Local artist and intuitive abstract painter Ell Treese (they/them) is launching a three-part art series designed for LGBTQIA+ youth (18 – 25 years old) at The Studio Door starting in December.
The creativity sessions are open to artists of all skill levels. The first two series, Building an Art Journal Habit and Mixed Media & Collaboration will run for six weeks with a third class will be announced in 2023. Participating artists will build upon their creative skills and have the opportunity to showcase their art for sale in the Hillcrest gallery.
βThis is a real gift to the community. A tangible starting point for our young artists to explore creativity, connect with a working gallery and build skills,β said Ell Treese. βThe Studio Door has agreed to offer my classes on a sliding scale for low income and BIPOC students, who have often been excluded from opportunities like this. Itβs a small step but one that Iβm glad we were able to take together.β
Ell Treese has been actively showcasing their artwork through their studio at San Diegoβs premier art gallery in the heart of Hillcrest. They have recently participated in this yearβs She Fest, Art of Pride, La Jolla Art and Wine Festival, and Hillcrest Farmers Market. Treese is an active member of San Diego Prideβs art committee.
Support Local Artists
To kick off the new art series, Ell Treese has curated four emerging Queer artists for small wall exhibition at The Studio Door to close out the year.
βNot only does the artist get a thrill to show their work in an important gallery but it means that the community has a window of opportunity to show their support by collecting these emerging artists,” said Treese. βYour investment in these young artists can have a real impact on someone early in their career. We look to our community first to step up to create an art world that is increasingly diverse and inclusive. It starts here.β
Novemberβs Featured Artists
- Lauren Patch (they/them) – artwork inspired by art history, mythology, and nature
- Aiza Pedregon (she/her) – creator of AizaLaArtista
βIβm filled with gratitude and love for the opportunity to be a featured artist. I know my younger self is beaming with joy knowing my first feature in an art gallery is in the heart of our queer community,β said artist Aiza Pedregon.
Artist Lauren Patch echoed, βAs a young artist, it is incredible opportunity to show my work and learn the ropes from The Studio Door. I am so grateful for Ell and the gallery for giving such a critical, visible platform to me and other Queer artists.β
Decemberβs Featured Artists
- Ryan (they/them) – also known as The Wandering Muralist
- Simone Stivi (she/her) – Visual storyteller specializing in illustration
PROUD+ National Art Exhibition
The series is well matched with the gallery The Studio Door. It is already known for the San Diego tradition of bringing LGBTQIA+ artists together for the past six years with its PROUD+ exhibition. PROUD+ was created to give local artists an opportunity to have their work hang and sell alongside of their national counterparts. More importantly, PROUD+ gives all of the participating artists a network to expand their own presence in the art world through artist connections and important curators. In past years, The Studio Door has partnered with Directors from Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, Stonewall National Museum & Archives and One National Gay and Lesbian Archives at the University of Southern California.
βThere are so few national opportunities for todayβs LGBTQIA+ artists. It made sense to me to use my gallery as a space that could be an intersection for the artists of my community to see each otherβs work, share ideas, and meet up,β said gallery owner and artist Patric Stillman (he/him).
Though the call for PROUD+ 2023 wonβt be released until the end of November, Stillman expressed his excitement about confirming 2023βs juror Jonathan D. Katz. Katz is Associate Professor of Practice, History of Art and Gender, Sexuality and Womenβs Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Readers may know him as the curator of a number of national and international Queer exhibitions including Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture at the Smithsonian; Art AIDS America, showcasing the deep and unforgettable presence of HIV in America; and the current two-part exhibition The First Homosexuals: Global Depictions of a New Identity, 1869-1930 at Wrightwood 659 gallery in Chicago.
Stillman promises more exciting news for 2023 and invites the community to stop by the gallery.
For more information, visit The Studio Door online at TheStudioDoor.com and on Instagram at @thestudiodoor. The Studio Door is located at 3867 4th Avenue in Hillcrest. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from Noon to 7 PM.
