SANDSTONE GALLERY

Lynn Welker  |  Bio

Lynn Welker is an abstract artist focused on the landscape, its many forms, both real and imagined. She invents paintings that suggest subtle underlying stories. Through the spontaneous use of texture, shape and line, she leads the viewer on a seductive path of discovery.

As a former art specialist designing educational materials, Welker continues to be driven by the need to innovate. Without a preconceived notion of how a painting will look, she allows her imagery to gradually emerge. Welker paints intuitively, looking beyond the surface, reaching deeper, exploring the effects of erosion, sedimentation, weather and the passing of time.

When looking at Welker’s paintings, you quickly notice a pattern of darker shapes. These angular configurations establish diagonal movement which directs your eye through the painting. Equally important are organic areas within the same painting. Combining sharp edges with the organic softness of our natural world establishes a surprising contrast within each work.

Blending the familiar with the unexpected, Welker shifts importance, if only briefly, from a world of technology to one that reconnects people to the richness of the land.

Lynnwelker.com

instagram.com/lynn.welker.fine.art

facebook.com/lynn.welker.fine.art

MA, BFA University of Cincinnati 

Signature Member National Watercolor Society NWS

Juried Member Watercolor West WW

International Society of Experimental Artists ISEA

I discovered printmaking in 1991 while finishing my BA in another subject and was immediately hooked on this creative medium. It was over many semesters at the local community college that I learned the technical aspects of printmaking and developed my own artistic expression. 

Now I love creating monoprints, unique, one-of-a-kind prints, hand-pulled on a manual printing press. My style ranges from precise to abstract, often hinting at writing forms and incorporating linocuts that I hand carve. I enjoy the hands-on, contemplative work, the surprise of pulling a new print, the reward of seeing effort, experience and creativity unite. 

I have shown at Sandstone Gallery Laguna for the past 17 years, and at the Festival of Arts in Laguna for nine years. Western Art and Architecture magazine honored me with a two-page spread in 2015, and Dolcezza, a Canadian clothing company, chose two of my prints for their 2019 fall line. My unique prints have also appeared in several textbooks and on CD covers. 

My artist-husband Hyatt and I share our home studio in Dana Point, as well as five adult children, their spouses, and sixteen amazing grandchildren. Life is good! 

http://www.annesprints.com

 She sees art as she does life -

 sometimes bright and colorful and sometimes dark and deep. Her paintings combine varying colors of the spectrum to reflect her own philosophy on life. When she paints, she focuses on the varying emotions that she is experiencing at the time. Happiness. Worry. Love. Hope. All of these feelings make their way onto the canvas. Each emotion contains a specific character and color. We each hold multiple layers of emotions and, when mixed together, they form a rich picture of our lives. Abstract art allows you, the viewer, to interpret the meaning and significance behind it and to stand as the visionary.

Ann Kim, a Korean-born artist, has developed a technique of layering paint and color while also incorporating mixed media into her artwork. She uses the combination of color and texture to create a natural element with nature being her inspiration. The close observation of the layers of color will reveal beauty within each layer. Her painting process begins with acrylic which is layered with varying colors of oil paint and accented with knife strokes to add texture. The final product is an expression of the beauty found in nature which is demonstrated through fundamental simplicity and harmony.

http://Annkimart.art

I think of the process of painting as an activity in meditative expression.  When it works, the lines, shapes, texture and light become the media that capture an emotional state of mind on canvas.  As forms and colors connect and become something that could be a figure or an object, they create a new pivot point for the story to unfold.  I’ve been using a process where I follow the cues that emerge in the art to dictate what comes next.  It sounds simple, but it’s far easier said than done.

Something I’m learning in life is that there’s such a thing as trying too hard.  Sometimes the more we want things to be a certain way, the bigger the obstructions we place in the path to that destination.  So I try harder in a different way.  I try harder to let go… of fear, judgment and doubt.  I remind myself that my art is a medium for telling a visual story.  The freer I can become, the further out of that controlled comfort zone I can venture, and the truer the art becomes as a reflection of the journey in my mind.

And sometimes I regress and wonder, is this a formula for producing the type of art I want to produce?  And then I remind myself, for me as an artist, the answer is not actually about removing the obstructions, but rather realizing that the destination is unknown and that’s the way it should be.      

www.Jongroart.com

I see lines. I see shapes. I see movement. I see patterns and colors. I want to translate, abstract and highlight the parts I see so others can feel the story and the history. Each piece tells a story of what I saw, what I thought and felt, and where I was in the world.

