Art Instructors.
Meet the OPAC Art Instructors who provide lead on our programs.
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Gabriel Islas
Visual Artist Gabriel Islas grew up in the coastal city of Oxnard. He obtained his BFA with an emphasis in painting from Academy of Art University, San Francisco in 2019. He has since moved back to his roots in Ventura County where he teaches oil painting courses at the Santa Paula Art Museum, VITA Art Center and Oxnard Performing Arts Center, both on-site and online. His current work exhibits atmospheric paintings of local California landscapes. Gabriel is a member of the California Art Club and has exhibited at Academy of Art University’s Atelier Gallery for the ‘highlights’ from their annual spring show, at the Santa Paula Art Museum’s ‘12th Annual Art About Agriculture’ and the CAC virtual exhibit ‘Welcome to California’. Learn more about Gabriel at: ww.gabrielislasart.com |
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Jem Morris
Visual Artist An LA native, Jem Morris Completed her BFA at Academy of Art University in San Francisco in the year 2019 with a focus in Oil painting. Her explorations in the arts have ranged from landscape painting, abstraction and surrealism, all the way to expressionistic and figurative sculpture. Her main source of influence came during her career as a Caricature artist at Pier 39 in San Francisco. Not only did she capture the exaggerated likeness of her customers, but an emotional and expressionistic quality in her artwork drew her clients all the more towards her work. She ended her college career winning first place in the Abstract category at the Academy of Art Spring Show as well as gaining representation at the Academy of Art Atelier. She now works in Ventura County as an Art teacher and professional artist, teaching ages 10+ to adult. Learn more about Jem at: jemfinearts.com |
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Rafael Perea de la Cabada
Visual Artist Award-winning artist Rafael Perea de la Cabada was born in Mexico City and has lived in California since 1987. Perea received a degree from the National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking in Mexico City and went on to earn his M.F.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has exhibited at many galleries and museums in Southern California including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Contemporary Arts Forum, The Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, and the Hunsaker-Schlesinger Gallery in Santa Monica. He has also shown in New York, Washington, Tennessee, Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Croatia, Spain, and Germany. His work is included in numerous public and private collections in Mexico, Switzerland, Ireland, France, Germany, and the United States. Rafael teaches Drawing in the Fine Arts Department at Santa Barbara City College and has served as a Master Artist for mentorship programs, master classes, and mural projects for both the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and The Arts Fund. Learn more about Rafael at: www.rafaelperea.com |
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Christian Ramirez
Photographer & Filmmaker "I don't only see the art of photography as way to self express and help move through difficult times. I see it as a tool to spark ideas in others which can potentially lead them to a better way of thinking about life." Photographer and filmmaker Christian Ramirez has lived in Oxnard nearly all his life. He graduated from CSU CI with a B.A. in Nonprofit Communication, for which his capstone project culminated in a feature length documentary “Humanizing Homelessness in Oxnard” and a Town Hall on the same subject. His main focus has always been to help those that need help through the art of the lens. A self taught photographer/videographer of 10 years, Mr. Ramirez opened his own photography studio, Mezz Studio. |
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Cesar Aldana
Printmaker Cesar is a skilled artist based in Ventura County, who works in oils, acrylics, graphic design illustration, tattoos and printmaking. Born in Los Angeles but raised in Oxnard, Cesar gravitated to art at an early age through his love of cartoon images and comic books where he would spend countless hour recreating characters from his favorite artists such as Todd McFarlane and Walt Disney. His interest and talent for art developed during his teenage years and would later broaden at Cal State University of Channel Islands and Paris Academy of Art while attending a travel abroad program. Cesar would go on to receive his B.A. at CSU-CI in Art Studio, Art history and Digital Media Arts. Cesar finds inspiration through music, travel, current events and Mexican culture where he enjoys juxtaposing these components and creating images that convey elements of propaganda and traditional art. He has participated in many art exhibitions and appreciates lending his talents to the community. See more of Cesar's art on Instagram @sketchcrow |
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Martha Jimenez
Weave Maker Martha Jimenez was born in Michoacán, Mexico and has lived most of her life in Oxnard, and currently lives in Ventura. She earned her BFA with an emphasis in fiber from California State University Long Beach. She has taught art in a variety of local programs throughout Ventura County, was the Curator of Education at the Carnegie Art Museum, and currently teaches through Recreation and Community Services, and serves on the Board of the Ventura County Arts Council. Her weaving combines traditional weaving technique with modern materials such as wire and recycled materials. |
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Dakota Noot
Artist Dakota Noot is an artist and professor at Oxnard College. He has had solo shows at Art Produce, Highways Performance Space, and MuzeuMM. Noot’s series of cutout drawing-installations have been shown at LA Freewaves, Cerritos College Art Gallery, and Otis College. He was the key artist for the 2018 Slamdance Film Festival. |
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JOIN US.
OPAC seeks Oxnard Artists to carry out arts programming in our city. All ages. All backgrounds.
Think: teaching classes, exhibiting your work, becoming an Artist-in-Residence and more.
If you're interested in becoming affiliated with OPAC, please email us your resume, bio and a few work samples at: info@oxnardperformingarts.com
Think: teaching classes, exhibiting your work, becoming an Artist-in-Residence and more.
If you're interested in becoming affiliated with OPAC, please email us your resume, bio and a few work samples at: info@oxnardperformingarts.com
Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. Our Tax ID is #77-0524980.