Artscape Spring & Summer 2017 Exhibition Artist Biographies
Nicole Agee is an artist based in Murrieta who has worked and played in the arts throughout her life. After graduating with a liberal arts degree in Chicago, she worked in regional theatre and, later, magazine publishing and graphic arts in Washington D.C. She currently splits her time as a painter, video editor and mother of two teenage daughters. Her work focuses on abstract thinking, layering in complexity, and balancing the formal issues of composition. Her work portrays spontaneous and fluid mark-making, which she equates to music notes that orchestrate raucous and percussive compositions. She is a four- time winner of ArtSlant’s multimedia/ abstract showcase and has been included in the Saatchi Curatorial Collection online gallery.
Kelly Nicole Bryson is a mixed media artist who was born and raised in San Bernardino, Bloomington and Riverside. She has lived in Riverside for the last 22 years and works part time at Joann's and sells her artwork on the side. Kelly attended The Art institute of California, Orange County, where she studied graphic design. She has been creating art since she was a child; whether it was out of inspiration, boredom or therapeutic reasons, she was always creating. She likes the idea of taking the unusual and misunderstood, and showing everyone the beauty that lives within. Through her art, Kelly hopes to achieve one simple thing: she would like it to make anyone who comes across it smile.
Crystal Chavez is an illustrator and graphic designer from Riverside. She has been drawing since she was a child, and picked up her love of painting in high school. Crystal has shown her work at the Brandstater Gallery at La Sierra University and created live art work during special services at La Sierra University Church and Loma Linda University Church. With a BFA in graphic design, she currently works as a freelance artist and musician, working with different clients on a variety of projects. Crystal also plays with a Riverside-based band called The Crooked Owls, and has performed several venues downtown. The main subject in her artwork tends to be music.
Sydney Edmond is a 23 year old painter who has lived in Temecula for 14 years. She has autism, movement challenges and is unable to speak, but at the age of 10 she learned to type in order to communicate, and soon began writing poetry. She published a book of her work when she was 16. Sydney began painting with watercolors when she was 21, in spite of her movement challenges, by daubing paint onto the paper. She exhibits her artwork and poetry regularly in Temecula. Sydney also serves as a representative for individuals with autism who cannot speak and who need to be given a means to communicate. With an app on her iPad which gives her voice-output, she speaks at many conferences and schools in Southern California. Sydney loves to immerse herself in nature and the arts, and regularly enjoys the outdoors, musicals and ballet. Painting has become her passion as it has given her another way to release more of her creative nature.
Ana Guerra is an abstract painter and sculptor who was born in Puerto Rico and came to the United States at the age of 12. After studying every subject in the arts, she opened her home studio in Murrieta in 2004. Ana paints mostly abstract work, but she also does water clay sculpting. Ana also enjoys painting in mixed media. Ana believes that art can bring tranquility and peace to the home environment. She strives to create beautiful and affordable art with the hopes that she can make the beauty of art accessible to all.
David Hedges is a mixed media artist who was born and raised in Riverside. He has been creating art from the time he was 6 years old. After an extended hiatus from art he's been creating again since 2014. He now creates artwork as a hobby and his collection mostly consists of landscapes and still life.
Toki Hernandez is a visual artist who was born in Corona and raised in San Jacinto. Toki has been creating art from the time he was 15 and is currently attending the University of California, Riverside, majoring in studio arts. Toki has shown his work at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley and the Glass Outhouse Gallery located near Twenty-Nine Palms. He has received an associate degree in both general arts and humanities, which includes an understanding of art history and an experience in various mediums such as drawing, painting, photography and sculpture. In addition to creating art, Toki is inspired by fashion, literature, politics and activism. What he hopes to accomplish through his art is the ability to showcase not only the political identity but cultural identity of himself and his generation.
Stephenie Bushra Khan is a Temecula artist who from Winchendon, Massachusetts. A graduate of the Worcester Art Museum, Stephenie has published poetry and articles in magazines, newspapers and online, and exhibited her artwork previously for Artscape, Wine Country Gallery, and through the Temecula Valley Artist League and Dorland Art Colony. She is also a member of the Interfaith Council of Murrieta and Temecula Valley. Her artwork is influenced by the New England culture she grew up in, the subcontinent culture she married in to, as well as Sufi and Islamic influences.
