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Grace Art Camp Staff

Present Teaching Artists

A.B. Corduroy is a self taught, experimental artist. With their work, the product is a process and the process is the product. A.B. Corduroy moved to Portland, Oregon in 2012. As a writer and entertainer, the idea of pursuing physical art was never intentional, but came out of the need to express what words and song could not at the time. A.B. Corduroy has an ongoing art project called “zzzwalking” and also performs experimental/improv rock n roll shows around town and has published two poetry books. There is magic in creation and for A.B. Corduroy, it’s a lifestyle not a title.

Abi Rodriguez is a Native to Portland. Abi started her theatrical career at NW Children’s Theater in plays such as Amazing Grace and one-acts. Later she performed in the musicals Thoroughly Modern Millie and Spring Awakening. Her musical background in choir, music theory and mentoring brought her to Grace Art Camp to teach the next generation about the joys of music, movement and imagination. This is her third year at Grace and she is ecstatic to work this summer with campers and provide a safe space for silliness and theatrics.

Alton Takiyama-Chung is a Japanese-Korean storyteller who grew up with the superstitions and the magic of the Hawaiian Islands. He tells stories from Hawai’i, Asian folktales, ghost stories, and historical tales such as the Immigration of Chinese to the US and of the Japanese-American Experience of WWII. He performs across the USA and internationally, is the editor-in-chief of The Story Beast, a storytelling e-Publication, and is a former Chairman of the Board of Directors for National Storytelling Network, the national organization for storytellers in the US.

Amy Jarvis is a retired-clinical-social-worker-turned-visual-arts-teacher, comes to Grace Art Camp with a quiver full of experience: child development specialist in the public schools, hospital social worker, counselor in private practice to children and families, facilitator of art-based corporate team building, artist-in-residence in underserved school districts, trainer of teaching artists, and – topping the list – studio artist at Grace Art Camp! Having witnessed firsthand and for decades the healing and calming properties of exploratory, expressive arts throughout her career and across settings, Amy is committed to introducing and supporting creative (and fun!) art practices whenever and wherever the opportunities arise. She is delighted to be a part of the diverse, enthusiastic, and dedicated Grace Art Camp community!

Arcadia Trueheart is an interdisciplinary artist creating public murals, directing a storytelling project called Handmade Stories, mixing natural inks, forming puppets and masks for stage, and drawing giant portraits. A graduate of Western Washington University, with a BA in Creative and Cultural Communication, and a community organizer here in Portland, Arcadia is passionate about creating art experiences that welcome diverse communities. She loves working with kids of all ages and has taught art in Latin America and the PNW, most recently co-directing Betties360, a non-profit sharing experiences of art and outdoor adventure with middle school youth. She is an Arts for Learning Northwest roster artist bringing classes in mask making, portrait drawing, and collaborative mural creation into Oregon schools.

Ashley Klump is a painter and multimedia artist who finds inspiration in the natural world and scientific drawings. Passionate about providing access and knowledge with a variety of new art materials, curating a fun and creative space for people of all ages and experience levels, she earned her BFA and MA in Art Education. Ashley has worked to create inspirational art experiences for over 15 years.  She has been a studio artist at Grace Art Camp since 2018, and a teaching artist with the Right Brain Initiative and Young Audiences since the fall of 2013. During the school year she does large-scale mural residencies where she helps students put together collaborative murals for their school walls, or smaller scale projects like multimedia book arts residencies where students create an art book to share illustrations and creative writing.

Barb Welty has been making art in Portland for many years.  She earned BFA & MFA degrees in painting and drawing; her current work is inspired by still life works made up of decorative patterns and plants and flowers.  She has taught kids and adults, in Portland schools and from her home studio, as well as at Grace Art Camp, Saturday Academy and the Art Institute of Portland.

Bo “Slice” Schroeder has been an educator in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade, predominantly in Outdoor Education. They have an Illustration degree from Western Oregon University. When they aren’t teaching students, Bo enjoys spending their time outdoors, painting, and playing guitar around campfires.

