Gisele D. Thompson is an award winning artist with a BFA in illustration from Cal State Long Beach and a Masters in painting from Cal State Fullerton. The landscapes etched in Gisele’s mind have been her inspiration after a decade of exploring her home state of New Hampshire, with a brush! Now living on the Central Coast, her current body of work is a new exploration in plein air paintings of the local scene. Her captivating acrylic paintings feature the shifting shadows and mesmerizing natural forms of the outdoors, in rich tones, with a harmonious blend of natural beauty.
Julie Dunn presents an unusual and refreshing style of painting known as Tempera Batiik painting on paper. Her award winning and unique work is characterized by vibrant color and an appealing textural surface, beautifully combined with compelling imagery. Admirers of her paintings find them reminiscent of traditional fabric batiks, silk paintings, woodblock prints, and even stained glass. Her subjects include Central Coast and desert landscapes, endangered and exotic species and incredibly beautiful flowers.
Susan Kounanis is an award winning California artist. Inspired by her love of antiques, Susan enjoys using vintage glass and vases pared with colorful fresh fruits and flowers in her still life paintings. Forever chasing the light, her oil paintings are rich in color while capturing soft, subtle darks in shadow.
The ocean is a powerful muse providing an endless source of inspiration. Patricia’s style is representational, utilizing a glazing technique of many thin layers of paint to create a translucent effect that provides depth and emanates light from her oils. During the process, she immerses herself in the environment, spending countless hours observing the subtle shifts of light and color throughout the day. These observations allow her to infuse authentic light that emotional depth into her paintings.
Largely self-taught, Jim began working with pastel at an early age, and since 2001 has painted exclusively with pastel. His distinctive style can be seen through his focus on lighting and composition. The scenes that capture Jim’s eye constantly have strong lighting and deep shadows, and he uses the richness of pastel to capture that boldness in his paintings. As an award winning artist, he has been featured in Pastel Journal Magazine and is a founding member of the California Central Coast Pastel Society.