The Planet of Joy

Hello, I'm Joyce Aaron, a Modern Artist living in Southern California. I enjoy the Acrylic Medium in designing my Paintings. Love Designing Modern Buildings, People, Colorful and Whimsical Birds and much more. I also like to incorporate Fantasy Trees and other Interesting Objects that bring Warmth and Joy to Owners and Viewers of my Modern Fantasy Art. Thank you for visiting my Art Corner here on the Lark Gallery!

Joyce Aaron is a Visual Modern Artist that studied her craft for over fifteen years under one great. Tai Artist. Her intricate usage of paint and blending techniques create warmth and lovely highlights in her special Fantasy and Whimsical Designs. Joyce's goal has always been, to connect, sweeten and brighten ones inner soul! Her Cheerful and Deliberate strokes of Lovely Contrasting Hues, could be considered her Signature.

My work is politically based and emerges from a place of inspiration and social concerns. I must be inspired by the subject I am compelled to recreate upon canvas. It may be the stance of the person; the color of their skin; the shape of their body or what they are wearing. The best portraits are when the soul of that person emerges from behind his eyes. Even when I paint a tree or a rock, I become one with the object. Whatever it is, when I paint, I become excited, sometimes frustrated and finally satisfied as I see what I have created with the help of my ancestors, long deceased. I believe being an artist involves a social responsibility to incite change, and transform consciousness. It also to bring peace to a troubled soul. I believe if I had started oil painting at 13 instead of 63, I would have been a fashion designer. I love the lines that form the shape of the human body, and the texture of cloth and it's movement upon that body like a human tree fascinates me. When I was young, there were not many images of young, defiant, black women like the ones were described in the poetry of Maya Angelou such as "I'll Rise"...she writes, Does mu haughtiness offend you? .... .You may shoot me with your word, you may cut me with your eyes,, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise. Does my Sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise that I danced like I've got diamonds at the meeting of my things." I love my work to be powerful!

I was born in N. Little Rock, Ark in 1938. When I was six years old I moved to New Brunswick, N.J., home of Rutgers University, so college has always been in my blood, but I would not get my degree from Otis College of Art and Design in 2007 until I was 69 years old. I began oil painting when I was about 63 at the El Camino Jr. College. Today I still take classes there. I went started College when I was 19 and but after a few sessions my disease took control of my life. I moved to Los Angeles in 1961, married, lost babies at birth and most of my life was darkness until Jan 4, 1971 when I stopped drinking. I worked as a secretary, and a Medical transcriber in the day time and took every course I loved until even today. When I started oil painting at age 63, I finally matriculated. I applied to Otis College of Art and Design and graduated on the Dean's list in 2007. The great African American artist of LA took me under their wings and invited me join them in many of their exhibits. I have been extremely blessed to know these gifted life-time artist. I am the new kid on the block. I have been in the CA African Art Museum and with many other groups that are well know with great professional artist. I am grateful for their friendship and knowledge. I have been in the exhibit Day of the Dead in Los Angeles and many exhibits.

I am a passionate abstract fluid art artist. My main medium is acrylic. Optionally finishing my paintings with varnish or resin. I like combining multiple techniques to receive the desired results. I also use the acrylic paint, mica powder and alcohol ink directly to resin creating an abstract ocean wave paintings.

My art can be viewed on my Instagram @jannapassionart or on my Facebook Janna Passion Art

Born in the vibrant architectural capital of Tbilisi, Georgia, Janna Arutyunyan inherited a passion for art and expressed herself through creative outlets such as painting, caricature, poetry, writing for her school paper, and fashion design at the Tbilisi Fashion Academy. This fueled her entrepreneurial spirit in starting her business as a fashion designer in Georgia in the 80’s. In 1991, Janna immigrated to the US in pursuit of the “America Dream” continuing her studies in Management as a single parent of 3 young children. Although, Janna calls Los Angeles her new home, with her passion for travel and adventure, Janna developed a greater appreciation for cultural enrichment.

In 2018, a dear friend Artist Liana Voskanyan @colorfulinceptions invited Janna to an art showcase featuring acrylic fluid paintings and at 55 years young, a new passion for mixed media emerged. Janna immediately began researching and education herself in this field and soon after, took steps to develop her own style of three-dimensional floral paintings and birthed what is now “Janna Passion Art.” In the past 2 years, Janna has challenged herself in mastering new techniques such as “blooming effect” and has pursued studies under the tutelage of Australian artist Shelee Carruthurs. Applying her newfound knowledge, Janna finds innovative methods to paint without brushes, including the utilization of household items such as craft sticks, pins, toothpicks, straws, yarn, water bottles and paper towels. Best known for her “Iris Garden” series which was highlighted in her solo exhibit, Janna is dedicated to transforming her serendipitous art therapy hobby into a lifelong passion.

In the past two years, Janna’s artwork has been accepted into several festivals including the Catalina Festival of Art, Calabasas Fine Arts Festival, and Laguna Art-A-Fair. Janna continues participating in Art Walks throughout Southern California. Recently her work was featured at the Art by Inna Gallery, Virtual Lark Gallery, Mar Vista Music & Art Walk, exhibited at the Stay Gallery in Downy, and currently on display at the Catalina Art Gallery in Avalon, CA. In Addition to her fervor for art, Janna also believes in giving back to the community and has donated artwork to multiple silent auctions with proceeds going to the LACPH Student Scholarship and the Catalina Art Association, a non-profit organization raising art scholarship funds for children.

Welcome to the world of Janna Passion Art!

Uma Aslam has now been painting for over 25 years and is self-taught, originally from Manchester, United Kingdom. Exhibiting both here and Internationally as well as receiving numerous accolades for her works.

Uma Aslam draws much of her inspiration from her personal spiritual experiences and her connection to nature. Her paintings have a sense of wonder and intrigue that not only captivates the audience but engages them into delving deeper into mind and spirit sometimes even awakening subconscious memories of who we really are, of what we have long forgotten as our true inherent nature, which is the Divine spark that exists within each and every one of us.

Sometimes she will tell a story in her paintings, and at other times she will paint what she receives and experiences through dream states, meditations, and visions in the way of forms, symbology, and color.

I love color and how it works to produce the lovely depths in flowers.

I wanted to paint long before I did. Finally at 30 and my little ones were in school I began fooling around with some pastels we had at home. From there, gifts of art lessons, workshops with Zolton Szabo, Leslie deMill and others, I improved to come up with my own style. I gave my painting allot of mileage and over the years have changed my style quite abit. I paint in oils, mostly florals but occasionally a landscape or old buildings.

