Angela was born in Portland, Oregon to a family of artists. She attended the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She continued her education at Portland State University, where she received a Masters in Education with an emphasis in Art Education. She has taught from elementary to college level students in both public and private schools and has spent much of her career lecturing, consulting, creating and exhibiting her artwork in galleries and museums.
As an internationally exhibiting artist, her expertise has led to her community involvement in multiple areas. In 1990 she founded “Creative Art Supplies,” which built 3-D art kits made out of recycled materials, using the assistance of adults with developmental disabilities. In 2008, Angela founded Artula Retreat and Residency Program and Arts Institute, which evolved in 2010 into the 501(c)3 non-profit Artula Institute for Arts and Environmental Education.
Angela’s evolution as an artist shifted when she noticed immense amounts of plastic pollution on pristine southern Oregon beaches. As she learned more about ocean pollution from plastics and marine debris she became motivated to do something about it. Thus, the Washed Ashore Project was born. Angela decided to enlist the help of hundreds of local volunteers to clean up the beaches, and use all the debris to construct massive sculptures of the sea animals most affected by the pollution. These sculptures now tour as the “Washed Ashore Project” traveling exhibit, educating and inspiring countless people from diverse backgrounds to take action in their own lives to prevent contributing to this global problem. Her work continues as Lead Artist, designing and creating a multitude of sea creatures from the ongoing tons of marine debris with the goal to have a global impact. As the leader of a team of dedicated employees and hundreds of volunteers, Angela has vowed that this effort is her calling and “until we run out of plastic on the beach, we will keep doing our work.”