Art RSS

As we head into the holiday season, I invite you to consider shopping small & local for your gift giving needs. There are so many talented and unique makers within the community, eager to share their goods with you! Plus, we will feel the impact from each and every sale so much more than any global corporation.  With that, I've curated a list of gift ideas from my own art shop! Here is some inspiration, from my vibrant coastal art prints, to a truly personal custom art piece, or perhaps a memory gained in a painting class. I hope you...

Anastasiya Bachmonova unveils her latest collection at the Pacific Grove Art Center to a packed house By Neal Kearney July 10, 2025 Opening photos by Courtney Musser Article was originally published on www.scvibesmagazine.com Sometimes, life can get rough. From health problems, financial concerns, interpersonal drama, to unexplainable bouts of the blues, no one, myself included, is immune to having a bad day from time to time. With that being said, one great way of shifting one’s attention from the inescapable pitfalls of the human condition is to practice the art of being grateful. One of the things that I’m confronted with...

Water: dynamic, ever-changing, endlessly inspiring. Living near the sea in Santa Cruz, I follow the tides, the weather, and the seasons. As a passionate surfer for the past 13 years, I have an intimate appreciation for the variety of forms and patterns on the sea in constantly changing conditions. The difference between no wind and a ten mph breeze. Or an idyllic summer day contrasting with this past January's massive storms and swells. And how a wave might break when the tide is full on the shore or a perfectly surfable barrel. This summer I was honored to participate in...

The beauty of being an artist is that you never quite know where your art will take you. Surrendering to the shifting tides of your humanity, your art, a painting unfolds. New experiences are had, lessons are learned, and you begin to trust the process.That's how I started painting at weddings. Early this year, I received a request to paint live at the wedding of a long-time fan. I agreed to do it, with a mix of excitement about doing something different and unique and nervousness about the pressure of capturing such an important moment. Through the year, I've received...