Exhibiting artists

Janet Black

Biography

In an increasingly complicated world, the mind seeks a resting place. In my view, the best of art is visual meditation, bringing the viewer into another place, creating a window to another possibility. I seek to find the images that lead me through that window, into a place of understanding, communion, exploration, fun and deeper meaning. As an artist, it is my task to bring back and share what I discover there. Many of my pieces include words that have been inspiring to me, from poetry and contemporary song lyrics to A Course in Miracles. These snippets of text offer a silent meditation to the viewer, and join in the collage as texture and color as well.

I’ve always been drawn to faces – human and animal. My most satisfying work captures an expression that communicates something of the life within. I find a connection to the mystery of life when I work with animal images, portraying a life that I can only attempt to understand from outside of it, and yet which enlivens something in my spirit. And more and more I am fascinated with mythical, spiritual images of women, perhaps in response to my own seeking for a deeper self-identity, one that may extend beyond this twenty-first century body and into a vaster past and a kinder future.

The answer to the most common question asked about my work is: “NO paint! Really!” A painter at heart, my works of “figurative collage” take on the quality of paintings combined with the properties of torn papers of all sorts and sources. The addition of stitching, fiber elements and various objects brings another layer of texture and design to the work. The images are brought to life through a unique method of combining and intricate layering — to create an image, convey a thought, share a vision. Paper becomes color, text or calligraphy become messages or abstract design elements, patterns and threads become texture. The whole becomes an exploration of its parts returning to comprehend it again as a single image.

Carlos Briceno

Robin Briceno

Anna Cisarik

Biography

I am a new artist exploring the local scene. I am originally from Slovakia and have lived in Ventura County for 7 years. As a busy mom of 2 lively kids, creating art brings a sense of peace and calm to our home. I specialize in mixed media and sculpture painting and water colors. I use wood canvases, sculpture paste, and iridescent colors. Scenes from nature serve as my inspiration. My painting background and continued training is under the tutelage of a renowned master from Eastern Europe.

Peter De Pelsmacker

Biography

Peter De Pelsmacker, Born in Ghent, Belgium in an artistically gifted family. His work is a distinction between abstract and non-representational art. A dichotomy of forces defines his work. Emotional struggle and physical tension are represented visually. The different layers of form and texture in each piece are like the themes in a symphony: waves of tension build up and then resolve in a peaceful balance.

Abstract art is still linked to the reality around us, viewed by the artist, but reduced to the basic elements (shapes, sizes, color) of that observation. As if the basic elements were distilled. Non-representational art does not reflect the external world we can see, touch, hear, feel, but tries to visualize the inner-personal world of the artist. It tries to translate the tensions, feelings, intuitions and thoughts inside the artist. It is a different real world, one that is the internal world of the artist. As such, it uses also shapes, sizes, colors but they do not represent anything of the tactile world.

Devoted, full time, to creating small, intimate drawings, mostly in black on white paper with an occasional sidestep in abundant red drawings. His paintings are large scale and are not reminiscent of his drawings but are more recognized by rough brushstrokes or dark brooding compositions.
Has followed workshops in several disciplines but mainly in dry point. Mostly instructed by Xavier Fumat, printer for Richard Serra at Gemini, GEL and private education in several museums and through one-on-one instruction by several artists. Coursework, Silk Screen and Drawing, at Otis College of Art
and Design, Los Angeles.

Mollie Doctrow

Biography

Mollie Doctrow has held art residencies at Mojave National Preserve, Petrified Forest National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, and Archbold Biological Station. These residencies provided access to remote and pristine areas, inspiring much of her recent work. She has received several grants and awards. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.

Moving back to California five years ago, Doctrow has been re-discovering her home state and native California habitats. She is currently working on a public art commission for the city of Camarillo, a series of ten woodcuts depicting botanical and historical sites in Camarillo. Her studio is located at Studio Channel Islands.

Doctrow, MA, is Curator emerita, Museum of Florida Art and Culture, South Florida State College.

Lynn Dodge

Biography

Lynn has discovered that her artistic creativity has grown and evolved over the last few years. Most journeys in life start down a path that changes with all the twists and turns and forks in the road. Just like in life, Lynn’s artistic path, which previously has expressed itself in her original found object art, has changed direction to sculpting clay to be cast into bronze sculptures.

Her original found object art was Lynn’s way of putting into physical expression real life events and her own personal experiences. Her visceral connection and reaction to these events were visualized as images in her mind which were then transformed into art.

