Hi, my name is Paula Almquist and I am an artist living in the Murrieta / Temecula area. Creating artwork is something that I have been doing since the age of 5. Back then, I used a 1980s toy called an "Etch-A-Sketch" to create  visual art. 

Now, three decades later, I have fine-tuned my artistic skills and have come to know what it is like to be an art student, as well as work as an artist. In the early 2000s, I studied at Mt. San Jacinto College in Menifee, where tI received an A.A in Applied Arts and an A.A. in Visual Communications (Graphic Design). I later transferred to Laguna College of Art & Design and then, in 2010, I transferred to CSU Dominguez Hills, where I received a B.A in Art: Design.

Since my graduation from CSU Dominguez Hills in 2012, I have found myself completing small-scale freelance projects, taking a few business classes, and working as a marketing assistant intern at the Murrieta Innovation Center.

The above piece was completed in 2013, and conveys a powerful - even noble - presence.

This is one of my most recent scratchboard projects. A a commissioned pet portrait depicting two black/white cats; the original was sold to a Temecula resident, who commented on the intricate detail and "striking likeness" to her own cats. 

I completed this piece In 2006. I was inspired to create a scratchboard etching of a jackrabbit after seeing a quality photograph of a jackrabbit in a nature magazine. The resulting image depicts a detailed rabbit with very large ears. 

In 2007, I created this scratchboard etching of a blue-eyed snow leopard perched atop some rocks. I used a blue crayon when adding color to the snow leopard's eyes; it was my first attempt at adding color to an etching.

In 2008, I completed this scratchboard etching of a baby lowland gorilla with its mother's arm wrapped around it. I decided to create this etching after seeing a high-quality photograph of a baby gorilla in a magazine called Zoonooz. 

The resulting project conveys the strong bond that exists between individual gorillas. In a broader sense, the project evokes feelings of love and compassion, and lends support to the notion that gorillas have much in common with their human relatives.

In 2009, I completed this etching of an African chimpanzee. The resulting project shows a chimp with detailed, human-like skin and expressive eyes that convey emotion. An urge to experiment with creating various skin textures motivated me to create this project.