Meet Our 2025 Visiting Artist Fellows
The Ilan-Lael Foundation is proud to announce its 2025 Visiting Artist Program, which builds upon the success of the inaugural 2024 program and honors the visionary spirit of founder James Hubbell.Eight immensely talented and prominent artists have agreed to be Ilan-Lael’s Visiting Artists for 2025. This program is designed to welcome artists to the property where James Hubbell lived and created for over 60 years. The Artist Fellow class of 2025 offers a unique blend of fresh perspectives and legacy carrying, as some of these artists were taught by James Hubbell himself and now serve as full-time studio artisans.
Earlier this year, each artist was invited to visit Ilan-Lael, Hubbell’s art-filled and historically designated home and studios located in Wynola, CA, to seek inspiration from the unusual architectural and serene natural landscapes to create unique works. These artworks will debut at the Foundation sponsored Harvest Moon Dinner on October 5th, also held on the Wynola property amidst Hubbell’s art and architecture. Following the dinner, all artworks, including select works by James Hubbell will be available for viewing and sale at Sparks Gallery in downtown San Diego from November 9th to December 31st.
Ilan-Lael Visiting Artist Fellows 2025
DONNA CONSENTINO, Photography
In a life dedicated to photography since 1971, Donna has been a news photographer, museum docent, lab tech, curator, educator, lecturer and leader in the photographic community. After thirty years of teaching photography at the college level, Donna retired as the Photography Department head of Palomar College in 2018. In the spring of 2018 she opened The Photographer’s Eye Collective, a photography gallery in Escondido, CA. Working together with a group of photographer volunteers who make up the Collective, the gallery has become an award-winning jewel in North County showing unique photographic works from local, national and international artists. A practicing photographer, she makes photographs of intimate botanicals and natural spaces. Donna works in black and white film with her Rolleiflex and her Zone Vl 4×5 camera and is passionate about using alternative photographic processes. Learn more about artist fellow Donna Cosentino and her work
BRENNAN HUBBELL, Sculpture
Brennan grew up in the chaparral covered hills of Santa Ysabel. He took an early liking to the collaborative game Exquisite Corpse, made popular by the Dadaists and taught to him by his artist father James Hubbell. Brennan studied film making, writing and visual storytelling, and earning a Studio Art Major from Saint Olaf College, Minnesota. Brennan has exhibited throughout the region. Much of Brennan’s art practice is in private commissions for homes, businesses, and public spaces. His work continues in the spirit of making the Exquisite Corpse with large groups, and most prominently in the design and construction of several public spaces. Some of these public gathering places of note are: The Sweet Water Zen Center with artist Nigel Brooks and attendees of the Zen Center; “Rain Keeper” created with Volunteers of the community at the First Unitarian Universalist Church; “Manzanita Gathering Place” made with Pomegranate Foundation and residents of Azalea Park; and “Take Back the Alley” annual events in the gardens and alley behind the digital Gym in North Park. Learn more about artist fellow Brennan Hubbell and his work
MARGARET LARLHAM, Painting
Margaret is an Eminent Pastelist of the International Association of Pastel Societies. Interested in both landscape and figurative subjects she regularly paints en plein air and in her garden studio. Her impressionistic style may derive from her former career as dancer, choreographer, theatre director at San Diego State University and even earlier at Natal University, Durban, South Africa. Learn more about artist fellow Margaret Larlham and her work
MATI ROSA MOON, Mosaic
Mati Moon is an artist and arts educator whose work blends community, nature, and creative exploration. As Ilan-Lael’s Program Coordinator, she brings her background in painting, ceramics, and botanical inspiration to life through vibrant arts education programs for youth in Julian and surrounding areas. Originally from the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, Mati now lives in a little house on a dry hillside overlooking the Anza-Borrego Desert—an environmental contrast that informs her interest in life cycles, ritual, and subtle natural shifts. This fall, she is co-teaching a 12-week ceramics course for high school students at Ilan-Lael. As a Visiting Artist, she draws deep inspiration from the sculptural work of James Hubbell, whose flowing forms and organic lines have expanded her own creative language. Mati also teaches gardening and art at the local elementary school and finds joy in raising her children and getting her hands in the soil.
