Sylvia's Biography

My name is Sylvia Christine Ramos, which is my maiden name, even though, I am married to a wonderful husband Robert T. Stephenson. I have three adult children, two adult stepchildren, and eight step grandchildren. My husband and I live on a small ranch in the Gavilan Hills area near Riverside, CA.

Art has been a part of Sylvia's life for as long as she can remember. Her first recollections of school are of being taught to draw using pencil, crayon and paint. For several years in grammar school, she receive numerous ribbons for her artwork at the L.A. county fair. She was in high school before her classes consisted of serious academic subjects and college prep classes. Therefore, she studied technical drawing and science with some electives in art.

After Azusa high school, she attended Citrus junior college where she received six certificates in technical drawing and an Associate of Science degree in drafting. Then, in the next 15 yrs., she got married, had children, and worked as a draftsman/designer in the Southern California area. The years passed and things changed. Her children grew up and the aerospace industry collapsed turning engineers into draftsmen. So she then continued her education in engineering at Cal. State Fullerton at night. At the same time she worked for the State of Calif. (Caltrans) during the day. A few years later she went back to work for the City of Anaheim

In 1997 she went back to a local junior college and received an Associate of Arts degree in art, joined local art associations in Corona, Riverside, Temecula, and Orange County and began exhibiting her work. She studied with several local artists including Stan Davis and Elin Pendleton. As her work improved she began winning ribbons in the art competitions.

She haws studied oil portraits with Jeff Watts, at the Watts Atelier of the Arts in Encinitas, Ca., portraits with Stan Davis from Riverside, and landscapes with Felice Hrovat from Montebello, CA. 

Her art pieces can be viewed now at the Latin Art Museum in Claremont, Mission Inn, Riverside Art Association, Riverside Art Museum gift shop, Gallery 9, and the Riverside Art Council, all in Riverside. She also exhibits at Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Catholic Church in Montebello and Holy Family Catholic Church in South Pasadena.

She is a member of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association, Orange Art Association, Gem of the Valley Art Association, Riverside Art Association, Riverside Art Museum, and the Latin Art Museum and holds board positions in some of the Associations. 

She has 7 published art pieces. In 2005, she was selected as a premier artist at the Norco Western Art Show. She hopes to continue learning, improving, and exhibiting her work.