Artists find the healing power of art after losing work to LA fires – Orange County Register

A Cal State Fullerton art instructor and her student were among the thousands who were victimized by the wildfires that wreaked devastation throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area in January.

A 10-piece exhibition titled “Quiver,” featuring the airbrushed paintings created by CSUF assistant art professor Mary Anna Pomonis opened at the Alto Beta Gallery in Altadena on Jan. 5.

Two days later, the entire exhibition, which was the culmination of five years of research, was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, the second-most destructive wildfire in California’s history.

Meanwhile, CSUF art major Mia Aghili was asleep in her home on Jan. 7 when she was awakened by her father and forced to evacuate with her family as the fire burning nearby was swiftly approaching their home.

Aghili and her family escaped with a precious few items, but their home — including all Aghili’s artwork and supplies — was destroyed.

“We evacuated Jan. 7, in the evening,” Aghili said. “My dad went back and he saw that our house was on fire. All I kept saying to myself was, ‘I just really want to draw.’ ”

Both Pomonis and Aghili, who didn’t know each other prior to the fires, turned to their art to heal the trauma.

Pomonis said she had started working on pieces for the “Quiver” exhibition during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to “create shields” and protect herself from anxiety and lack of social interactions caused by the virus.

She felt a sense of dread and wasn’t sure she even wanted to return to teaching right away.

“I was concerned about my ability to be present and effective as an instructor due to the overwhelming tasks of dealing with insurance and grant forms.”

Aghili also was overwhelmed by feelings of angst and disorientation during the days and weeks after the fires.

Then an angel appeared in the form of Caroline Harrington, assistant director of academic advising for the art department.

Harrington made the effort to contact art students who were impacted by the fires and then reached out to their teachers.

“Caroline Harrington called me,” Aghili said. “I think that was just my saving-grace moment. She saw my address, and she asked what my situation was. She said, ‘Do you need anything?’ and the first thing that popped into my mind was that I need art supplies. I can’t express how grateful I am.”

Harrington connected Pomonis and Aghili, and now Aghili is a student of Pomonis’ in the class, “Creative Thinking in the Studio Art Classroom.”

Hearing about a student who’s lost everything has helped Pomonis to channel her focus away from her own loss to a desire to help somebody else.

Pomonis said Aghili’s ability to rebound and continue to create art in less-than-ideal surroundings has been a source of inspiration for the entire class, Pomonis said.

“That’s just been positive peer pressure,” Pomonis said. “And I definitely have noticed that there’s a leveling up that’s happened because people respect her tenacity, and there’s a lot of admiration and respect. And I feel that every day I’m here.”

Aghili’s work this semester is “incredibly beautiful,” Pomonis said.

One piece in particular depicts the bombed-out interior of her burned-out home with a beautiful landscape visible through the destruction.

“These paintings convey a sense of alienation and dissociation that happens in a traumatic event but also show hope and possibility of what’s next. Mia’s work has a sense of urgency and importance, reflecting the need to express oneself and make work that matters.”

Aghili said Harrington’s gesture provided hope during the transition to the spring semester.

Pomonis has come to view the loss of her art as an act of” atonement and sacrifice” that serves a higher purpose and led to a more introspective level of creativity for making new art.

“The catastrophic event changed and activated our imagination in different ways,” Pomonis said. “And I think that it’s been super helpful because Mia is making incredible artwork this semester, and a lot of it is processing the loss of certain things, and now their significance.”

Both Pomonis and Aghili agree that their connection is serving as a testament to the healing power of art and the importance of community support.

“Art builds resilience in people,” Pomonis said. “That’s why we need art. It helps us to transcend the complexities of life or things that we can’t control.”

Aghili echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the transformative power of art in her life.

“Art is what keeps us human, and it helps us to transcend the complexities of life,” Aghili said. “It gives us a reason to be alive, to be here.”

Originally Published: May 9, 2025 at 11:23 AM PDT