I have a degree in psychology,am a charter member of an artists cooperative with a working gallery. I've taught in my own studio and at 2 colleges. I've been president in several art leagues and done numerous workshops myself.

My journey as an artist began over 30 years ago painting colorful semi-abstract Southwest landscapes in oils and watercolor.

Captured by collage and mixed media, the direction of my work has changed dramatically over the years. And, although I still paint, my "paint brush" is now often through the lens of a camera or iPhone. My photo collages allow me to meld together captured images of light and shadows, architectural elements and the mood inducing landscapes of L.A. and DTLA. Day or night, freeway blurs, building facades, distorted landscapes, graffiti, billboards, glitches, store windows, reflections are translated into seductive, colorful virtual reality-scapes.

Susanne Belcher, a native Californian, and award winning mixed media semi-abstract artist, began incorporating photography into her paintings and collages several years ago. Her experimentation with transparency film, scanning images, layering, overlaying and collaging these elements into her creations extended her visual language. Her images, always compelling, whether minimal or complex, retain a consistent emotional narrative component that is unique, sophisticated and often surreal and mysterious. Her innate ability to distill images through layers of reduction and compilation in mixed media provided a natural transition to digital photography.

She has exhibited in Germany and galleries throughout So. California in both solo and group exhibitions since 1991. The recipient of numerous awards, her work is held in private and corporate collections in the U.S. and Europe. She was a founding partner and represented artist of the former Abbot Kinney Art Gallery (Venice, CA), is currently represented by Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts Gallery (DTLA). She is an active member of Women Painters West, Thousand Oaks Art Association, California Art League and currently sits on the Board of Collage Artists of America and The Fine Arts Club of Pasadena. She is also co-author of an art/nature essay book “Looking for 527” about the journeys of a Yellowstone Wolf killed in 2009 during the first Montana wolf hunt (available on Amazon.com)

Both my work are especially driven by a need for texture, and feature a level of impasto that indicates a sculptural value. I work with paint, canvas, papier mache, wood and other media to create pieces that do not subsume the materials within the content, but instead make the materials I am using part of the subject matter. Whether abstract or figurative, my work will often integrate tactility into a design or pattern, but it is not the product of a conscious or intellectual plan. No one said this better than the art critic Tony Cavanaugh, who wrote that I create "with an intuitive feeling, as though the imagery springs directly from the artist's unconscious in the manner of automatic writing." Another way of saying this is that my work comes from a part of my psyche that is hidden from me. Or more recently this is a side of myself I find when it is as if I have entered a magical forest, or a magical forest that is always waiting for me; a forest that as Baudelaire says, is filled with things that “look at me with familiar eyes.”

Influence/affinities: Leonora Carrington, Judy Scott, Yayoi Kusama

Meg Boe Birns is an artist, poet, and literary critic living and working in the East Village. She has studied privately with Lenora Shargo of the Maryland Institute of Art, Henry Pearson of The New School and Pennsylvania Academy of Art, and has also been a student in a number of art classes at The New School. She has exhibited her work in a variety of venues in and around New York City, including the Small Works at the Washington Square East Gallery, the TNC Gallery, the Ridge Street Gallery, the Lynn Prince Gallery, and the Art for Healing Gallery. Her drawings have been published in the Art Times, Collages and Bricolages, The Creative Woman and on the cover of the premiere issue of I, The First Person. She has been given awards by the Rockland Center for the Arts and the National Art League.

I experience much joy expressing my ideas and passions through my art. I am always surprised at the result as I am working spontaneously, focusing on the process as opposed to working for a particular outcome. In my recent work, I am enjoying the playfulness I experience when making my whimsical animal watercolors and my mixed media/collages.

I have evolved through the years and expressed my creativity in different styles--drawing and painting the figure, making expressionist paintings of jazz musicians and singers, making mixed media pieces and whimsical watercolors. I have also acted in the theater, performed stand-up comedy and wrote and illustrated a book of poetry for children. This varied background in the arts has directed and informed my visual art which is my basic focus and love.

Marlaya Charleston has been drawing and painting since the age of twelve. She began her formal training at the age of sixteen at The Art Students League in New York City. Growing up there, she had the privilege, at a young age, to visit The Modern Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Guggenheim Museum where she was moved and inspired. She continued her studies in New York at Parsons School of Design, Cooper Union and eventually earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from The School of Visual Arts.

Her influences are African Art, the German Expressionists, Picasso and Matisse.

Marlaya continued her artistic exploration making compositions combining realistic images with abstract shape, texture and color. As of late, she is enjoying making whimsical watercolors mostly depicting animals and the human figure.

Her works have been exhibited throughout the Los Angeles area and are collected internationally.

Highly influenced by artists like Hopper, Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Diebenkorn, I paints multicultural urban Los Angeles with all its contradictions and poetry.

I am trying to blend my classical European artistic background with contemporary conceptual approach. In the LA urban environment I am looking for and finding manifestations of eternal human values, such as love, faith, longing, and the strife for a better life. I try to see real people and their life through the facades of the buildings depicted with much love and connection.

Born in Moscow , Russia /f. USSR/

Moscow's Art School at Kropotkin St.

MA graphic design from Stroganovskaya School of Art and Design, Moscow.

Graphic Design Workshop Artist Union USSR

Group Show at Bienalle/ Chekhoslovakia, Praga

1989- Came to USA, Los Angeles

1990-2009 Decorative painted furniture and murals

2008-1st Solo show TALK TO ME LA1 Modern Art Gallery

2010-2nd Solo show TALK TO ME LA 2 at Modern Art gallery

2012 Group show at Santa Monica Art Studios

2013 Group show "Seen and Unseen"Downtown LA

Phantom Gallery

curator and artist

2013 Group show "Oneness"Phantom Gallery

2015 Group show at Civitella d'Agliano

2015 Group show at Nuremberg ,Germany

2016 Solo show at Lark Gallery Hawthorne

and curator for CALIFORNIA show

the language of life.

The type of Art that I do is beyond the spoken words.

When it emerges spontaneously because of the process, I accept it with gratitude.

