Los Angeles artist and educator Jose Ramirez received a BFA (1990) and an MFA (1993) in art from UC Berkeley. In 1995, he received a California Teaching Credential from CSULA. In 2001 he received the California Community Foundation Visual Artist Fellowship.
Ramirez has completed commissions for non-profit organizations, hospitals, cities, film and television companies and cultural centers across the country. He has lectured and exhibited his work in museums, universities, galleries, and community centers throughout the United States and in Japan and Mexico. He has painted over ten murals and illustrated over six children’s books.
This year, Ramirez completed commissions for Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Trejos Tacos and Taiko Project. His painting, “Garden Tour,” appeared extensively on the television show, “The Good Wife.”
He has taught in LAUSD for 24 years and is currently teaching third grade at Esperanza Elementary in LA’s Pico-Union neighborhood. Ramirez incorporates art and culture into his daily lessons and inspires his students to visualize themselves as future leaders and creative professionals.
Ramirez grew up in El Sereno and lives in City Terrace. An avid gardener, he maintains a large perennial edible garden in his backyard. He has three daughters: Tonantzin (22), Luna (16), and Sol (10).
For more info: ramirezart.com
Photographer Larry Barber has spent the last eight years traveling the world and taking photographs of some of the most beautiful and poignant natural wonders on earth. Come and witness the renewing power of gazing at the beauty of nature as Barber displays 20+ of his best works.
Maija Beeton’s painting series CITIZEN ARTIST | CITIZEN SCIENTIST presents new works inspired by, and derived from, community interplay. Exploring themes of biological patterns and scale, the presented works were created in Beeton’s studio and at Mark Twain Middle School, Hamilton High School and Santa Monica College.
Opening Reception - Sunday, June 5, noon to 1:30 pm in Forbes Hall. UU Santa Monica will be hosting art created by our own members during the month of June. Come down and see some of the amazing talent we have within our own community! A variety of media will be on display, some pieces for sale and some not. Our UU Santa Monica artists include: Bettye Barclay, Amy Lacombe, Kris Langabeer, Cynthia Kelly, Debbie Menzies, Tom Peters, Peggy Rhoads, Carol Ring, Diana Spears, Greg Wood, Michael Young, and Stephen Young. Guest artist James Oliver will also be displaying his works.
This April, we are pleased to exhibit works by Katherine Genikov. We look forward to seeing you at the Opening Reception on Sunday, April 3 from 12:00 noon – 1:30pm. The exhibit will run through the month of April.
Katherine Genikov currently lives and works in Los Angeles. She has presented her works at many California galleries and shows, including Human Resources, (Los Angeles); The LAB, (San Francisco); and Blackstone Gallery (Los Angeles). She holds a BFA from The San Francisco Art Institute.
During March, we are pleased to exhibit Connections Through Art, a collection of Ethiopian paintings, curated by Elsabet Mesfin. We look forward to seeing you at the Opening Reception on Sunday, March 6 from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. The exhibit will run through the month of March.
Elsabet Mesfin created Connections Through Art to help further promote Ethiopian artists. The March art wall exhibit expresses the lifestyle and natural beauty of Ethiopia. The images show both traditional and modern scenes. Artistically, several different styles of composition are represented including Realism, Impressionism, Cubism, Portraiture and Abstract Modernism.
Amitai is a seasoned artist trained in many disciplines including painting, sculpture, architecture, and printmaking. She began at École des Beaux Arts in Paris, France; she went on to gain professional experience in fi ne art and architecture in France, Israel, and Italy before moving to the United States in 1984. We look forward to seeing you at the opening reception on Sunday, February 7 from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. The exhibit will run through the month of February.
Join us in welcoming the accomplished artist, Katya Kompanesyets, our first featured Artist of 2016. The Opening Reception for “Paintings by Katya,” will be held on Sunday, January 3, from 12 noon to 1:30 pm, in Forbes Hall. The show is free and will run through Sunday, January 31. It is open to the public on Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm and on weekdays by appointment. All works are for sale.
Her paintings have focused on still life scenes, portraiture, nudes, and landscapes. Her paintings are in many private collections in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Carmel, San Francisco, New York, and Boston. Her work includes commissioned painting as well as helping clients to build art collections, with an emphasis on collecting works of historical and contemporary California artists.
This December, we are very pleased to welcome the Zimbabwe Artists Project, (ZAP), as they present the exhibition “Working Women of Zimbabwe.” The Zimbabwe Artists Project is a nonprofit organization partnering with women in Zimbabwe, buying artwork and supporting self-enterprise.
The artists featured in ZAP are subsistence farmers, mothers, and householders, as well as artists. Most women live on their own, providing for families. Some are widowed, others are single heads of households. Women’s income from agriculture is unpredictable and limited. Sales of art help women afford food, clothing, school fees, medicines, transport, seeds, and fertilizer.