Exhibition

Shared Space: Douglas Sheran & Liam Garsin

March 11 – April 30, 2027

Creativity Explored

Four decades of pop-culture influences in generational dialogue in the work of artists Douglas Sheran and Liam Garsin

Abstract portrait painting with a fragmented face built from layered blue, gray, green, lavender, and burgundy brushstrokes. The face has dark green eyes, a blue upper section, and faint “GUCCI” lettering across the lower center, creating a textured, dreamlike effect.

Creativity Explored

3245 16th StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103
Castro, Mission

Thursday–Friday  3 p.m.–6 p.m.
Saturday  12 p.m.–5 p.m.

Free

ADA Accessible. The Creativity Explored gallery is wheelchair accessible via a ramp through our studio.

Shared Space: Douglas Sheran & Liam Garsin pairs the work of two Creativity Explored artists whose combined studio practices span four decades.

Sheran was part of Creativity Explored’s studio community from 1984 until 2008. During that time he crafted two well-defined bodies of work: one accentuating and/or blocking formal elements within fashion photographs; the other an extensive drawing practice of figures and animals, grouped and alone, wandering through foggy, atmospheric landscapes.

At 26 years old, Garsin is one of the younger artists currently working at Creativity Explored. After joining the studio in 2022, he quickly formed a drawing style that weaves together song lyrics, bold facial expressions, and collaged magazine imagery into emotive and highly charged compositions.

The exhibition explores the dialogue between these two artists. Although never occupying space within the collective studio community at the same time, both artists use popular culture as fuel for the private and emotionally rich world of their drawings. Within these two artists’ work, we’re able to see personal interpretations of pop-culture over the 40-year lifespan of our studio, and how popular culture influences individuals and the Creativity Explored community as a whole.

Exhibiting Artists

Douglas Sheran, Liam Garsin

A collage of two women with bright pink and yellow marker drawings layered on top of their photos. One woman has her face outlined in pink and her hair outlined in yellow, with a wavy crown. The second woman has just her eyes outlined, added to a body with two thumbs up. "Hey Mr. President" is written between them.
A cutout of an Egyptian bust collaged onto various scraps to form a body. The body has a blue hue, and the head has a cutout map placed behind it, forming a halo. The body, eyes, nose, and mouth are outlined in green and pink marker.
An abstracted, mixed-media artwork of a woman with a red painted body and grey pants, with a face cutout from a magazine. Inside the body, a cutout of a silver Godiva chocolate box is placed in the center of the body. The entire figure is outlined in blue marker, with sun rays radiating around her face. Next to its shoulder is a pink sun drawn in marker, reflecting the pattern around the woman's face.
Abstracted silhouette painting of a person. Their body is painted solid black and takes up two-thirds of the page. The face is filled in with broad strokes of white and shimmering silver paint, loosely framing the features of a nose, jaw, forehead, and browbones. Below the paint of the browbones are solid black circles as eyes. The figure has short, black hair.
An abstracted portrait painting of a woman atop a magazine page. The woman has brown hair, curly hair slightly longer than her jawline, brown eyes, and strong eyebrows. Over the face of the photo are loose strokes of grey and peach paint, creating a veil over the photo. Her lips are outlined in solid magenta paint, and a V-neck top is painted on in blue.

Liam Garsin, Untitled, 2026. Acrylic, paint marker, marker, and collage on paper; 12 ¼ x 9 in. Image courtesy of Creativity Explored

Creativity Explored

Creativity Explored supports more than 140 artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities to create, exhibit, and sell their art. Founded in 1983, every work exhibited directly impacts artists’ lives by providing income, purpose, and a powerful way to share their lived experience with others.

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Things to Do Around Here

  • Four Barrel Coffee, a light-flooded coffee shop, is the perfect stop during a walk in the neighborhood.

    375 Valencia St, San Francisco

    Erin McFarland, Sales and Art Services Coordinator, Creativity Explored

  • Panchita’s Pupuseria is fantastic lunch spot for grabbing a quick bite while spending a day in the Mission. Food is ordered at a counter and there’s big tables, making it great for groups or chatting with strangers!

    3091 16th St, San Francisco

    Alisa Polischuk, Exhibitions Coordinator, Creativity Explored

  • Landline is a treasure trove of vintage home goods, art, and funky decor. Whether shopping for a gift or just exploring Valencia Street, this eclectic shop has something for everyone.

    717 Valencia St, San Francisco

    Alisa Polischuk, Exhibitions Coordinator, Creativity Explored

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