Rock Paper Scissors

All The Yes. This place is the best. It stands for something that is vital to the Bay Area. It is a valuable community resource and we are lucky to have it. They have events, things for sale, gallery shows, classes, and a fantastic zine library you can peruse at your leisure. Go to all the things!

Neat gallery, friendly people. I went in looking for something fun to mix up my wardrobe and found a cute little handmade top that was just perfect. And prices lower that I expected also! There are only a couple racks of clothes there among their other stuff, but definitely worth a visit!

I’ve always walked by and seen interesting fashion designs and drawings hanging in the windows, and I finally stopped by for the 5^th Annual Vegan Cupcake Bake-​Off.
All of the folks manning the front were super sweet, as were the cuppycakes.
I think I’ll have to try to come back for an art show or perhaps I’ll attend one of their neat little workshops. I have the urge to learn something new and better myself.
Maybe you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. ;)

We went on a date expecting to participate in a zine workshop, but ended up in the zine library upstairs thumbing through original art and enjoying the funky atmosphere. The person staffing the front desk was very friendly and offered to let us use zine-​making materials on our own. We decided to catalogue zines instead. There’s a bucket of them: you pick one and fill out an information card, tag the piece, and shelf it. It satisfied my left and right brain tendencies (and allowed for some clandestine cuddling). Plus we helped others navigate the collection and locate the feminist/​anarchist/​comic/​punk zine that they had only ever dreamed of finding, and did something helpful for the collective.
There was also an art event going on with beer and a well-​dressed Oakland crowd. The jewelry and clothes are worth browsing, for originality and taste. Good gifts for a crafty friend, perhaps. Stop by if you’re checking out the art/​bar scene in Uptown and want to support an interesting local business.

In my eyes, Telegraph has two types of people: pretentious art farts, and homeless people.
But then there’s RPS. Everyone in the store is super friendly and chill. they were a huge part in starting First Fridays and gaining momentum for the movement. I’m amazed by all their success despite being mostly volunteer run and getting money only by grants, commission, and classes.
The space is gorgeous, youth-​friendly (which is rare in that area), and has tons of local, unique items FOR A DECENT PRICE!!! this is one of the few consignment stores where you can actually buy something nice without having to sacrifice food for the next three days.
plus check out the gallery! there’s always new installations and they never disappoint. definitely community oriented and local!

Running a cooperative can sometimes resemble being a den mother to a group of creative ADHD’ers. This is what it looks like when it’s done well.
Beautifully curated and stylized to it’s creative core. Brava.

Great place to get hand made goods… thank you for keeping the art going downtown

Full disclosure: I am a member of this amazing collective.
I have been coming to RPS Collective for many years. I’ve been to gallery shows, shopped for holiday gifts, taken classes, and volunteered. I became so attached to the place that I decided to be a more active volunteer and sought to become a member.
Everything about this place is amazing and considering it is fully volunteer run it is even more awesome. The content of this collective is so expansive that even as a longtime lover of the place I continue to discover new things that happen.
Gallery: There is a new group show every month that has it’s opening night the same night as First Friday/​Art Murmur. (As a not so small side note, RPS Collective was one of the original organizing galleries that CREATED ART MURMUR! In fact it’s the only one still around in it’s original form too).
Classes: All the classes are really reasonably priced and run by artists.
Boutique: Consignment items by local artisans and crafters. everything from clothes, to knick knacks to earrings, books, hats and jewelry (that’s just a smidge of what’s in there).
Zine library: Amazing library of zines for perusal.
Youth Program: we partner with local schools to teach kids art, creation, sewing, business planning, and community involvement.
Community Partnering: Collaboration projects with fellow community organizations to further the mission of RPS.
Artslab: A free community space for you to make projects, sew, create art with donated items (FREE!) RPS recently had a person who was biking cross country and came in for many days and built herself a new bike bag with all donated materials, used the sewing machine in the artslab. How awesome is that?
And each and every one of those things is lead by RPS volunteers. It blows my mind how much can be accomplished with a group of excited, dedicated, creative people.
The volunteer model does have one draw back: there aren’t enough hours in the day to do all of it. This is where I do a little recruitment. If you have ever come by and it wasn’t open during the posted hours, that doesn’t mean RPS doesn’t want to see you, it merely means that your help is needed. If there is something that the art/​craft/​creative community is lacking RPS is ready to help you make it happen.
So, even though I am slightly biased, I can say that I have been coming around here for years and loved it even before I became a member. You will too!

This place rooooccckkkssss! Love the unique jewelry and handmade clothing and greeting cards. Chris that works there is very sweet and personable… will be shopping here regularly.

