Full SLOPOKE Art Book for 2023

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Welcome to the13th Annual SLOPOKE Art of the West Exhibition and Sale. We are pleased that
you came. Sherie and I created this event when we realized that our fine art gallery traffic was
random walk-ins of people in town for some other reason than buying art. The epiphany came from
a visit to the Autry Museum’s Masters of the American West Exhibition and a visit to Yellowstone
National Park during the week of the Jackson Hole Art Auction in 2010. Suddenly, it seemed obvious
that we should establish an art of the west exhibition on the central coast of California. If
we built it, which we did from scratch, art buyers would come. And you did for which we are very
grateful. In 2017, Pat and Monty Roberts offered their thoroughbred horse ranch as the venue if we
would move the SLOPOKE to Solvang. The purpose was to re-establish a high-quality fine art show
in the Santa Ynez Valley after the well-regarded Peppertree Art Show shuttered in 2008. We are
extremely appreciative that the Roberts family have hosted this event for 6 years now. As we came
to understand the “Join-Up,” Monty’s approach to taming and training horses without inflicting pain,
and Pat’s exquisite sculpture depicting that Join-Up moment when a horse chooses the human as
leader, we have adopted that image as a symbol for what happens at the SLOPOKE. This event also
brings together art collector and artist in a “join up” often resulting in a new home for a painting,
a sculpture, or other work of art. The SLOPOKE is a gratifying experience for us because we are
able to bring some of the very best artists in the western states together with folks on the central
coast who collect art while introducing emerging artists to the larger art market. Therefore as an
art show, we play a role similar to AAA baseball but in relation to the major league art shows that
take place throughout the Western United States. At the SLOPOKE you will see some of the very
best experienced artists and simultaneously see emerging new artists taking their place on a larger
stage. SLOPOKE is an event for the artist and the collector. We work hard to keep the cost of participation
low so that both artists and buyers can profit from this unique event. We hope you find a
beautiful work of art to take home.
Tom & Sherie Burgher
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SPONSOR
APPRECIATION
We thank Keith Renken, a close friend and a true gentleman,
for his generosity in sponsoring the printing of this
2023 SLOPOKE ART BOOK. A long time supporter of the
SLOPOKE in attendance, purchases and sponsorship. We are
grateful and thank you, Keith. Tom & Sherie Burgher
SLOPOKE is also fortunate to have the sponsorship of 3
great art magazines, each who donate a full-page advertisement
in a future issue to the selected artist. Art of the West
sponsors the Best Animal/Wildlife Art award. Western Art
Collector sponsors the Best Figurative Art award. Western
Art and Architecture sponsors the Artists’ Choice Award.
We are appreciative for the national media recognition of the
SLOPOKE that these sponsorships imply. We thank you.
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SLOPOKE
ARTISTS
PETER ADAMS
FEATURED ARTIST & JURIST
ARIEL ANTON
REBECCA ARGUELLO
ROSEMARY BAUER
TOM BURGHER
TAYLOR CRISP
KEN CHRISTENSEN
SUSAN EYER-ANDERSON
NATALIE GROVES
JAN HANDTMANN
RICK HILL
KELLY HINE
KASIA KAZNOCHA
SHERYL KNIGHT
SUZANNE LONDON
JEAN MYERS
VICKI PEDERSEN
AMY RATTNER
RAVEN SKYE
PAT ROBERTS
LEE RUE
JULIA SEELOS
CHRIS SLATOFF
GLEND STEVENS
JOHN SUMNER
TARA ROSE TONER
TOM WRIGHT
DONG WANG
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PETER ADAMS
In 2018, I visited Peter Adams in his studio. There is no better way to know how and why an artist
paints than to visit their studio. While you chat, so much more information is absorbed simply
by being in the presence of the tools and observing how the work is accomplished. Peter is a
Los Angeles born contemporary impressionist at the top of his game who also was the President
of the California Art Club from 1993 until 2022. He and his wife Elaine rebuilt this prestigious
114-year-old organization into a membership of approximately 3000 artists whose mission is to
preserve and promote representational art and its academic traditions and craftsmanship. Peter
uses oil paints and sometimes pastels to create colorful landscapes and figurative works that emphasize
the play of light. He combines Western artistic traditions with Eastern influences picked
up from his international travels. He studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena,
California; the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles; the Instituto de Bellas Artes in San
Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and the Lukits
Academy of Fine Arts in Los Angeles. Adams’
first exhibition was at his uncle’s Los Angeles
home where he sold more than 50 of the 65
paintings on display, He recalls that what sold
the best were landscapes he had done on
location. For Peter, on location means being
the first American artist to travel and paint
unescorted in the Peoples Republic of China.
He also painted with the Mujahideen rebels
in Afghanistan, he painted the 14 Stations of
the Cross in Jerusalem, and when he paints
the Sierra Nevada Mountains it’s via a 2-week
mule trip into the John Muir wilderness. He
likes to capture extreme lighting effects such
After the Rain, Hospital Grove Park,
Carlsbad, CA, 16x20, Oil on Panel
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as sunset or sunrise seeking momentary
ephemeral effects of lighting in his landscapes
or on the ocean along the shore.

PETER ADAMS
Secret Cove Afternoon Surge at Point Lobos State Reserve, 24x30, Oil on Panel
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ARIEL ANTON
Ariel Anton is an officer in the California Army National Guard as well as an accomplished artist.
A recent graduate of Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo, she grew up on the family farm raising and showing
her own livestock at county fairs through the 4H Club and developed a love for farm animals
and the work it requires to raise them. She taught herself acrylic painting in her family’s backyard
starting at the age of 14. Ariel began exhibiting her paintings in her teens at multiple county fairs,
as well as the California State Fair
for several years. Although she never
expected to keep painting after high
school, the love for the process was
still there. While pursuing a B.S. in
Agriculture Science and a minor in
Dairy Science, Ariel began painting
animals by commission. As her paintings
gained popularity, she began to
dial in on her skill of painting livestock
portraits with eyes full of expression
and hides that looked silky
to the touch. Her senior project, the
capstone to earning her diploma, was
an educational series of “Art About
Agriculture” which shared her working
knowledge of agriculture through
her paintings to start a conversation
about agricultural misconceptions
and little-known facts about animal
agriculture. It is her dream to make
painting a full-time career.
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Contentment, 16x16. Acrylic on Canvas

