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.

Jane Ingram Allen Fiber Art, Mixed, Other, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture Jane Ingram Allen, originally from Alabama, lived in Taiwan from 2004-2012 and moved back to the USA in August 2012, settling in Santa Rosa, CA. She continues her career as an international artist using sustainable materials and collaborative processes to raise public awareness about environmental issues. In January 2004 she first went to Taiwan as a Fulbright Scholar to do her hand papermaking art with Taiwan’s natural materials. She received a second Fulbright grant with sponsorship by Taiwan’s National Endowment for Culture and Art, and completed her “Made in Taiwan” project in July 2005. After the Fulbright grants, Jane worked as an independent artist with many organizations in Taiwan and other countries and initiated several environmental sculpture projects in Taiwan. Jane is also a former university art professor and experienced curator and arts writer. She has received awards for artist in residencies in the USA, Philippines, Japan, Nepal, Brazil, China, Tanzania, Taiwan, Turkey and Indonesia. She completed site specific sculpture installation projects with handmade paper and seeds in 2020 and 2021 in Sacramento, CA, Cloverdale, Oregon and Steckborn, Switzerland, and had exhibitions of her work in Australia, Japan, Switzerland, and the USA.

Art Of Nature Amanda Rose Hopkins (A. Rose) Arts Administration, Illustration, Mixed, Other, Painting, Performance Art, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth, Visual Arts

Artist's Statement Amanda Rose Hopkins Art of Nature

Throughout my work I use various mediums to help people fall back in love with nature. My work also explores the complexities of human kind's relationship to the environment. Using the visual language of color I create an emotional feel, which connects directly to the heart and mind. The use of bright sensual colors, occasional subdued hues, and earthy elements brings about a range of feeling tones. The series of sensual flower paintings are meant to wet the palette by exciting the visual senses with their extremely bright hues and complementary colors. The most subtle hues and purest feelings I encounter when in direct contact with nature. The intricate patterns, finely composed colors, and rounded shapes fuel a constant curiosity of the organic. Ecological elements are missing from this current linear realm humans have built from concrete and synthetic materials. Thus my intention is to bring an ecological aesthetic into "built space". My art strives to insert pieces of the earth herself into man-made settings. Recently my love of painting and landscaping has combined into mixed media paintings which use found moss, bark, and seaweed with sensuously colored oil paint, to create an explosion of the senses. These hands use sensual colors with an environmental aesthetic with the intention of exciting the senses to help them focus on the beauty and magic of nature.

Kelsi Anderson Illustration, Mixed, Multi-Media, Visual Arts Kelsi Anderson (@wildearthart), is an earth-based community artist who creates large-scale earth art that connects us deeper with the natural world. Over the last 15 years, she has worked with the earth to create site specific art that shifts our perspectives, opens our hearts, and deepens our understanding + relationship with the earth. She believes art and creativity is a healing + educational tool available to everyone, and facilitates collaborative art making experiences to groups ranging from 3 - 250+ ppl, and ages from youth to seniors, both in the public, educational, corporate and private sectors.

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.

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

Toby Daniels Acting, Artisan, Audio, Dance, Design, Fiction, Film, Graphic Design, Illustration, Instrumental, Latin, Literature, Media, Mixed, Modern, Multi-Media, Music, Non-Fiction, Other, Other, Painting, Performance Art, Photography, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Theatre, Video, Visual Arts, Woodworking

Born in San Francisco, I grew up in Lucas Valley (Marin County) 15 years then, lived in Hopewell, New Jersey (between Princeton and Trenton) for 3 years, finishing high school. After graduation, chose to live in Bozeman, Montana (close to Yellowstone National Park and the Big Sky Ski Resort) for 5 years, attending Montana State University, earning degrees.

After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Business (Marketing Option) along with a Minor in Communication from MSU, I lived in Terra Linda (Marin County) for 6 years, continuing Multimedia studies, working.

