Apr 28, 2025
Kent Lacin finds joy in many places. Behind a camera. Drawing or writing with a new fountain pen. Jamming on jazz piano. Teaching college students. Making films.
“I never felt like I worked a day in my life, I had so much fun,” he says. “I did so many wonderful things and met so many wonderful people, it was a dream.”
Lacin retired four years ago after a decades-long career as owner of Kent Lacin Media Services. But that’s a small part of his story.
Growing up in Arden Park, Lacin loved to draw and play the piano. His parents gave him a Pentax camera at age 8, and he loved that, too. But since neither parent had a background in the arts, Lacin thought of art as a hobby, not a career.
Apr 28, 2025
When Dan Samborski retired from American River College after teaching studio art and art history for 32 years, he was offered a retirement party or a retrospective exhibition at the on-campus James Kaneko Gallery.
He chose the exhibition.
Cheekily called “The End of Painting,” the retrospective offered a chance to create a catalog to send to museums. It also let Samborski gather his work into one collection that spans four decades, from 1983 to the present.
“When I saw all of (the paintings) together in the room, I thought, Wow, is it in focus,” Samborski says.
Mar 27, 2025
A close-up of musician Nina Simone is captured in blue, black, gray and white acrylic paint. Her face is surrounded by a large black letter “N.” Etched into the glass frame is “WORD.”
Artist Michael Stevenson created this piece for his 2015 exhibition “Civil Rights Civil Wrongs” at University of Texas. Personal experiences were the inspiration.
“My nephews were throwing the N word around very casually,” says Stevenson, a graphic designer raised in Nashville. “It’s a hip thing to do, but once you’re starting to have kids, you think about the history of the word and how hurtful and demeaning it is. So, I took on the N word. Nina Simone fought so hard to eliminate this word. Now my N word is Nina.”
Feb 28, 2025
David Sobon, who founded Wide Open Walls mural festival, has something special on his own walls.
“As I gaze at two of my Norma Roos paintings in my living room, I see something different every time I spend time with them,” Sobon says. “The passion, emotion and skill that she has in her abstract work just boggles my mind.”
Sobon is not alone. Roos, 88, is having commercial succcess with art that’s lived in her soul since childhood. Her abstract paintings sold fast in two solo shows at Twisted Track Gallery on R Street.
Feb 3, 2025
Aniko Kiezel and I have something in common. We both hate to have our picture taken. But to Kiezel’s credit, I’ve never had more fun—or liked a photo of myself more—than when she photographed me for Inside Sacramento.
“Above all, I try to make the person I’m photographing feel comfortable,” says Kiezel, who photographs for Inside along with other publications and private clients. “I like to put them at ease and make them know I’m going to make them look good. If I’m having a good time, you’re going to have a good time.”
Kiezel photographs all kinds of people—artists, business owners, politicians, students, actors and more. She’s expert at striking up conversations with strangers.
Dec 28, 2024
This post has been sponsored by Deep Impression Chris Daubert inspired generations of art students By Jessica Laskey January 2025 Chris Daubert had a great attitude. “Chris was exciting to be around,” says artist Jill Estroff, who met the late artist, educator and... 
