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Shelby Alexander

Designer: Graphic; Visual Artist: Drawing, Illustration, Painting, Textiles / Fiber

By pairing figure drawings with mountainous, tactile backdrops that are exclusively made of recycled clothing, Shelby aims to create works that highlight man’s exploitation of nature, particularly with regards to the pollution created by fast fashion. Her work aims to articulate the modern tension between beauty, consumption, and industrialization—and what that means for the future of the environment and global sustainability efforts. Shelby Alexander graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2014 with a degree in studio art & design with a concentration in painting. She also studied fashion design at Pratt Institute in New York and was a studio resident for the South Bend Museum of Art. Most recently, she was awarded the Emerging Artist Residency Program with the Stutz Artists Association in Indianapolis. In addition to her fine art practice, Shelby also does custom portraits and freelance graphic design and illustration.

Brent Billingsley

Visual Artist: Mosaic, Murals, Printmaking

Brent Billingsley is an artist and an empowering voice behind young disenfranchised youth. He is also a Behavioral Health Specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital medical Center/Psychiatry. Other endeavors include Independent Contracting Therapeutic Mentoring and the co-founder of 2 non-profits geared toward the utilization of therapeutic artistic engagement and the performance arts. Brent says a nihilistic state of being inspires him the most because the canvas must be needs repurposed and then re-primed before the painting can begin. He graduated in 2013 from Miami University with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts with a concentration in Printmaking and from the University of Cincinnati in 2015 with a Masters in Social Work. This artist’s intention is to help all whom he is blessed to come in contact with realize that they are part of something bigger than themselves and that their part matters. The goal is to utilize art as rhetorical vernacular and encourage people to do something they have never done before, acknowledge the exertion, forfeit maladaptive ideations and upon one’s own artistic epiphany; act on it. Brent believes that the world can be changed through art; 1 PIECE at a TIME!

Carmella Breedlove

Visual Artist: Painting

I was born and raised in Saint Louis Missouri in 1985. My life has been truly a testament of strength and courage. I have experienced so many trials in my life and once I discovered art it was the breakthrough that I needed to push me towards my destiny. Art literally saved my life! Art has helped me tremendously cope with grief, trauma & depression. I currently reside in Milford, OH and shortly after losing my mother, I established my business "From Pain 2 Painting." I have so many ideas that I feel can benefit our community greatly. With depression, PTSD, trauma, and suicide ranking high in our community. I am humbled to be chosen by my higher power to give back and encourage others to give art a try!

Veen Bristow

Visual Artist: Digital Art, Drawing, Illustration, Printmaking

I'm a self-published illustrator of comics and anthologies. Brainstorming with others and working cooperatively are fun, and acts of service are my love language. Volunteering as an Illustrator, I have been able to use my skills for supporting environmental justice and health and fitness for all. I have doubled attendance in community fitness classes with my illustrations and social media campaigns. I look forward to new commissions, projects, and opportunities from local creatives and people wanting unique and thoughtful art & stories.

Donald Broerman

Musician: Composition, String; Singer; Songwriter

I am an active composer, whose compositions are primarily solo guitar works. My music has been heard in Concert at: The Cincinnati Guitar Society, Dayton Guitar Fest, CCM’s Something Different, Classical Revolution and House Concerts all over the midwest and as far as North Carolina. Looking for jobs as a musician can be an exhilarating yet challenging journey. It often involves a blend of networking, auditioning, and self-promotion. Musicians may explore opportunities in various settings, from performing in orchestras or bands to teaching, recording, and freelancing. Building a strong online presence, showcasing your talent through auditions and gigs, and connecting with fellow musicians and industry professionals are essential steps in navigating the dynamic and rewarding world of music careers. Persistence and a passion for your craft are key as you embark on your musical path.

Jonathan Butler

Singer; Songwriter

Exclusive is a rising hip-hop/r&b artist, singer, and songwriter originating from Cincinnati, Ohio. The talented musician is poised to make waves in the scene with his unparalleled sound and versatile style. Through his emotion-filled vocal performances, Exclusive evokes raw emotion with explosive, genre-defying instrumentation. Inspired by the likes of Drake, Chris Brown, Tory Lanez, and Tyga, Exclusive strives to push the envelope with his sound and make a well-rounded, dynamic style. Exclusive will have listeners engulfed in the musical world he creates with his no-frills approach and realness. The Cincinnati-bred artist seeks to connect intimately through his lyricism with listeners around the world. Undoubtedly, Exclusive is an artist to watch as he is set to cement himself in the music industry for years to come as he is just getting started.