Jenik

No question but the painting of Jenik Cook - and hardly less the work she realizes in other media (most notably ceramics) -is abstract-expressionist. But it is not necessarily Abstract Expressionist. That is, however much it may evince the DNA of mid-century American "action painting," or even European counterparts such as tachism, l'art informel, or CoBrA, Cook's art only incidentally revives the method, much less the look, of these bumptious, scrappy art movements. Rather, to power her vision, she goes back to the roots of gestural modernism, finding dancing line, elastic contour, and fervid color in surrealism, in fauvism, in expressionism itself. The painting of Pollock and Kline, and of Fautrier and Jorn, gives Cook permission to work unfettered like this, and gives us the context to comprehend fully - even to empathize kinesthetically with - what she does. But she is not emulating, much less imitating, Afro or James Brooks in her graceful, muscular paintings on paper or rehashing Sam Francis or André Lanskoy with the rhythmic clots and scatterings of pigment that collect on her canvases (well, on a wide variety of more-or-less canvas-like support material). Look instead to Miro, Masson, Marc, or Münter, Pechstein or Picasso, Marcks or Matisse, for Cook's sources.

Indeed, look into Cook's own cultural heritage. The line that whips and loops throughout Cook's oeuvre, whether hurling forms across canvas expanses or tracing them on the sides of pots, whether describing slashing trails of pure pigment or the sinuous contours of human bodies, is no more a painted line than it is a written one. It is made less with the whole body - although one can sense a change of stance, a hip motion, in so many of these dancing whiplashes - than with the whole arm. These gestures issue from the wrist and the shoulder. They are in fact as much inscribed as painted. Their energy is not just telegraphic; it is calligraphic. If the vivacity of the image bespeaks Cook's Armenian blood, the rhapsodic curvaceousness of her line betrays her Iranian childhood. As comfortable speaking and writing Farsi as she is Armenian, Cook marries her disparate cultural sources -which of course now include the western European and American influences of her adult life - into an aesthetically cohesive mix with a surprisingly broad formal reach.

Perhaps the breadth of that reach, given the variety of sources, isn't actually so surprising. But it is always a bit startling to witness - that is, to be allowed to witness - an artist master such a conceptual and expressive range. Most artists have this range in them, but so many suppress it. For her part, however, Cook refuses to suppress her stylistic multivalency. Not only does she not limit her vision, but she uses that vision very consciously to drive her artmaking in as many ways as it needs to go. She may edit, but she does not self-censure. Her style, ultimately as coherent and personal as a signature, emerges from and among her plethora of approaches, approaches which themselves spring from her persistence, her prolific output, her knowledge of art, and her irrepressible verve. Jenik Cook's art springs forth -in several directions at once.

Peter Frank Los Angeles January 2010

Her way of painting has developed unhindered over the past 20 years and is attributed to Neo-Expressionism due to its intense Color palette and the figurative painting. Man and nature are her main topics. Especially the respectful representation of women in all their emotional and visual facets is the central theme of my work. Her pictures are colorful snapshots between dream and reality. Often mysterious and fairytale and want to find the way to the heart of the observer. As a typical feature of my pictures, a paradisiacal subject has established itself. Plants and animals have moved from the original decorative element in the foreground. Human and nature. Communication at all levels with the originality of creation.

Born in Lienz, East Tyrol. Graduation at the Commercial Academy. Then Aupair in London and Rome. The dream of studying art at the Mozarteum Salzburg did not come true. Entrance examination failed.Two years of studies History and German at the University of Salzburg. Change to a banking institution in Salzburg. 1994 return to Lienz. Employee of the Tourism Board and later on in the family business.

From 1997 seminars in coloring, drawing, composition and nude painting. Raddle, charcoal and pastel chalk on paper and primed wooden boards were the working materials in the nineties. First exhibition 1999. Since 2000 acrylic painting on canvas. Many individual exhibitions, numerous participations in projects, national and international group exhibitions in galleries and art fairs in Austria, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA and Brazil.

You can find her pictures in renowned national and international art books, art magazines and online galleries all over the globe and private collections in Austria and abroad. Many International Awards. 2017 Finalist at the Global Art Award with the picture * PARADISE MADONNA *. (Top 20 in category painting)

For me, making art is a spiritual act.

About the Artist

For Jacob Ebriani, making art is a spiritual act, an intimate conversation between a man

and his God. Jacobʼs paintings are meditations that explore elemental themes underlying

the material world. Sur-naturalism, his signature technique, transcends surrealism with

dreamlike insights into fundamental workings of nature and the human spirit.

Jacob grew up in Tehran surrounded by the sounds of Sufi poetry and mūsīqī-e sonnatī

— Persian classical music. Selected as an artistʼs assistant when he was just ten years

old, Jacob began to transpose that aural tradition into a visual context. While his

instrument is a brush, his canvases have the narrative quality of songs, or poems. But it

was Sufi mysticism, the intoxicating dance with the divine that guided poets like Rumi

and Hafez, that fundamentally shaped his work. “The mystical side of the mind is very

close to music,” says Jacob, “to a beautiful painting.”

Pursuing deeper truths, Jacob strove to paint directly from the soul.“When you come to

realize what is real is beyond the physical, mystical experience becomes so important.

Itʼs part of life — like food. If you donʼt have it every day, something is missing.” He

developed his sur-natural approach in order to disconnect himself from physical, relative

concerns and work in an almost dreamlike state, accessing deeper levels of awareness.

Rather than rendering subjects literally, Jacob acts as a translator, distilling spiritual

themes to their essential forms through the use of mystical image

I choose bright colors because that’s what we need in the world right now.

“By painting, I chose first to brighten my own life so I could then brighten the lives of others.”

To experience an ELBE painting is to live a moment of the artist’s exhuberant life.

The artist is Elena Berman. She signs her work ELBE.

Elena is energetic, exciting, complex–an introspective extrovert, you might say.

However, one word mostly defines Elena: passionate. Mostly happy, incredibly upbeat. Sometimes angry. Occasionally relaxed. (Afterall, the artist is human.)

But Elena is passionate–always passionate–in her life and in her art.

She is also genuine, perhaps the most powerful force in her art, as her paintings express exactly what she is feeling at any given moment.

When you glance at a painting signed ELBE you cannot look away. Drawn to the powerful strokes and colorful character, you feel the raw emotion of the artist.

Rooms come alive with the expressive colors and explosive strokes of an ELBE original or print.

My work explores the relationship between Harmony and Nature best represented in my ceramic work.

Was born in the city of Sochi, Russia. She studied at Grekov Art School located in Rostov-on-Don, Russia and was named Student of the Year. From 1975-1995, she worked as an artist in one of the biggest art companies in the Soviet Union where she participated in many art exhibitions and had her work win constant recognition in multiple countries such as Russia, Armenia and Ukraine. In 1996, she immigrated to the U.S where she continued her art career, creating beautiful and unique paintings. For the last 3 years, she has dived into the art form of sculpting, creating many different ceramic sculptures that represents her vision of Harmony and Nature.

If you have any queries about my work

please call (323) 979-8968.