ARIEL ANTON
Jersey Calf, 16x20, Acrylic on Canvas
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REBECCA ARGUELLO
Sometimes an artist creates great art from a dark place as is the case for Rebecca, who says
“painting beautiful scenes comes from a really painful place for me. I began painting to keep myself
sober through addiction and the suicide of my sister.” Painting became therapy for her as she
dealt with mental health issues, raising a family, and running her own Holistic Care business. Her
husband, a professional artist himself, perceived her talent and encouraged her to grow in this
direction. Thus, in 2014 she decided to make painting her primary focus. Environmentalism is the
other driver behind her remarkable landscapes and seascapes. A fifth-generation native of Santa
Barbara, California, Rebecca had a childhood immersed in a rich cultural and diverse ecological
environment that laid the
foundation for her artistic
journey, which came later in
life. Growing up in the ocean
and in local after-school programs
truly sparked her curiosity
about the environment.
Her undergraduate work at
UC Santa Barbara and early
career in the environmental
field inspired her to protect
our lands and waters from
the negative influences of
human activity. Therefore,
her current body of work is
driven by a desire to have a
positive impact on the environment.
She uses her paintings
to bring awareness to
the importance of preserving
Morning Breakers, 12 x 16, Oil on Wood Panel
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REBECCA ARGUELLO
and protecting our surroundings. In the intervening years, Rebecca has amassed an impressive
portfolio of exhibitions, awards, and a growing domestic and international collector base. Most
recently, Rebecca’s painting “Break of Dawn” was purchased by the California Art Club at this
year’s 112th Gold Medal Exhibition at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana to be part of the historic
collection of paintings currently hanging in the California Club in Los Angeles.
Last Light, 18 x 24, Oil on Canvas
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ROSEMARY BAUER
Rosemary is a native Californian who in her words “had the good fortune” of coming from a military
family. As a result, she moved around a lot during childhood, mostly within California, which
provided the early inspiration for the style of art she enjoys making today. It all started when she
took Art History as an elective in college and loved it. Rosemary had experimented with drawing
and painting before taking the course, but at this point in time she knew art would always
be part of her
life. Beginning with
neighborhood
art classes, she went
on to take work-
shops with several
prominent art-
ists to continue to
hone her skills.
Rosemary has studied
with local
and internationally
known artists
she admires, including
Marcia Burtt, Lo-
renzo Chavez, Debra
Joy Groesser,
Albert Handell, Peggy
Koll-Roberts,
Kim Lordier and Ray
Roberts. Acrylics
or oils are Rosemary’s
mediums
of choice due to the
texture that can
be achieved. Although
she often exper-
iments with realism
and abstraction,
the primary body of
work is impres-
sionistic plein air
painting especial-
ly of scenic views of
the central coast Overlooking the Barn, 11 x 14, Acrylic area of California
further fine-tuned
in her studio. Sometimes,
animals, structures, or figures appear in her paintings for interest and variations. A major
leap forward toward creating more harmonious paintings when she started to work “all over”
the painting rather then working from top to bottom, or starting in one spot. Best advice? Stand
back and view the painting from a distance frequently while working on it. Paintings are more impactful
when not created under a microscope. For Rosemary, painting the land and sea outdoors
has been a life-ling passion.
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ROSEMARY BAUER
The Padre’s Kitchen, 16 x 20, Acrylic on Canvas
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TOM BURGHER
A life-long photographer, Tom is comfortable with creating art with a camera. Therefore, he is
attempting to learn to paint in oil en plein air. For those who know, this is a difficult challenge
and he is nowhere near ready to present an original oil painting in this show. However, it does
demonstrate his intellectual recognition that art created
without machine assistance is a skill set worth
preserving and celebrating in an art show such as
SLOPOKE. Whether he develops a marketable skill
(or not) photography is also a valid art form and it
became a serious study in early adulthood when film
and a darkroom were still “wet” tools of the trade. In
that era, he was the photographer for Batik Unlimited,
a book by Batik artist Joanifer Gibbs. This included
1970’s fashion as well as “how-to”photography. Then
suddenly, the digital revolution proved not only to be
a disruptive technology, but also a creative stimulus.
He learned at workshops led by renowned photographers
George Lepp and Bob Krist, and won several
awards and was published in a few annual books of
photography. He was soon drawn to big sky views of
land and sea, and discovered a love for western art
by attending the Masters of the American West Exhibitions
at the Autry Museum. Because anyone with a
camera has the potential to create a “money” image,
Tom is always on the lookout for a means to discriminate
his photography from others. He experiments
with subject matter, lighting, perspective, printing,
media and even mixed media techniques of combining
The Leaning Tree - We All Need Someone
to Lean On, 30x20 , Ink on Canvas
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paint and gesso with brush and palette knife on canvas.
Due to constraints interacting with other people

TOM BURGHER
during COVID, Tom’s desire to explore
portrait photography drove
him to create realistic human figures
using photography, software and theatrical
techniques. This appears in his
“Wannabe Cowgirl”series in which
his “created”cowgirls are posed on
coin-operated horses as the rodeo
highlight. These digital composites are
then modified to appear as small paintings.
He continues to experiment with
printing his art in ink on glass as in the
> “Posing Tree” to achieve more
Saddle Bronc, 6x6, Ink on Canvas Board
depth of color and on canvas to gain
a painterly touch as in the < “Leaning
Tree.”
The Posing Tree, 28x22, Ink on Glass
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TAYLOR CRISP
As the Wind Blows,
14x14, Oil on Canvas
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Growing up in the small town of Craig, CO, Taylor developed
a deep love for the landscapes of the Southwestern
United States. She would wander the sagebrush plains of
Moffat County, or the history-soaked San Juan Mountains,
imagining various western fantasy stories that possibly
could take place in these far-flung locales. This urge to tell
stories took her to USC’s School of Cinematic Arts where
she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Film
Production and a minor in Environmental Science. Perhaps
it is her academic minor that motivates her to staff a fire
lookout tower monthly to monitor for smoke activity in
the Los Padres and Angeles National Forests. This requires
hiking to the lookout, the use of an Osborne fire finder
and other equipment to monitor/report fires and to report
sightings of car accidents, boating accidents, etc...and help
triangulate their position to first responders. She is interested
in projects that cross genre boundaries and meld the
different fields of science and art. She is especially fond of
speculative science fiction films that explore small American towns as heightened microcosms
of society. During her senior year, she walked into an exhibition of contemporary western art,
including a prominent piece by Ed Mell. The simplified forms and dramatic use of color and shape
were like a slap to the face. The visuals of her childhood were given voice in a new and unexpected
way. Taylor immersed herself in this brave new world of Western landscape art and soon came
across the works of Maynard Dixon, who has inspired so many western artists. From that moment
on she has been obsessed with absorbing as much as she can from this 20th century artist
whose landscapes so effortlessly capture the spirit of the Southwest. Taylor presents a contemporary
vision of the West that draws on the past while reframing aspects that have been glossed
over by popular culture. A self-taught artist, she is currently focused on developing her skills as a
painter, and evolving her own style inspired by the earlier titans of Western art.

