Best Up-and-Coming Artists In Sacramento
Bryson Webb
artbybryson.com
Through his art, Bryson Webb hopes to create a feeling of childhood innocence and adventure that most everyone still strives for today. He began drawing at a young age, influenced by cartoons, until high school when he took his first art classes. Webb says his paintings became a way of expressing himself throughout high school and college, a time when many teens do not have a voice. Most recently, he created a series called "Rock it – Rocket" and pieces from the series were shown in Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shop and Little Relics Gallery. His work has also been featured at Bar West, J 27th Gallery and Blue Line Gallery in Roseville. Drawing inspiration from life lessons, interpersonal relationships and even the childhood story "Alice in Wonderland," Webb hopes to inspire people through his work to enjoy the adventure of life.
Brooke Walker-Knoblichh
portraitsbybrooke.com
Brooke Walker-Knoblich says she paints for her own sanity – if she doesn't pick up a brush for several days, she feels disconnected from her own body. According to her, Brooke's unique style blends her "Renaissance training with a contemporary, futuristic approach." She has explored many different subjects but says she has found none more inspiring than portraiture. In her recent series, "Musicians of Midtown," Walker-Knoblich watched local musicians perform, drawing sketches of them in as little as 30 seconds, and then painted larger works from the sketches. Her award-winning artwork has been featured at Gallery 2110, the Sacramento Ballet Studios and Union Hall Gallery. You may visit her studio at the Sacramento Art Complex located at 2110 K Street in Sacramento.
Related: Read a CBSSacramento.com interview with Brooke Walker-Knoblich
Gabriel Roberts
gaberobertsart.com
Henri Matisse believed good art should be like a place of rest and Gabriel Roberts agrees. He is not looking for his art to be conceptual or convey any deep or complex messages; he just wants to create beautiful art that brings peace to people who see it. As a truly emerging artist in Sacramento, he says this is a great place to get started, that the Sacramento area is supportive of new artists. Roberts studied ceramics at UC Davis and began painting at the Chautauqua School of Art in New York. He is now exploring ways to expand his body of work and explore opportunities beyond art galleries, such as art licensing. His work was recently featured at Red Dot Gallery.
Jim Shepherd
facebook.com/jshepherd
According to Jim Shepherd, painting is not unlike a relationship with a person, where it becomes a test of how much time you choose to spend around someone. He knew his heart was in it when he found it hard to break away from painting. Shepherd began drawing as a child and his passion for art grew throughout high school and college. He says he finds inspiration in people who work hard and persevere, such as artists, who are driven to do what they love regardless of money or fame. His dream project would be to develop a show for the blind, one that features pieces based on touch, using different textures, allowing those without sight to experience art. Shepherd's work has been featured regularly at VOX, as well as Slice of Broadway and at various galleries on Second Saturdays.
Related: Read a CBSSacramento.com interview with Jim Shepherd
Jennifer Keller
jenniferkellerart.com
Jennifer Keller used to fight color, but now she accepts it and works with it, not against it. This is apparent in her bright, colorful acrylic paintings of animals, landscapes and abstract images. A self-proclaimed daydreamer and free spirit, Keller combines the genres of fine art and folk art into her work, researching the patterns and elements of traditional arts of different cultures as well as those from nature. In addition to acrylic and canvas, Keller enjoys using found objects, old jewelry, fabric and digital photography to inspire her spontaneity and not-so-serious style. Her artwork has been shown at Fe Gallery, CoolCat Gallery and University Art.
Sunshine Cobb
sunshinecobb.com
Her Facebook profile says it all: "working with mud since 1999." Sunshine Cobb says she has always been fascinated by the pottery wheel but fell in love with ceramics when she took her first class at the Davis Craft Center about 13 years ago. Cobb creates functional artware including tableware, fruit baskets and vases, with much of her work drawn from architectural influences. Her inspiration comes from her fascination of well-used objects, used to the point of disrepair or distinction, and she hopes her pieces evoke a sense of nostalgia while still holding onto the spirit of wanderlust and exploration. Her work has been shown in galleries around the country, most recently at the Trax Gallery in Berkeley. You can also find her "selling her wares" at local farmers' markets or on Etsy.com.
