Participant Biographies and Project Descriptions

Cheryl Ehlers
Cheryl is a self taught artist who creates vibrant sculptures and paintings in watercolors, acrylics and mixed mediums. She holds a BFA in Graphic/Commercial Textile Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Cheryl exhibits, displays, and sells her artwork in throughout the United States and internationally. She also teaches art to private students and groups. Cheryl believes, “artists are born with a gift. They hold within their makeup exceptional creative visualization, a talent that goes beyond words and that enables one to communicate with others”. She believes in “reaching for the stars”.

Cheryl created “Stardust” an after school arts program for third through fifth grade students attending schools in the Oceanside Unified School District. Few opportunities for positive after school experiences exist for low income children who are at risk for gang violence and gang involvement in their neighborhoods. Cheryl’s mission is to bring excitement to the learning process, encourage artistic perception, and teach children problems can have more than one solution. She hopes children will develop visual spatial organization, creativity, confidence, as well as basic skills in drawing shapes, using elements of color, and understanding perspective. Cheryl will be holding two art exhibits with receptions for the children during the school year 2010. Several locations are under consideration and negotiations are currently ongoing.