OSA's New Members
Introducing Nine New Ojai Studio Artists for 2025
SECOND SATURDAY DATES FOR 2025
Ojai Studio Artists (OSA) welcomes nine new members for 2025, each bringing a unique perspective to the collective. Second Saturdays return in March, offering the best chance to explore these artists and their work up close, neighborhood-by-neighborhood. The 2025 OSA cohort spans a wide range of styles, from highly abstract to intensely literal, and each artist brings a distinctive perspective to enhance the collective.
HUBBARD IN HER STUDIO FROM stephanie-hubbard.com
Stephanie Hubbard
Medium: Abstract Painting
March 8: Mira Monte
Website: stephanie-hubbard.com
Stephanie Hubbard’s paintings spring from a lifelong fascination with the natural world. Her abstract compositions, informed by her work as a landscape architect, explore color and pattern to evoke the wonder of wild spaces. With an iterative process that connects deeply to her environmental roots, Stephanie lets her work evolve in response to itself, creating pieces that feel alive.
See more of Stephanie Hubbard’s work
Her painting, OJAI ABSTRACT appears in the Ojai Valley Museum’s latest show, Metes & Bounds: Mapping the Ojai Valley
VIA bk.clay
Bhagvati Khalsa
Medium: Ceramics & Photography
June 14: Downtown
Instagram: @bhagvati.khalsa and @bk.clay
Known to friends as “Bug,” Bhagvati Khalsa’s artistry is a dance between tactile playfulness and striking visual order. Her ceramics range from sculptural statements to interactive objects, inviting the viewer to engage with both whimsy and structure. In her photography, Bhagvati explores the concept of patterns and light, drawing on her deep appreciation for form — a passion she’s honed since her days as a high school yearbook photographer.
From her renowned #patternplotting Instagram series to ceramics inspired by the circular nature of life, Bhagvati’s work embodies a sense of interconnectedness. Her creations tell a story of adaptability and the joy of seeing the world through fresh eyes.
“Ambient Arc #1” VIA rebeccaodes.com
Rebecca Odes
Medium: Interdisciplinary Art
May 10: East End
Website: rebeccaodes.com
Rebecca Odes is the kind of artist who can’t be contained by a single medium. From layered paintings to light-infused sculptures, her work bridges the gap between the objectified body and the felt self. Her projects often combine painting, textiles, and even animation, creating rich, multidimensional experiences. Rebecca’s creative pedigree includes collaborations with cultural powerhouses like Miranda Bailey and Joey Soloway, as well as music projects that embody the raw spirit of her artistic vision.
Ojai has served as a fertile ground for Rebecca’s experiments, with recent exhibitions like Digital Pop and The Pink of the Moment showcasing her ability to mix cultural commentary with immersive visual narratives. Don’t miss a chance to see her work — it’s as much a performance as it is a painting.
Tom Pazderka
Medium: Ash, Oil, and Charcoal on Burnt Panels
June 14: Downtown
Website: tompazderka.com
Tom Pazderka’s work is forged in fire — literally. Using ash collected from California wildfires, Tom creates layered compositions that evoke loss, memory, and resilience. His pieces blur the line between painting and alchemy, transforming burned wood and charcoal into haunting, ethereal images. Deeply personal yet universal in their themes, his paintings reflect his Czech roots and a profound sense of nostalgia.
TOM PAZDERKA VIA TOMPAZDERKA
Beyond his artwork, Tom is a force of creative energy in the community, dividing his time between his Ojai studio and his role as Curator for the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture. Pazderka aids with exhibition design development and installation of works in galleries and public spaces. He also assists with the handling and movement of works in the County and City’s permanent collections and works on loan for gallery exhibitions. Pazderka’s expert installation skills have assisted with gallery exhibitions, design, and public art installation countywide, including at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art- Santa Barbara, and UCSB AD&A Museum. He’s also a voracious reader and a VORTEX contributor.
“PURPOSE” FROM lulusherman.com
Lulu Sherman
Medium: Hyperrealistic Portraiture
April 12: Oak View + West End
Website: lulusherman.com
Leslie “Lulu” Sherman’s hyperrealistic portraits capture the depth and nuance of human expression with stunning precision. Drawing on her roots in New Orleans and a career in storytelling, Lulu captures the soul of her subjects. Her work is a dialogue between artist and sitter, with every charcoal stroke bringing depth and emotion to her compositions.
Richard Negri
Medium: Expressionist Portraits
March 8: Mira Monte
Instagram: @bluellamastudio1
Richard Negri’s portraits feel alive, balancing the tension between lightness and darkness. Drawing inspiration from abstract expressionism, his works unfold as intricate narratives, each face telling its own story. His art is both deeply empathetic and visually arresting.
PORTRAIT VIA bluellamastudio1
FIRE ENGINE OIL PAINTING VIA ojaiart
Kim Ann Smith
Medium: Various
June 14: Downtown
Instagram: @ojaiart
Kim Ann Smith’s work spans bold paintings, intricate linocuts, technical drawings, and expressive cardboard sculptures. Her art balances precision with raw texture, capturing both mechanical and organic themes.
Douglas Teiger
Medium: Large-Scale Abstract Oils
May 10: East End
Website: teigerart.com
Douglas Teiger’s large abstract oil paintings are meditative dances with color and form. Guided by a spiritual connection to his craft, Douglas creates works that radiate serenity and joy. With a background in architecture, his pieces combine structural precision with emotional depth.
“ALOE VERA IN BLOOM” FROM yolandabergman.com
Yolanda Bergman
Medium: Stained Glass & Smalti Mosaics
June 14: Downtown
Website: yolandabergman.com
Yolanda’s handcut stained glass mosaics shimmer with life, drawing on decades of artistic exploration and a background that includes everything from park creation to nutrition. Her passion for art was sparked in a childhood home filled with creative energy, and she has since studied with mosaic masters across the globe. Her vibrant, textured works are a feast for the eyes.
Mark your calendars for the return of OSA’s Second Saturdays in March; the perfect chance to meet these new members and revisit longtime favorites. OSA is a dynamic collective, constantly evolving with fresh talent across a diverse range of mediums, from hyperreal portraiture to bold abstraction. Whether you're a devoted studio tour regular or new to the experience, consider this your invitation to explore, discover, and engage with Ojai’s thriving art scene. Learn more at OjaiStudioArtists.org.
COVER: A detail from "TEMPO" by Stephanie Hubbard
