Sequoia Gallery
May 3–June 29, 2025
Engaging Community: an exhibition of CFC Steering Committee Members
curated by Nanette Wylde
Artists: Ian Bain, Terra Fuller, Gadget, Elizabeth Gómez, Sandra Keely, Kent Manske, Beth Mostovoy, and NehaXStitch
Engaging Community includes eight CfC Steering Committee visual artists: Ian Bain, Terra Fuller, Gadget, Elizabeth Gómez, Sandra Keely, Kent Manske, Beth Mostovoy, and NehaXStitch. These artists have come together with a group of San Mateo County community members—all volunteering time, skills, energy, and resources—to bring a multi-purpose Arts Center to our region.
Grassroots community activism with the goal of creating space for individuals and families to engage in and celebrate a broad range of the Arts is the heart of their efforts. When artists work in their communities, magic happens—they engage fellow citizens with joy, generosity, and the creative spirit. Not only do they create connections with each other, they provide pathways for public engagement with creative experiences— experiences with positive outcomes which affect mental health, personal development, social connection, daily happiness, and local economies.
On exhibit are oil paintings by Ian Bain and Elizabeth Gómez, quilts by Terra Fuller, layered wood creations by Gadget, carved acrylic works by Sandra Keely, prints by Kent Manske, photographs by Beth Mostovoy, and embroidery by NehaXStitch. These artists are storytellers. Their themes include family, nature, environmental concerns, cultural heritage, science, whimsy, socio-political issues, materials exploration, and attention to one’s surroundings.
The exhibition runs May 3–June 29, 2025, and will be open to the public during Silicon Valley Open Studios the first three weekends of May from 11 am to 5pm. Additional open dates and events to be announced.
About the Artists
Ian Bain is a life-long Bay Area resident who grew up on the Peninsula, attended local public schools, and graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in Political Science. Ian served on the Redwood City Council, including terms as Mayor and Vice Mayor, where he was known as the leading voice for government transparency, a strong supporter of small businesses and a champion for the average citizen. He has led communications for global technology companies, and possesses a unique blend of business, government, and nonprofit experiences. His kids, who are grown, are pursuing careers in the arts.
Terra Fuller earned a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, an MFA from the Yale University School of Art, and an MA in Arts Administration from Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Terra has exhibited her multidisciplinary work in solo and group exhibitions in California, New York, Chicago, Indiana, the UK, New Zealand, Germany, Morocco, and Hungary. Terra grew up in rural Indiana in Amish communities and in southern Louisiana in a small Cajun town. She has lived in San Francisco for the last 13 years.
Gadget is a Redwood City based artist and creative problem solver. Through his layered wood artwork and cities made from reclaimed materials, Gadget pushes the boundaries of his mediums while asking us to reflect on who we are, the world around us, and where the two intersect. Gadget has cast metals, exhibited ceramics, concocted conceptual art puzzles, collaborated on interactive Burning Man art; he thrives on sneaking creative surprises into every corner of life.
Elizabeth Gómez is an artist, art educator, and community organizer born and raised in Mexico City. She has made her home in the Bay Area since 1991. As a practicing artist, she paints, illustrates books, leads community murals, and makes art installations. Gömez has an MFA in Pictorial Art from San José State University. She has shown at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco; the Oakland Museum of California; MACLA in San José, the Mohr Gallery in Mountain View, and the Redwood City Art Kiosk.
Sandra Keely has been an artist for 36 years. After working as an animator for movies such as Anastasia and All Dogs Go to Heaven, she expanded her practice to include murals, oil and acrylic painting, sculpture and decorative painting. Sandra currently works on acrylic paint carvings. She spreads over 100 layers of paint on top of baltic birch—then, after letting it dry for many weeks, she begins to carve. With this method, Sandra creates all kinds of colors and designs. She loves the tactile nature of the carvings and encourages people to enjoy what they see and feel.
Kent Manske creates images and symbols to inquire, process, manage, convey and assign meaning to ideas about human existence. He uses printmaking and book publishing processes to create one-of-a-kind and limited-edition works on paper. Manske has a BFA from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is a co-founder of PreNeo Press in Redwood City, California. His work can be found in public and private collections including the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums and the Oakland Museum of California.
Countless incredible moments in each day, in each year, and in each life go unseen and unlived, then are gone in a heartbeat. Beth Mostovoy creates photographs that reveal the extra-ordinary moments that color our lives. Her focus is being present to SEE these moments, to strip away the blasé and the extraneous noise to capture and immortalize that moment in an image that lives on to be seen and experienced forever. Her work can be seen at all ART on the Square events in Redwood City and in private collections around the world. Mostovoy has an MA from JFK University in Orinda, California. She served on the Board of the Redwood City Parks & Arts Foundation, 2012–2020.
Neha of NehaXStitch is a Bay Area native and embroidery artist with a passion for giving back. Her work centers on themes of social justice and the South Asian American experience, often with a touch of humor. She donates 100% of her profits, primarily to Planned Parenthood Northern California, and has contributed over $24,000 to date. Specializing in cross-stitch embroidery, Neha’s signature style blends bold statements with traditional blackwork. Her creations aren’t just for display; she also designs practical items like shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, bookmarks, keychains, and even compact mirrors.