NICK SZABO, “Untitled”(2022), Mixed Media
Nick Szabo (Alumni) - BFA 2020
IG: @n_a_sz
Bio: CSUEB BFA alumni 2020, focused on mixed media paintings and geometric design.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“I used both while creating it, and also reference them both with color.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“The shapes I conveyed and the choice of colors were inspired by fire and water.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“I burned the top portion and stained the bottom portion with layers of acrylic wash.”
LESLIE LOPEZ, “Shaped by Water, Strengthened by Fire: A Mini Collection”(2022), Ceramic
LESLIE LOPEZ, “It’s Written on Our Bones”(2022), Ceramic
Leslie Lopez (Alumni) - BFA Fine Arts Practice, 2020
IG: @aldama_ceramica
Bio: Leslie Lopez is a Mexican-American artist based in the SF Bay Area. She takes inspiration from her heritage and the immigrant roots of her family to create work that explores the joys and struggles in her identity as a First-Generation Chicana.
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“While thinking of fire and water, and how it may relate to Mexican culture, I immediately thought of the cactus plant that is so strongly tied to the image of Mexico by both natives and foreigners. It is a plant that requires little water to survive and can thrive in high temperatures. It covers the deserts of Mexico, silent observers of the many journeys taken to reach the U.S. border in the blistering heat. It is proudly presented on the Mexican flag, a key part of the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlán on the lake of Texcoco. I felt compelled to create a piece honoring such a strong symbol of Mexican culture.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“Ceramics, by nature, involve both water and fire throughout the process of creation. It is a very physical art form in which water is my constant companion and fire is respected and occasionally feared.”
CAROLINA GAINEY-VEJAR, “The Melting of Turtle Island”(2022), Watercolor
GERALD THOMPSON, “Tropical Heat”(2021), Oil on Canvas
GERALD THOMPSON, “Forest on Fire”(2022), Oil on Canvas
JEANNIE ICHIMURA, “Alone Together”(2018), Sculpture
Jeannie Ichimura (Faculty Member) - Teaching Course: Ceramics 1, 2, 3. (ART 115, 215, 315)
Bio: Jeannie developed a love of all things ceramic while learning to throw on the potter’s wheel in Osaka, Japan in 1995. The process, textural quality, and hint of unpredictability that are integral to working with clay are a constant invitation to explore. Ideals about gender, domesticity and societal norms inform her current work. Jeannie received her MFA from San Francisco State University, and her work has been exhibited in CA, NY, MI, and OH. She currently divides her time between teaching ceramics and working in her studio.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Fire and water are inherent to the ceramic process.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“I’m interested in the concept of transformation. I love how fire does this to my objects…like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Parts of discarded doll clothes and fabric scraps are soaked in porcelain slip, reshaped, and transformed into porcelain. I'm creating new identities the objects lacked in their past lives.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“I use water in clay and slip and kiln fire to create all of my ceramic artwork.”
ANDRE ROSENZWEIG-RIVAS, “Spirit On The Water”(2021), Acrylic
Andre Rosenzweig-Rivas (Alumni) - BFA Fine Arts Practice Concentration 2022
Bio: I am an indigenous figurative painter based in Oakland, California. I have lived half of my life in the United States and the other half in Honduras. I work primarily with oil colors but I am comfortable with other mediums. The lens through which I view the world stems from my identity as an artist, an indigenous person and a peripatetic adventurer. I see my work as a constant search for meaning in a chaotic universe. That meaning is often grounded in my identity as indigenous person. My art lies in the space between the everyday and the fantastical. I consider art as myth-making and believe it is through myth-making that we can better understand ourselves and our world.
Statement: “The painting is inspired in part by the Bible verse Genesis 1:2 "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." The verse harkens back to a time of creation, a time when God or spirituality was not an abstract concept but something you had a direct line of communication with. For Miskito people, this idea of spirits in the physical realm still endures. The girl in the painting is both a representation of a water spirit that exists in the present belief of Miskito people and also a being that evokes an almost mythological pre-colonial past.”
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“The painting is inspired in part by the Bible verse Genesis 1:2 "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." The verse harkens back to a time of creation, a time when God or spirituality was not an abstract concept but something you had a direct line of communication with. For Miskito people, this idea of spirits in the physical realm still endures. The girl in the painting is both a representation of a water spirit that exists in the present belief of Miskito people and also a being that evokes an almost mythological pre-colonial past.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Yes, the figure sits on top of a river. Rivers are a source of life, community, and power for Miskito people.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“Yes, if we consider combining water with acrylics.”