I have traveled and lived around the world with my husband, first with the military, then with his work. From the east coast to the south and to the west coast of the United States and overseas to South Africa, Venezuela and The Hague. All have had a profound influence on me, including the architecture, the people, their art and especially their local art teachers.

I love the process of applying what I learn. This has worked into my original perspective , but tweaked to suit my needs. I work my art like a puzzle—fitting in pieces, color and techniques—trying them, and then removing them if they don’t fit.

I am starting to see a convergence of all I have learned over the years. I’m considering bringing together my love of photography, collage, mixed media, encaustic and cold wax into a larger, or three-dimensional perspective of the world.

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel at home as an artist. While I appreciate the importance of showing and sharing my work, my heart has always been in the creative process of expressing the way I look at the world through my art.

https://Rosemariedavio.com

Aimee Bonham's artwork is formalistic in approach.  Organic line and color in her works are formal elements composed according to aesthetic principles – rather than as the visual representation of sociopolitical realities or philosophical theories.  Her work is composed in a sensuous manner to express a mystic realm of line and color.  She chooses to  simplify imagery and to create abstractions of the natural world.  There is no specific endpoint at the beginning of a piece; nevertheless,  a color palette or tonality may guide the painting to evoke a desired feeling or emotion. Blind contour drawings in wax pencil layered with thin or thick layers of empasto oil paint "push and pull" the viewer through the work creating movement which is the pulse of nature.

https://Aimeebonham.com

Isabelle Alessandra - Artist Statement:

“Raised in the wild foothills of the Canadian Rockies, I learned to be present to a sense of wonderment and joy. That same joyful spirit is what I hope you’ll experience in my work.”

My Process

At the most basic level, my work explores how geometric shapes can so beautifully contrast with loose, graceful lines and spontaneous marks. My process involves building up multiple layers of acrylic paint on birch wood panels, then sanding and scratching back into the layers to reveal glimpses of ‘the history’ of the painting. Similar to a conversation, I’m constantly responding to what’s happening as I’m working, “listening and responding to what the painting says it wants.” When I start a painting my decisions are spontaneous, but as I work, choices about the composition and the colors I choose become more and more intentional. Some decisions are meant to create loud conversations that draw viewers in from a distance, while other decisions create quiet conversations, deliberately drawing the viewer’s eye to the more intimate details discovered when my work is viewed up close.

Isabelle’s Bio

Following the wise advice her 96-year-old mother shared in the final hours of her life, four years ago Isabelle completely re-imaged what was possible for herself, her life, and her art, and started painting. Today, Isabelle’s abstract paintings have been seen in yearly international art fairs and gallery exhibitions, in Vogue and GQ magazines, and can be found in private collections in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and China.

In addition to Sandstone Gallery, Isabelle is currently represented by:

Peterson Contemporary Art (Bend, Oregon)

Libby Silvia Artstyle (Wellesley, Massachusetts)

J. Willott Gallery (Palm Desert, California)

Singulart (Paris, France) - Online

Collections of Isabelle’s work have also been shown in group shows in:

Festival of Arts, 2022, 2023, 2024 and coming in 2025 (Laguna Beach, California)

The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, 2023, 2024, 2025 (Dana Point, California

Singulart Gallery Stuttgart 2024, 2025 (Stuttgart, Germany)

The Art Spirit Gallery, 2022, 2023, 2024 (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)

Jane Hamilton Art Gallery, 2022 (Tucson, Arizona)

Galerie Sonia Monti 2021 (Paris, France)

Van Gogh Gallery 2021, 2022 (Madrid, Spain)

Innsbruck Art, 2021 (Innsbruck, Austria)

Saatchi: The Other Art Fair 2021 (Los Angeles)

Superfine Art Show 2020 (Los Angeles)

Isabelle’s work has been featured in Art Collector Magazine, Laguna Beach Magazine, March/April 2024 edition, and in print and digital editions of Condé Nast magazines: Vanity Fair, Vogue House and Gardens, GQ, and World of Interiors in 2021 editions.

As a nod to her "other career" and training (and for our local Trojan fans), Isabelle holds a Doctorate Degree in Education Policy, Leadership and Change Management from the University of Southern California (USC).

Website: https://isabelle-alessandra-artist.com

https://www.instagram.com/isabelle_alessandra_artist/

I am a visual artist living in Long Beach, California, where I create multi-layered mixed-media abstracted paintings in acrylic and oil.

