Spotlight On: Owens Valley Arts

Spotlight On: Owens Valley Arts

I grew up creating art. Unfortunately, I was never good at drawing, but my friends and I would spend countless hours coming up with characters, drawing comics, making music and more during our school age and teen years. A lot of those people I hung out with still create, and I do, as well. Also, I’ve always tended to gravitate toward people who love to use their imagination to put things on paper, on walls, and on tape (well, I guess now that would be ON a computer). I dig those types of people, which is why it is such an honor to interview Jenna Gibson from Owens Valley Arts!

What inspired the creation of Owens Valley Arts?

The creation of Owens Valley Arts was an idea I had a few months after I moved to Independence in 2018. I was insane and commuting to Pasadena one day a week to teach classes at ArtCenter College of Design. I did this commute until the shutdown; then I began teaching online, which was kind of great because my commute was over and I suddenly had so much extra time.

When I learned I could rent the Legion Hall in Indy at a very reasonable price, I realized I could host my own classes there while still teaching online at ArtCenter—and keep these classes affordable for everyone. Very unlike where I came from, where everything is insanely expensive and makes the dream of teaching your own workshops nearly impossible, here it was possible, so I went for it.

Now, seven years later, hosting these workshops has been one of my proudest accomplishments as an artist and instructor. I love the community, I love all the people I’ve met, and I’m completely inspired by them.

How would you describe your mission and core values in your own words?

My mission is to share everything I know about art. As an alumna of ArtCenter, I left with a ton of great experience as a student, but I learned even more as an instructor. During my fifteen years of teaching and attending ArtCenter, I developed a strong teaching foundation. I was able to experiment with many materials, explore techniques, develop skills, and learn a language to talk about art in a non-terrifying way.

Art college can be intimidating, so I never wanted my personal classes to feel that way. I wanted to share what I learned in an encouraging, lighter way. One of the most important lessons I share with my classes is that all art is a success. Even if you feel it wasn’t, you always learn something from it. There’s always something to take away, and your next work will benefit from it.

What types of workshops do you offer, and how often are they held?

When it comes to workshops, I try to keep my teaching style and classes accessible to anyone at any experience level. Some workshops include portrait drawing, figure drawing, mixed media, pet portraits, ink drawing, and even printmaking.

These workshops aren’t always held in Independence, either. My initial goal was to be a traveling artist, teaching in various places up and down the valley. Some locations that have hosted me in the past include Brewed Awakening in Big Pine, the Southern Inyo Museum in Lone Pine, Central Point Studio in Ridgecrest, and Domecíl Studio in Santa Barbara.

What upcoming events, workshops, or projects are you most excited about?

My upcoming Mixed Media Workshop on March 14th in Independence is one I’m especially excited about. The creativity that comes out of that class is always incredible. Every artist approaches their subject matter in such a unique way, and I love helping them achieve their goals.

What is one message you want every reader of this article to take away about the role of the arts in small-town life?

I think the biggest difference I’ve noticed between teaching in a small town versus a big city is how connected everything feels. The support system is already there, so the sense of community shows up immediately in the classroom. Having an art community in a small town is a very special thing, and having a place to gather and feel connected through art is my kind of happiness.

Lastly, where can people find you?

People can find Owens Valley Arts on Facebook and Instagram, where I post student work, personal work, and share upcoming events. I can also be reached at [email protected].

TM Rush