Mary Kay Carson

Writer

Mary Kay Carson is an author of nonfiction books for young people. She began her writing career working on the classroom magazine SuperScience at Scholastic in New York City. Carson has been a full-time freelance writer for twenty-five years and is now the author of more than fifty books for kids and teachers about space, weather, nature, and other science and history topics. Her books include a number of titles in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s award-winning SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD series, including Inside Biosphere 2, the 2016 Green Prize for Sustainable Literature; The Park Scientists; and The Bat Scientists, an ALA’s 2011 Notable Children’s Books for Middle Readers. Her book Exploring the Solar System was the 2009 recipient of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Children’s Literature Award and the State Library of Ohio selected Beyond the Solar System as a CHOOSE TO READ OHIO book for 2015 & 2016. Carson also writes magazine articles and educational materials for both students and adults and gives presentations at schools and conferences about nonfiction writing, the Underground Railroad, bats, the Wright brothers, the solar system, and other topics. The author lives in Cincinnati with her photographer husband Tom Uhlman in a century-old house surrounded by urban greenspace, deer, hawks, woodchucks, and songbirds. For more information about the author and her books, go to: http://www.marykaycarson.com.

Greg Chako

Musician: Composition, Percussion, String; Songwriter; Writer; Instructor of Music, Guitar teacher/coach, published author

In a pro career spanning 40 years and 5 countries, Cincinnati-born guitarist Greg Chako has released 14 albums; lived in the Far East for 17 years; and his varied arrangements and 70 recorded original songs merge Mainstream, Hard Bop, Latin & World instrumentals, plus a few vocal tracks showing off Chako’s own lyrics, which are as thoughtful and supremely lyrical as his improvising. He’s charted on the Jazzweek, CMJ and RMR Jazz Charts, including multiple Top Ten spots, and has consistently received critical acclaim from the Jazz community. As MD of Chako Productions LLC, he provides sophisticated, soothing, swinging string sounds that are the perfect ambient music for cocktails and dinner, playing a combination of Jazz, Blues, and Bossa-Nova, with an emphasis on feeling, He boasts an "A-list" of corporate clients such as Coca Cola, Citibank, CNN, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Cartier, Adidas, The Hilton and many more . . . Reviewers have said that, "Greg's music is rare in that both the casual listener and the jazz aficionado can listen to and appreciate it!" His synergistic world-view is of unity, and Greg says that more than anything, he hopes to “move people,” and anyone who takes the time to listen cannot help but feel the powerful and honest emotions clearly expressed through his music.

Preston Charles III

Actor; Filmmaker; Media: Audio, Film, Video; Musician: Percussion, String; Visual Artist: Photography; improv

I have been studying music my entire life, and people. The mix of both passions have urged me to utilize musical expression in ways to evoke moods and atmospheres conducive to a particular subject matter or environment. Through the use of the violin as my primary, and other instruments in a supportive manner, I create songs, loops, and melodies, to fit the needs of the listener or other creators I may collaborate with. I am a novice film creator having recently created and published an hour + digital commentary, on the origin of race theory, eugenics, colonialism, and how the affects have directed the course of our planet and local area of Cincinnati. The project was inspired and supported by ArtsWave and the Truth and Reconciliation Project of 2021. Working with various private and corporate enterprises, I continue to push my limits in use of genre and sound to expand creativity, influence and reception of music in its many forms and expressions In addition to traditional and contemporary styles, I also teach to pass the knowledge and love of music to the next generations.

Kyle Copeland

Craft Artist: Book Arts, Textiles / Fiber; Designer: Fashion, Graphic; Director; Singer; Songwriter; Visual Artist: Digital Art, Drawing, Murals, Painting, Printmaking, Textiles / Fiber; Writer; author/composer/design—manufacturer

My name is Kyle J. Copeland, I’m the CEO/operator of Heaven’s No!, Inc. formed in the state of Ohio, as of January 2022. My venture pertains to a boxing forum which merits the individual ability amongst a communal space; a physical display of the human condition. Boxing has always been fascinating, yet the art of shadow-boxing truly gives our playing field a dynamic/form. Many deal with the nature of themselves, intrinsic. The practice at hand seems to be open-ended; the mentality of an individual is a physiologic rein, physical determinant. In general, many are actively pursuing ways to further model self; in essence, the matter follows suit. The sullenness is specified in stance, being in particular. Reason—abstract, a creative function upon which is the bestowal of the cognizant property; a helping hand, if you will. I use personal recollection(s) to conceptualize, design, and manufacture the visual representation, which you’ll find being serviced online. The prose surrounding the auditory measure is accompanied by writing, which delineates an allegorical meaning. I use a computational approach to theorize certain happenings amongst our given nature used to ascribe the illusive—affinity; which is the collective gesture regarding persona’s attribute! Insightful means are kept at a constant. A succession of concussive blows orchestrates the matter, at hand. Intrigue, a mere attempt in personifying the likeness in question; whether of a particular format or visual—referred. Truly.

