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Who we are…
C5 Studios Community Art Center came about as the result of a creative partnership between co-founders Erin Dews and Naomi Hart Johnson.
C5 Studios Community Arts Center is a subsidiary of Eastern Sierra Artists, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Bishop, California.
Erin Dews
Director of Operations and Community Relations
Erin Dews is a 5th generation resident of the Owens Valley. She is the granddaughter of Dorcas Birchim, a prominent artist and founder of Inyo council for the Arts. Erin is also an educator with 23 years experience in working in Early Childhood, child development and parent/child/community relationships. She has been engaged as a public project coordinator at Kidspace Museum in Pasadena, a co-owner of interior design firm in Santa Barbara, an event and floral designer for high end clients, ECE instructor at Santa Barbara City College, private consultant for early childhood program development, a student with Reggio Children in Italy, as well as a forest school instructor for teachers.
Erin practices her own art through wire, metal and glass sculpture, works with plant fibers and wood, as well as holding free outdoor art programs for young people to freely explore creativity and engage in community service.
She is currently a CASA volunteer, the director and lead teacher at Wild Roots Forest School Eastern Sierra and a co-founder of The Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers.
Naomi Hart Johnson
Director of Education and Programming
Naomi Hart Johnson is an artist and educator with a practice based in lens-based modes of production that explores photography, video, digital, drawing and installation. Her work has featured in group and solo shows in the UK, the US and Japan.
Naomi was born and brought up in Belfast, Northern Ireland and completed her Bachelor's degree at Edinburgh College of Art. Naomi has a Masters Degree in Fine Art and Education and teaching credentials for California and the UK. Formerly based in the North East of England, Naomi began her teaching career there, teaching Art to middle and high school students and holding the position of Head of Visual Arts faculty in a large, innovative public school in addition to coaching and mentoring trainee teachers and leading professional development programs for teachers within the region and nationwide. She developed an outstanding reputation within arts education in the UK and a wealth of experience of teaching, assessment and cutting-edge pedagogy.
Following her relocation to Los Angeles in 2014, Naomi continued teaching Art to middle school students in addition to accepting an adjunct professorship at California Institute for the Arts’ to work within the esteemed Community Arts Partnership program, working with emerging young artists to develop a new generation of highly effective teachers and teaching artists. Naomi, her husband and their two young sons moved to Bishop in 2018 in search of fresh air, more time outside and an opportunity to settle, put down roots and contribute to their new community.
The very first time that Erin and Naomi met, they found a shared love for the arts and a commitment to ensuring that the opportunity to engage in the arts is available to everyone. From this seed grew the inspiration, ideas and vision that has become C5 Studios Community Arts Center.
Erin and Naomi’s partnership offers a balanced perspective that serves to broaden the scope of their work. Erin brings a wealth of experience in child and teacher development, how we learn and the process of creativity, and a deep understanding of the needs of connection and the community of her hometown, while Naomi brings an international perspective and years of experience of arts education programming, teaching and mentoring.
C5 Studios Community Arts Center was launched by in Fall of 2019. Formerly Bishop Mural Society, Eastern Sierra Artists is the non-profit 501(c)3 organization that does business as (DBA) C5 Studios Community Arts Center. Tax ID # 77-0463190
Eastern Sierra Artists Board Members:
President: Gail Swain
Treasurer: Andrea Shallcross
Secretary: Elaine Kabala
Board members: J.R. Berry, Ricki Jarmon
Executive Co-Directors of C5 Studios: Naomi Hart Johnson and Erin Dews