Denise Kraemer of Riverside is a native of the Inland Empire. She served as the Education Curator at the Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, California for three years, where she organizes the adult education programs, monthly lecture series and member critiques. Kraemer curated the printmaking exhibition “Pressed” at the Riverside Art Museum and has worked with the museum's “Monothon” workshop and exhibition for 4 years. Kraemer received her BA in Art from California Baptist University and her MA in Art at California State University, San Bernardino. Last year, she had a solo exhibition at Riverside Art Musuem, has three group shows this summer and, worked with Arts Connection and Mill Tree in Joshua Tree, and juried the Ink & Clay show at CalPoly Pomona. She also teaches workshops at Division 9 gallery, Riverside Art Museum, Fallbrook School for the Arts and is a professor at Riverside City College and California State University, San Bernardino.
William Myerchin has been a photographer in the Inland Empire for thirty-five years. He was drafted into the US Army and was stationed in Vietnam, where he worked as a combat photographer, photojournalist and general staff photographer, documenting various events at the very end of the war. His service as an Army photographer nurtured his passion for photography. Upon leaving the Army, he decided to make it his life’s work. In 1979, William opened a studio in the Inland Empire and has been shooting photos ever since. Now semi-retired, his involvement in photography has become a fine art discovery of self and the world, with a photo being a fixed expression of that perception.
Joe A. Oakes is an acrylic artist/painter who was born in Chicago, IL and has been creating since the age of 5. He moved to Riverside County in 1992 and is currently teaching painting classes and workshops. Joe shows his work at Emerald C Gallery, Coronado; Brandon Gallery, Fallbrook and Art Exchange Gallery, Santa Fe. Joe’s goal is to help everyone appreciate art in some aspect and use that to improve their lives.
Stephen Packard is a painter who was raised in San Diego. He moved to Riverside County in 2001. Stephen has been creating art from the time he was young and is currently teaching drawing and painting at Temecula Preparatory School in Winchester. Stephen has shown his work at SAC Arts Gallery in Santa Ana and Artscape in 2015. He currently lives in San Jacinto, and takes his inspiration from the deserts and mountains of Southern California.
Nanyo Segura is a mixed-media artist who was born in Coatepec Harinas, Mexico. He migrated to the United States when he was 11 years old and attended middle school in the city of Indio. Nanyo remembers picking up a Lowrider art magazine one day, which inspired him to recreate the drawings he found in it. This eventually led to the start of his art career. He started taking art seriously when he enrolled in advanced art classes in high school, which motivated him even more to go to college. Nanyo graduated from Long Beach State University with an art education degree. His passion, motivation and love for creating art continually reminds him that one day he will be able to share his creations with the entire world. Nanyo’s last art show was held at the SBVC Gresham Art Gallery and has exhibited in many others throughout the Riverside and San Bernardino County.
Kathy Stradley is an oil painter who was born and raised in the Redondo Beach/Torrance area of Los Angeles County. Kathy has been creating art from the age of 4 and is currently painting in her home studio in Temecula and en plein air in the surrounding areas. After retiring from a career in education, Kathy brushed up her art skills at Palomar Junior College, San Marcos for four years. Kathy has shown her work in Temecula as a member of the Temecula Valley Art League, in Fallbrook as a member of the Fallbrook Art Association and with the Dorland Mountain Arts Colony Associate Artists. She exhibits her art at the city-sponsored First Friday Art Walks in Temecula and participates in the Ralph Love Plein Air Invitational every year, where she won 3rd Place last October.
Rhys Wynne is a multi-talented ceramic and visual artist who was born and raised in Thailand. He came to the U.S. in 2007, re-locating to Lake Elsinore. Rhys has been creating art and writing from the time he was 15 and is currently attending Mount San Jacinto Community College. He has shown his work and won awards at state fairs and galleries, and was the national representative from Thailand to the Children’s World Art Festival in Washington D.C. two years in a row. His work has been featured in the Autism Society’s annual calendar. Rhys likes to hang out with his service dog, Riley, cook and read. His dream is to be a storyboard artist with the Disney Corporation.
Richard Wynne is an artist who works in many mediums. He was born in Indiana, educated in Chicago and lived in many countries. Richard returned to the U.S. so his autistic son, Rhys, could receive a better education. They settled in the Lake Elsinore area in 2007. Richard has been creating art from the time he was ten years old and is still painting after all these years. He has shown his work at many international and national venues, and has been awarded many honors including the 2015 Golden Bear award from the State of California. Richard paints in many mediums and colors depending on what effect is desired and feels lucky to do what he loves and to be able to share it with his son.
