Watch Rio Mesa High art teacher accept teacher of year award
Shi Young Kim, an art teacher at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, receives the Ventura County Teacher of the Year award on May 27, 2025.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story misspelled Laura Jespersen’s last name.
Laura Jespersen stood with an easel outside of the St. Mary Magdalen Church in Camarillo, admiring the Spanish-style building’s barrel vaults and stained glass windows.
The harsh sun cast shadows of the palm trees on the ground, and the wind made the shadows dance. It was a challenge to capture the essence of the church in paint, but after several hours, the Plein Air Ventura County organizer felt she conveyed the memories made in the more than 100 years since the building was constructed.
“As artists, we try to tell a story about our impression of the building, and that’s what I hoped to capture in the painting,” Jespersen said. “I hope it inspires others to be proud of our history and what others have built for our community.”
Jespersen’s painting of the Camarillo church is just one of what will eventually be at least 100 images from the outdoor painting group’s artists of historical landmarks across Ventura County. The lifelong Ventura resident and retired architect came up with the idea for Plein Air Ventura County to complete the project in one year, starting last May.
From Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village in Simi Valley to the Henry Levy House in Oxnard, Jespersen researches and selects each location.
Though no taxpayer funds are involved, the project became a collaboration with the County of Ventura’s Planning Division and Arts and Culture Division, the Ventura County Arts Council and the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board.
The roughly 50 paintings that have already been completed will be displayed at the Ventura County Fair from July 30 through Aug. 10. The complete collection will be showcased during Historic Preservation Month next May at the County of Ventura Government Center’s Hall of Administration.
As a member of the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board, Anthony Angelini and his six colleagues are responsible for determining what constitutes historical landmarks. He said Plein Air’s ambitious undertaking is not only artistic but also archival.
“These paintings are not just something beautiful to look at like the historical landmarks themselves, but they are also part of historical preservation,” Angelini said. “The collection of paintings of historical landmarks is a historical landmark in itself.”
Oxnard resident Erin Dertner, one of the roughly 75 active Plein Air members, agreed with the board member.
“Seeing pictures of what streets used to look like with these fabulous buildings that are no longer here and have been replaced with things that aren’t very aesthetic, I think it’s important to document these places while we still have them,” she said. “To capture something of a bygone era that has survived is special.”
Dertner said of the landmarks she has painted so far, the Brandeis-Bardin Institute’s House of Books, a center for Jewish culture and heritage in Simi Valley, has been the most meaningful.
While walking around the site, she noticed a verse of scripture etched onto the wall: “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” She felt drawn to capture it above the architectural elements the other members chose to focus on.
Though Jespersen has lived in the county for her whole life and Dertner for only two years, they both said the project has allowed them to appreciate just how many historical landmarks are in the region.
“I’m learning a lot about this area that I never would have known about if (Jespersen) hadn’t instigated this process and exposed us to it,” Dertner said. “I’m very thankful, especially as someone who is new to the area.” That, Angelini said, is the beauty of the project. When the paintings are displayed in the Hall of Administration, people who may have never visited the sites will have the opportunity to connect with them and ultimately with the county.
“It’s important that we see these landmarks as a living, breathing part of our history, and I think only an artist can really portray that depth with the public,” he said. “Because it’s not schematics or blueprints. It’s also the people who see it.”
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.