Meet Our Studio Artists
Artist Members.
At the Highland we are committed to investing in the artistic journey of all artists. Whether they are an emerging amateur artist or an established professional, we love playing a part in helping artists take the next step toward furthering their career. The following is a list of our member artists grouped into two categories. Our Locally Celebrated artists are skilled artists and artisans who are enriching our local community with their work. Our Nationally Recognized artists are professionals who have expanded their sphere and shown their work in galleries or exhibits outside of our regional area. Some have even participated in International Exhibitions and have won prestigious awards. We invite you to explore their profiles and join us in celebrating their art and accomplishments.
Hal Oleari
STUDIO E
Hal’s mother discovered him, at 3 years old, sitting on the floor of the family’s laundry room “playing” the washer and dryer with the palms of his hands. When asked what in the world he was doing, his reply was “These sound great!” Little was it known at the time that this was the genesis of a life of musical expression. Many years of music education and a multitude of various musical instruments later, Hal is a seasoned performer, recording artist and educator, and now teaching out of our Studio E. In between his lesson schedule rehearsals are conducted there as well. You’re liable to hear anything coming out of Studio E from Classical, Jazz fusion to Surf music! Hal is also known as one of the most prolific and well-collected artists at the Highland Art Center. His work covers a wide range of subject matter and incorporates a variety of mediums. Music seems to sneak into his visual art as well, as his paintings suggest rhythmic gesturing and movement.
John Garrett
STUDIO G
John Garrett has been an Arts Educator for many years as well as a well established painter and ceramic artist. He has been a resident artist at the Highland Art Center in Studio G for almost 10 years, where he teaches an after-school art program, holds private and group ceramic and music classes, and the local favorite "Wine-y Painter" classes. With a 35 year career as an exhibiting artist, his work has been featured online at www.mesart.com and was published in the 2nd edition of "Found Object Art" from Schiffer Publishing.
James Kroner
STUDIO C & D
James Kroner b. 1978 grew up in direct opposition to his exterior world, it seemed. There was a stark contrast between his normal suburban lifestyle and all those inner adversities of a troubled youth. The two could not be made to fit together and this gave birth to a need, a need to write. By the time he was in high school he would sit for hours to write, page after page was written fueled by the blind enthusiasm to understand himself, thus carrying him through years of journal writing. The road to realization came from this ritual. Again he could return to the solitude and silence of the written page and find meaning within the throes of a world.
This same world held much visual interest and fascination as well. Kroner began studying art in his early twenties and eventually deliberated to pursue it over his longstanding study of philosophy. Something clicked for him while drawing a series of gesture poses from a figure modeling class, and it was from this click, that happened again and again which opened his mind to the path he would take.
During his MFA at the Academy of Art University S.F., James cultivated a powerful shift in focus driven towards self-development as a painter. He received numerous awards including first place for landscape painting 2010 Annual Spring Show, and a full scholarship to study in Italy for the summer of 2011. He has since exhibited his artwork in a large number of shows including solo shows and various group shows. He received the Emerging Artist of 2014, a Solo Exhibition through the Academy’s Atelier Gallery in San Francisco.
We see an incredible awareness of light and atmosphere within his scenes, glowing with an ethereal vitality as if actually alive and moving. From across the room his scenes take on a striking sense of realism in some areas while in others diverge into an orchestral arrangement of tone and color, dissolving away from form altogether yet maintaining a wonderful harmony as a whole. There is a vigorous presence, and a fragility, as if he took a risk within his process of painting. He says that “While painting I want to make a discovery, the process itself is an unknown and the viewer can also see this excitement within the work.” He is continually shifting his approach to fit with a result.
Exhibiting in numerous galleries for a variety of group and solo shows Kroner has already caught the attention of collectors and enthusiasts. This emerging artist shows a keen ability and growing reputation, looking to be just the beginning of a long, adventurous career.
Ian Stetson
STUDIO H
Ian Stetson , dedicated ceramicist originally from Weaverville, graduated from Southern Oregon Univ. and studied under Jim Romberg. He is inspired by the functionality of ceramics and providing beauty in people's daily lives. Ian says that he most likes and appreciates that ceramics uses all of the elements in the creative process: fire, water, earth, air and the human/creator as the ether. Stetson primarily works on the wheel, utilizing a broad array of natural elements in clay to produce different colors int he clay body to produce variety and contrast in his work.
