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Community Art Banners
Discover the charm of Eastern Madera County as you explore the welcoming towns of Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Bass Lake, and North Fork! Stroll through our historic communites and take in the vibrant local artwork along the Community Art Banner Trail.
This project began as a simple initiative to welcome visitors with a community banner, and in 2024, it evolved into an expansive art display. The banners, showcasing local art, line our town streets from Memorial Day Weekend through ARTober each year. In early November, these artworks are auctioned off to fund future beautification projects and maintain this as an annual event.
LOOK FOR THE NEW 2025 ART BANNERS TO BE HUNG
"AROUND TOWN" BY THE END OF MAY!
Below, you'll find the 2025 Art Banner Map, photos of the banners and artists (if they weren't camera shy), and information about the artists and sponsors who made the project possible.
"Save the Date" for the annual 2025 Art Banner Auction on November 15th at the Oakhurst Community Center...more information to come.
If you are posting photos, don't forget to tag us @YosemiteMadera
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Banner location: Coarsegold Historic Village - 35301 Highway 41, Coarsegold
Katie Wing is a multidisciplinary artist who relocated to Oakhurst, California, in 2024 after many years living in Orange County. While her professional background is rooted in medical devices, healthcare, and biology, she has cultivated a parallel passion for art and design since childhood.
Katie’s work spans many mediums, including painting, wood-burning, jewelry-making, fractal burning, ink sketching, and calligraphy. Her designs often incorporate Japanese, Chinese, and Eastern aesthetics, blending geometric abstraction with symbolism and personal storytelling.
The artist thrives on creating one-of-a-kind, sentimental pieces, preferring to design for individuals rather than the mass market. Her love for travel, hiking, and motorcycling fuels much of her creative inspiration, helping her bring new energy and depth to every project.
Through her creative studio, Wing Design Co., Katie continues to explore the intersection of craftsmanship, individuality, and emotional connection.
Website: wingdesign.co
Banner location: Coarsegold Historic Village, 35300 Highway 41
Nancy Turner is an artist and educator who finds profound happiness in every aspect of art—creating it, teaching it, and learning about it. She currently teaches high school art for Western Sierra Charter Schools at the Fresno campus, where she inspires her students to find their own creative voices.
In 2023, Nancy and her family moved to Coarsegold, California, fulfilling a longtime dream. Surrounded by the vibrant natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada foothills, she draws daily inspiration from the colors, textures, and artistic spirit of her new mountain community.
The artist brings strong technical skills and a nurturing spirit to both her students and her own work. Through her teaching and creative practice, she encourages exploration, emotional expression, and the transformative power of art.
Today, Nancy continues to grow her body of work while fostering a love of creativity in the next generation.
Banner
Banner location: Coarsegold Historic Village, 35300 Highway 41, Coarsegold
Carolie Jensen is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey began at age seven under the instruction of Eva Zeitz. Over the years, she has explored numerous mediums, including watercolor, oil, acrylic, charcoal, pen and ink, and native-inspired basketry.
Today, Carolie focuses primarily on acrylic paintings, often working on reclaimed barn wood to create richly textured, nostalgic pieces. She also crafts pine needle memory baskets, memory catchers, and coasters, blending traditional craftsmanship with personal storytelling.
The artist maintains a permanent space at the Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst, where she offers live demonstrations twice monthly and teaches basketry workshops. Her work is featured at galleries across Madera, Fresno, and Northern California, and she is a regular participant in Sierra Art Trails at the Coarsegold Historic Village.
Through both painting and basketry, Carolie invites viewers to connect with heritage, memory, and the beauty of handmade traditions.
Website:jensenent.com
Banner location: Coarsegold Professional Center - 35324 Highway 41
Karen Samuelson is a visual artist with a lifelong passion for watercolor and traditional fine arts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from San Francisco State University and has explored a wide range of mediums including lithography, ceramics, photography, acrylic, oil painting, and calligraphy.
Throughout her career, Karen has served clients with personalized commissions, including book illustrations and calligraphy pieces. Recently, she completed a book cover for an author’s childhood memoir, capturing nostalgic and emotional memories through her art.
In 2024, the artist led a watercolor techniques workshop, helping participants explore expressive sketchbook journaling. Karen intentionally avoids social media and digital platforms, choosing instead to focus entirely on the act of creating and connecting through physical artwork.