TAYLOR CRISP
The High Life, 20x20, Oil on Canvas
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KEN CHRISTENSEN
Ghost Ranch, 40x30, Acrylic on Canvas
Ken is a multi-talented artist who paints,
writes novels, publishes letters, and is
the founder of The New Fauves (www.
newfauves.com) a collection of artists
working in a style similar to the early
20th Century French avant-garde artists
who broke with Impressionism with their
emphasis on painterliness and strong
color. Raised in Flint, Michigan, Ken began
his career as a freelance watercolorist in
Traverse City, but then moved to Europe,
soon settling in Paris fwhere he began
painting with oils. He became an official
copyist of the Louvre Museum and
learned by working with other artists in
Paris, notably Spanish inversionist Manuel
Gil and American realist Frank Bruckmann.
Back in the USA, he split his time
between Santa Fe, NM and Petoskey, MI.
In 1999, he moved to San Luis Obispo
and began painting local land- and seascapes
in a fauvist style. Ken glorifies the
mundane to show the beauty about us. By
exaggerating colors and simplifying forms,
he shocks the viewer to see things with
fresh eyes. His paintings are a delight to
the eye, rich in thick and colorful paint
providing the allure of an art object, fresh
with views and sights that others overlook.
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KEN CHRISTENSEN
Big Sur, North of Lucia, 36x36, Acrylic on Canvas
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SUSAN
EYER-ANDERSON
He’s A Mule Man, 28x24, Oil on Panel
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Tustin,
CA when it was still rural, Ssusan
lives in Big Bear Lake, CA where most
of her family has lived for decades
Her art education was more unconventional
than some as she has no
formal training other than high school
art classes. Being raised by two artists
who were Art Center graduates
taught her everything that she knows.
Growing up Susan watched her father
painting on the wall in the garage that
he used as his easel. While her siblings
didn’t want to bother their father,
Susan was fascinated and spent hours
watching him. After a while her dad
realized that while she was quiet, she
also wasn’t going anywhere, so he set
up a small canvas and thus began her
education. After a stressful work week,
her Dad spent hours in the garage
painting mostly seascapes. Watching
her parents struggle with commercial
art deadlines and headaches,
Susan chose a different path in life
and became a veterinarian which she
practices to this day. Graduating from
Washington State University in 1990,
she has been practicing ever since.

SUSAN
EYER-ANDERSON
However, the interest in art didn’t
go away and so she paints enthusiastically
whenever time permits and
it is clear that she has talent beyond
that of assisting the health of animals.
Committed to the cause of reducing
pet overpopulation, she benefits
this cause with the sale of her
art whenever possible. Certainly, the
western way of life is ingrained from
a childhood in rural Orange County,
California and continues to inspire
her paintings. In her spare time, she
and her husband ride their three
horses, and enjoy their four macaws,
two dogs and one cat. Susan is a
member of Oil Painters of America,
Women Artists of the West, the
Charlie Russell Museum and several
other organizations promoting art
or the western way of life.
All Dolled Up, 24x24, Oil on Panel
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NATALIE GROVES
Natalie has loved drawing since childhood which was steeped in Beatrix Potter and Jan Brett
illustrated children’s books. She is a self-taught artist heavily influenced by the professional work
experience her art afforded her. In her early 20’s, she worked for Trader Joe’s as a chalk artist using
mostly pastels gaining valuable on-the-job training in how to find her own style, consistently meet
deadlines, how to listen, catch vision, and crank out art work. She learned not only artistic technique
but how to communicate through her art. She moved with her husband to the countryside
outside Exira, Iowa – a town of just 787 people according to the 2020 census some 75 miles due
west of De Moines. She loved
everything about living in the
rolling countryside with beautiful
views, lots of space, quiet,
gardening, horses in the pasture,
kittens on the deck, deer in the
timber…simplicity of life. It is in
this phase of her life that Natalie
began experimenting with watercolor
and soon met and began
working with Meg Gleason of
Moglea, a design studio in Des
Moines. This was perfect as her
personal style, self-described as
illustrative and scientific, has always
favored nature and capturing
the magical world of animals.
While she has extensive experience
using her art
Head in the Clouds, 18x24, Pastel on Paper
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NATALIE GROVES
to bring life to poems and
concepts, her dream is to illustrate
children’s books. Natalie’s
favorite medium is working
with a micro pen, brown colored
pencil, and watercolor
on hotpress watercolor paper.
And she loves working with
chalk pastels as artists from da
Vinci to Whistler have because
of their rich pigment and easy
layering. It is a rewarding medium
yielding beautiful compositions
that require no dry
time and remain workable until
sprayed with a fixative. It is no
surprise that given her natural
talents, that Natalie is greatly
influenced by the Golden Age
Clive, 18x24, Pastel on Paper
of Illustration. This was a period
of unprecedented excellence in book and magazine illustration between the 1880’s and 1930’s
that resulted from evolving technologies that allowed accurate and inexpensive art reproduction.
During this period, a growing number of women pursued art training and found work as illustrators
of both scientific and children’s literature. No surprise, then that the artist she’d most like to spend
time with in her home is Beatrix Potter. Natalie and her husband and daughter have returned to
Santa Barbara County and reside in Solvang.
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JAN HANDTMANN
Jan is a true multimedia artist collaborating on graphic design, drawing, painting, photography,
printmaking, sculpture, furniture design, collage, and architectural planning. Her own art challenge
today is to utilize new media and technology in conjunction with celebrated old-world techniques
to create art that speaks to the viewer with a new narrative and perspective. Art has always
been a passion for Jan, a native Californian and a summa cum laude graduate of USC’s Gayle
Garner Roski School of Fine Art. Jan has maintained her relationship with USC and served on
the Board of Councilors for the Roski School for many years. She worked as a commercial space
planner and interior architectural designer in Los Angeles and Orange counties after graduation.
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Elk Crossing, 28x54, Print

JAN HANDTMANN
Ruth Weisberg her print making Professor at USC and former Dean of the Roski school encouraged
Jan to carry on her studio practice when she retired from design work. Jan along with Ruth
and Caryl Levy and Susan Gesundheit formed an artist collective named the Four Graces. As the
Four Graces, they travel together, do art, have exhibitions, and often gather at Jan’s studio in Santa
Ynez for workshops. Jan is interested in presenting narratives of her work in the most effective
ways possible by
using multiple medias
and combining them
to best express the
concepts of her
different series. Much
of her work is ab-
stract and symbolic.
Using and repeating
shapes, subjects, and
materials gives them
strong symbolic
meaning and creates
her visual vocabulary.
One of the goals is
to free the symbols
from their tradition-
al perspective and
view-point so they
float in space. Color,
light, and texture
are instrumental in
her work to cre-
ate mood, energy,
emotion and compo-
sitional connection.
Jan creates a body
of work as a series
that relates to time
and change. Each
tells a story of the
past, present and/
or future. Subjects
of these series are
diverse and might be
biographical, philosophical
or examine things in the world today. The imagery ranges from almost chaotic to serene
and contemplative. Her work tries to communicate that art can be a positive catalyst for change
and life. She has exhibited her prints, drawings, and paintings primarily in California. She has work in
private collections around the country and several permanent architectural neon installations. Art
has always been a passion for Jan and remains an important part of her life.
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RICK HILL
Rick was born in 1952 and raised on the shores of Lake Erie, in Erie Pennsylvania. He received his
formal art training at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where he graduated in 1976 and later worked
as a graphic designer at Welch’s in Westfield, NY. His love of art started as a child when he stood for
hours and watched his Dad sit down and sketch after work. He received his formal training in the
early 1980’s at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He then moved to Los Angeles, CA and started working
at Hughes Aircraft as a graphic designer and retired 27 years later. He turned his attention to
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Waiting to be Saddled, 22x17, Color Pencil on Paper

