Artists | CreativeSonoma.org

Noor Adabachi Architecture, Artisan, Dance, Design, Fashion Design, Folk Art, Functional Art, Furniture, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Mixed, Modern, Multi-Media, Other, Other, Other, Sculpture, Technical, Theatre, Visual Arts, Woodworking Noor Adabachi is a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts: CalArts where he studied set and costume design. Past designs for foolsFURY include (dis)Place[d], directed by Ben Yalom, The Unheard of World, directed by Michelle Haner, and Faulted, directed by Evren Odcikin. After working on theater and dance productions in Los Angeles in the early 80's he concentrated on custom furniture design and fabrication, creating work for Milton Katselas, Oprah Winfrey, Catherine Bell, Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil and many others. His work has been featured in architectural magazines and on E The Entertainment Channel. Noor is grateful for his wife Debórah’s inspiration and encouragement to rekindle his relationship to theater after a long hiatus.

Valerie Adams Artisan, Design, Functional Art, Glass, Graphic Design, Holidays Shop Local, Other, Other, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth, Visual Arts

I’m a northern California girl whose been creating all my life. With a 30-year background as a graphic designer my creative vision has centered on laying out printed pieces that provoke thought, convey information, and create a reaction.

With an emphasis on kilnformed glass since 2001, I use many of the same design principles of balance, focus, and harmony. I design and create one-of-a-kind fused glass artwork and lighting, functional and decorative tableware, smile-inducing garden art, and dazzling accessories.

Juicy colors, off-beat arrangements, and clean, aesthetic layouts define my approach. I’m continually thrilled by the magical aspect of transforming individual sharp bits of colored glass into luscious collectibles that reflect your good taste. Each piece is handmade, one at a time, in my Sonoma County studio.

I’ve been honored to participate in Professional Artists in Residency programs at the prestigious Pilchuck School of Glass in Washington state and the Bullseye Glass Company’s Dealer’s Forum, which prepares artists to teach in the field of glass art. I’m an enthusiastic and generous instructor providing classes to small groups, and one-on-one mentoring for those interested in personalized instruction.

Jonqui Albin Illustration, Painting, Performance Art, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts Action Expression is the trademark of Jonqui Albin's art. Core bodies of work are large scale installations, wire sculptures and paintings. They are inspired by conceptual drawings derive from live, offsite study sketches in 2D and 3D. Resulting works often incorporate original techniques and unusual materials. Evolved thru art scenes of Los Angeles, Berkeley and San Francisco, Jonqui is currently based in her Sonoma Studio, 45 minute north of San Francisco, California. Jonqui@jonqui.com

Deb Breton Painting, Visual Arts Deb Breton is an abstract expressionist artist working in Sonoma County, California. She creates vibrant paintings using acrylics, oils, and collage. Her abstract artworks evoke the viewer's imagination, while her portrait work celebrates the human spirit. Painting intuitively, she allows the artwork to flow from her subconscious mind onto the canvas. "Every gestural mark, brushstroke, and drop of paint is an expression of emotion. And it's this energy in these paintings that I share with you." I'm an avid fruit and vegetable gardener, animal lover, birder, cancer survivor and meditation enthusiast. Notable clients include Warner Bros Studios, Dali Museum and Nestle

Katerina Capetanos Mixed, Painting, Visual Arts I am a self-taught encaustic artist living and working in the Sonoma Valley. I'm inspired by nature, bright color and movement. My artworks are described as abstract, fantastical botanicals. I use encaustic paints and mixed media to create bright, colorful "botanical," paintings that I create using my imagination.

