I graduated from King Hall School of Law at UC Davis in 1983. After a stint doing family law, I worked in public policy law, first at the State Capitol in Sacramento and then for AT&T as a lawyer for their public affairs team.  

  When I retired at the end of 2015, I knew that art would be a major part of this new phase of my life. I joined Sacramento Fine Arts Center in 2016 because I was entering some pieces into the Magnum Opus show, and I received a membership form at that time. I had never entered a juried show before and was interested in all aspects of the process, so I joined Sac Arts and NCA and started volunteering as a way of learning how everything worked. Shortly thereafter, I received a call asking if I would consider joining the Sac Arts Board as Secretary. I did so, and aside from a hiatus while dealing with a family member’s serious illness, I have served on the Sac Arts Board since then.  

      Along the way in my volunteering journey, I have met so many interesting and friendly people — all of whom have a passion for art — that I find myself being drawn into this family that is Sac Arts. Part of what makes Sac Arts such a great family is the people who unflaggingly contribute their time and energies to it.  

      Aside from my work on the Sac Arts Board, I continue to experiment and grow in my art career. I work primarily in acrylic and oil, but occasionally dip my brush into watercolor and mixed media. I also volunteer for Saint John’s Program for Real Change, where I served on the Board for 4 years and continue to teach an art therapy class for homeless women.  

Renée Goularte is a retired elementary teacher who spends her time making art, gardening, doing needlework, and occasionally writing poetry. She grew up in San José and attended San José State University, where she earned a BA in Art and a Masters’ Degree in Elementary Education with a focus in Early Childhood Mathematics. Renée taught elementary school for ten years in San Jose, then relocated to Butte County where she taught another ten years, finishing out her career teaching Art to kindergarten, first, and second graders. While living in Butte County, Renée’s interest in art-making was rekindled when she joined Paradise Art Center, where she served on the Board of Directors for several years. In December of 2018, Renee and her significant other, Stephen, moved from Magalia to Orangevale. One of the first things she did when relocating to this area was look for a place to paint with other artists, which led her to Sac Arts. Renée is primarily a landscape artist with an interest in the use of space and abstractions, working mainly with watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, and colored pencil.

   I draw and paint for enjoyment.  My paintings are representational – mostly landscapes, some animal scenes and still life. I began drawing at a very young age, I had lessons in various medias during summers at the Cleveland Metropolitan Museum of Art and Cleveland Institute of Art, and majored in visual art during high school when I began using oil paints and continued for nearly a decade.  My career, however, took a different path - Associate Professor of Engineering at Case Western University in Cleveland and later an Orthopaedic Surgeon in the greater Sacramento area – but my interest in art continued.  After I retired, I began drawing and painting again.  I never actually stopped drawing - it was a great help when explaining a proposed surgery and testifying in court.  I joined Sac Arts and NCA in August 2021 for comradery with other artists.  I have enjoyed volunteering for shows and have been fortunate to have had some works accepted for juried shows at Sac Arts.  I worked with pallet knives many years ago and recently took some classes on the technique at Sac Arts by Rhonda Eagen.  Drawing and painting are fun and rewarding.

Art has always had a place in my life… from the first set of colored pencils to taking every art class available in school.  My skills ranged from “okay” in design and sculpture -  to “not-so-much” on the potters wheel.  

Family travels and moves (courtesy of the U.S. Air Force) around the world always included museums, galleries and an appreciation for the creators as well as the creations. It provided a wider view of the world seeing things through the eyes of others.  

 An interest and transition into performing arts led to a 20 year career in Radio and Television.  A move to the Monterey Peninsula came after theater and a PR job in San Francisco.

A Monterey record store owner recommended me for a part-time radio job doing’ traffic’ at KRML (Play Misty For me) Carmel.  Then came talk shows, news at other radio stations and more than decade in Central Coast Television and video production.   

