About our virtual exhibition
This year, the gallery comes to you! The Orange County Art Educators Association is thrilled to announce our inaugural Virtual Art Exhibition launching in March 2026.
We invite you to showcase your creativity under this year’s theme:
"What My Art Teacher Taught Me..."
We invite you to showcase your creativity under this year’s theme:
"What My Art Teacher Taught Me..."
Featured Artists
Gracie Ferch | Erika Hagarty | Ellen Kramer
Madison McCoy | Patricia Noel | Gilbert Salinas | Lindsay Thibault
Madison McCoy | Patricia Noel | Gilbert Salinas | Lindsay Thibault
Gallery
Gracie Ferch | Instagram | Website
I use ceramics to explore feminist narratives through personal and symbolic imagery. Faces, the female form, cats, and familiar foods become stand-ins for emotion, comfort, expectation, and contradiction within womanhood. By placing vulnerable or tender imagery onto functional objects, I challenge traditional domestic roles while reclaiming them as spaces of agency and voice. My feminism ranges from intimate to political, from gentle to biting, using varied imagery to show that womanhood contains humor, discomfort, vulnerability, and resistance all at once. I am open for commissions via email or Instagram.
I use ceramics to explore feminist narratives through personal and symbolic imagery. Faces, the female form, cats, and familiar foods become stand-ins for emotion, comfort, expectation, and contradiction within womanhood. By placing vulnerable or tender imagery onto functional objects, I challenge traditional domestic roles while reclaiming them as spaces of agency and voice. My feminism ranges from intimate to political, from gentle to biting, using varied imagery to show that womanhood contains humor, discomfort, vulnerability, and resistance all at once. I am open for commissions via email or Instagram.
Lacrimae Feminae, Gracie Ferch, Stoneware Clay, 3.5 in x 3.5 in x 2 in, NFS
Erika Hagarty | [email protected]
Cicadas became a personal symbol for me during my time in college, and have made frequent appearances in my artwork ever since. My work combines elements of nature that are often overlooked or disliked (like bugs) with elements that are more traditionally viewed as beautiful. Through this, I share with the viewer how I see the natural world and all of its strange little critters.
Cicada and Flowers, Erika Hagarty, Digital art, 9375 x 12500, NFS
Ellen Kramer | [email protected]
In 1993 I took an adult education drawing class while working as a graphic designer for a small ad agency. The class revolved around the book Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edward’s.
One of the processes we learned was grid drawing, some not taught in graphic design, but produces amazing results and I still use it in my teaching. This charcoal drawing is my then mother-in-law, Gloria, as a child. Although deceased, she remains a beloved and inspirational force in my life.
In 1993 I took an adult education drawing class while working as a graphic designer for a small ad agency. The class revolved around the book Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edward’s.
One of the processes we learned was grid drawing, some not taught in graphic design, but produces amazing results and I still use it in my teaching. This charcoal drawing is my then mother-in-law, Gloria, as a child. Although deceased, she remains a beloved and inspirational force in my life.
Gloria, Ellen Kramer, Charcoal, 12" x 17", $500
The Great Pumpkin, 1986, was my first illustration using fine colored pencils. Created while earning my degree in Graphic Design, I found colored pencil suited my love of blending and detail extremely well. My instructor provided invaluable assistance with the proper techniques and processes used to create beautifully burnished color pencil work. This work was created in the fall in Marietta, GA and was inspired by the cartoon short film, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
The Great Pumpkin, Ellen Kramer, Colored Pencil, 12" x 15", $500
Last year, at the 2025 FAEA Annual Conference one of my favorite workshops was making large scale fish with coils. The instructor was fantastic in explaining and demonstrating the process while alerting us to any potential pitfalls and her student examples were impressive. Although I was unable to complete the fish in the time allocated, I was so enamored with the work that I brought it home and finished it there. One of my favorite aspects of this process is that other than clay, water, and your hands, you don’t need other supplies. I loved the entire process and am planning to complete a series of large scale, coil fish for the next OCAEA Teacher Art Exhibition!
Big Mouth Bass, Ellen Kramer, 13" x 10", Ceramics, $500
Madison McCoy | [email protected]
This artwork was inspired Madison’s friend, who went on an adventures to Asia. Though the reference was a real photo, taken from an IPhone, she wanted to incorporate her personal touch. Madison was inspired by children’s book, Japanese printmaking and the primary colors.
