Artists

Gustavo Alejandro‘s Bio

Gustavo Alejandro is a Visual Art Photographer based in Monterey, California. Raised in Valparaíso, Zacatecas, Mexico, his connection to visual storytelling began early. Family trips documented through his mother’s film camera, and countless prints around his house made photography a natural, everyday presence.

This exposure sparked a quiet curiosity for composition and photographic mechanics. Driven by a desire to capture the cosmos, urban lights, and the natural world, photography organically became his chosen medium of expression. His exploration of tenebrism and chiaroscuro is rooted in a core philosophy: meaning requires contrast. Light only finds its form, purpose, and beauty in the presence of darkness.

Alongside his artistic practice, Gustavo pursued a career in Law, inspired by his father. This background fostered a careful, analytical vision of the world, teaching him that art can be found in the most ordinary places, even within the law itself. Today, this deeply observant gaze allows him to translate the everyday into atmospheric narratives.

Kofi Amoa’s Bio

I believe in the sublime and haunting beauty of the world. I see it in the way light falls on a face, a flower unfolds, or a bird soars through the sky. These fleeting moments are often overlooked but are the most precious.

As a photographer, I aim to capture and share these moments. I strive to shift the real to the surreal, drawing out beauty and imagination in the ordinary. My goal is to offer people a new perspective on the world and see light in a way they haven’t before.

I believe art is a powerful force for good, making us see things anew and bringing us together.

Catherine Bohrman’s Bio

Catherine Bohrman’s work emerges from a lineage in which material, memory, and place are inseparable. Now based in Palo Alto, California, she was raised in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where she observed her father, the stained glass artist Frederick Leuchs, at work in a studio built in 1900 by her great-uncle, the sculptor Augustus Lukeman. That space remains in seasonal use three generations later. From an early age, Catherine was immersed in an environment shaped by light, color, and form.

She studied mechanical engineering at Stanford University, and her earliest sculptures were grounded in traditional disciplines—the human figure and the exacting demands of carving in stone. These works reflect a rigorous engagement with proportion, anatomy, and the inherent resistance of material. Over time, however, her practice moved toward abstraction and symbolism, where form became less descriptive and more suggestive. In this shift, she discovered a broader and more elastic visual language.

Material transformation has been central to this evolution. Beginning with stone, Catherine later turned to bronze casting, a transition that enabled a significant expansion in both scale and setting. Her work now extends beyond interior spaces into the landscape, where it engages light, environment, and the passage of time. Curves, angles, and shadow are carefully orchestrated to create a sensual, almost kinetic experience, inviting sustained visual engagement. More recently, she has begun casting in glass, further extending her exploration of light and material.

The result is a body of work that is both grounded and exploratory—rooted in tradition while continually reaching toward new forms of expression.

Holly Cousins’s Bio

Holly is an oil painter. She has lived on the Peninsula for many years. Holly’s paintings have appeared in several exhibits over the years on the Monterey Peninsula and Half Moon Bay, CA. She paints in a realistic style, using vivid colors to express mood and feeling.  Holly paints in her studio and occasionally on location.

Holly took art classes at Webster University and revisited painting after retiring from teaching elementary school.  She started with acrylic in plein-air (on location) but prefers oil painting in her studio.

Holly has taken painting workshops with master teacher Ned Mueller, Claire Bowen, and artists on the Monterey Peninsula.

Holly is a member of the Central Coast Art Association, Pacific Grove Art Center, and Coastal Art League.

Holly has had her work in exhibits at Pacific Grove Art Center, Marjorie Evan’s Gallery in Carmel, Coastal Art League Gallery in Half Moon Bay, CA, “Meals on Wheels” for the Sally Griffith Senior Center, and Avery Art Gallery in Seaside, CA.

In addition to painting, Holly enjoys volunteering in schools.

Scott Downs’s Bio

Scott Downs is an artist and educator who splits his time between Gilroy and Pacific Grove. He graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Fine Art with an emphasis on painting and printmaking. Most of his career was spent as a high school art teacher in San Diego schools, Saratoga High School, and 29 years at Los Gatos High School, 23 years of which he served as the Art Department Chair. During that time and continuing into the present, he has juried and judged numerous art shows and served as a gallery manager and guest instructor at various schools. He is the past President of the Valle Del Sur Art Guild (Morgan Hill) and past Vice President of the Gilroy Arts Alliance/Center for the Arts.