Lynn has recently discovered that she can express this same connection to life’s experiences throughout bronze sculptures. Lynn explores a new depth of creativity through the sculpting process, fro the initial Marquette to the full size model sculpted with her hands and clay tools which is then cast in bronze at the art foundry. It is an intimate process and Lynn pours her soul into each pieces.

Lynn has a degree in Exhibit Design and Graphics Arts. She has expanded her art expressions from assemblage art, bronze sculptures and unlimited future possibilities.

Adonna Ebrahimi

Frances Elson

Biography

Welcome to my world of warm glass—a world both solid and fluid, craft and art, clarity and mystery, and always an element of surprise. As I continue to explore this exciting medium, my excitement grows with each new work, opening new doors all along the way

From my birth in Kazakhstan, the child of holocaust survivors, I learned the lessons of survival and perseverance early and well. Throughout my professional careers as a social worker, administrator and interior designer I felt the unmistakable tug toward glass art, and after a brief introductory class, I gave myself over to this passion. For almost twenty years I have been exploring my art and honing my craft. The scope of my work is broad – fused glass landscapes, abstracts, vessels, character portraits, mixed media pieces, and my collection of glass flowers – with the emphasis always on the brilliant colors and exciting textures that are inherent in the material itself. My work has been featured in many group and solo shows, accompanied by awards and accolades. I am grateful to my many collectors for their support throughout my career.

Teaching has become a part of my practice that gives me great pleasure. Being able to light that first spark of interest, and to watch it grow as my students evolve in their own style, is a wonderful gift to receive, and I’m honored to be a part of that process.

Lynn Farrand

Biography

The focus of my art has always been to represent the human condition and to transcend the differences between us all. I search for forms which are powerful in their simplicity and embrace an abstract style. When I sculpt it allows me the freedom to create in clay and cast in bronze, which gives the form a sense of beauty and strength, much like the human spirit. I also find an immense freedom of expression in painting with acrylics and working in fabrics, for it allows me a diverse approach to texture, form and color. One medium opens up new possibilities in the other and together they have challenged, inspired, and given my voice a wider audience.

Larry Gassan

Biography

Larry Gassan is a photographer who took a long time getting there. After graduating from art school with a graphic design degree in 1977, he lived in Los Angeles and worked in print production at ad agencies and design studios for almost forty years. In 1988, he read the retirement notice for the legendary ad man Bob K, who had many awards and a handsome income. But in the notice, Bob K said he regretted not spending more time fly-fishing. Gassan vowed never to be like Bob. He won no awards and has no regrets. Gassan ran ultramarathons for almost thirty years, and stopped in 2020. He is now a gentleman pixel-rancher in Ventura County, CA.

Yuliya Greben

Biography

Yuliya, a native of Ukraine, was born in 1971 and currently lives and works in Southern California. Her journey into the world of art began with a strong passion, which she only recently had the opportunity to pursue. Yuliya studied art at the Milan Art Institute, where she completed the Art Mastery Program. Apart from her artistic endeavors, she also holds a Master’s Degree in Nurse Education. Actively participating in several artist associations, she has established herself as a valuable member of the art community. Her artwork has been featured in various art shows and galleries across California and nationally.

Laura Green

Biography

Laura Green is visual artist living in San Diego, CA. Green’s work is motivated by a desire to envision a livable planet where humans and nature co-exist. Born and raised in southern California, Green draws inspiration from her time exploring nature with her family. Maps and navigation have always intrigued her, and many of her paintings show figures on journeys.

Green has increased her knowledge of native plants and animals since she began homeschooling her four children. As a frequent visitor to libraries and nature centers, she focuses on areas of local conservation, such as the Tijuana River and San Diego River, and imagines them as places where people and nature can co-existing.

Green received a certificate in Art and The Creative Process at UCSD Extension in 2022, and a post-bacc in Studio Arts from UC Berkeley Extension in 2023. She exhibits with local groups regularly, and has shown her work in various community centers and local libraries. Green has painted nature scenes on utility boxes for the cities of La Mesa, National City, and Escondido.

Judith Hopkins

Biography

Judith Hopkins is primarily a painter, printmaker and writer. She came west to attend graduate school at California Institute of the Arts. After receiving her MFA, she taught art at many community colleges throughout Southern California. After completing two community art projects funded by grants from the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, she co-founded and established a nonprofit girls’ empowerment project that used horses to introduce girls to the arts and sciences. Her work is not always autobiographical, but is often informed by her own biography.

Judith has a BA in Visual Arts from SUNY, College at Old Westbury, NY and an MFA in Art from California Institute of the Arts. She is an Artist in residence at Studio Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA and a member of the Santa Barbara Printmakers and California Society of Printmakers.