Her work emphasizes a quiet reverence for the natural world and a timeless approach to artistic expression, offering viewers a peaceful, reflective experience.
Banner location: Coarsegold Community Center, 35611 Highway 41, Coarsegold
Angela Myers is an artist working in multiple mediums. Painting, charcoal drawing, sculpture, assemblage, photography and jewelry making fill her days living off grid in the tiny town, Raymond, California.
Growing up in a military family, Angela was a bird with no nest, eventually settling in Atlanta, Georgia where she raised a family and started her career in the arts. Being exposed to diverse cultures and varied geographies have influenced her creative process in every way.
Originally from the South, she owned her own gallery and handmade jewelry line in Atlanta, Georgia. A mostly self taught artist, her skills were honed with incredible mentorship by two artists at the Atlanta College of Art, Eula Ginsburg and Deanna Sirlin.
Angela's art includes lush, voluptuous figures and fruits, moody landscapes, birds, reverse charcoal portraits of influences to her art and most recently symbolic personal impressions of self discovery.
After moving from the South to the West Coast 15 years ago, she lived in her favorite city, San Francisco and Portland Oregon where she ran a non-profit art gallery, Splendorporium. She happily traded big city life for the unique beauty and calm in Raymond. She is inspired daily by the shifting colors of the landscape and the abundance of birds and animals.
Angela has collectors throughout the US and is proud to be an artist in the book, The Art of Being Bill Murray, where her charcoal portraits are featured. She is currently represented in the Southeast by Gallery Chimera in Atlanta, Georgia.
Instagram instagram.com/beatnikki66
Banner location: The Inelle Hotel - 48800 Royal Oaks Drive, Oakhurst
Barbara Fruehe is a graphic designer and artist living in the Sierra foothills, known for creating logos and graphics for a variety of local businesses. She is excited to be submitting her first acrylic painting to a public exhibition, expanding her creative journey beyond digital design.
Originally from Santa Cruz, Barbara moved to the mountains in 1981 to begin her career as a graphic designer for a local newspaper. She later joined McClatchy Newspapers in Fresno, creating display advertising for The Fresno Bee’s Creative Department. After five years of commuting from Oakhurst, she was hired locally to oversee the art department for Simply Smashing, Inc., a company specializing in compressed t-shirts and promotional products, where she worked for 16 years—all while continuing to freelance for local businesses.
Barbara’s recognizable design work includes logos for Ducey’s on the Lake, The Pines Resort, Timberline Gallery, ARTOber, the Madera County Fire Department, Harris Ranch and California Sungold labels. She also refreshed the logo for The Pizza Factory and The Redwoods in Yosemite as well as creating illustrations for them, and has crafted specialty print materials such as hand-calligraphed menus for Erna’s Elderberry House.
Currently, Barbara works from home as the graphic artist for JAVA Mountain News and continues to freelance for the Yosemite Mariposa County Visitor’s Bureau. When she’s not behind her computer or drawing table, she enjoys watercolor painting, illustrating, gardening with her husband, and baking sourdough bread. Above all, she cherishes time spent with her husband, daughter, and four grandchildren—and is often found cheering from the Little League sidelines.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplyartbybarbara/
Banner location: Vons Shopping Center - 40020 Highway 49 (near Taco Bell), Oakhurst
Jennifer Moss is a multidisciplinary artist working in photography, digital art, mixed media, and jewelry design.
Raised in Evanston, Illinois, Jennifer graduated from Northwestern University before beginning a successful career in the technology sector. From 2000 to 2011 she pursued photography professionally, operating a studio out of Los Angeles with images published both nationally and internationally. Her critique of the portrayal of women in advertising has appeared in Ms. Magazine, BBC News, MSN, and other major outlets.
Today, Jennifer’s photography focuses on capturing intimate and powerful moments in both people and nature. She is a board member of Yosemite Sierra Artists and co-curates the annual Visions of Self exhibition, connecting female artists from around the world. Through every piece she creates, the artist seeks to reveal resilience, beauty, and a deeper understanding of the human experience.
Website: JenniferMoss.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mettajenn
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mettagalleryonline
Lura Schwarz Smith - "A Walk in the Woods"
Banner location: Vons Shopping Center - 40050 Highway 49 (near Anytime Fitness), Oakhurst
Lura Schwarz Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art, with an emphasis in painting and drawing, from San Francisco State University. She began creating textile art and mixed media works in 1975, exhibiting throughout California during the 70s and 80s. In the 1990s, she shifted her focus to art quilts, receiving national and international awards; one of her quilts was named among the “100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century.”
