Hope Werness

An Art Historian and artist, Hope Werness is concluding an over-30-year teaching career at CSU Stanislaus.  She holds a double BA in Art and Art History from U.C. Santa Barbara, an MA from Tulane University, and a PhD from U.C.S.B.  While wending her way through academia, she focused on publication - largely on the work of Vincent van Gogh and in conjunction with University Art Gallery exhibitions.

After promotion to Professor, she began making art again, primarily ceramics, collage and assemblage.  Werness occasionally enters competitions and won the Grand Prize in a Villa Montalvo exhibition celebrating the centenary of St Exupery’s Little Prince.  Her work has also been exhibited at the CA State Fair and several Yosemite Renaissance exhibitions, as well as in the University Art Gallery and commercial galleries in Modesto and Santa Barbara.

A bit of a magpie, she loves shiny things, old stuff, and wryly humorous art historical references.  Her art reflects her love of books and esoteric subjects; interests that are also evident in her three published books on symbolism-one on mirrors, one on native art, and the most recent on animal symbolism.