Rebecca Ustrell

Bio

Rebecca Ustrell is an artist, educator, and documentarian in the Inland Empire of Southern California. In 2018 after a long period of creative burn-out, she leaned into her life-long passion for printed ephemera and founded Curious Publishing, a non-profit artbook publishing company which focuses on archiving stories and creating wealth by supporting queer, BIPOC, and femme creatives through small-run artbooks, zines, and print collections. In 2023-2024, she was the Activist Artist in Residence for the Community Engagement Center at Pitzer College, and is currently the Event Coordinator for Museum Arts & Culture at the City of Ontario. 

Artist Statement

My work seeks out healing and meaning through small intentional acts of archiving. These processes document community through capturing life’s fleeting moments. Using alternative photography processes combined with found objects, embroidery and beadwork, I’m able to manifest these moments into physical form. Incorporating found materials into the work is an act of intentional threading of the artifacts into my waking life by way of large photographic quilt compositions. My work is a reflection on the impact of mentee and mentor, personal identity, feminism, and mental health.

Fairs & Festivals

2026 | Fanzineist Vienna Art Book & Zine Fest , Vienna, Austria
2026 | Printed Matter’s LA Art Book Fair, Pasadena, CA
2026 | Seattle Art Book Fair, Seattle, WA
2026 | Multiple Formats Art Book Fair, Boston, MA
2026 | IE Zine & Print Fest, San Bernardino, CA
2025 | Multiple Formats Art Book Fair, Boston, MA
2025 | Crushes Zine Fest, Eagle Rock Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, CA
2025 | Acid Free Art Book Fair, Los Angeles, CA
2025 | San Francisco Art Book Fair, San Francisco, CA
2025 | Off Register Art Book Fair, Santa Barbara, CA
2025 | New England Art Book Fair, Portland, ME
2025 | Over Here Zine Fest, Benton Museum of Art, Claremont, CA
2024 | Acid Free-Lite Art Book Fair, Los Angeles, CA
2024 | San Francisco Art Book Fair, San Francisco, CA
2024 | New England Art Book Fair, Portland, ME
2024 | Print Pomona Art Book Fair, Claremont, CA
2023 | Over Here Zine Fest, Benton Museum of Art, Claremont, CA
2023 | San Francisco Art Book Fair, San Francisco, CA
2023 | Seattle Art Book Fair, Seattle, WA
2023 | Print Pomona Art Book Fair, Claremont, CA
2023 Winter | Packing House Zine Fest, Claremont, CA
2023 Spring | Packing House Zine Fest, Claremont, CA
2022 | Print Pomona Art Book Fair, Claremont, CA
2019 | LA Independent Art Book Fair, Los Angeles, CA

Solo Exhibitions

2025 | Permanence / Infinity, Claremont Chamber of Commerce, Claremont, CA
2024 | Permanence, The Arts Area Gallery at Casa Pitzer, Ontario, CA
2024 | Permanence, The Grove House at Pitzer College, Claremont, CA
2022 | Contact, Curated Chronicles, Upland, CA
2022 | Cut It Out, Curated Chronicles, Upland, CA
2021 | Immersive Unicorn, Curated Chronicles, Upland, CA
2018 | Fragmented, SPACE Gallery & Records, Claremont, CA
2018 | Curious Pleasures, Claremont Heritage Ginger Elliot Exhibition Space, Claremont, CA
2017 | Petite Confessions, Dermagarden, Claremont, CA
2017 | Lush, Buttercup Catering, Claremont, CA

Group Shows

2026 | Play Pavilion, Millard Sheets Arts Center, Pomona, CA
2026 | Transference, All Eyes Gallery, San Bernardino, CA
2026 | In the Wind, Citrus College, Glendora, CA
2025 | All Together Now, The Language Mobilization Factory Gallery, Pasadena, CA
2025 | Busy Sharpening My Oyster Knife, Third Street Gallery, Pomona, CA
2024 | Free For All, Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, Claremont, CA
2024 | Infinity: What if We Collaborated?, Seattle Design Festival, Seattle, WA
2018 | Simply Red at The dA, The dA Center for the Arts, Pomona, CA
2018 | Erotic Art Show, The Rental Girl, Los Angeles, CA

Workshops and Talks

2026 | Ebru Paper Marbling with Rebecca Ustrell, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2026 | Cyanotype Essentials: An Introduction to the Cyanotype Process with Rebecca Ustrell, Chaffey Community Museum of Art, Ontario, CA
2026 | Experimental Zine Workshop, Citrus College, Glendora, CA
2026 | Cyanotype Printing and Toning Lab, Chaffey Community Museum of Art, Ontario, CA
2026 | Lumen Prints Demo at CASA Pitzer, Ontario, CA
2026 | Experimental Book-Binding with Rebecca Ustrell, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2026 | Ethereal Luminaries Botanical Lumen Print Workshop, Omo Mercado Wine Bar, Upland, CA
2025 | Cyanotype Photography Demo at CASA Pitzer, Ontario, CA
2025 | Cyanotype Workshop at Omo Mercado Wine Bar, Upland, CA
2025 | Cyanotype Photography Workshop with Rebecca Ustrell, Chaffey Community Museum of Art, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2025 | Art Night Out: Beyond Blue, Cyanotype Workshop, Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, Claremont, CA
2025 | Cyanotype for Zine-Making, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2024 | Capturing Space - Cyanotype workshop, Benton Museum of Art Pomona College, Pomona, CA
2024 | Community Art Day, Wignall Museum, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2024 | Dive into Drawings: Artist-led Workshop with Rebecca Ustrell, Benton Museum, Claremont, CA
2024 | Sun Prints at the Farm, Lopez Urban Farm, Pomona, CA
2024 | Summer Printmaking Series with The Arts Area - Cyanotype, Casa Pitzer, Ontario, CA
2024 | Building You Artist Portfolio, The Hive (Claremont Colleges), Claremont, CA
2024 | Story-Tellers Festival - Cyanotype Workshop, Pitzer College Community Engagement Center, Claremont, CA
2024 | Cyanotype Workshop with Artist Activist in Residence, Rebecca Ustrell, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA
2024 | Artist Activist in Residence - Artist Talk with Rebecca Ustrell, Robert Redford Conservancy, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA
2023 | ART + BOOK Lecture, The Chan Gallery, Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA
2023 | Archiving People and Place Through Printed Ephemera, Seattle Design Festival, Seattle, WA

Awards and Residencies

2025 | Microgrant Recipient, Arts Connection Network
2025 | Woman of Achievement Award Finalist Honoree, Inland Empire Community Foundation
2024 | Permanence: Rebecca Ustrell, Pitzer College, Activist Artist In Residence, Claremont, CA

Press

2026 | Allan, David (2026, May 17). L.A. County Fair 2026: Playful art exhibit was curated in a mad rush, Daily Bulletin
2022 | Alonzo, Andrew (2022, November 10) Art and bodega brings good vibes to Packing House, Claremont Courrier
2020 | Brien, Patrick (2020, September 25) Upland artist uses work to fight for social change, Daily Bulletin