MEET

GENE STIRM

View Gene's Website
Gene began displaying a love of the arts at an early age. By the time he was in high school, he was already involved in local professional productions in the San Jose, California area. By invitation, he spent two the summers at the Theater Wing Workshop at San Jose State. As an artist, he was responsible for the school’s art and library displays, designed and built dozens of sets for Community Theater and school plays, including “Damn Yankees,” which he also directed. He made extra spending money painting seasonal windows and signs for local business. Upon high school graduation, he was awarded the Bank of America Award for Fine Arts. He had already established himself as an actor, director, and set designer, so he boldly gathered his friends together and started his own local theater production company.

After two years of college and a number of personal and family conflicts, “being an artist isn’t easy,” he chose to move to the mountains, and literally camped in Yosemite. After a year of trying to find himself (he figured he wasn’t really lost)” he moved to Oakhurst at the south gate of Yosemite and turned his focused towards commercial art. Finishing art school, he married Patricia in 1972 and went to work for a weekly newspaper and commercial printing company. This immediately put him in contact with photography at a professional level and within six months, he was working as a studio artist with a full service-advertising agency. There, he learned everything from storyboarding to copywriting and was even involved with directing commercials for TV. From the ad agency, he became the art director for Joston’s publishing in Visalia, where he continued to study photography under Ansel Adams and even guest lectured at his Photography Book workshops in Yosemite.

Making a move to Orange County, Gene began theological studies at Work of Faith College and upon graduation and ordination he, with the support of his wife, pastured for several years. When doors opened in the area of menu design, he co-founded Stirm/Collins & Associates, a menu design company with a client list that included: The Fairmont Corporation, The Plaza, The Beverly Wilshire, The Bel Air and Halekulani. Along the way, he filled in his spare time by teaching painting, floral design and photography, After selling the menu business, he started writing and returned to acting and filmmaking, with a special interest in documentary film. His first documentary effort won a VIC award in 2001.

In 2004 he and his wife moved to Tehachapi. While teaching a class in photography he met Chelley Kitzmiller and the families discovered a mutual interest in camping. Even though Gene and Patricia are cat fanciers, they couldn’t help but fall in love with Oscar as he frequently joined the group camping. The team of Oscar, Chelley and Gene work magic with the camera and are looking forward to many adventures. Gene's artwork can be seen at Way West Gallery.