50th Anniversary Alumni Exhibition
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Gilded Legacies Curated by George Rivera March 28-April 26, 2025 Reception: Tuesday, April 8 from 4-6 p.m. Artists: Hadi Aghaee Curtis Boyle Vanessa Callanta Kathi Cambiano Hung-Tsu Chen Roopali Chowdhury Mei-Ying Del Aquila Steve Dellicarpini Ron Garcia Julie Grantz Mythilli Kattupalli Diane Kreiter Terry Kreiter Susan Krough Elizabeth Jimenez Montelongo Elena Mukhina Laurus Myth Barbara Pease Jonathan Perea Shuba Prithvi Raj Amy Robinson Miha Sarani Sandra Smith-Dugan Diana Xin |
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Hadi Aghaee
http://www.hadiaghaeefineart.com/
My true journey in art began in 2016 when I took classes at Evergreen Valley and Mission colleges causing my conscious to kick in and my artistic perspective to mature. In light of the pressing social issues and the state of humanity, I felt a profound obligation to use my art as a platform for change.
As a self-taught artist, I embrace the title of "Organic Artist; free from expectations, the constraints of traditional theory and dependence on art for monetary gain. Through my work, I strive to shed light on the critical issues around us.
Over the past 9 years, I have been deeply involved in a variety of local/national exhibitions and competitions, earning multiple awards along the way. Some notable achievements include participation in the 2020 De Young Open, Haggin Museum national exhibition 2018 &2022, Triton Museum of Art's annual statewide exhibition 2017 (twice) , 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2029, CalExpo 2018 & 2019, Euphrat Museum 2024. I have also exhibited at the Piedmont Center for the Arts and the Tracy Grand Theater for Arts, various local shows and galleries among others. The pinnacle of my artistic journey was my solo show at the Triton Museum of Art in 2023, which lasted for an inspiring ten weeks.
The Starving Night, 2024
acrylic on canvas
18x24
http://www.hadiaghaeefineart.com/
My true journey in art began in 2016 when I took classes at Evergreen Valley and Mission colleges causing my conscious to kick in and my artistic perspective to mature. In light of the pressing social issues and the state of humanity, I felt a profound obligation to use my art as a platform for change.
As a self-taught artist, I embrace the title of "Organic Artist; free from expectations, the constraints of traditional theory and dependence on art for monetary gain. Through my work, I strive to shed light on the critical issues around us.
Over the past 9 years, I have been deeply involved in a variety of local/national exhibitions and competitions, earning multiple awards along the way. Some notable achievements include participation in the 2020 De Young Open, Haggin Museum national exhibition 2018 &2022, Triton Museum of Art's annual statewide exhibition 2017 (twice) , 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2029, CalExpo 2018 & 2019, Euphrat Museum 2024. I have also exhibited at the Piedmont Center for the Arts and the Tracy Grand Theater for Arts, various local shows and galleries among others. The pinnacle of my artistic journey was my solo show at the Triton Museum of Art in 2023, which lasted for an inspiring ten weeks.
The Starving Night, 2024
acrylic on canvas
18x24
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Curtis Boyle
My art is representational. For artistic influence: Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, Rene Magritte, and Gary Larson of the Far Side are a few that come to mind. Some of my paintings attempt to be humorous while others attempt to capture the mood or atmosphere of place .
Bio:
After raising kids, coaching soccer, and a career as a Silicon Valley computer guy. My medium of choice is water color even though I use it in a relatively controlled dry brush manner. I prefer it over oils and acrylics for portability and ease of clean up. I was a member of the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. I have won awards in University Art shows and had paintings juried into the State wide shows at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara.
Painting Inside The Box, 2022
watercolor
20 x 224
My art is representational. For artistic influence: Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, Rene Magritte, and Gary Larson of the Far Side are a few that come to mind. Some of my paintings attempt to be humorous while others attempt to capture the mood or atmosphere of place .
Bio:
After raising kids, coaching soccer, and a career as a Silicon Valley computer guy. My medium of choice is water color even though I use it in a relatively controlled dry brush manner. I prefer it over oils and acrylics for portability and ease of clean up. I was a member of the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. I have won awards in University Art shows and had paintings juried into the State wide shows at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara.
Painting Inside The Box, 2022
watercolor
20 x 224
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Vanessa Callanta
www.svvoice.com/unmasking-artist-vanessa-callanta
Vanessa Callanta is a Bay Area based artist and Curator at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. From an early age, she has shown a passion and interest for creating and learning about art. Vanessa earned an Associate’s Degree with High Honors from Mission College in studio arts, studying under accomplished artists and educators Mark Engel and George Rivera. She has also been fortunate enough to participate in workshops from the world-renowned pastel and oil artist Cuong Nguyen.
Vanessa has had her art shown at the Vargas Gallery at Mission College, KALEID Gallery in San Jose, Works/San Jose, Chopsticks Alley Art, the Triton Museum of Art, and in other group exhibitions at local businesses. She has had the privilege of being selected to paint an ArtBox in San Jose and has participated in chalk art festivals at Luna Park and the Triton Museum of Art. Aside from working as a Curator at the Triton Museum of Art, Vanessa has juried art competitions for the Sunnyvale Art Club and Campbell Artists’ Guild. She has also guest curated an exhibit for Pacific Art League in Palo Alto. During her free time, Vanessa enjoys being creative and reading. She believes art should be accessible to all and that it is critical for us to express ourselves creatively.