This artwork was inspired Madison’s friend, who went on an adventures to Asia. Though the reference was a real photo, taken from an IPhone, she wanted to incorporate her personal touch. Madison was inspired by children’s book, Japanese printmaking and the primary colors.
Dream of the East, Madison McCoy, 22" x 18", NFS
Patricia Noel | [email protected]
Memento Mori, to me, is a reminder to appreciate life and not take it for granted. It serves as a gentle nudge to focus on the present moment, to cherish the people around us, and to find joy in the little things that often go unnoticed. In a world that is constantly rushing forward, Memento Mori encourages us to pause, reflect, and acknowledge the beauty of simply being alive. It inspires us to live with intention, to pursue our passions, and to make meaningful connections with others, knowing that life is precious and fleeting. This philosophy can transform our everyday experiences, turning mundane routines into opportunities for gratitude and mindfulness.
With the end comes a new beginning, trust in the new beginnings. To show ending I included classic memento mori symbolism such as skulls, extinguished flames, and wilted flower. I also included the cycle of the moon, where the full moon represents completion/coming to an end. The moth in the middle is representative of hope and new beginnings.
Memento Mori, to me, is a reminder to appreciate life and not take it for granted. It serves as a gentle nudge to focus on the present moment, to cherish the people around us, and to find joy in the little things that often go unnoticed. In a world that is constantly rushing forward, Memento Mori encourages us to pause, reflect, and acknowledge the beauty of simply being alive. It inspires us to live with intention, to pursue our passions, and to make meaningful connections with others, knowing that life is precious and fleeting. This philosophy can transform our everyday experiences, turning mundane routines into opportunities for gratitude and mindfulness.
With the end comes a new beginning, trust in the new beginnings. To show ending I included classic memento mori symbolism such as skulls, extinguished flames, and wilted flower. I also included the cycle of the moon, where the full moon represents completion/coming to an end. The moth in the middle is representative of hope and new beginnings.
Memento Mori, Patricia Noel, Gauche, 11" x 14", $200
Gilbert Salinas | [email protected] | Instagram
My work examines organic form as a record of transformation and the passage of time. I am drawn to aging surfaces and the traces left by growth, erosion, and decay, approaching these processes as visual evidence of change rather than as imagery to be depicted.
Through layered paint, drawing, and mixed media, I construct surfaces that reference natural systems and material experimentation. Organic elements, including palm tree fibers, are embedded within the work to establish a physical and conceptual connection to the landscape, allowing structure and intuition to coexist within the same field.
Figurative works extend this investigation into human consciousness and psychological complexity. By exploring interior state, instinct, identity, and memory. I consider the mind as another evolving terrain shaped by time. Across both bodies of work, the practice reflects on how transformation governs both the external world and our internal realities.
My work examines organic form as a record of transformation and the passage of time. I am drawn to aging surfaces and the traces left by growth, erosion, and decay, approaching these processes as visual evidence of change rather than as imagery to be depicted.
Through layered paint, drawing, and mixed media, I construct surfaces that reference natural systems and material experimentation. Organic elements, including palm tree fibers, are embedded within the work to establish a physical and conceptual connection to the landscape, allowing structure and intuition to coexist within the same field.
Figurative works extend this investigation into human consciousness and psychological complexity. By exploring interior state, instinct, identity, and memory. I consider the mind as another evolving terrain shaped by time. Across both bodies of work, the practice reflects on how transformation governs both the external world and our internal realities.
Among the Chaos, Gilbert Salinas, Mixed Media on Canvas, 36" x 48", NFS
La Asesoría del Vejigante, Gilbert Salinas, Mixed Media on Canvas, 36" x 48", NFS
Among Uncertainty , Gilbert Salinas, Mixed Media on Canvas, 36" x 48", NFS
Lindsay Thibault
When I create my artwork it's often to escape and find places of peace. This is a view that always brings me that inner peace. Every time I look at this scene, I'm transported to my happy place.
When I create my artwork it's often to escape and find places of peace. This is a view that always brings me that inner peace. Every time I look at this scene, I'm transported to my happy place.
Bliss, Lindsay Thibault, Acrylic Paint, 24" x 18", NFS
Digital Guestbook
We’re so glad you’re here! Our artists have generously shared their work with our community, and your words truly matter. Whether something made you smile, think deeply, or see teaching in a new way, we invite you to leave a comment below. Your encouragement and reflections help celebrate and uplift the creative voices in this exhibition.