ERICA KAMINSKY & REBECCA REDMOND , “Displacement”(2022), Mixed Media
Erica Kaminsky(Alumni) - BFA Illustration 2020
&
Rebecca Redmond(Alumni) - BFA Video Editing and Animation 2021
https://www.ericakaminsky.com/portfolio/displacement
Bio: Rebecca Redmond graduated from Cal State East Bay with a degree in Video & Animation, her primary passion being post-production work such as video editing and color grading with Adobe software.
Erica Kaminsky graduated from Cal State East Bay with a degree in Illustration, her primary passion is creating mixed media pieces and developing her knowledge of two-dimensional art
Statement: “Displacement is a diptych that depicts a topographic landscape that demonstrates the harsh reality of climate change and the beauty of a new environment. We demonstrated environmental changes by encasing handcrafted candle sculptures in resin. The second piece portrays the change of landmasses by applying fire and melting them down. Our handmade elements bring life to an otherwise static representation of various biomes and pool together a rich, textured terrain. The dimension of each frame is representative of the map sizes sailors used in the past.”
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“In the first piece of the diptych, the viewer can see a river running evenly through the landscape. The second landscape was created by setting the candles on fire, widening and changing the river's path.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“We used fire as part of the concept for our idea.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“Many of the candles were created using the technique of pouring melted wax over ice. Another method used was rapidly cooling the wax by dipping it in ice water to build up the layers. The result was many candles we could then set on fire to build our landscapes.”
SIAN GERGAHTY(FACULTY), “Birthday Cake”(2022), 3D Model
KATHERINE LEE(FACULTY), “TOMBO & GINKGO”(2022), Artist’s Book Design
MATT RITCHIE, “Fire & Ice”(2010), Acrylic on Skate Deck
MALIK LAWSON, “Fire & Water”(2022), Mixed Media
Malik Lawson (Alumni) - BFA Illustration/2021
https://lawsonmoses96.wixsite.com/mosesvii
Bio: Malik Lawson is a fine artist and illustrator who enjoys blurring the lines between reality and imagination. Lawson’s works with acrylic paint, colored pencils, pastels, watercolor, and his personal favorite, graphite pencils. His most recent venture has been into the world of filming his art process and displaying the work that goes on behind the scenes. Lawson’s next step is to present his work in galleries, on skateboards, album and comic book covers, movie posters, and to one day make his very own playing and oracle card decks. He currently creates in Pittsburg, CA.
Statement: Two male figures are inverted from one another, reminiscent of the face cards in a playing card deck. One represents fire while wearing a mask inspired by Japanese samurai dragon armor and the other represents water while wearing minimal jewelry. They are both made from several shades of red and blue.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Fire and water are physically shown in my artwork but it is also used to describe the moods both of my figures are expressing. The figure based on water is calm while the fire based on fire is angry. Both emotions that could be associated with the elements.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“The elements of fire and water played a huge role in guiding my inspiration throughout this piece. “
MICHAEL HALL, “Let Love In”(2022), Oil
Michael Hall (Faculty Member) - Teaching Course: Art 272/472 & 361
Website: michaelhallstudio.net
Bio: Michael Hall’s drawings, paintings, and videos question and rediscover ideas embodied in personal objects and ephemera. Hall earned an MFA from Mills College and a BFA from California College of the Arts & Crafts. He is a recipient of a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, an Alameda County Arts Leadership Award, and an MFA Fellowship at the Headlands Center for the Arts. In addition to the Headlands, recent residencies include Joan Mitchell Center and Montalvo Art Center. Recent Bay Area solo exhibitions include Catharine Clark Gallery and Townsend Center for the Humanities. He is currently an Associate Professor of Fine Arts Practice at California State University East Bay.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Each piece has representations of either or both fire and water.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“I use water soluble paints.”
GABRIELLA SEVILLA, "see the Salvation of the Lord", The Red Sea(2022), Acrylic on Canvas
GABRIELLA SEVILLA, "I AM”(2022), Acrylic on Canvas
Gabriela Sevilla (Alumni) - BFA Fine Arts Practice in Painting
IG: @gabsville87
Bio: Gabriela Sevilla graduated from California State University, East Bay in Spring 2020, and received a BFA in Fine Arts Practice in Painting. Graduated from Chabot College in 2017 with a AA-T in Art Studio. Currently resides in the SF Bay Area.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Both fire and water are both talked about in the Bible, the book of Exodus, where I had taken some verses and used them to inspire my work. God used a burning bush to speak to Moses. He also used water(the sea) to make a way for the people of Israel. In the stories God used both of them to accomplish something important.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“For these pieces fire and water were an inspiration and an important part about illustrating the Bible stories that talked about them.”
