Visual Arts Archives - CreativeSonoma.org

Erika Scott-Wardrobe & Prop Stylist Crew, Film Office, Media, Wardrobe Stylist Having worked for a number of years as a Wardrobe & Prop Stylist, Erika has extensive experience in the Advertising and Entertainment industries. She started and spent the majority of her career in Los Angeles, but now enjoys being based out of Sonoma County. She continues to work in Los Angeles and frequently travels nationally for advertising assignments. Erika enjoys the creative and dynamic nature of Styling and finds working in a fast-paced environment, with people who are equally passionate about their craft, to be a rewarding experience. She has been fortunate to work with many talented people over the years and appreciates the collaborative experience. By nature a very visual and detail oriented person, she truly enjoys watching a project come to fruition."

Peggy Sebera Painting, Visual Arts colorful landscapes and seascapes of Sonoma County. See website for images. peggysebera.com I look forward to welcoming you to my home studio. Peggy

Rob Senn Sculpture, Visual Arts During regular work hours, I am a national business consultant, providing growth strategies for companies in the entertainment marketplace. But I also build site specific landscape sculptures that seek to inspire viewers while respecting the uniquely beautiful scenery of Sonoma County. r

Andy Sewell Audio, Crew, Equipment, Film Office, General Services, Media, Multi-Media, Multimedia, Production Andy Sewell is a Petaluma based audio producer. He provides education and production services to podcasters, media agencies, radio and public art. He is most interested in using rich audio to tell compelling stories.

Adam Sharron Architecture, Artisan, Design, Functional Art, Visual Arts, Woodworking I am a designer who seeks to create spaces and objects that add interest and serendipity to our built and lived environments. Spolia Design/Build is a landscape architecture practice, based in Santa Rosa, that focuses on cultivating, planning, and building beautiful spaces and objects.

Larry Sheradon Artisan, Design, Functional Art, Furniture, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Jewelry, Multi-Media, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Visual Arts, Woodworking Larry has recently been manifesting a long dream of creating whimsical CNC light sculptures and functional festival deco. With experience in 3D algorithmic design, illustration, woodwork, programming, electronics and altar creation, he draws on inspiring plant forms and the radiant spirit of nature in his designs. He currently lives in the redwoods of Northern California.

Jewel Shield Artisan, Ceramics, Composition, Instrumental, Music, Other, Other, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts, Vocal Music is the Universal language of all people and creation. I am a lifelong Artisan with a deep love and appreciation for harmony and beauty. The creative spark that leads me from within feels natural and familiar. It perhaps comes from an experience of many lifetimes being emerged in the arts and my ancestral lineage that includes many artists, musicians and teachers. I have been a professional harpist, musician, artist, teacher and mentor since the early 1980’s. I have a passion for creating and contributing more love, beauty and peace in the world through music, arts and compassionate teaching. I have a BFA in Studio Arts/ Ceramics with a background in Creative Arts Therapies and also Certifications in Sound, Voice and Music Healing, and Yoga of the Voice and Transformational Life Mastery Coaching. Although I have played and performed a variety of genres and styles mostly rooted in world and ethnic traditions, I am currently focused on my own creative compositions and contemplative improvisations on Harp, my primary instrument, as well as exploring and creating new music, instruments and sounds for healing. I am a holistic and compassionate teacher and creative mentor. Primarily being a self taught musician, I love to empower my students and assist them in discovery of their inner guide and teacher. Music is natural to everything, it is what connect us and has powerful transforming and healing benefits. I currently perform ambient background for special events, receptions, featured performances, Sacred occasions and meditations, healing and magical SoundScapes. I also perform music as accompaniment for yoga, dance, chi gong and tai chi classes, poetry readings and other various events and collaborations. As a multi instrumentalist I play a variety of instruments, especially in my Sound Healing work, including Crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, Native American flutes, and zithers. I am now combining my experience and artistry, and working on designing instruments that anyone can enjoy playing and experience the powerful and therapeuticbenefits of making music.

