Exactitude is not truth. - Henri Matisse
Statement
My artwork draws inspiration from Cubism, where space and form are fragmented; Surrealism, where mystery abounds and meaning remains ambiguous; and Abstract Expressionism, where gestures convey deep emotion and subconscious impulses.
While my practice spans various styles, abstraction is where I find the most freedom. It offers endless possibilities for expressive and interpretive exploration. Drawing serves as the nucleus of my creative process. Along with drawing, much of my work incorporates painting and collage. Each material—whether paint, charcoal, graphite, or collage—brings its own unique qualities to each piece. These elements are continuously manipulated, altered, and sometimes reapplied, allowing the work to evolve and transform. The resulting images, with their dynamic interplay of color, line, shape, and texture, engage the viewer’s eye inviting them to explore their own interpretations of the work.
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About the Artist
Born in Oakland, California.
Mark Nobriga is a visual artist, filmmaker, and former art instructor with more than thirty-five years of professional artmaking experience. His artwork has been shown in galleries across Northern California and locally at the de Young Museum, the Triton Museum, Southern Exposure, WORKS/San Jose and the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. His short films have screened at the Castro Theatre, Roxy Theatre, New Parkway Theatre, and other Bay Area venues.
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CV
Education
2001 MFA – Pictorial Art – Painting; San José State University - San José, Ca.
1991 BA – Pictorial Art - Painting; San Francisco State University - San Francisco, Ca.
1982 BA – Theatre Arts - Acting; San Diego State University - San Diego, Ca.
Solo Exhibitions
Transmutation, The Space Between Gallery, San Francisco, March 2026
Curiosities: Mark Nobriga - New Work, Evergreen Valley College Art Gallery, September 2019
Testimonies and Tales: Paintings/Drawings Los Medanos College, January 2008
Ecstasy - Cal State Stanislaus University Art Gallery, November 2004
7 Deadlies - 1078 Gallery, Chico, November 2003
Sweet Desire - Giorgi Gallery, Berkeley, June 2003
It’s a Funny Life - Sanchez Art Center Gallery, Pacifica, May 1998
Survey of Recent Work - Greeley’s, San Francisco, April 1995
Selected Group Exhibitions
Known in SF, Madrone Bar, May 2024
To Be Continued, Artfuse, San Francisco, March 2024
Mothbelly Gallery 4th Annual Fundraiser, San Francisco, November 2024
Mothbelly Gallery 4th Annual Fundraiser, San Francisco, November 2023
Art For The Sick, Mothbelly Gallery, San Francisco, October 2023
Poolside, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, July 2023
ArtSpan Auction, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, April 2023
Crimson Tide, Soft Times Gallery, San Francisco, October 2022
Rise Sunflowers, Luna Rienne Gallery, San Francisco, July 2022
DeYoung Open, DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, October 2020
100 Under 100, Fleet Wood Gallery, San Francisco, December 2019
Razorblade Collage, The Loin Gallery, San Francisco, May 2019
The Space Between @ The Loin Gallery, San Francisco, April 2019
Code Tenderloin - 5 Corners Fundraiser, Argonaut, Inc. San Francisco, March 2019
100 Under 100, Fleet Wood Gallery, San Francisco, December 2018
Portrait Show, The Loin Gallery, San Francisco, December 2018
Portraits, The Loin Gallery, San Francisco December, 2017
Dead Pigeon Society, The Loin Gallery, San Francisco July, 2017
Janis, Argonaut, Inc. San Francisco, June 2017
100 Under 100, Fleet Wood Gallery, San Francisco, December 2016
Fit to Be Hung Portrait Show, NB Bauhaus, San Francisco, December 2016
Spooky Creepy Halloweeny Show, The Loin Gallery, San Francisco October, 2016
Brain Stew, Fleet Wood Gallery, San Francisco, October 2016
The Space Between at The Loin, The Loin Gallery, San Francisco March, 2016
Cross Pollination, Art Ark, San José, March 2015
Books and Art, Folio Books, November, 2014
20 Years of Art, ARTīK Art and Architecture, May 2014
WVC/Mission College Art Faculty Exhibition, Triton Museum, July 2013
Gemini Hegemony, Live Worms, San Francisco, June 2011
Tableaux Californiens, Live Worms, San Francisco, November 2010
29th Annual Auction - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, October 2009
28th Annual Auction - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, October 2008
Winter Exhibition, Sobrato Community Conference Center, Milpitas, Jan. 2008
Bay Area Annual Exhibition, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, October 2006
American 7, WORKS, San José, August 2006
Who’s On Third II, Third Street Studio, San Francisco, August 2006
Mayhem, Southern Exposure Gallery, San Francisco, November 2005
Who's on Third l, Third Street Studio, San Francisco, July 2005
Fools - WORKS, San José, March 2005
Annual Auction – WORKS, San José, December 2004
Art & Politics, O'Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, October 2004
24th Annual Auction - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, October 2004
Annual Auction – WORKS, San José, December 2003