Bryan's Hands
2011
acrylic on canvas
18 x 15 inches (including frame)
www.svvoice.com/unmasking-artist-vanessa-callanta
Vanessa Callanta is a Bay Area based artist and Curator at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. From an early age, she has shown a passion and interest for creating and learning about art. Vanessa earned an Associate’s Degree with High Honors from Mission College in studio arts, studying under accomplished artists and educators Mark Engel and George Rivera. She has also been fortunate enough to participate in workshops from the world-renowned pastel and oil artist Cuong Nguyen.
Vanessa has had her art shown at the Vargas Gallery at Mission College, KALEID Gallery in San Jose, Works/San Jose, Chopsticks Alley Art, the Triton Museum of Art, and in other group exhibitions at local businesses. She has had the privilege of being selected to paint an ArtBox in San Jose and has participated in chalk art festivals at Luna Park and the Triton Museum of Art. Aside from working as a Curator at the Triton Museum of Art, Vanessa has juried art competitions for the Sunnyvale Art Club and Campbell Artists’ Guild. She has also guest curated an exhibit for Pacific Art League in Palo Alto. During her free time, Vanessa enjoys being creative and reading. She believes art should be accessible to all and that it is critical for us to express ourselves creatively.
Bryan's Hands
2011
acrylic on canvas
18 x 15 inches (including frame)
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Kathi Cambiano
Kathi Cambiano is a San Jose Native. After transferring from Mission College, Kathi received a BFA in Spatial Arts and a minor in Art History from San Jose State University. Ms. Cambiano is a mostly self taught photographer with a keen eye for the details in life. After converting to digital photography, the iphone has become a primary tool in her art practice.
After removing her lawn in 2007, Kathi was able to bring her eye for design to her own garden. Her garden features many showcase cactus and succulents. Much like Claude Monet, her garden is a work of art as well as a constant source of artistic inspiration.
Instagram:
@eye_of_kathi (Hipsta365 project and more)
@kathi_cambiano_art (art projects)
“Golden Torch Cactus Flower” 2020
Digital photo
8” x 8”
Kathi Cambiano is a San Jose Native. After transferring from Mission College, Kathi received a BFA in Spatial Arts and a minor in Art History from San Jose State University. Ms. Cambiano is a mostly self taught photographer with a keen eye for the details in life. After converting to digital photography, the iphone has become a primary tool in her art practice.
After removing her lawn in 2007, Kathi was able to bring her eye for design to her own garden. Her garden features many showcase cactus and succulents. Much like Claude Monet, her garden is a work of art as well as a constant source of artistic inspiration.
Instagram:
@eye_of_kathi (Hipsta365 project and more)
@kathi_cambiano_art (art projects)
“Golden Torch Cactus Flower” 2020
Digital photo
8” x 8”
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Hung-Tsu Chen
www.hungtsuchen.com
Originally from Taiwan. We came to the US I was a teen. Education-wise, I am locally grown. BS in CS and MFA in Painting from San Jose State. Discovery of artmaking came when I took Figure Drawing and many other art classes at Mission College between BS and MFA years. I exhibited in numerous local shows as well as the California State Art Fair. My abstract paintings are in search of honesty, fearlessness and vulnerability in euphoria and misery.
Petgage, 2025
Acrylic
24 x 20 x 1.5
www.hungtsuchen.com
Originally from Taiwan. We came to the US I was a teen. Education-wise, I am locally grown. BS in CS and MFA in Painting from San Jose State. Discovery of artmaking came when I took Figure Drawing and many other art classes at Mission College between BS and MFA years. I exhibited in numerous local shows as well as the California State Art Fair. My abstract paintings are in search of honesty, fearlessness and vulnerability in euphoria and misery.
Petgage, 2025
Acrylic
24 x 20 x 1.5
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Roopali Chowdhury
roopaliskala.com/about
Roopali is a professional artist, art educator, and certified Therapeutic Art Life Coach. With a background in engineering, she seamlessly blends analytical precision with artistic expression. She holds certifications as a Happiness Life Coach and a diploma in Professional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, using her expertise to integrate therapeutic techniques into her teaching.
Her formal art education includes studies at Mission College in Santa Clara and Ohlone College in Fremont, supplemented by years of private instruction from professional artists in San Francisco. She has been conducting art classes for children and adults for many years, fostering creativity and emotional well-being through her unique approach.
Roopali’s work is deeply inspired by nature, often drawing from her long walks to create vivid, real-life paintings. She has mastered various mediums, including watercolors, oils, and acrylics, allowing her to bring diverse artistic visions to life. Her students and followers admire her creativity, dynamic teaching style, and the transformative impact of her art."
An Untold Story, 2020
Oil
18"x24"
roopaliskala.com/about
Roopali is a professional artist, art educator, and certified Therapeutic Art Life Coach. With a background in engineering, she seamlessly blends analytical precision with artistic expression. She holds certifications as a Happiness Life Coach and a diploma in Professional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, using her expertise to integrate therapeutic techniques into her teaching.
Her formal art education includes studies at Mission College in Santa Clara and Ohlone College in Fremont, supplemented by years of private instruction from professional artists in San Francisco. She has been conducting art classes for children and adults for many years, fostering creativity and emotional well-being through her unique approach.
Roopali’s work is deeply inspired by nature, often drawing from her long walks to create vivid, real-life paintings. She has mastered various mediums, including watercolors, oils, and acrylics, allowing her to bring diverse artistic visions to life. Her students and followers admire her creativity, dynamic teaching style, and the transformative impact of her art."