Due to his busy teaching and coaching schedule, as well as raising a family, Scott was unable to devote a significant amount of time to his personal artwork beyond classroom demonstrations and charitable donations of his artistry to school, church, and community projects. Many of those demonstrations were juried into and sold in shows, and he has now been able to fully embrace and enjoy the process of drawing, painting, and exhibiting his work since retiring in 2013.

Scott’s subject matter is mostly landscape, seascape, still life and the human figure. In addition, he has focused on sports themes, designed a number of T-shirts, postcards and a children’s book which is currently in the process of being published. Scott works primarily in oils, acrylics and watercolor, but also has a number of pieces in pen and ink, pencil, conte, and intaglio etching.

Dany Galgani’s Bio

A self-taught artist born near Paris, France, and now living in California, Dany was already interested in auto racing before attending his first-ever race, the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, which prompted him to start painting race cars in action.

After a professional career in accounting, the emergence of computer graphics allowed him to become an illustrator/graphic designer, working first with advertising agencies and later with super-computer companies.

Now retired, Dany decided to go back to the easel. From a realistic base, his artistic touch resides in the use of lights, reflections, and speed effects.

Lance Glasser’s Bio

Sculptor Lance Glasser has always been drawn to figurative art, especially when gesture and motion are the dominant themes. His bronze sculptures have a fluidity of line that belies their solidity. “I’m always thinking about the rhythm of the finished piece,” says Glasser. “Finding the lines of motion is the only way I know to make a piece of bronze imply movement.”

Always striving for nuanced effects, Glasser incorporates textures and patinas that suit each subject and concentrates on facial expressions that fit the milieu of each subject.

His dynamic bronzes have won multiple awards and are included in numerous collections around the world. Glasser was born in the Year of the Dragon, and he notes with a wry grin that that could explain his penchant for fantasy elements in his work. He challenges the viewer to find the twist in each of his works of art.

Lenn Goldmann’s Bio

I began as an architectural designer and illustrator after receiving a degree in art and history from Chico State University.

All through my career of 50 years, I continued to paint. My watercolors span from Big Sur, into the Inland Valley, and up to The High Sierra. The paintings begin “en plein air” and then are finished in my studios in Chico and also Pajaro Dunes.

My work has a distinct, fluid, and painterly style, using Chinese calligraphy brushes with watercolor. I approach my work with a focus on design and color theory. The result is an art piece with movement and energy, rich in color and a perspective which draws the viewer deep into the painting.

Member of the California Art Club and the Central Coast Art Association.

Lacey Haines’s Bio

Lacey Haines is an artist based in Carmel, California, whose work explores the quiet beauty of the natural world through intimate, meticulously detailed landscapes. Working primarily in gouache, she creates scenes rooted in realism, capturing vibrant skies, shifting light, and the fleeting moments that often go unnoticed.

Lacey works on a remarkably small scale, with paintings ranging from just 3″ × 5″ to 9″ × 12″. Within these modest dimensions, she focuses intensely on fine detail, building layers of color and atmosphere that reward close observation. Her small-format approach encourages an intimate viewing experience, asking the audience to slow down and engage with the subtle complexities of each scene.

Michele Hausman’s Bio

Michele Hausman has been a full time artist creating oil landscape paintings for thirty years. Living on California’s Central Coast, she is inspired by the vibrant colors of the sea, the golden hills, and the autumn vines as they turn crimson and auburn.

 Hausman paints to put her passion for her subject into the visual language of painting. She is concerned about the preservation of open spaces that offer all of us solace. It is her intent that her paintings inspire viewers to appreciate the natural beauty around us. Being a resident in the central coast of California, she makes frequent plein air excursions to the coast to create  paintings. In her Soquel studio, Hausman expands her studies made on location to much larger paintings.

Hausman continues to be involved in the arts community of the Central California area. In 2001, Hausman co-founded the Santa Cruz Oil Painters (SCOP), and is the current president. Hausman is a Signature Member of the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association (MBPAPA). She has received various awards and was juried into many plein air competitions. Hausman’s painting was chosen for the Monterey Museum of Art Biennial in 2025. She is represented in California by LunaSea gallery in Pescadero, Wisteria Antiques in Soquel, Reflections Elegante Gallery in Monterey, and ACCI Gallery in Berkeley.

