Artist statement

Majida van Lingen, based in Central Coast California, has been in love with drawing and painting since childhood. Painting in a mostly representational manner with a varied subject matter from animals, humans, still life to landscapes.

She often explores the potential of figurative painting to express moods and emotions. Using rich colors, different lighting effects, and thick paint-handling with expressive brushwork to embody the emotions of the subject matter. Painted portraits/figures have a directness that can create empathy in the viewer, and hopes that the paintings will be enjoyed by the world as much as she enjoys creating them.

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Majida Van Lingen

Fine Artist | San Luis Obispo, CA |Traditional Realism | Portraiture | Figurative Oil Painting

Education & Specialized Training

New Masters Academy | Advanced Portrait & Figurative Studies | 2025 – Present

• Intensive technical training in traditional realism, focusing on the methods of Joseph Todorovitch.

Cal Poly State University | San Luis Obispo, CA | 2010 – 2012

• Advanced studio art studies with Daniel Dove and Michael Miller.

Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo, CA | 2005 – 2011

• Advanced studies in Etching and Printmaking under Leslie Sutcliffe.

• Concentration in Anatomy, Life Drawing, Figure Painting under David Prochaska.

•  Figure Sculpting studies with Margaret Korisheli.

Jason Mayr Studios | Apprenticeship | San Luis Obispo, CA | 2006– 2009

• Three-year private apprenticeship focusing on classical Still Life, Landscape and Portraiture in the oil medium.

Selected Exhibitions

• 2026 | Orange Crush, Art Center, Morro Bay, CA

• 2025 | Vajanuary (Juried), The Bunker, San Luis Obispo, CA

• 2013 | Group Exhibition, Transformation by Fire, Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Ca.

• 2011 | Alchemical Laboratory (Juried), Cuesta College Art Gallery, CA

• 2011 | Juried Student Exhibition, Cal Poly State University, CA

• 2010 | Juried Award Exhibition, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA), CA

• 2009 | Portrait Marathon Show with Saunders Shaw, Arts Obispo, CA

• 2008 | Color of Autumn, Castoro Cellars, Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 | Group Exhibition, Steynberg Gallery, San Luis Obispo, CA

• 2004 | Clay Has A Memory, Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Ca.

Awards, Grants & Scholarships

• 2010 | Helen Novy Art Award, Cuesta College Fine Arts Faculty (Printmaking/Etching)

• 2008 | Warren E. Hansen Scholar Athlete Award & Scholarship

• 2008 | Morro Bay Art Association Scholarship

• 2008 | Baywood Park Women’s Club Art Scholarship

• 2007 | First Place, Annual Student Scholarship Competition, Morro Bay Art Association

• 2006 | Third Place, Annual Student Scholarship Competition, Morro Bay Art Association

• 2005 | Honorable Mention, Annual Student Scholarship Competition, Morro Bay Art Association and Cuesta College.

Professional Memberships & Community Engagement

• Current | Participant, SLO County Open Studios Art Tour (Upcoming 2026)

• Ongoing | Active member of the Morro Bay Art Center and SLO art community.

Professional Performance: Raqs Sharqi (Bellydance)

Cultural Dance Artist & Performer | Central Coast, CA | 2006 – Present

• Specializing in Raqs Sharqi with a focus on improvisation, musical connection, and preserving the social-cultural roots of the dance.

• Collaborative Artistry:

• Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble: Former ensemble dancer for biyearly premier concerts at the Performing Arts Center SLO and Chumash Auditorium. Collaborated with World Rhythm and dance studio to embody complex Arabic rhythms and movement.

• SAJa Dance Company: Member of the local professional troupe, performing throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa barbra.

• Selected Performance Venues:

• Cultural & Public: SLO Veterans Memorial Building (Cabaret Fest), The Monday Club, SLO Farmers Market, and Cal Poly Culture Fest.

• Estates & Wineries: Featured performer at Daou Vineyards, Bovino Vineyards, and Chateau Noland.

• Community & Charity: Local nursing homes, fundraisers for the Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis Obispo and the SLO Botanical Garden.

Instruction & Community Leadership

Founder & Lead Instructor | Cal Poly Bellydance Club | 2010 – 2013

• Established a university-sanctioned club to educate students on the history and practice of Middle Eastern dance.

• Provided three years of instruction at Cal Poly studios, exposing hundreds of students to the art form and directing a student troupe for Open House performances. Dance Educator | Transitions Mental Health Association | 2021– 2025

• Designed and led movement classes for two years, utilizing dance as a tool for wellness and community connection. Independent Instructor | Nexus Studio | 2025– Present

• Continuing the tradition of Raqs Sharqi through teaching, emphasizing the "joyousness" and presence-centered nature of the dance.

Professional Artistry: Henna (Mehndi)

Traditional Henna Artist | San Luis Obispo County | 2017– Present

• Providing intricate, traditional Mehndi designs for weddings, private celebrations, and public institutions.

• Institutional Engagement: Featured guest artist for the San Luis Obispo City-County Libraries, providing cultural education and live demonstrations.

• Technical Focus: Expert application of organic henna paste, specializing in the geometric and floral patterns that define the medium's cultural heritage.

Additional Skills & Interests

• Music: Student of Arabic percussion (Doumbek/Arabic Drum); focusing on the intersection of iqa'at (rhythms).

• Athletics: Accomplished distance runner; former Varsity Cross Country and Track athlete at Cuesta College.

• Professional Branding: Operating under the professional identities Majida Van Lingen (Fine Art) and Joyful Bellydance (Performing Arts).