Vanessa Stafford

I've been painting since 1967. I started as a studio painter, and used watercolors. I branched out to acrylic paint, as well as painting outdoor in the "plein air" style. I started painting outside, in  the great outdoors, dazzled by “high adventure” as I battled the elements of weather.   I bid for mural jobs: traffic signal cabinets. I've painted more than twelve cabinets for Santa Cruz. I was chosen to paint murals in Almaden Valley.   In 2018 I had a solo exhibition at the County Building in Santa Cruz. The most recent “Pegasus” sculpture was chosen by Newberg, Oregon. My recent venture is sculpting with epoxy clay and plexiglass, and fiberglass. I enjoy fabricating sculptures with lights that shine from the inside of the sculpture through transparent areas. I designed a Pegasus with LED lights that shine from the inside out, through transparent plexiglass.

Public Art Projects: Santa Cruz: Two Murals for the County of Santa Cruz- Elections Office 2019 Santa Cruz County: Mural Painted for the Davenport Cell Tower Cabinet 2019 City of San Jose/Almaden Valley: Two murals painted on Cement Retainer Vaults 2018 City of Mt. View: Mural Painted for “Sidewalk Studios” Evelyn and Bush St. 2018 City of Willow Glen: Mural painted on signal cabinet on Willow Ave. City of Santa Cruz: Mural painted on Pacific and Laurel St 2012 Art Exhibition: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts- 2018 Collections: Susan Wojciki, CEO YouTube Public Art Professional References: Michael Ogilvie- City of San Jose, Director of Public Art- michael.ogilvie@sanjoseca.gov (408) 793-4338 Melissa Smedley- Art Liaison For Mid Penn Housing- Melissasmedley@artistatlarge.net (831) 737-5360 Sydney Foster-Analyst I, Mountain View- sydney.foster@mountainview.gov (650) 903-6118

Bachelor Science Graphic Design 1997- San Jose State University Art Teaching Credential (CLAD) 1999 San Jose State University