michael dougherty

Craft Artist: Textiles / Fiber; Designer: Graphic, Interior, Makeup, Theatre; Visual Artist: Illustration, Murals, Painting, Textiles / Fiber; Airbrush Artist

Born and raised in Philadelphia PA., Michael graduated from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. He moved to Cincinnati right after college in 1985 and has been pursuing a career as a freelance illustrator ever since. His work has included illustrations for such companies as Procter & Gamble Co., Kenner corp. the Kroger Co., Hallmark and a number of small publishing companies, advertising agencies, studios and corporations. He opened Anything Airbrushed plus in 1991 with studios in various locations throughout the Cincinnati area over the years as well as inside the Beach Waterpark since 1995 The main studio is currently located in Sharonville Ohio.

Lizzy DuQuette

Visual Artist: Illustration, Murals, Printmaking, Sculpture

Lizzy DuQuette is a multimedia teaching artist with an emphasis on bridging art, STEAM education, and puppetry. In summer 2019, Lizzy led a group of ArtWorks apprentices on the BLINK: LIGHT + SHADOW project. This performance used giant cardboard puppets, found and repurposed objects, and a large scrolling picture machine (called a crankie) to tell a story about our climate crisis. Incorporating fantastical images, poetry, music, and lo-fi magic, the show hoped to serve as a call to action by inspiring a shared sense of wonder, awareness, and urgency. Lizzy has developed community driven projects and workshops with MYCincinnati Youth Orchestra, the Price Hill Creative Community Festival, Cincinnati Museum Center, and Visionaries + Voices. For the past six seasons, Lizzy has worked as production designer for Queen City Opera, designing and fabricating theater scenery. Lizzy received her BFA from the University of Cincinnati DAAP with a concentration in drawing and printmaking.

Ashley Aya Ferguson

Writer

Ashley Aya Ferguson is a writer, editor, author, and during the day serves as a content writer and strategist. She is currently writing a colorful memoir based on her journey as an ambitious single black mother. She has published two children’s picture books titled, Girl, You Are Magic! and Boy, You Are Brilliant! After graduating Cum Laude from Ohio University’s Scripps School of Journalism, Ferguson spent time in New York interning for noteworthy magazines but returned to Ohio to raise her daughter. In order to work with words like she’d always dreamt of doing, she created a copywriting side hustle named Copy & Content Boutique, LLC for which she wrote proposals for PR, website copy for small businesses, blogs, and reviewed manuscripts for first-time self-published authors. Eventually, with enough clips, clout, and people to vouch for her, she returned to writing professionally doing work as a content marketing manager for a textile company in 2015. Today, Ferguson puts words to work finessing value props as a content writer while creating art and stories for the culture in her spare time. She has been a featured author at schools, libraries, and bookstores and takes every opportunity to inspire others to tell their stories, too.