In 1999 I moved to central Santa Rosa (Sonoma County, the "Heart of the Wine Country") and lived there for 10 years, attending a quality college for additional post-graduate studies. I broadened my education studying visual media (Computer Art, Applied Graphics, Desktop Publishing, Art, Multimedia, and web design) at Santa Rosa Junior College, while working.

With regards to my 11 years of college studies and two degrees that accompany two certificates (that relate to visual media composition and presentation), I have undertaken a variety of post-graduate studies and working in local businesses, I have expanded my knowledge of various programs that are applicable to corporate establishments and gained additional skill and knowledge of Multimedia and HTML, in pursuit of an occupation that relates to promotion, advertising or marketing.

I enjoyed the opportunity to develop my skills in project coordination, client services, problem solving and negotiating, applying my studies and abilities, seeking an opportunity where my experience, initiative and dedication to both personal and organizational goals will be valued.

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!

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

Ash Hay Film, Media, Other, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Visual Arts My art is diaristic and centered in the body; how it communicates with the earth, itself, and bodies around it. In my work, I explore ideas of gender expression, body acceptance, and radical softness. Fatness, my own and others’, comes up often as I am continually confronted with how fat bodies are treated and how they navigate this world. My use of large soft sculpture, techniques of paper layering in my paintings and works on paper, and a color palette rooted in the color pink, all support my overarching theme of softness as power. I am influenced heavily by the works of Loise Bourgeois and Kiki Smith as well as the lineage of fiber artists and crafters in my own family.

Lindsay Hunter Artisan, Design, Fashion Design, Fiber Art, Functional Art, Furniture, Media, Mixed, Multi-Media, Other, Other, Other, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Video, Visual Arts LINDSAY HUNTER Santa Rosa, CA nutbarstudios@gmail.com SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS • Successfully promotes own business, stays in budget and executes projects on time. • Develop and implement K-9 enrichment programming: classroom, after-school, homeschool, county library, and summer camp; kid's area manager for large public events. • Demonstrated instructional and classroom management experience providing interesting and thought-provoking lessons supporting a personal mission of excellence. Provides a caring, safe and supportive environment for student learning. • Workshop presenter at reMAKE Education. • Network with businesses and community leaders and recruit volunteers for events. • Warm effective communication with both children and adults from diverse backgrounds, in person and written. • 10 years consumer product design and development, mostly for leading fashion manufacturers: Levi’s and Esprit, from initial concept through preproduction. • Initiated and created product concepts, materials development, textile patterns, garment styling and presentation materials. • Managed development of logo and graphics, hired artists, directed art concepts and approved final artwork for production. • Traveled throughout Asia and US working with sample and production manufacturers ensuring excellent products. • Researched market trends, analyzed competitor’s products for style, fabric, fit. • Conducted focus group research and marketing studies to identify target consumer. • Presented findings and product line concepts to Executive Management in order to advise and influence them on fashion trend direction and product design selections. • Nominated for Outstanding Faculty award at FIDM. Twice recognized for initiative, leadership and team building at Levi Strauss. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 09/04-present Nutbar Studios Owner • Rincon Valley Education Foundation After-school Enrichment Program Provider • Whited Elementary Digital Storytelling Instructor • Rincon Valley Unified homeschool and Instructor Lego Robotics Trainer • Sonoma County Library Enrichment Program Provider • Sonoma State Excel Kids Summer Program Provider • Workshop Presenter at reMAKE Education • Levi's (Leipheimer) Granfondo Kid's Area Manager • The Great Handcar Regatta Kid's Area Manager • Gaia Online Merchandise Developer 01/13-06/15 Paraeducator Rincon Valley Unified 08/12-06/13 Science Facilitator, Noon Duty Rincon Valley Unified 03/03-08/04 College Instructor Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, SF 02/02-02/03 Administrative Assistant Feldenkrais Resources, Berkeley 04/01-11/01 Office Manager VoiceWare Systems, San Francisco 06/99-12/00 Student UC Berkeley Extension, Berkeley & San Francisco 09/94-03/99 Apparel Designer Levi Strauss & Co., San Francisco EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Arts – Emphasis in Product Design and Fashion San Francisco State University Project Management Certificate University of California Berkeley Extension PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • SCOE Teaching and Learning Institute 2015 • Lego Learning Symposium at SCOE 2015 • SRJC Basic PC Repair and Maintenance Workshop 2014 • RVUSD Technology Summit 2013 • SCOE iPad Symposium 2013 • California Association for the Gifted Symposium 2013 AFFILIATIONS • Northbay Maker Educators • 180 Studios Community Maker Space

