Full Circle: How Sawdust Sparked the Creative Life of Ysabel Gray

From childhood art classes to shaping the next generation, a lifelong connection to Laguna’s artist community comes full circle.

If you ask Ysabel Gray where her love of art began, she won’t hesitate. “Right here,” she says, smiling. “At the Sawdust Festival.”

Long before she became a ceramics teacher and arts advocate in Orange County, Ysabel was a little girl from Lakewood whose mom brought her to Laguna Beach to take free art classes at the Sawdust. “My mom couldn’t afford private art lessons,” she recalls, “but she could bring me down to the Sawdust Festival. I still have pots that I made here when I was five or six years old. That was the first time I tried the pottery wheel.”

It’s a story that feels almost cinematic, an artist discovering her medium in a place that would one day inspire her students too.

“I grew up surfing and doing art,” Ysabel laughs. “Pretty typical Southern California.” Though the waves have since given way to paddleboarding, clay has remained constant. Today, Ysabel teaches ceramics at Tustin High School, where she’s spent the last decade helping students unlock their own creativity. She now serves as a Teacher on Special Assignment for Curriculum and Instruction, developing arts programs district-wide. “I’ve been teaching ceramics since I was about 14 or 15,” she says. “It’s always been part of who I am.”

“It all began when the Sawdust community came together to help a fellow artist facing a terminal illness,”
recalls David Nelson, current chair of the Artists Benevolence Fund

Because at its core, the Fund is about more than art. It’s about the people who make it—a compassionate community that rallies to help them in times of need.

Looking ahead, the Fund is thinking creatively about its future, exploring new ways to engage supporters, like a possible golf tournament for those who prefer tee times to bidding. But in the meantime, preparations for this year’s auction are already underway, and a preview of featured works will be shared soon to tempt early interest.

To contribute to the Artists Benevolence Fund, donate here—and don’t miss the live auction August 10, 2025.

““My mom couldn’t afford private art lessons,” she recalls, “but she could bring me down to the Sawdust Festival. I still have pots that I made here when I was five or six years old. That was the first time I tried the pottery wheel.”

The Festival That Started It All

Those early visits to the Sawdust were more than just weekend outings; they were formative experiences. “We used to come as a family all the time,” she says. “When I was younger, it was maybe once a month, but in high school and college, we came weekly. It became our thing, driving down the coast, spending the day together, taking classes, watching demos. It wasn’t just about the art. It was about family.”

She remembers watching glassblowers at work, mesmerized. “I’d stand there forever,” she says. “Seeing people make art made me curious about everything: science, nature, and creativity. It made me realize how connected it all is.”

There’s a softness in her voice when she recalls her favorite Sawdust memories. “Watching my parents dance to the music here, seeing them laugh together… that’s what stands out. It was this joyful place where we could all belong.”

Her connection runs deep. “One of my brothers had his engagement ring made by a Sawdust artist,” she says proudly. “And a lot of our art comes from the festival. I’m wearing Sawdust earrings right now!”

Finding Belonging Through Art
What the Sawdust gave Ysabel as a young artist went far beyond clay and color. It gave her a sense of belonging. “It was the first place where I saw people living an authentic life around art,” she says. “It made me realize this was something I could do too. That art didn’t have to be a side hobby; it could be a way of life.”

That realization shaped her teaching philosophy years later. “A lot of my students come in saying, ‘I’m not an artist,’” she says. “I think my job is to break down that fear. Art isn’t about perfection; it’s about joy, process, and authenticity.”

For Ysabel, making art is as much about the creative process as it is about mastery. “Art helps me process emotions in a way words can’t,” she explains. “It’s about what happens to the artist while they’re creating. The product is beautiful, but the process is where the healing and transformation happen.”

“It was the first place where I saw people living an authentic life around art,” she says. “It made me realize this was something I could do too. That art didn’t have to be a side hobby; it could be a way of life.”

Lessons in Clay and in Life
Her classroom is as much about life skills as it is about technique. “In ceramics, you might work on something for two months and then it cracks or blows up in the kiln,” Ysabel says. “You learn to let go. You learn resilience.”

That philosophy extends to her mentorship as well. She beams when talking about former students who’ve gone on to study art or teach alongside her. “One of my students is finishing her BFA in ceramics at Cal State Long Beach,” she shares. “Another now works with me as a ceramics coach. Watching them grow, it’s the best part of the job.”

Outside the classroom, Ysabel has brought her community-focused approach to public art. Last spring, she led a district-wide mural project in collaboration with the City of Tustin, transforming over 120 outdoor lockers at a temporary homeless shelter into colorful works of art. “We invited community members and students to paint,” she says. “It took two and a half weeks. Now it’s permanent. Knowing it will stay there forever, it’s really special.”

Full Circle to Sawdust
Despite all she’s achieved, Ysabel’s heart remains tied to the place where it all began. “I’d love to bring my students here,” she says. “Many of them have never experienced anything like the Sawdust Festival. It’s such an inspiring environment. I want them to see that art lives in so many forms, not just in museums, but in communities like this.”

Her hope for them mirrors what the Sawdust gave her: connection, creativity, and courage. “I want my students to find one art form that speaks to them,” she says. “Something that brings them beauty and humanity throughout their lives.”

When asked why art matters, Ysabel pauses, then smiles. “Because it teaches you how to live,” she says simply. “How to problem solve, how to start over, how to find joy in the process. And that’s what I learned here, at the Sawdust Festival, all those years ago.”

Stories like Ysabel’s are Made Possible with Your Support
The Sawdust’s free festival art classes, like the classes that inspired Ysabel, impacted 35,978 children and adults in the last year. These experiences offered hands-on experiences that sparked creativity and built confidence.This past summer, our studios were 95% full, and we’re ready to expand this impact. This can only happen with your help!

With your support, we can expand our art education programming, maintain and improve our unique studios, and inspire the next generation of artists. Now is the time to invest in creativity!

Ready to make a difference?

Make a 100% tax-deductible gift to the Sawdust Giving Fund today.
Join our Sawdust Giving Society membership program to receive fun festival benefits while supporting our mission.

Thank you for believing in the power of art for everyone!

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