Bio
Twyla Arthur moved to the San Francisco Bay Area as a young adult after growing up in a small town near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Bay Area art scene inspired her to continue her studies in painting and sculpture. It was an exhibit of paintings by Paul Klee at the University of California Art Museum in Berkeley, California that inspired her pursuit. She completed her MFA in sculpture at Mills College in Oakland, California where she studied with well known west coast artists: John Roloff, J. DeFeo, Ron Nagel and Katherine Wagner.
It was in the S.F. Bay Area she began her career in public art, completing mosaic tile projects for the city of Dublin, California, the University of California at Berkeley and the Bank of America in San Francisco. She worked extensively with David Baker architects including David Baker’s personal house. Projects were published in books and periodicals including: Inside Architecture by Susan Zevon, West Coast Wave by Dirk Sutro, Sunset Magazine and Brava Casa magazine. Her own work was highlighted in The Art of Mosaic Design by JoAnn Loctov and Leslie Plummer Claggett and has been included in other books on mosaic design.
Twyla Arthur currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, where she has completed a number of projects in the cities of San Antonio and Austin, including public, commercial and residential commissions. She continues to create studio work in both assemblage and ceramics.
Jerstad Photographics
C.V.
Education:
MFA
Sculpture, Mills College, Oakland, California
BA
Sociology, Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
2015 – present
Adjunct professor, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Subjects: Sculpture, 3-D Design
Selected Commissions & Public Art:
2022
University Health, San Antonio, purchase of 3 assemblage pieces for new Children’s Hospital
2021
Eisenhower Park Trailhead, mosaic tile and pebble feature, San Antonio, TX, Parks Department, approximately 350 sq. ft.
2020
“Von’s Bench”, concrete and mosaic semi-circular bench commissioned by James Lifshitz in memory of his mother, Yvonne Lifshutz
2017 – 2018
Northwest Service Center, multiple pieces, including “High Ride” shade structure, “Ghost Car”, and 2 concrete, tile and mosaic benches within large campus site, City of San Antonio Public Art – completed fall 2018
2017
Mosaic Urns, residential project in collaboration with Blue Heron Landscape Designs, Alamo Heights, TX
2016
Blue Star Art Complex, Bus Shelter benches, San Antonio, TX
2014
“Homage to Matisse”, Blue Star Art Complex, San Antonio, TX, a series of 5 mosaic medallions imbedded in the sidewalk. The designs are references to Matisse cutouts.
2012 – 2013
Lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for two and a half years, studying Spanish, art and culture in Mexico, exploring new ideas, materials and methods
2011
Mission Road Street Connection, San Antonio River Extension Project, Rialto Studio Landscape Architects
2010
Morningstar Boardwalk, Salado Creek linear park, city of San Antonio Parks and Recreation department, CFZ Group Architects
2008
“Bernard’s Bench”, Southwest School of Art, memorial bench for Bernard Lifshutz,a force for the arts in San Antonio, placed on the Riverwalk at the Southwest School
2005 – 2007
McAllister Park, Turkey Roost Pavilion, city of San Antonio public enhancement project, mosaic entrance, border and benches of new pavilion, CFZ Group Landscape architects
2006
Great Northwest Library, city of San Antonio public enhancement project, mosaic floor path for new children’s wing, collaboration with Gould Evans Architects
2004
Mockert Street, city of San Antonio public enhancement project, small neighborhood park created as part of a public works project in collaboration with Rialto Studio Landscape architects
2002
Springdale Park, AIPP project, Austin Texas, design and treatment of mosaic surface of columns for a new park pavilion
2001 – 2002
Hotel Valencia courtyard fountain, Houston St., San Antonio, Texas, in collaboration with Rialto Studio, Inc., Landscape Architects: design of fountain water feature and surfaces
2000 – 2005
“Rosa Parks Journal”, public enhancement project, San Antonio design series of 10 sites along E. Houston Street (also known as Rosa Parks’ Way)