Nikki Hoff’s Bio

My art is an expression of a moment. I see beauty in unique buildings, objects, and areas with meaning and nostalgia.

I want the viewer to get lost in the painting, enjoy the view, and recall that feeling and memory from these beautiful places.

I use multiple mediums with my art to bring soft, realistic, and unique details to my art.

I am a local artist in the Monterey area and have
lived here for 15 years. I enjoy painting and photography and love to capture the surrounding natural beauty on canvas.

Life is short, and our moments should be cherished and expressed in a medium that emits happiness and remembrance

K. Johansson’s Bio

K. Johansson is a fine art photographer focusing on landscapes, nature, and architecture.

His work captures the beauty of natural and human-made environments, focusing on light, shapes, and textures in a unique way characterized by painterly aesthetics. With a keen eye for composition, Johansson draws viewers into the details of a scene, transforming ordinary scenes into striking visual narratives.

His photography offers a fresh perspective on the world, whether showcasing vast open landscapes, serene nature scenes, or bold lines and forms of architecture.

Filipp Kashirtsev’s Bio

My name is Filipp Kashirtsev, and I am a film photographer based in the Monterey Bay area. I have been taking photos on film for over 10 years.

I’ve always had a fascination for mechanics. While some might find it dull, I take great pleasure in understanding the functions of a mechanical system and its moving parts. To me, cameras are technically beautiful pieces of machinery that exhibit function over form.

I consider myself to be a science-oriented person. Film photography is my artistic medium of choice because it’s rooted in physics and chemistry. It is an artistic medium that allows me to feel connected to the moving parts of my camera, while physically capturing a moment in time. Releasing the shutter, the slap of the mirror, the click of the aperture blades, the lens bending the light, burning the scene onto film. These are the things that are good.

Photography allows me to capture things I would otherwise struggle to communicate to others verbally. It gives me great satisfaction to accurately represent my visions and I invite you to experience them for yourself.

Tamara Keiper’s Bio

Painting from life is essential for Tamara Keiper. Since she paints in oils, pastels, acrylics and watercolors this enables her to choose which medium suits the subject best.

As with many serious artists, Keiper excelled in art at a very young age, already selling work by age 15 and receiving national recognition by winning first place in the competitive Scholastic Arts Awards. However, commonality stops there. Instead of pursuing an illustration degree she opted to study under some world renown artists while staying home to raise her family.

With this education and a two-year study in architecture, she did architectural renderings for a firm in Tehachapi and specialized in trompe l’oeil murals for businesses and private residences. She enjoyed the freedom of airbrushing murals after working so tightly in renderings. As her family grew, she ventured out of her studio to landscape painting and was a founding member (2001) of Valley Sun Catchers in central California. Presently she enjoys participating in invitational plein air events, painting in her studio and taking commissions.

She’s an active member of the California Art Club, Central Coast Art Association, Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters, and Valley Sun Catchers. Keiper’s most current works are on Facebook and Instagram at KeiperFineArt. For purchasing a painting or hiring custom work, contact her at keiperfineart10@gmail.com.

Amy Glover Martin’s Bio

I began as an Illustrator in Graphic design along with Interior design.

Later in life I had an opportunity to travel to Europe for an art class. That set me on my path as an artist.

I’ve worked in Watercolor, Acrylic, and Pastel. Pastel has become my joi de vie! The richness of the colors, mark making, and the hands on approach completes my love of painting.

Marie Massey’s Bio

Award-winning artist Marie Massey has been painting professionally for 24 years and teaching the “Painting in Layers” method to adults working in oil and acrylic for 12 years. Marie is an avid plein-air painter and does 5 to 7 plein air painting events annually.

In September 2014, Marie founded the Central Coast Plein Air Painters (CCPAP), a group of 500+ artists living and working on California’s Central Coast. Marie coordinates periodic plein-air paintouts and produces exhibits for the CCPAP annually, working in cooperation with various local Arts organizations, businesses, and galleries, including First Friday Santa Cruz, the Arts Council for Monterey County, and more.

