My name is Ms. Cara Nilsen, my students call me Ms. Nilsen. I teach Beginning Figure Drawing for our 10th grade
and Fall Senior Portfolio (12th grade). I also teach Mixed Media Drawing and in a non- Pandemic world I would
teach Animal Drawing where we draw from live animals at local zoos and horse local stables.
I'm originally from rural Upstate NY, where the rest of my family resides. I moved to California to attend grad
school at CSUF for my MFA in Illustration (and stayed!). I live in Long Beach with my wife, Leah, and our two cats.
Outside of teaching, I love reading, travel (in normal circumstances), and good coffee. I also love to work on my
own artwork, which focuses on Norse Mythology. When circumstances permit, I sell prints of my work at
Scandinavian-focused festivals.

Cara Nilsen