Mari Capon Acting, Artisan, Arts Administration, Ballet, Ballroom, Children's, Choreography, Dance, Directing, Fiber Art, Fiction, Folk Art, Hip-Hop & Funk, Illustration, Improvisation, Improvisation, Latin, Literature, Media, Modern, Muralist, Music, Non-Fiction, Other, Other, Other, Painting, Performance Art, Poetry, Printmaking, Puppetry, Sculpture, Storytelling, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth, Theatre, Video, Visual Arts, Vocal Mari has been professionally involved in the arts world for over twenty years. As a child, she was a creative dancer at Virginia Tanner's Children Dance Theater, and she oil painted and sang in choirs. As a teen she acted, and was a make-up artist, poet, essayist, and ballroom dancer, and in young adulthood, she was a tango dancer and professional performing artist as an Art Model for artists working for Disney, EA, and countless Universities, Ateliers, Institutes, and Studios, and especially enjoyed set, costume, and lighting designs for painters and illustrators. Upon realizing that she most enjoyed coaching artists through their process, she began teaching, first creating art curriculum for a K-12 after-school program while becoming bilingual in Peru, before returning to the U.S. to become a certified cognitive movement, creative dance, and preschool music instructor. She began providing, teaching, and consulting for bilingual preschools and Summer Camps, tutoring, and coaching gymnastics, and continued to teach the arts and sports. She also taught inclusive sex education and spiritual development for children at interfaith, non-denominational churches, and facilitated somatic processing, while attending weekly classes in various forms. As an undergrad, Mari authored an Interdisciplinary Arts Curriculum Program for Pre-K through 12th Grade and became credentialed. She will research, publish, and offer her program while continuing to teach Interdisciplinary Arts.

Ron Carter Architecture, Artisan, Audio, Ceramics, Children's, Creative Sonoma Grantee, Design, Directing, Fashion Design, Fiction, Film, Functional Art, Furniture, Graphic Design, Illustration, Instrumental, Interior Design, Jewelry, Literature, Media, Mixed, Muralist, Music, Other, Other, Other, Painting, Photography, Poetry, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth, Theatre, Video, Visual Arts, Woodworking

My Path... Divergent visions gave rise to my creative present. A present refreshed by art as life and livelihood.

Experiences like the ‘Tubbs Fire’ that hit Santa Rosa serve to strengthen the ‘artist within me’. It foements subjective creative moments that utilize my past, present - and my future as focal lenses. Spontaneously, I chose The San Francisco Art Institute over The Rhode Island School of Design and the School of the Art Institute at Chicago for my formal Art education. I received my BFA in Interdisciplinary Art and Public Art. I’ve studied stone sculpture for 10 years with Master Sculpture-Ante’ Marinovic, one of Croatia’s premier stone sculptors and is considered a Croatian national treasure. I explore the collaboration between artist, media and tool in such a fashion as to give rise to multiple layers of compressed info within each piece I create no matter if it is a purely visual work or an interactive space or environmental art form. For me, art screams out into all aspects of my life. As an artist in western society, dogma and bravado go hand in hand with economic choice. Art is my life. If it’s not nailed down or permanently affixed, it’s in trouble of becoming art resource material. Well, upon further review, even that won’t deter me from considering an objects use in an art piece.

Kim Wilson Cinematic Lifestyle Imagery Photography, Visual Arts Cinematic Lifestyle Imagery by Kim Wilson

Lifestyle photography is artistically photographing people in real-life situations. This hybrid of portrait photography and editorial/documentary style photography, which allows me to tell a larger story within a single frame. This form of photography requires a more personal relationship between photographer and client that transcends studio-style portraits. Cinematic Lifestyle Imagery offers completely customized shoots that are location and activity-centric based solely on the clients' personal passions and preferences. The process starts with an in-person consultation to determine the scope of your photo shoot. Call 707 242 1042 or email kim@kwhotog.com to set up a consultation.

