Based in Snohomish, Washington, Nikki Gardner creates evocative oil paintings that draw inspiration from the Dutch Masters while examining universal themes of mortality, beauty, and human connection. Through dramatic light, symbolism, and carefully arranged still lifes, her work invites viewers into moments of quiet reflection.

Nick Pedersen is a contemporary artist whose elaborate photorealistic works examine environmental issues through photography, digital collage, and printmaking. Exploring themes of beautiful decay, nature’s reclamation, and the impact of humanity on the natural world, Pedersen creates surreal narratives that question the legacy we leave behind.

Zienna Brunsted Stewart creates expressive oil paintings that move between highly rendered realism and playful abstraction. Inspired by the figure, photography, and art history, her work explores intuition, experimentation, and the possibilities of a more spontaneous creative process.

Robyn Palescandolo paints everyday objects as if they are treasures, because to her, they are. Her classical oil paintings combine precise realist detail with spontaneous brushwork, shaped by years of slow living in rural Italy and a belief that the world is filled with wonder most people walk past without stopping to see.

Robin Lazarus-Berlin’s oil paintings capture nostalgic, dreamlike moments that blur the line between personal memory and universal experience. Her muted compositions evoke calm reflection, inviting viewers into emotional landscapes shaped by memory and introspection.

Sofía Cristina Jiménez’s work blends magical realism and surrealism to explore emotion, nature, and the relationship between humans and the animal world. Through painting and poetic visual language, her practice invites reflection on perception, tenderness, and contemporary existence.

Nashville-based artist Sharon Harms made the leap from award-winning graphic designer to professional painter in 2020. Drawing from decades of experience in visual communication, her work explores narrative and emotion through a refined yet intuitive painting style. With selections in international exhibitions and features in top art magazines, Harms continues to prove it’s never too late to pursue your passion.

Oakland-based painter Tara Esperanza brings the intricate beauty of succulents to life through her bold, representational oil paintings. Featured in Create! Magazine’s Land and Longing and Time Capsule exhibitions, Esperanza’s work offers a vibrant reflection on nature, community, and resilience—seen through the imaginative lens of both artist and observer.

Nick A. Erickson, a pop artist inspired by the aesthetics of retro Americana, invites viewers to indulge their senses with his vibrant, mouthwatering paintings of desserts. With a career spanning animation, illustration, and design, Erickson's artwork blends nostalgia and sweet realism, capturing the texture of cake, frosting, and cherries in a neon-colored palette. In this post, we delve into the artist's journey and creative process, offering a closer look at how his passion for visual storytelling and nostalgia comes to life on the canvas.

Judy Steffens is a figurative realist painter whose work transforms everyday scenes into thoughtful reflections on human connection, memory, and peaceful moments. Through contemporary color, selective detail, and observational painting, Steffens captures the quiet beauty found within familiar experiences.

Discover the artistic journey of Lynn Weiler Liverton, an accomplished sculptor whose work bridges the gap between portrait commissions and large-scale figurative memorials. With a passion for capturing emotional depth through bronze and clay, Liverton reflects on how her life experiences, research, and connections with the community shape her artistic practice. Learn about her ambitious projects, such as United by Sacrifice, and her belief in the power of art to memorialize people and events.