Cristian Andersson, an artist based in Appleton, primarily creates abstract oil paintings but has expanded into installation and performance art since 2016. Additionally, he contributes to community art through curating local exhibitions, teaching classes to students, and participating in off-campus invitational exhibitions with UW-Oshkosh students.

Gunjan Agarwal, a professional henna artist based in Appleton, specializes in creating intricate henna art tailored to people of all ages and events. Additionally, she teaches henna art, Indian folk art, and ceramic art through individual sessions and workshops, drawing from her regional upbringing. Gunjan is passionate about sharing her artistic knowledge and inspires her students to unleash their creativity, making her teaching sessions truly enlightening and motivational.

Alyssa, the owner and creator of Songbird Spirals, is a textile artist who operates from her home studio, surrounded by plants and serene ambiance. Her favorite gifts growing up were the art supplies, how-to books, musical instruments and a sewing machine. In 2012, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the UW-Green Bay, initially focusing on painting. However, during the pandemic, she rediscovered her love for fiber art, finding comfort in the tactile process of tying knots during uncertain times. Alyssa has since prioritized hosting workshops, delighting in sharing the calming effects of macramé with others.

Craig, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California State University Long Beach and a Master of Fine Art from Louisiana State University, serves as an Associate Professor of Art at UWO, specializing in ceramics for thirteen years. With teaching experience spanning institutions like California State University Long Beach, USC, and Mississippi Valley State University, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his craft. Craig’s artistic reach extends globally, having showcased his work in prestigious events such as the World Ceramic Biennial in South Korea (2007, 2009) and Ceramic Top 40. He has also held residencies at The Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, and c.r.e.t.a. Rome in Italy. He is currently in the studio working for a number of group and solo exhibitions.

A Fox Valley resident for nearly 30 years, Erin Connolly is an experienced artist and instructor, having previously taught classes at a national crafting retailer, along with managing the education program. She is currently teaching at several art education facilities across the region. Erin is skilled in general jewelry making, polymer clay, Kumihimo (Japanese braiding), wire weaving, glass mosaics, and stained glass, and is currently working on making home décor items from cement.

Erin’s focus at the Trout Museum of Art is to introduce an art form to her students, providing them with the skills that she uses herself, as well as sharing with them approaches that are used by other artists. Erin strives to give her students the tools to be able to continue on their own – but most of all, she wants all of her students to have fun!

Jennifer Dins has been making metal clay jewelry since 2009 after a potentially terminal cancer diagnosis in 2006 permanently sidelined her from a 25-year management career. She retired in 2009 to follow her creative heart and to explore this new medium. Working with metal clay is easy on her hands and allows her to feel a sense of accomplishment every time a piece is complete. The uniqueness of this material allows her to add personalization to her work, adding fingerprints, paw prints and even handwriting directly into the silver. She now believes it is her calling to help people manage a particularly difficult time through the creation of meaningful sterling silver heirloom pieces.

Tracey holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is an art director, graphic designer, illustrator, and muralist whose work has been recognized nationally by Archive magazine. She believes everyone has an artist within and finds great inspiration in helping others express their creativity.

Ray, a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, pursued his passion for the fine arts at UW – Green Bay and UW – Oshkosh, specializing in classical drawing and printmaking. His journey led him to a decade-long stint in the comic book industry, where he served as the Art Director for Kitchen Sink Press. Working alongside acclaimed artists such as Will Ebner, Harvey Kurtzman, Milton Caniff, Mark Schultz, Kevin Eastman, Pete Poplaski, Denis Kitchen, and Charles Burns, Ray made significant contributions to iconic publications. His freelance endeavors have extended to renowned entities like Dark Horse, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Fantagraphics Books, Eclipse Comics, and CPM LTD. Presently, Ray focuses on his freelance career, showcasing his drawings and paintings across Wisconsin.

Danna Gabriel is a mosaic artist from Antigo, Wisconsin. Her mosaic art has won several awards in shows in Antigo as well as the Wisconsin Regional Arts Program (WRAP) show in the past. She works with youth in her community as the Director of Student Services for Antigo Visual Arts and is the regional coordinator for the Association of Wisconsin Artists’ Statewide Teen Art Mentoring Program (STAMP). As a former member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA), she attended conferences and classes in Nashville and Toledo, and attended a class at the Santa Barbara School of Mosaic Art by Anabelle Wewer. Danna has offered mosaic workshops in Antigo at Northcentral Technical College and for the Lakeland Art League in Hazelhurst. She is very involved in public art in her community with recent projects including the Antigo Legacy Mural Project, Plastic Bottle Cap Project, and the Sitting Pretty Fundraiser.

Mel Kolstad is an artist, speaker, instructor, and arts advocate who makes her home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She is a printmaker, collagist, fiber artist, and papermaker, specializing in tiny art. She is also delighted to be a Certified Papermaker for Arnold Grummer, Inc.; a member of Wisconsin Visual Artists – Northeast Chapter; a member of ArtSpace Collective in Oshkosh; and curator for the Langdon Divers Gallery, located inside the Fond du Lac Public Library. She has also given a talk for TEDxFonddulac about her artwork.

Mel has participated in many artist residencies throughout Wisconsin and also teaches various classes all over the state.