Debra Galaty has enjoyed teaching at Grace Art Camp and Grace Institute for since 2004.  She has taught glass art in Portland Public schools for Saturday Academy and worked at Jennifer Wells Design Studio. Debra has a Master’s in Education with an emphasis on English Language Learners. She has a Spanish degree and works at Alder Elementary Dual Immersion School.  Art is a wonderful tool to provide a bridge for children new to English.  She is thankful to be involved in this joyful camp that provides an inclusive, creative environment which celebrates diversity.

Dulcinea Myers-Newcomb thrives when it comes to art, arranging, and discovery! Dulcinea taught K-12 Art in the classroom from 1998-2014 where she landed the prestigious Oregon Middle Level Art Educator of the Year award. She has a background in art pedagogy, art making, exhibition, gallery management, performance, and choreography. She has traveled throughout North America and Europe as a dance choreographer, performer, and educator. In 2014, Dulcinea became a teacher to art educators through university supervision work and teaching classes at the university level while starting a business in Portland. Dulcinea now runs a successful business here in Portland and runs an after-school style “Art Club” for her colleagues. Her newest creative venture is slow scent art. She is beyond thrilled to be joining Grace Arts Camp this summer!

Eva Haykin is a printmaker and multimedia artist from Portland, OR. They received a BA in Studio Art and Environmental Studies, and they enjoy making visual artwork that explores the intersections of these topics. Eva is passionate about arts and equity in education, storytelling, and her community. 

Habiba Addo is a native of Ghana, West Africa.  She holds a degree in Theater and a Certificate of Dance from Portland State University.  She has performed and taught in the United States and internationally for over fifteen years.  She teaches and performs dance, rhythm and stories from Ghana, Guinea, Gambia and Senegal.  She also shares the rich African cultures present today in Cuba and Brazil. A guest teacher and performer for Portland Public Schools for over fifteen years, Habiba has also performed and taught the community in dance, storytelling and theater through organizations such as Young Audiences, White Bird, Oregon Ballet Theater, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, Tygres Heart Shakespeare Company, Mambo Queens, Northwest Afrikan American Ballet, Montessori Schools, Cedarwood Waldorf School, Oregon Episcopal School, Miracle Theater, Milagro Bailadores and Portland State University’s World Dance Office. She is a recipient of the Lila Jewel award (2000), an Arts Alive grant (2000) and multiple technical assistant grants from Regional Arts and Culture Council (1998, 2002 and 2012).

Hannah Bohart has been teaching glass art for over 14 years at Grace Art Camp, Jenny Wells Glass studio, and with Jenny in the Portland Public Schools. She holds a MA in Gender and Peacebuilding from the University for Peace in Costa Rica, and has an undying love of travel and learning. She works as a mental health coach and a life coach when she’s not helping young artists create amazing glass projects.

Jake Schlueter left his profession in the legal world to get back to his passion of music and audio production. Jake has been playing music since childhood, but in the past few years began studying and producing podcasts. He believes his students should take music and podcasting seriously, but also incorporates a healthy balance of encouragement, having fun, and being true to ourselves.

James Houghton is a ceramic artist born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He attended Oregon College of Arts and Craft beginning in the Fall of 2018. After its closure in Spring of 2019 James transferred to the Pacific Northwest College of Arts where he received a degree in sculpture with a focus in ceramics. James continues to live and make work in Portland, and most recently has opened up an art studio and multi-disciplinary gallery in SE Portland, called Clay Street Studios, which he runs alongside fellow ceramic artist Sam Schroot, and musician Eli Goldburg. James employs many different styles, including wheel-thrown functional tableware, and structural hand-work that expands on his thesis-year project at PNCA.

Jane Kearns is an artist that likes working with watercolor and experimenting with mixed media – especially drawing with sewing machines. Jane loves thinking of new materials and ways to use them. They grew up in Oregon and has also lived in many places across the country. A graduate of University of Oregon and Oregon State University for their undergraduate degrees, they then attended Northern Illinois University for both a Master of Fine Arts and Masters in Studio Art. Jane was happy to return to beautiful Oregon after retiring from teaching middle school art for 20 years in Lake Bluff, Illinois. They still find ways to spend time with kids doing art and have enjoyed being a part of various classes with Grace Art Camp. Every minute spent with kids doing art is precious and helps them to be creative and productive members of the world.

