A lifelong artist and educator, professor Gaby Wolodarski brings a dynamic blend of creativity, craftsmanship and community connection to DVC’s San Ramon campus. With a career spanning gallery exhibitions, murals, theater collaborations and over 15 years as a tattoo artist, she has cultivated a rich and diverse artistic practice.
For more than a decade, Gaby has also shared that passion in the classroom, helping students explore the expressive and cultural power of art. What drew her to DVC was the college’s strong commitment to equity and racial justice, a mission that deeply aligns with her own values as an artist and teacher.
“In today’s image-saturated world, visual representation plays a huge role in shaping perceptions and values,” she explains. “It’s vital that we learn to look at and discuss images with sensitivity, empathy and nuance.”
Now in her first semester at the San Ramon campus, Gaby teaches drawing and painting, encouraging students to see art not just as a creative outlet, but as a means of dialogue, reflection and change.
“I would like students to come away with the sense that art is, for them, an age-old, expansive, deeply human activity in which their perspectives and thoughts are relevant,” she says.
Gaby finds inspiration in her students and the creative energy that emerges when they make art together. She especially loves studio classes, where students ask insightful questions and eagerly take on new artistic challenges.
“To my mind, nothing compares to the interactions that happen among students in art studio classes. We’re only a few weeks into the semester and my students are already challenging themselves and making perceptive discoveries.”
An important professional goal for Gaby is to break down the barriers that often surround art and questions like, who can afford it? How do you make a living from it? Why bother when we have digital tools?
“One of the reasons I believe so strongly in practicing art together, especially in an educational setting, is that it allows us to slow down, sharpen our awareness and move beyond that kind of ‘what’s the point?’ thinking,” she explains. “It’s about reaching a place of wonder and insight, a deeper connection to human perception and experience.”
Gaby is proud to have her artwork currently featured in two local exhibitions. "Teaching Practice," curated by Joshua Moreno at 120710 Gallery in Berkeley, brings together more than two dozen Bay Area art professors to explore the connection between the assignments they give and the art they create themselves.
She’s also part of "Binding Spell," a group show curated by Hunter Saxony III at Eleanor Harwood Gallery in San Francisco. This exhibition highlights tattoo artists who also work in fine art or, as Gaby describes it, “contemporary artists who also practice tattooing.”
For Gaby, being an artist, tattooer, and teacher is a combined professional calling that she says provides a unique opportunity to connect with different people in amazing ways.
To students considering DVC, Gaby offers this advice: "DVC is a wonderfully welcoming place! You will feel encouraged and supported every step of the way."
Curious about a career using your creativity? Discover what DVC’s art program can do for you!