Mikey Koziczkowski is a mixed media artist who integrates screen printing to merge painting, drawing, and photography in his work, facilitating the combination of otherwise incompatible mediums. His pieces span from realism to abstraction, often incorporating surrealism and color manipulation to evoke diverse emotions and dream-like landscapes. In 2023, Mikey served as an Artist in Residence at the Trout Museum of Art.

Jessica Lomena is a self-taught watercolor artist and small business owner of Jlowatercolor. A Wisconsin native, her artwork is often centred on the natural world and rooted in themes of balance. She is passionate about supporting local artists and is the creator of the Oshkosh Art Collective.

Neo Medina is a working artist currently residing in Kaukauna, WI. Neo enjoys working in a wide range of media including but not limited to printmaking, drawing, painting, and photography. He is a strong believer in restorative justice and community advocacy. He uses art as a vehicle to share life experiences, to teach, and to uplift as part of that journey. He is interested in the relationship of people and their environment. He explores how the environment we exist in molds our mindset. Neo uses this analytical approach of humans, both in studying others and introspectively, to form the basis of his creative ideas.

Elyse-Krista Mische is a mixed media artist residing in Appleton Wisconsin. She is currently pursuing an MS degree in Thanatology (Death Studies) with the goal of providing creative death education and resourcing. She promotes community engagement through collaboration, teaching, and residencies. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally. Elyse-Krista serves as the acting chair of the Appleton Public Art Committee where she advocates for inclusive and diverse public art while creating her own small and large scale works for Appleton area residents, businesses, and celebrations.

Debra Morningstar, professional storyteller, fiber artist, and Oneida Tribal citizen has presented Native storytelling performances, Keynotes, and Earth-based healing workshops across the US and Canada for the past 28 years. Some of Debra’s past work includes cultural residencies in Elementary and Middle schools throughout Wisconsin and beyond, Cultural sensitivity trainings for Educators, Librarians, University Diversity programs, Department of Corrections, Mental Health, Sexual/Domestic Violence organizations, AODA services, Veterans Services, Native American Urban Indian Centers, National and regional Storytelling and Art organizations. Additionally, Debra’s CD, Tales From the Lodge, a collection of Native American children’s stories, was nominated in 2008 for a Native American Music Award (NAMA).

Image: Studio L Photography

Michelle Sharp is an artist and adventurer born and raised in Tarkio, Missouri. Working primarily in bookmaking arts, she finds inspiration in the mundane, the acts of sharing and discovery, literature, and structured systems. Michelle received a BFA with honors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2015; her major was Photography with minors in Writing and Science. Michelle currently lives in the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin.

Michelle has shown work in various online exhibitions including Lenscratch and F-Stop Magazine, Milwaukee galleries such as Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, The Portrait Society Gallery, and Gallerie M. Her photographs have been featured in the 2014 Best of College and High School Photography publication by Photographer’s Forum, and various independent publications. Michelle’s zines and other book works can be found in collections at the University of Milwaukee Special Collections Library and The Athens Zine Bibliotheque. Most recently, her work has been exhibited at The Art Garage in Green Bay, Arts Connective in De Pere, and through community art projects with The Building for Kids Children’s Museum and the Waupaca Arts Hub.

Andrew is an artist and musician residing in Madison, Wisconsin. He was inspired to begin drawing and painting at a young age by his grandfather and uncles. His music and art blend his love of fantasy and science fiction with his personal experiences. His works often explore the theme of mortality and the relationship between humankind and technology. He works primarily within the mediums of drawing and painting, but has recently delved into graphic design and video editing. Andrew’s work can be found on the album covers of obscure metal bands and in the hallways of local breweries.

Shelby Siebers is a member of the Oneida Nation who currently resides in Appleton Wisconsin. Shelby has been beading for 9 years after learning from her mother and other community members along the way. She is continuing to learn, grow, and find love and passion for beadwork. She uses beadwork as a means to feel connected to her culture, to share her culture with others, and to spread love and joy to people who wear her beadwork. The most important thing she has learned in this art form is to bead with a good mind and heart. Shelby creates projects such as beaded wristlets, beaded lanyards, earrings, hoop earrings, and keychains.

Leah Van Rooy graduated from UW Oshkosh with a Bachelors of Science degree. She began photographing close friends as a hobby her sophomore year which has now become her full time profession for the past 10 years! She mainly photographs growing families, engagements, maternity, newborns, senior portraits and weddings. She also commissions various types of art with special emphasis on pet portraits. She enjoys spending her free time using her creative brain doing anything Harry Potter related, whether that be making themed home decor or dressing up as characters and photo editing magical content within! She has been teaching painting classes for the past 6 years and loves sharing techniques on how to blend acrylic paints, hold your brushes, different brush strokes, and more! Creating is good for the soul.

Gretchen Wood holds a BS from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and is currently a graduate student at Edgewood College in Madison, WI pursuing a MA in Art Therapy. Gretchen works out of Soulflower Studio in Appleton and her paintings tend to focus on nature themes and animal subjects with bold colors, organic shapes, and floral motifs. Her passion is to spread a message of hope and healing through the arts. She loves both teaching and creating, helping others to develop skills they can use to enrich their lives.