In the past decade, Lura has returned to oil painting, drawn to the immediacy of paint on canvas. Her work explores both realistic and abstract approaches, often focusing on figurative subjects, imagination, and the inner life.
Lura's first solo painting exhibition was hosted by Fresno Vernissage, where she later also exhibited alongside her husband, Kerby Smith. Her most recent solo show was at the Art Center Gallery in Oakhurst in 2022, and the duo exhibited again at Scarab Creative Arts in Fresno in 2023. Her paintings have been featured at the Carnegie Art Center in Turlock, Sorensen Studio Gallery and Scarab Creative Arts in Fresno, Yosemite Museum Gallery in Yosemite National Park, Tree Top Gallery in Mariposa, Kings Art Center in Hanford, and MCAC Circle Gallery in Madera. She has received numerous awards, including multiple Best of Show honors.
Her work can currently be seen at the Yosemite Gateway Art Center and Yosemite Sierra Artists Gallery in Oakhurst, as well as 480 Lighthouse Gallery in Pacific Grove. She is a member of the Madera Arts Council, Mariposa Arts Council, and Yosemite Sierra Artists, where she chairs the Portrait Group and regularly participates in Plein Air outings.
Website: www.lura-art.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lura.artist/
Facebook: Lura Schwarz Smith Art, Lura Schwarz Smith
Banner location: South Gate Brewing Company - 40233 Enterprise Drive, Oakhurst
Thomas Skahill is a California-based painter who grew up in Playa Del Rey and has made Oakhurst his home since 2020. His work is centered around the concept of masks—the ones individuals wear for themselves, for others, and those assigned by society.
Working primarily in acrylics on found canvases, Thomas uses bricolage techniques to create layered, expressive pieces that examine identity, vulnerability, and authenticity. Each work is a meditation on the emotional and psychological layers that people present to the world.
The artist’s paintings have been exhibited in galleries throughout California, including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Fresno, and the Sierra foothills. His raw, textured approach invites viewers to explore hidden aspects of themselves through visual storytelling.
By allowing materials and emotion to guide the creative process, Thomas continues to develop a compelling and deeply personal body of work.
Instagram: @skahillart
Banner location: Oakhurst Government Center - 40232 Junction Drive, Oakhurst
Laurie Rose Harry is a self-taught watercolorist who captures the beauty of the natural world with a fresh and heartfelt approach. Although she always dreamed of being an artist, Laurie found the time to pursue her passion fully in 2020.
Working primarily in watercolor, the artist delights in the way the medium moves and surprises, allowing each painting to unfold organically. She also sketches in graphite and charcoal, finding joy in capturing birds, blossoms, pastoral landscapes, and seascapes.
Laurie’s work reflects a deep appreciation for the beauty and wonder found in everyday moments. She strives to create paintings that evoke feelings of serenity and connection, offering viewers a glimpse into the world as she sees it.
Today, Laurie exhibits her work at the Yosemite Sierra Artists Gallery, where her colorful, joyful pieces continue to inspire and connect with visitors.
Website: laurieroseart.com
Instagram: @laurierose5
Facebook: @Laurie Rose Art
Banner location: Oakhurst Giftworks, 49027 Road 426, Oakhurst
Teresa J. Sharp is a California-born artist whose work reflects a lifetime of finding beauty in the everyday. Growing up in Shafter, she found inspiration in farm fields, wildflowers, and coastal sunsets, which continue to influence her vibrant paintings.
After studying drawing and oil painting at Bakersfield College and Fresno State, Teresa focused on raising a family and cultivating creativity through hospitality. Inspired later by reading The Artist’s Way, she reignited her passion for painting at the age of fifty, attending an art retreat in France and enrolling in courses at Evergreen College in San Jose.
Her time living in Yokohama, Japan, proved transformative, offering new cultural inspirations and opportunities to exhibit internationally. Upon returning to California, Teresa settled near Yosemite National Park, where she paints luminous flowers, landscapes, and scenes influenced by her travels.
An active member of Yosemite Sierra Artists and co-founder of Live Create Connect, the artist continues to exhibit through Sierra Art Trails and looks forward to expanding her reach in 2025 with Marin Open Studios and the Plein Air Convention.
