Gema Lopez

Artist Bio Gema Lopez is a Fresno-based realist artist whose oil paintings explore ordinary objects through close observation, dramatic light, and a touch of humor. Drawn to subjects that are familiar but often overlooked, she paints everything from vintage telephones and reflective objects to sunglasses, handwritten notes, and other artifacts of everyday life. Her recent work increasingly incorporates elements of trompe l'oeil, inviting viewers to look twice at what appears to be real.

Gema has worked in a variety of media throughout her career, including pastel and charcoal, but her current studio practice focuses primarily on oil painting. Her work has been exhibited throughout California in juried and group exhibitions, and is held in private collections. In 2023, she received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council. She has also served as a California Arts Council grant review panelist.

In addition to her studio practice, Gema teaches oil painting through California arts-in-corrections programs, where she works with beginning through advanced students. Teaching has become an important complement to her own practice and reflects her belief in the value of art as both a discipline and a means of personal expression.

Gema works from her studio at the M Street Arts Complex in downtown Fresno, where she continues to develop a body of contemporary realist work centered on the unexpected beauty, personality, and stories found in everyday things.

Instagram: @gemafinearts

Preferred Media: painting, pastel, sketch, other