The Neal Taylor Nature Center has had the pleasure of working with many artists over the years. They’ve dived deep into special projects and contributed their work in several mediums, from donating art pieces to our exhibits to photographing our events and more. These artists and their dedicated vision have recently contributed greatly to our mission of connecting people with nature.
Tiffany Vague – Fishing Rod Builder
Youtube: @VagueRods-Tiffany, Instagram: @vaguerods
Tiffany is a master at her craft, having won 1st place in a people’s choice award and one of the top 10 rods internationally at the annual international rod building conference.
She weaves thread with such fine detail on her rods that her style of rod building has been coined as “The Tiffany Method”. She regularly gives seminars at trade shows, sharing her tips on fishing . Tiffany is also very generous. She donates a very valuable, beautiful and immaculately crafted fly fishing rod to the Neal Taylor Nature Center every year for our raffle at the fish derby closing ceremony auction.
Jeremy Harper – Visual Artist
California plein air artist Jeremy Harper grew up a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara California. Jeremy has loved drawing and painting since childhood, with travel and surfing joining those passions at an early age.
Jeremy has painted several stunning pieces of Cachuma Lake and of California landscapes in general. His pieces are sold in our gift shop, and they add a beautiful, stylized ambiance of outdoor landscapes to our indoor spaces at the Nature Center.
“I have loved drawing and painting from life since early childhood. From the figurative paintings I made at the San Francisco Art Institute to the plein air landscapes I create now, nature has always been my main inspiration.
Nature is like a visual symphony of colors and shapes and rhythms all singing in harmony. As artists we are simply making recordings of what we see. The complexities are simplified and we give to the viewer a rendition of the natural world’s ongoing masterpiece.”
Steve Udell – Photographer
Steve is an accomplished photographer who captures breathtaking photos that draw the viewer in, making them feel part of the scene. His bird book with original photography is a true treat to behold. One of his favorite spots to camp and shoot photography is at Cachuma Lake, and some of his work is on display in our exhibits and on our website.
Steve is a self-taught photographer (and still learning) who has been helped by many, and inspired by a few. The works of Ansel Adams, Walker Evens, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and George Hurrell were instrumental in Steve’s fascination with Black & White photography.
“I’m inspired by the magic of the ‘story’ that informs a given event. I’ve worked my entire life perfecting my ability to convey personal stories through photographs by capturing the enchanted moment. My specialty is weddings, and I’ve also memorialized a broad range of life passages for many satisfied clients.
Transformative experiences invariably generate matchless tales that long to be fully conveyed, but seldom are. After years of experience, I’ve learned to sense such emerging personal narratives and bring them into complete and ideal focus.”
Charlie Miller – Photographer
Charlie skillfully captures remarkable landscapes, portraits, and events in her professional photography work. She started volunteering with the Nature Center in October 2023 and has dedicated a tremendous amount of her work to our projects. She has helped a lot with our new plant exhibit, as well as photographed events and items for our raffle.
“What I enjoy most about photography is the excitement I feel when I look through the lens and know I’ve captured something that will bring joy to my client. In engagement wedding, and lifestyle photography, I love the challenge of finding the magical and spontaneous moments that will provide an emotional connection to my clients.
In my editorial and portrait photography work I love exploring, playing with light and color, and bringing my clients personality to life. I am currently based in Los Angeles but I am a destination photographer willing to travel all over.”
Colin Eldridge – Writer, Photographer, Graphic & Web Designer
Colin started volunteering at the Nature Center as a Camp Host in May 2023. His first project with the Nature Center was photographing the Fish Derby. Since then, he has contributed his design skills by creating flyers, updating exhibits and redesigning the clnaturecenter.org and troutderby.org websites. He has also shared his skills as an avid writer in the nature center’s newsletter and blog.
“As an artist, writer, photographer, and graphic designer, my work involves capturing and crafting colorful, vivid, enlivening experiences. I strive to provide a unique, striking aesthetic journey through my creations. Nature, spirituality and visionary art all serve as my inspirations.
Through the lens of my camera and the strokes of my many design tools, I aim to offer a distinctive, flowing aesthetic experience and evoke pleasurable emotions like awe and wonder. The power of visual art allows me not only to showcase my own perspectives but also to inspire and uplift others by focusing on important social and environmental issues.”