2001 – 2002
“Hope Springs”, Houston Street Court Fountain, San Antonio, Texas, in collaboration with Rialto Studio, Inc., Landscape Architects, design of fountain sculpture and surface treatment of fountain
2000 – 2002
Palmer Events Center, AIPP project, Austin, Texas, design and installation of mosaic stone “ponds” inset into 3 lobby floors, completed winter 2002
2000 – 2001
Fulton Street Enhancement Project, San Antonio, Texas, design of retaining wall and surface treatment and mural for railroad underpass
1997
Alamo Children’s Advocacy Center, San Antonio, design of entrance sidewalk with concrete and stone mosaic insets
1996
Stagecoach Park, Dublin, California, public art commission, mosaic benches and mural Unit II Residence Hall, U.C. Berkeley, California, custom mosaics benches and tables for four residence halls
1995
2100 Channing, graduate residence hall courtyard project for U.C.Berkeley in downtown Berkeley, California, mosaic feature strip in second story courtyard Unit II Dining Hall, U.C. Berkeley, mosaic relief designs in dining hall food service areas
1994
“The Confessional”, Bank of America, San Francisco, California, mosaic bench for rooftop terrace Golden Bear Cafe, U. C. Berkeley student union cafe, mosaic wall mural
1993
Unit I Dining Hall, U.C. Berkeley, mosaic relief designs in four food service lines of dining hall, U. C. Berkeley campus
Publications – Magazines & Periodicals:
San Francisco Examiner, “Habitat” section, September, 1995
Brava Casa, March, 1995, pages 228 – 233 (project: Baker/Whitcombe residence)
Il Bagno, April, 1995 (project: Baker/Whitcombe residence)
Sunset Magazine, “Ancient Technique Revisited”, August, 1994, page 95 (project: Baker/Whitcombe residence)
Sunset Magazine, “Relics From the Ruins”, September, 1994, page 73 (project: Katsoff/Yonkowsky residence)
Image Magazine, San Francisco Examiner, “Singular Spaces”, May 16, 1993 (project: Baker/Whitcombe residence)
Publications – Books:
Mosaic Art & Style, edited by JoAnn Loctov, Rockport publishers, 2005
Mosaic Sourcebook, JoAnn Loctov and Doreen Mastendrea, Rockport Publishers, 2004
The Art of Mosaic Design: A Collection of Contemporary Artists. JoAnn Loctov and Leslie P. Clagett, Rockport Publishers. Inc., 1998
Making Mosaics. Leslie Dierks, Sterling Publishing Company, 1997
Inside Architecture: Interiors by Architects. Susan Zevon, photographed by Judith Watts, Rockport Publishers, Inc., 1997
Hyperwest: American Residential Architecture on the Edge. Alan Hess. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1996
West Coast Wave: New California Houses. Dirk Sutro. New York: Van Nostrand Teinhold, 1994
Selected Exhibitions:
2018
“Art of the Sacred Texas Springs” curated group show, University of the Incarnate Word gallery, San Antonio, TX
2017
Gallery 20/20 fall group show, St. Mary’s University faculty exhibit
2016
Gallery 20/20 “Collective”, three person show, San Antonio, TX
2015
San Antonio Art League annual show
2008
“Found” Gallery, contemporary arts month exhibit, San Antonio, TX
2004
H2O “Considering the Hydrosphere”, Southwest School of Art, San Antonio, TX
2000
Art 2K PASA: A Millennial Survey By San Antonio Artists
1998
“Touch Stones”, two artist exhibition for Contemporary Arts Month, San Antonio, TX
“The Fountain Project”, invitational collaborative exhibition, Blue Star Arts Space, San Antonio, TX
“Elevated Matter”, solo show, Gate I Gallery in conjunction with National Art Tile Symposium, Airport Art Space, San Antonio, TX
1997
Contemporary Arts Month, Featured Artist, Studio Gallo, San Antonio, TX
1995
“Then and Now”, group show, Nexus Gallery, Berkeley, CA
1992
“Telling Stories”, Artist’s Books and Journals, Mills College, Oakland, CA
1990
“Life Support, Inventive Furniture from Northern California”, Limn Company and One Market Plaza, San Francisco, CA
1989
“Cultural Sources”, The Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA
1988
“I Found It”, Works Gallery, San Jose, CA
1987
Mills College Alumnae Invitational, Oakland, CA
Pro Arts Juried Exhibition, Oakland, CA
1985
California Works, “Studio Prop”, California State Fair Art Competition, First place award – Mixed Media
1984
Richmond Art Center, 31st Annual, Richmond, CA