Great Bear has a long tradition of displaying local artists’ work. John Pugh has had several of his trompe l’oeil (“deceives the eye”) paintings displayed at the Bear for many years — including the recognizable mural (on canvas) above.
We are collecting new art pieces and have a number of local artists participating in our monthly art rotation. We reserve the month of December for a variety of artists to exhibit their holiday or winter themed art.
2024 Artist Schedule
January 2024 – Karen Perkins
I was born and raised in Los Gatos. I took my first art class at Los Gatos
High where I was introduced to pottery. I started to teach myself
drawing. One of my favorite things to do at that time, was to design and
draw record covers. I learned to value all aspects of creativity.
My passion for art has expanded throughout my life. I have created with
pastels, watercolors, acrylics and other mixed media. I’ve taken
watercolor workshops with artists Tom Lynch, Brigit O’Connor and others.
I have also received instruction in acrylics and creative sketching. I am a
member with the Santa Clara Valley Water Color Society and participate in
the Silicone Valley Open Studios. I have donated some of my work to
Triton Museum of Art. I assist with showings to help local artist get their
work exposed.
My passion for abstract acrylics has blossomed in the last few years. I
love the vibrant colors and the many moods they can stir. I am insatiably
curious and committed to life-long learning.
February 2024 – Chris Ford & Amy Steinberg
March 2024 – Carmelina Guardanapo (Bear Employee) and Ania
April 2024 – Selina Woodham is a Japanese-British wildlife artist residing in Northern California.
Growing up in rural Japan, Selina developed a deep love for nature. Her appreciation for the natural world grew even stronger through childhood travels to remote corners of the world, including the vast steppes of Mongolia where she lived for days without electricity, and the stunning fiords of New Zealand where she developed a fascination with endemic animals.
Selina discovered painting in high school, where she received the Excellence in International Baccalaureate Art Award. Too busy playing soccer and pursuing years of studies after high school, she only recently returned to painting after completing her Doctorate in Physical Therapy last year.
When Selina is not caring for her patients, she can be found painting, hiking with her husband, and most likely eating!
Medium & style: realistic acrylic & oil paintings on canvas
Website: https://www.selinawoodham.com Email: selinawoodham@gmail.com Instagram: selinawoodham_
May 2024
We are happy to have Michelle back in 2024! She previously displayed her art at the Bear in May 2023.
Michelle has always been considered artistic. In terms of creativity, she studied and gained her B.A. at UC Davis in English with a focus on Creative Writing. In fact, she has two multi-cultural books on the California Department of Education website and has written two additional books. In terms of art, Michelle did not fully pursue art until she became an adult. In her thirties, her husband encouraged her to increase her natural artistic abilities and study painting. For two years, Michelle studied under world acclaimed Malaysian artist, Lucy Liew. After two years, Lucy convinced Michelle that, aside from having garnered the skills and techniques she needed, she had that artistic “it” and should go out on her own. From that moment on, Michelle has exhibited her artistry in capturing the beauty of California on canvas and in murals. She loves seeing things that others don’t and grasping the beauty of everything, every day. She recently was commissioned to paint an art box in Willow Glen for the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association with funding from the City of San Jose. https://www.wgna.net/michelle
June 2024 –
Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society Exhibit: “Small Wonders”
Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society is a lively arts community based in and around the Bay Area in California. They offer a variety of art-related activities, including workshops & demos, exhibiting opportunities, plein-air painting, and other special events for members and the general public. There are over 300 members in the Bay Area and beyond.
July 2024 – Creating with Paint and Paper, An art show by Artists Beyond the Obvious
Exhibit will comprise fifteen professional artists who have won awards locally, state -wide and nationally . They are curators, jurors, and gallery members. Their work will be mixed media and collage.
August 2024 – Reserved
September 2024 – Faizi Samadani
Photography featuring Los Gatos nature
October 2024
November 2024
Janice Prevetti is a local artist who began painting in 1998 after her husband died. She took classes, joined clubs, and went to workshops. Among her recent awards is a blue ribbon for my lady waiting for the jazz to begin received from the Campbell Art Guild.
December 2024 – Open to All – Winter or Holiday themed art. Please email a photo of your art if you would like to display.
January 2025
February 2024
March 2025
April 2025
May 2025
June 2025
July 2025
August 2025 – Water in Motion
September 2025
October 2025
November 2025
December 2025 – Reserved for artists who have winter and/or holiday themed art to display.
Past Artists
January 2023 – Deb Cardella
Watercolor Photography https://tahoewatercolors.com/
February 2023 – Kweli Bomaye
Kweli Bomaye was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. During the recession of 2008, he found time to reflect and began expressing his feelings through storytelling, animation and graphic design. He studied other artists and techniques online in an effort to solidify his own voice and style. In 2011, he established the t-shirt and design company, Give Us Tees. Kweli’s art and graphics focus on highlighting voices and perspectives that are often unheard and unseen.
