Pufferfish Press

💙This handbuilt turquoise heart took about two hours to carve — inspired by the textures, movement, and mystery of a tide pool. This piece blends my love of clay, carving, and the ocean’s quiet magic. #pufferfishpress #pufferfishpresspacifica #HandmadePacifica #artguildofpacifica #SanchezArtCenter #ceramicart #tidepoolinspired #clayandcarving #coastalinspired #oceanartist #sgraffito #heartart

🫧 Wall bubbles galore this holiday season! 💙 Each one is handbuilt, hand-painted or carved, and completely one of a kind. These tiny 3D treasures are made to hang on your wall and bring a little spark of joy — or to gift to someone who could use a smile. There are tidepools, octopus, whales, and plenty of other playful designs in the mix. Little bursts of wonder for anyone who loves the sea. See them in person tomorrow night at the California Academy of Sciences NightLife event! #pufferfishpresspacifica #PufferfishPress #pacificacalifornia

📸 Here are a few shots of me and my studio! 🎨 Thanks to the talented @carolynstockmanphoto for the wonderful studio session and updated shots! It was a wonderful experience. #StudioLife #ArtistAtWork #PhotoSession #PufferfishPress #pufferfishpresspacifica #pacificacalifornia #ArtGuildOfPacifica #SanchezArtCenter #Printmaker #painting #ceramics #artiststudio

This piece was created in honor of Father’s Day. This hand-carved image features a California quail family—our state bird—with the male standing tall, the female at his side, and their small chicks gathered safely between them. California quail are known for moving through the landscape as a close-knit family, the adults guiding and protecting their young as they forage and travel together. This original linocut is printed as an 8 × 10 inch image on 11 × 14 paper in a limited edition of six prints. One print will be donated to the Pacifica Resource Center to support families in our community. #PufferfishPress #pufferfishpresspacifica #LinocutPrint #Printmaker #californiaquail

I’m excited to be part of the 6th Annual Handmade Pacifica! 🌊♥️✨ Join us Sunday, July 26, from 1–5 PM at the Sanchez Art Center for an afternoon of art, handmade goods, and community by the coast. Uncover the hidden gems of Pacifica while shopping from a thoughtfully curated group of local artists, makers, and small businesses sharing original, one-of-a-kind work. Come meet the artists and makers behind the work, find something special, and support creative people in your community! This is a volunteer-run event, and vendor spaces are currently full. Questions? Email [email protected]. Follow along for sneak peeks and artist features leading up to the event! If you aren’t already, please follow @handmadepacifica on Instagram and Facebook and help spread the word to friends, neighbors, and the community! #handmadepacifica #handmadepacifica2026 #hiddengemsofpacifica #pacificacalifornia #sanchezartcenter

Throwback to my very first juried show—50/50 at Sanchez Art Center in 2014. I still had straight red hair and bangs, so it definitely feels like another era. Not long after this, I was accepted into a studio, and I’ve had the chance to participate in this show two more times since. If you’ve ever considered applying, the call for entry is open now. It’s one of those rare shows I genuinely love both as an artist and as a collector. #PufferfishPress #pacificacalifornia #pufferfishpresspacifica #SanchezArtCenter #5050show

Introducing a new linocut print, created in honor of Mother’s Day. Sea otter mothers are known for their extraordinary devotion. They carry their pups on their chests, wrap them in kelp so they don’t drift away, and spend months teaching them how to swim, forage, and survive. In many ways, they guide their young through the currents—helping them learn to navigate the waters of life with patience and care. While I am a mom only to a dog, I have been an educator for nearly 20 years and have taught thousands of children. Through that experience, I have seen firsthand the importance of the support and care given at home. I believe motherhood—though often challenging—is a powerful and beautiful force. If we are lucky, our mothers and caregivers help steady us, keep us afloat, and shape who we become with love that stays with us long after we leave their side. 🦦🌊 This original linocut is printed as an 8 × 10 inch image on 11 × 14 paper in a limited edition of just six prints. One print will be donated to the Pacifica Resource Center to support families in our community. Notecards will follow in the future, likely for this summer's @handmadepacifica event on July 26. #PufferfishPress #pufferfishpresspacifica #handmadePacifica #Printmaking #handcarved