RICK HILL
sculpture in 1995. Here he learned how to build an armature
with plumbers piping and how to shape 1/8” gauge wire into the
piece visualized to build. This is the first step in sculpting, before
adding and finishing the clay piece. When finished, the piece
is taken to a foundry to be cast into bronze. In Los Angeles he
studied at Santa Monica City College, Art Center College of
Design, Pasadena, and Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles,
but he is mostly self-taught. Over the course of his 17-year
sculpting career, he has studied under many well-known sculptors
including Scott Rogers (SLOPOKE 2018) and Sandy Scott. His
sculpture tells stories of nature and history with a rich portrayal
of expressive figures and wilderness scenes as in his sculpture
of an American Indian called “Seneca Warrior.” Rick rose to the
challenge of portraying the subtle look in his eyes that expresses
the hardships he and his tribe endured. His biggest thrill came
in 2016 when he was commissioned by the Gabrieleno Indians
(Kizh) of Southern California to design a bust of a young Gabrieleno
Indian woman named Toypurina who led a revolt but was
captured by the Spanish and forced to marry a Spanish soldier.
She died at the age of twenty-nine. Her bust is located on the
Fedde Middle School grounds in Orange County, California near
where Rick and his wife now live. Rick is a member of the National
Sculpture Society and the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
His goal is to produce a large, monumental piece.
Seneca Warrior, 19H 8w x 12 d, Bronze
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KELLY HINE
Kelly Hine is a Santa Barbara native, who is a self-taught artist living in the beautiful Santa Ynez
Valley where she moved 20 years ago. Since a very young age, Kelly always wanted to be an
artist. A talented artist with no formal art school training, she actually began working with soft
pastels in 2020 while locked down at home due to the COVID pandemic. Kelly has an innate eye
for composition and color. She finds her subject matter on daily runs with her dogs (she ran the
Boston marathon 3 times) and then works from her own photographs. Her main goal as an artist
is to capture and emotionally convey a moment in time when the “between light and shadow”
begins and does it so well that her pastel paintings sell quickly to enthusiastic customers. When
she saw this and also was juried into select national and international shows, she realized that she
had a gift that needed to be taken
seriously. She became a member of
the Pastel Society of America and
the Pastel Society of the West Coast
in 2021 and is an Associate member
of the California Art Club. Now that
she has started, she regularly attends
workshops studying with contemporary
and award-winning pastel artists
to further her growth and skills.
Kelly continues to work exclusively
with soft pastels. Her love for pastels
began when she discovered that
these delicate little sticks are actually
microscopic crystals of pure pigment
with the highest coefficient of reflectivity
of any artistic media. Once
she learned this, she was obsessed.
However, her creative energy largely
Arroyo By Old Mill, 12x18, Pastel on Board
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KELLY HINE
stems from the incredible geography of the Santa Ynez Valley in which she lives and where there is
never a shortage of natural beauty for inspiration.
Sunrise After the Storm, 16x20, Pastel on Board
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KASIA KAZNOCHA
Horses are a passion and a source of
inspiration for Kasia. She loves riding and
painting them. Born in 1978, she graduated
with a Master of Arts Degree in Graphic
Design from Silesian University in Cieszyn,
Poland. She married and moved to Los
Angeles in 2012 and now lives and works
in Thousand Oaks, California. Horses are
the love and the life of this artist. Kasia
not only knows how to paint horses but
knows how to paint other animals too. She
is an avid horse rider and has riden horses
since she was a little girl. In 2008 she
earned her Certificate as a Riding Instructor
and teaches dressage and jumping. She
Traveler, 36x48, Acrylic on Canvas
has worked for a few well-established stables
as a rider. Kasia owns a horse named
Enigma which is often the subject of her paintings. For Kasia horses combine extraordinary delicacy
with strength and beauty. Each horse is different, just as every human being is different and
she is constantly discovering the uniqueness of each and tries to convey their personalities and
emotions in her paintings. In her art we see not only physical horses, but also sadness, pride, and
peace. It is important to her that the emotions expressed in her paintings allows anyone to explore
something new. Many paintings of horses are nothing more than their image, but for Kasia
it is important to capture a horse’s personality and spirit. She seeks to master the technique that
would show the entire essence or soul of these unusual and magnificent animals. Kasia paints in
acrylic on canvas and often combines the paint with gold or silver leaf backgrounds without any
significant detail which creates an iconic image directing the viewer’s attention on the emotional
elements of the horse. Her passion for horses is evident in her brush strokes and compositions
which create larger than life mythical paintings in which one can feel the heart of the story.
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KASIA KAZNOCHA
Midnight Sun, 36x48, Acrylic on Canvas
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SHERYL KNIGHT
Sheryl Knight is an award winning plein air artist, best known for her vibrant oil paintings and her
impressionistic painterly style. She has lived on the California Central Coast most of her life, but
her early years in Northern California gave her a love of nature and the outdoors. Sheryl enjoys
portraying the seasons and capturing the color, the light, and the mood of the scene. She paints
on location as well as in her studio. She loves being able to not only paint what she sees, but to
paint it the way she would like it to be, moving things around or combining several scenes into
one to make the most interesting composition possible. Trying new ways to convey what she sees,
her paintings sparkle with light and life. Although Sheryl has studied under many well-known
artists over the years, she has
developed her own style making
her works unique and recognizable.
She has won many awards,
been accepted into numerous
juried shows, including the Carmel
Plein Air Festival, Los Gatos
Plein Air, San Luis Plein Air, Napa
Art Festival, and the Los Olivos
Quick Draw. Her paintings hang
in private and corporate collections
throughout California
and across the country. She is a
Signature member of American
Women Artists, National Oil
and Acrylic Painters Society,
Women Artists of the West, and
Outdoor Painters Society. She
is also a member of Oil Painters
of America, and the California
Art Club among others.
Pacific Light, 20x25, Oil on Canvas
32

