Kristi by Soodie Whitaker

Kristi Patterson cofounded The Studio in 1997 with her friend Lori Kotsonas in order to give visionary artists in Humboldt County a place to freely express themselves. Kristi is also the Director of The Studio and the Cheri Blackerby Gallery

Kristi has worked in agencies that serve people with disabilities in the areas of employment, supported living, recreation, homeless outreach and art therapy for the past 19 years in Missouri, the San Francisco Bay Area and Humboldt County, CA.

When not at The Studio, Kristi can be found writing madly in worn notebooks, creating sculptures out of flour, sugar and butter and jewelry out of vintage photographs.

Self Portrait

John Bensch has been teaching figure drawing and helping artists at the Studio solve problems in painting since 2001 and now is also running a video workshop two days a week. In the time he has worked there he has seen the place go through several growth phases, from one room and two teachers to five rooms with seven teachers and a gallery. From just drawing, painting and paper mache, The Studio has added ceramics, drama, print making and digital arts to the curriculum.

Besides teaching at The Studio, John also paints commissioned portraits from photographs. He has been involved with Access Humboldt and has been a contributor of station identification spots.

John also works on call at Cider House and New Choices, supported living homes in Fortuna and Eureka CA.

John's education includes two years studying anatomy and figure at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, CA and a year at the S.F. Academy of Art studying design and illustration. Concurrently, John studied old master's painting techniques from David Hardy for three years in Oakland.

Angie by Pablo Rahner

Angie Valetutto began in the 5th grade with playing the part of a flying monkey in the Wizard of Oz. Between the flying monkey and living room performances, Angie grew up with a love of theatre. This eventually lead her to Syracuse University in New York, where she received her MFA in Theatre Design, specializing in Lighting. While pursuing her degree, Angie spent just as much time directing shows as she did lighting them. Angie was overjoyed to be hired on at the Studio in 2003 as an art teacher and also as the Drama teacher. Angie took on the role of lead teacher at the Studio in 2004. Working at the Studio has ignited a love of outsider art, spontaneously bursting into dance, and a boldness to “just be oneself”. She also serves as a creative advisory team member for Synapsis, a local performing arts organization.

self portrait

Melissa Medina

Melissa Medina grew up in Los Angeles and eventually moved to the Humboldt area to attend Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. After graduating with a Bachelors in Studio Art, Melissa spent three years in the HSU Honors painting program. She was also a teacher’s assistant and lab assistant at HSU for several years.

Melissa has also worked as a support worker for a woman with Down’s syndrome.

She paints abstract expressionist pictures and is enthusiastic about unrefined art. As she says, “Always be a beginner and have fun”

Deborah Salizzoni

Deborah’s life has always been connected with the arts.  She grew up in a show business family of singers who played the nightclub circuit until she was 12.  In school, she studied fashion design, jewelry making, ceramics, theater, and film acting.  She took a break from college and traveled for six years as an apprentice to a bronze sculptor who taught her to weld.  In 1884, she returned to college to get her BA in Liberal Arts and a teaching credential.  She loved teaching second grade for 17 years where she wrote plays and integrated art, music, dance, and theater throughout the curriculum.  Now, she loves working with our visionary artists, who inspire her everyday.  Deb also performs in local theater.

Gynithe by Allen Cassidy

Gynithe Clark

Gynithe received a BA from HSU in Studio Art with an emphasis in ceramics and digital art. Artistically, she enjoys ceramics, painting, digital photography, and graphic art. She also enjoys other assorted crafts such as: Ukrainian egg dying, scrapbooking, soap making, wheat weaving, faux stained glass, face painting, and rubber stamping.
Currently, Gynithe is painting realistic acrylics of the local beach scenes. She also is creating ceramic sculptures.

Some of her favorite artists are: DaVinci, Renoir, Escher, Janet Fish, Malvina Hoffman, Marilyn Levine, Constantin Brancusi, and Christian Riese Lassen.
Gynithe states, ”I enjoy the process of creating realistic pieces that mimic the complexity of natural, organic forms. I am mesmerized by the intricate detail found everywhere in nature. Ultimately, my goal is to create visual poetry- with each unique and individual part building a unified whole.”

Janine by Gerri Sadler

Janine Murphy 

Janine Murphy graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in studio art and art education in 2005. Shortly after leaving Humboldt County she began working with visionary and outsider artists as an art instructor at Neighborhood Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, California where “I fell in love with this creative and inspiring community.” After earning a teaching credential from Chico State, Janine returned to Humboldt to work as The Studio’s Curator. “My life has been so enriched by all of the artists I have had the privilege to work with. I am constantly inspired by the artists’ creative spirit and sense of community and feel very fortunate to be a part of The Studio.”