After studying drawing and painting at California State University, Long Beach, I enjoyed a long career as a Senior Interior Designer for projects across the country, curating the art mix for each location. Over time I came to recognize that one of the most important components to solidify the look and feel of a space…..the “secret sauce “ that would bring everything together…..was the selected art.

The creative process often starts with spontaneous marks and evolves as I respond to what I see and feel. Others begin as heavily edited photos that resonate with me personally as visual stories that I then translate to canvas. However they begin, each piece continues as a journey of personal expression and exploration until I am satisfied with the outcome. They all have their own presence and meaning to me, but once they go into the world I hope a viewer can discover their own story, their own meaning in the work.

My work has been part of juried exhibitions in Los Angeles and Orange counties as well as online.

http://Lancecarlsonart.com

https://www.instagram.com/Lancecarlson_ art/

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a mixed media artist located in Southern California. 

 My art is driven by inspiration, a force that guides me as I let each piece develop organically. Often, I find myself amazed at how the initial spark of inspiration transforms and evolves throughout the creative process.

I use a variety of materials—whether collage, charcoal, crayons, or paint—tailoring my approach to the needs of each individual piece. Handmade papers and sanding, for example, enable me to create textures and images beyond what I could have initially envisioned. Each choice is deliberate, aimed at pushing the boundaries of what I can convey through my art.

Influenced by my life experiences, travels, and friends , my creations are shaped by a rich tapestry of ideas that excite and inspire me. These diverse sources fuel my creative process and keep it vibrant and evolving.

I hope that my art resonates with viewers by encouraging them to craft their own narratives. My intention is to evoke joy and inspiration, inviting others to connect with the emotions and stories embedded in my work.

My creative process is characterized by a playful chaos, beginning with experimentation and evolving through trial and error. Challenges are embraced as opportunities for growth, leading me to new discoveries and deeper insights.

Through my art, I aim to forge a meaningful connection with others, sharing a piece of my inner world and inviting viewers into an ongoing dialogue.

https://www.joycelegatestudio.com/

https://www.Instagram.com/Joycelegatestudio/

ARTIST STATEMENT

The art of printmaking is a deeply meditative and therapeutic process for me.  Combining color, shapes, repetition and contrast, my goal is to create unique images with relevance and meaning.

ARTIST BIO

Colleen has dedicated more than 30 years to the art of printmaking.  While her formal education was centered on writing (B.A. – Journalism) and people (M.S. – Clinical Psychology), her passion has always been to make art, and since discovering printmaking in the late 1980’s at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, she has embraced her passion for this process.

Most of Colleen’s prints take an interesting slant on something familiar, and reinvent those images in a new and unusual way.  Her icon choices may be either vague or recognizable, and her choice of color and her ability to generate texture and depth to her prints give her pieces character, originality, and a sense of timelessness.  Colleen believes that the power of observation is her most important tool, and finds that thoughts and ideas that she can’t articulate verbally are much easier for her to express with ink and paper.

Colleen’s work has been featured in art shows across the country, in Printmaking publications, and in private collections.

ckpremer3@gmail.com

www.Instagram.com/Colleenpremerart/

ARTIST BIO

I was raised in the Pacific Northwest and moved to California to pursue a bachelor’s degree in studio art with an emphasis in printmaking.

Although I have been working in mixed media for twenty years, paper has fascinated me since I began printmaking.

I am drawn to the texture of old paper and delight in its delicate and fragile nature. I particularly enjoy papers with absorbent qualities that produce unpredictable and surprising results in the collage process.

In my travels I am always hunting for materials that can be included in the collage process. A primary source for the most valuable and inspiring material has been Asia.The influence of Asia and the adoption of my daughter from Korea in 1986, has deepened my appreciation of eastern philosophy and greatly influenced my sense of design.

I have been fortunate to exhibit my works at the Laguna Festival of the Arts since 1994, and at other art festivals in Southern California.

In addition to receiving recognition by my peers, my work has been collected by many public, private and corporate collections around the world.

My passion is to create works of complexity and depth by melding textures of old and new paper highlighted by varied combinations and layers of acrylic paint and stain.

https://www.Miamooreart.com/

 Everything inspires me to paint, particularly the details of my surroundings, up close details of Nature. Painting from my observations encourages exploration and new possibilities. It is a never ending experiment to create.

The process is exciting and fulfilling. It is fun to erase everything I have been exposed to in order to allow spontaneity and structure to create art.

