Born in Honolulu, Nakamoto has cultivated a life rich in culture and creativity. His heritage is deeply rooted in his grandparents, who immigrated from Japan and Okinawa in the early 1900s.

Music has been a significant part of Nakamoto's life. He learned to play the ukulele at nine, followed by clarinet during his early teens. At 14, he picked up a hand-me-down guitar from his older brother, igniting his passion for music. By age 20, he was performing small gigs and songwriting with his friend Karl Nishio. Nakamoto spent ten years in Los Angeles, where he continued to pursue music. After returning to Hawaii, he rekindled his musical partnership with Karl,  releasing his first original CD, “Field of Stones,” followed by “Songs the Wind Whispered.” 

Nakamoto has always appreciated the arts, initially aiming for a fine arts major before shifting to business. Upon retirement, Nakamoto reignited his passion for painting.

Gina Mims, a California native, relocated from Orange County to Ahwahnee, near Yosemite National Park, in 2013. Her family has been gathering at Bass Lake for annual reunions for over 75 years, and during one of these cherished trips, Gina decided it was time for a life change. While she painted frequently as an art major, the demands of running her graphic design agency left little time for creative pursuits. After her move, she reignited her passion for painting, returning to the canvas after nearly 20 years.

Now the owner of Inspiro Brands, Gina works remotely with clients but always carves out time to paint. Her acrylic on canvas pieces, crafted with both brush and palette knife, are known for their dreamlike essence. 

Gina is a past President and the current Marketing/Community Outreach Chair for Yosemite Sierra Artists. Learn more about the organization at YosemiteSierraArtists.org.

To explore Gina's work, visit GinaMimsArt.com.

Lisa Zylstra grew up along the Southern California coast, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for the ocean and coastal foothills. Her passion for hiking and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada eventually inspired Lisa and her husband to relocate to the Sierra foothills near Yosemite National Park in 2020. 

Lisa’s artistic journey began early, earning her awards and scholarships during high school, including a life-drawing scholarship to Otis Parsons College of Art and Design in Los Angeles and a prestigious first-place award among all senior artists in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She later earned a BFA in Illustration from CSU Long Beach. Her education and training led to opportunities to create artwork for corporations and private collectors. 

Today, Lisa’s passion lies in painting California’s diverse landscapes in oils.  Her work has garnered numerous awards and paintings are featured in several galleries.

Lura Schwarz Smith has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art, emphasis in painting and drawing, from San Francisco State University. She produced textile art and mixed media work from 1975, originally showing in California galleries throughout the 70s and 80s. In the 90s she taught, showed art quilts, and received awards at national and international levels. One of her art quilts was named one of the “100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century.”

Over the past ten years, Smith has turned her focus to oil painting, exploring both realistic and more abstract and fractured approaches, drawn to the directness and immediacy of paint on canvas. Exploring the imagination and inner life through figurative art are primary themes in her art. 

To see more of her work, visit www.lura-art.com

Mary Beth Harrison has called herself an “artist in waiting” for most of her adult life. 
Her return to the art world began when, for her 50th birthday, her husband gave her an entire painting set up – easel, paint, brushes, canvas, etc., and said, “You don’t have to wait for retirement; start now.” And she did!
 

She has won awards for her paintings in many California art competitions and has been featured on the cover of several publications.

View her latest works at the Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst, Jennie’s Garden in North Fork, and on her website.

From an early age Nedra has always had a very creative imaginative spirit. Early on in grammar school Nedra was putting together talent shows, dance routines, drawing, singing and was always happiest with her Muse.

A major car accident in her late 30s led to an NDE and many surgeries and complications she lives with to this day. During her recovery from the car accident the nursing staff asked her family what would help in her recovery, so while in an induced coma they put headphones on her with music to ease the pain: the result is she came out of it ready to write and play music leading to her first CD that led to her being listed in the top 100 harmonica players by The World of Harmonica UK website and becoming a representative for Hohner Harmonica Company (now KHS America). 

Nowadays you will find Nedra in her studio daily creating new works and getting ready for the many public appearances on her calendar. 

Teresa started her adventure with art in her hometown in Shafter, CA. She spent most of her adult life pouring her creative energy into home-making, raising children, volunteer work and enjoying offering hospitality. Nearing the empty nest stage she pursued her latent art passion.  Her style has been influenced by her world wide travel and classes taken near the places she has lived.

She now lives in Oakhurst, CA and has been inspired by Yosemite National Park and the ever changing beauty in the surrounding mountain communities.

Teresa sees making art as important play that helps all humans to be more fully alive, as we connect with each other and experience what it means to be co-creators, adding to the beauty.  From her vibrant transparent watercolor paintings to her landscapes in acrylic, you will experience being transported to another place and invited to ‘see’ the beauty in the ordinary.”

Vicki D. Thomas is an award-winning artist from Mariposa, California, with a deep passion for watercolor painting. The medium’s transparency allows her to create stunning images, especially her vibrant floral still-lifes, which have been adapted into giftware like teapots and greeting cards. She has also ventured into acrylic painting, showcasing bold landscapes and florals.

Vicki has mastered the art of depicting whimsical themes for both adults and children. She has taught painting to students of all ages and is an active member of local art clubs, particularly Yosemite Sierra Artists. Since moving to the Sierra Nevada Foothills, she has enjoyed plein air painting inspired by the stunning scenery.

In addition to her art, Vicki is an author of the Relics Adventures series, having published three books, with the fourth in progress. She enjoys her home life with her husband, surrounded by local wildlife. For more, visit her website: www.vickithomasartist.net