An Untold Story, 2020
Oil
18"x24"
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Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila
meiyingdellaquila.org
Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila is a Taiwanese-American artist currently serving as a board member, treasurer, and art instructor at the Triton Museum of Art. She is also currently exhibiting a solo show at the Coos Art Museum from January 10 to April 13, 2025.
I am Taiwanese American with a Master’s Degree in Art. I am also a retired art educator living in California, and I paint primarily in oil.
Being Taiwanese American and straddling these two cultures have allowed me to see similarities and conflicts which inform and influence my paintings. Ever since becoming an educator, I have always encouraged my students to strive to become the best that they can be; encouraging their self- empowerment to take charge and change the world for the better. Therefore, in my paintings I am constantly drawn toward depicting strong figures to demonstrate to my viewers that we can indeed leave this world a better place than how we found it.
As an art teacher, I always loved to tell the stories of paintings and the histories behind them. My lectures and recitations have instilled in me a strong affinity for the myths of different cultures, which in turn has influenced the ideas in my paintings. I use strong colors to convey deep, sharp feelings, to connect with the struggle.
My use of color and composition is influenced by the baroque style of art, which is characterized by self-confidence and dynamism. I paint figures which enable me to exaggerate their muscles, an expression of force and power.
Skyscraper, 2003
oil on canvas
22" x 18"
meiyingdellaquila.org
Mei-Ying Dell’Aquila is a Taiwanese-American artist currently serving as a board member, treasurer, and art instructor at the Triton Museum of Art. She is also currently exhibiting a solo show at the Coos Art Museum from January 10 to April 13, 2025.
I am Taiwanese American with a Master’s Degree in Art. I am also a retired art educator living in California, and I paint primarily in oil.
Being Taiwanese American and straddling these two cultures have allowed me to see similarities and conflicts which inform and influence my paintings. Ever since becoming an educator, I have always encouraged my students to strive to become the best that they can be; encouraging their self- empowerment to take charge and change the world for the better. Therefore, in my paintings I am constantly drawn toward depicting strong figures to demonstrate to my viewers that we can indeed leave this world a better place than how we found it.
As an art teacher, I always loved to tell the stories of paintings and the histories behind them. My lectures and recitations have instilled in me a strong affinity for the myths of different cultures, which in turn has influenced the ideas in my paintings. I use strong colors to convey deep, sharp feelings, to connect with the struggle.
My use of color and composition is influenced by the baroque style of art, which is characterized by self-confidence and dynamism. I paint figures which enable me to exaggerate their muscles, an expression of force and power.
Skyscraper, 2003
oil on canvas
22" x 18"
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Steve Dellicarpini
www.obeliskappliedarts.com
Bay Area fabricator Steven Dellicarpini merges his professional background in electrical and mechanical design with his fine art education in sculpture to create unique, thought provoking, and meticulously crafted art. Always building and creating, Dellicarpini has amassed a wide range of tools and skills over the years and loves applying them in interesting ways. His comfort zone is in his workshop which allows him the ease to create in any medium.
Steve’s inspiration is usually based on current events. This can be manifested through local or global events or through his personal travels across all 7 continents.
His latest body of work is inspired by elements of time, exploration, and discovery. These photographic inquiries result in intriguing investigations from other worlds.
Through Obelisk Applied Arts, Steve applies his technical prowess and vision to help other artists achieve their creative ideas in the physical arts.
"Continuum", 2025
adhesive vinyl
www.obeliskappliedarts.com
Bay Area fabricator Steven Dellicarpini merges his professional background in electrical and mechanical design with his fine art education in sculpture to create unique, thought provoking, and meticulously crafted art. Always building and creating, Dellicarpini has amassed a wide range of tools and skills over the years and loves applying them in interesting ways. His comfort zone is in his workshop which allows him the ease to create in any medium.
Steve’s inspiration is usually based on current events. This can be manifested through local or global events or through his personal travels across all 7 continents.
His latest body of work is inspired by elements of time, exploration, and discovery. These photographic inquiries result in intriguing investigations from other worlds.
Through Obelisk Applied Arts, Steve applies his technical prowess and vision to help other artists achieve their creative ideas in the physical arts.
"Continuum", 2025
adhesive vinyl
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Ron Garcia
Misfit, 2015 acrylic on illustration board 40 x 30 |
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Julie Grantz
www.juliegrantz.art
Working as a contemporary realist, Julie creates narrative, large-scale, monochromatic, figurative work in charcoal and pastel. The intent of her work is to revisit her own past experiences as a way to process past events, as well as to challenge viewers’ hidden bias and preconceptions against women, as a way to elevate, and empower the women whom are her subjects.
Julie sees her drawings as a channel for the heroic spirit of her childhood, younger self, and mother self to emerge, while also exploring the duality of spirit, purpose and identity within herself. Julie considers herself to be in service to her drawings as they are her means of processing trauma, and give her a voice she has been previously unable to access.
The experience of learning create narrative work is a journey, through which Julie believes you can only think you know what path to take, but is something you can really only find along the way. She meticulously plans her pieces, with wardrobe, lighting, and intention, but in the moments of creating finds new means for creating her voice that become part of the work in a way she could never have planned. She has created a number of self portraits because she has an idea of a moment, a feeling, an experience that she wants to visually portray, but doesn’t know how to pull these things out of the world, except through re-enacting it herself, in the way that she saw and felt in the original moments. Her large scale works require the dedication of hundreds of hours in actual execution, by pushing and pulling dry medium into and out of heavy cotton fiber based printmaking paper which Julie sees as, and calls sculpting, even though the pieces are two-dimensional
Julie has studied drawing with sanded charcoal and pastel for 2 years. Her studio is in Alameda, California, United States, where she lives with her son, dog and two cats. She has worked professionally as a Graphic Designer for almost 20 years, and when her son started elementary school decided to try to learn to draw because she was interested in trying to tell her own stories visually.