Marie’s paintings have been juried into more than 130 National and Regional shows where they have won many awards, including Best of Show, People’s Choice,1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as many Honorable Mentions, merchant, and purchase awards.

Marie’s work sells well and is in private, corporate, and government collections. Marie is grateful to be represented by select galleries across the USA, including The San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, Reflections Elegante Gallery in Monterey, CA, Art of Santa Cruz in Capitola, CA, and ACEP Gallery in Estes Park, Co.

Elizabeth May’s Bio

In my painting, I try to capture the magical quality of the environment that surrounds us. The repeating designs in nature intrigue me and are part of what inspires me. I studied at the California College of Arts and with many different artists at Carrizo Lodge in Ruidoso, New Mexico; Alexander Zimin of Saint Petersburg, Russia; Joe Anna Arnett; Bill Gallen; Albert Handell, Carole Belliveau, and Karen Halbert of Santa Fe, NM, and Barbara Jaenecke of Bend, OR.

My work was previously shown in the Artist Forum Gallery in Pacific Grove, CA, Gallery Tonantzin and Luna Galleries in San Juan Battista and Beeches Gallery in Carmel, CA. I participated in the Art and Wine Festival in Carmel, CA, and Monterey County Fair, where I was awarded Best in Show and received many second and third-place ribbons.

I was honored to receive an award of Excellence for Oil Painting in the National Juried Show in Santa Fe, NM. I’ve had one-man shows at Seaside City Hall in Seaside, CA, and at the Jemez Art Gallery in Jemez, New Mexico.

Valentina Milaychev’s Bio

Valentina Milaychev is an oil painter celebrated for her vibrant interpretations of the dynamic interplay between light, movement, and nature. She finds joy in translating her surroundings into vivid colors and forms.

Her artistic repertoire spans landscapes, seascapes, figurative works, and florals.

Valentina’s work has been featured in numerous art shows and exhibits across California’s Central Coast and she is a winner of multiple awards.

She also contributes to the local art community as a board member of the Central Coast Art Association, serving as the Juried Show Director.

Jan Scott’s Bio

After retiring from teaching mathematics in the Carmel Unified School District, watercolor proved an irresistible draw. Local teaching influences include Jane Flury, Jan Valtr, Maryellen Okelberry, and, more extensively, Mark Farina and Marie Gilmore for plaine aire landscapes and Anita Decarlo for still lifes. Her watercolor experience also includes many workshops with renowned artists.

Jan prefers painting in the outdoors. The whole experience of the natural element, the sounds of nature, as well as the people who wander by, all add to what the painting becomes. Her most favored paintings contain these essential elements and reflect what she encounters during the process.

Tommy E. Shearer’s Bio

Tommy Shearer is a mixed media artist working in copper sheet, wood, and material-driven processes that blend craftsmanship with emotional storytelling. Based in California, he is known for sculptural copper panels and whimsical art.

Karen St. James’s Bio

Karen St. James, a lifelong student of art, taking classes, exploring design, watercolor and acrylic/oil painting throughout her life. Her work thrives on color interplay, evolving from gel plate painting to dynamic mixed media collages. Utilizing acrylic paint with specially crafted rice, mulberry, and tissue paper. Her pieces feature geometric and abstract formations with rich textures and vibrant hues.

Her artistry, characterized by experimentation and a deep appreciation for color, has enabled her to participate in exhibitions at the Pacific Grove Art Center and Avery Art Gallery in California. Her work was selected for promotional material for the Arts Habitat, Monterey County Open Studios in 2023, and she has received honorable mentions for her work. She is member of the Central Coast Art Association, and the Monterey Peninsula Art Federation.  She is a lifelong Californian, currently residing in Seaside, CA.

Lori Thompson’s Bio

Discover the vibrant world of Lori Thompson’s paintings. Immerse yourself in captivating landscapes, seascapes, marine scenes, and stunning wildlife portraits. With every brushstroke, Lori’s art captures the essence of nature’s beauty and the depths of the human soul. Her artwork conveys a sense of peace, joy, and wonder, from serene sunsets to playful wildlife moments.

Explore her art world, let her paintings transport you to enchanting locations, and evoke emotions that ignite your creativity. She is also an award-winning author. Lori believes that painting and writing together is a “Love Story.”