CASEY GIELEN, “Water”(2022), Photograph
LAWRENCE BOCAGE, “Sol Flare”(2022), Photography
Lawrence Bocage (Alumni) - Industrial Engineering 2019
IG: @Hobo_lolo
Bio: Still working on seeing the beauty in everything, getting better at it each day
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“The first piece “Sol Flare” represents the Sun’s effect on our world. Film Photography can capture the light and fire of the Sun in a very special way.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Fire and Water are some of the most primordial elements. Literally acting as building blocks for life. Subconsciously they find their way into anyone’s creative process. The creative process and passion can even be described as ‘having a fire in your heart’ for Art.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“I have mostly used substitutes to act in place of true Fire and Water as to leave them undisturbed in their natural form and environment.”
TONY ESOLA, “Service Trophy” (2022), Sculpture
Tony Esola (Faculty/Shop Tech) - Teaching Courses: Instructional Support Technician / Sculpture, Special Topics
IG: @tonyesola, @strikingmetal
Bio: Tony Esola is a California based artist working in the realms of Art and Design. He has a background and education in Fine Arts, known for his interest in the disciplines of Sculpture, Metalsmithing and Industrial Design as a means for multifaceted expressions and livelihood.
His work in the field of art satisfies his expressive desire to create one of a kind pieces, while his work in Industrial Design allows him to create a multitude of home decor objects that reach a larger audience. In the arena of art education, he pays respect and appreciation to the world of art by extending his experience and knowledge to others.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
”Service Trophy’ is a piece honoring the long service of an art studio manager at the California College of the Arts, Oakland CA.. Its components represent the various utilities (Gas, Water and Electricity) of which are used as tools of education, creativity and growth of an artistic community.
Fire is represented in the form of valves and lines by which natural gas is used as a tool to fire ceramic objects, solder, cast and patina metal objects. Water is also represented by a water spigot dispensing the critical element of water as an artistic component for creativity and growth. Additionally, electricity is also represented as an artistic tool in the form of wires and electrical circuits of kilns and welders and other artistic tools and technologies.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“The use of fire in the forms of soldering, welding, forging, and casting are usually primary to the fabrication of my work. However, water is also a key to fabrication in the forms of cleaning, tempering and coloring of metal.”
SHARON WICKHAM, “Sadness, with Glow” From the “Neighbor Series”(2022), Photography
SHARON WICKHAM, “Water Within, and Without” From the “CryBaby Series”(2022), Photography
Sharon Wickham (Faculty) - Teaching course: Creative Photography ART 340, and Photography 101 - 01
Bio: Sharon Wickham is a Traditional Photographic Artist, with a Twist. Experimenting with various themes over extended periods of time. Wickham’s most overarching theme being:
“When things fall apart, and come together”.
Sharon Wickham has shown her work in galleries and museums nationally and internationally. Wickham’s work is in various private collections, as well as in the SFMOMA Collection, Portland Art Museum, and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“In these works, The fire is the Light of Hope Glowing, Connecting...among the rain droplets describing...the sadness of too little water, and the crying of too much suffering overall, emotionally, climatically, politically…”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Yes, elementally important!”
MIRABEL WIGON, “Flare”(2022), Oil on Canvas
Mirabel Wigon (Alumni) - BFA Traditional Art 2014
IG @mirabelwigon
Bio: Mirabel Wigon is an artist residing in California. She creates large-scale landscape paintings grappling with environmental phenomena resulting from, and related to, the built landscape. These paintings explore notions of progress, instability, and system collapse. Her works have been featured in numerous group exhibitions both regionally and nationally. Her recent work has been exhibited in Shifting Ground at the Michael Stearns Gallery, Made in California at Brea Gallery, and Painted 2021: 5th Biennial Survey at Manifest Gallery. Her awards include the Linda A. Day Endowed Student Award, Werby Marylin Award, and CSULB’s Provost Purchase Award. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Traditional Art from California State University, East Bay and her Master of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting from California State University, Long Beach. She is currently Assistant Professor of Art at California State University, Stanislaus where she teaches drawing and painting.
