Work Samples
Application materials for the Individual Artists Fellowship, Central Coast Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) 2026-2027
1
Title: Bubbles of Love
Bubbles of Love producer Rachel Maryam Smith, UC Santa Cruz Arts Division alumna, held an interactive event at Porter College, UC Santa Cruz, where participants created big bubbles for a one-and-a-half-hour period at sunset time.
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Porter College, UC Santa Cruz
Photo by Carolyn Anne lagattuta
2
Title: Ripple Arts Festival
On 26 April 2026 Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS performed at the grand finale performance at The Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The event is a celebration of Santa Cruz County's creative community during arts and culture month in California.
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Ripple Effect Arts Festival grand finale at The Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Photo by Emily Antflick
3
Title: The First Sunset Bubbles
On 4 December 2015 Rachel Maryam Smith produced the first Sunset Bubblers as a non-traditional undergraduate Art student.
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Academic Resource Center, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California
Photo by Lia Pierce
4
Title: Wharf Re-Opening
On April 29, 2026 Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS performed big bubbles at the Santa Cruz Wharf's south end full reopening to the public. The city celebrated with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony. This milestone concludes a $1.3 million reconstruction effort to repair a 150-foot section that collapsed into the ocean during severe winter storms.
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf
Photo by Shmuel Thaler
5
Title: Sunset Bubbles
On July 22, 2022 Rachel Maryam Smith is pictured making a big bubble at sunset. The image was featured on National Public Radio (NPR) in the 4 February 2023 article “Here's why you should make a habit of having more fun” by April Fulton.
Performance duration one hour.
Location: Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California
Photo by Carolyn Anne Lagattuta
6
Title: SLV Music and Art Festival
On May 20, 2025 Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS performed big bubbles at the annual SLV Music and Art Festival.
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton, California
Photo by Angelica Stretch
7
Title: Art is Everywhere
On July 18, 2025 Rachel Maryam Smith is pictured teaching big bubbles as a visiting artist to an annual art-centric summer camp.
Performance duration one hour.
Location: The Tannery, Radius Gallery, Santa Cruz, California
Photo by Noelle Correia
8
Title: Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS
On 9 April 2026 Rachel Maryam Smith performed as BubblishUS at what SF Weekly calls“...the largest, longest running variety show in the Bay Area, and three time Best Of The Bay winner, The Ruckus Revival is outstandingly creative and completely insane.”
Performance duration five minutes and twenty-two seconds.
Location: The Continental Club, Oakland, California
(film still)
9
Title: 2017 unSCruz Artist
On May 6, 2017 Rachel Maryam Smith facilitated big bubbles for fifty participants in collaboration with the annual Burningman-sanctioned regional called unSCruz.
Performance duration one hours.
Location: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville, California
Photo by unknown
10
Title: Redwood Mountain Faire
On May 30 and 31, 2026 Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS performed big bubbles at the annual Redwood Mountain Faire.
Performance duration ten hours.
Location: Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton, California
Photo by Jessica Majerle
11
Title: Winter on the Wharf
On December 20, 2025 Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS performed big bubbles at the Santa Cruz Wharf's Winter on the Wharf celebrating the season with holiday festivities and opportunities to support local families through toy and food donations.
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf
Photo by Mark Woodward
12
Title: Collaboration with Velour
On April 19, 2025 Rachel Maryam Smith as BubblishUS performed big bubbles in collaboration with the band Velour.
Performance duration three hours.
Location: Woodhouse Blending and Brewing, Santa Cruz, California
Photo by Crystal Birns