Website:teresajsharpart.com
Banner location: Ditton Realty, 40307 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Melanie Lopez is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative work spans painting, mixed media, sculpture, photography, and fiber arts. Drawing since the age of six, she has always been inspired by the natural world, seeking to capture its textures, moods, and rhythms.
Melanie’s passion for art led her into a successful career as a makeup artist, where she enjoyed experimenting with color, form, and texture on living canvases. After earning her art degree, she paused her personal creative journey to focus on family and career, but her love of making art never disappeared. In recent years, she has returned to her artistic practice with renewed energy and a deeper emotional connection.
Today, the artist’s work often explores abstract, ethereal, and darkly beautiful themes, reflecting her belief that even in darkness, beauty can be found. Melanie draws inspiration from nature, the divine, and the feminine, encouraging viewers to look beyond the surface and find meaning in the hidden places.
Through constant exploration and a fearless approach to medium and theme, she continues to push the boundaries of her creative voice.
Website: melanielopezart.com
Instagram: @melanie_lopezart
Facebook: @melanie_lopezart
Banner location: Visitor Center, 40343 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Steve Montalto is a multidisciplinary artist and the Creative Director for Visit Yosemite | Madera County. His diverse body of work spans landscape photography, portrait and event photography, sculpture, drawing, and digital art. With a profound affinity for night photography, Steve captures the serene and enigmatic beauty of nocturnal landscapes, with a particular emphasis on the moon—one of his favorite muses. His creative interpretations and various takes on our nearest celestial neighbor have earned him widespread recognition and admiration.
As a former freelance photojournalist for the Sierra Star, Steve has a rich history of storytelling through his lens. His skills extend beyond photography; he has also made significant contributions as a digital content and collateral creator for a variety of businesses and clients, blending artistic vision with practical design.
In addition to his freelance work, Steve plays a pivotal role in his local community as the "in-house" image creator for the Golden Chain Theatre. His artistic contributions help bring the theatre's productions to life, adding a visual dimension that enhances the audience's experience and is key to helping audiences find and engage with the theatre.
Steve's work can be explored further on his website, www.highmountainimages.com, Follow his artistic journey and see some of his latest creation on Instagram @highmountainimages and on Facebook at svmontlato.
Banner Sponsor: Visit Yosemite | Madera County - www.yosemitethisyear.com
Banner location: 76 Gas Station/7-11 Store, 40475 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Suzanne Banks is a fine artist who has called the Yosemite area home for over 20 years. Drawing endless inspiration from the natural world, she creates paintings that capture the beauty and serenity of the Sierra Nevada landscape. Her goal is to invite viewers into the peaceful world she experiences daily.
The artist’s love of art was nurtured by her mother, a professional artist who encouraged creativity from an early age. Suzanne pursued formal training as an art major in college and has continued studying with accomplished artists throughout her life, constantly refining her style.
Her work reflects technical skill and deep emotional connection, offering not only visual beauty but also a sense of place, nostalgia, and reverence for nature. Whether working in oils, watercolors, or mixed media, she seeks to translate the timeless spirit of Yosemite into every brushstroke.
Today, Suzanne continues to create and exhibit locally, sharing her vision with audiences who are equally inspired by the majesty of the natural world.
Banner location: Hampton Inn & Suites, 40740 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Gina Mims is a California native who relocated from Orange County to Ahwahnee, near Yosemite National Park, in 2013. Drawn by her family's deep roots at Bass Lake—where they have gathered for over 80 years—Gina embraced a lifestyle centered on creativity and a strong connection to nature.
She runs Inspiro Brands, a graphic design agency, but after moving to the Sierra foothills, she has also returned to her passion for painting. Her dreamlike acrylic landscapes, which she calls “Serenity Scapes,” are created with brush and palette knife, offering peaceful, meditative spaces that invite viewers to experience a sense of escape and tranquility.
Gina exhibits her work year-round at her gallery space inside Oakhurst Spirits Distillery, where collectors seek out her calming pieces. In addition to her art, she serves as Marketing and Community Outreach Chair for Yosemite Sierra Artists, participates in Sierra Art Trails each October, and founded the Oakhurst Art & Wine Hop, a seasonal monthly event from May through October where she displays her paintings alongside other local artists.