I embarked on my journey as an artist just a few years ago, initially experimenting with colored pencil sketches. As my artistic exploration evolved, I delved into the realm of digital manipulation, utilizing graphic software to transform my creations in diverse ways. However, it was my collaboration with AI that truly ignited a new chapter in my artistic development. Working alongside artificial intelligence infused my creative process with fresh inspiration and boundless possibilities. With each artwork, I strive to evoke emotion and resonance, hoping that my pieces will resonate with your hearts and find their rightful place in your lives.

Was born in Moscow, have been living in Los Angeles since 1992.

Nature’s infinite pallet of color and diversity awaken our hearts and mind.

*** The Law of the Universe:

No matter how dark the night gets, the sun will rise. It always does.

*** Innocent and beautiful colors of sun are ready to dance with you at winter solstice, awaken your heart and mind.

*** Sun’s rays are inviting you to the new year journey! Be ready to fly!

** Galina Kovshilovsky’s paintings derive from her Russian origins. One feels the breath and wildness of a massive country and yet the simple handy work of it dedicated population. Galina’s paintings capture the sprawling epic about the erosion of tradition with visually striking exploration of color in its infinite variety and vitality. Her painting, be they large or small, capture the imagination with visually stunning Swirls and movement of the eye, emotion and the imagination. We are left breathless with the fascinating lovingly layered colors where the rules of organized thought clash and intersect with rituals and beliefs. We are moved. We are coaxed. We are seeing and drawn into a study of inclusiveness always before us.

Her color is gorgeous and she paints energy.

Dr. Marion Somers.

My photographic collages are layers of my reflections and observations, being personal, political or historical.

Like our life experiences, these thoughts accumulate on top of each other, to create my feelings and emotions that get expressed in the artwork.

The layering process coincides with the synthesis of creating visual pieces that invites one to investigate and explore the given information.

Like in previous works of mine, made on glass, the technique and the transparencies in my photographic digital collages are an important part of the art, they emphasis the build-up process and the blending which creates the images.

Vered Galor has been involved with the fine art world as an artist, curator and educator for over thirty years. She received her BA and MA in Fine Art from California State University in Northridge in 1975 and 1978.

Mrs. Galor started her career as glass sculptor. In 1981 she established a business doing curatorial projects and consulting in Contemporary Fine Art.

She lectured, participated in discussions and wrote art programs to encourage the collaboration of Art and Architecture.

Since 1989 Mrs. Galor has been concentrating on photography. She has been creating here own work, teaching photography and showing with galleries in Los Angeles California, Fort Collins and Loveland, Colorado and Las Vegas Nevada.

I have always enjoyed the creative process. In addition to being a means of expression and a source of great enjoyment, art is a means of healing ourselves and facilitating the healing in others. I have worked in a variety of media, including printmaking, pen and ink, colored pencils and markers, watercolors, acrylics and oils. My favorite themes include Judaica, landscapes, leaves and doves. I also enjoy exploring the abstract.

Debora Gillman has studied art at UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, Otis and Los Angeles City College.

Exhibits include a group show in the Adult Education Division of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; individual and group shows at Park La Brea, including their annual “Art in the Park” events,where she has contributed a variety of award winning banner art and Tower Art designs. Other venues include The American Museum of Science & Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; the Don O'Melveny Gallery, Los Angeles and The JAN Gallery, Los Angeles. Her work is also part of the permanent collection at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles.

Debora has taught workshops for children and adults at Park La Brea and the Craft and Folk Art Museum. She has also coordinated and help put on numerous local community events. “Debi Doodles” is her popular coloring book creation for kids for the holidays as well as other themes. Debora has written and illustrated three books for young readers: THE PAINTER'S DREAM; DRAWING FROM THE MASTERS; and AN UN-BEAR-ABE SITUATION: BEARS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. She co-wrote and co-illustrated the third book with her mother, Miriam Gillman, who is also an artist/writer. Debora thanks her mother for "sharing her creative gene with her." All books can be seen at www.Xlibris.com and at www.barnesandnoble.com. More information is available on her website at www.DebiDoodlesART.com.

"My art allows me to see the beauty – the color and design – in ordinary everyday objects, in buildings, in clothing, in nature.

We are all surrounded by beauty. All we need to do is stop, look and take it all in."

Georganne Aldrich Heller, daughter of the famous fashion designer and art collector Larry Aldrich and a successful designer is an artist in her own right. She makes collages building on the vision that drove her long career as a theatrical producer in New York. Each collage and boxed construction represents a setting of evolving mysteries, opening the way to surreal dramas inviting viewers to enter the world of her dreams, yet unruled by any sort of literary content. Instead, Heller favors a lucid, iconic approach where the “thingness” of shapes and substances is allowed its own expression, her visual reasoning riding on the dynamic that powered western art through a half century of experiment, from cubism to De Stijl.

Being an artist is pouring one’s soul onto the canvas, carving it into a stone or molding it into clay. It is being able to free the mind to create beauty, to create mysteries and, to create long-lasting emotion and passion for the viewer.

My paintings are created through combining acrylic, fabric dyes and oil on canvas. Using layers of one or all mediums, I create texture and depth within the space. This results in fluidity and translucency on the surface, complemented by organic lines to create movement and form.

I am inspired by nature, where I am pulled into experiencing every curve, movement, texture, and fragrance by being present in any given moment. I paint intuitively, capturing the essence of light and positive energy of my experiences. In the process, I explore unlimited options that present themselves and a variety of elements from nature become prominent in my work. I do not paint the actual objects but my experience of the space and the undercurrent and core of what seems to be visible.

I create from the heart. Through my art I intent to touch the hearts and souls of my viewers, to bring them joy, lift their spirit and transcend the moment to one beyond this world.

Aazam Irilian was born in Iran and has resided in Southern California since 1977. Her extensive experience in a broad range of mediums is led by her passion for painting and sculpture. Aazam received her Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Art Education from California State University, Northridge. She has been a working artist and art educator for over 20 years—sharing her passion with students of all ages. Aazam has shown in galleries throughout the Southern California as well as Oregon and her works are in various private collections around the world. She is a member of Southern California Women’s Caucus for Art, Women Painters West, LAAA and Fusionart International.

The intimate experience of making art allows Shalla to express her ideas, thoughts and feelings. Satisfaction comes in knowing when a piece is finished. Joy comes in that special moment when someone connects with a painting and wants it to become part of his or her life.

Shalla Javid is a professional artist accustomed to living life without borders. This has helped her move beyond the self-imposed confines of medium and subject into an exploratory realm of endless possibilities

Ms. Javid is Persian born, but the inspiration to become an artist came during a family trip to Paris when she was eight years old. After years of painting, she has learned to evoke emotion from her work. She creates abstracts, with a lot of surface quality and vibrant colors. Shalla's work is filled with motion and excitement.