SHERYL KNIGHT
California Oaks, 24 x 32, Oil on Canvas
33

SUZANNE LONDON
From an early age, Suzanne displayed a natural talent for the arts. However, it wasn’t until early
adulthood that she gained foundational art skills through her local community college. From
there, Suzanne continued to take an art class when she could but it wasn’t until she had the opportunity
to enroll in courses with painter Elizabeth Locke in Austin, Texas. Here she developed
the skills to propel herself forward by exploring the different pathways of expression possible
working with various mediums such as calligraphy, textile, sculpture, lithography, design, woodworking,
drawing, and painting. Due to these experiences, Suzanne decided to switch her educational
focus from psychology and sociology to the arts. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from
the University of Texas at Austin with a focus on sculptural ceramics. She considers herself fortunate
to have Sarah Canright and Peter Saul as her studio painting instructors, as they encouraged
exploration and self-expression
through the arts. Suzanne’s
change of focus from
sculpture to painting was a
gradual process; however,
the influence of her sculptural
work is often evident
in her paintings today. She is
known for her painting style,
which originated from these
many years of exploration.
Her style of painting leans
towards abstraction and has
evolved into a meditative
process for her. Suzanne’s
favorite subjects to paint are
bodies of water, landscapes,
and metaphysical subject
34
Breathe, 5x7, Acrylic on Wood Panel

SUZANNE LONDON
matter. Her paintings usually grab the
viewers’ attention through her brushstrokes
and the movement she creates
in each piece in hopes of evoking the
experience she senses in the wonders
of the natural world. Her favorite artists,
a group not often cited, include Ida
Appleberg, Tamara De Lempicka, Leonora
Carrington, Giorgio Morandi, Yayoi
Kusama, Sonia Delaunay, Hilda af Klint
and Botticelli. Other than Botticelli, the
common thread besides explorations of
feminism appears to be elements of art
deco, avant-garde, modernism and abstraction.
After experiencing many stops
and starts in her art career, Suzanne is
grateful to have had art as a constant
companion to express and process her
experiences in a manner that pushes,
pulls or draws the viewer into her artwork
to share the experience.
Undetow,40x30, Acrylic on Panel
35

JEAN MYERS
Jean grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri with animals and nature in abundance. Summers were spent
riding horses, swimming and yearly trips to a cottage on an island in Ontario, Canada. Her varied
and visually rich experiences shaped her desire to express herself as an artist. After receiving a
BFA in Graphic De-
sign, Jean worked
in advertising but
eventually became
interested in develop-
ing as a fine artist, so
she began exploring
different media and
taking art workshops.
She enjoys all media
but works primarily in
soft pastel doing studio
and plein air work.
Her visual style has
strong value contrasts
and vibrant colors.
Jean has enjoyed
taking art workshops
with Jim Wodark (oil),
Terri Ford (pastel),
Michael Obermeyer
(Oil), Michael Hernandez
(gouache), and
Rita Kirkman (pastel)
- all to whom she is grateful for their influence
on her work!
In 2018, Jean achieved
her Signature Artist
status with the Pastel
Society of the West
Coast and enjoys exhibiting
and showing
her work. She heads
up regional plein air
painting events for
the club and recent-
ly, she became the
Workshop Coordina-
tor, scheduling artists
to teach workshops
and assisting with the
details of virtual or in-person workshops. She states: “Plein air painting is especially enriching for
me. Observing the beauty of the landscape with great focus for several hours is incredibly calming
to my soul. I find it has been really transformative and a refuge from the turmoil of life.” Jean lives
in Southern California with her husband and a little terrier, Max as well as two pet chickens (who
also happen to lay eggs).
36

JEAN MYERS
Lompoc Flower Fields, 11x14, Oil on Canvas
37

VICKI PEDERSEN
Grateful to see the world through an artist’s eyes, Vicki was born and raised in Utah. She and her
husband of 45 years live in Riverside, CA but they spend lots of time in the places they really love
-- Utah and Wyoming. She is a life-long artist with a passion for oil painting. She focuses mostly
on painting the American West -- cowboys and cowgirls, Native Americans, deserts and mountains
and of course, horses. She works primarily in oils but also loves to work in graphite and charcoal.
Vicki is enthralled by light, and tries to capture light, whether direct or reflected, in her paintings.
Her goal in art is that the viewer sees the light and that they feel a connection with the subject
and gain a deeper appreciation for the splendor of our world. “Magnificent”, is the first word that
comes to mind
when looking
at one of Vicki’s
paintings. She
captures the
moment spot
on without the
benefit of firsthand
knowledge.
And that is
what a true
artist does and
she does it very
well. Thus, it is
no surprise that
Vicki is juried
into well-known
art shows
throughout the
West and wins
awards at most
of them. Vicki
is a Signature
Member and
Treasurer of
Women Artists
of the West
and a Member
of the National
Oil and Acrylic
Painters Society.
Cowboy Conference, 24x36, Oil on Linen
38

VICKI PEDERSEN
Journey’s End, 20x24, Oil on Linen
39

AMY RATTNER
40
Winging It, 18x24, Acrylic on paper mounted on wood panel

AMY RATTNER
Amy grew up near Salinas, California drawing and painting with her sister, who is also a gifted artist.
She now lives in Woodside, California with her husband, two sons and three dogs. Earning both
BA and MA degrees in English from Stanford University, she began her career as a graphic designer,
working for Stanford and then for her own company, Kindred-Storey Designs. Circa 2008, she began
taking art classes at the Pacific Art League and discovered her artistic voice at an intensive water
media seminar with Skip Lawrence, Katherine Chang Liu, Fran Larsen, and Christopher Schink.
Painting is a portal into her imagination and serves her as meditation to center her thoughts and
feelings. From the beginning, depicting animals has been her passion and it begins with a deep admiration
for the unique beauty and character of each creature. She uses color, value, and line to
capture the spirit, personality, and cultural significance of her subjects so that all can experience her
passion. Therefore, her style has evolved to be a combination of realism, whimsy, and graphic art
with a strong emphasis on color, line,
and symbolic patterns. She is most
influenced by the work of John Nieto
whose use of bold colors, expressive
lines, and incredible sense of design,
with interplay of positive and negative
space Amy finds enchanting.
However, Amy has created her own
style in animal art that is at once
sophisticated and contemporary. Amy
is a veteran SLOPOKE artist whose
work is found in private collections
worldwide, including those in
Woodside, Carmel, Santa Fe, Boston,
France, and Norway
Gossip Girls, 18x24, Acrylic on paper on wood panel
41