Mamoru Shimokochi Painting, Visual Arts Mamoru Shimokochi is an accomplished fine art painter and his paintings have been exhibited in galleries and juried shows. His work hangs in corporate and private collections. Artist statement: Simple elements – line, form, space and bold color – this is the visual language that fascinates me. I strive to create depth and balance, simplifying elements down to the minimal. It’s as much about what you don’t see as what you do. My background: Many years as a brand identity designer, helps me focus and distill the elements that make up my vision. I choose a strong and simple visual expression that combines bold form and color to create a sense of dynamism and tension that captures the eye. Painting Shows: Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Biennial Juried Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA National Orange Juried Show, San Bernardino, CA - Honorable Mention Mt. San Antonio Gallery, Mt. San Antonio College, CA - Purchase Award Downey Museum of Art Show, Juried Show MM Shinno Gallery, Los Angeles, Group Show Sidney Rothman Gallery, New Jersey Los Angeles Art Association, Group Show Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Juried shows, Sebastopol, CA Chroma Gallery, Santa Rosa, CA The de Young Open Exhibition, San Francisco, October 2020

Karen Silberg Artisan, Ceramics Karen Silberg was originally born in Sonoma County and went to school in Ithaca, NY. She spent two years as a Peace Corps Voluneer in the Philippines before finding her way back to Santa Rosa where she began her love of ceramics in 2013. Inspired by function and nature, shared and cherished cultures across the world, used for every celebration and intimate gathering in history and made from the earth, pottery has an infinite amount of stories to tell. Karen began building her pottery studio after one year of classes at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts where she throws year round and vends at Sonoma County holiday craft fairs in the spring and winter.

Aparna Sinha Painting

Aparna Sinha was born in Jaipur, India. Her family moved around various parts of India and Nigeria while she was growing up. Her work reflects her travels and experiences. Now she is Sonoma, California local.

Aparna’s work is influenced by impressionism; the works of Monet, Manet, and Van Gogh, to name a few. She loves working with the playfulness of light and shadows. Archways are her current obsession, thanks to her visit back to her birthplace.

Her love for watercolors began at school and she had a great teacher who helped her realize her potential. She later took a liking to oil pastels and discovered their vibrant and rewarding nature on sandpaper.

In the past she has held an exhibition of her work at the Sophia Bhabha Hall, Mumbai. Her work was on display at the local Nepalese restaurant and at Sunflower Cafe in Sonoma as well as Honey Badger Coffee in Rohnert Park, California. She was creative director for her College festival in Mumbai, and was responsible for designing the festival logo and overall theme.

A portion of her art sales goes to helping local children’s charities in India.

Dylan Smith Ballet, Choreography, Dance, Illustration, Literature, Modern, Non-Fiction, Other, Other, Poetry, Professional Performance, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts Dylan Smith is a Bay Area dancer, choreographer, instructor and visual artist. He holds a BA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and is on staff at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Mr. Smith has performed and choreographed with Transcendence Theatre Company in Sonoma, California the past few years earning him Broadway World San Francisco's Best Choreography Award for 2015. Other performing credits include the Japan and North American Tours of 42nd Street, JUBILEE! at Bally's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and Principal Dancer on Holland America Line. As a choreographer and instructor his experience ranges from the Alvin Ailey Children's Program, Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University just to name a few. In addition to the performing arts, Dylan has rediscovered his joy and passion for visual art, creating new works based on childhood pieces. He has had three, well attended, successful exhibitions here in California and plans to keep moving forward with developing a brand entitled "Hair Pop Out Mania". He is available for private dance and theatre instruction, group classes, choreography as well as visual art commissions.

William Smith Printmaking, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts

William Smith (b.1970) received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with an emphasis in printmaking from Sonoma State University, CA. in 1996.

As an undergraduate student at SSU, he collaborated with many artists as a printer and technician at Aurobora Press, in San Francisco and independently around the Bay Area. In 1998, he received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from West Virginia University.

After completing his graduate studies, he returned to California where he continued to work at Aurobora Press and teach part-time at Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College. He has taught all levels of drawing (including figure drawing), foundations courses in design as well as printmaking. He still teaches part time at Santa Rosa Junior College while making and showing his art.

In addition to art, he is a music enthusiast and has played drums in various punk and hard rock bands since the 90’s. William Smith lives and works in Santa Rosa, CA. Passersby may hear anything from classic jazz to hardcore punk and metal bellowing from his studio.

Audette Sophia Multi-Media, Other, Painting, Performance Art

I am a human décor artist & fantasy stylist with 15 years professional face paint experience, a lifetime dedicated to the magic & power of creativity. I got a B.A. in Integrative Arts which was essentially a roundabout holistic tour of the Arts as they intersect with different aspects of self & society. It gave me a lot of ideals about the great potential of the arts but didn’t set me on a path to making a living from it. That took dabbling & experimentation & a colorful winding path through teaching & performance & production & entrepreneurship until I was finally able to craft a biz that could both keep my interest & pay the bills.