Website: ginamimsart.com
https://oakhurstspirits.com/gallery/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginalmims/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GinaMimsArt
Oakhurst Art & Wine Hop: https://oakhurstarthop.com/
Yosemite Sierra Artists: https://yosemitesierraartists.org/
Amy Morgan - "Looking Up"
Banner location: Fairfield Inn & Suites, 40780 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Amy Morgan is an artist and educator whose career reflects a commitment to narrative beauty, hands-on creativity, and community engagement. After earning her B.A. from Carleton College and an MFA from San Diego State University, she pursued teaching, introducing generations of students to the transformative power of art.
Amy’s experience spans teaching ceramics at Poway High School, developing college-level curriculum in Fresno, and creating the volunteer-based Art in the Classroom program to bring arts education into underserved elementary schools. Through the Fresno Arts Council’s Teaching Artist Program, she worked with special needs students, and during the pandemic, she helped mentor new teachers through the challenges of online art instruction.
In her personal studio practice, Amy creates pottery, sculpture, and silk paintings. Her work has been featured in regional exhibits, and in 2019, she received the Fresno Arts Council’s Horizon Award.
Today, Amy teaches after-school STEAM Enrichment classes through InnovED Educational Services while continuing to create and exhibit her own artwork.
https://www.facebook.com/artbyamymorgan/
https://www.instagram.com/amy.morgan.art/
Banner location: Holiday Inn Express, 40820 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Barbara Liss is an artist who believes that great art should evoke an emotional response. Living near Yosemite National Park, she finds endless inspiration in the ever-changing beauty of the natural world around her.
Barbara paints a wide range of subjects—animals, landscapes, still life, and portraits—guided by a curiosity and openness to whatever captures her attention. She humorously describes herself as being like a dog spying a squirrel, always ready to shift her focus and embrace new ideas.
A former president and current gallery coordinator for Yosemite Sierra Artists, Barbara is an active participant in plein air groups, portrait sessions, and local exhibitions. Painting, she says, is essential to maintaining her creative spirit and inner balance.
Today, the artist shares her work through the YSA gallery in Oakhurst, exhibitions and online platforms, offering viewers a colorful and heartfelt interpretation of the natural and human worlds.
Website: https://yosemitesierraartists.org/member-profile/bliss/
Instagram: @blissfulartbarbara
Facebook: BLissfulArtBarbara
Banner location: Silver Creek Center, 40879 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Luke Schaftary is a fine art photographer whose work captures the grandeur and subtlety of the natural world. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he developed a love for the outdoors through camping, fishing, skiing, and spending time in the changing seasons of the Midwest.
As a young man, Luke traveled extensively across the United States, spending time in Yellowstone, Denali, and the Grand Canyon. His experiences in America's national parks deeply influenced his appreciation for landscape photography. Inspired by John Muir’s writings and the photography of Ansel Adams, he became committed to creating images that evoke emotional reactions rather than simply documenting scenery.
The artist also developed skills in printing, graphic design, and traditional film development. His time living in Maui led to the founding of Granite Cliff Studio, where he refined his professional photography style, capturing the lush environments and cultural icons of the Hawaiian islands.
Now based in Yosemite National Park, Luke continues to create photography that blends technical skill with a deep reverence for nature’s beauty and mystery.
Website: granitecliffstudio.com
Instagram: @granitecliffstudio
Facebook: Granite Cliff Studio
Banner location: Yosemite Gateway Art Center, 40982 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Trowzers Akimbo, a third-generation artist, grew up immersed in the creative energy of Venice, California. His kinetic, chromatic works embrace multiple viewpoint perspectives and explore non-local color, prioritizing the orchestration of line, form, value, texture, and pattern over traditional subject matter. "I consider myself kind of a technical painter," he explains, emphasizing that composition and design are central to his approach.
Akimbo studied at CalArts under groundbreaking painters such as Frederick Hammersley and Emerson Wolpher. Before dedicating himself fully to painting, he worked as a graphic artist at NBC, where he contributed artwork for major shows including The Tonight Show and The Gong Show. His creative career later expanded into directing and designing animated and live-action commercials, illustrating for Sesame Street Workshop publications, and serving as Chief Creative Officer for several computer game companies.
One of the rare fine artists to have earned a National Emmy Award, the artist now channels his diverse creative experience into paintings that challenge viewers to experience space, movement, and color in fresh ways. His energetic, multidimensional works continue to be celebrated in exhibitions and private collections across the country.
