Class of 2026 ‘Reencounter’ Offers Tapestry of Talent
Family, friends and art lovers all packed into the Ƶ Ridley-Tree Museum of Art to celebrate the 14 graduating art majors who presented their capstone projects in ԳdzܲԳٱ” on April 9. The exhibition, featuring a class of artists ready to make their mark on the world, will remain open through May 9.
Near the museum entrance, Elyona Brown of Laguna Nigel offers “Divine Encounters,” five oil and graphite pieces on wood panel that depict chance encounters, human interaction and moments of simple touch. “We are who we are because of the people who touch us,” she says. “No matter our background or experience, the Spirit of God is alive within us and whenever you encounter someone, it’s an opportunity to experience the divine and experience the heart of God. Our lives are our own picture frame and the points of connection we make among each other are what make the picture itself.”
At the back of the museum, under a large window, hangs four large relief prints on mulberry paper created by Carlsbad resident Diego Castañeda, who hand carved the images out of wood. Castañeda, whose surname translates to grove of chestnut trees, was inspired by his Peruvian and Norwegian heritage. “People have been asking about the value of immigrants and what good they’re going to do for my community,” he says. “I wanted to show that as walls go up, we can be a light amidst that.”
Katie Mayhew of Pasadena celebrates femininity and the transition to womanhood by depicting her friends with colorful Copic Markers on Bristol board. Each of the five images also represents one of the five senses. “I started the process in September and overcame some roadblocks as ebbs and flows,” she says. “I’m proud of how it turned out. It feels good to put a lot of work into something and have it come to fruition.”
Ella Oostema of Salt Lake City created six delicately layered screen prints of landscapes across California and Utah. “My focus is on God’s creation and the little things — thistles, weeds or flowers on the trees —people wouldn’t normally notice with a big landscape behind,” she says.
The creativity of Arianna Rheault envelopes the southwestern corner of the museum with various media, including oil painting, charcoal, screen printing onto clothes and wood carving. “I don’t like to bind myself to any medium because each one holds its own language and I want to express myself in whatever language I’m feeling drawn to,” she says. The Santa Rosa resident is a survivor of childhood domestic violence and has been fascinated with making art about God’s redemption. “My work highlights how God doesn’t promise a life without suffering, but He always promises to weave art out of it and invite us into His master storytelling.”