Pepperdine Alumni Artists

Alumni Artist Spotlights

Meet some of our Pepperdine alumni artists and enjoy their incredible work. To connect with fellow artists, join our Alumni Artist Facebook group.

Shannon Celia

Shannon Celia's Bio

Shannon Celia

I aim to paint "gritty with the pretty," where humans and nature collide: both physically and emotionally. My LYRICAL LANDSCAPES series express my life's journey through watercolor and mixed media. As I process the great joys and difficult things I’ve endured, I hope my faith about our wild ride called life radiates through the paint. Something profound happens when I’m surrounded by beautiful bodies of water, mountains and wide open spaces so I explore places free from traffic and city noise where I can hear the wind and wild creatures sing. Then I spend time in the studio or en plein air translating nature's symphony onto paper, canvas or wood.

Shannon Celia's Website

Jill Daniels

Jill Daniels' Bio

Jill Daniels

Stories From The Unseen - Using objects from the home as a framework for revealing human emotional connection. There is a moment we create just by inhabiting the space we are in. What happens to that space after we have departed? Do the memories linger long after the time has ended? These are the questions proposed by my paintings. These paintings are designed to give the viewer space to see what is of highest value in the human experience, that which usually eludes the eye. Home, and the objects that make up the place where we dwell. Can these basic elements of our daily existence take us beyond our mundane tasks? I pose the question that they may guide us in our earth bound life, while being a framework to transport us into a higher plane. You the viewer will find the answer.

Marian Fortunati

Marian Fortunati's Bio

Marian Fortunati

I consider myself “one lucky artist” because art has enabled me to experience more of the beauty in our world. (.....And because my name, Fortunati, means "lucky" in Italian.) I am a contemporary California impressionist who enjoys painting outdoors. I use oil paints to create interesting experiments with texture and color. My outdoor sketches often serve as references for larger studio work but are also special mementos of places and adventures. My surname also projects feelings about the rhythms, patterns, colors and shapes of the places and subjects which I interpret to the viewers through my work. It is my aim to engage and entertain viewers interesting forms and playful paint. A California native, Marian Fortunati grew up and worked in Southern California. She had a long career as a teacher and a principal in Los Angeles. She has been painting and studying art for many years and now paints full-time. Her wide mixture of learning opportunities has established a strong foundation in the Impressionist tradition of seeing and painting shapes of light and color. An award-winning artist, Fortunati’s work is found in collections throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, China, and Australia. Marian is affiliated with the California Art Club, American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, and various other art organizations. She is a founding member of PAC6 Painters; a group dedicated to painting the beauty and grandeur of the American landscape.

Marian Fortunati's Website

Alexa Grambush

Alexa Grambush's Bio

Alexa Grambush

My practice begins from a place of watchfulness, deeply tied to the daily and varied course of the individual life, and imbued with beacons to hope in the midst of it. My work is generally twofold: a longing to make sense of this collision of yearning, disappointment, grief, joy, and mystery, and a desire to offer outwardly a place to rest that is safe, gentle, and compassionate. At the end of both of these, I find ultimately that my work is grounded in a steadfast conviction that, though I have much less of a hand in ordering the world, a lifetime would not be enough to uncover all that it already is. My approach to my work is observationally driven, watchfully motivated, and thoughtfully attentive to those perceptions within and without. I work in abstract expressions, both indulging in the complex, and resting in distilled simplicity. Shapes and movements are journals of emotion, memory, reflection, observation, and thought. What comes with incorporating the unexpected, the mundane, and the mystery is that our world, and life, are much more full of the miraculous than even the imagination could hope to beget.