Gabriel Islas

Kathleen Jones

Biography

The responses to Kathy’s art are often “unique.” For Kathy, the essence of art is reflected in the lifestyle it promotes—a call to live freely, to find beauty in the unexpected, promote environmental sustainability and to celebrate the creative spirit inherent in everyday life, world wide.

New to the competitive arena of art exhibitions, Kathy has found inspiration in the challenges and themes presented by art calls. Her foray into the Borrego Art Institute has been particularly rewarding, where she recently sold two weavings, marking her first commercial success. In 2024, she entered an art call for the JTGOCA ART EXPO in Joshua Tree, Ca. Her weaving “Timeless Sands – Mirage of Gold was chosen for the Expo. Her membership with the Borrego Art Institute and the Studio Channel Islands Art Center in Camarillo, CA, stands as a testament to her growing desire to be part of the local art world.

Kathy Jones represents an artist who thrives on passion rather than accolades and living a meaningful life while allowing her art to serve as a testament to her values and beliefs. Art, she believes, holds a pivotal role in society, serving as both a reflection and an instigator of change, joy, and connection. As she continues on her artistic path, her goal remains refreshingly simple: to create, to enjoy, and to share her art with the world, hoping it brings as much happiness to others as it does to her.

Pamela Price Klebaum

Elana Kundell

Linda Legman

Biography

I have been an Artist in Residence at Studio Channel Islands (SCIART) since 2019. My work has been shown in The Channel Islands Maritime Museum in the Oxnard Harbor, The Galleria, Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks, The Brand Library and Art Center in Pasadena, and in many juried shows at SCIART. See my website lindalegman.com for a more comprehensive biography.

Liz MacIntyre

Charles Magallanes

Biography

My name is Charles Magallanes. I am an abstract painter and seasoned artist with 25 years of experience in the art world. Specializing in abstract art, my vibrant and captivating paintings have graced numerous shows and exhibitions, where I have received many awards.

Using a unique blend of acrylics, collage, spray paint, and markers, I breathe life into the canvas, creating a symphony of colors and textures that speak to the soul.

I am based in Ventura County and maintain a studio at Studio Channel Islands Art Center, where I continue to push the boundaries of my creativity and hope to inspire others through my passion for art.

Robin McCarthy

Biography

For over 25 years, my career was dedicated to supporting charitable causes through fundraising—ranging from aiding children and the elderly to disaster relief and youth sports. This work provided me a deep understanding of life’s varying needs and the shifting nature of human experiences, much like the changing colors in nature.

A transformative shift occurred when a friend reintroduced me to fiber arts, sparking a profound passion for color and texture. As I walk my dog each morning, I am captivated by the myriad shades in my surroundings—from the glistening leaves and the rich tones of my Golden Retriever, Copper, to the vibrant hues of the ocean and the subtle palette of the changing seasons. This daily immersion in nature’s color palette ignites my desire to translate these experiences into my own art.

Over the past four years, I have immersed myself in fiber art, experimenting with color blending, design, and texture. My creative process involves meticulous color mixing and the incorporation of various adornments, driven more by visual harmony than by strict adherence to color theory. My Instagram feed showcases pieces inspired by natural elements, each photographed in outdoor settings to capture their essence against backdrops of trees, gardens, and beaches. Finally, I am excited to share that I have been accepted to La Maison de Beaumont, in Provence, France for an artist’s retreat.

Mary McGill

Biography

A native Californian, I invested my early years raising three children and earning an interior design degree. I began to develop my talent for ceramic art in 1997, while working in design. I learned to throw on a wheel while attending Moorpark College in California, and continue to refine and explore my style and skill with my primary focus on hand-building.

Bonnie Mills

Biography

As a “Military Brat” Bonnie Mills changed residences many times while growing up. Change became an important part of who she was and still is. After marrying a Navy Pilot, she continued to change addresses. An influential experience in Mills’ life was in Naples, Italy, the birthplace of her third daughter. There Mills studied art with Frank Agresti, an accomplished “Colorist.” She discovered a passion for color and various art-making mediums.

Upon returning to the United States from 3years living in Italy Mills continued pursuing an education in art. At Cerro Coso Community College she studied Art History with Dr. Donald Rosenberg, and sculpture with Paul Meyer, a Master Potter and Sculptor. Their influences helped shape the artist she grew into.

Finding her permanent home in Camarillo, California she received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California Southern California, majoring in Studio Arts. This major was a perfect fit as it allowed her to experiment and explore many art making mediums. A year later Mills pursued and received a Single Subject Teaching Credential from Azusa Pacific University. She captured a dream job teaching, Painting, Visual Arts, Advanced Placement Studio Art, and Advanced Placement Art History for many years at Adolfo Camarillo High School in Southern California. In 2017, she retired from teaching to pursue her art making. Now exhibiting art in several venues throughout Southern California.

