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2007-2008 Artist Mentors
Jane Androski is a Graphic Designer who lives in Providence but spends much of her time traveling back-and-forth on RTE 146 to Clark University in Worcester (and though she's been driving that route for two years, still can't figure out why so many shoes wind up lost on the side of the road...poor footless shoes!). The rest of the time, she is focused on exploring the potential for art and design to effect real social change – a large part of which involves studying design's power to both shape and reflect social attitudes – and how we as artists can use our unique talents to contribute to our communities. She brings this thinking into her own design work, and into her work at Clark – as an Adjunct Professor in Graphic Design and as the Assistant Director to the Difficult Dialogues Initiative. She feels the best art mentors are those who inspire you to pay attention – to open your eyes to your surroundings, see things you haven't before, and to ask questions – trusting that in the process you will find your own creative path.
Adrienne Benz grew up in metropolitan Chicago, and studied Civil Engineering as an undergraduate student in Fort Collins, Colorado. She received her Masters at the Rhode Island School of Design, in Architecture, and currently works for the local firm Truth Box, Inc., located on the Steel Yard compound. This year she is co-teaching at RISD in the Architecture Department with her partner. Adrienne also works in several other disciplines including furniture. She began painting a few years ago, and is developing a way of finding and recording through dwelling and painting. She has completed several painting travel journals, using sumi ink and watercolor. Over time painting has become a place of stillness for her, a time for her to arrive upon and dwell beyond the reaches of her own preconceptions. Her work is produced in a time in which she is lost, a time of searching. Her finished works are maps, memories of a travel. She is intrigued by found objects; their displacement in space and time allows wandering. She maps their past realities and finds how they reside in the present by her interpretation of their travel. She is a collector of memories.
McKenzie Burrus-Granger grew up in Astoria and Eugene, Oregon. She was raised on backyard blueberry bushes, jungle gyms and neighborhood adventure seeking. In 2000, McKenzie received her Bachelors in Fine Arts from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. Since moving to Providence in the winter of 2003 she has: taken pictures, started a wedding photography business (A & M Photography), taken more pictures, taught a class at AS220, taken a class at The Steelyard, traveled alot, gotten married and taken more pictures. This is her second year as an artist mentor at New Urban Arts.
Caitlin Cali was born and raised on Cape Cod, MA. After many travels, she is currently enjoying the sights and sounds of what has been fondly referred to as the Providing City; you guessed it, Providence, RI. She received her BFA in Printmaking from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and completed a year of graduate courses in Art Education at the University of Massachusetts before embarking on a dedicated journey towards letting the dark mingle with the light. She has taught art to students of all ages, most recently at the Nantucket Island School of Design and Art. She has worked as a printmaker and teacher at Pyramid Atlantic, Zea Mays, and lived/worked at the Edward Gorey House Museum. She now works at a non-profit organization providing residential services to adults with disabilities. She is trying to combine her passions for making art and helping others, because let’s face it, life is hard and art makes it better.
Zachary Clark likes to paint on things. These things include – but are not limited to – furniture, trash, flannel pajama bottoms, dead plants and, occasionally, canvas. It wasn't until halfway through painting an imaginary five-foot pile of food in his Intro to Painting class that he realized this was an interest that demanded his pursuit. In other words, he was seduced into painting while mixing the perfect purple for a lump of canned cranberry sauce. Since graduating from Brown University in 2007, Zachary has continued his exploration of a painting and sculpture hybrid practice, manipulating old family textiles into art creatures through stitching and brushwork. Otherwise, he enjoys running (poorly but diligently), drinking Newman's Own Lemonade and throwing parties of all sorts. You're invited.
David Colannino is a poet, filmmaker and illustrator from Providence, RI. He attended the University of Rhode Island and King’s College London, taking a BA in Philosophy, with thesis work on the geography of thought. He has been a writer since early childhood and has over the years, self published several poems, short stories/films, and a book (with Christopher Ryan) on etiquette. Current projects include: self-publishing a comic called Cerealtonin Dialogues and a few short films (which attempt to playfully mix exaggerated philosophical musings with childhood daydreams), learning how to screen print and a collection of poems heavily influenced by his lavish obsession with the narrative form. David dreams to one day drive from Providence to South Africa with his twin—a hopeful effort to restrain his excessive wandering lust.
Morgan Fagant was born and raised on Long Island. She graduated from SUNY Purchase with a degree in film. She also dabbled in theater, acting and backstage, music and dance. Morgan finds herself inspired by her family and by observing people and her environment. She loves organizing production books full of ideas and enjoys creating quirky worlds for her films. She is a twin and is often confused for her other half. She loves to dance the tango and enjoys DJing. She currently works with City Year Rhode Island and lives in Connecticut. She looks forward to getting more involved in the New Urban Arts community.