Statement: My practice explores experience, immersion, and separation within my immediate environment. I create landscape paintings that grapple with environmental phenomena resulting from, and tangentially related to, the built environment. The world we live in is contingent on, and influenced by, massively unpredictable systems. My paintings are a conglomeration of signs, where the accumulation of imagery and painted layers creates a perplexing and tenuous notion of the “whole” built from many discrete fragments of perception.
Technological systems are vehicles for a vast amount of information which mediate and shape the conception of space. This experience of space – accumulation, imbalance, and overload – results in opulence teetering at the edge of collapse. My work contends with various painting languages of abstraction, naturalism, digital codes, and diagrammatic schemes to reconcile states of real and simulated. Fractured space, shifting screens, and atmospheric conditions obfuscate and interrupt the viewer while simultaneously offering new visual pathways. These visual contradictions create a nebulous space, amplifying anxiety yet offering hope in the face of uncertainty.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“I'm influenced by the climate crisis and industrial agriculture in my immediate environment of the central valley.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Clouds formations and water become metaphors for ruination and renewal.”
JERRALD LOCHE, “Glory of the Ghost Cat”(2022), Acrylic
JERRALD LOCHE, “Make The Days Brighter”(2021), Watercolor
Jerrald Loche (Alumni) - BA Studio Art 2017
jlothegcat.art
Bio: Jerrald Loche (born 1993) is a Hayward resident and California based artist and photographer. In June 2012 he graduated from Castro Valley High School. From Fall 2012 to Spring 2017 he attended Cal State University East Bay, where he graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Studio Art. His work presents a saturated palette to establish commonality and positive emotional states that can be shared by his viewers.
Statement: I have always had an interest in color. It is very direct in presentation, but a combination of colors can convey many different emotions. As children, colors are one of the things that catch our attention the most and as we get older. Color is used to identify the ways that we think, act, and feel. I transform the image through the color that I associate it with. It gives each image an illustrative, fantastical element. In my work, through color, I try to represent a sense of wonder and creativity that people can identify with.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“The blue flames surrounding the characters in the pieces are used to represent the brightness of their spirit/passions.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Fire is explored as a concept in my work.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“Water is regularly used in the process for both my acrylic and watercolor paintings.”
ROBERT SLOTE(Faculty), “To The Ship”(2021), Mixed Media
ROBERT SLOTE(Faculty), Lost at Sea(2021), Mixed Media
Robert Slote (Faculty) - Teaching Course: 226, History of Graphic Design
http://www.500watts.com/paintings
Bio: Bob Slote began painting while a student at the University of Oregon. He transferred to the San Francisco Art Institute and graduated with Honors. While at SFAI he was awarded an Honors studio and won several awards and scholarships upon receiving his BFA in Painting. After living in Paris, France for a year he attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received an MFA.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Water means a lot to us humans. It's why we seek rivers, lakes and the oceans. That's why there are fountains in cities and sculptures with waterfalls. I seek to bring water into art a lot.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Yes. My palette is full of blues. Water is a huge inspiration to me in my work!”
CHASE MEE, “The Pandemic”(2020), Photography
CHASE MEE, “The Pandemic”(2020), Photography
Chase Meë (Alumni) - Graphic Design 2013, MFA 2016
I cannot remember when I took these photos..
Sleep, Coffee, TV, Twitter, News, Riots, Insurrections, Rallys, Twitter, Food, Twitter, News, Twitter, Sleep, “good morning” - ex girlfriend, Sleep, Class, Twitter, Shutter, Sleep..The pandemic was a vicious cycle of daily horrors, waking up and falling asleep. Nothing to do,
everything to do. It’s a blur, I cannot remember when I took these photos, I can tell you where, but when? Ha! tough luck friend, I have no idea, the concept of time was an extreme ask, the majority of. Twitter,news, twitter, food, etc, etc. I remember the #RiotAesthetic, I remember the “black out” I remember the anti-goya campaign, I remember hearing a siren from miles away for twenty straight minutes because it was so quiet, I remember the first day out the house, I remember the last day out of the house, I remember >0% interest rates, I remember the mental health checks, I remember rewatching the 2005 national
championship game, I remember sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing, sitting, laying, standing.. but,
I cannot remember when I took these photos..
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“The anchor photos are a photo of a wave receding and a semi-truck completely engulfed in flames surrounded by photos that are directly or indirectly connected to water(lack thereof) and fire. These photos are taken from my walking around series of photos.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“We live on the fire coast, inspiration is all around us.”