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
Don Bradbury — Sculptures, ceramics
Brian Gossman — Photography
Michael Hopko — Glass Sculpture
Steve Hubbell — Oil, Brass Sculpture
Michelle James — Photography
James Kroner — Oil
Bill Marlow — Oil painting
Mary Masten — Glass, sculpture, jewelry
Dan Molyneux — Ceramics
Debee L. Holland Olson — Painting, pastels, Education
LOCALLY CELEBRATED
Dan Adair - Decorative gourds
Patricia Aguilar — Jewelry
Susanne Twight Alexander — Painting, sculpture, ceramics
Ninet Albillo — Photography
Karin Rachel Anderson — Fiber, glass, ceramic, music, poetry
Mary K. Louise Anderson — Watercolor, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, oil painting
Cindy Andrews — Fiber
George Andrews — Acrylic painting
Billy Andrews — Acrylic painting
Carl Arness — Wood
Pam Augspurger — Fiber
Karla Austin — Mixed media
Claudia Auston — Mixed media
Barbara Bailey — Watercolor, acrylic painting, pencil
Bamboo Threads — Fiber
Mariah Battaglia — Essential oils
Sue Bateman — Ceramics
Dan Beans — Painting, photography
Edward Beier — Photography
Jane Belden — Oil/WC painting, performance, writing
Karl Belden — Sculpture, mixed media
Brad Bergquist — Jewelry
Amy Bergquist — Mixed media
Kristi Bevard — Painting
Tsuneko Beverly — Fiber
Bobbie Blakely — Fine jewelry
Susan Boilon — Fiber
Kimberly Boney — Jewelry
John Bradford — Photography
Bradley Brinkley — Photography
Julie Bullock — Alcohol ink on glass
Roberta Busher — Artisan soaps, lotions, balms, fragrances
Susan C. Carr — Fiber, ceramics
Bridget Carson — Painting, fiber, photography
Jim Casebolt — Wood
Connie Champe — Fiber
Jil Chipman — Photography
Amanda Cloud — Ceramics, watercolor, acrylic, graphite
Kelly Corrigan — Metal, Mixed Media
Susan Cousins — Fiber, jewelry
Jerry Cousins — Woodworking, fiber, jewelry
VaLynn Crafford — Fiber
Jill Cruz — Multi Media, jewelry, fiber
James Cudziol — Painting
Paula Dulak — Painting
Barbara Edwards — Fiber art and painting
Sonya Edwards — Jewelry
Ann Elias — Photography, painting
Laurie Falcon — Jewelry
Mollie Flack — Oil/Acrylic painting
Janet Flanagan — Painting
John Garrett — Painting, fiber, sculpture, ceramics, education
Dennis Halkides — Photography
Karen Hammer — Watercolor painting
Hamor Family — Painting, photography, mixed media
Pat Harger — Glass, sculpture, photography
Dave Hazard — Sculptures, metalwork
Marge Heilman — Painting
John Heilman — Photography
Emmett & Doris Hein — Watercolor painting
Melanie Hirdler — Watercolor painting, ink & graphite
Mary Beth Hollenbach — Jewelry
Susan Holthaus — Watercolor painting, ceramics
Judith Hoffman — Mixed media, jewelry
Lisa Howell — Glass
Ryan Howell — Metal
Sandi Howell — Watercolor, photography
Jillian Hower — Woodworking, ceramics
Althea Hubbard — Mixed media
Dawn Justice — Photography
Joseph Kasper — Painting, jewelry
Ken Kehoe — Photography
Denise Granger Kerbs — Painting, pastel
Yvonne Kern — Oil and watercolor painting
Andrea Kennard — Crafts, mixed media
William Lewinson — Photography, painting, crafts
Theodore Lichti — Painting
Louise Lieber — Photography, painting
Alisa Lincoln — Mixed media, painting, jewelry
Jeannette Logue — Acrylic painting
Nick Lionberger — Jewelry
Nancy Sackett-Lloyd — Watercolor, pastel, oils, mixed media
Dakota Manchette — Painting
Bill Marlow — Oil painting
Selena Marshall — Painting
Sophia Massey — Jewelry
Linda McGinnis — Painting, fiber, writing, multi-media
David Menefee — Fiber, glass, ceramic, music, poetry
Diane Mercier — Fiber
Jessica Mines — Ceramics, photography
Penny Mossman — Fiber
Suzan & Joseph Neil — Painting, writing, drawing, music
Ken Nolte — photography
