Vicki Murphy
Visual Arts: Mosaics
Vicki Murphy is a mosaic artist who works primarily in Ohio and New Orleans. She has trained extensively with master mosaic artist Laurel True of True Mosaics Studio for many years focusing on studio work and professional development in large scale public art. She worked with True on multiple projects in New Orleans including the Global Mosaic Project and Universal Garden’s Lotus Fantasy Bench, the Green Project, and the Edible Schoolyard murals. Vicki’s combined years as artist, educator and licensed social worker give her a unique perspective regarding the healing power of art and the beauty of creative expression.…
Pamela O’Loughlin
Multidisciplinary: Dance, Creative Writing, & Visual Arts
Pamela O’Loughlin is a gifted creative, avid learner, and passionate teacher.
She is an innovative, thoughtful, and skilled educator; from budgeting supplies for activities to last-minute changes that tend to come up when dealing with multiple groups, classes, and organizations, Pamela handles any adverse situation seamlessly.
Pamela is passionate about brainstorming with teachers, students, and administrators. Believing that if she understands what needs to be taught, a creative activity can be developed. Grounded in her early efforts centered around social emotional work that pairs well with Ohio’s Social Emotional Learning Standards, she believes she can teach to any standard of which she has a clear understanding.…
Suzanne Ondrus
Creative Writing: Poetry
Suzanne Ondrus’ work explores cultures, identity, history, gender issues, racism, and women’s sexuality. Her first book, Passion Seeds, won the 2013 Vernice Quebodeaux Pathways Poetry Prize for Women, and its contest judge, Richard Harteis, in an introduction to the book writes: “These poems speak to both what we want to keep invisible, such as shame and racism and speak to what we want visible, desire and love. … Ondrus taps into both the dream world and reality so that the invisible becomes visible and audible.”
Changes: Suzanne was the 2013 Reed Magazine Markham Poetry Prize winner, a 2017 UNESCO World Book Capital featured poet in Guinea, Conakry, a 2018-2020 Fulbright Scholar to Burkina Faso, West Africa, and will be a 2022-2023 English Language Fellow to Nigeria.…
Hyacinth Paul
Visual Arts, Mixed Media & Fiber
Dr. Hyacinth Paul is a retired scientist and professor who started her career as an artist later in life. Her art works are both abstract and realistic; mostly done in oil’s, acrylics, and mixed media. Her paintings are very colorful because she believes color sparks synesthesia and involuntarily evokes feelings of joy. Her mixed media work is done in fiber and textiles from India. Sculptures made out of Recycled Saree Fabric are a new passion of hers. She is telling the stories of the immigrant Indian women and their contributions in almost every field in Dayton, OH.…
Mary Rekers
Music: Multi-disciplinary Music & Movement
A life-long music educator, musician, gardener, and bird watcher, Mary Rekers designs and leads music classes, mini musicals for young children and special family music events that bring all of these to life! Her mantra: if it’s fun, they will learn!
As a musician and educator, Mary is ever mindful of bringing an audience to music appreciation through playful echoing of rhythm and tone patterns. Through this exploration, audiences and children become aware of their own ability to make music and to enjoy it! Simple folk dances and singing games add to the enjoyment and build a sense of community.…
Brianna Rhodes
Dance/Movement, Visual Poetry, Modern, West African, Afrobeats, & Hip Hop
Brianna Rhodes is an Ohio native and graduate of The Ohio State University Department of Dance. She formally danced as a fellow with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Currently, she is working with Dianne McIntyre and serving as a freelance dancer and dance teacher. Her talents span concert, street, and commercial dance. Primarily, she works with the youth teaching dance, along with dance history, in many corners of Columbus, Ohio. Her professional career has allowed her to perform at the Bermuda Dance Festival, in a Brazil tour group, and at City Center in New York.…
Marlene Robbins
Dance/Movement: Creative Movement & International Folk Dance
Marlene Robbins is a dance educator/dancer /choreographer who has been sharing her love of dance with people of all ages for over 40 years. Marlene was fortunate to serve as the Dance Specialist at Indianola K-8 for 23 years, teaching thousands of students and developing an integrated curriculum K-5 as part of a full-time arts program. Early in her career Marlene worked as teaching artist for the Ohio Arts Council developing works in schools and communities across generations, the Greater Columbus Arts Council Artists in the Schools program, and Days of Creation (Artist Collaborative dedicated to process-oriented experiences in the arts) where she developed dance residencies and workshops in schools, community centers and camps across Ohio.…
Rikki Santer
Creative Writing: Poetry, & Film Studies
Rikki Santer has worked as a journalist, magazine and book editor, co-founder and managing editor of an alternative city newspaper in Cleveland, poet-in-the schools, high school teacher of English and film studies, and director of a student writing center. Currently she is serving as a vice-president of the Ohio Poetry Association, education consultant for Film Columbus, member of the performing poetry troupe, Concrete Wink, and she holds an Ohio Department of Education Lead Professional Educator teaching license as well as National Board teacher certification.
She earned an MA degree in journalism from Kent State University and an MFA degree in creative writing from The Ohio State University.…
Mansee Singhi
Indian Dance/Movement
“To dance is to express!” is the mantra of Mansee’s life.
Mansee Singhi is a Columbus, Ohio-based South Asian dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Her artistry has been shaped profoundly by renowned teachers from India since the age of seven, performing experiences in various countries such as Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and various places in the U.S. and collaborations with a multitude of artists in the field of dance and music.
Mansee has been a member of the United Nations Dance Council since 2012 and continues with the Board of OhioDance. Through the years, diverse influences have inspired her to immerse herself in pure dance, cross-art form collaborations, and innovative partnerships.…
Stephanie Stewart
Visual Arts: Acrylic, Mixed Media Collage, & Bookmaking
Stephanie Stewart is the multimedia artist and owner of P31 Art & Design. She has been a contributor to the arts and culture sector for many years and has built a creative business from the ground up. Stewart consistently produces original works of art that are used as a central point of inspiration for all of her handmade products and print goods. Stewart works in the mediums of acrylic paint, watercolor, and mixed media content. With her love for art with a focus on the contemporary genre, Stewart’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries and art venues throughout northeast Ohio.…
DeAndra Stone
Dance/Movement, Modern, Ballet, Contemporary, Liturgical, & Creative Movement
As a Black American woman raised in the urban communities of Cleveland, DeAndra believes in creating space for all regardless of their race, gender identification, age, religious preferences, geographical location, perceived disabilities, educational background, and varying viewpoints. DeAndra studied Dance at Cleveland State University while earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, and Master of Science in Health Sciences. DeAndra has taught at the collegiate level, primary through secondary education, as well as community settings such as Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Coventry Children’s Center, and guest with A.R.K.…
DaShika Street
Visual Arts, Painting, Sewing, Candle Making, Murals, & Digital Art
Da’Shika A. Street is an Akron-born creative, wife, and mother of three whose enterprising spirit and artistic influences are shaped by her faith and the legacy of entrepreneurs and artists who preceded her.
Da’Shika’s most recent endeavors have blossomed from Project Sew United, a home-based facemask sewing initiative that she started in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to produce a proprietary 3-layer CDC-approved facemask. The project quickly grew and morphed into what’s now known as Street Craftery, a creative studio founded in 2022, where Mrs.…