I have often held to a truth that “I would have become an artist, if I could draw,…” and have reconciled myself to the compensatory notions that everything we do is art if we infuse with our notion of truth, some grace from above, and, of course, love. I have always believed in the dignity of work in all the manner in which work is done, street sweepers, dishwashers, nurses, or mediators. Meanwhile I have written miles of journals, stories, plays, poetry, and all manner of lists.

When, in and after 2005, I was fighting for my life against invasive ductal carcinoma, living in that chemo-induced “limbo land” between life and death, my perennially-favorite thing, “the word,” failed me and I found myself in collage, trying to express this experience and to find some strength and hope. In collage, the images, their interrelationships, and their message, cobbled from pieces of past lives and experience, cohere into their own form of combination in which secrets are both kept and revealed.

Klibanow was born and raised in New Rochelle, New York in 1950. In 1972 she received her degree cum laude from Harvard College (Radcliffe) in Russian history and literature and in 1975 her law degree from Yale Law School. She relocated to Southern California in 1976 where she has been practicing labor and employment law ever since, sequentially on the employer side, then the plaintiff/employee side, and for the past 20 or so years as an arbitrator and also mediator of such disputes.

Klibanow attributes her mediation skills in part to her “mixed” heritage, a “mischling” in German in reference to child of a non-Jewish mother (Scottish Presbyterian) and a Jewish father, also her “position” as the “middle” sister. Klibanow was raised without religion and it was not until 1976 when walking on the SoCal beach and joining hands in prayer with two proselytizing teenage girls that she accepted Christ, recognized him as the beloved fictional Aslan of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia Chronicles and was baptized at the old Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul (no longer there), the Episcopal Church having just “broken” with the Anglican faith by endorsing the admission of women into the priesthood.

In October 1985 Klibanow’s dreams of motherhood came true with the birth of her daughter Natalie Jean who grew into an accomplished equestrienne as well as artist, having studied at Otis where she met her husband Andy Woll, a painter of some repute. Natalie’s half-sister Shayna studied at Otis as well and is married to Evan Drane who is working on his first HBO project.

Once both girls were grown, Klibanow cashed in a life insurance policy to attend the Tufts Fletcher School's "GMAP" program (2013-2015), gaining a masters degree in international affairs and a more informed understanding of so many things afflicting today's world, in particular, globalization menaces to living standards and our mother Earth, as well as the absence of true leadership.

Klibanow shortly will publish a collection of children's stories written in 2002, with illustrations by her daughter Natalie. In addition to conduct of "remote" hearings and mediations, Klibanow is now aspiring to her 7th grade goal of writing a novel which, as the novels of Alexander Solzhenitsyn (In The First Circle and Cancer Ward), while garnered in a tragicomic reality, yet convey an attainable optimism via lives lived true to each individual's God-given design.

In as many rare moments as possible, Linda nurtures her several gardens, whistles and dances with her parakeets, and adores her "rescue" dogs, Sylvie Renee, a Brittany Spaniel, and Margot Lin, a predominantly German Short-Haired mix. She also is in extremely rudimentary stage of learning the concertina. Klibanow lives with her loving husband and partner in crime Ken Peveler.

The pandemic has afforded her the opportunity for near total immersion in the so-called "Swedish death cleaning" process, making room, finally, for activities of imagination and expression.

Taking "reduce and reuse" principle to the next level I build abstract 2d and 3d compositions with found objects from hi-tech world. Disassembled practical gadgets become pieces of the puzzle that join paint and clay in my artworks. The concept of my current series "Deconstructed" resonates well with "Evolve. Women. Wisdom." theme. It deals with the evolution of knowledge (computers, phones, robot gears, data, concrete) into wisdom (balance, minimalism, harmony, intuitive awareness, abstract).

Lina was born in Kiev, Ukraine, where she graduated from the School of Visual Arts. She has always strived to find balance between her passion for arts and interest in technology. In 2000 she obtained a

masters degree in computer science with a specialization in multimedia and creative technologies from USC, and now enjoys a successful career in software engineering. Lina has pursued her interest in visual art and has studied ceramics and sculpture in Los Angeles since 1996.

Linas clay and mixed media creations have been very well received in exhibitions at the Orlando Gallery, The Style Lounge, Pacific Design Center, VIVA Art Center, American Museum of Ceramic Art, Xiem Gallery, Red Dot Gallery in Palm Springs, Neutra Museum in Silver Lake. Her art is in private and corporate collections nationwide. Lina participates in the Annual California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art in Davis, California, and is a member of Los Angeles Experimental Artists group.

An international award-winning artist (Painting in Oil Pastel, Watercolor, Charcoal, Oil and Mixed Media, Drawing, Photography, and Illustration) Painting is my way of life. My art merges imagination and memory; places I visit and people I meet.

My art name is Lark - the bird that lingers between the earth and the sky. We artists do it at the moment of inspiration and meditation. That's how I create my art. I meditate and start with the spontaneous movements of my instruments; usually it is not a brush. A brush makes me think. My instruments are usually just pieces of cardboard. I also paint on any surface – canvas, board, plexiglass, glass, wood, etc – and I love to experiment and see what happens. My best creations take place in a state of no mind.

Although I begin the way abstract expressionists do and use some sumi-e techniques, eventually most of my creation starts shaping as abstract or impressionistic landscapes as ocean, sky, trees, flowers and mountain views start appearing from the formless. Nature is my source of inspiration, but instead of landscape details I channel nature's moods, the feeling of being one with nature, and swimming in its atmospheric light.

Light is what drives me to continue working. My mission is always to bring more light to people around me with my art, poetry and meditations. I know that viewers feel joy, peace and harmony when they look at my work, enter and settle inside it because it heals their emotional wounds and it makes me happy. Being an artist is an opportunity to express the fountain of my creative energy and at the same time serve people's needs in beauty that will heal the world.

When people perceive the light, the high and playful energy that my paintings emanate, they start feeling they are back in the fairy-tale world of their childhood, when their soul was open to transformations and miracles, and they feel like Alice in her enchanting wonderland.

From the beginning of her art career, Lark’s art caught the attention of art lovers and gained recognition from art jurors including LA Weekly critic Peter Frank, Santa Monica Museum Art Director Lisa Melandri and MOCA curator Alma Ruiz.