Alexa Grambush's Website

Ron Hall

Ron Hall's Bio

Ron Hall

Most of my skills as a photographer have been self-taught through trial and error as a young boy and then later in my career through on the job training. My professional work has progressed from the early days of film cameras, film processing and printing to the current times of digital cameras and computer processing using tool such as photoshop and lightroom. In the past four years I have added skills in the area of video shooting and editing. My job today is a combination of both photography and video but I would have to say that my heart is still with photography. Most of my exhibitions have been of an artistic nature focusing on insights into the human condition, which involved work that was more figurative in nature and processing. I have always been drawn to the purer nature of straight photographic exploration through photos taken in the process of exploring whatever surrounding I happen to be in. Whether it be walking or even driving I am always in tune to my surroundings, looking for the potential shots that await at the turn at the next corner. It’s always exciting to capture something in the moment and to know that you indeed have a photo that had captured your feelings or emotions at that very moment. Today I embrace the idea of being open to the possibility of a photo at every opportunity I’m in, even mundane family events can reveal or offer up opportunities to express an emotion or feeling through the movement or composition of people or shapes within a landscape. I try to never be without a camera whether it be a standard camera or a phone camera, which is often the best way to capture an image. The world is always providing new images and I dare say that somewhere in the world there is a masterpiece created every day by some photographer. The works I have submitted to this exhibition are photos that were taken on various trips I have made throughout the world often walking the streets alone or with friends.

Lauren Halverson

Lauren Halverson's Bio

Lauren Halverson

I am a Southern California native, born and raised in Lakewood, CA. Growing up I spent time outdoors in parks, beaches, forests, deserts, canyons and mountains. Being in those places filled me with wonder and delight in the Lord’s creation. I have maintained a close relationship with God and nature by continuing to explore the diverse beauty accessible to me within this great state by hiking, backpacking and camping. I received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in painting and a minor in sculpture from Pepperdine University. From there I went on to Claremont Graduate University to earn my Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting. I have been an adjunct faculty at various colleges and universities for 17 years, teaching drawing, painting and 2D design. Exhibiting my work locally and nationally in graduate school, and locally post-academia. Gallery representation included Stone Rose Gallery, Long Beach and SoLA, San Pedro. July 2022 will mark the beginning of my second season exhibiting at the Laguna Art-A-Fair. My art has consistently been linked to nature, beginning with more of the human aspect in college and progressing to a more abstract connection to insects and landscape in graduate school. I turned to urban landscapes and then abstracted animals and insects after finishing with school. Currently I am working on representing flora and fauna, with a heavy focus on the environs of Southern California and expanding to include various national and international regions. My work has evolved due to a refocus on what truly magnificent creatures are all around us. I want to invite the viewer to look closer at the environment they’re part of or passing through and invite them to experience God’s goodness in creation.

Lauren Halverson's Website

Anna - Rebecca Johnson — Anna-Rebecca Johnson

Anna-Rebecca Johnson's Bio

Anna-Rebecca Johnson

This body of work is heavily influenced by the Film Noir genre. I have always admired the work of Noir cinematographers, such as John Alton, for their ability to convey a feeling of suspense and mystery using simple artistic elements like shape and value. I chose to incorporate cinematographic elements such as chiaroscuro and underlighting to reflect my knowledge and appreciation of Film Noir. My take on this subject showcases my own whimsical personality. Viewers get a look inside my mind and my perception of the world, turning everyday scenes into fantasies. I chose the motif of a skyline to represent a daydream. I am constantly inspired by old movies and how they sweep me away into another time and place, and I really wanted to have the same effect on viewers with these photographs. Symbolically, I like the tessellation of the skyline against the sky, the light against the dark, and the positive against the negative space. Lightness and darkness can thematically represent good versus evil, yin and yang, or the known versus the unknown. The items I chose to create the cityscapes represent themes in modern society and, juxtaposed with the nostalgia of a black and white photo, create a balance of new and old. Overall, this collection of photographs combines to things that I love: art and film. It speaks to my personality in that it is light and whimsical on the surface but has a underlying depth and contemplation. Ultimately, it reminds us that perception is personal and unique to every individual.