KIRK LECLAIRE, “Fire Starter”(2021), Acrylic
KIRK LECLAIRE, ”Fire in the Forest”(2022), Acrylic
AJEL SCOTT, “Untitled 01”(2022), Acrylic
AJEL SCOTT, “Untitled 02”(2022), Acrylic
Ajel Scott (Alumni) - Studio Arts 2022
IG: @ajelmarie.art
Bio: An ambitious artist with a focus on illustration and painting, Ajel Marie Scott was born in California in 1998 where she continues to live and work.
Statement: While inspired by music, nature, and emotional states, the subject matter of my artwork centers around spontaneity. I create a work of art that excites me due to not knowing where the process will take me in the end.
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“I used fire, magma, volcanoes and water as inspiration to create a loose representation of these elements for my paintings, from the flow of these elements to an idea of the texture that these elements can make.”
PHILIP RINGLER & JAMES SAXON, Water.Fire(2014), Photography
Philip Ringler (Alumni) - 2005
&
James Saxon(Alumni) - 2005
Bio: Philip Ringler is an American artist specializing in contemporary, conceptual fine art photography. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from John F. Kennedy University’s Arts and Consciousness program and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, East Bay. He has worked as a professional photographer and artist since 1995.
Philip exhibits his work locally, nationally and internationally.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“All of the four elements are the focus of the series. Here, water overpowers air as a tsunami ascends towards the helicopter.“
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“All the time. Nature is the greatest teacher, but it doesn't always have to be photographs or paintings of nature. It can be motivated by it but there are many visual languages to express nature.”
SIMONE SKINTONE, “Hydration”(2022), Acrylic
Simone Skintone (Alumni) - Art BA ‘21
IG: @simone.ntr
Bio: Through paintings, sculptures, and immersive installations I reference nature and the female form as a reflection of my own existential awareness.
Statement: “This piece was inspired by my lifestyle and the decision to stop drinking water this year, summer '22. After doing extensive research on contaminated tap, faucet, and groundwater I decided to get my "water" from fruits and vegetables. This way the water is living and charged with vitamins, natural sugars, and nutrients instead of fluoride, pesticides, micro-plastics and the thousands of other horrifying things found in American "drinking" water.
The two paintings in this Hydration series feature the fruits that I've favored the most while eliminating water from my diet: Citrus fruits and Tomatoes. During my creative process I decided to incorporate water into the backgrounds of the painting to illustrate my journey of me leaving water in the past (background) and focusing on hydration through fruits (in the foreground). The women in the seeds reflect my current incubation phase. An incubation of my ideas and a development of my craft, my spiritual being, and my connection to source. The meditative space that allows space for growth and life... a seed.”
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“This piece was inspired by my lifestyle and the decision to stop drinking water this year in 2022. After doing extensive research on contaminated tap, faucet, and ground water I decided to get my “water” from fruits and vegetables. This way, the water provides more vitamins and nutrients for my active body! I drink fresh squeezed juice (mainly orange juice) everyday!! And I am still on the journey of not drinking neutral non-nutritious water. My great grandmother is 93, living, healthy, and does not drink water.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“During my creative process I decided to incorporate water into the background of the painting to illustrate the concept of me leaving water (drinking water) in the past (background) and keeping my focus on hydration from fruit (in the forefront)! Describing my active practice of staying hydrated through fruits.”
JENNIFER BRAZELTON, “Shadow Work: Don’t look up”(2022), Mixed Media
Jennifer Brazelton (Faculty Member) - Teaching Course: Art 491 BFA Critique
Bio: Artist Jennifer Brazelton lives in San Francisco and has her studio at Dome Studios in Oakland, CA. When not working in the studio she curates and teaches art courses at California State University East Bay, Skyline College, and Ohlone College. You can view her work at Abrams Claghorn Gallery, and the Epperson Gallery. Her work is represented in Glaze: The Ultimate Ceramic Artist's Guide to Glaze and Color by Brian Taylor and Kate Doody, in the Lark Books publication “500 Raku Pieces”, in Politics of Perception; Post-Foucauldian Ceramics by Anthony Merino, and in 71 Women Artists by Kurt Fishback.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“All of my artwork looks like it came from the ocean. “
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“The sea and all of its textures are always inspiring.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“The kiln is a great way to work with heat and fire.”
PRISCILLA FLORES, “Burning Bush”(2022), Mixed Media
Priscilla Flores (Alumni) - BFA 2022
IG: @authorpriscilla
Bio: Priscilla Flores is an artist, published author, and received her BFA in Fine Arts from Cal East Bay in 2022. She’s been featured in the Rising Exhibition at CSU East Bay (2022) and authored the novel Lightning Second Edition (2022), with over ninety of her own illustrations. Much of her work consists of bright drawings inspired by dreams, imagination, and everyday experiences. Priscilla lives in California with her son Lionel, where she continues to work on her art and writing.