Olivia Frances

Musician

Cincinnati native, Olivia Frances is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter and musician with a sunny disposition. Wisdom shines through her folky pop-country musical creations, which is obvious to listeners on her newest album, Evergreen, which serves as a follow-up to her 2013 debut album Back To Happiness. Evergreen is a product of Olivia’s gap year she spent in Nashville, TN before attending college. The album is a collection of songs from various co-writing sessions as well as songs she’s written by herself. While in Music City, Olivia had the opportunity to record in the Riverfront Recording Studio and at Studio 19 with talented musicians. To build anticipation for the record, she released some of these songs during her #SingleSteps project. Taking a gap year in Nashville enabled Olivia to focus on her distinctive blend of catchy- pop melodies and the storytelling aspect of country music. She has graced the stages of some of Nashville’s most popular songwriter venues including the iconic Bluebird Café and the notable Commodore Grille. She was also interviewed by Nashville Public Radio on the topic of musicians’ use of social media. The story went national and aired on National Public Radio in May 2015. Other radio stations that have featured Olivia's music include Canada’s In the Country, WRFA in Jamestown, NY, WBRT in Bardstown, KY, VRadio Nashville and more. Although Olivia did not grow up with musical parents, she credits her mother and father for shaping her into the hard working and inquisitive young woman she is today. She began playing piano at age six and at age twelve she developed a passion for guitar and songwriting. By the time she was in the 8th grade Olivia was taking vocal lessons at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. Since the age of 12 Olivia has been a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). Olivia’s time in Nashville allowed her to fully immerse herself in all that the songwriting organization has to offer its members, including the opportunity to co-write with songwriters like Billy Lee (“The One” by Gary Allan) and to pitch her music to heavy-hitting music publishers such as Warner/Chappell Music. Olivia is currently a Freshman at Clark University in Worcester, MA. She remains dedicated to her craft and hones her skills with disciplined daily practice and regular live shows. Olivia draws her musical inspiration from individual songs such as Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” and Carolina Liars’ “Show Me What I’m Looking For.” In 2015 alone, Olivia has played 70+ shows. Her #SingleSteps tour included 8 shows in 4 different states. Olivia has also performed live at fairs and festivals all over the US including the Asian Food Festival in Cincinnati, OH, The Outdoor Festival & Expo in Nashville, TN and ArtWeek in Boston, MA. Even though touring and travelling is something Olivia knows well, she still loves to perform at premier venues in Cincinnati, such as The Underground and 86 Club. The infectious positive energy Olivia and her music evoke is celebrated by her growing fan club known as “Frances Friends”. Loyal fans and new listeners alike can keep up with Olivia’s new album release of "Evergreen" now and her upcoming shows on the East Coast at www.oliviafrancesmusic.com - See more at: http://oliviafrancesmusic.com/Bio#sthash.dEgytdLt.dpuf

Nancy Gamon

Designer: Fashion; Visual Artist: Painting, Textiles / Fiber

Nancy Gamon is an award winning textile and mixed-media artist living and working in Cincinnati, OH. She experiments with a variety of sewing, painting and collage techniques in her 2D, 3D, and wearable work. Nancy has special interest in the creative reuse of apparel, collaborative works, and the exploration of the authentic artistic voice. She also enjoys dyeing fabric and writing instructional sewing articles. Her artwork, fashion accessories and home décor items have been featured in “Cloth Paper Scissors” magazine, “Altered Couture” magazine, “The Old Farmer’s Almanac”, “1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse,” newspapers, and on a variety of blogs and other online resources. Her textile art has been on exhibit in several states.

Matthew Gellin

Actor; Designer: Theatre; Director; Radio / Television; Singer; Producer

“The power of theatre that has not yet been leveraged completely. It’s the idea of how can we get to a point where wars can be stopped and people can be brought together into a world of true equity because of the power of theatre. How do we truly make an impact in positive way for ALL voices and ALL people? We, at A.L.T. give them a voice and bring that voice to the forefront to be heard.” Matthew has successfully acted and directed across the country, in Europe, and in Asia. Matthew is proud to have served as a U.S. representative at the UNESCO International Theatre Institute Research Lab in Romania. He was named a Promising Artist of the 21st Century by the International Arts and Cultural Exchange, and he has published papers on directorial theory in international peer-reviewed journals. He has also been recognized as one of Cincinnati Business Courier’s Forty Under 40. His financial background includes serving as U.S. delegate to the People’s Republic of China for foreign business affairs and serving on the Association of Fundraising Professionals Board of Directors as president-elect. Now, he looks to lift American theatre back to the top of the world’s stage.

Sarah Gorak

Musician: String; Singer; Songwriter

Heartfelt and encouraging songs decorated with guitalele and violin live loops. Sarah crafts her sets to tell the story of her island roots and takes you on an emotional journey of self discovery and belonging. It's like mixing together Sara Watkins, Colbie Callait, and Mr. Rogers with a big dose of Aloha Spirit. She also collaborates in several band projects varying from bluegrass to hip hop to rock bands. She also enjoys playing weddings with her husband, violist Peter Gorak (Kentucky Symphony; Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra).

Pauletta Hansel

Poet; Writer

Pauletta Hansel was recently named Cincinnati’s first Poet Laureate. Her poems and prose have been featured in journals including Atlanta Review, Talisman, Kudzu, Appalachian Journal, Appalachian Heritage and Still: The Journal, and on The Writer’s Almanac and American Life in Poetry. She is author of five poetry collections, most recently Tangle (Dos Madres Press, 2015), What I Did There (Dos Madres Press, 2011) and The Lives We Live in Houses (Wind Publications, 2011). Pauletta is managing editor of Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, the literary publication of Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative. Pauletta leads writing workshops and retreats in the Greater Cincinnati area and beyond. Read more at https://paulettahansel.wordpress.com/.

