05/08/2026
SCAA MEETING • Monday • May 18, 6-7:30 pm
Newhall Library Community Center
Coastal Painter Jem Atwater to Headline May SCAA Meeting. The Santa Clarita Artists Association will open its doors to one of Ventura County’s most accomplished painters when Jem Atwater takes center stage at the May 18, 2026 monthly meet-ing. The evening demonstration, free and open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. in the Newhall Library Community Room, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.
A classically trained oil painter, Atwater earned her BFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco before relocating to Ventura, where she has become a cornerstone of the regional arts community. She teaches throughout Ventura County — at the Santa Paula Art Museum, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Raminfard School of Arts, and her studio at Pacific and Main Creative Workspace. Her oils — spanning plein air landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and pet portraiture — are defined by a rigorous command of color theory and an acute sensitivity to light and atmosphere. An avid surfer, she draws her inspiration from the California coast, and her
work has been recognized by Plein Air Ventura County. The May demonstration will offer attendees an uncommon opportunity: not merely a technical walkthrough, but an in-depth look at the thinking behind the work. Atwater will discuss the influences that shaped her artistic sensibility, the motivations that draw her repeatedly to the California coast, and the insights she has gathered through years of painting both outdoors and in the studio.
For artists at any stage of their practice, an evening with Jem Atwater offers something beyond technique — it offers a window into the mind of a painter who has made a life of looking closely at the world and translating what she sees into oil on canvas.
Arrive at 5:30 p.m. to mingle with fellow creatives and secure your seat before the demonstration begins.