Reason for visit: Holiday must-​wants
Visit date: December 4, 2011
First time? No.
I bought some diamond earrings here — diamond earrings made of paper! Yay, I love crafts. Though I wasn’t planning on getting anything for myself, I fell in like with these particular earrings made by a local artist. I’m not sure how the collective works, but it seems like a great place to meet other artists and enjoy all things artsy.

what I like about this place is that it isn’t about making money. It’s about volunteers who really have a passion to pass on what they know.
I took a screen printing class here awhile ago. The instructors are volunteers, and the classes are crazy cheap and fun! I still remember everything I learned, and would definitely take another class.

RPS Collective was created purely from passion with almost no money. I hope everyone realize that this street was nearly empty and that RPS Collective and Mamabuzz did a lot to create a lot of the opportunities and culture and excitement with Artmurmur and so on in Downtown oakland.
Creating nothing with no money is really hard, and you can’t do it alone. It’s remarkable too that the collective has kept going so long. Group dynamics usually dictate that great bands don’t last long and great collectives usually suffer death by natural chaos.
Luckily RPS is still here!
RPS does an amazing job of enabling local people to hang out, collaborate and just do something without having to ask anyone for too much permission. There aren’t obnoxious annoying advertisements here wherever you go. That’s why it’s really important to have non-​profits and noncommercial spaces, you know. You have to keep the nonprofit element there in order to make the profit-​making part stronger!
I volunteered for a few years helping out with the Art Murmur, where I helped other, more hardworking members pick up trash after the event. I don’t think anyone sees all the work and dedication that goes into keeping something like this open. that means RPS is doing a great job.
Everything is virtually free or offered at a ridiculously low price which is great since most of the people in downtown Oakland don’t have money to buy a car and are often working two jobs just to get by. You have access to sewing machines, silkscreen printing.
You can take classes on everything ranging from how to fix your bike to how to fertilize soil in your bedroom using worms. There are fundraising events here for which the groups are charged no fee. I went to a great clothing swap meet benefitting victims of domestic violence that had been jailed for self-​defense against crazy husbands. This was very impromptu. It was also remarkably less bureaucratic than for-​profit venues. Imagine that! Just because things are for profit does not always mean they are efficient or well run.
The art shows have become remarkably more sophisticated and awesome in the past few years as well. Really on par with gallery work. I’m very proud.
Even thougyh there are rough edges – yes, the volunteers who run the shop don’t rush up to you and say «have a nice day» or kiss a– well – you know, that’s part of the charm. And if something isn’t working perfectly, like if the sewing machine isn’t working, there’s more of a recognition that we are all in this together and that the volunteers or visitors should help out and just come out and fix the thing without complaining about it.
RPS Collective represents a lot of the beautiful renewal and great american spirit I see in the renaissance of downtown Oakland and I hope everyone in the bay area is aware that it takes a lot of rough circumstances for things to get better. I love how Oakland is willing to compromise and do stuff like get rid of stupid cabaret laws due to indie coffee bars like Mamabuzz campaigns, and how people are choosing to live downtown and get to know their neighbors again instead of choosing to live in fear and division.
Also, despite being an artsy place, I’ve seen repeatedly that RPS again and again proves itself by being a place where non-​hipster people can come and do their thing. I was at a sewing and embroidery night and there were Portuguese and technical high school girls sewing outfits along with the hipsters. I love the street fashion class teacher’s events and how RPS helped out with the street fashion high school show.
so even though RPS doesn’t always have things technically perfect, although there are a lot of people who often complain about hours, it’s really beautiful that RPS exists. The core group and volunteers will see something wrong and then instead of complaining sit down and fix things. It’s really cool. They show a right direction.

It depends on what I’m here for…
I love coming to Green Windows. Amazing diverse workshop. A++
Have taken a few one-​day classes here: how to use the letter press, how to book bind (book-​binding class recommended!). Appreciated them and how it was cheap and low-​key. Love my simple book binding skills, love my simple letter press skills. More than once or twice, I’ve also showed for events or classes that were supposed to be happening and which weren’t happening. The volunteer has either been clueless or the place has been straight-​up shut.
When I came in to drop off my little hand-​made books at the zine intake I felt the experience was sort of crass, in and out, not appreciative. I came to pick them up a few weeks later to collect so I could distribute to friends and found them underneath a fallen-​over poster. Which obviously isn’t something to take personally and volunteer-​run and the chaos of a collective etc blah blah, but that experience left me with a weird taste in my mouth for the store portion.
The physical space is special, yes. It’s also weird/​frustrating how much volunteers vary from being regular people with customer service skills to folks who ignore me to folks who give me attitude. Something about being cold and being a volunteer doesn’t mesh. That’s probably an old story here.
Really really hot in the summer in the afternoon with the sun coming in. Really. Wear a tank top.

