibits some of the art from the program, like James Motlow’s black-and-white environmental portraits of Alkali Flat folks. Art consultant Susan Willoughby lectured about the program on June 25, but if you missed that, worry not; the art’s up until July 11 at 6301 S Street; (916) 566-3992; www.sacmetroarts.org.