Marsha Connell Other, Painting, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts MARSHA CONNELL was nurtured in her love for art, nature, and learning by her grandfather, Samuel Riss, watercolor painter and Renaissance farmer in Upstate New York. She expresses this legacy in her passion for the environment, and through painting en plein air. Marsha Connell’s paintings are a dance in color. She combines observation—mirroring the natural world—with improvisation—giving voice to the spirit of place. Watching, listening, hiking, dancing, trusting intuition and gesture, infuses her painterly representation with an energetic and abstract sensibility. She is a graduate of Skidmore College with a B. S. in Fine Arts and San Francisco State University with a Masters in Sculpture. Marsha has been on the art faculty of Santa Rosa Junior College for many years and is a visiting artist at Sonoma State University. She has received grants from the Pepperwood Foundation and the California Arts Council and has been a Fellow of the California Arts Project. Marsha is Chair of the Steering Committee for Sonoma County Art Trails Open Studios, a program of Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Her Santa Rosa studio, #24 on the 2017 Art Trails map, will be open to the public from 10-5 on October 14, 15, 21, and 22, and by appointment the rest of the year. A Collector's Guide to 141 artists' studios is available online at http://www.sonomacountyarttrails.org or by calling 707-829-4797. She also chairs the year round Art Trails Gallery at Corricks, 637 4th Street, in Downtown Santa Rosa, where she regularly exhibits her paintings. Marsha has presented art workshops and lectures in diverse locales, from California to Alaska, New Mexico, Oregon, New York, Mexico and France. She has participated in numerous exhibitions regionally and internationally, and her work is in many private, healthcare, and public collections. She loves to collaborate with scientists, teaching drawing to master naturalist students, and with other artists and teachers, expanding the parameters of the arts and the joys of creative process for students of every age and in many disciplines.

Jason Cool Acting, Architecture, Artisan, Arts Administration, Ballroom, Ceramics, Children's, Choreography, Composition, Crew, Dance, Design, Directing, Equipment, Fashion Design, Fiber Art, Fiction, Film Office, Folk Art, Functional Art, Furniture, General Services, Glass, Hip-Hop & Funk, Illustration, Improvisation, Improvisation, Instrumental, Interior Design, Jewelry, Literature, Media, Mixed, Modern, Multi-Media, Music, Non-Fiction, Other, Other, Other, Other, Other, Other, Other, Other, Other, Painting, Performance Art, Photography, Poetry, Production, Professional Performance, Puppetry, Sculpture, Storytelling, Talent, Teacher/Instructor, Theatre, Visual Arts, Vocal, Woodworking

Jason Cool/Henson

Raised by musical and artistic tallent. from my grandfather Walter cool.writing and composing set designs on and off Broadway as well as music teacher. He tought me many things about music ,set design ,and writing stories making songs.mom colleen cool was a d.j for many years growing up .her morning talk show won an addy award. experience of the evolution of radio stations format from vinal,reel to reel,8 track,cassette,cd,to digital.learned lots about the insider secrets and politics , selling air time ,being a paid musical artist.and much more.on my dad's side .the "story family." his grandmother had 21 kids .4 sets of twins ,all natural birth!all musicians playing together ofton..on ed sullvon show and groucho marks.this popular family band and I would practice at grandma's regularly. As a kid growing up. i would try many instruments pianos ,drums,accordion ,banjo ,mandolin etc. I have been in theater,loved the arts, music ,writer. open to everything since i was a young kid.arts and music are my life!if i dont know how to do something,i will be honest!i ask,try and will do all things of interest with love !and any collaboration with heart.I Compromise to learn others perspectives because im always learning. preforming on and off stage.jamming with the public.sharing what i know. Learning what others are willing or able to teach.I loved all the music,art,storys,I have been a part of, or experienced 1999 to current over 15 countries I visited. World Share