Fusing classical and contemporary art traditions, Lark's award-winning artworks carry her signature gestural brushstrokes and vibrant color palettes. They have been featured in the many prestigious exhibitions, art catalogs and sold globally in France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Russia, Armenia, Canada, Sweden and many other countries. In 2021 - 2025 Lark's art was exhibited in the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Shiba City Museum of Art In Japan where Lark got two Gold Awards in the group shows.

Work got inspired by architectural elements of Gaudi and represents my brain a willing and then coming to the focus

Was born and got degree in psychology in Moscow, Russia. After life challenged her with benighted brain tumor and forced to stay out of work for some period of time, Yulana has started creating artwork

POWER, INTEGRITY, CREDIBILITY, SYSTEMIC STAYING POWER AND INVENTIVE IDEAS ARE ALL ESSENTIAL IN ACHIEVING THE JOURNEY FOR A FULL MENU OF HUMAN RIGHTS. I AM A STORY TELLER WITH A STRONG LOVE FOR HISTORY AND ART HISTORY.

Birthplace South Bend, IN

Birth year 1954

Lives in San Francisco Bay Area

Works in Bay Area

Schools University of Notre Dame, 1972, College Prep. - High Sch. Sat. & Summers

John Herron School of Art - Indpls, IN, 1977, BFA

San Francisco Art Institute, 1979, MFA

"Collage mirrors life - layer, layer, layer… peel some back and layer some more. Every day is fresh, always something new to nudge it forward. What feels right one day might get covered up the next. That’s cool, stay in the flow, free the mind and trust! There are no mistakes so just keep tearing and layering. Don’t look back or try to repeat - allow the newness - allow it to show me what it wants to be - allow for surprise and delight. Release attachment to what it is in any way or to details along the way. Never let anything become so precious that the good of the whole cannot be served. Just… allow! It’s got to feel good so, If that’s not happening take a break and go do something fun! Then, return with fresh eyes and ask, what’s next? Breathe, listen and be light. This is a dance, a partnership, co-creation at it’s best! In the end, it will all be perfectly imperfect. Life is like that. Suddenly - all those dazzling bits of pattern and color magically weave together, alchemizing brilliantly into something whole and new. My heart is full. There is a knowing. This is when it tells me it’s finally okay to fall in love and then… to step back and set it free.”

~Tanya Mikaela

Raised by creatives in a thriving artists community, Tanya Mikaela has been an artist since birth. She received a BFA from Parsons School of Design, is a member of Collage Artists of America, Los Angeles Experimental Artist Group and is an artist-in-residence at Ten Women Gallery in Santa Monica. Her work has been shown, honored, and collected coast to coast, and her collage of Obama was featured in the Manifest Hope show in D.C. (coordinated by Shepard Fairey) for the 2009 Inaugural events. It's now a part of the book, 'Art for Obama'. She is the recipient of numerous awards, and has been interviewed for various publications. Her greatest pleasure comes from combining reclaimed materials to express her spiritual visions through her artwork. In addition to being an artist, Tanya is a licensed Spiritual Practitioner, teacher and author.

Start painting at 55 years old. I studied in the studio with Olga Bazanova. I give drawings to friends and relatives. For me, drawing is a way to balance thoughts and emotions.

I was born on August 4, 1960 in Belarus in the city of Minsk. I graduated from the Belarusian Polytechnic University. Now I work in Moscow as Deputy General Director for Finance at a transport company. I live in the Moscow region. Divorced. Daughter Tatyana, 34 years old.

My artwork has always been an extension of my feelings opinions and emotions. I use my paintings as a tool to express my ideas and admiration of the world around me in a way that I wouldn't do verbally. I paint a lot of nature and urban landscapes and portraits because this is my way to express myself and stay connected to the beauty of this world.

Yelena Patskevich is a local Milwaukee artist, who specializes in pastel and water mixable oil paint. Yelena was born in Moscow and, by age 11, her talents were noticed by her art teacher, a professional artist.

Since there was no art school near Yelena's home, the teacher began to personally tutor her. During this time, Yelena applied her skills and imagination to create a variety of paintings, and developed a life-long love for art.

After college, Yelena worked as a chemist and had two children, putting her career as an artist on hold. However, she still drew and painted at home during the little free time she had. Yelena arrived in Milwaukee in 2000 and brought her works with her to hang on the walls of her small apartment. Every time someone came through the house, they would inquire about her paintings, which were very memorable. Soon, family, friends and even strangers were offering to buy them and spread the word.

Yelena began to dedicate herself to painting full-time since 2007 and started getting recognition in Milwaukee, inspiring others with her art to this day. To Yelena, painting is more than a hobby; it?s a way of life, and her passion is visible in every brushstroke. Yelena had one exhibition in Moscow, seven exhibitions in Milwaukee, two in Ohio and two in Chicago. She also offers art classes for kids. Despite selling many of her works, Yelena has given away many to people who were truly moved by them.

I hope to create work that reveals the organic foundations of humanness.

As a woman, I believe there are always parts of ourselves that carry the innocence and curiosity of a little girl. That energy—the wonder, the fearlessness, the vulnerability—still lives within us.

"Mirror Twins" are characters that many people can see themselves in. I choose not to reveal too much about them—I’d rather let viewers discover their own meaning and stories within the work.

Now more than ever, artists and creatives must stand up for the value of art. Even when the world isn’t ready to hear our voices—especially as some are being censored, edited, or erased—we must keep creating. It’s painfully clear that many of our communities are being silenced and pushed to the margins.

As an artist, cartoonist, creator, and teacher, I’m committed to encouraging others to stand boldly and make art that speaks truth. My own journey is always evolving. Maybe it’s okay that I don’t reveal everything. Maybe my role is more about connection—and keeping a few secrets of my own.

—Cristina Natsuko Paulos

Cristina Natsuko Paulos is an award-winning artist, animator, cartoonist, designer, and educator. She currently teaches commercial arts and digital media at a high school in the Clark County School District, and works as a freelance artist and workshop leader. She also likes to remind people: she’s a good human.

A BFA graduate of the California Institute of the Arts, Paulos’s work blends fine art and illustration, often featuring mirrored or twinned characters, expressive portraiture, and imagery inspired by real life. Her style draws heavily from cartoon aesthetics and deeply personal themes, creating a space where vulnerability, identity, and duality intersect.

Her original animation work has appeared on Sesame Street, and her artwork has been exhibited in prestigious galleries including La Luz de Jesus, Giant Robot, and the Cirque du Soleil Contemporary Art Collection. She has also been featured in two published books: Garden of Eye Candy and La Luz de Jesus 25: The Little Gallery That Could. Her films have screened at festivals in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and she has collaborated with puppeteers to create toy theatre performances.