Wishbone, Study, 2023
Charcoal and Pastel on Paper
www.juliegrantz.art
Working as a contemporary realist, Julie creates narrative, large-scale, monochromatic, figurative work in charcoal and pastel. The intent of her work is to revisit her own past experiences as a way to process past events, as well as to challenge viewers’ hidden bias and preconceptions against women, as a way to elevate, and empower the women whom are her subjects.
Julie sees her drawings as a channel for the heroic spirit of her childhood, younger self, and mother self to emerge, while also exploring the duality of spirit, purpose and identity within herself. Julie considers herself to be in service to her drawings as they are her means of processing trauma, and give her a voice she has been previously unable to access.
The experience of learning create narrative work is a journey, through which Julie believes you can only think you know what path to take, but is something you can really only find along the way. She meticulously plans her pieces, with wardrobe, lighting, and intention, but in the moments of creating finds new means for creating her voice that become part of the work in a way she could never have planned. She has created a number of self portraits because she has an idea of a moment, a feeling, an experience that she wants to visually portray, but doesn’t know how to pull these things out of the world, except through re-enacting it herself, in the way that she saw and felt in the original moments. Her large scale works require the dedication of hundreds of hours in actual execution, by pushing and pulling dry medium into and out of heavy cotton fiber based printmaking paper which Julie sees as, and calls sculpting, even though the pieces are two-dimensional
Julie has studied drawing with sanded charcoal and pastel for 2 years. Her studio is in Alameda, California, United States, where she lives with her son, dog and two cats. She has worked professionally as a Graphic Designer for almost 20 years, and when her son started elementary school decided to try to learn to draw because she was interested in trying to tell her own stories visually.
Wishbone, Study, 2023
Charcoal and Pastel on Paper
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Mythili Kattupalli
My name is Mythili Kattupalli, I have been living in the Bay Area with my family since 1998. Since my childhood I've been very passionate about fine arts. When I was a child, I grew up watching my sister paint with colored pencils and watercolors. It influenced me to become an artist. I did my Masters in Economics and did research on crucible industries in India. Took Child Psychology classes and got an associate teacher degree in Child Psychology. As an artist my journey started just four years back with taking professional fine arts classes in Mission college, Santa Clara. I'm a nature lover and my inspiration comes from nature. I try to bring nature into my art, which reflects my inner thoughts and feelings about myself and the world around me. I try to give out a message through my art. I love spending time doing my art work every day. I use multiple mediums including colored pencils, charcoal, graphite, ink, soft pastels and acrylic. I like to paint realism, abstract, creativity and present my thoughts metaphorically. I started to submit my artwork in 2020 December, got accepted in various art galleries, museums, competitions and got many awards and rewards. I also started doing commissioned, customized artwork and started to teach art lessons. I’ve been member of several art leagues and clubs including: ● Fine Arts League of Cupertino (FALC) ● Sunnyvale Art Club (SAC) ● Fremont Art Association (FAA) ● Works/San Jose
I painted this art metaphorically depicting women' heart. Women look as attractive as golden circles around the frame. On the inner side, women' heart is as sensitive and emotional as delicate rose petals. There is a gray color vacuum between the outer side and inner side. It'd be wonderful if someone crosses the vacuum and understands the inner side of women. My message is to respect women! This art got me lot of recognition in several galleries and art shows including - Best of the Show, Honourable mention and Artist of the Month
Perspective, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
24" x 18"
My name is Mythili Kattupalli, I have been living in the Bay Area with my family since 1998. Since my childhood I've been very passionate about fine arts. When I was a child, I grew up watching my sister paint with colored pencils and watercolors. It influenced me to become an artist. I did my Masters in Economics and did research on crucible industries in India. Took Child Psychology classes and got an associate teacher degree in Child Psychology. As an artist my journey started just four years back with taking professional fine arts classes in Mission college, Santa Clara. I'm a nature lover and my inspiration comes from nature. I try to bring nature into my art, which reflects my inner thoughts and feelings about myself and the world around me. I try to give out a message through my art. I love spending time doing my art work every day. I use multiple mediums including colored pencils, charcoal, graphite, ink, soft pastels and acrylic. I like to paint realism, abstract, creativity and present my thoughts metaphorically. I started to submit my artwork in 2020 December, got accepted in various art galleries, museums, competitions and got many awards and rewards. I also started doing commissioned, customized artwork and started to teach art lessons. I’ve been member of several art leagues and clubs including: ● Fine Arts League of Cupertino (FALC) ● Sunnyvale Art Club (SAC) ● Fremont Art Association (FAA) ● Works/San Jose
I painted this art metaphorically depicting women' heart. Women look as attractive as golden circles around the frame. On the inner side, women' heart is as sensitive and emotional as delicate rose petals. There is a gray color vacuum between the outer side and inner side. It'd be wonderful if someone crosses the vacuum and understands the inner side of women. My message is to respect women! This art got me lot of recognition in several galleries and art shows including - Best of the Show, Honourable mention and Artist of the Month
Perspective, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
24" x 18"
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Diane Kreiter
dianekreiter.com
Diane Kreiter is a Fine Art photographer who lives and works in Santa Clara, CA. She works primarily in small-format (35mm), film-based black and white gelatin-silver photographs with print toning of all types (selenium, sepia, gold, and others). Working closely for many years with her sculptor husband casting metal in their studio/foundry eventually led Diane to develop a growing body of work concentrating on industrial interiors, machinery and still-lifes of tools and metal objects found inside and outside of current & defunct factories throughout Silicon Valley and many other locations. Another major photographic interest focuses on the more organic and architectural structure of various cactus, plants and shells, resulting in a growing body of work which consists mainly of still-lifes, often leaning towards the abstract.
