CCA student’s artwork takes over an Oakland billboard
Congratulations to Derick Davies (BFA Painting and Drawing), who received a $10,000 billboard commission for his painting Self Bloom.
Davies stands beside his painting, Self Bloom, in uptown Oakland. Photo by Leoul Getaneh.
Derick Davies is a Liberian American visual artist from Oakland, California, who graduated from Oakland School for the Arts in 2025. He also played varsity basketball at McClymonds High School which helped shape his strong work ethic. He started making art in kindergarten and was heavily inspired by cartoons, books, and movies. After enrolling at OSA in middle school, he continued to develop his artistic skills and explore new materials and techniques. Throughout the years, he has learned from a range of visual art teachers who helped shape his practice. Davies has continued to grow as an artist by creating original work, taking on commissions, and exhibiting throughout the Bay Area. Working primarily in acrylic and oil paint, his art explores universal storytelling, self-reflection, emotions, culture, and urban life. Derick now attends CCA, where he aspires to become a recognized visual artist from the Bay Area.
“I’m super thankful and blessed for this opportunity.”
(BFA Painting and Drawing)
“The billboard opportunity came out of nowhere really. I must have shared my business card to the right person, because one night I was doing my homework and I got an email about submissions for a billboard in downtown Oakland,” says Davies. “I submitted my painting Self Bloom, and a few weeks later I got selected! Fast forward I finished my first solo exhibition on July 31st. That same day, the billboard was fully installed and visible to people. I’m super thankful and blessed for this opportunity.”
Davies was one of two Oakland-based artists selected through Block, Inc.’s 2025 Oakland Billboard Request for Proposals, which invited local artists to create work celebrating community and economic empowerment. Each artist received a $10,000 commission, with submissions reviewed in partnership with the Bay Area Mural Program, Oakland School for the Arts, and The Town Experience. Davies’ winning work, Self Bloom, is a self-portrait that reflects his Oakland and Liberian American identity.
Check out the billboard located on Broadway and Thomas L. Berkley Way in uptown Oakland. Congratulations!