Artist Profile

Kay Zetlmaier has an extensive education in art. An undergraduate art major at Pasadena City College and Cal State University, Long Beach, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in 1972.

Postgraduate honors came later in life with a master’s degree in Humanities (painting empha-sis) from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills.

Zetlmaier’s work has migrated from painting landscapes and seascapes en Plein air to painting non-representationally in her studio.

“I have been painting abstracts using Cold Wax mixed with oil paints since 2018 and have found a medium I just love.” Kay finds excitement in the surprises of subliminal images which reveal themselves into what they want on her surfaces. Her work, highly textured often evoke ideas reminiscent of the energetic environment.

Kay retired after thirty years of teaching art to high school students in her hometown of Ventura, she now continues her teaching profession with classes in her studio. She co-curates exhibitions at the D.A.Davidson & Co. gallery (downtown Ventura) bringing in many wonderful artists from around the county. An Annual Youth Art Show is one of the highlights of the year as well. Zetlmaier created and co-directed the successful Ventura Plein Air Competition, inviting local and well-known artists from Southern California.

She has shown her work at: Buenaventura Art Gallery, Forest & Ocean Gallery (Laguna Beach), Santa Barbara, Santa Paula Art Museum, Fox Fine Jewelry, and D.A.Davidson & Co. Gallery, including local venues in Ventura.

Artists who Kay studied under include: Ray Roberts, Ruo Lee, David Gallup, Dan Schultz, Patti Mollica, and Jerry McLaughlin.

Artists who have greatly influenced her:  Vincent Van Gogh, Helen Frankenthaler, and Richard Diebenkorn.