Ben Fino-Radin was born and raised in rural Ontario, NY, surrounded by things he had taken apart, action figures, comic books, computers, and a nurturing family. Graduating from Alfred University in 2007, with his BFA, he has since relocated to Providence, RI. Ben's work finds it's footing in traditional folk culture, popular culture, psychedelic cultural abstraction, fictional mysticism, and digital approximation. Since graduating in 2007 he has shown at Stairwell Gallery and AS220 in Providence, Current Gallery and Metro Gallery in Baltimore, Mountain Fold Gallery and Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts in New York, with a forthcoming show at The New Museum in NY. As was the case in his childhood, Ben spends most of his time in his room making things. He also splits his time between working on music projects, working at Black Cat Graphics, and of course mentoring at New Urban arts. Ben is beginning his second year as a mentor, working with students on radio/podcast/music/audio production. He also has a website: http://benjaminter.net
Erik Gould is the museum photographer for the RISD Museum of Art and an actively exhibiting fine art photographer. He received his Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Photography from Ohio University and a BA in studio art at SUNY Geneseo. He also holds a certificate in graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design. He has exhibited his work throughout New England, including exhibitions at Photographic Resource Center in Boston, Hera Gallery and AS220, among others. His work is currently showing at the Danforth Museum in Framingham MA and at Real Art Ways in Hartford CT. He was the recipient in 1994 of an Artist Fellowship from Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. In 2005-06 Gould teamed up with students at NUA to produce the Providence Project, a citywide photographic survey supported by the Rhode Island Foundation's New Works program. The project, which was exhibited at NUA, investigated the rapidly changing landscape of Providence, particularly documenting spaces and architecture affected by new development. For more information on Gould’s photographic projects, visit www.erikgould.net.
Julia Gualtieri is a mover and a maker. After growing up in California and receiving a BA in Art from UC Santa Cruz she has called Telluride, Colorado, Seattle, Washington, and now Providence, Rhode Island home. Julia has many interests and hobbies including nonprofit organizations, community based arts education, collaboration, drawing, printmaking, bookmaking, sewing, finding things, reading fiction and short stories, bike riding, snowboarding, baking, and collecting heart shaped rocks. She is currently finishing up her Masters Degree in Art + Design Education at RISD.
Abel Hernandez is an alumni student of New Urban Arts and a graduate of Central High School. He has participated in many art and political programs around the state, including Providence City Arts, TruSkool Studios, RISD Pre-College, Providence School District Wide Student Government, and Providence Poverty Task Force with Mayor David Cicilline. He is an alumni of the 2007 Class of College Visions. He is a sophomore student at the Rhode Island School of Design where he studies industrial design. This is his first year as an artist mentor at New Urban Arts, where he works with students on developing their drawing skills. He also plays acoustic guitar, dances salsa, builds bikes and works three jobs.
David Karoff has lived in Providence and worked in Rhode Island's nonprofit sector for over twenty years in organizations such as the Rhode Island Service Alliance and the Rhode Island Foundation. Much of that time he set aside the making of art for other preoccupations. Recently he's been making sculptures again, mostly in steel, some inspired by ideas he set aside to percolate years ago. He enjoys the quirky, using found objects, and seeking ways to express his (supposed) sense of humor. He's known several students for whom New Urban Arts has been an oasis in an intellectual and psychic desert. Knowing that his best mentors took risks to get him to take risks, he looks forward to doing the same. This is his second year as an artist mentor.
Dionte Noble is a graphic designer attending his third year at Johnson & Wales University. He plans to graduate in 2010 with his bachelor’s degree in Computer Graphics and New Media. Originally from Long Island New York, he felt as though Providence would be a great place to get away and experience the college life. Dionte loves what he does, as far as designing. That led the passionate and eager student to explore the limitations of his skills, by becoming an entrepreneur and starting his own t-shirt line at the age of 19. As he mentors at New Urban Arts, he hopes to grow not only as an artist, but as a person.
Erica Palmiter was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Her lifetime experiences and family background have made her a curious traveler and storyteller. Currently, she is a senior at Brown University studying Visual Arts. Her artistic interests are in photography, but she is also interested in mixed-media collage, painting and spray paint. At Brown, Erica is interested in learning different approaches to teaching, so this year she is leading a class called the Female Sexuality Workshop. This past summer she worked for professor Shirley Brice Heath to study art education at the painting studio in RiverzEdge. When Erica graduates she hopes to teach, travel, bake bread, and create lots of art.