C.K. Itamura Creative Sonoma Grantee C.K.Itamura is a Yonsei, Nikkei interdisciplinary artist based in Sonoma County, California. Her conceptual, visual, performance and community engagement art serve to engage intergenerational audiences in the exploration of observation, contemplation and expressive imagination. C.K. is a recipient of the 2019 Discovered Awards for Emerging Visual Artists made possible, in part, by Creative Sonoma and Community Foundation Sonoma County. Her essay Circuitous Paths of the Yonsei was recently commissioned and published by Write Now! SF Bay and included in the anthology Uncommon Ground: BIPOC Journeys to Creative Activism. She is: an Artist-in-Residence alumna of The Imaginists, Chalk Hill Residency and In Cahoots Residency; a co-founder of Book Arts Roadshow; an artist/director on the board of Berkeley Commonplace; an artist advisory council member of The Imaginists’ Guest House program; an advisory committee member of Write Now! SF Bay; and a former director of San Francisco Center for the Book. She has served in directorial, managerial and/or production roles for live theatrical performances, live events, concerts and festivals, radio shows and video productions. C.K. is a resident artist of San Francisco Unified School District Libraries and works with SFArtsEd, San Francisco Public Library, Contemporary Jewish Museum and San Mateo County Libraries to provide professional development workshops for educators, and hands-on art-making workshops for students and the general public.

Ginny Laughlin Design, Graphic Design Welcome to Athena Design. Whether our focus is strategy or design, we are dedicated to enhancing brand presence. We are a collaborative team, and together we create the foundation for communicating brands in a compelling way. Designing the visual presence and messaging for environmental organizations, as well as wineries, music venues, and small businesses, we make a difference in our community. Ginny Laughlin, creative director, currently serves on the Graphic Design Advisory Board at Santa Rosa Community College. Before opening her own firm in Sonoma County, she was a web designer and developer at Sonoma State University.

Brenda Phillips Sculpture, Visual Arts ReBirth Living Sculpture pulls together passed on decorative art pieces and plants — typically succulents — to create upcycled living sculptures for homes, establishments, and gardens. Imagine everything from a small, multi-colored glass arrangement with succulents to 4 feet tall fountains made of stacked ceramic pieces to a 9-foot tall art sculpture with a central spinning ornate frame to take selfies in — perfect for a winery or city sculpture garden — to welded, galvanized metal pots on rods to grow tomatoes inside to a tranquil and harmonious succulent composition on drift wood hung with dangling windchimes to hanging light fixtures overflowing with plants. Each of our pieces utilizes repurposed items combined in new ways along with plants. The resulting sculptures are unexpected living creations that change with time and conditions. Each is unique, designed by hand, often multi-purpose, and harmonious. Some inspire joy, others whimsy, and others are peaceful. The vast range of styles, colors, materials, and shapes dare to challenge the viewer to find that one piece that speaks to them most.