She is a member of the Central Coast Art Association (CCAA), National League of American Pen Women, Inc. (NLAPW), Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association(MBPAPA), the Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation, Lake Tahoe Art League, and Napa Valley Art Gallery.

Lori is the CEO of Reflections Elegante Fine Art Gallery in the Portola Spa and Hotel, 271 Alvarado St, Monterey. She is a co-owner with her husband, Gary Thompson. She is the curator and interior designer of Reflections gallery Lori is the President of CCAA. She is the curator for the Mezzanine Gallery showcase at the Monterey Airport. Also, the curator for Woody’s restaurant at the Monterey Airport.

Jane Willis’s Bio

Jane Willis recently retired from a Silicon Valley marketing executive career and moved to Carmel. She took a break from that work for ten years, during which she earned an M.F.A degree in fashion design from the Academy of Art University and launched a handbag brand.

Jane’s painting career is her new passion. She enjoys working with various media and studying with different teachers, and her style is evolving, always with a focus on color. She is also a volunteer with the Central Coast Art Association board, serving as the Communications Director.

Judy Willis’s Bio

Judy Willis’s passion for art is expressed through her watercolor paintings of the local area. Since studying with marine artist Bennett Bradbury in 1988, her passion for seascapes and landscapes still captures her imagination. Over the years, she has explored various mediums: acrylic, oil, pastel, and ink. She has participated in national art competitions and placed in local art shows. She was one of the initial artists at the first Monterey Bay Artisans Gallery in the American Tin Cannery, Pacific Grove, CA.

Most recently, she coordinated the 2024 art exhibit at the Monterey Airport mezzanine and Woody’s. She also exhibits at local businesses and fundraising events. She continues to provide the viewer a sense of escape and serenity through the use of soft colors and local impressions. Member of the Salinas Valley Art Association, Central Coast Art Association, and Coastal Colors Plein Air Artists.

William Cornelius Zeigler, Jr.’s Bio

I joined the Army on July 25, 1977. I served ten years, with two overseas tours in Germany, the first in Frankfurt and the second in Bamberg. I was honorably discharged from the United States Army on August 26, 1987. During my time on active duty, I had three Military Occupational Skills (MOS): Multichannel Communication Equipment Radio Operator, 31M; Still Photographer, 84B; and Nuclear, Biological, & Chemical Defense Specialist, 54E. The first year after my discharge from the service, I worked as a GS-5 government photographer until Fort Ord closed.

I chaired the Monterey County Chapter of the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) from February 1997 to February 1999.

I taught part-time as a faculty member at the Monterey Peninsula College from the fall term of 1997 to the summer term of 2000. I taught two courses, “Inter-Cultural Relations in American Society” and “African Americans in American Government.” I have a master’s in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, a bachelor of art in Social Science from San Jose State University, and an associateate’s from Monterey Peninsula College.

From January 6, 2007 to January 2009, I was president of the newly inaugurated Monterey County Branch of the NAACP (The Seaside Branch, and the Salinas Branch were emerged).

I retired from Monterey County Office of the Military & Veterans Affairs as Services Representatives III. Before I retired from the County on July 7, 2018, I served as Military & Veterans Services Representative for twelve years.

I have since retired, and now I am a full-time artist. My artwork is displayed at Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation’s Co-op Gallery at 425 Cannery Row. I am a current member of the Seaside Art Association.

In July 24, I became a member of Reflections Elegante Fine Art Gallery near the Monterey Convention Center.

Lynn Zwagerman’s Bio

I enjoy using both photography and art to capture the beauty and history of the greater Monterey area: seascapes, landscapes, places of interest, and beauty like the Carmel Mission. Inspiration from God’s creation is everywhere in this beautiful part of the world. I work both plein-aire, and from my own photographs.

I am a member of the Monterey Bay Plein Aire Painters Association (MBPAPA), the Monterey Peninsula Art Foundation, and the Central Coast Art Association (CCAA).

I serve on CCAA’s board. I exhibit locally at shows and special events and have received several awards. I donate paintings to fundraisers for the Carmel Bach Festival, the Monterey Library, Gathering for Women, the Monterey Art Museum, and the Pacific Grove Art Center. I exhibited in the Peter Silzer Gallery in Pacific Grove until it closed in 2017.