Melinda Isaacs

Visual Artist: Digital Art, Drawing, Illustration, Painting

Hi, I’m Melinda! I’m a fantasy artist and illustrator whose work centers on the creation of other-worldly realms, fantastical and enigmatic figures, and mythical creatures. My work is heavily Inspired by Norse mythology, Scandinavian folklore, and is heavily influenced by 17th and 18th century Baroque painters. I strive to give you a temporary escape into these paintings as a means of rediscovering your own imagination and sense of wonder. By combining Baroque painting methods with an atmospheric palette, I create enchanting and enthralling works that transport the viewer into the paintings themselves.

Iman Jabrah

Media: Audio, Multimedia, Video; Photographer; Poet; Visual Artist: Digital Art, Painting, Sculpture, Textiles / Fiber

Iman Jabrah (b.1994) is a Palestinian-American multidisciplinary artist based in Cincinnati. She is a recipient of the full scholarship from China Scholarship Council, currently pursuing International Masters in Fine Art at China Academy of Art with a previous BFA in New Media Art from Northern Kentucky University. Iman’s latest artist and researcher-in-residence is with Praksis and the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, Norway. In early 2022, Jabrah received the Artswave Truth and Reconciliation grant to sponsor her Amid exhibition during her curator-in-residence at Wave Pool gallery; Amid exhibition showcases artworks at the Cincinnati Art Museum by women and queer Palestinian artists from Palestine and the diaspora. Her latest exhibition was part of Women of Crypto Art in collaboration with DoinGud for the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Most recently, Jabrah has exhibited with the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Professional Artistic Research Projects at Studeō PAR-, and 21C Museum. Many of Iman’s initiative projects aim toward community; to build collaborative cultures and to continue to increase exposure to displaced Palestinian artists through collective projects. In 2023, Iman is set to exhibit in Columbus, Ohio with 934 gallery.

Paul Kroner

Designer: Graphic

Artist Bio Paul Kroner was born a maker. This need to make led Paul into a career as a graphic designer, but his desire to make art was always alive in his heart. In his late 40s, no longer able to keep his artistic drive secondary in his life, his practice exploded. Born the sixth child in a family of eight, Paul grew up in a tiny house where art was not only encouraged by his parents, it was his natural instinct. Never one to be boxed into a single mode of execution or expression, Paul moves fluidity from one medium to another — from representational to abstract, and 2D to 3D — with a focus on intra and inter-personal relationships. Paul's work has been shown in numerous galleries and solo and group shows in New England and the Midwest and, along with his paintings, are in private collections nationally. Artist Statement At the heart of my work is a desire to find the intersection of art and design. I strive for a place where aesthetics and composition work in harmony to communicate, guide, and engage the viewer in a unique experience. As a trained designer, I bring a process-oriented and iterative approach to my art. I move fluidly from one medium to another and my work spans from representational to abstract, 2D to 3D, and analog to digita

Cynthia Kukla

Visual Artist: Conservation / Restoration, Painting, Sculpture; Writer

Cynthia exhibits in curated museum exhibits since graduate school: her paintings, watercolors, works on paper and sculptures on four continents in over fifty solo shows and over two hundred fifty curated or group exhibitions. She received her first tenured appointment at Northern Kentucky University. Her first sabbatical was a visiting artist in Geneva, Switzerland. “Objects without Prejudice’ Series was created there followed by the ‘Great Queen’ Series including 18 foot triptychs and bronze sculptures made at the University of Cincinnati for ‘Thrones for a Great Queen.’ At Illinois State University, her first sabbatical was at Miami University, Ohio. At her Cincinnati studio, she completed 230 paintings and 13 sketchbooks leading to numerous exhibitions. In 2004, she was a keynote speaker for the symposium for the exhibition “Coming of Age in Ancient Greece,” at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Prince Lang

Visual Artist

Prince Lang is a cincinnati Based Visual Artist.

Napoleon Maddox

Actor; Director; Media: Multimedia; Musician: Composition; Poet; Radio / Television; Singer; Songwriter; Visual Artist: Drawing, Painting; Writer

Napoleon Maddox is a Cincinnati bred writer, producer, vocalist and painter. He is the creative director and principal actor in a ground breaking multimedia show telling the true story of his famous great grand aunts, conjoined Millie-Christine McKoy. He’s also the leader of Hip-hop and Jazz collective ISWHAT?!, the lyrical half of the mesmerizing duo, Sorg & Napoleon Maddox, and feature vocalist for the energetic Hip-hop brass band, Bad Fat.

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