So I spend much of my time as ladyboss of Catalyst Arts Entertainment.

I still do face paint & body art regularly & am available for events of all kinds.

Body Art Credentials:

Got my Face Paint ‘Degree’ from Kids Birthday Party Bootcamp (2005-still do some now)

Airbrushing on skin since about 2010 (+ pretty ridiculous stencil collection)

Conventions ‘Resume’ :

2012- Face Paint convention in Las Vegas

2013 IMATS (as assistant to Trina Merry) & also was runner up for SF Raw Artists ‘makeup artist of the year’

2014 & 2016- attended the World Body Painting Festival in Austria including the weeklong Academy

2017- Fabaic Convention in Florida

2018- Daylong workshop with Pashur + I taught 5 Body Art Workshops at Catalyst Studios

2019- La Fete Convention in New Orleans

2020- Spring Fling Henna Convention

Linda Sorensen Painting I create bold and imaginative landscapes (including seascapes) with their basis in the world around us, working in oil paints on canvas, and principally in larger sizes. My emphasis is on design and story. I have a background in abstract non-representational art that provides an intersection with traditional landscape painting including Impressionism, post-Impressionism, and a more contemporary approach.

Kusuma Sparks Artisan, Design, Fashion Design, Fiber Art Kusuma Sparks is an environmentalist who fought the urge to create beautiful things with textiles (and lost).

Despite her youthful ambition to land a Fulbright Grant and ‘save the world’, she finally (and begrudgingly) had to admit she had a gift and passion for textiles and, in the end, she became an artisan of fine garments for women who share her vision of a better world. Maybe it was because she couldn’t stand seeing her for-a-cause friends suffer bad aesthetics. Maybe it was a rebellious act against the industry.

Whatever the reason, for nearly two decades she has devoted herself to textiles arts; wrestling with the subject throughout the US, Europe and India. She finally got the courage (and the push) to open her doors to other women who are also seeking to do good, feel good and look beautiful. From original pattern-making through silk painting, embroidery, and fabric manipulation techniques, her work places emphasis on artisan hand-work skills that are unparalleled by machines today. Aside from sustainability and ethics, themes in her work revolve around nature with dreamy and romantic interpretations. Read her full bio here.

Katherine Spiering Painting, Visual Arts Reckless, boisterous, raucous, unusual, or just plain modern? However you describe her art, it will never be accused of being subdued. Katherine Spiering is a fine arts and multimedia graphic illustrator who creates art with attitude. Originally from Seattle, she broke out of the classical confines of her early parochial schooling by packing up and heading for distant exotic lands. Later, she hung out with Seattle's Belltown Art crowd, an artist encampment in the Denny Regrade area. By the time she had completed a year at the Cornish School of Allied Arts and earned a degree in Psychology from the University of Washington, K. had developed an artistic eye by viewing life through the lens of a camera and by shooting images of her travels abroad as well as in her own backyard. In the early '80s, she presented an entire Polaroid exhibition called "Void Space," a collection of graffiti art photographed in Seattle's downtown Skid Row district. She was influenced and excited by street art, geek (or skin) art and just about everything else out of the ordinary. Today, that influence is reflected in her paintings as a kind of high-amped energy with raw symbology and a spontaneity fused with her own sense of humor. For example, there is her portfolio of radical canines, a lively and diverse depiction of dogs created in multiple media, and a far cry from the fuzzy faces found on brochures for the American Kennel Club! When asked, "Why dogs?

Hugh Steimle Photography, Recovery Fund Grantee, Visual Arts Hugh Steimle has worked with Photography and many aspects of Visual Arts during his creative career. When photographing both Natural Light and Night Photography subjects, Hugh focuses on capturing images of fleeting moments with thought provoking qualities. He studied Photography at the Academy of Art, San Francisco and more recently completed the Applied Graphics Certificate Program in Santa Rosa at the SRJC. He works with both Fine Art and Commercial applications depending on the project at hand.