Jenn Rice was born in Seattle, WA. She moved to Providence during high school for factory work in the jewelry industry. Jennifer met one of her best friends at New Urban Arts about 7 years ago. Her name is Ashley. After a couple months of being friends they decided to develop the fashion program together. Jenn still comes to the studio to help students that are interested in creations of wearable arts. Outside of New Urban Arts she teaches art at the YMCA, is a part-time minister at Victory Outreach Center; and also freelances for special projects every now and then. Jenn likes making art that involves messes, smudging, sewing, cooking and eating, listening and reflecting.
Dan Schleifer tries to be an organizer, musician and educator. He was the lead organizer of the Rhode Island Right to Vote Campaign , which successfully restored voting rights to Rhode Islanders on probation and parole, and which now works to register new voters. He is the founding Sousaphone player of the What Cheer? Brigade, and of course he is the studio study buddy here at New Urban Arts.
Kian Shenfield grew up in Providence and is currently studying Mathematics at Rhode Island College. He first found out about New Urban Arts as a high school student through an open mic co-hosted by NUA and Youth Pride, Inc., which he has been involved with since 2003. Last year he was an artist mentor in creative writing at the studio, and this year he is a Studio Study Buddy. He is also starting a new workshop this year called "Math for Poets," which he hopes will help break down the barriers between "math people" and "art people" by incorporating spatial and logical thinking into the creative practice. Interests include (google 'em): fractals, tesselations, modular origami, Mobius strips and Klein bottles, Spirograph(TM), Oulipian writing, and math in music.
Melissa Small loves garbage. She likes to clean up the streets and make sculptures out of the junk she finds there. You get a sculpture AND a clean neighborhood. Melissa loves animations. She likes to make her animations out of stuff nobody wants anymore. You get an animation AND you're not wasting anything. She is currently working on her thesis as a graduate student at the Rhode Island School of Design. It’s about trying to communicate serious subjects in silly ways. It’s about trying to illustrate that we all have a lot more in common than we might think. It’s about trying to become an active member in her community. Melissa has attended four colleges, and had five majors. She has worked for Comedy Central; she has worked as a dog trainer. Melissa has been a competitive diver, studied gymnastics, and ridden her bicycle across the country. Melissa recently got over her fear of the dark, but is still undeniably afraid of spiders. Melissa wishes there were more hours in the day, and absolutely more days in the weekend. Melissa has to go now; she put off her homework until the last minute.
Lane Taplin is a native Coloradan who has come to Providence to meet and work with other enthusiastic artists and to attend RISD, where she is currently studying textiles. She loves weaving, collaboration, tea bags, hanging things from the ceiling, and working in any material that she can get her hands on. Over the past three years Lane has been on a quest to learn how to make as many useful things as possible. Some of the things she has learned to do recently include weaving rugs, making shoes, constructing a bike, baking bread from scratch, fort-building, and knitting funky hats. Her favorite activity is getting together with other people and making things inspires excitement! This is her first year as an artist mentor, and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with other artists and creative people at New Urban Arts.
Emily Ustach was born and raised in eastern North Carolina and has spent the past four years living in Providence. She is a proud graduate of Salem College, one of the oldest women's colleges in the nation where she studied art history, studio art and worked very closely with a local community based organization. She received her masters degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied Art Education with a focus on community arts education. She considers herself an amature artist - someone who is always learning and never becomes an expert. Last year she worked with New Urban Arts as the Interim Office Manager. Currently she is the Program Coordinator for Rhode Island Campus Compact. She is excited and looking forward to being back at New Urban Arts on a regular basis as an artist mentor.
Isaac Wingfield grew up as a homeschooler in Asheville, NC, one of six children. During his undergraduate education at Appalachian State University, in Boone, NC he completed an interdisciplinary core curriculum through Appalachian's Watauga College. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Science in Technical Photography. After spending one year in New York City working for the photojournalism agency Magnum Photos, he moved to Providence, RI in 2008 to begin work on his Master of Fine Arts at Rhode Island School of Design. He is happily married, and ever thankful for the support and encouragement of his wife. Isaac's work has centered around questions of relationship and community, often using portraiture as the means to examine his own communities.
Meredith Younger was born and raised in the wild wastelands of West Texas. She relocated to Providence in 1998 to earn a BFA in Ceramics at the Rhode Island School of Design. Along the way, she became a co-founder of the Providence Initiative for Psychogeographic Studies (PIPS), editor of Crosswalk, and co-organizer of ProvFlux, as well as a teacher, sculptor, graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, writer, urban explorer, librarian, and mother. She helped to establish a ceramics program at the Steel Yard, and has worked with many other local organizations, including the Providence After School Alliance (PASA), the MET School, the Jacqueline M. Welsh School for the Arts, and AS220’s Community Printshop at the Dreyfus. This is her first year as an artist mentor at New Urban Arts, where she will be working with students to publish their poetry, comics, and zines. This past summer, Meredith co-organized the first ever Zine Team at New Urban Arts, and during the Spring she worked with NUA students to design and publish the 4th annuPeter Hocking is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement at Rhode Island School of Design. Prior to that, he was Associate Dean of the College and director of the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University, he led an organization that's helped to define public service in higher education. As an academic dean, he worked to integrate community practice with the academic curriculum. Locally, he's worked with dozens of non-profit organizations as a partner, board member and strategic planning leader, including New Urban Arts, Community Music Works, AIDS Project Rhode Island, The Rhode Island Service Alliance, Equity Action/The Rhode Island Foundation, and Southside Community Land Trust. He holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art from Goddard College and a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design.