CINDY MUSHET-SHRIVER, Stained-Glass
Cindy Mushet-Shriver has been working as James Hubbell’s stained glass artist for nearly 40 years. James’ work and their shared love of horses is what inspires her art. All proceeds from her artistry go to the nurturing of rescued horses and birds in her care. Not only is she accomplished in her trade as an artist but she is an expert in animal biology, an avid belly dancer in the troupe the Mountain Tribal Gypsy and is a local legend in regards to her ability to rehabilitate wildlife.
JOE SKOBY, Ceramics
Joseph Skoby is a Southern Californian ceramic artist whose work is inspired by the nature of his native State. His ceramics, created in his own lush garden, recall his intimate dance with the ocean as a lifelong surfer—a pure form of self-expression that disappears after each wave. Each vessel is unique and hand thrown and crafted in their studio in La Jolla California. His work finds inspiration in the traditional Japanese ceramics craft, combined with the freedom of diving into the contemporary. The pieces embody an aesthetic principle where imperfections become the birthplace of unique beauty. Learn more about artist fellow Joe Skoby and his work
DAN THONER, Woodworking
Dan Thoner began his artistic journey as an oil painter. Then after a brief stint as a portrait artist at Disneyland he went to work with his dad and brother as a carpenter. It was during this time that he became aware of the art of James Hubbell and was inspired to renew his commitment to creating art. Along with learning to do stained glass he went to work in the graphic arts field as a freelance illustrator and received a number of awards from the San Diego Graphic Arts community. Among his clients were Wrangler, Miller Brewing, Taylor Guitars, Rubio’s, Rocky Shoes and Boots, Playtex, InMotion Events, Babe Kombucha and Barona Casino. Eventually he decided to move to Julian where he set out to combine his accumulated skills into designing and building doors.
TONI WILLIAMS, Plein Air Painting
Toni Williams has been a professional artist and muralist for over 20 years. She is a member of the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild, San Dieguito Art Guild and the American Impressionists Society, Signature Member.
A native of New York, Toni moved to San Diego in 1972 to finish her education at UCSD in La Jolla with a Bachelors Degree in Visual Arts. Taken with the arid and temperate climate of Southern California, Toni’s work has been influenced by the great plein air artists in the San Diego Area at the turn of the century, namely Maurice Braun, Charles Fries, Franz Bischoff and William Wendt.
In the pursuit of gaining experience in painting the human form, Toni has studied under the tutelage of friend and mentor, Marileigh Schulte. Learn more about artist fellow Toni Williams and her work.
TOP PHOTO: Visiting artist fellow Donna Consentino behind her view camera on the inspiring grounds of Ilan-Lael, by Rhi Burmeister
A Journey from Creation to Exhibition
The artistic work of the Visiting Artist Program unfolds across two distinct exhibitions:
- Ilan-Lael Harvest Moon Dinner: Be among the first to experience these new creations at the exclusive unveiling and silent auction/sale held during our annual Ilan-Lael Harvest Moon fundraising dinner.
- Sparks Gallery: The artistic conversation continues at Sparks Gallery in San Diego’s vibrant downtown neighborhood. This exhibition brings the program to a wider audience, further amplifying the connection between Ilan-Lael’s creative community with the San Diego art scene.
It was James and Anne Hubbell’s wish to make art and nature accessible and an inspiration for all ages. They placed their magnificent Santa Ysabel home, studios, and beautiful lands into the Ilan-Lael Foundation’s care with the abiding belief that art changes society for the better — and that we are best-equipped to carry forward this idea. With this in mind we ask you to join us on this very important project and support Ilan-Lael Foundation and programs like Visiting Artist Fellows possible.