So far have taken a few screenprinting classes at RPS. Great instruction and cheap! Was able to make a gazillion shirts for my band. Can’t wait to try out their other classes.

RPS is a Etsy incarnate. Stare at the walls taking in the thought-​provoking and often quirky installation ready for your eyes, peruse the racks for locally made Oakland-​proud tees and threads, scan the handmade jewelery, or flip through the comprehensive collection of clever, self-​published zines.
It’s easy to get lost in here for a while fiddling with all the items that make this collective tick. For those looking to learn something or get a hands on community experience, there are even classes offered. Every Wednesday, you can jump in on Pilates to the People; those between the ages of 14 and 25 get the chance to learn the basics of fashion design on Tuesday; or on the open-​to-​all Craft Night you can «knit, make jewelery, create cards, alter clothes, draw, collage, or make a frickin friendship bracelet.»
RPS is one cool community collective.

Total DIY heaven!
I’m amazed that the Rock Paper Scissors Collectives does what they do on such a shoestring budget – classes are usually free or nearly free. There’s a sewing lab with a sophisticated set-​up (serger, etc) that people can use any time for a membership fee of under what, $ 30? $ 40? There are worm composting classes, writing classes… free bike repair workshops… there’s even a silkscreen workshop.
and even better, they’re very receptive to any new ideas. Want to teach Farsi? OK, write a proposal and set things up!
The Bay Area is so expensive, and it’s a shame that there aren’t more accessible community centers like RPS. It feels like doing anything costs hundreds of dollars… but not everyone’s a high flying investment banker or corporate tax lawyer.
You’ll also meet very cool people at RPS, and I like how they reach out to the entire community, not just hipsters. There are mothers and little kids and teenagers at the sewing sessions too. And people can sell their crafts, fashion and art in the shop as well. That’s neat!
I’d beg for a little patience with the opening times and staff – it’s completely volunteer run. RPS also helps run the Oakland Art Murmur, which is a huge task. They’ve done so much for the community, it’s easy to forget that these little happenings didn’t used to exist and it was all empty streets before.
Take some time, stop by and visit, people are friendly, and if you have time, try to volunteer. They’re doing great things over there.

I really think this place is fantastic. It’s like Pen’s and Needles in SF but it has community at it’s top priority. It doesn’t just support a scene but it encorages community involvement and expression. This place is more then what you see on the exterior.
They do projects with local artists and youth, shows for prisoners on Death row, food justice pieces… there’s a zine library, classes about all things creative, boutique shop, & people/​workers may not seem friendly at first but I assure you… they all are, they (most) are volunteers and are trying to figure everything out as well. Everyone is accepted here.
You can also sell your hand made goods on consignment and they take 40% for adults and a mere 20% for youth under 18

«Yay! I’m a fan» puts it perfectly…
Rock Paper Scissors offers all sorts of classes from crafts night to Pilate’s to how to fix your bike to writing sessions and most of them are FREE, though donations are welcome. Artist can also come here and sell their crafts, from art to clothing and make a profit. I think this place is a wonderful addition to the city and hopefully they will keep on growing.
I must say on a lower note however, don’t expect the best customer service upon entering RPS, you are left to discover everything your self, seeing how the staff are all volunteers and are busy crafting them selves. Also depending on what days you go in, there can be hardly in the store but the next day it would be packed with goods. Prices very, depending on what the artist is pricing them at.
Sign up for their news letter on their web site!

A place of learning and wonder, RPS is a cool volunteer run non-​profit that carries the DIY spirit in Oakland. From the local pieces adorning the walls during Art Murmur to the library of zines and comics covering all sorts of fantastical and progressive topics, the space oozes with creative energy. Every visit leaves me amped up to finish a craft project or galvanized to master a new technique.
It’s not just the artsy stuff that’s offered: learn up on how to tinker with your bike successfully, pilates your way to health or bring along a kid and get em started early!
Everything I’m not adept at making can be procured on premises. Their gift shop sells unique jewelry, homestuffs, wall hangings, clothing and other playful accessories in consignment fashion.
Plus they’ve started hosting awesome all-​ages events, most recently a CUPCAKE bake-​off where we sugared ourselves silly. Keep on, RPS!

I absolutely adore this DIY space — love the co-​op vibe, and all the handmade clothing and other crafty goodies for sale.
March’s Art Murmur featured all bike-​related art, which was SO fun to see. This month’s exhibit was way un-​impressive, the first time I’ve felt that way since I started coming here on First Fridays last year.
Check it out, and go home with some funky ass patch.