Nautilus, deconstructed, 2016
photograph
dianekreiter.com
Diane Kreiter is a Fine Art photographer who lives and works in Santa Clara, CA. She works primarily in small-format (35mm), film-based black and white gelatin-silver photographs with print toning of all types (selenium, sepia, gold, and others). Working closely for many years with her sculptor husband casting metal in their studio/foundry eventually led Diane to develop a growing body of work concentrating on industrial interiors, machinery and still-lifes of tools and metal objects found inside and outside of current & defunct factories throughout Silicon Valley and many other locations. Another major photographic interest focuses on the more organic and architectural structure of various cactus, plants and shells, resulting in a growing body of work which consists mainly of still-lifes, often leaning towards the abstract.
Nautilus, deconstructed, 2016
photograph
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Terry Kreiter
terrykreiter.com
From childhood in the housing projects of the Portland, Oregon shipyards, where discarded materials became my artistic playground, art has been my primary form of expression. This early experience shaped my life, leading me to work as an aircraft mechanic and inspector (US Air Force and United Airlines), where I gained practical skills like welding, riveting, metal forming and berglass work, which further enriched my artistic vocabulary. My formal art training includes studies at West Valley, Mission, Foothill, De Anza, San Jose State, and Santa Clara Universities, encompassing various media from drawing and painting to sculpture and jewelry. For the past five decades, I've primarily focused on casting and fabricating bronze sculptures in my studio foundry, often exploring geo-political themes and personal narratives. While I still enjoy other mediums, my featured sculpture in this exhibition, "Infinity Plow," depicts the search for ideas through the metaphor of plowing a field.
Infinity Plow, 2009
Unique cast bronze
17 x 12 x 5 inches
terrykreiter.com
From childhood in the housing projects of the Portland, Oregon shipyards, where discarded materials became my artistic playground, art has been my primary form of expression. This early experience shaped my life, leading me to work as an aircraft mechanic and inspector (US Air Force and United Airlines), where I gained practical skills like welding, riveting, metal forming and berglass work, which further enriched my artistic vocabulary. My formal art training includes studies at West Valley, Mission, Foothill, De Anza, San Jose State, and Santa Clara Universities, encompassing various media from drawing and painting to sculpture and jewelry. For the past five decades, I've primarily focused on casting and fabricating bronze sculptures in my studio foundry, often exploring geo-political themes and personal narratives. While I still enjoy other mediums, my featured sculpture in this exhibition, "Infinity Plow," depicts the search for ideas through the metaphor of plowing a field.
Infinity Plow, 2009
Unique cast bronze
17 x 12 x 5 inches
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Susan Krough "Susan Krough passed away a couple of years ago, way too soon in life. Health related issues. In fact she passed away the week of her opening reception for her one person exhibition of her work at the Triton Museum of Art. That was sad. Prior to that Susan had been exhibiting her drawings and paintings in various open competitions and exhibitions throughout California. Everything was just starting to come together for her art and recognition before her health took an extreme turn for the worst. We all miss her so much. I know that she would be extremely honored to be included in this special Art Alumni Exhibition at Mission College celebrating the 50th Anniversary. " George Rivera |
Carnivale
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Elizabeth Jimenez Montelongo
www.ejmontelongo.com/index.html
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and facilitator based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Her creative work celebrates heritage, culture, and identity as a means of unity, empowerment, and healing. Her creations reflect her Indigenous ancestry, Mesoamerican philosophy, Mexika & Mixtec art, Mexican culture, Raza history, and her experiences as an Indigenous Mexican Chicana woman in the United States. Elizabeth’s paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in over sixty exhibitions across the United States: California, Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and New York. Group exhibitions include Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Monmouth Museum, and Alliant International University in San Francisco. Solo shows were featured in venues such as Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, La Peña Cultural Center, and Centro de Artes Gallery in San Antonio.
Elizabeth's work has been covered by The Mercury News, The Santa Clara Weekly, Ragazine.cc, Telemundo, Univision, several appearances on NBC’s Comunidad del Valle, and various radio interviews. Elizabeth is a member of the We Are You Project based in New York, and the Neo-Latino collective based in New Jersey. She earned a BFA in Pictorial Art and a BA in French from San José State University, served as Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs, received a Cultura Power Mini-Grant from MACLA, a Fellowship from Root Division, and a Commendation from the City of San José. In 2023, Elizabeth was selected for the prestigious Creative Corps Initiative grant from the California Arts Council and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Her artwork has received Honorable Mentions from the Santa Clara Cultural Commission and Triton Museum of Art and is currently in the collection of the City and County of San Francisco. She is Manager of Roots Artist Registry and the Founder of La Raíz Magazine.
