BIO
Oscar Pearson is recognized for his paintings, which have been described by others as inquisitive, resilient, playful, and celebratory with a distinct west coast vibe. His works often utilize pattern, geometry and symmetry as compositional tools. Pearson is a California-based interdisciplinary artist working in the mediums of painting, mixed media and murals. After three formative years working as an assistant to an established ceramicist, he decided to elevate his career as an artist, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting from California State University Long Beach. He co-founded and co-managed The Place on PCH, an arts coalition that offers an international artist residency program in Oceano, California. Currently, Oscar is a full-time studio artist and muralist.
Photo Credit: © Catherine Trujillo
CV
CV
Oscar Pearson
https://oscarpearsonart.wixsite.com/studio
(562) 509-2252
Exhibitions
(Two Person Exhibitions)
2026 Touching Grass, Geheim Gallery, Bellingham, WA
(Selected Group Exhibitions)
2026 Shifting Light, Chatwin Arts, Seattle, WA
2026 Endless Summer, The Space, Seattle, WA
2026 University of Washington MFA + MDes Exhibition, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA
2026 Sideshow, Sandpoint Gallery, Seattle, WA
2025 Hide and Seek, Railspur Studios, Seattle, WA
2025 Drawn and Quartered, Europa Gallery, Seattle, WA
2025 The Veil Is Thin Here, Jacob Lawrence Gallery, Seattle, WA
2025 Inside Out, Sandpoint Gallery, Seattle, WA
2025 Now You Are Me, Common Ground, Seattle, WA
2025 Northwest Lore, Europa Gallery, Seattle, WA
2025 Artists at Work, Sandpoint Gallery, Seattle, WA
2024 To Each Their Own, The Bunker, San Luis Obispo, CA
2024 Salon des Refusés (side event to Argilla Italia, International Festival of Ceramics), Another Fucking Gallery, Faenza, Italy
2024 California Landscape: Then and Now, Great Park Gallery, Irvine, CA
2024 Under The Same Sun, From Low-Riders to Farmworkers, The Elverhøj Museum, Solvang, CA
2024 Made in California, Brea gallery (Juror: Dr. Megan Debin) , Brea, CA
2023 Nurturing the Youth, The Arts Fund Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
2022 In The Now Figurative, Flatline Gallery, Long Beach, CA
2021 Weaving Light and Form, The Arts Fund Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
2021 Razor in the Fray, (online exhibition) Peripheral Space, Los Angeles, CA
2021 Click To Add Title, Los Angeles, CA
2021 Now Trending, Palos Verdes Art Center (Juror: Dennis Keeley) , Palos Verdes, CA
2020 CSULB President’s House Show, Long Beach, CA
2020 Near Far, Dutzi Gallery, Long Beach, CA
2019 Insights, Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum, Long Beach, CA
2019 Examined Life, Max L. Gatov Gallery West, Long Beach, CA
2018 Now Trending, Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA
2016 Fluorescent Summer, New Lows, Lompoc, CA
2015 On The Bus (solo exhibition), Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria, CA
Exhibitions Curated
2024 Under The Same Sun, From Low-Riders to Farmworkers, The Elverhøj Museum, Solvang, CA
2021 Our House, The Place on PCH, Oceano, CA
Education
2026 MFA, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
2021 BFA Summa Cum Laude, Drawing and Painting, California State University Long Beach
2016 Associate’s Degree in Art, Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria, CA
Selected Awards/Grants/Residencies
2025 Gonzales Graduate Scholarship for Excellence in Painting + Drawing, University of Washington
2025 Tropical Lab Residency, Lasalle College of The Arts, Singapore
2020 Dean’s Purchase Award, California State University Long Beach
2020 Jamiesson-Pechstein School of Art Endowed Scholarship, California State University Long Beach
2019 Dillingham Memorial Scholarship School of Art Scholarship, California State University Long Beach
2018 Jamiesson-Pechstein School of Art Endowed Scholarship, California State University Long Beach
2015 Santa Maria Arts Council, 1st and 2nd Place Award
2014-15 Ed Harvey Scholarship, Allan Hancock College
Collections
California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
California State University Long Beach
Allan Hancock College
Professional Experience
2025 Predoctoral Instructor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
2023 Studio assistant under Narsiso Martinez, Long Beach, CA
2017-2022 The Place on PCH (Nonprofit Artist Residency Program), Secretary/Manager, Oceano, CA
2016-2019 Studio Assistant, ceramic artist, Grover Beach, CA (prepared materials, assisted in making artwork, installing exhibitions, and shipping)
Visiting Artist Lectures/Presentations
2025 Guest Speaker, California State University Long Beach, (Alumni Panel, BFA Senior Course)
2023 Guest Speaker, California State University Stanislaus, (Professional Practice Panel, BFA Senior Course)
2022 Lecture/Presentation, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo CA
2022 Virtual Lecture, California State University Long Beach, (Advanced Color Theory, BFA Senior Course)
Courses Taught
University of Washington
2025 Spring/Fall Introduction to Drawing
Public Art Commissions
2023 Sixteen Native Plants, Multi-faceted mural on four large utility boxes, ~300 sq. ft. acrylic on metal, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
2022 Generosity, Triptych mural (each panel 12 x 14 ft.), acrylic on wall, California Polytechnic University, California Polytechnic Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA
2021 Among Her Oaks, Mural (12 x 24 ft.) acrylic on wall, Atkinson Park, The Arts Fund and City of Santa Maria, Santa Maria CA
2020 Chacho’s Mural, (8 x 32 ft.) acrylic on wall, Chacho’s Mexican Takeout, Oceano Beach Community Association, Oceano, CA
Community Experience
2021 Mural Mentorship, K-12 students, Santa Maria, CA
Press/Reviews/interviews
Irene Gonzalez de Las Casas, ‘The Veil Is Thin Here’ review, The Daily, Oct. 10, 2025
Josef Woodard, Slices of Latinx Life Cali-Style, Santa Barbara Independent, Sep. 16, 2024
Touati, Leila, Thinking Outside The Box, Mustang News, Mar. 7, 2023
Collom, Liv, New Mural on Cal Poly’s Via Carta road celebrates Central Coast community, KCPR/Mustang News, October 10, 2022
SLO Review, Cal Poly Debuts First Commissioned Outdoor Mural, SLO Review, Sept. 14, 2022
Lanham, Camellia, Experimentation Station, Sun, Santa Maria, Sept 1-8, 2022, p. 20
Showalter, Rachel, New Mural Highlights Oceano Culture, Community, Jan. 28, 2021,
KCBX Arts Beat
Schecter, Lauren and Chang, Vivian (Editors), Primary Magazine, CSULB SOA Spring
2021, p. 165-167