Susan Arena

Melissa Bouwman

Exhibition: Sept. 9- Oct. 2, 2026

Opening Reception: Mon. Sept. 14 // 3:30 - 5 p.m.

The reception does not require an RSVP. During normal gallery hours, we ask that you make a reservation in advance by clicking here. Visitors must check in with security.

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (Sept.4, 2026) – Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences is excited to announce the first exhibition of the 2026-27 school year showcasing the diverse and multifaceted work of members of the School’s K-12 Visual Arts Department. This exhibition offers an insightful glimpse into the creative processes and thematic explorations which define each artist’s practice. Additionally, these teaching artists bring their extensive knowledge, experience and passion for their practice into the classroom. This exhibition features artwork by the following Crossroads teaching artists:

Susan Arena, Melissa Bouwman, Janice Gomez, Molly Hansen , Anne Kessler, Akemi Maruki, Antonio Okun, Vincent Ramos, Jesse Robinson, Alystair Rogers, Carly Steward , David Stewart, Solomon Turner

Susan Arena’s work in drawing, painting and ceramic sculpture investigates how the domestic or our everyday world comes in contact with the mythic, combining the personal with the universal. She is interested in making objects whose mysterious power suggests a wider cosmology. The images in my work should feel like they refer to a larger set of narratives, like characters in a play that are at once familiar and yet also just out of reach.

Melissa Bouwman’s short animation, Arborealus, was inspired by her treasure trove of pods, leaves, bits of bark, and fallen blossoms that she collected when first moving to Los Angeles.

Janice Gomez’s work explores accessibility and self-awareness both in physical and mental space—sometimes manifesting in labyrinth installations that meander through constructed pathways, ultimately revealing a niche for reflection and collective interaction; explorations in performance with intimate recitals for an audience of one, occasionally blurring the line between audience and performer in addition to engaging spectators in larger numbers; and revisiting, site specific tableaus with sculptural, photographic and sound elements. As the theme of self-awareness takes shape across many forms, one is often reminded of what the human body is able to endure or unable to achieve.

Molly Hansen’s Dragged Through the Mud on the Strength of a Very Convincing Lie uses sound and image from the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings of October 1991 to explore Maurice Merleau Ponty’s theory of “embodied perception” in asking, “What does truth feel like? What does dishonesty feel like?”.

Anne Kessler's artwork has traditionally been about interpreting the natural world and finding beauty and mystery through relationships with objects. She also enjoys experimenting with different color palettes to depict a mood or emotion through her art. Using mixed media and experimenting with different techniques is exciting to Anne, an artist and teacher.

Akemi Maruki’s textile work, Draped in Sorrow, is a response to the violence and devastation caused by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the systems of immigration enforcement that separate families, detain people, and have resulted in deaths in custody and in ICE-related incidents.

Antonio Okun’s ceramic sculpture, Real Loon, invites viewers to connect and explore the invisible threads that link them to the artist’s personal narrative.

Vincent Ramos creates drawings, installations and performances rooted in archival research and his own collecting practices. His works link popular culture with specific historical events to reinterpret notions of memory, time and place within social, cultural and political arenas of American society.

Jesse Robinson’s works begin with a process of repeatedly folding and painting a piece of unstretched canvas. Using pigments in varying amounts, opacities, and colors, he creates a layered geometric composition in which all forms converge on a single point.

Alystair Rogers is an interdisciplinary artist living and working in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of UC Irvine’s MFA program, and has shown in various institutions in and around Los Angeles. He has taught ceramics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and is proud to be a new faculty member at Crossroads Elementary.

Carly Steward’s art practice is rooted in an ongoing investigation of perception, memory, and the ways images shape our experiences. Working across photography, collage, mixed media, sculpture, and handmade artist books, Carly moves between the photographic image and the physical object.

David Stewart’s Waiterade, is a short film created for a live scoring event in which a DJ provided the musical accompaniment live to an audience.

Solomon Turner’s collaborative work explores themes of family history, identity and the intersection of technology and architecture through his filmmaking. His structuralist approach and iterative design process offer fresh perspectives on human life, personal heritage and self-understanding.

This exhibition is a rich and engaging exploration of contemporary themes and artistic practices, reflecting the diverse voices and creative approaches of Crossroads’ visual arts faculty. Join us in celebrating their work and the vibrant dialogue it inspires at the start of the new school year.