Jami Santos says she can’t remember when she didn’t have an artist sketch pad and pencil in her hand. As a child she was always drawing simple “folk art looking characters,” and if she wasn’t drawing, her hands were either in clay or paper maché.
Her first love was bears. Her very large collection is displayed though out her home. Many of the bears and toys are from her childhood. Creating whimsical figures using dried pieces of tree trucks, and all recycled and vintage material she fashions Santa's, snowmen, bunnies, angels witches and cats and her “signature piece” known as pumpkin head figures. Her favorite holiday for creating her work is Halloween, “because it’s not one of the rush around holidays,” says Jami.
Known for her popular “morning after pumpkins,” Jami creates each one by hand, so no two are ever alike.
Recently, she has created original “Altered Art Halloween Tins” for
“Whimzy” in Tustin.
For more information regarding her art, e-mail her at:
J'Me Santos
Tara Wilson
The love of art has been a constant in the life of Tara Wilson. As a young girl she frequented the bead shops in Laguna Beach and often spent her allowance on something sparkly and shiny she found there. Her early jewelry pieces were simple strung necklaces and head-pin earrings. College introduced her to the world of 3 dimensional design, sculpture and painting. Tara could not quite figure out how to pay the bills creating crazy sculptures out of found objects so she earned her degree in business. Art took a back burner as she continued on to graduate school for business and finally law school. After 12 years as an attorney her creative side was badly neglected.
Tara was shopping for that perfect necklace for an outfit and just couldn't find the one that spoke to her. After deciding to make one she popped into Garden of Beaden in Upland and was inspired by Irene Sanchez to make something more elaborate than she usually did. A love of jewelry was reborn and the hunt for cool beads and vintage jewelry was on! After taking an amazing soldering class with Robin Dudley Howes, the creative side was back with a vengeance. With the new techniques learned, Tara was able to combine her love of all things rhinestone and vintage with mixed media art jewelry. With a nod to her two Chihuahuas, Lulu and Max, the brand Lulu Max was born! Tara now works in jewelry full time and is teaching several classes.
