Join us on Saturday, January 16, 2027, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., for the premiere of Spirit of Mountains, a solo exhibition by Santa Paula painter Gabriel Islas. Focusing on the beauty of mountain vistas and the deeply personal spiritual connections to the land they inspire, Islas’ newest body of work includes original studio oil paintings of local and iconic mountains in addition to plein air paintings from locations such as the Eastern Sierra, Alaska, and Switzerland.
For the artist, the scale of mountains showcases the atmospheric effects of light and distance, creating harmonious arrangements of color while hinting at the vast history that preceded us and will last far beyond our existence. In the rhythmic features of weathered and broken rocks, layered with traces of eras past, and in the constant flow of energy within water, wind, and abundant plant and animal life, Islas recognizes and captures the spirit of mountains.
All of the paintings in the exhibition will be available for purchase. Admission to the premiere party is $5 for SPAM members and $10 for non-members. Gabriel Islas: Spirit of Mountains will be on view from January 16, 2027, to May 2, 2027.
More About Gabriel Islas:
Gabriel Islas is an oil painter and art educator based in Southern California. Gabriel obtained his BFA with an emphasis in painting from Academy of Art University in 2019 and has since become an award-winning oil painter with a focus on atmospheric mountain vistas. Gabriel draws inspiration from the local Southern California landscape and abroad, where his passion for plein air painting has led him to capture iconic mountains such as Mt. Whitney, the Grand Tetons, Mt. Denali, and the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
He has won first place at the Buenaventura Art Association’s 35th Open Competition, the People’s Choice Award at SCAPE’s Nature’s Palette exhibit, and the gold medal for “Best Landscape” at the California Art Club’s 114th Gold Medal Exhibition. Gabriel is a founding member of PALS, the Plein Air Landscape Society, and spearheaded its first-ever exhibit at Chapter 30 Creative Studios in 2026. Gabriel is an active member of Last Place Art Club and TheOneOhOne, where he has hosted events and fostered collaboration within the Ventura County arts community.
Gabriel has taught more than 40 classes to adults and teens at various local organizations, including Vita Art Center, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Focus on the Masters, and the Santa Paula Art Museum, as well as at his studio at Pacific & Main in Ventura. Gabriel manages the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Cole Creativity Center as Curator of Creativity, working to bring quality art education directly to the community both at the Creativity Center and within the school district.
Header Image: “South Mountain in Fall” by Gabriel Islas, 2026, Oil, 14 x 18 inches, Available for purchase starting January 16, 2027.