Artists

More detailed biographies can be found on puzzle pages. Click here for submission guidelines.

Gene Dominique

Gene Dominique lives and practices art in Atlanta, GA. Gene recently relocated from Oakland to Atlanta in May 2023. He earned a degree in photojournalism at San Jose State University and law degree from UC Hastings College. After practicing law for thirty years, he returned to his life-long passion: a full-time art practice centered in photography. His work can be seen on the 50 Rue de Rivoli puzzle, his website, and Instagram. 

Eric Drooker

Eric Drooker's drawings and posters are a familiar sight in the global street art movement, and his paintings appear frequently on covers of the New Yorker. Born and raised in New York City, he began to slap his images on the streets as a teenager. His resume now includes countless editorial illustrations for the Nation, the New York Times, and the Progressive, several graphic novels and the animation for the film Howl. His art is in the permanent collections of many museums including the Whitney Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Library of Congress. Drooker is available for speaking engagements and frequently gives slide lectures at colleges and universities. Eric's work can be found on our Children's Games puzzle or on his website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Paul Lewin

Paul Lewin is an acclaimed painter, creating small-scale wood pieces to murals. His work has previously been featured on three jigsaw puzzles and four Octavia Butler novel covers. He is Jamaican-born and after spending 17 years in the Bay Area, Paul returned to the Miami area to be closer to family and the community of his youth. He has been nominated for a World Fantasy Award and Hugo Award. Paul's work is featured on three puzzles of our first artist series. The collection can be seen here. Other work can be found on his website and on Instagram.

Jeni Paltiel

Jeni Paltiel, working as Lellobird, is an Oakland-based illustrator inspired by books, music, plants and the interface between urban environments and nature, from city birds to sidewalk weeds. Her work combines meticulous research and a whimsical style. Jeni's work can be found on our ABC Flowers Puzzle or Instagram. More products with her designs can be found via links on her website.

Ellen Shershow Photography

Ellen Shershow opened her business in 2009 after leaving the non-profit world. In addition to taking remarkable dog photographs, she is dedicated to service, donating her time to photograph for many animal rescues and to serve on the board as either a member or President of several Bay Area arts organizations. She has also been a juror for the Youth Awards of the Bay Area Creative Fund. In 2023, she was voted Best Portrait Photographer via Oakland Magazine. Ellen's work can be found on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and on her namesake puzzle, Ellen Shershow Photography.

T.L. Simons

T.L. Simons is a graphic artist and game designer based in Philadelphia. He designs games for Outlandish Games.  His illustrations have appeared in numerous books, magazines and other publications. T.L. previously lived in the East Bay, was a collective member at Inkworks Press in Berkeley, and later became an Oakland designer. Simon's work can be found on our Long Lost Oakland Puzzle or on his website or Instagram.

 

Skinner

Skinner is an Oakland-based multimedia artist who’s worked on comic books,murals, toys, music videos, and much more. His instantly recognizable, psychedelic style hearkens back to classic fantasy and horror art, with a contemporary twist that’s all his own. His portfolio and merch are available at theartofskinner.com and @theartofskinner on Instagram. He painted the mural at It's Your Move Games, which we turned into a puzzle!

 

DeAnna Tibbs

 

DeAnna is a 3rd generation Bay Area photographer and co-founder of Oakland Puzzle Company. She enjoys many types of photography including Still Life and Landscape. See her work on Proud! and Tribune Tower.  She also shot the photographs for It's Your Move and Boxcar Flower Farm Bouquets.

  

Les Toil

Brian Clarke, known professionally as Les Toil, is a commercial artist/illustrator from Berkeley, CA. In his youth, he absorbed illustrated editorials and advertising of his parents’ era, as well as paperback book covers, movie posters and magazine illustrations of his own youth. This resulted in a strong pop culture influence in his own drawing and painting. His art has been featured in major motion pictures, TV programs, graphic novels, popular novels, video games, and music videos. Also, two of his oil paintings were recently exhibited in the San Francisco De Young Museum. His work can be found on his website, Instagram, and our Puzzle Lula Mae at North Beach.

 

Vera Tour 

Scenes that are woven of paint, love and imagination – this is the world of Vera Tour’s art. From Kazakhstan to Moscow, all the way to San Francisco Bay Area, is only a part of the path taken that brings her experiences into a manifestation of dance of the colors. 

Vera's art can be found on our puzzle, The Secret Garden, as well as on her website and Instagram.