Since relocating from the San Fernando Valley to Las Vegas in 2002, Paulos has received multiple grants from the Nevada Arts Council, including two Jackpot Grants, a 2008 Artist Fellowship, and a 2005 Sesame Street Workshop Scholarship.

Paulos works with a wide range of materials—ink, paint, dye, handmade paper, canvas, wood, and mixed media. Her process is rooted in the philosophies of drawing, aiming to expose the raw, often hidden elements of identity.

“My artwork derives from life, juxtaposed with the cartoon world,” she says. “Using drawing philosophies, I try to reveal the marks we often try to erase—the flaws, the discomfort, the quiet parts of ourselves. Whether through cartoons or figures drawn from life, I explore what it means to be fully seen, completely vulnerable—naked, beyond form.”

Artist are so free and complicated. Art, although it is not easy for some, it is a rewarding treasure and an accomplishment for the artist and their patrons.

Have written or cowritten 11 books, humor and life history and children's books. I have been creating art for 20 years. My website is estherpearlman.com, estherpearlmanblogspot.com and Esther Pearlmanbooks.com. Please consider my art in your gallery. Thank you so much. Esther Pearlman

Art is my way of life

Mark Pol, born 17th October 1943 in The Hague has found an early passion for painting. His interest in drawing and painting started in primary school. And later on he went to the Photo Academy followed by the Free Academy of Art led by George Lampe, both in The Hague.

The work of Mark Pol, also shown on his website (http://www.markpol.nl), is in essence inspired by daily human life, without losing its vulnerability and the animal unpredictability. Despite the timeframe the painting or drawing might seem to be in, humanity is key in his work.

In the early stage of a painting, Mark Pol draws his thoughts and dreams with a pencil and then continues his vision with a basis of oil - or acryl paint on canvas. The expression of Mark Pol are often too much for the two dimensional canvas and the result is a three dimensional world, shown in different materials.

Website Mark Pol: http://www.markpol.nl

Mobile: 0031 6 45410400

Cindy Rinne lives in San Bernardino. Cindy builds on ideas by digging deep into a myriad of cultures and is inspired by nature. Time is split to reveal the secrets; the sacredness of the soul. She stitches stories into textile collages; layering and obliterating fragments of cloth or fusing plastic bags. Her poetry and art are collaborative elements that bounce back-and-forth creating narrative. This is a connective process that creates a whole out of curvilinear pieces. Translucent veils draw the viewer into intimacy, mystery, and discovery – that wish to speak as a negotiation of the surface.

She works on several pieces at once to allow ideas to percolate. Each artwork consists of improvisational aspects. The stitch pierces paper and textiles; also, wrapping itself around a cord. Paper may be sewn to fabric contrasting hard and soft. Textiles can hang like tapestries or are quilted in three layers. Brush and pen connect to paper or fabric. Many of the ethnic fabrics and embellishments are gifts. Cindy reuses the elements encompassing voices of the past and including the story of the original owner. Layers reveal destruction, change, and rebirth.

Cindy Rinne is a San Bernardino artist and poet who has created fine art for over 40 years. She started creating fiber art over 30 years ago. She had tapestries in “Woven Stories” at MOAH (Lancaster Museum of Art and History) and at RAFFMA at Cal State San Bernardino for “Voices of Ancient Palmyra Resounded.” She participated in “50/50, FIFTY/FIFTY, The Creative Magic of Collaboration” at the Progress Gallery, Pomona, CA. Also, “I Pity the Poe” at The Hive Gallery in Los Angeles. Cindy was featured at “100 Vibrant Artists at the Neutra” in Los Angeles. Cindy curated and exhibited at Chaffey Community Museum of Art and the Inland Empire Museum of Art. She exhibited with “Old Broads” curated by Karen Karlsson in several southern California galleries. Her art was at the Ontario Airport through 2019. Cindy was selected for “Hobson’s Choice” at the Torrance Art Museum. She has exhibited at the Beatnik Lounge and La Matadora Gallery in Joshua Tree and is represented by Desert Peach Gallery in Yucca Valley, CA.

creating sculptures out of organic materials, to convey an emotion that reflects the dichotomy between hard stones and soft metals, such as fossilized walrus tusk ivory and alabaster.

Living in Alaska influenced the work of Roland whose kayaks were on display in San Francisco and show the influence of the native traditions. Later he went on to create a pink alabaster sculpture whose form and shape is used in

Alaska to welcome strangers into their village.

Roland combined mechanical and artistic abilities helped him to win a first prize with his creation of a modified 1969 Triumph motorcycle for which the pieces and parts were all hand made. The motorcycle is currently on display in

Northern California. He is currently creating for a special commission two new alabaster sculptures influenced by art from the South Pacific. Roland Also enjoys creating jewelry from natural stones and other natural materials.

Roland studied at the University of Anchorage Alaska and Toronto School of Art in Canada

My work is a visual dialogue between the discarded and the resilient. I find beauty in "fragments"—crushed metal, torn envelopes, weathered stamps, and forgotten notes—transforming these remnants of urban life into harmonious compositions.

In the series submitted for "Bridging Through Colors," I use mixed-media assemblage as a metaphor for healing. Just as a crumpled piece of paper or a discarded object can be integrated into a new, balanced whole, our fragmented experiences and diverse backgrounds can find unity through the universal language of art.Each piece serves as a "bridge": between the industrial and the organic, the personal and the collective, the chaotic and the serene. My process involves layering textures and colors to create a space for quiet reflection. By giving a second life to materials that have been cast aside, I invite the viewer to see the possibility of rebirth and transformation in the world around us.

Tatiana Savchenko is a Los Angeles-based mixed-media artist whose practice explores the intersection of urban materiality, personal memory, and emotional resilience. Her work is characterized by a "visual dialogue" between found objects—such as industrial remnants, vintage correspondence, and discarded fragments—and expressive layers of acrylic and watercolor.In 2026, Savchenko’s presence in the Southern California art scene was highlighted by several key exhibitions. She was featured in the "March/Forward" showcase at Shoebox Projects within the Brewery Arts Complex and participated in the StARTup Art Fair at Venice Beach. Her collaborative artist book, LA: Two Voices, One City, created in partnership with Gregory Desgouttes, exemplifies her commitment to exploring unity and connection through shared creative narratives.By transforming everyday debris into layered, atmospheric compositions, Savchenko invites viewers to find tranquility and "healing" within the chaotic textures of modern life. Her work serves as a bridge between the mundane and the spiritual, aligning perfectly with the global call for empathy and connection through the universal language of art.