Balance, 2024
oil on canvas
24" x 20”
www.ejmontelongo.com/index.html
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and facilitator based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Her creative work celebrates heritage, culture, and identity as a means of unity, empowerment, and healing. Her creations reflect her Indigenous ancestry, Mesoamerican philosophy, Mexika & Mixtec art, Mexican culture, Raza history, and her experiences as an Indigenous Mexican Chicana woman in the United States. Elizabeth’s paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in over sixty exhibitions across the United States: California, Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and New York. Group exhibitions include Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Monmouth Museum, and Alliant International University in San Francisco. Solo shows were featured in venues such as Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, La Peña Cultural Center, and Centro de Artes Gallery in San Antonio.
Elizabeth's work has been covered by The Mercury News, The Santa Clara Weekly, Ragazine.cc, Telemundo, Univision, several appearances on NBC’s Comunidad del Valle, and various radio interviews. Elizabeth is a member of the We Are You Project based in New York, and the Neo-Latino collective based in New Jersey. She earned a BFA in Pictorial Art and a BA in French from San José State University, served as Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs, received a Cultura Power Mini-Grant from MACLA, a Fellowship from Root Division, and a Commendation from the City of San José. In 2023, Elizabeth was selected for the prestigious Creative Corps Initiative grant from the California Arts Council and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Her artwork has received Honorable Mentions from the Santa Clara Cultural Commission and Triton Museum of Art and is currently in the collection of the City and County of San Francisco. She is Manager of Roots Artist Registry and the Founder of La Raíz Magazine.
Balance, 2024
oil on canvas
24" x 20”
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Elena Mukhina
https://www.elenamuruart.com/
For the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to create art for myself. Gouache, acrylic, ink, paper, and canvas help me to express my feelings of what I have seen, read, and heard. Books, movies, and songs contain a chain of events, acquaintances, and amazing interconnections that make me empathize both emotionally and physically. Over time, emotions about experiences fade, so it’s important to start the creative process in time. In the works presented, the viewer will get to know my first and most vivid impressions.
I have been experimenting with different forms of 2D and 3D art mediums and during this time I developed a technique to decorate wine bottles and framed cards while trying to discover my own style. I have a particular interest in the way that different textures and materials can be used to create depth and movement in my work. I have been using leather to create collages, which allows me to play with light and shadow in a unique way.
Alpine Lake. Great Basin National Park, 2025
acrylic
24 x 24
https://www.elenamuruart.com/
For the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to create art for myself. Gouache, acrylic, ink, paper, and canvas help me to express my feelings of what I have seen, read, and heard. Books, movies, and songs contain a chain of events, acquaintances, and amazing interconnections that make me empathize both emotionally and physically. Over time, emotions about experiences fade, so it’s important to start the creative process in time. In the works presented, the viewer will get to know my first and most vivid impressions.
I have been experimenting with different forms of 2D and 3D art mediums and during this time I developed a technique to decorate wine bottles and framed cards while trying to discover my own style. I have a particular interest in the way that different textures and materials can be used to create depth and movement in my work. I have been using leather to create collages, which allows me to play with light and shadow in a unique way.
Alpine Lake. Great Basin National Park, 2025
acrylic
24 x 24
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Laurus Myth
www.artbylaurus.com
Laurus Myth is an Asian-American interdisciplinary artist raised in Silicon Valley. Her practice formed through a BFA in Painting from UCSC, an AS in Graphic Design from Mission College, and an MFA in New Genres from San Francisco Art Institute. Drawn to sacred architecture and mental landscapes, her work is colorful, symbolic, and deeply immersive. Recent successes include the 2023 Emerging Artist Grant from Youth Speaks and the California Arts Council, the 2024 Winter Residency at the Penland School of Craft, and an Individual Artist Grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission. In collaboration with this SFAC Grant, Laurus will bring their community-focused “Social Magic” public art experience to the streets of San Francisco in Spring 2025.
"Two Worlds Within"
Painted for Mission College Alumni Exhibition 2025
Acrylic on Panel
24" x 24"
www.artbylaurus.com
Laurus Myth is an Asian-American interdisciplinary artist raised in Silicon Valley. Her practice formed through a BFA in Painting from UCSC, an AS in Graphic Design from Mission College, and an MFA in New Genres from San Francisco Art Institute. Drawn to sacred architecture and mental landscapes, her work is colorful, symbolic, and deeply immersive. Recent successes include the 2023 Emerging Artist Grant from Youth Speaks and the California Arts Council, the 2024 Winter Residency at the Penland School of Craft, and an Individual Artist Grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission. In collaboration with this SFAC Grant, Laurus will bring their community-focused “Social Magic” public art experience to the streets of San Francisco in Spring 2025.
"Two Worlds Within"
Painted for Mission College Alumni Exhibition 2025
Acrylic on Panel
24" x 24"
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Barbara Pease
pease-porridge.com/
I was born in Seattle Washington in 1951 and moved to Colorado in 1969. I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay area since 1977. I’m married with grown children and wonderful grandkids. After graduating in jewelry design a cramped apartment and a stint in jewelry manufacturing changed my mind about working in metal so I’ve worked in other media for most of my career. I started painting in watercolor in 1992. In 2008 a chance encounter with silk painting changed my direction again and I’ve been working on silk ever since. In my nursing career I worked in oncology from 1990 to 2012, then in hospice from 2012 until my retirement in 2017.