Jenny Wells has been working with glass for 20 years. She holds a degree in special education from Radford University and found her love of glass art when she moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1997.  She studied stained glass, mosaics and glass fusing from local glass studios, and after 5 years in public education, Jenny followed her passion for glass and was hired to create the glass studio at Grace Art Camp in 2001. She has taught glass art as well as other art forms at Grace Art Camp, Oregon Episcopal School, The French American School, Saturday Academy, her own studio, as well as in many schools throughout Oregon. She has also sold and displayed her glass work in Portland and Virginia. Jenny currently teaches glass art at schools and in her home studio when she’s not busy being a mom. See her website for classes and other information.

Jourdan Burklund has been involved with Grace Art Camp since spring break, 2023. She began assisting in visual arts and fibre arts, moving her way up to studio artist. She has dabbled in all kinds of art since she was a child and enjoys drawing and sewing the most. Jourdan works as a dental hygienist in school-based dental programs. She works with infants up to middle schoolers. She also freelances as an ASL interpreter. Communication, education, and working with others are her specialties. Combining those with a passion for creating, Jourdan loves working at Grace. She gets to watch the campers learn new techniques while expressing themselves through art. She has been carving a niche for herself at Grace by being a mixed media / fibre arts studio artist.

Kanani Miyamoto is originally from Honolulu, Hawai’i. Kanani Miyamoto lives in Portland, Oregon where she practices art, teaches, and curates. She is an individual of mixed heritage and identifies most with her Hawaiian and Japanese roots, which is celebrated in her artwork. Miyamoto holds a Master of Fine Arts in Print Media from the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art Practices from Portland State University. Kanani is now the Arts Coordinator at P:ear. Important to Miyamoto’s work as an artist is sharing and honoring her mixed cultural background to represent her community and the beauty of intersectional identities. She also explores topics such as institutional critique and hopes to create critical conversations around cultural authenticity in the arts. Miyamoto is a printmaker and uses traditional printmaking techniques to create large scale print installations and murals. In addition to being a practicing artist, she is an advocate for art education and a passionate community worker.

Karen Jones is a retired public school teacher with over 30 years of experience working with young children of all abilities. She has been excited to participate in Grace Art Camp since its early years when both her children were annual campers. She loves the collaboration among artists and the intertwining of art, literature and culture. When not at camp, she enjoys hiking, reading and traveling.

Kawika Kalama ( They / Them ) is a Kanaka Maoli ( Native Hawaiian ), Filipino, and Chinese multidisciplinary teaching artist. Their work explores how we are connected to our communities, cultures, and food systems, empowering students to embrace their histories and perpetuate traditional ways of being. Kawika’s primary mediums are photography, cooking, and jewelry. They have taught toddlers, K-12, and adults alike, believing that creative expression is a reflective process that deepens an individual’s connection to their art form(s), themself, and their ancestors. Kalama has a BA in Civic Communication and Media and Religious Studies from Willamette University and is a graduate of the 2023-2024 Teaching Artist Studio offered by Arts for Learning Northwest. Their art has been shown at the Lincoln City Cultural Center and Hallie Ford Museum of Fine Art.

Kelly Campbell declared at a young age “I want to be a puppet!” When she realized there were actually people who operated the puppets, she agreed “I guess I could be a puppeteer instead.”  Kelly has a BA in Theatre and Gender Studies at Sonoma State University. She studied puppetry with San Francisco’s Lunatique Fantastique, and joined Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre in 2009. Kelly launched KCPuppetree in 2013 with a dream to produce and create original puppet plays out of re-used objects. KCPuppetree shows have toured throughout Washington and Oregon, visiting libraries, schools, Festivals and street fairs. Kelly Campbell currently teaches in-school residencies, workshops and summer camps with Tears of Joy Theatre. During the summer, KC regularly teaches theatre and is also a Storyteller at Grace Arts Camp. In 2014, KC joined fellow Grace Arts Camp artists to design and lead a week-long art camp experience for children in Peru. Kelly is also a trained Teaching Artist, advocate and mentor. She began working with children while in high school, volunteering at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence in Southern California. This passion then led to a 4-year internship (and eventual job) with United Against Sexual Assault of Sonoma County, leading workshops to students in grades Kindergarten through College in Child Abuse Prevention and Teen Sexual Assault and Safe Relationships. Kelly has additional training in Theatre of the Oppressed and Forum Theatre, leading workshops for children and adults with Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Recent collaborators include Robert Randall (Trashanalia, TrashMan and the Noise Band) and Summer Olsson (TrashMan and the Noise Band).