PAT ROBERTS
Henri Cartier Bresson was a French artist and photographer considered a master of candid photography.
He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed capturing the decisive moment
in a scene as the mark of a good image. Horses are movement machines,
muscles rippling, legs moving, nostrils flaring, ears pointing and fleeing at the
first scent of danger. Life as an accomplished horsewoman training, breeding,
and showing thoroughbred race horses has given Pat the opportunity
to study this subject which she loves. A naturally gifted sculptor,
Pat has had no formal training but she attended workshops
given by contemporary artists she admires. She credits this for
keeping her true to her own style, which can be described as
realism with just a touch of impressionism. What sets her
work apart from other equine sculptors is that she presents
us with the movement of a horse at just that moment
– the decisive moment – that as Bresson observed tells
the whole story. The two sculptures shown here are
excellent examples. Pat is now a juried member of
the California Art Club and sold her largest sculpture,
“Equus in Flight” opening night of the first Gold
Medal Exhibition and Sale she ever entered. An amazing
equestrian, Pat still competes in rodeos and wins
against riders her grand-children’s age. She knows her
subject matter better than almost any other sculptor. Her
Territorial Dispute, 31x24x20, Bronze
42
sculptures, cast in bronze limited editions, are found
in collections across fourteen countries and in the
homes of royalty, museums and corporate presidents,
including the personal collection of Her Majesty, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Although the horse
is her favorite subject, she also enjoys sculpting and capturing the movement of other animals
such as cougars, donkeys, bulls, deer, and people riding dressage or roping as well as her husband
Monty at the decisive moment of Join Up.

PAT ROBERTS
Javalina Havoc, 35x26x27, Bronze
43

LEE RUE
Being an artists is part of the family
tradition as both his father and uncle
were artists. So Lee certainly had a
passion to be an artist even from a
very young age. Born in1962 in Petaluma,
California, Lee received an MFA
degree from Academy of Art University,
San Francisco in 1998. He has
been fulfilling his childhood dreams as
an artist. Although he spent most of
his time on designs and other works,
his passion to create his own unique
oil paintings never fades. Lee started
his career as a designer and taught
many years of art, design and lighting
techniques at the Fashion Institute
of Design and Merchandising (FIDM),
Academy of Art University and UC
Berkeley Extension in San Francisco.
Lee’s painting style combines realistic
basics with impres-sionistic colors,
strokes and light. His paintings also
include a thin touch of fine romantic
sentiment that makes his style a mythical
and untamed fashion but mostly
his work falls between impressionistic
and realistic styles. He paints mostly
The Spirit of Everlasting Power, 24 x18, Oil on Canvas
44

LEE RUE
western genre images, native Americans,
cowboys, horses, and settlers
of the old west, some of them with
a touch of humor. He also paints live
models, portraits, and landscapes.
His all time favorite artist is Frederic
Remington and one can spot a bit
of Remington in Lee’s own unique
style. Lee is an associate member
of Oil Painters of America, National
Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society and
American Impressionist Society. His
paintings have received awards from
the Phippen Museum Foundation and
People’s Choice Award at Mountain
View Americana Art Show in South
Carolina. He also exhibited with
four renowned master painters in
Yolo Arts and Silicone Valley Asian
Art Center. His paintings have been
juried into Oil Painters of America
(OPA), Art Identification Standard
(AIS) and other national exhibitions.
Telling western stories with a brush,
Lee’s paintings are reminiscent of a
frame from a western movie.
Girl and Horse, 28x22, Oil on Canvas
45

JULIA SEELOS
From the earliest age, Julia has always considered herself an artist and really didn’t know any
other possibility. She grew up in Kentucky, overlooking the Ohio River across from Cincinnati.
She loved drawing old barns and tractors and of course horses. Julia received a Gold Medal in the
National Scholastic high school art competition as a teenager, which gave her the confidence to
pursue art as a career. She attended the Rhode Island School of Design on a merit scholarship
and furthered her stud-
ies at the University
of Cincinnati majoring in
Industrial Design. Julia
married and moved to Col-
orado. Her love of the
West grew with her sojourn
in the mountains and
ghost towns around Colora-
do Springs. Eventually
settling in the San Francisco
Bay area, she continued
her art studies and graduat-
ed with honors from
San Jose State University
with a degree in Design
and Illustration. There
she studied watercolor
with John O’Beck and
classical oil painting
technique with Dr. Raymond
Brose. Some of her oil
paintings today have a hint
of a watercolor look
in their appearance. She was
lucky to find a career
in retail as an art director
for packaging, store
design and sales promotion
in San Francisco. Not
only was she able to use
art to support herself
and her family, but the job
allowed her to travel
throughout Europe and Asia.
She has devoted herself
to painting full time for
the last dozen years
after enrolling in workshops with artists Ken Auster, Randall Sexton, and Kim English. Julia works
alla prima using oils to catch the quickly changing light and shadows. She paints the rural countryside
of California favoring landscapes with old barns and animals of the central coast and the
dramatic canyons of the Southwest. Drawn to the untold stories of rural America, whether in old
barns, rusty tractors, or battered pick-up trucks, she relishes including man-made elements, often
46

JULIA SEELOS
of a bygone era of untold
stories of families that have
come and gone. Her favorite
artists are John Singer
Sargent, Maynard Dixon,
Edgar Payne and Joaquin
Sorolla. Julia’s work was
recognized with awards in
2017 in the Capitola Plein
Air exhibit, the Laguna Plein
Air Painters Association
“National Parks” and “Less
Is More” exhibits, and the
Monterey Bay Plein Air
Painters Association Signature
Show. Julia is a Signature
Member of the American
Impressionist Society
and the Monterey Bay Plein
Air Painters Association.
She has received numerous
awards in MBPAPA Signature
Shows and Best of
Show in the LPAPA Best of
Plein Air. Her paintings have
been accepted into California
Art Club shows in Pacific
Grove and Pleasanton.
Santa Teresa Sunset, 24 x 24, Oil on Canvas
47

RAVEN SKYE
Morning Light, 36x24, Acrylic on Cradled Canvas
48
Raven is a full-time contemporary western
artist whose work is steeped in recollections
which can be traced back to her early childhood
days. Growing up on her family farm,
surrounded by forests in a small rural town,
she would spend hours on end every day, off
on her own, exploring and observing nature.
All things great and small and rural and rustic
are deeply intertwined in her observations
of the natural world from vast landscapes
to marveling at the delicate blooms of lady
slippers. She vividly recalls and sitting quietly
with her art supplies, nestled secretly under
tree canopies, observing and drawing animals,
farm equipment and landscapes. Because her
parents were avid campers who always chose
the scenic routes to travel, Raven gained a
wider lens of observations, experiences, and
encounters with wildlife. She creates much
of her work in the studio, but is often out on
plein-air sessions, hiking, exploring, and studying
to document her subjects, observing the
way light, wind, shadows and other elements
come into play to enhance her compositions.
Raven seeks to share fleeting moments that
spark or re-kindle a wondrous sense of nostalgia,
pique curiosity, and encourage an “eyes
wide open approach” to all the wonders that
exist all around us every day. She is humbled