“Where some people might see trash, I see an opportunity. Combining paint with other mediums and materials to achieve unusual effects with provocative results is more than a focus to me. I’m driven to find the edge when art making, I believe in taking risks and exercising brave creativity. I believe artists are historians and are compelled to tell the PAST AND PRESENT through Art Making.”

Aneta Minkel

Biography

Aneta Minkel was born and raised in Poland. She came to study in United States and has been living in Ventura County since 1991. Art is an expression of love for nature and travel for Aneta. The use of different colors fighting for attention is meant to invigorate and intrigue viewer just like nature does.

Margie Murray

Biography

Margie Murray is a painter and book author living in the Central Coast of California. She works in Oil,Watercolor and Pastel. Margie graduated from the University of Southern California. She is the author of several children’s and young adult books and loves helping writers of all ages on the path to improve their written skills and possibly get their work published. Her books are available on Amazon and at the Camarillo Bookworm. She gives private lessons in writing at her studio on the SCIART campus.

Krisztianna Ortiz

Biography

Krisztianna is an award winning multidisciplinary artist based in Southern California. Born to Hungarian refugee parents, she initially felt isolated within her cultural community but discovered a sense of belonging in Los Angeles’ diverse immigrant neighborhoods. With a degree in Illustration & Graphic Design from Otis College Of Art and Design, she spent 20 years in Entertainment Advertising, refining her skills in design, photography, painting, and visual storytelling. Transitioning from her successful advertising career, Krisztianna now focuses on caring for her family and expressing herself through art. Krisztianna draws from her diverse experiences to seamlessly integrate various artistic skills. From painting in acrylics and watercolor to sculpting with clay, porcelain, and resin, alongside digital media encompassing photography and illustration, she skillfully crafts pieces reflecting the depth and richness of her personal journey. Her creative exploration draws from diverse influences, encompassing myths, folk stories, and the intricate tapestry of human emotions. She seeks to unearth connections, traverse journeys, unravel love’s complexities, confront grief, and find solace through visual interpretations.

Deborah Paulsen

Biography

Deborah Paulsen is an artist who lives and works in Fillmore, California. She moved to Fillmore more than three years ago from Santa Clarita and is a professor of art at Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar. Originally from Spokane, Washington, Paulsen expresses her deep love of the natural world through her work. Her imagination and exploration of the molten medium of encaustic reflect the seascapes and landscapes of Southern California.

Layers of the encaustic medium are fused together with a torch so that the colors mix and marble on the panels to create fantastical effects. The methods used with the encaustic paint create spaces, colors, and textures that are luminescent and sensual as the paint is turned molten, layers are added and subtracted with carving tools, and patterns are revealed. Additional colors and textures are added with pigment sticks and experimental shellac methods.

Paulsen loves making encaustic paintings because they force her to live in the moment. The medium requires her full attention, as it is an alchemical and magical process that can be unpredictable.

Paulsen holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Claremont Graduate University and a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Eastern Washington University. She has since honed her skills in workshops and projects with other noted encaustic artists. She has exhibited her work in galleries and museums for over thirty years, including being included in the Institute of Cultural Inquiry Archives at the Getty Research Institute.

Susan Petty

Jordan Poe

Biography

I specialize in conceptual and liminal space photography. I utilize the latest infrared camera available in my work to create the desired visual effect. I offer my photographs on either stretched canvas or high gloss aluminum. Both mediums use archival pigments and are built with museum quality construction.

Peggy Pownall

Biography

Peggy Pownall is a mixed media painter, living and working in Southern California. An Artist-in-Residence at Studio Channel Islands since 2008, and a longtime member of the Los Angeles Art Association, she has exhibited her work across the region. Interested in a visual expression of themes such as identity, longings, memories, and healing, her work has a strong underlying personal narrative.

Bob Privitt

Bonnie Raphael

Biography

Bonnie Raphael is an artist, writer, and teacher. Art has always been her passion.She holds a Master’s degree in Studio Art from Cal State Northridge and Bachelor’s from Immaculate Heart College. Her poetry can be found published in The Amethyst Review. Anthologies include ArtBash 2024, Method Writer’s Speak II,III, IV, and soon to be released, V. Her paintings and drawings reflect her lifetime of Buddhist practice, study of ancient and native cultures, as well as travel throughout Japan and Europe. Her work is held in private various collections.