Job availability and aging parents brought me back to Sacramento.  I spent about 20 years in public relations for State Consumer Affairs, Contractors Board and the Gambling Control Commission and found a place with many other former newspeople looking for a better retirement plan.  

My current creative projects and interests include jewelry making, collage, painting and architecture appreciation.   

Growing up in a large dysfunctional family, drawing and painting was a way to receive positive feedback. I was noticed in and out of my home. So, my love for art began as a young girl, and as a result, I am an advocate for giving children and adults an opportunity to express themselves through art. Today, I am awestruck by the creativity I see coming from emerging artists. Just when I think I have seen it all, someone comes up with a new way of creating something new and exciting. 

Art is nourishment for the soul. When I first walked through the doors of the Sacramento Arts Center, I quickly realized that this is a place where I can explore new art mediums through expertly taught classes. This is a place where I am encouraged to exhibit and sell artwork by participating in juried and non-juried shows. My creativity is fueled by attending gatherings, volunteering, and observing the work of other artists displayed at the center. 

I hope to make a difference in the art community as an artist, and I especially want to see the Sacramento Arts Center thrive.  

Bio coming soon.

I’ve been painting (acrylic on canvas) for more than forty years.  The vast majority of the work’s subject matter is nature-centric (animals, flowers, landscapes, etc.).  I was introduced to the Sacramento Fine Arts Center a year or so ago.  I immediately knew that the Sac Arts is an organization that could not only provide me with a chance to grow as an artist, but provides that same opportunity to many, many other people.  “The Arts” are incredibly valuable to our society and supporting them through the Sac Arts is one way to add value to the lives of the folks that use the Center to channel their artistic goals, or provide an opportunity to publicly show their work, or socialize with like-minded folks.  I want to support the Sac Arts as much as I can and being a member of the Board gives me an opportunity to do that.   

I have been painting all my life as a hobby. My profession as owner of Taylor’s Art Center Inc gave me the opportunity to be involved with every art group in Sacramento. We supported the arts including the Crocker and KVIE sponsor. After my retirement and sale to University Art in 1998, my interest in painting has increased. I paint mostly in acrylics doing whatever subjects interest me. I was featured on the cover of Inside Sacramento December 2018.

As a native Northern Californian, with three generations from San Francisco I was fortunate to see the Bay Area Figurative artist’s exhibits along with the great masters at the San Francisco de Young Museum and Legion of Honor Museum throughout my years in school and college. This Fine Art exposure would play an important role into my development as a painter.

With a B.A. in Art in drawing and painting and formal training from the Academy of Art University (awarded from a scholarship) the road to art would first lead to a career in Visual Display with prominent department stores, designing window displays, props and settings. Later starting a Floral and Event business from the ground up, the colors and textures of flowers were to be the natural palette for 24 years leading to signature work and articles published in books and other recognitions.

Today the primary focus is in watercolor and oil with figurative work and portraits. To capture an emotion, a grin, a fleeting glance, telling the story with integrity of ordinary people from all walks of life is the heartfelt intent.

The California Watercolor Association has provided the companionship of other artist’s. Watercolor classes from instructor Leslie Wilson renewed the love of painting and drawing. David Hill’s weekly life drawing class with a model, still ongoing after 10 years, has provided the rigor and discipline needed to capture the likeness of an individual. My gratitude extends to the artist Ted Nuttall who graciously shared his insights for painting portraits in his workshops both in California and Arizona. I have a deep appreciation for the warmth and generosity for all of these wonderful artists who have helped make me a better painter.

BJ Taylor. I am originally from Chicago, but lived and worked in New Jersey for 30 years before moving to California in 2020.

My professional background is in technology, I retired from Bell Laboratories and then taught at University for the next 21 years. 

I started on my art quest in 2013 with a drawing class at my local community college. It was so much fun and they people I met became fast friends. Drawing led to oil paint and then pastels. I have been learning watercolor for the past 5 years…it remains a challenge! 

This board position is currently vacant.