Website: trowzersakimbo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trowzersx/
Banner location: El Cid Mexican Restaurant, 41939 Highway 41, Oakhurst
Hello my name is Rivka Ann Schaffner ~ I am a Contemporary Graffiti Artist of the Post Pop, Surrealistic, Abstract Movement.
I began selling my art work at street art shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Barbara in 1975. My art appears in private collections around the world, and has been displayed in the galleries of Los Angeles, Honolulu, Santa Fe, in the mountains of Yosemite and in Fresno.
I have has illustrated 52 children's books and worked on 8 syndicated television cartoon shows.
My paintings are inspired from nature, dreams, thoughts streaming through my mind and life experiences.
I approach each blank canvas with the concept that that all life is creative...Every action is an act of creating...every thought is a creative moment. Making artwork is the physicality of the creative moment, which is fleeting and intangible… My art is a stream of conscience decisions. Every stroke and color is deliberate.
If you want to follow my work I’m on Instagram at Rivka designs, and Facebook at Rivka designs
Banner location: Stars & Stripes Realty, 54250 North Shore Road 432, Bass Lake
Lisa Zylstra grew up along the Southern California coast, where her connection to the ocean and coastal foothills shaped her early love of the outdoors. An avid hiker and backpacker, Lisa developed a deep passion for exploring California’s diverse landscapes, especially the Sierra Nevada. In 2020, she and her husband made the life-changing decision to relocate to the Sierra foothills near Yosemite National Park, a place that continues to inspire her work daily.
Lisa is an accomplished oil painter known for capturing the beauty, mood, and spirit of California’s natural environments. Her paintings reflect a deep respect for the land, from the rugged coastlines to the majestic mountains and expansive valleys. Working primarily en plein air and in the studio, Lisa’s style blends realism with a vibrant sense of light and atmosphere, inviting viewers to experience the landscape through her eyes.
Her work has earned recognition through numerous awards at juried exhibitions, plein air festivals, and paint-outs across California. Whether painting the sweeping vistas of Yosemite or the intimate details of a coastal trail, Lisa’s goal is to share her deep appreciation for nature’s beauty and to inspire others to slow down and savor the world around them.
Website: lisazylstra.com
Banner location: Pines Village Vacation Rentals and Good Ol' Daze, 54310 Road 432, Bass Lake
Kerby C. Smith is an artist and photographer with a career spanning photojournalism, mixed media, and fine art. A graduate of Hobart College, he worked as a photojournalist for decades, with his documentary photography published in major newspapers, magazines, and National Geographic.
Today, Kerby specializes in mixed media art, commercial product photography, and fine art reproduction. He has been active in Fresno and Madera County’s art communities since 2005 and played a key role at the Chris Sorensen Studio in Fresno, where he supervised public art projects, including his own mural "Transparency."
The artist is a member of the Madera County Arts Council’s Circle Gallery and Yosemite Sierra Artists, balancing his time between creative projects and commercial work. His pieces reflect a deep appreciation for storytelling, craftsmanship, and visual exploration.
Kerby’s body of work continues to capture the layered, nuanced beauty of the world through both lens and brush.
Website: kerbysmith.com
Instagram: @kerbybirds | @kerbyseye
Banner location: The Pines Resort, 54432 Road 432, Bass Lake
Lubov Pavluk is a painter whose work celebrates the wonder and serenity of the natural world. Born and raised in Ukraine, she developed a love for art and beauty early in life, studying under a renowned artist from Saint Petersburg.
Through landscapes, seascapes, and dreamlike scenes, Lubov uses her imagination and emotional sensitivity to capture fleeting moments—whether a whisper of the wind, a glimmer on the waves, or the wildness of clouds. For her, art is both an expression of the soul and a way to preserve the fragile beauty surrounding us.
The artist’s compositions come from a place of deep memory and heartfelt creativity, inviting viewers to experience the tranquility and richness of nature through her eyes.
Today, Lubov continues to exhibit and share her art, connecting audiences with the emotional power of the natural world.
Website: artbythesoul.com
Katie Wing - "The Evolution of Dinner"
Banner location: The Forks Resort, 39150 Road 222, Bass Lake
Katie Wing is a multidisciplinary artist who relocated to Oakhurst, California, in 2024 after many years living in Orange County. While her professional background is rooted in medical devices, healthcare, and biology, she has cultivated a parallel passion for art and design since childhood.