“ I believe art has to take responsibility but it should not give up being art. But I believe above all that I wanted to build the palace of my memory, because my memory is my only homeland. But we should also not forget the difference between what first motivated me and the work that is the result.”

ANSELM KIEFER

https://www.Dominique-Art.com

Https://www.Instagram.com/dominique_mc_kenzie

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Form, pattern, and texture – These are key to my work. Through the paper resist technique, I’m always seeking an infinite variety of combinations of clay and slip that maximize these elements’ appeal.”

ARTIST BIO

Eri Sugimoto is a ceramic artist born in Tokyo and raised in Yokohama, Japan. In her final year as an art history student at university, she decided to enroll in a design school, which opened the way to her creativity. Following design school, she began her career as an industrial designer. Then, she completed a master’s degree in industrial design. While working as an industrial designer again in Tokyo, she encountered the world of clay and started learning hand-building at a ceramic studio. After moving to the United States in 2005, she began learning wheel throwing. Since then, she has been enjoying exploring and challenging her creativity in her studio in Orange County, CA.

Eri uses the paper-resist technique in her ceramic work. First, she creates distinct paper patterns for each piece. Then, using the ceramic body of the piece as a canvas, she lays out these paper patterns on it. After applying the original slip or glaze slip (which she makes) over it, she peels off the patterns. Finally, she adds the finishing touches carefully and repeatedly by hand before the bisque and the final firing.

Form, pattern, and texture—these are the significant elements of her work. Eri is always seeking an infinite variety of combinations of clay and slip which maximize the appeal of these elements. The asymmetry and dynamic composition in her work may have been influenced by her experience of studying Japanese Middle Age art on folding screens, ink paintings, sliding screen paintings, and illustrated scrolls in her early days as an art history student.

ARTIST STATEMENT

“The key elements of my sculptural metalwork are tension and balance. I make the work unique with an organic form that is achieved by hand-forging the carbon steel and stainless steel, polishing and buffing repeatedly.”

ARTIST BIO

Ken Sugimoto’s work is sculptural metalwork. He makes it unique with an organic form that is achieved by hand-forging the steel. He starts by heating the steel in a forge. He then creates a form that is inherently organic by hammering the forged steel by hand. The key elements of his work are tension and balance.

The characteristics of stainless steel and carbon steel tend to unlock his imagination whenever he works with them. The characteristics of these steels lead him to extreme, dynamic, and streamlined shapes. Polishing and buffing the dynamic metal geometries carefully and repeatedly yield glossy surfaces that complement and enhance the already dynamic form of each creation.

His experience as an industrial designer has allowed him to fortify his knowledge of metal as a material. He has always wanted to create one-of-a-kind pieces as an antithesis of mass production.

He was born and raised in Japan, and he studied design in Tokyo. He has over 20 years of experience as a product designer in both Japan and the United States and now works as a full-time artist.

He moved to the United States in 2005, where he met the world of metal arts while working as an industrial designer. He then joined a year-long program in Los Angeles to learn blacksmithing. Since then, he has been willfully laboring in the world of metal art by both exploring and challenging his artistic abilities and limits in the creative confines of his studio.

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Inspired by our 2024 Pageant theme, ‘Á La Mode,’ I imagine ceramic vessels adorned with complex designs, pattern making, and embellishments. By using the fascinating technique of colored clay (porcelain) ‘canes’ the possibilities are endless.”

ARTIST BIO

Paula has been participating in Art Festivals throughout the western U.S. for twenty-five years. She has been honored with receiving numerous awards of recognition for her sculpture work.

This year will be her fifth year showing at the Festival of the Arts.

Paula is excited to share her sculptures and new vessels in 2024. This year she takes a deep dive into colored porcelains that are made into canes. They are made by mixing up batches of custom-colored porcelains (boy, that KitchenAid sure has been handy!). Once there are numerous colors at her disposal, Paula then proceeds to design patterns she wishes to create.

Techniques for creating the patterns include stacking, blending, and extruding the color combinations. She might have ten patterns that are then extruded (or shrunk) to create hundreds of 12” coils with the patterns embedded in them. They are laid out to form a 12”x12” loaf. These blocks can take one month to create providing endless decorated lengths of clay.

https://www.rempalskiceramics.com/

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Prado works exclusively in porcelain, using the hand-building technique to create intricacies that cannot be replicated with any other method. Her creations are a celebration of the exuberant beauty of nature.”

ARTIST BIO

As a teen, Prado was first introduced to the ceramic process while working in Chinautla, Guatemala, where indigenous people sourced clay from the river, adorned handcrafted vessels with shapes inspired by jungle botanicals, and fired their creations in primitive wood-burning kilns.