Andrew Oesch lives, dreams, and rides his bicycle in Providence, RI. He spends most of his time working with youth of different ages, which mostly entails making exquisite corpse drawings and hanging out. He is a community based artist who has worked with various youth organizations around town including New Urban Arts, CityArts!, and English for Action. A really good day includes working in the garden, some coffee, a nap, and time spent working on projects with other day-dreamers. Sometimes it is hard to pull together these collaborations, but failure is an under sought after commodity. Past projects have included collaged sketchbook zines, Tape Art murals, maps of memory, and radio guided tours of the city. He is also known to play in the ¿What Cheer Brigade? but he wears a mask so it is kind of a secret
2007-2008 ARTIST MENTORS
Adrienne Benz
Jason Brockert
McKenzie Burrus-Granger
Carrie Cannon
Lauren Carter
Jean Cozzens
Bremen Donovan
Ben Fino-Radin
Kedrin Frias
Erik Gould
Christine Hochkeppel
Jeff Hutchison
Gretta Johnson
David Karoff
Stacy Magner
Melissa Mendes
Michael Moretti
Carrie Sandman
Kian Shenfield
Andrew Oesch, Fellow
Peter Hocking, Fellow
2006-2007 ARTIST MENTORS
Jesse Banks III
Heidi Born
Megan Billman
Jason Brockert
Lauren Carter
Jessica Chermayeff
Bremen Donovan
Richard Edouard-Denor
Kedrin Frias
John Tabor Jacobson (JJ)
Melissa Mendes
Charlotte O’Donnell
Andrew Oesch
Kate Sanders-Fleming
Carrie Sandman
Emmie Thelander
2005-06 ARTIST MENTORS
Jesse Banks III
Sara Berg
Erica Carpenter
Jeanie Chu
Jean Cozzens
Kedrin Frias
Eva Glieberman
John Jacobson
Anne McMahon
Charlotte O’Donnell
Adenike Omisore
Jennifer Rice
Arthi Sundaresh
2004-05 ARTIST MENTORS
Jesse Banks III
Sara Berg
Esther Chak
Grace Durnford
Kedrin Frias
John (JJ) Jacobson
Morolake Odeleye
Charlotte O’Donnell
Benjamin David Sault
Arthi Sundaresh
Nicky Tavares
Ellen Twaddell
Lynne Yarne
Tanisha Wallace
2003-04 ARTIST MENTORS
Sara Berg
Liz Luna
Jesse Banks III
Kedrin Frias
Erica Dennis
Curtis Evans
Rukmini Giridharadas
Erik Gould
Simon Moore
Antonio Peters
Tanisha Wallace
2002-03 ARTIST MENTORS
Jesse Banks
Lacey Browne
Faith Cannon
Vincent Chong
Kedrin Frias
Michael Friemuth
Flexie Giddings
Owen Muir
Kagnaone Som
Sheena Sood
Anissa Weinraub
2001-02 ARTIST MENTORS
Jesse Banks
Lacey Browne
Ilana Cohen
Shelley Povarnik
Kedrin Frias
Julia Grob
Melissa Koh
Marly Louis
Owen Muir
Roderigo Vega
Japhet Weeks
2000-01 ARTIST MENTORS
Kat Ball
Dominika Bednarska
Elizabeth Hoover
Karla Gallardo
Soyeon Lucy Kim
Marly Louis
Sara Schedler
Jason Yoon
1999-00 ARTIST MENTORS
Aixa Almonte
Natalia Almada
Elizabeth Hoover
Karla Gallardo
Luisa Guigliano
Natalie Lewis, Spontaneous Combustin'
Natalie Markward
Ning Sengsouvanh
Bobbie Watkins
Adam Weinstock, Spontaneous Combustin'
Windsor Williams
1998-99 ARTIST MENTORS
Justin Bernstein, The Theatre Project
Ana Fox Chaney, The Theatre Project
Helen Cymrot, The Photography Workshop
Elizabeth Hoover
Sarah Leddy
Fay Ryu
1997-98 ARTIST MENTORS
Marcus Civin
Tyler Denmead
Julia Kim
Malaika Thorne