Adelle Stoll Artisan, Design, Fashion Design, Fiber Art, Jewelry Handcrafted for the Modern Minimalist Adelle Stoll combines her love of modern design with nimble hands to create original handbags and jewelry from her studio Store at The Barlow. Classic and bold architectural shapes are crafted from soft materials resulting in iconic pieces destined to become heirlooms. Each piece is designed and crafted with love by modern accessories designer Adelle Stoll in Sonoma County, California. Materials All Adelle Stoll goods are made using supreme materials specifically chosen for their quality and durability. Using the finest oil tanned leathers sourced from the United States, leather is hand cut to create stylish pieces, designed for years of use. 100% German wool felt in vibrant, saturated colors and hand fabricated brass rods and hardware define Adelle Stoll’s original designs. Meet Adelle Stoll Ever since Adelle can remember she’s had an active mind filled with creative ideas. Bored by high school academics, she found her niche in theater arts courses and at 16 performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Discovering that traditional academics weren’t for her, Adelle charted her own course with entrepreneurial thinking built around creativity. A child of the 70s who watched American manufacturing disappear, Adelle wanted to give people a place to shop for quality products that weren’t made in China. The answer? She opened The Silo, a Sonoma County shop carrying modern artisan goods, all made in America. At the helm of The Silo, Adelle saw an opportunity to fill a void. Many trendy handbags were overly adorned and cheaply made. With poor quality materials made by machines only, these mass produced bags didn’t jive with Adelle or her clientele. By virtue of meeting her customers at the shop, Adelle received immediate feedback and refined the designs that are now her trademark style. After a successful stint, Adelle closed The Silo to focus on expanding her product lines. If Adelle hadn’t discovered her inner theater geek years ago, she might have dropped out of high school. Reaching troubled teens is a cause close to her heart that has morphed into a business strategy. Adelle dreams of hiring foster children who’ve aged out of the system. She wants to give them an opportunity to learn a trade and access their creativity. Teens could be taught pattern making, design thinking, or marketing, while learning about personal integrity through responsibility. Her ultimate goal? For each teenager to look beyond personal circumstances and believe in their potential. So many ideas, it’s surprising she sleeps. Adelle creates new original designs and wearable art every season. Producing small batches of handcrafted bags and jewelry are just the beginning. Currently in the design pipeline are modern women’s shoes, men’s accessories, and minimalist home decor items; all designed and handcrafted by Adelle Stoll in Sonoma County, California.

Adrian Susnea Litman Recovery Fund Grantee, Visual Arts Born in 1948, I started to learn about art at a very early age, playing with colors and art materials in my father's Art Design and Restoration studio. In 1963, I was accepted in the Fine Arts High School N. Tonitza in Bucharest, Romania where I studied art techniques including drawing, painting, graphics, engraving, sculpture, fresco, mosaic and ceramics. After finishing the Fine Art High School, I attended the University of Bucharest Art Institute, graduating in 1974 with a Masters degree in Graphic Arts Design. Since 1980, after relocating to California, I worked as a Graphic Designer and Art Director in the Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area until 2003 when I retired from the corporate world and started Adrian Litman Architectural Art & Design Studio. I create artwork for Civic, Business and Private clients, including custom paintings, murals, frescoes, mosaics, sculptures, stained glass panels, fountains and wall treatments, all of which facilitate the harmonious integration of art with architecture. Many of my projects include acoustical components made of recycled materials especially for public places with high traffic, like libraries, large offices and public buildings.

Alice Sutro Performance Art, Visual Arts

Alice Warnecke Sutro creates large-scale figurative installations that fully depend on audience interaction.

Her live drawing sessions are humorous and lively, but they also reveal a philosophical approach to the nature of art. After many years of experimental drawing, Alice’s practice prioritizes art’s ancient purpose as a community-forming activity for ritual gatherings.

The format for her projects is recurring: she invites participants from a crowd and draws them live, in the moment and with no erasing. The figures are rendered with a sensitive line that demonstrates her love of people, often strangers, with whom she converses the entire time.

In keeping with ritual experiences and inspired by contemporary artists like Marina Abramovich and Matthew Barney, Alice always designs her projects to explore the edge of her physical capacity. Past projects have included tracing figures on a 3-story façade by means of a scissor lift and extension paintbrushes, and drawing visitors at an art fair for 2 days straight in record heat to create a 120-foot continuous column of portraits.

Cathleen Swanson Ceramics, Dance, Folk Art, Improvisation, Media, Mixed, Painting, Photography, Recovery Fund Grantee, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Video, Visual Arts I am not limited to one medium nor style. My art is an exploration, an adventure and a spiritual journey. I love to share art-making with others. The Spirit Houses are made by hand from clay.

