Leo Neufeld
Leo Neufeld is a distinguished artist and educator with over 40 years of teaching experience. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s degree in Art, Leo further honed his skills in New York City, studying at the prestigious Art Students League and the National Academy of Design. His talent and dedication to the arts led him to become an instructor at the New York Academy of Art and the National Academy of Design, where he inspired countless students.
As a copyist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., Leo immersed himself in the masterpieces of the past, deepening his understanding of technique and form. His own artwork has been exhibited in notable galleries across the United States, including the Grand Central Gallery in New York City, the David Barnett Gallery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Mary Ran Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Throughout his career, Leo Neufeld has remained dedicated to both creating and sharing art, inspiring students and art enthusiasts alike with his expertise and passion for the visual arts.
Claudia Savage
Claudia Savage is a Northern California based artist and landscape designer whose work captures the evolving beauty of natural and urban environments. She earned a degree in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2009, blending her love of design with a passion for connecting people to the outdoors.
While working professionally in landscape design, Claudia returned to painting to rediscover creative freedom, eventually exhibiting and selling her work locally. She is passionate about teaching and sharing her process, encouraging others to slow down, observe, and discover the beauty in their surroundings—immersed in shifting light, color, and atmosphere.
Recently, Claudia has developed a passion for plein air painting, embracing oils and working outdoors with a portable easel that allows her studio to exist anywhere. She is drawn to the sculptural quality of brushstrokes and the way texture interacts with light and color. Her inspiration ranges from the iconic landscapes of California and the Pacific Northwest to everyday scenes, from the coastline of Point Lobos to the chickens in her own garden.
Valeree Catangay (she/her) is a plein air painter, nature illustrator, and environmental sustainability professional based on Tongva land in Los Angeles. She carries a deep curiosity for the environment shaped by several core memories: watching Animal Planet as a kid, to the air pollution and port activity affecting her home city of Long Beach, to the beautiful yet threatened coastlines where her family grew up in the Philippines.
Through her art, she strives to amplify stories of outdoor protection and access, climate justice, mental health, and biodiversity conservation. She has collaborated with scientists on community engagement and research projects to protect threatened and endangered bird species across the Gulf of Mexico wetlands, Peruvian Amazon rainforest, and Southern California coast.
Valeree specializes in gouache painting, ink and pencil drawing, and digital illustration. Her works are a whimsical interpretation of the often fleeting moments she experiences in nature. Her paints and inks come with her wherever she travels and each piece reflects her practice of appreciating and connecting with the natural world. When she’s not painting, Valeree enjoys backpacking, wildlife photography, bouldering, and cooking.
Valeree Catangay
I’m a fine art painter based in Northern California, dedicated to capturing the emotional and cultural essence of the landscapes I call home. My work is rooted in a lifelong pursuit of beauty, storytelling, and connection; expressing what words often can’t.
As an introvert, I found my voice through art. Drawing and painting became my way of saying, “I am here, and this place matters.” From early sketches to formal training at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, I’ve embraced the quiet power of visual storytelling. My paintings reflect the spirit of Sonoma County: its fogs, vineyards, coastlines, and hidden corners.
Whether I’m working in gouache or oil, plein air or studio, my goal is to create art that resonates: art that invites viewers to feel something familiar, yet newly seen.
Sergio Lopez