Pat Richards Dodds

Michael Rohde

Melanie Roschko

Statement

My work is based on the study of forms, shapes and lines in a spatial atmosphere that I intuitively express as colorful abstract paintings or prints. The lines allow me to explore spaces as they dance and spin and the colors and textures create depths to examine. My work is lyrical and elusive, inviting the viewer to delve into my inner world.

Painting is a means to create whatever comes to me. It is a creative process that becomes a conversation with myself. The paintings sometimes resolve immediately and other times with a struggle. However the process unfolds, hopefully it will be honest and valid as art is open to interpretation it should speak on it’s own.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I was a student of Fine Arts at UCLA and also studied Landscape Architecture. I worked for landscape architecture firms in Los Angeles and owned a landscape design and construction company in Aspen, Colorado. I am a retired PSIA certified ski pro. Having taught skiing in Aspen for twenty years, I loved stopping with a client to observe “Kodak” moments. These views are an important part of my memories.

I joined Studio Channel Islands as an Artist In Residence in 2013. Having my own space, a fabulous studio mate and so many experienced and professional artists in close proximity has been a rewarding experience. My creative mind has been continually challenged and my work has grown because of it. I can’t imagine not being a part of this community.

Bonnie Taylor

Connie Tunick

Biography

A professional artist for many years, Connie Tunick grew up in Rock Island, Illinois. She is a Northwestern University graduate and children’s art specialist, with a teaching credential and M.A. in education from California Lutheran University (CLU). The experimental quality and artistic sense of play found in children’s art is integral to her current work as an artist. Connie’s mixed-media monotypes combine the ancient art of printmaking with cutting-edge technology. Her art has evolved from working primarily in watercolor on paper to paintings using any and all media. Her mixed media paintings have many layers, both literally and conceptually.

Connie and husband Arvin moved to California to begin his UCLA medical internship. Thousand Oaks has been home since 1971 and it’s where their two children grew up. 

“When painting in my industrial studio I am doing what I love. But my greatest creativity is not confined just to making art; art encompasses the best parts of my life….my family, dogs, home, and garden.”

In the art community, Connie has been involved with all aspects.

• Thousand Oaks Art Association, serving on the board and being the president.
• Director (1985-1988), The After School Cultural Enrichment Program, a cooperative program of the Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD), the Arts Council (ACCV) and the Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD).
• Seeking space for local artists to exhibit, she became a Charter Board Member of the Thousand Oaks Community Gallery.
• Currently, she serves on ACCV’s Board of Directors, and was Co-Curator of the Galleria at Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks.
• Women Painters West member, a juried art organization

Worldwide, her art has netted numerous awards and is found in private and corporate collections. Among corporate commissions are: The Marriott Marquis Hotel (New York City), Princess Cruise Lines, and Crown Plaza Hotel (White Plains, New York).

Showing in galleries and participating in juried shows make for a busy and creative life. “If I hadn’t started doing what comes from my heart, I wouldn’t be doing anything.  It’s a creative journey. I don’t know where I am going, but I seem to find my way.”

Carol Venuti-Morganstern

Kenneth Vinther

Biography

Born in a small town in Denmark, Kenneth Vinther has called California home for over 25 years. His artistic journey began as a teenager, painting alongside his father, a landscape artist, which ignited a lifelong passion for creative expression.

With a professional career working with horses, Kenneth’s art is deeply connected to these animals and the natural world. His paintings and sculptures reflect movement, energy, and emotion, often exploring the subconscious through bold colors, layered textures, and dynamic brushstrokes.

A pivotal moment in his artistic evolution came after a life-altering heart surgery, which led him to reconnect with painting as a form of healing and self-discovery. Shortly after, he had a chance encounter with renowned art collector and curator Stefan Simchowitz at a horse show. Simchowitz acquired one of Kenneth’s paintings and encouraged him to pursue his art more seriously—an affirmation that gave Kenneth the confidence to fully embrace his identity as an artist.

Recently, Kenneth has expanded his practice to include sculpture and welding, using steel to create bold, three-dimensional works that further explore movement and form. His work has been exhibited at various art fairs in California, including the Superfine Art Fair in Los Angeles (2023), as well as in his solo exhibition, “Mirror” (2024) in Thousand Oaks, California.

Kenneth’s work invites viewers into a world where raw emotion meets creative spontaneity. Through his paintings and sculptures, he shares glimpses of his inner world, allowing each observer to find their own connections and interpretations within his art.

Marion Wood

Yasemin Zografos

Biography

I’m an Artist in Thousand Oaks, California. I love all things Printmaking, Letterpress, and Bookbinding. I find inspiration in the natural world.