Catherine Cruz Multi-Media, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth Artist Statement Catherine B Cruz is a French-American abstract artist who works with mixed media, multi-layered collage, and reclaimed materials. Informed by more than twenty-five years of experience in the design world, Catherine takes inspiration from a unique perspective, which spans architecture, interior design, and sustainability. Her art work is informed by textures and patterns created by the passing of time and the effects of the natural elements on the built environment. A walk in any city like New York, Paris or Barcelona, is always a source of inspiration. In the process of observing the contrast between new and old architecture, the textures of walls, the torn posters, and the typography on the storefronts, she creates her own visual vocabulary that she utilizes in her mixed media work. She is also attracted to textures found in the rural environment such as old wooden fences, painted barns, and rusted metal that she photographs, analyzes and abstracts. She is not interested in replicating them but instead she lets them inform her art. As a predominantly self-taught artist, she has developed her style by exploring materials and techniques. Her abstract vocabulary is based on intuitive mark making, lines and forms, as well as the exploration of visual and tactile textures and a good understanding of color. Her process involves layering materials on wood panels or canvas such as her own painted papers, vintage papers, paint, graphite, and oil pastels. The layers are often sanded to reveal patterns and details. Artist Biography Catherine was born in Mantes-la-Jolie, France, not too far from Claude Monet’s home and gardens. She grew up in several places including Versailles and the Cote d’Azur, attending high school in Cannes. While a teenager, she was an exchange student near Nashville, Tennessee, and later on she moved to the US on her own to attend college. She received a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design (Cum Laude) from Florida State University in 1993 and had a successful career as residential and commercial interior designer, followed by a second career and the creation of her own business, C2 Green Solutions, as a LEED-accredited green building consultant working with international architectural firms in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York, and Houston. Always an avid learner, she has studied art history, color theory, painting, classical figure drawing, perspective, printing, and pottery in both France and the US. Her passion is to encourage others to unleash their creativity, experiment with materials, and connect with their imagination. In 2018 she created Be You Art Studio and launched her creative workshops for children and adults. She shares her time between Sebastopol, California, and Valence, France, with her husband and her son.

Johny Dechemin Acting, Composition, Crew, Dance, Design, Directing, Fashion Design, Film Office, Folk Art, Functional Art, Hip-Hop & Funk, Illustration, Instrumental, Mixed, Multimedia, Music, Other, Other, Other, Other, Painting, Performance Art, Photography, Printmaking, Professional Performance, Sculpture, Storytelling, Talent, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth, Theatre, Visual Arts, Vocal DJ JOHNY MIX, has a natural charisma, a passion for music, and the ability to connect with people. A top-notch DJ who’s connect with listeners through engaging talk content and social interaction. He plays musical recordings on radio shows, nightclubs, corporates, private and public events. He works for radio stations, presenting programs, talk shows, and chart shows. He ensures musical recordings and advertisements are played on time and also interact with listeners through social media. As a DJ, he is responsible for engaging with listeners, queueing up playlists, presenting commercials, performing interviews, taking music requests, and generating interest in the show. He is a MC at public events and perform meet and greets.

Patricia Dines Fiction, Illustration, Literature, Non-Fiction, Other, Other, Painting, Photography, Visual Arts Patricia Dines has been a professional writer, graphic artist, and fine artist since 1992, and since then created on a wide variety of books, newsletters, articles, and more. Her currently featured work is a sacred healing storybook (for people of all ages), called The Goddess Who Forgot That She Was a Goddess. (I mean, who can forget such a thing? But she did!) This Goddess lived up high on a beautiful hill, but didn't see any of it, because of the sadness in her heart. Until one day she received an unexpected invitation to go into the forest.... You're invited to join the Goddess on her healing adventure, and savor the enchanting story, inspired artwork, and weaving of playful and meaningful moments. This timeless and universal tale is presented in a beautiful full-color hardcover book, illustrated with Patricia's original art. Patricia also offers art greeting cards and prints. All of her goodies are available directly and at local stores. To get more information, and find out how to get your own copies, see www.healthyworld.org/GB.

Erick Dunn - MOVED TO DRAFT 6/22/23 - NO LONGER IN SONOMA COUNTY

Erick Dunn - MOVED TO DRAFT 6/22/23 - NO LONGER IN SONOMA CO... Mixed, Other, Recovery Fund Grantee, Sculpture, Visual Arts Using my skills as a professional in the visual effects industry, I have been molding and casting nature and creating nature based art for nearly a quarter of a century. My designs are not only inspired by nature, but derived from actual specimens collected, molded and organized by category before being recombined, remolded and reformed into new creations. My approach to art is like as a scientist, conducting experiments and collecting data to come up with theories as to why I love doing this so much. It gives me the greatest joy and satisfaction to create something new in collaboration with our Mother Nature. She has created for us an infinite sea of diversity from which to be delighted and inspired. I feel it is the least thanks I can give to create something back for her in appreciation for this wonderful gift we call life!