Statement: “Burning Bush (2022) is exploring the biblical story of Moses speaking to the burning bush that did not get consumed by its flames. Burning Bush is made with alcohol marker, colored pencil, pen, on Bristol paper.”
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Fire relates to my work because I am trying to interpret what the burning bush in the bible might have looked like. The Torah and Bible mentions a fire that does not burn the bush, and it sounds so special whenever I read that part in Exodus.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Fire mentioned in Exodus was the biggest inspiration of my work.”
KIMBERLEE KOYM-MURTIERA, “Projecting Fire through Water”(2018), Stills from Video printed on Metal
Kimberlee Koym-Murtiera (Faculty) - Teaching course: Special Topics - 3D printing: Making what we Imagine Matter & 3 sections of BFA Crit
Website: www.kimberleekm.com
IG: @kimberleekm
Artist Bio: Kimberlee Koym-Murteira makes video sculptures, hybrid forms of video, light, water, and installation. Moving from the material to immaterial, creating dialogues guided by the forces of Trauma, Healing, Spirituality, and Ecology. Kimberlee engages somatic connection - a relationship to the body in creation and exhibition - to respond to the complexity of power in relation to ecology and feminism. Employing tenants of embodiment to conjoin environmental concerns and social justice. She sees technology as both a tool and interruptor. Originally from Texas, Kimberlee’s connection to the environment was born on her family’s land near Austin. She holds a MFA from Mills College, a MA in Scenography from Central St Martin’s London and teaches at DVC, CCA, and Cal State East Bay.
Statement: “In the series Projecting Fire through water I have used a hands on process of remaking video by projecting footage of the fires through water. These acts allowed me to process the fires in a new way, creating an easier way to deal with the remnants and destruction of the natural disasters we continue to witness. The videos are shown as projections and as video sculptures housed in Mason jars, holding stories and images to preserve them, marking connections between the virtual and physical.
I grew up in San Antonio, Texas. In 2018, my urge to mark those pathways between the environment and people focused on natural disasters - as Hurricane Harvey flooded homes of so many in my home state. These tragedies began to stir a new appreciation of the home left behind. For the first time, I felt a deep pull to return to Texas and collect stories of the current events and of the childhood places in nature I had loved to visit. Logistics did not allow me to travel at the time so I virtually transported to Texas via the internet. While watching the stories of the destruction, I was surprised to remember a love of the intense Texas rain and thunderstorms.
Mere days later, Texas evaporated into the background as the 2017 fires of Northern California consumed Bay Area residents' thoughts. The overwhelming destruction and sadness moved me deeply and I began collecting stories and footage from the fire. These pieces mark connections between the virtual and physical; connections and pathways, fire and water colliding in the same conduit, expressing the complexity of life - destruction, beauty, anxiety, and love. “
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“This particular work deals with the wildfires, but I use water in many different ways, as a sculptural material, a video subject, a tool of refraction and reflection in imagery.”
Do you use either physical fire and/or water in your artistic process?
“Yes, I use water all the time and fire occasionally.”
CALEB RIEMER, “Arson”(2021), Oil
Caleb Riemer (Alumni) - Bachelors of Fine Arts, 2022
IG: @urthliing
Bio: Caleb Riemer is an emerging painter based in the San Francisco Bay Area specializing in both analog and digital media. Riemer primarily creates oil paintings of fragmented cognitive maps about the relationship between knowledge, power, and imagery. Recently, he has been focusing on the threats and opportunities facing the natural world.
His work has been featured in California State University East Bay’s Rising Exhibitions in both 2020, 2021, and 2022. He held his Senior Exhibition; Fragment in March 2022. Riemer graduated from California State University East Bay with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in May 2022.
How does fire and/or water relate to your artwork?
“Water is life. Fire is destruction. Perhaps both are necessary for rebirth.”
Do you use fire and/or water as an inspiration for a concept or idea in your creative process?
“Water and waterlife has always been an artistic inspiration to me as a kid growing up in Hawaii, and later in the Bay Area. However, until recently I was unaware of how much it meant to me. The existential threat of climate change to Earth's oceans has only strengthened my relationship to water.”
COLTON THOMAS, “Accretion”(2022), Acrylic
COLTON THOMAS, “This is Where We Meet”(2022), Acrylic