Katie’s work spans many mediums, including painting, wood-burning, jewelry-making, fractal burning, ink sketching, and calligraphy. Her designs often incorporate Japanese, Chinese, and Eastern aesthetics, blending geometric abstraction with symbolism and personal storytelling.
The artist thrives on creating one-of-a-kind, sentimental pieces, preferring to design for individuals rather than the mass market. Her love for travel, hiking, and motorcycling fuels much of her creative inspiration, helping her bring new energy and depth to every project.
Through her creative studio, Wing Design Co., Katie continues to explore the intersection of craftsmanship, individuality, and emotional connection.
Website: wingdesign.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/wingdesign.co
Reid Woodward: A Tribute to a Multifaceted Artist
Banner location: Miller's Landing Resort, 37976 Road 222, Bass Lake
Reid Woodward was a remarkable artist whose talents spanned multiple disciplines. As a photographer, poet, silver and goldsmith, and teacher of science, math, and art, Reid's creative spirit knew no bounds. He found joy in painting en plein air, embracing the outdoors with ground squirrels, birds, bugs, sun, fog, rain, and the occasional companionship of friends. His approach to painting was immersive and intense, requiring presence in every detail of the day. "There’s an intensity in ‘plein air’ painting…you must be present in every detail of the day. I like that. It becomes exhilarating, humbling, frustrating, and full of wonder," Reid once said.
Reid's sudden passing on July 29, 2023, left a void in the hearts of those who knew him. His legacy as a kind, generous, talented, and multifaceted man endures. He cherished the annual family reunions at Bass Lake, south of Yosemite, where he served as Zoo Boat captain, chief barbeque chef, and the beloved supplier of goodies and fireside fun. Reid's life and work continue to inspire all who had the privilege of experiencing his art and his friendship.
Banner location: North Fork Market - 57027 Road 225 North Fork
Vivien Rios is one of the youngest artists featured in the Banner Art Project. Hailing from North Fork, she brings a fresh yet nostalgic perspective to the collection. Vivien begins each piece with detailed pen and ink work, then digitally colorizes the design to achieve her signature look—bold, expressive, and reminiscent of 1970s rock posters.
With a passion for both traditional and digital mediums, Vivien’s work bridges generations, blending vintage inspiration with modern technique. Her creativity and unique style hint at a promising future in the arts.
Be sure to bid on her banner during the auction—you might just be collecting the early work of a future art star.
Banner location: South Fork Mills Coffee, 33173 Road 222, North Fork
Carolyn Hartling was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where lush forests and coastal mists deeply influenced her artistic sensibility. From the beginning, she was drawn to the shifting moods of nature—an inspiration that continues to define her painting.
After graduating from a California interior design school, Carolyn operated a successful design firm for nearly two decades. In 2000, she retired to the Sierra foothills and turned her full focus to painting, exploring a wide variety of media while maintaining a consistent fascination with atmosphere and emotional expression.
In 2005, the artist joined Timberline Gallery in Oakhurst, where she also curated exhibitions for many years. Her paintings have earned numerous awards and are praised for their sensitive treatment of light, mood, and the intangible qualities of landscape.
Today, Carolyn’s evocative works can be found at the Yosemite Gateway Art Center and in private collections throughout the region.
Website: carolynhartling.com
Banner location: Near the North Fork Market, Road 222 and Road 225, North Fork
Jennifer Moss is a multidisciplinary artist working in photography, digital art, mixed media, and jewelry design.
Raised in Evanston, Illinois, Jennifer graduated from Northwestern University before beginning a successful career in the technology sector. From 2000 to 2011 she pursued photography professionally, operating a studio out of Los Angeles with images published both nationally and internationally. Her critique of the portrayal of women in advertising has appeared in Ms. Magazine, BBC News, MSN, and other major outlets.
Today, Jennifer’s photography focuses on capturing intimate and powerful moments in both people and nature. She is a board member of Yosemite Sierra Artists and co-curates the annual Visions of Self exhibition, connecting female artists from around the world. Through every piece she creates, the artist seeks to reveal resilience, beauty, and a deeper understanding of the human experience.
Website: JenniferMoss.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mettajenn
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mettagalleryonline
Banner location: near Hotshot Coffee Shack, 33045 Road 222, North Fork
Mary Beth Harrison is an impressionistic oil painter based in North Fork, California. Known for combining plein air painting, photography, and studio refinement, she captures the striking beauty of California’s landscapes with vibrancy and authenticity.