RAVEN SKYE
by her fascination, curiosity, and
adoration for rugged landscapes,
wide open spaces, and fading,
falling down shelters and seeks
to preserve their essence in ways
she hopes will inspire the viewer
to also pause, reflect, and remember
what is important so that life
doesn’t simply pass us by. She feels
compelled to create work that
offers the viewer an invitation to
slow down and take in the details
of places and things that otherwise
go unnoticed as we rush by
in our fast-paced daily lives. Her
work has been shown and sold
throughout the U.S., Canada, and
the U.K. She received the Curators
Award of Merit, for work that
Serenity, 12x16, Oil on Cradles Canvas
best captures the essence of Earth
Day, for her painting “A State of Separation.” In March of 2023, she was awarded Cowgirl Artists of
America’s Member of the Year award. She currently resides in rural Columbia County, Oregon, and
is working on an ongoing series of paintings, inspired by her observations and experiences from
various road-trip adventures.
49

CHRIS SLATOFF
50
Christopher Slatoff is mostly a figurative sculptor and teacher who
usually works at monumental scale. He is the Sculpture Chairman
of the California Art Club and served as SLOPOKE 2021
Awards Jurist and featured artist. A graduate of CSU
Long Beach with a BFA, his formal education included
a year at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Faculty
d’Letres of the Universite d’Aix-Marseilles, France.
Since his early childhood, Chris has rarely gone
for more than a few days without sculpting. Similar
to fine paintings, the concept for a sculpture
starts with a 3-D sketch in clay and progresses
to a clay maquette, a small doll sized version
of the concept similar to a painter’s
“study” on which the
sculptor refines the
shapes and textures
to be incorporated
into the final work of
bronze. The final sculpture
in clay is cast in bronze or
other materials to which a patina
is applied. His monumental
work in sculpture is commissioned
for churches and the public such as
“Hecuba” now installed at USC, “George
Pepperdine” at Pepperdine University, “Enduring Heroes” in
Pasadena, “The Pieta” at Mission San Diego, “Adoption” at Our
Lady of Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles to name but a few.
He also creates large sculptures on private commissions such as
“Tree of Life” a 12-ft sculpture for Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

CHRIS SLATOFF
“Sheatering Wings” in San Diego at Shoreline
Park was the first public art piece on
Coronado Island. The idea for a Blue Heron
sculpture originated with Coronado
community group members and has grown
to eight pieces over 25 years. Chris finds
similar civic interest in a defining sculpture
in many of California’s historic locales. He
also produces garden and table sized work
for the individual collector created sometimes
by casting from an early maquette
used to work out the details of the large
sculpture to follow and sometimes simply
from his very creative mind. An example of
such here at SLOPOKE is the version of his
8-ft monumental sculpture “Enduring Heroes”
honoring the fallen heroes from Pasadena,
Altadena, La Canada-Flintridge and
San Marino “located in Pasadena’s Defenders
Park. And this year, a smaller version
of the Tree of Life is available. The impetus
for this sculpture began while teaching in
Orvieto, Italy and represents the embodiment
of the gospels. The parallel symbolism
between the shape of an instrument of
death, and the living tree which lifts up the
resurrected Christ, becomes a framework
for the transformation of humanity.
Tree of Life, 48x30x15, Cast Stone, Artist’s Proof
51

GLENDA STEVENS
52
Blue Feather, 28 x 22, Acrylic on Canvas
2022 was the first year that Glenda
Stevens exhibited at SLOPOKE
and she was selected for the Best
of Show Award for her display of
dramatic rodeo action paintings
characterized by Ridin’ Crawdad
and Bull Rider, both large 40 x48
inch paintings. Her curiosity leads
her to paint a variety of different
subjects from western ranch
life, to southwestern themes,
religious art, landscapes, still lifes,
and sometimes the racy side of
society. Glenda has always been
creative which her parents recognized.
At age eleven they encouraged
her to study acrylic painting
with an impassioned art teacher.
“She taught me to be fearless and
free to express myself in my art.”
By age 13 Glenda won first place
for an abstract painting and went
on to have a solo show at only
15 years of age. Excelling in art in
high school, Glenda was awarded
a scholarship to Mount St. Mary’s
College. After her studies she
evolved into painting realism. It is
my favorite style and the more

GLENDA STEVENS
detail she paints the more she
enjoys it. Horses, cowboys, American
Indians, rodeos, and vistas
of the West have captured her
spirit and she strives to paint
these subjects as honestly as she
can. Her dad was a cowboy in his
youth and many times they visited
the ranch in Montana where he
worked. Being there to see the
vast landscape and big sky was
breathtaking for her. Over many
years she has developed her skill
and professionalism to capture
the representation of the many
aspects of reality or fantasy. The
mixture of reality and vision
inspires her because it forces the
imagination to create something
that goes beyond a photographic
reference. She has stayed committed
to achieving her unique style
which consists of a wide range of
realism, abstract and a little bit
of both. Glenda’s subject matter
is also wide ranging as she paints
what she likes and what moves
her.
Native American Woman, 28 x 22, Acrylic on Canvas
53

JOHN SUMNER
Introducing a mesmerizing fusion of contemporary art and rustic charm while focusing on the
intersection of dissimilar materials dictates the nature of John’s sculpture. In his teen years and
while at school, he drew and sculpted and showed his work at local art fairs. He earned a BFA
majoring in Illustration with a minor in Fine Art and graduated with honors from the Art Center
College of Design. John went to work as a Puppet Fabricator for a short time and then as
an Animation Artist, Production Designer, and Art Director for two
stop-motion animation studios in North Hollywood. For approximately
18 years, this involved designing and fabricating puppets
and sets as well as concept art and story boards. A chance visit
to a Laguna Beach gallery to break the monotony of COVID
isolation at home with his children, he admired the sculpture
work of graduating students from Laguna College of
Art and Design and knew the time had come to
quit his job and start again making his own work.
Being an artist is John’s passion and necessary
creative outlet for his wide range of interests,
and an innate drive to create things with his
hands. Being a sculptor allows him to create
while exploring all the random pathways he
stumbles upon. He has built up a substantial body of
work currently on exhibition in galleries, art
shows and studios. It is an eclectic collection
matching his curiosity for life, so expect to
see a wide range of styles in his work. John’s
art leans towards simplicity and he is drawn
toward experiences as influence, with a desire
to create art that is both undefinable and
54
River, 18x18x16 on 10” Wood Base,
Mixed Media: Plaster, Wood, Paint, Shellac
irresistible.