Lynda Nolte — watercolor, polymer clay
Sandy Obester — Watercolor /acrylic painting, ceramic
Emily Ohrwall — Ceramics, sculpture, acrylic painting
Hal Oleari — Photography, pastels, music, Education
Carrie Parmeter — Crafts, mixed media, painting, sculpture, acrylics, wood, watercolors, fibers, metal
Mark Perko — Painting, music, multi-media
Kimberly Piazza — Painting, multi-media,
Betty Pestoni — Painting, Mixed Media, Ceramics
Muriel Plank — Photography
Chuck Prudhomme — Painting
Marni Rapf — Fiber, Crafts
Bruce Ross — Wood
Jenifer Sherman Ruppe — Upcylcled jewelry
Renee Rushing — Fiber, jewelry
Fariss Ryan — Graphic design
Olive Schroder — Watercolor painting, drawing
Beverly Smith — Watercolor and acrylic painting
Buck Steele — Watercolor painting, Metal Sculpture, Photography
John N. Stewart — Watercolor, Oil
Roberta Stone — Painting, ceramic, sculpture, mixed media, photography
Beverly Strand — Photography
Mike Swift — Painting
Kassandra Thomsen — Fiber
Janet Weidel — Oil & acrylic painting
Darell Warnock — Painting
Michael Bien & Jan Werner — Fiber, Crafts
Dean Wilson — Funtional Art
Keiki Yamasaki — Ceramics, Sculpture, Photography
Pam & Elizabeth Yearout — Painting
Marylin Yospe — Jewelry
In Memory of the late Steve Hubbell
Steve Hubbell was and will remain a prominent and beloved member of the Highland Art Center and our community of Weaverville, CA. We honor Steve here as one of our long time studio artists would like to share with you about his life and artistic journey.
Steve’s full career span from his early life to late was devoted to his art. His background in art covered a large range, he started his career as an illustrator at the age of 18 and went on to work in industrial art, was an art director of advertising agencies and owned his own art service, all during his time in Southern California. There he also owned a dog breeding kennel and was an all-breed dog handler, licensed by the American Kennel Club. He was an American Kennel Club judge since 1969 and throughout his life and artistic career he continued judging all breeds at shows around the world.
In 1971, Steve and his family moved to the small picturesque mountain community of Weaverville in Northern California, where he pursued his fine arts career in earnest. His love for animals and understanding of anatomy still shows in his paintings and bronzes. Steve has illustrated books and specific breed standards for The American Kennel Club. He won the Westminster Award in the Contemporary Dog Artists Contest, held in New York. He also won Best of Show at the National Juried Fine Arts Competition dedicated to canine art held in Wichita, Kansas. Steve was chosen as the Pedigree Dog Calendar artist 1994 - 1995, and was commissioned to paint 16 oil paintings for the Pedigree brand. His art has been included in the permanent collection of The Dog Museum of America in St. Louis, Mo.
He is not exclusively known as a dog artist but is also celebrated for his Western art and was a member of the prestigious American Indian and Cowboy Artists, Inc. However, he said his real love was depicting Sporting dogs in action. In January of 1989 his work depicting formal fox hunting scenes was selected by the King Gallery in Manhattan for a one man show. The exhibit featured his work in pencil, watercolor, oil, and bronze sculpture.
Steve Hubbell is held in high esteem in the art community, has been featured in shows across the nation, and has won many awards. He is considered a highly collectible canine artist and his work is in collections around the globe. The majority of Steve's work is commissioned by dog lovers, private collectors, and large corporations.