I had a wonderful weekend at @vallejoclay taking a workshop with the talented @josiejurczeniaclay Here is the piece I created—it’s still in progress. Once it’s fired, I’ll add a clear glaze, and I’m excited to see how the final surface turns out. I’m especially looking forward to continuing to explore this technique in future pieces. #PufferfishPressPacifica #PufferfishPress #cephalopodceramics #KristinaAyalaArt #handmadePacifica

Axolotls in the wild are usually dark brown or gray, blending perfectly into the lakes of Mexico City. The iconic pink and white ones we often see come from the pet trade and originated as a genetic mutation in axolotls bred in captivity. These remarkable amphibians never fully metamorphose. They remain aquatic and keep their feathery gills for life, which is why they’re often seen as symbols of possibility and resilience. Axolotls are endangered in the wild, yet scientists continue to study them for their extraordinary ability to regenerate limbs, spinal cords, and even parts of their hearts. Fun fact: their name comes from an Aztec water-dog deity, and those frilly “ears” are actually external gills. 💖 🎨 Axolotls are one of the animals that inspire my linocuts and ceramics. #pufferfishpress #pufferfishpresspacifica #pacificacalifornia #handmadepacifica #KristinaAyalaArt

The octopus: a liquid, bone-free genius with three hearts and copper-colored blood. 🐙 These cephalopods are masters of disguise, problem-solving, and pure wonder. I’ve always been drawn to octopuses in a way that feels instinctive rather than something I learned. As an artist, I’m often asked to explain inspiration, but some connections are simply felt. My early curiosity was shaped by visits to the California Academy of Sciences and to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with my mom and brother, where animals and learning were a shared fascination that stayed with me. Living by the ocean, I’ve long been captivated by marine life. Octopuses feel almost like alien intelligence. I especially love the deep red of the giant Pacific octopus and the way they move with such fluid, shifting grace. At the aquarium, when given the chance, I could watch them for hours, swirling and undulating in the water. Their ability to transform and adapt appears again and again in my work—prints, paintings, and clay—where flowing, organic forms become a language of curiosity and change. 🎨 In my art, octopus tentacles curl and twist across the page, echoing the movement of the animal itself. #pufferfishpress #pufferfishpresspacifica #pacificacalifornia #handmadepacifica #KristinaAyalaArt

🌊 Female anglerfish are deep-sea predators of the dark ocean, known for their bioluminescent lure that draws in prey. In many species, males are much smaller and, in a remarkable adaptation, can attach to the female during reproduction—an extreme form of sexual dimorphism found in the deep sea. I’m especially drawn to their glowing lures, sharp teeth, and the contrast between beauty and survival in such an extreme environment. They appear in my ceramics and prints because I’m fascinated by their mystery, resilience, and otherworldly design. 🎨 That idea of light existing in total darkness—something strange, beautiful, and quietly powerful—keeps me returning to them in my work. In the first picture, that sculpture's lure actually glows in the dark and check out the last picture, which is the other side of the sculpture, and you can see where I added the male fused to her body. #pufferfishpress #pufferfishpresspacifica #pacificacalifornia #handmadepacifica #KristinaAyalaArt

I don’t know when I first saw an ocean sunfish, aka the Mola mola. I remember seeing them basking on the surface of the ocean in the Whitsundays while on a boat when I was around 20, and I also remember seeing one at the Monterey Bay Aquarium—though I can’t recall which came first. What I do know is that I have never lost interest. I love watching them swim or rest at the surface—they feel like gentle giants. They are the largest bony fish in the world, sometimes weighing over 2,000 pounds. When you see photos of divers beside them, you finally grasp just how enormous they can be. Their odd, flattened bodies and small fins give them a playful, almost surreal silhouette. Beauty isn’t always about sleekness—it can be about presence, whimsy, and unexpected forms. #pufferfishpress #pufferfishpresspacifica #pacificacalifornia #handmadepacifica #kristinaayalaart