OIFF: Artist Spotlight – Ocean on my Mind
February 7 – March 2, 2025
Artist Open House Friday, February 7
5:30 – 8 PM (All are welcome!)
Discover the beauty of the ocean at OIFF: Artist Spotlight – Ocean on my Mind, an Artist Open House on February 7, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm at the Brooks Theater Gallery. Enjoy light refreshments, ambient music, watch a guest artist create a piece live, and mingle with artists, families, locals, and art lovers. All are welcome.
Featured Artists
Johnny Cook (He/Him)
Maddie’s Final Sunset
Johnny Cook has always been a curious creator, from being an enthusiastic child drawing on his childhood closet doors to being a musician, photographer, and silkscreen protege. His quest to be mindful of the environment has culminated in his #seaseries: photographs of nature reproduced on sustainable Hemp paper. He hopes his work inspires others to create evidence of their own imaginations.
Vladimir Medvinsky (He/Him)
Caity Simmers: Pride of Oside
Vladimir Medvinsky, a published and award-winning photographer based in Oceanside, discovered his passion through his father, who gifted him a Canon AE-1 in the 1980s. During the pandemic, he deepened his craft, capturing stunning imagery cherished by thousands across North San Diego County and beyond.
Kimberly DeCew (She/Her)
Surfer and Oceanside Pier at Sunset
Kim DeCew is a Southern California native whose interest in photography started in childhood. It wasn’t until after raising her own children that she committed time to pursuing her passion for the art form. She enjoys challenging herself shooting various types of subjects, but landscape photography is one of her favorites.
Diane Sovale’ (She/Her)
Trippin at the Beach
Diane Sovale’ is a natural artist. She started drawing realist people in grade school. Having anon creative family was not encouraged. In her twenties after one class in oil painting, she started painting portraits. In 2020 needing to destress, she rode her tricycle to the beach with pens/paper, music, and began new free style work starting with “Trippin at the Beach”.
Nathan Schwartz (He/Him)
Emerald Moment
Nathan Schwartz is a North County Native, an avid Landscape Photographer and Abstract Artist. His work is a blend of Coastal scenes, often refracted through the lens of Color and Space. Nathan resides in Oceanside with his beautiful wife Rosie, and their two dogs Lexi & Maverick. Together they manage “Rain & Rose Photography”, a photography service for any occasion.
Michelle Kaskovich (She/Her)
No Time for Ties That Bind
A mixed media artist whose mediums include fiber, encaustic, and found objects,
Michelle Kaskovich’s art is inspired by recycling and repurposing materials that she collects locally and while traveling. Over the last 20 years, her work has been shown in exhibits and galleries across the United States. Michelle was educated at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Aberdeen University, Scotland and currently works as an arts educator in North County.