Mary Beth’s deep connection to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada began early and continues to shape her art today. Painting outdoors allows her to witness the fleeting changes in light and atmosphere, which she then brings back to the studio for further development.
An active and award-winning member of Yosemite Sierra Artists, the painter exhibits regularly at venues such as the Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst and Jennie’s Garden in North Fork. Her work is celebrated for its textured brushwork, emotional resonance, and vivid interpretation of nature’s beauty.
Beyond her painting, Mary Beth is dedicated to supporting the local art community, encouraging creativity and connection through her exhibitions and collaborations.
Website: marybethharrisonart.com
Banner location: Buckhorn Saloon & Restaurant, 32992 Road 222, North Fork
Dorella Troup began her artistic journey in November of 2022, during a much-needed sabbatical following the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, and other personal challenges. Attending her first watercolor painting session at the Senior Center in Oakhurst, she discovered a deep and unexpected passion for creating art.
Before that moment, Dorella had never pursued a creative hobby. Finding watercolor opened a new world of healing, expression, and personal growth. She quickly immersed herself in the medium, embracing its fluidity and vibrancy, and found that painting brought not only joy but also restoration after a difficult chapter of life.
The artist now shares her evolving body of work through her Facebook page, HeART and Soul Watercolor, connecting with others who find beauty and strength in creativity. Her paintings are often colorful, uplifting, and filled with an honest emotional quality that resonates with viewers.
Today, Dorella continues to grow her skills and share her love of watercolor with a growing audience, demonstrating that it is never too late to find a new passion.
Facebook: HeART and Soul Watercolor
Banner location: Across from Hot Shot Coffee at 32975 Road 222, North Fork
Vivien Rios is one of the youngest artists featured in the Banner Art Project. Hailing from North Fork, she brings a fresh yet nostalgic perspective to the collection. Vivien begins each piece with detailed pen and ink work, then digitally colorizes the design to achieve her signature look—bold, expressive, and reminiscent of 1970s rock posters.
With a passion for both traditional and digital mediums, Vivien’s work bridges generations, blending vintage inspiration with modern technique. Her creativity and unique style hint at a promising future in the arts.
Be sure to bid on her banner during the auction—you might just be collecting the early work of a future art star.
Banner Sponsor: Christina White - Realty Concepts - www.christinadegraciawhite@realtyconcepts.com
Banner location: Box Feed, 32941 Road 222, North Fork
Lubov Pavluk is a painter whose work celebrates the wonder and serenity of the natural world. Born and raised in Ukraine, she developed a love for art and beauty early in life, studying under a renowned artist from Saint Petersburg.
Through landscapes, seascapes, and dreamlike scenes, Lubov uses her imagination and emotional sensitivity to capture fleeting moments—whether a whisper of the wind, a glimmer on the waves, or the wildness of clouds. For her, art is both an expression of the soul and a way to preserve the fragile beauty surrounding us.
The artist’s compositions come from a place of deep memory and heartfelt creativity, inviting viewers to experience the tranquility and richness of nature through her eyes.
Today, Lubov continues to exhibit and share her art, connecting audiences with the emotional power of the natural world.
Website: artbythesoul.com
Banner location: North Fork BBQ, 32754 Road 222, North Fork
Joy Crotty is a visual artist and educator based in Coarsegold, California, where she lives with her four children. She teaches at Minarets High School, one of the area's local high schools, and brings her passion for creativity into both her classroom and her personal art practice.
Joy’s work often features bold contrasts and natural motifs, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and wildlife that surround her. Her current piece is created using latex house paint on unstretched raw canvas, highlighting the striking interplay between the deep blues of the water and sky and the crisp, bright figure of a bird and its reflection.
Birds—particularly egrets and herons—frequently appear in Joy’s work. She is captivated by their elegant forms and the way they refuse to blend into their environments, standing out with strength and grace against their backdrop. To her, this visual truth also serves as a deeper metaphor for individuality, resilience, and presence.
Through her art, Joy Crotty invites viewers to see beauty in contrast and to find meaning in the bold outlines that separate and define. Her work captures not only the natural world but also the subtle emotional undercurrents that run through it.
Instagram: @joyjoyjustjoy