Anna-Rebecca Johnson's Website

Creedance Kresch

Creedance Kresch's Bio

Lindsay Carron

Lindsay Carron's Bio

Lindsay Carron

I am an artist, muralist, and educator who works to elevate healthy land stewardship and healing through connection outdoors. I unite perspectives from people of diverse locations in place-based practices, arts, and teaching. I am an artist in residence with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Alaska's 16 National Wildlife Refuges. I illustrated three children's books for Sealaska Heritage Institute under the U.S. Department of Education Alaska Native Education Program Grant. I have created artwork for the California Wolf Center, Alaska Wilderness League, the Gwich'in Steering Committee, and Bioneers, and led art activism youth workshops with Creative Visions Foundation.

Community engagement is the foundation of my work. I collaborate with communities to create significant works of art. From 2012 to the present, my public art projects have uplifted communities in Baja California, Mexico, Los Angeles, San Juan Island, and across Alaska and Kenya partnering with schools and colleges, a women's rehabilitation center, an orphanage, museums, tribal councils and government agencies. The work I create helps restore balance by listening to needs, uplifting marginalized voices, and empowering us all to our birthright - a connection to the earth and a healthy, sustainable life.

I have painted murals for City of Malibu (2014), The Whale Museum of San Juan Island (2016), Bering Straight School District (2021), and Culver City (2019-20) and created artwork for Marina Del Rey for LA Metro's Through the Eyes of Artists neighborhood poster series (2019). Exhibitions of my work include Brandstater Gallery at La Sierra University, Fullerton College Art Gallery, and Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. My drawings are in the public and private collections of US Fish and Wildlife Service, The Alutiiq Museum of Kodiak, Sealaska Heritage Institute and United Healthcare Milwaukee. Most recently, I curated the exhibition Why We Won't Just Leave: What Alaska is Telling the World About Climate Change uniting 20 artists, activists, researchers and community leaders to share perspectives from the front lines of climate change for the Social and Public Art Resource Center in Venice, California.

I received a bachelor of fine Aats from Pepperdine University and currently reside in Culver City, where I spend my days in the canyons, mountains and beaches mentoring children as a program manager with EverWild Los Angeles, create drawings from my studio and work with communities on environmentally minded public art.

Lindsay Carron's Website

Peggy Ludington

Peggy Ludington's Bio

Peggy Ludington

An artist since childhood, I graduated to oil paint by the time I was 10. In college, however, I abandoned my love of art to follow my dad’s footsteps into the courtroom. A legal career, an enduring marriage and two grown sons later, I heeded the call to return to art in 2010. Through self-study, determination and numerous workshops with nationally acclaimed artists, I continue to hone my craft. Painting is such a solitary pursuit. I longed for community. In 2012, I created Monday Morning Painters with seven painter friends. (Many of us continued painting together right up until Covid.) I was instrumental in launching and hanging Pepperdine’s first three Alumni Art Showcases. In my spare creative time, I love to write. My most recent book is Meditation Manual—Simple Directions For A Life-Changing Practice. Animals play a huge role in my life and in my art. My unique portrayal of animals has garnered recognition and awards. It also attracted the attention of Southwest Art Magazine, which featured me in an article on women artists. My work hangs in collections throughout the country. I use vibrant color to express my intimate and intuitive study of each subject, capturing its distinct attitude and character. My ultimate goal is to reveal what I see behind the eyes, to convey a sense of the creature’s spirit. Watching someone moved by what I’ve translated into paint is my greatest reward.