Kristin Koop, from camper to artist, has been involved with Grace Art Camp for over 25 years. Kristin has studied at San Francisco Art Institute, Portland State University, and Oregon College of Art and Craft. She has been the Church School Coordinator and teacher at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church and an Assistant Teacher at a Reggio Emilia philosophy based preschool. Kristin is currently an after-school caretaker and when time allows, she creates figurative and abstract art in a variety of drawing, painting, printmaking and mixed media techniques.

Kumu Kei Kapukui has been teaching hula for over 40 years. Kei is the Kumu Hula for ULUWEHI Halau Hula O Kapukui. Our mission is, “To preserve and perpetuate the Hawaiian Culture through song and dance.” Her students, age four through 85+ are her best teachers and inspiration!! “I look forward to when I can share my Hawaiian Culture and the Spirit of Aloha with family, friends, community, and children. I believe our children are the beginning of a ‘melting pot’ of our future!!”

Kurt Conroyd is an actor and writer, known for Wild (2014), Lean on Pete (2017) and An American Masquerade (2021). Kurt is also a gifted storyteller and theatre arts teacher, and joined Grace Art Camp in 2021.

Larry Peace-Love Yes is a self taught multi-disciplinary artist whose work focuses on positivity, humor, and fostering social bonds through creativity. His art has been shown at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Portland Art Museum, The Portland International Airport, PDX Contemporary and more. The conceptual basis of his work is messages of love designed to spotlight our interconnectedness. All humans are family, born from the same elements, and love is our shared home. Colors, shapes, words, and melodies help point the way to that home. Intentional, positive art for the people is needed now more than ever. His primary mediums are paint, wood, installation, and song realized in visual and socially-engaged work and hybrids of the two. A songwriter since 1988 and a visual artist since 1999, his music and art truly feed each other.

Loey Hargrove is a lifelong observer of pattern and connectivity, motivated to explore ideas about the unseen and how it manifests into being, into Life. At an early age she  found self expression and refuge in both the visual arts and dance, and completed a BFA in painting and printmaking with the University of Texas at Austin in 1994. She then took a circuitous exploratory path to the Pacific Northwest, making Oregon her home in 2007. Along the way she found herself being a barista, a park ranger, a graphic designer, a custom painter, and a muralist, and a gardener, among other things. In 2009, through the grace of a friend, Loey began teaching art to children at Grace Art Camp. She’s found designing kids’ art projects through various mixed media to be a delightful suit, and grows in gratitude for how the children remind her of the value of maintaining Beginner’s Mind in all life endeavors. Residing again in Portland after being away for a few years, Loey is still unpacking things. Her art making currently involves drawing, painting, paper cutting, geometric assemblage, taking endless pics of her beloved cat, and infinite inspirations from our poetic cosmos.

Lorraine Hanson is a self-taught mixed media artist whose creativity often reflects self love and kindness. Her work has been displayed at the Radius Art galleries in Portland. She has taught after school dance classes at Chemeketa Community College from 2008-2019, teaching and performing belly dance since 1995. Her movement experience includes proudly being part of two different halaus (schools of hula) in California and a belly dance crew in San Diego, the Urban Tribal Dance Company, that has opened for Cheryl Crow in concert.

Louise Wilmes retired from the Beaverton School District (BSD) after 41 years teaching Grades K-6 for 37 years and 4 years as BSD Title VI Indian Education Coordinator. She identifies as Native Hawaiian and is a member of The Otoe-Missouria Indian Tribe of Oklahoma. She grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and is a proud graduate of The Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu. She came to the “mainland” to attend Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon and graduated with a BA in Elementary Education and then at George Fox University with a MA in Education Administration. Louise coordinates and facilitates professional development workshops for educators to support Tribes and districts that are implementing Native American curriculum requirements. She teaches and “plays” with Hawaiian and Native keiki (kids) in the summer by sharing the mo’olelo (stories) and traditions of the Hawaiian and Native ancestors through mele (song), dance, STEM, and art. She feels working with students, young and old, is energizing, fun, and the BEST thing ever!