Reflection, 2007
watercolor on paper
16” X 20”
pease-porridge.com/
I was born in Seattle Washington in 1951 and moved to Colorado in 1969. I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay area since 1977. I’m married with grown children and wonderful grandkids. After graduating in jewelry design a cramped apartment and a stint in jewelry manufacturing changed my mind about working in metal so I’ve worked in other media for most of my career. I started painting in watercolor in 1992. In 2008 a chance encounter with silk painting changed my direction again and I’ve been working on silk ever since. In my nursing career I worked in oncology from 1990 to 2012, then in hospice from 2012 until my retirement in 2017.
Reflection, 2007
watercolor on paper
16” X 20”
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Jonathan Perea
www.kaleidgallery.com/category/artist/joe-perea/
Jonathan Perea is a professional artist working in the Bay Area since 2011. He has shown his work through exhibitions, and collaborations at galleries and museums such as KALEID Gallery, Triton Museum, Works Gallery, and Fuse Underground. He has been a featured artist at the Cinequest Film Festival, San Jose SubZERO Festival, Mexican Heritage Plaza, and Pacific Art League. Perea has also created several public art projects for the beautification of San Jose.
Ethos, Pathos and Logos
sharpie on recycled cardboard
24" x 19"
www.kaleidgallery.com/category/artist/joe-perea/
Jonathan Perea is a professional artist working in the Bay Area since 2011. He has shown his work through exhibitions, and collaborations at galleries and museums such as KALEID Gallery, Triton Museum, Works Gallery, and Fuse Underground. He has been a featured artist at the Cinequest Film Festival, San Jose SubZERO Festival, Mexican Heritage Plaza, and Pacific Art League. Perea has also created several public art projects for the beautification of San Jose.
Ethos, Pathos and Logos
sharpie on recycled cardboard
24" x 19"
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Shuba Prithvi Raj
www.shubhaprithviraj.com/
Shubha Prithvi Raj is a passionate artist and photographer whose travels inspire her creative work. Drawing from her own photographs, she paints vibrant floral compositions, realistic still life, and serene landscapes. She has been painting for several years and studied painting at Mission College over the past two years. Her work has received recognition at exhibitions across the Bay Area, and she served as President of the Fine Arts League of Cupertino for three years. Alongside her artistic pursuits, she is an IT professional who finds painting to be a source of balance and rejuvenation, bringing energy to her busy career.
Ethereal Glow : Golden Gate, 2024
Acrylic
20" x 16"
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Amy Robinson
https://svos.org/artist/amy-robinson/
Through landscape painting, I explore the connection between time, place, and memory.
For me, painting landscapes is a process of slowing down, observing, and immersing myself in the layers of a location. History, moods, and transformations. The act of rendering these spaces is a way of engaging with not just what is seen but what is felt.
Each painting is an attempt to bridge the physical and the intangible: to distill the essence of a place while inviting viewers to bring their own interpretations and experiences to the work. In this way, my work aims to honor the spirit of a place and the stories it holds.
Davero Farm, 2023
Oil
20 x 16
https://svos.org/artist/amy-robinson/
Through landscape painting, I explore the connection between time, place, and memory.
For me, painting landscapes is a process of slowing down, observing, and immersing myself in the layers of a location. History, moods, and transformations. The act of rendering these spaces is a way of engaging with not just what is seen but what is felt.
Each painting is an attempt to bridge the physical and the intangible: to distill the essence of a place while inviting viewers to bring their own interpretations and experiences to the work. In this way, my work aims to honor the spirit of a place and the stories it holds.
Davero Farm, 2023
Oil
20 x 16
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Miha Sarani
www.mihasarani.com
"As a child I spent a lot of my time drawing. This made me very content and even helped me make sense of the world that surrounded me. I had zero interest in sports, or playing with the other kids in the neighborhood. And once I bought a small cassette player, and you couldn’t get me to leave my drawing desk. I became completely absorbed by the music and soon began incorporating it into my imaginary world-building. I wanted to make a living as an artist – preferably an illustrator or a cartoonist – going as far back as I can remember. I took a placement exam at 14 to apply to an art academy in my hometown Ljubljana, but was rejected due to lack of talent. This early failure defined the next 20+ years of my life. I would sometimes doodle; but it never went beyond that.
After moving permanently to the US in 2007, I decided to get a degree and started taking classes at a community college in Santa Clara, CA. A chance elective class – introduction to drawing – changed my life, and I subsequently graduated with a BFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Washington – a year shy of my 40th birthday. I have been very fortunate since then to be able to make art daily, even though I have a daytime job(s) working as a gallery director & chief curator in Kirkland, as well as teaching art making at the Seattle University."
"Ubi Sami Ibi Patria", 2020
charcoal, coffee, acrylic paint, commercial latex paint on wood
24” x 24”
www.mihasarani.com
"As a child I spent a lot of my time drawing. This made me very content and even helped me make sense of the world that surrounded me. I had zero interest in sports, or playing with the other kids in the neighborhood. And once I bought a small cassette player, and you couldn’t get me to leave my drawing desk. I became completely absorbed by the music and soon began incorporating it into my imaginary world-building. I wanted to make a living as an artist – preferably an illustrator or a cartoonist – going as far back as I can remember. I took a placement exam at 14 to apply to an art academy in my hometown Ljubljana, but was rejected due to lack of talent. This early failure defined the next 20+ years of my life. I would sometimes doodle; but it never went beyond that.
After moving permanently to the US in 2007, I decided to get a degree and started taking classes at a community college in Santa Clara, CA. A chance elective class – introduction to drawing – changed my life, and I subsequently graduated with a BFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Washington – a year shy of my 40th birthday. I have been very fortunate since then to be able to make art daily, even though I have a daytime job(s) working as a gallery director & chief curator in Kirkland, as well as teaching art making at the Seattle University."