Judith Eisen Painting, Visual Arts Born in 1942, Judith was discovered at age 6 to be a prodigy in the area of painting, and given the opportunity to learn to paint in oils. Painting, exhibiting and selling artwork has been a constant throughout her life. Judith moved to Sonoma County in 1973, and still loves painting the beautiful landscape we have here. She is also committed to working in the community and has spent the last 11 years serving on the County's Area Agency on Aging Council. Her methodology includes working on site in watercolor, then using those images as references in her studio to create large oils. "I like to use watercolor to lay out the geometry of a landscape, keeping the image as accurate as possible. Then when I am working in oils, I can 'play' more, as i have the parameters, the structure, already down." She has an enduring love of painting limestone formations and has followed the trail of limestone, through many countries in Southeast Asia. She taught at the International School in Singapore in 1991 and 1992. After retiring in 1993, Judith spent almost seven years living on an island off the coast of Thailand, painting and selling artwork. Judith is an acknowledged world expert in the area of holography (3-D laser photography), creating the first moving hologram of scanning electron microscope information for the Smithsonian in 1980; for this, she was made a fellow of the Royal Microscopal Society (London) in 1987. She currently shelters-in-place painting in her garden.

Kerstin Fletcher Children's, Illustration, Instrumental, Literature, Mixed, Music, Other, Painting, Photography, Recovery Fund Grantee, Teacher/Instructor, Visual Arts I LOVE drawing and painting with all mediums. From pencil to watercolor, acrylic, or oil, I thrive on capturing light and life. Always looking for new challenges and beauty to capture, I can be found outside at sunrise painting in “plein air” or combining illustrations for a new story for my children. My faith fuels me to seek to paint light and life. I want to truly see, and communicate what I see to others. Raised in a bilingual household with strong ties to Europe, I am mostly self-taught. My life has brought me to delight in traveling, be an avid reader, mother of four, pastor's wife, violist, gardener, and extremely motivated to squeeze every moment out of every day.

Susan Greer Painting, Visual Arts "Painting en plein air allows me to explore the land I love, while doing what I love to do."

Susan, a third generation Bay Area native, lives in Sonoma County and works as a full-time artist. Her paintings - depicting the land she knows and loves - hang in private and corporate collections around the world.

Susan holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from SFSU and UCSC. She worked as a Product Designer with Broderbund Software, as a Curriculum Designer at Skywalker Ranch, and as an Editor at Addison Wesley Publishing Company before devoting her time to full-time painting. As part of her fine art studies, she's been fortunate to study with masterful teachers, including Daniel Keys, Wolf Kahn, and Ken Auster. Susan is a member of Oil Painters of America, The American Impressionist Society, The California Art Club, The Arts Council of Sonoma County, The Sebastopol Center for the Arts, and The Marin Arts Council. She has also served on the Sonoma County Museum Board as well as The Steering Committee for Sonoma County Art Trails.

Ehme Haas Artisan, Audio, Ceramics, Fiber Art, Jewelry, Literature, Media, Mixed, Multi-Media, Music, Other, Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, Visual Arts, Vocal e.h.me is a multi-medium, hungry fArtist currently beginning an exploration of the play between place and perspective with mobile-inspired, found object suspended sculpture. an imported local of the Russian River area with a tendency toward forest frolicking, she is inspired by birth cycles and bridges, plastic bags caught in tree boughs, fermentation and regeneration. she seeks to convey a sense of the beautiful wonder within even the 'ugly' parts of experience. create(or) de(con)struct

Christine Hourscht Children's, Illustration, Mixed, Painting, Visual Arts

Living in a small town in California, Christine Renee Hourscht is surrounded by nature’s beauty.

She likes to hike among the trees, admiring flowers, birds, and other animals. She is also enchanted by the ocean, lakes, insects, sky, and fresh air. It fills her with colorful inspiration.

As an artist, Christine is passionate about the beauty of life and lives in gratitude. Her artwork portrays this with whimsical movements, shapes and colors. Her philosophy is to “Live to love” and “Every breath we take is precious.” Her artwork is a way to share moments in time.