I am very connected to the living world as an empath and lightworker. I love my life, nature and I'm very spiritual, believing everything happens for a reason. My creations identify the painter as someone that sees their organic life as beautiful, natural, symbolic, and at times tumultuous.This series is a repeated shape that symbolizes me through stages similar to a butterfly: Chrysalis(darkness),Metamorphosis(Ode to Marilyn), & final beautiful Maturity.The beginning painting is sizably smaller with the end masterpiece much more grande and joyful just like the final adult butterfly.I use the color white at the end t symbolize the joyful peace that comes from the wisdom gained from the life lessons learned. The last painting symbolizes the joy of the woman who has learned self respect and confidence in herself as she stands independently without toxicity in her life. She has learned to let go of the things that cause her pain. Please enjoy.

Jenni Souter is a native of Sandusky Ohio. She learned to paint at the young age of 5. After studying in art, art education and environmental art education, she graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in painting with a minor in art education k-12. She has continued to nurture and cultivate her passion for art through her role as elementary art teacher. She currently resides during the school year beside the water lilies in Huron Ohio.Summers and weekends are spent near Detroit.She has been slowly been building her career towards becoming an exhibiting artist.

To make art and see it being born from my own hands fulfills one of my

greatest dreams.

I like the moment when a new creation is not yet mine, not yet in my

imagination - but already is tickling my subconscious.

Working with paints, knowing their elasticity, and exploring new

textures and color shades allows me to move them on the canvas

spontaneously.

But it only seems so. In reality it happens under the guidance of my

soul.

It is my soul that expresses itself on canvas, showing its flights and

falls, joys and sadness, and then gives birth to an image. My hands only

choose and move colors around, before the appearance of a new image

gives rise to new fantasies.

When a fantasy desires to continue over a series of my art, the process

gives birth to imaginary realities which emerge from the depth of my soul

and cry out to find release on the canvas. Only then can my hands

themselves put down the paints and hang alongside my body. Fatigue and

relief cover me with a light veil. Nothing more needs to be corrected

and completed.

My soul enjoys the liberation of previously collected feelings and

impressions of life whose meaning was unclear to me but which I can now

express. Also what my paintings let me express on canvas is a joyful light shining

from the soul. It is the wonderful space of creation.

Tatiana Yartseva is a Siberian and moved to California in 2024. She is an artist and interior design and lives and works between the city of Omsk and Los Angeles, where she received her formal art education and immersed herself in the local art scene, working at the Lark Gallery. In addition to solo shows, the artist is an active participant in international projects such as "Peaceful Freedom" (2018), "Evolve. Women. Wisdom." (2019), and "Homage to Russian Avant-Garde" (2019) in the USA, "Seeking inner Joy(2002) in Russia", "The Temple of the Dreams"(2025) in Italy, "LAOpen" (2026) in the USA. Visionary Art Show Artsper Award. Since 2025 showing her art work at Artsy platform.

Participated in Digital Art Exhibition organized by Art Screen TV in the Biennale, Florence, Italy in 2025.

Her works have been featured in the American art publication Art & Beyond, Artistinish, and are held in private collections.

My paintings come out as attempts to "translate" from ideograms and fantastic hieroglyphs that I see in the patterns of nature, most often in the tree bark.

It is like listening to a song in an unknown language. Everyone will have their own guess of what the words might say, but the main theme of the song will be recognized.I am so thrilled by the moments of gazing into the patterns of nature when intuition gives a glimpse from the world of archetypes. I think that trees are books and libraries that can be read, perhaps as well as any thing around if we attune to it…

My paintings are sort of "snapshots" from the process of reading the Book of Nature by the mind;these "snapshots" are somewhere in between the imagery and the language.The mind projects meanings onto the shapes and lines, but they are being reflected back, startling and puzzling… there is always a sensation of a mirror dialog, of having been "read" yourself by the Book of Nature...

born in Baku, Azerbajan, lived in Moscow since 16 years old, moved to L.A. in 1992;

M.F.A. in Film &Tv( Animation major) from UCLA;

involved in painting, writing and illustrating, cartooning, mixed media, paper theatre, small size dioramas

THE ZEN OF THE LAND

unites a visual trilogy of country people, their landscapes and lifestyles in humanist, spiritual, pictorial harmony. Willat brings a centered, thoughtful and organic approach to photography and to the living of a purposeful artists' life. The serenity in her images is both pensive and evocative; mirroring her contemplative intellect and ebullient personality. The artist’s best works percolate with a Mandala-full of life forces that emanate from her subjects, which she shoots in situ. Her most interesting pictures linger in the mind's eye. They move the viewer into spaces where we breathe deeper and slower- harmonizing with those who inhabit the visual world that Willat creates.

“I can get lost in the moment. The shutter seems to click on its own when I'm fortunate enough to capture someone at one with their environment. My favorite shots are not portraits and they’re not landscapes. I like to shoot people going about the living of their lives within their lands. They become defined by how and where they live. That’s what I’m known for.”

Jemmaa El Fna, a cityscape of Marrakesh’s town square, is a pageant of humanity where horse drawn carriages, push carts and shoe shine stands are readying the famous marketplace for day’s end. It perfectly expresses the interchangeability of Willat’s desire to characterize those she shoots by the places they inhabit and to portray these places by the persons who populate them.

Felice Willat is an award-winning travel photographer and publisher, whose images from Burma, Morocco, China, Vietnam and Argentina, capture the beauty of the human landscape across cultures. Willat's photographs have been juried into the Los Angeles Center for Photography, Photo LA, Photo Independent, TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, the Brand Library, Glendale, CA, and numerous other venues across the United States and in London, UK and Italy.In 2010, Felice won First Prize, for her Travel images in the Southern California Council of Camera Clubs’ annual juried exhibition. In 2009 Felice published The Quiet Between, Song of Burma, a book of photography and poems.

Felice sees her camera as providing a sense of time expansion and stillness. She says, “I could capture a moment, something sacred or commonplace, an unconscious gesture, a tattered clothesline, a red plastic pitcher, or a worn prayer book. I like to leave the familiar, travel to far-away places, and find the gift of really being present.”

Selected Exhibitions

2015

LAPhoto – Fabrik Magazine Gallery

Topanga Canyon Gallery – Juried Group Show – Featured Artist

Juror – Michael Zakian, Director, Weisman Museum

2014

Captured 2 – Second Annual Photo Competition – Santa Barbara Tennis Club

“Climbing Cardinals” – Best of Show

Los Angeles Center of Photography – First Annual Member’s Show

Photo Independent – Raleigh Studios – Inaugural Debut - Zen of the Land

LA Photo – Fabrik Magazine Gallery