Pop-Up Art: A New Experience

Ira Cosmos

Ukrainian-born artist Ira Cosmos came into this world with a paintbrush in her hand and boundless imagination in her head. Cosmos moved to California six years ago and now lives in Vista.

“Every day I create and learn something new. Like our universe art, imagination and creativity have no limits.”

“Every artist wants to reach some level, to learn more,” she said. “My country is small, so I wanted to learn more [about] custom painting because mostly I’m working with cars and motorcycles. California is the best place to do custom paint. Maybe because it’s sun, ocean. … It’s just very positive here.”

Vista, CA

Taylor DeVille

From doodling to graphic artist, Taylor DeVille has found a love for digital media and graphic design. After getting his bachelor’s degree at Platt in San Diego, he started taking his art career seriously and is driven by artistic passion. His artwork can now be seen on surfboards, skate boards, tennis shoes, walls, canvas, and more.

Whether creating surfboards for the top surfers in the world to anything that catches his eye, Taylor's art is fast becoming recognized around the world.

Carlsbad, CA

Alexia Markipoulos

Alexia Markopoulos is an artist, a writer and a rockstar. Her incredibly detailed and impressive work weaves together a unique blend of elements, from traditional to surreal. Comedy Central bought Alexia's creepy-cute character art and featured it on the last season of “Broad City.” Additionally, she was the head storyboard artist for the award-winning short film "Mom vs. Machine” and continues to work as the head of creativity for the television show "Frankenbots.”

Alexia is commissioned for her fine artwork, especially for her portraits. Her art is currently featured at the "Art on 30th" gallery in North Park and the San Diego County Fair. While working on her creative exploits, Alexia lives in tranquility with her two cats and 25 plants. Oh, and she occasionally sings at open mics.

Del Mar, CA 

Monica Martin

Monica Martin is a longtime resident of Carlsbad. The lifestyle of living in a coastal community really shows in her artwork. From the vibrant flower fields to the beach landscapes and coastal colors to choose from, it really is a dream come true. Monica has created in a wide variety of mediums and surfaces; from a greeting card collection to painting windows to gallery shows each year. She prides herself on having versatility.

Monica has been published in creative magazines through the years and has licensed some of her artwork. She works mostly in acrylics but loves watercolors as well for their ease of use/travel. Her surfboard is inspired by a photo she took of a Woody driving down Grand Ave in Carlsbad Village. A perfect scenario to represent this beach town.

Carlsbad, CA

Alice Picado

A North County native with a lifelong love of drawing and painting, Alice Picado earned a BFA in illustration from Cal State Long Beach. She is a graphic artist and watercolor painter with a passion for plein air painting.

Inspired by the beauty of the natural world, she aspires to live by the words of John Singer Sargent: “See the sunlight...and everything there is to be seen...."

Vista, CA

Jim Rajner

Jim is inspired by the ocean and sea life that is found in his own backyard. One day he came across old surfboards in his garage and wondered if he should just throw them away. But he had read that surfboards take years to break down in a landfill and during that time they leach chemicals into the ground. Armed with a vision, this avid surfer instead started cutting, shaping, and painting them into various ocean scenes and sea life. From this inspiration, Surf to Art was created.

Oceanside, CA 

Shari Roberts

Shari Roberts began her professional career as an Interior Designer in New York and now specializes in faux finishes, applying a variety of finishes and textures on walls and refinishing furniture using similar techniques. In addition to refinishing and painting furniture, however, Shari also paints on canvas – from animals to sports figures to graphics to anything she finds creative, moving and inspiring. She loves colors and shapes, lines and texture.

Carlsbad, CA

Wendy Sallin

Wendy Sallin is a resident and small business owner in Carlsbad Village and loves this small beach community! Her journey into the world of art started by happenstance during the pandemic when she was unable to work as a Massage and Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist. She has always been fascinated by the look and feel of mosaic art, even as a child. She feels drawn to it due to how the eventual "whole" is comprised of small, individual pieces that come together for one experience. This is true of mosaic art and also of life in general, where each moment comes together to create one's life story.

Wendy's board is named "Warm Water" after a well-loved local surf spot here in Carlsbad. The tempered glass pieces are imperfectly shaped and fragile but come together for one solid abstract design celebrating the ocean's movement. The glass catches reflections of light and sun, giving the design even more life. Each board has a story to tell.

Carlsbad, CA

Ismat Sami Shahid

Ismat is in a San Diego-based artist. She is originally from India but has been living in San Diego for more than two decades with her husband and two children.

She has a degree in business and finance, but she discovered a few years ago that her real passion is making art. She is a published artist and has illustrated two books. She enjoys traveling and visiting natural landscapes and national parks. She likes to be surrounded by nature at all times as it gives her a sense of calm and joy.

Her passion is to make nature-based paintings, both landscapes and florals. Ismat is well versed in acrylic, oil and watercolors but right now her main medium for painting is acrylic paint.

San Diego, CA

Julie Sobolewski

Julie Sobolewski uses the vibrant colors and rich textures of stained glass adhered to recycled surfboards to bring her visions of ocean life alive. She creates unique collectibles including golden-haired mythical mermaids, majestic sea turtles and stunning tropical ocean panoramas in her art studio in Oceanside, California.

“I find well used surfboards that have spent their years immersed in the ocean’s energy a very exciting medium to use.” Using stained glass and her own sense of whimsy, Sobolewski’s work gives us not only insights into how different mediums like surfboards can be artistically reused, but also embody a spirited vision that expresses the transformative beauty, energy, and harmony inherent in the sea.

Oceanside, CA