His “Revolutionary Homes” Collection for Black History month uses the theme of housing to educate on issues that prevent the American dream of owning a home. Through his designs, he hopes to inspire people to think of equitable solutions for future homes and living communities.
https://giveustees.com/collections/diasporian-art
March 2023 – Shirin Razavi
Shirin Razavi was born in Iran and moved to the United States when she was 19 years old. She started her career as a makeup artist and faces became her canvas. Then she got her degree in Graphic design. She always was fascinated with color, nature, and animals. She became a professional artist about 6 years ago. She engraves animals, flowers, and landscapes on copper sheets instead of papers and canvases. Her love for color inspired her to create pour painting as well. Portions of her art inspired from middle eastern culture.
April – Jasmine Chan
Jasmine is a modern macrame artist based out of San Jose, CA. She first started macrame during the pandemic as a way to explore different creative outlets but quickly fell in love with the craft and how tying simple knots can turn into beautiful art. Her art is largely influenced by her love for pop culture, nature, and corgis and hopes to be able to bring joy to people’s home with her craft. When she’s not hiking or playing with her corgi, you can find her at pop up markets around the bay or teaching workshops. If you would like to stay connected, learn more about workshops or just see cute pictures of her corgi, check her out on IG @theknottycorgi.
May – Michelle Smith
Michelle has always been considered artistic. In terms of creativity, she studied and gained her B.A. at UC Davis in English with a focus on Creative Writing. In fact, she has two multi-cultural books on the California Department of Education website and has written two additional books. In terms of art, Michelle did not fully pursue art until she became an adult. In her thirties, her husband encouraged her to increase her natural artistic abilities and study painting. For two years, Michelle studied under world acclaimed Malaysian artist, Lucy Liew. After two years, Lucy convinced Michelle that, aside from having garnered the skills and techniques she needed, she had that artistic “it” and should go out on her own. From that moment on, Michelle has exhibited her artistry in capturing the beauty of California on canvas and in murals. She loves seeing things that others don’t and grasping the beauty of everything, every day. She recently was commissioned to paint an art box in Willow Glen for the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association with funding from the City of San Jose. https://www.wgna.net/michelle
June – Michael Vaughn
Michael J. Vaughn is a San Jose artist who exhibits regularly with Works Gallery and at coffeehouses across Silicon Valley. Using oil paint pens, he creates vivid works that explore an endless fascination with pattern and evoke stained glass and mosaics. Vaughn is also the author of 28 novels and drummer for the El Camino Revival Band. Instagram: @michaeljvaughn
July – Ivona Cornish
Ivona Cornish is an artist, school teacher, and cat lover living in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose. Originally from Poland, Ivona emigrated to America at the age of 12, settled in Alameda and later attended UC Berkeley where she earned a degree in fine arts.
While proficient in all mediums, in recent years she’s focused on watercolors, selecting a wide range of subjects from pastoral landscapes to the up-close faces of wild beasts. Her themes include horses, boats, light houses, snails, butterflies, birds and so much more. Her unconventional use of watercolor for pinpoint precise photorealistic results with a whimsical, colorful, flair is truly unique.
August – Susan Butler-Graham
Susan grew up drawing and painting with her artist father and sisters. For her, painting is a way to practice mindfulness and share her love of nature with others. Her work ranges from simple line drawings and still life and animal studies to plein air landscapes and abstract creations.
Susan studied Art and Spanish at Muhlenberg College in the 1980s. After retiring from teaching elementary school, she began painting in earnest in the spring of 2017. She is a member of the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Association, Los Gatos Art Association and the California Watercolor Association.
She tries to emphasize shapes and colors in realistic and abstract compositions in her watercolor paintings. She is constantly sketching and painting and honing her skills. She also works in collage, drawing, mixed media, mosaic, and quilts.
Website: https://www.susanbgart.com
Email: susanbg.art@gmail.com
Instagram: @susanbgart
September – Art House Studios & Local High Schools
In 2020 ArtHouse Studio was launched, a non-profit whose mission is to help level the playing field through the power of creativity and innovation. Our initiative is about engaging with Title I schools and connecting them with corporations and community, through programs and meaningful exhibits, to show all kids – regardless of income or school resources – that their creativity can take them far, no matter what direction they choose.
October – Elvira Rascov
Elvira is a watercolor and ceramics artist from Colombia. Her art reflects the techniques she learned in her watercolor and oil painting classes at the Universidad de la Sabana in Bogotá, Colombia. For the past 24 years Elvira has lived in California. The beautiful Californian landscapes have been her inspiration for her art.
Elvira has a MS degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Rochester Institute of Technology, but art and painting has always been a center of her interest. Watercolor’s versatility has been one of the qualities that she has used for quick sketching in plein air. The use of big brushes and water makes this medium a choice for her expressive paintings. She enjoys taking classes and meeting other artists that share her passion for painting. Elvira likes to paint landscapes, animals, flowers and city scenes.
Currently she is teaching watercolor classes at the Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and Recreation. She has participated in different juried art shows exhibitions through Los Gatos Art Association and Coastal Arts League in Half Moon Bay. She became a member of the National League of American Pen Women on February 2021. Elvira lives in San Jose, California.
https://www.elviragallery.com Instagram: @elvirarascov e-mail: sales@elviragallery.com
November – Sierra Ferrato
https://artbysierraf.weebly.com or Instagram @artbysierraf