Rachel Rubenstein

Rachel Rubenstein's Bio

Rachel Rubenstein

For the past 12 years I have been obsessed with the idea of treating the surface of the canvas as a metaphor for life. I have been ripping canvas and adhering gel to stretched canvas and letting the drying and ripping process dictate the textural outcome. My work centers on treating transformation as a liberating force. It’s been a practice of watching “trauma” happen, witnessing “healing” happen, and then seeing the transmutation of pain into beauty. My work is subliminally saying “stay with the journey, because you never know how something will unfold.” I’m graciously learning how to lean into the uncomfortable unknown by watching my own work bloom. I am curious to keep pushing this notion of showing what healing feels like. I find that when I open this dialogue up with the viewer, there’s an immediate connection and resonance and it allows for conversation around an unseen burden. My hope is that my work shows the strength that comes from moving through pain.

Kevin Short

Kevin Short's Bio

Kevin Short

Kevin A. Short is best known and recognized as being in the forefront of the modern scene painting movement. Author Craig Lockwood described Short as "a new breed of California painters, an original 'Coastal Regionalist.' " Last year, the Pasadena Museum of California Art included Short's work in historical context by featuring two of his paintings in the landmark exhibition, *In the Land of Sunshine*. Jean Stern, Director of The Irvine Museum, heralded him as a "gutsy colorist" and gave Short's work a place in the important exhibition, *100 Years of Plein Air Painting* in The Irvine Museum. His creativity was nurtured in a science-minded family in the small California town of Goleta. Born in San Diego in 1960, he grew up in Santa Barbara, where his sailing, fishing, and spending long days in the surf gave him a love for the ocean. Years later, he formalized his studies in oil painting at the University of New Mexico and Pepperdine University in Malibu. Short further distinguished himself by graduating with honors from the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. In addition to being featured in numerous publications, his own book, *Trestles*, has exemplified how artists can draw attention to land use and preservation. He is also the subject of the documentary film, *Documenting the Vibe*. His work has been featured on the covers of *Surfer's Journal* and the *Los Angeles Times* and *Southwest Art Magazine*. Short continues to live, surf, and paint in Southern California and has a studio in Durango, Colorado. Kevin A. Short is a full member of the California Art Club.

Todd Teezel

Todd Teezel 's Bio

Todd Teezel

Once I bought my first water housing for my camera, I was hooked on creating ocean images. The ocean is calming and energizing but can be humbling in a heartbeat. Ocean photography engages me physically - swimming and ducking as I try to show the beauty and energy I feel while in the water. Creating the images is a process which I value just as much as the end result of an image. I make images from waves to seascapes, taken from the water, seeking a low and intimate perspective with the saltwater. Usually shooting with a longer focal length, I like to get compressed images of waves capturing the smallest of details. The shallow depth drawing the viewer’s eye to the intricacies of a single wave. When I am not taking photos in the water, I am surfing, snorkeling, shooting.

Liberty Worth

Libery Worth's Bio

Liberty Worth

Textiles can embody memory and story and I use this to process my reaching for healing and wholeness. Collecting treasured and discarded pieces, I stitch fabric and ephemera together using improvisational quilting techniques to create swirling shapes that emerge from the trees, mountains, and coastal inspirations of my sketchbook practice into textile wall paintings. Color is a tool to explore, grounded in memories of wonder and adventure. My work gravitates towards bright, harmonious color schemes - taking cues from nature and exploding into bright directions that recall moments in the vivid color of memory - places like the inside of an anemone, patterns on a shell or the neverending shades of green in a forest. My art is a practice of gathering and mending broken pieces into new, fragmented-yet-whole stories - a hope for what healing is possible with time.

Liberty Worth is an artist, poet, teacher and public speaker. She is a commissioned artist making custom artwork for installations in homes and public settings - one piece which is permanently in the Cayton Childrens’ Museum in Santa Monica, CA. Liberty teaches creativity workshops and conferences across the US and internationally as well as teaching high school art in Santa Monica, CA. Her work has shown in multiple countries and she was a part of the inaugural show for the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (MOCAA) in 2022. She has published a book of art and poetry and has had her visual art published in multiple publications.

Liberty Worth's Website

Interested in having your art highlighted on this page? Contact Chad Quiñones or call 310.506.4348.

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