"Ubi Sami Ibi Patria", 2020
charcoal, coffee, acrylic paint, commercial latex paint on wood
24” x 24”
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Sandra Smith-Dugan
https://www.smith-dugan.com/
Sandra Smith-Dugan was born, raised and educated in California's San Francisco Bay Area. Her earliest exposure to art came from her mother, a University of California at Berkeley fine arts graduate and accomplished painter. Having grown up with the support of an artistic and creative family, it is no surprise that Sandra has been painting and drawing as far back as she can remember. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from San Jose State University, and then continued her studies at the San Francisco Art Institute, the University of California at Santa Cruz, and at various professional workshops.
She paints in oil on canvas and board with an emphasis on the landscape, urbanscape, and figurative work. Painting en plein air or in the studio, her work is open and expressive and showcases her innate sense of impactful presentation and visual balance. The central elements of her artistic approach have much to do with the characteristic feeling of a chosen subject, be it a scene in nature, an architectural edifice, or a depiction of the human figure. Smith-Dugan looks for the inherent character of her subject, and strives to fully express it. The artist carefully assesses the key effects of light, mood, energy, movement and emotion, and then brings each to her painting effectively through the appropriate use of color, line and composition.
Smith-Dugan's style, which has been through its own evolutionary process, contains the influences of Bay Area Figurative painters Richard Diebenkorn, Elmer Bischoff, Joan Brown, and Wayne Thiebaud. Early in her career, she was impressed by the spontaneous and expressive quality of their work because it was innovative, personal and authentic. Sandra Smith-Dugan’s painting style has clearly evolved far from her initial observances of the work of the artists whom she admired. Today, she has fully matured as an artist, and her own unique artistic handprint is characterized by a single-minded dedication to only creating work that satisfies her high standards for composition, painterly execution, aesthetic content, and visual narrative.
Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, 2022
16 x 12
https://www.smith-dugan.com/
Sandra Smith-Dugan was born, raised and educated in California's San Francisco Bay Area. Her earliest exposure to art came from her mother, a University of California at Berkeley fine arts graduate and accomplished painter. Having grown up with the support of an artistic and creative family, it is no surprise that Sandra has been painting and drawing as far back as she can remember. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from San Jose State University, and then continued her studies at the San Francisco Art Institute, the University of California at Santa Cruz, and at various professional workshops.
She paints in oil on canvas and board with an emphasis on the landscape, urbanscape, and figurative work. Painting en plein air or in the studio, her work is open and expressive and showcases her innate sense of impactful presentation and visual balance. The central elements of her artistic approach have much to do with the characteristic feeling of a chosen subject, be it a scene in nature, an architectural edifice, or a depiction of the human figure. Smith-Dugan looks for the inherent character of her subject, and strives to fully express it. The artist carefully assesses the key effects of light, mood, energy, movement and emotion, and then brings each to her painting effectively through the appropriate use of color, line and composition.
Smith-Dugan's style, which has been through its own evolutionary process, contains the influences of Bay Area Figurative painters Richard Diebenkorn, Elmer Bischoff, Joan Brown, and Wayne Thiebaud. Early in her career, she was impressed by the spontaneous and expressive quality of their work because it was innovative, personal and authentic. Sandra Smith-Dugan’s painting style has clearly evolved far from her initial observances of the work of the artists whom she admired. Today, she has fully matured as an artist, and her own unique artistic handprint is characterized by a single-minded dedication to only creating work that satisfies her high standards for composition, painterly execution, aesthetic content, and visual narrative.
Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, 2022
16 x 12
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Yue Diana Xin
https://www.yuedianaxin.com/art
I am Yue, a senior industrial design student at San Jose State University,
My journey in the world of design began with a fascination for visual storytelling and a desire to bring ideas to life through artistry and innovation.
As I continue on my creative journey, I look forward to leveraging my skills and passion to create experiences that leave a lasting impression and contribute to a brighter, more vibrant future.”
Drown, 2024
dry media, charcoal
8x11
https://www.yuedianaxin.com/art
I am Yue, a senior industrial design student at San Jose State University,
My journey in the world of design began with a fascination for visual storytelling and a desire to bring ideas to life through artistry and innovation.
As I continue on my creative journey, I look forward to leveraging my skills and passion to create experiences that leave a lasting impression and contribute to a brighter, more vibrant future.”
Drown, 2024
dry media, charcoal
8x11
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About the curator: George Rivera |
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The Gilded Legacies exhibition is curated by renowned painting professor George Rivera. George is the former Executive Director & Senior Curator, at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. He started teaching at Mission College in 1986, and since then he has been a mentor to thousands of students in his classes, including drawing, painting, design, color theory, life drawing, and museum studies. His wife, sculptor Krisin Lindseth, has also been on the faculty of Mission College for many years.
During his illustrious career, he has been a recipient of numerous awards in the fields of art, art education, curating, arts administration and community service. In 2012 there was a 30 year survey of his paintings and drawings at the Art Museum of Los Gatos. This solo exhibition featured a publication with an introduction and essay by Helayna Thickpenny, who is a former art history professor at Mission College. In 2013 Rivera was honored with the Artist Laureate Award from the Arts Council of Silicon Valley. George will be exhibiting his paintings in the Mission College Vargas Gallery in 2026, to mark the 40th year of his distinguished teaching career at Mission College. |
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