23rd Annual Auction - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, October 2003
Monotype Marathon 9 - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, July 2003
Featured Artists - Bill Gould Design, Los Gatos, November 2002 - May 2003
22nd Annual Auction - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, October 2002
(un)Common Ground - S J Institute of Contemporary Art, San José, July 2002
Emerge –40+ - GenArt (Josh Greene Project) SF, San Francisco, July 2002
Out Of State – WORKS, San José, May 2002
Selected Works from SJSU MFA PROGRAM - Heritage Bank, San José, May 2001
5th Annual Arts On Fire - Sanchez Art Center Gallery, Pacifica, February 2001
Tackling Masculinity – Works, San José, April 2000
Rock, Paper, Scissors – Encantada Gallery, San Francisco, July 1999
The Heaven, the Earth... - Sanchez Art Center Gallery, Pacifica, April 1999
40th Annual - Art Guild of Pacifica, June 1998
“10“ SFSU Alumni Show - Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, September 1998
2nd Annual Arts on Fire - Sanchez Art Center Gallery, Pacifica, February 1998
Spanning the Bay - Center for Visual Arts, Oakland, April 1998
Arts on Fire - Sanchez Art Center Gallery, Pacifica, February 1997
WORKS - Manor House Gallery, San Mateo Arts Council, May 1997
Eight Out of Twelve - Folsom Street Interchange, San Francisco, June 1996
Travel - Mail Art Show - SF Art Institute, San Francisco 1995
Holiday Survivor’s Show - San Francisco, December 1994
Piece by Piece Collage - Sebastopol Center for the Arts, February 1994
Relationships - Santa Cruz Art League, March 1994
Collage - Danville Fine Arts Gallery, March 1994
Off the Top of Our Heads - 1870 Gallery, Belmont, 1993
63rd Annual Exhibition - Santa Cruz Art League, 1993
Environments - Art Attack Gallery, San Francisco, 1992
State Painters - Cafe Picaro, San Francisco, 1992
Customer Show - Art Store Gallery, San Francisco, 1992
Beyond the Surface - SFSU Student Union Gallery, San Francisco, 1991
Film Festivals
Roxie Mixtape #9, Roxie Theater, Transmutation, May, 2026
Emerging Filmmakers Showcase, Apple Cinemas Film Festival, April, 2026
I Hella Love Shorts Film Festival, New Parkway Theater– Saudade, June, 2014
Scary Cow Independent Film Festival, Castro Theater – Saudade, October, 2013
Scary Cow Independent Film Festival, Castro Theater – Smoke, July, 2012
Scary Cow Independent Film Festival, Castro Theater – Fire, February, 2011
GIAA Festival of Short Films and Videos – Trampoline, 2009
Awards
Member's Award - Smoke @ Scary Cow Independent Film Festival, July, 2012
Juror’s Award- October 2006 Bay Area Annual, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica
2001 Robert Griffith Scholarship – San Jose State University
Residencies
2017 – Studio Residency, Partizan Art Studios, Budapest, Hungary
2019 - A.I.R. Studio Paducah, Paducah, Kentucky
Visiting Artist Lectures
2003 - 1078 Gallery/CSU Chico, Chico, CA
2004 - University Art Gallery, Cal State University Stanislaus
Teaching Experience
2006-2025
Evergreen Valley College - Instructor of Record: Art 60/61 - Beginning Painting; Art 24 – Beginning Drawing;
Art 26A – Representational Drawing; Art 25 – Expressive Drawing; Art 12 – 2D Design; Art 14 – Color Theory; Art 90 – Art Appreciation
West Valley College - Instructor of Record: Art 31A - Beginning Drawing; Art 31B – Expressive Drawing; Art 35A-35D – Life Drawing; Art 33A - 2D Concepts; Art 33C – Color Design; Art 33A – 2D Concepts Online Hybrid; Art 55 – Introduction to Computer Arts
2004-2006
San Jose State University - Instructor of Record: Art 12 – 2D Concepts; Art 24 – Beginning Drawing; Art 61 – Beginning Painting
De Anza College – Instructor of Record: Art 15ABC - Acrylic Painting; Art 15ABC – Oil Painting; Art 4B – Intermediate Drawing;
Art 4C – Life Drawing
2002-2004
Foothill College - Instructor of Record: Art 4A Beginning Drawing; Art 19 ABC – Acrylic/Oil Painting
Technical Experience
Visual Art experience includes thirty-four years as a visual artist using a variety of media that includes: Painting in oil and acrylic; broad knowledge and application of a variety of painting and mixed media techniques and materials including traditional oil painting (underpainting and glazes), gilding, encaustic, collage, and use of acrylic mediums. Drawing and Printmaking with a variety of media and materials. Experience includes block printing as well and serigraphy. Carpentry skills include knowledge and practice in building various support structures for paintings as well as wood boxes for assemblage.
Filmmaking/Digital media experience includes the use of digital photography, cinematography, editing with Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro; motion graphics/visual effects with Adobe After Effects; sound editing with Adobe Audition. I have directed, edited and produced several short narrative and experimental films.
Bibliography
Fischer, Jack, "Vigorous New Voices Emerge from Academy", San Jose Mercury News August 21, 2002
Fischer, Jack, “Where the Artists are Works in Progress.” San Jose Mercury News, June 14, 2001, 6F
Raphael, Steven, “San Jose Gallery Show Addresses Masculinity Issues.” San Francisco Chronicle, August 25, 2000, 4