JOHN SUMNER
His favorite subjects are: capturing gestures of the human
form, natural objects, specifically trees and plants, and
graphic shapes and architectural forms. These are executed
in a unique style characterized by bold colors, aggressive
forms, rich darks and random materials. His favorite artists
are 20th Century expressionists as eclectic in their art as
John’s. They include: Donal Hord, Mahonri Young, and Victor
Schreckengost – worth looking up to better understand
John’s creative work. To admire and study the work of
others is acceptable, but to copy their style so that it
alters how you create holds no value. To do so offers
nothing new and undervalues your creative effort. Here
his Sunset Horses series deals with the use of color, gesture
and materials to convey emotion. Always drawn to horses as
powerful creatures, even at rest they command attention. The
two horse groups explore whether different poses create
a similar emotional reaction in the viewer. The
two busts, outwardly similar, attempts chromatic
selection to define their personalities. He lives
and works in a multimedia environment
employing traditional sculpting
techniques with a variety of materials
mashed together depending
upon the source of the inspiration.
John is a bold, free spirit whose art is born
from the unknown.
Fire, 7x14x12, Mixed Media: Plaster,
Wood, Paint, Shellac
Root, 11.5x15.5x20.5 on 10” Wood Base
Mixed Media: Plaster, Wood, Paint, Shellac
55

TARA ROSE TONER
Tara grew up in Montecito, California. From an early age she was recognized for her artistic skill
by her instructors and awarded Most Artistic at her Santa Barbara Junior High School graduation.
She continued to develop her skills as an artist and was accepted into the Visual Art and Design
Academy at Santa Barbara High School. Her passion in art led her to pursue further education
outside of the classroom and study under professional artists including Odin K. Smith of Cape
Cod, Jordan Pope of Montecito, and Duane Unkefer of Santa Barbara, as well as studying plein air
painting with John Iwerks and Thomas Van Stein at SBCC. Midway through completing her Bachelor
of Fine Arts Degree at California Polytechnic State University with a major in Studio Art and
Design, she worked under couture fashion designers of Rodarte, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, in
56
Lake Los Carneros, 10x20, Oil on Canvas

TARA ROSE TONER
Ellwood in the Spring, 10x20, Oil on Canvas
their Los Angeles, California design studio as well as traveling with Rodarte to New York to work
during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. In 2013 she completed her degree along with being featured
in a group showing at Cal Poly’s Art Gallery in San Luis Obispo. Since graduating, she has painted
figures, still lifes, and self-portraits, landscapes and seascapes of the local area. Influenced by her
brother’s pack rides, she loves to paint cowboys and cowgirls in a style that is somewhat reminiscent
of Billy Schenck’s iconic art. She says: “The romance of the cowboy spirit is a world unto itself
and has inspired a lot of artists in the community.” She has held solo exhibitions in Santa Barbara
and she continues to paint and show work in her hometown of Montecito,
57

TOM WRIGHT
Tom Wright received the award for Best Figurative Art at the 2022 SLOPOKE after review and
judging by California Art Club President Michael Obermeyer. Finding and promoting artistic talent
otherwise unseen is perhaps the most valuable attribute of the annual SLOPOKE Exhibition. Married
for 47 years, Tom and Faye live the ranch life west of Bakersfield, California. Tom studied art in
school for five years, four in high school and one in junior college. At graduation from Bakersfield
High School, he was named “Most Artistic Student”.
At the end of his first year at Bakersfield
Junior College, circumstances dictated he needed
to find a full-time job as school was no longer
a viable option. That one year of art courses
planted, with his natural talent, the creative seed
that would sprout many years later. Over the
intervening years he would occasionally produce
art for friends and family but his work schedule
then did not allow time to chase his dreams
of being a full-time artist. Retiring just as the
pandemic struck provided the opportunity to
become re-engaged with art. Simply making an- i-
mal art drawings for his grandchildren provided
the creative stimulus needed to become a
full-time professional artist. Most of his artwork
today is western themed subjects that reflect
life experiences such as being raised around
livestock and horses and several years spent on
the PRCA rodeo circuit as a bull rider and team
roper. As a child, he happened to see a neighbor’s
charcoal drawing depicting a scene of the
old west that made a lasting impression on him.
He decided right then to try and produce simi
Lakota Souix Brave, 18x14, Acrylic on Canvas
58

TOM WRIGHT
lar art that would capture attention and influence people by making a similar impression on them.
Because he did not have access to expensive art supplies, pencil and paper became his medium
of choice. He has always loved the darks and lights that the contrasts of this media produce and
believes it portrays the art of the western world perfectly. He is also exploring color in his exploration
of the American West with the use of acrylic paint on canvas. Whether paint or pencil, his
subjects depict a brief narrative with an iconic quality unconfused by background detail.
Who’s Drivin’ Who, 16x20, Graphite Pencil on Illustration Board
59

DONG YANG
Dong Yang was born in Tianjin, China and moved to Los Angeles in 2022. Although he is an experienced,
multi-talented artist, he is new to the American scene. His work, both monumental
and table-top sculpture and paintings, depict a variety of subjects including animals, people, and
abstract artworks. Yang’s fascination with animals and artistic talent began as a youth who closely
observed horses, bulls, and birds, and
admired his grandfather’s collection
of European sculptures and photographs.
These inspired him to make
little models of animals out of plasticine.
As a young man, Yang attended
the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts and
after graduating in 1990 enrolled in
the Central Academy of Arts in Beijing
for training. The head of the sculpture
department then was the famous artist
Mr. Qian Shao Wu. Recognizing Yang’s
extraordinary talent, he appointed
Yang as his assistant and they collaborated
on many projects together for
over 8 years. In 1996, Yang moved to
Shanghai and his career began to take
off. His first notable commission was
the sculpture “Happy Family” located
at the entrance of East Nanjing Road,
one of the busiest pedestrian roads
in Shanghai. Important works Yang
created during these years were the pair of lions in front of the HSBC Bank, and the sculptures
“Clock” and “Equestrian - Beyond,” both of which are located in Shanghai’s 80,000-seat stadium.
Since 2008, Yang has created over 100 shelf sculptures and commissions for sculptures in iconic
60
His Majesty-Storm, 24x36, Oil on Canvas

DONG YANG
locations in many cities. These sculptures
have been exhibited throughout
China and around the world and have
garnered him numerous awards. Some of
his on-shelf sculptures won first or the
second place in a variety of domestic
and international exhibitions. One work
is “Fortune,” created in 2009, which was
exhibited in the 86th Salon de Antonio
Timeless, 16x10x7, Bronze
Grace, 25x20x5, Bronze
in Madrid in 2019. Sculpture “Whisky” won
second place in the animal category at the
16th National Portrait Society in 2020. And
the sculpture “Afar” won first place in the
American Art Award; it also won honorable
mention at the Professional League of America
Artists; he was invited to Florence Biennale
2021. Over the course of his career, Yang has
developed his own style that integrates Western
sculptural language with Eastern humanistic
qualities. Yang’s sculptures reflect his worldview
towards life and nature.
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