This early exposure sparked a lifelong passion for ceramics and the role of art in culture. Prado graduated from CSULB with degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology. She traveled throughout Europe and Central/South America, seeking inspiration and methods in sculpture and bas-relief.

Today, Prado works exclusively in porcelain, using the hand-building technique to create intricacies that cannot be replicated with any other method. 

https://www.Pradoceramics.com

https://www.instagram.com/Pradofineceramics

Sandstone Gallery is excited to announce the newest member of our 3d resident artist team, FRED STODDER.

Fred grew up in Laguna Beach, California. His ceramic art is regularly exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the country. He is the recipient of numerous awards, appears in many important collections and has been featured in Ceramics Monthly as well as other national arts publications. Many summertime visitors to Laguna Beach will recognize Fred’s work from the prestigious Laguna Beach Festival of Arts, where he has exhibited for over 30 years. 

Working from his studio in San Juan Capistrano, Fred’s work is unlike traditional ceramics in his use of extremely hard edges, bright bold colors, and razor sharp glaze delineation. His work is mostly inspired by ceramic lore, modernist art, architecture, and jazz music.

https://www.Fredstodder.com

https://www.instagram.com/Fred_Stodder

“Each of my pieces is hand blown, hot sculpted and one of a kind. My goal is to allow my art to expand so others may enjoy my abstract and realistic representations of aquatic life.”

ARTIST BIO

Meet glass artist Cody Nicely. Primarily drawing inspiration from aquatic life, Nicely’s sculptures capture the unique elegance and beauty found below the water’s surface. While his focus is primarily in hyper-realistic recreations, his passion and creativity can also be seen through his abstract works.

Originally from the midwest, Cody found his calling for glass at the age of thirteen in Murano, Italy. Here he had his first glass blowing lesson, which inspired him to pursue a career in the arts. He attended Wittenberg University with the intention of studying Marine Biology, when he found a small glass program at the nearby Springfield Museum of Art. Taking to the medium quickly, Nicely approached the faculty at Wittenberg and received support to create the first ever glassblowing major within the college.

Throughout his career, Cody’s work has been featured in many prestigious auctions and galleries, including the Pilchuck auction and The Tacoma Museum of Glass Red Hot auction. He is the recipient of several awards, including the NICHE award from the American Craft Council.

Yang Dong

Yang Dong was born in Tianjin, China in a family of Engineers, Teachers and Doctors.

As a boy, he was inspired to make little models of animals, Yang’s fascination with animals and artistic talent were evident at an early age. As a young man, Yang attended the Tianjin Art and Crafts School, after-which he was accepted at the prestigious Central Academy of Arts in Beijing for professional study. The Dean of Sculpture at the time was the national well-known artist, Qian Shan Wu. Recognizing Yang’s extraordinary talent, Qian Shan Wu appointed Yang as his assistant, and they collaborated on many projects for over 8 years.

In 1996, Yang moved to Shanghai, and it was at this time that his career began to take off. One of his first notable commissions was the sculpture “Happy Family,” located at the entrance of East Nanjing Road, which is one of the busiest pedestrian roads in China.

Yang created “Clock” and “Equestrian – Beyond,” both of which were located in the first and only 80,000-seat stadium in Shanghai at that time. “The Equestrian” Sculpture created for Beijing Olympic won the best public sculpture displayed in Wangfujing Commercial district. A pair of sculpted Lions was commissioned for replication for 5 different sizes. One of the pair is located in front of the original HSBC bank at The Bond in Shanghai.

Over the course of his career, Yang has developed his own style that integrates the classic sculptural language with Eastern humanistic qualities. Yang has created over 100 shelf sculptures and commissioned sculptures that have won first or second place at exhibitions.

His work depicts a clear, rigorous style and displays logic of figurative sculpture. One of Yang’s most notable works is “Fortune-Bull,” created in 2009, which was exhibited in the 86th Salón De Otoño of the Spanish Painters and Sculptors Association in Madrid. His sculpture “Afar” won first place in the American Art Award competition, and also won honorable mention of the Professional League of America Artist. He was invited to Florence Biennale in 2021.

He has been named one of sixteen best sculptors in 2021 and one of eleven best sculptors in 2020 by America’s top 25 top galleries and museums. In short, Yang’s sculptures are a manifestation of his worldview towards life and nature. Dong Yang currently resides in Orange County, California.