Jessica Yoshiko Rasmussen Arts Administration, Mixed, Visual Arts I'm an interdisciplinary artist. My work ranges from assemblage to interactive installation art, from conceptual work to jewelry making. My perennial interest in discarded materials often drives me to incorporate objects that have a history and which carry meaning into my work both symbolically and energetically. I run a small art business, Va Va Vortex - a monthly art subscription service. I mail subscribers one work of art each month, usually accompanied by a mini-art history lesson that relates to the piece. Monthly installments are also posted on instagram: @VaVaVortex

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 Stonestreet Composition, Improvisation, Music, Performance Art, Teacher/Instructor, Theatre, Vocal Linda Stonestreet is the founder of The Sing Project which seeks to seed circle singing groups in the north bay for the purpose of re-building and strengthening community. Born in California, she is mentored by Rhiannon in the vocal river traditions and conducts improvisational circle singing. She is a Singer-Songwriter with 40+ songs published. A former long time civil-servant in the State’s Natural Resources Division (Conservation Corps, State Parks and CalFire) she utilizes her expertise in State government and water issues to grow capacity in rural communities throughout California by her work with Rural Community Assistance Corp.

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.

Asherah Weiss Arts Administration, Creative Sonoma Grantee, Folk Art, Illustration, Improvisation, Mixed, Multi-Media, Muralist, Other, Other, Other, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Puppetry, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Adults, Teaching Artist for Youth, Theatre, Visual Arts Asherah Weiss is an educator, community artist, and organizer. Since graduating from California College of the Arts in 2011, she has helped start many projects that bring people together around arts and placemaking, in Sonoma County and the Bay Area, including the PLACE for Sustainable Living in Oakland, and womb space collaborative arts in Santa Rosa. Her belief in the democracy of the arts has inspired her to bring creativity to people of all ages and abilities, including as a credentialed art teacher at Healdsburg Junior High through the first school years of the pandemic. In 2022, she co-created the globally known project Peptoc, a hotline and series of posters with uplifting messages from kids (call 707-8PEPTOC), and is now continuing the project with Jessica Martin in the form of a book full of young people’s wisdom and humor from around the world. Her excitement lies in what creativity can do for the world— making things more collaborative, sustainable, beautiful and meaningful. Current Projects include:

Co-creator of the Peptoc Project, currently taking submissions for a book of uplifting messages from young people around the world. See peptoc.net
Programs Director at Artstart
Coordinator of Earth Protector Parade at the 1st Climate Fest on April 22nd, 2022 in the Healdsburg Plaza
Artist in Residence at West Side Elementary School

Dana Woodman Artisan, Design, Functional Art, Furniture, Graphic Design, Other, Other, Sculpture, Visual Arts, Woodworking Dana founded Chimera Art Space in early 2012 as a place to bring talented, creative and innovative people in the North Bay together. He has worked as a software consultant and serial entrepreneur for nearly a decade working with companies including Google and Comcast and founding multiple companies. Dana builds interactive art sculptures, furniture, and other artwork using woodworking, metalworking, 3D printing, laser cutting, electrics and CNC machining. He studied fine art at the University of the Pacific and loves traveling, the outdoors and kittens 😸.

Martín Zúñiga Mixed, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Teacher/Instructor, Teaching Artist for Youth, Visual Arts Between the freeways of 5 and the 99, there are rows of fields as far as the eye can see. The sun is high and hot, the fields are lush, and they are filled with thousands of farm workers. Their faces, arms and legs are covered to protect from the sun and the toxic pesticides used on the crops. The work is backbreaking, and yet, they are almost invisible. Martín Zúñiga, from Michoacan, Mexico, had his first introduction to the United States in these fields and is the product of this experience. An autodidact in work and art, Martín has learned his craft by doing. After the fields, Martín worked in construction, learning the skills he would soon transfer to his art – welding; framing; understanding the strength and qualities of wood, metal, paint, plasters, lighting. Martín’s experience as a migrant, as an undocumented worker, as a Mexican-American in the United States, as a man who speaks in an accented English, and as a target of undeserved police attention, shapes his art. However, his art claims and celebrates a new world, one that recognizes and honors his roots. Martín completed a series of public art pieces in downtown Salinas (Central Coast) and downtown Selma (Central Valley), celebrating the cities' workers and their contributions to the unique character of small, rural cities. More recently, Martín has taught and led art workshops at the Museum of Sonoma County, the Restorative Justice Program, and in Roseland Unified Schools.

CREATIVES