Tom Swearingen Painting, Visual Arts Personal Tom was born in Oakland, CA, and lived in Richmond, CA, until moving to Petaluma in 1978 to take a job as a police officer. He married Margaret (Peggy) in 1980, and they have two sons: William, 28, and James, 24. Tom and Margaret live in in Santa Rosa, not far from where Margaret grew up. He paints in a studio they had constructed behind their home in 2011. Education Tom graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1981, and later earned a Masters Degree in Organization Development from Sonoma State University. He took nine months of instruction from master painter Charles Becker in 2011. Professional – Pre-2007 Tom retired as a lieutenant from the Santa Rosa Police Department in 2007. His last assignment was commanding the Investigations Bureau, comprising 40 personnel who were responsible for investigating major crimes in Santa Rosa. He also worked as a consultant to private businesses and local non-profits, facilitating meetings, coaching managers, and conducting team building workshops. Professional – 2007 to date In 1967, Tom received an HO Scale model train for Christmas. Ever since, he has been a model railroader. His favorite part of the hobby is creating models that closely resemble the prototypes. In 2006, while building a new model railroad, he attempted to paint a realistic backdrop on the layout. It was a disaster. In response, he went to Village Art in Santa Rosa and bought the book, “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” by Betty Edwards. Using the accompanying workbook, Tom began sketching for the first time. He was hooked. Since then, he has sketched or painted daily. Model railroading is still his hobby; painting is his full-time occupation. In 2009, Tom entered his first juried show and all three pieces he entered were selected for the show (“All Aboard,” Petaluma Art Center). Since then, he has been selected to show in numerous juried shows in California. In 2010, the Press Democrat posted a video of Tom and his art, shot by one of their staff photographers, on the web edition of the newspaper, titled, “Cop to Painter.” In 2012, Tom was invited to show work at the Hub Gallery, Penn State University, which featured 30 invited railroad artists from around the country. In April 2013, he was invited to be a gallery artist at Healdsburg Center for the Arts. In June of 2013, Tom participated in Art at the Source, and in 2014 and 2016, Sonoma County Art Trails. His art has appeared in several publications, most recently in the December, 2016 issue of Southwest Art.

Carol Tacconi Design, Graphic Design, Painting, Visual Arts I am a painter in various mediums including Acrylic on Canvas and Watercolor on Arches and have now been focusing my work using Oil and Cold Wax on Cradle board with an abstract theme inspired by nature. With many years as a working artist and designer around the Bay Area, I relocated to the eclectic and arts driven Sonoma County. I received a BFA from California College of the Arts and was privileged to continue expanding my creativity at the Stanford d.School. Most recently, I was honored to join Windsor’s Public Art Advisory Commission and look forward to collaborating with my colleagues in supporting arts in the community.

Colin Talcroft Mixed, Photography, Printmaking, Visual Arts About the Artist I am self-taught and active in a range of media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, and photography. I got interested in photography at the age of eight and began drawing at an earlier age. Figure drawing has been a life-long interest, and the nude has figured prominently in my photographic work as well. In the realm of abstract art, I have worked extensively as a printmaker and more recently in collage. My printmaking has included traditional methods such as etching and woodblock printing, but many of my prints use methods of my own—for example, printing from corrugated board and from found objects such as twine, bubble plastic, and paper cutouts. My collage work is abstract and painterly, using monotypes I make myself and, less commonly, found paper artifacts. Since around 2014, collage has been my main artistic pursuit.

Keyaira Terry Artisan, Design, Fiber Art, Functional Art, Interior Design, Mixed, Other, Other, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts Keyaira Terry is an artist with a bold spirit and an old soul. Born and raised in Ukiah, a small farm town in Northern California, Keyaira had a childhood that was deeply connected to the soil and earth, learning to use everything around her as a tool or resource. Keyaira spent her formative years with her grandmother sewing, tending to the land they lived on, and caring for an array of farm animals. Trading goods and commodities among their close-knit farm community was commonplace and shaped Keyaira’s perspective on sustainability and the true meaning of “locally sourced”. Keyaira recalls utilizing all the resources available to her and minimizing waste as being a paramount part of her existence, “if we didn’t have it we made it, if something broke we fixed it”. These collective experiences helped cultivate Keyaira as an artist and inspire her present-day work and ethos — A homespun nostalgia with a modern sensibility, rooted by a love for natural, sustainable and ethically sourced materials. Keyaira currently resides in Santa Rosa, California with her husband, Weston, and their two English bulldogs, Lola and Olive. She splits her time between running her own business as a designer and maker, weaving instructor, and creating commissioned pieces. She has collaborated with companies such as Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, Studio 11 Designs, Bustle Events and has been featured by Sonoma Magazine, Apartment Therapy and Etsy.

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