LuAnn Rukke fell in love with fabric and design as a child. At 13 she was making wearable art and selling it to boutiques. Color and interest in international and contemporary fabrics has inspired many of her creations. She received her degree in textile and apparel design from Collage LaSelle in Montreal, Quebec. After returning to Oregon she spent years working for Chanel and created Fibers in Motion in Multnomah Village, located in Southwest Portland. For 10 years she supplied the city with gorgeous fabrics, classes for adults and children and an inspirational store filled with ideas.

Meg Ready (she/they) is a teaching artist, poet, and author of the poetry collection Hallucinating a Homestead (Two Sylvias Press). Her work has appeared in The Missouri Review, Black Warrior Review, Homology Lit, and many other journals. She lives in Portland on Grand Ronde land with her partner and five animals. Meg collaborates with multiple nonprofits across Oregon to bring literary arts into the classroom. In her free time, Meg sings as an alto in the Portland Lesbian Choir.

Melissa Romeo who usually teaches in the clay and sculpture studio at Camp, received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Illinois and has since worked with students in museums, schools and camps.

Mike van Liew is a freelance musician living in Portland. He studied trumpet with Dr. George Hunter of Denison University, taught himself to play piano and flute, and studied with Bart Bartholomew, who encouraged him to compose. He eventually formed his own eight-piece horn band and began arranging. He played with the Flying Karamazov Brothers, including an appearance at the Ritz Theatre on Broadway, NYC. He has written and played music with modern dance choreographer Mary Oslund, collaborating with composer Steve Koski. At Jefferson HS he toured with the acting ensemble, composed a score for the Jefferson Dancers, and conducted and wrote for the Jazz band. Mike did a long stint with DoJump Movement Theatre, playing with Courtney Von Drehle and Brian Davis, including shows at the New Victory Theatre in NYC, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Geffen Theatre in L.A. He toured Holland with Klezmorim, and orchestrated and conducted music with 3 Leg Torso. He recorded an album “Polyglot” of original tunes with his nine-piece jazz band. He created two soundscapes for the Portland Metro Zoo. He has been musical director for shows at Artists Repertoire Theatre, PSU, Clackamas Community College, and Lakewood Theatre. Recently Mike’s focus has been arranging commissions for professional, college, and high school Jazz bands. He recently wrote and conducted a piece with the Pacific Crest Symphonietta.

Miranda Garcia Karson is an interdisciplinary artist living and practicing in Portland, OR. Being young and coming of age in a community where both the play of making and the products of making were valued is something she carries with her as an artist and teacher. Her practice ranges from painting and drawing, to video, movement, and ceramics, often culminating in multimedia installation works. She has a strong love for process and material, play and experimentation, and the understanding and connection art can bring forth between individuals and communities.

Natali Plotkin is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music therapy at Pacific University. Their journey in the arts began at Grace Art Camp, where they not only attended from ages four to 12, but also worked as both a counselor and artist for the past 12 years. Their extensive background in the performing arts and experience as a music teacher have shaped their love for creative expression, and its therapeutic power. Natali looks forward to making art with you!

Paula Benjaminson, Fiber Artist and Printmaker crossed over into the world of art after her education in International Relations and a long career in the US Foreign Service. Exploring color and shape as a quilter, Paula began printing her own fabrics in Africa, which led to a fascination with surface design on fabric and paper. Paula has taught quilting, surface design, and printing in Europe, Africa and North America. Her current work often features her hand-printed fabrics and paper sewn together into artist books, as well as art quilts incorporating her own painted and printed fabrics.

Sharyn J. Smith has been leading art workshops and teaching for over two decades, with a BA in Fine Arts and a background in graphic design and illustration. Favorite topics to teach are printmaking, painting, collage, assemblage and calligraphy. “I love that while we are all learning about different cultures and countries at Grace Art Camp, the kids always teach me new things. I’m constantly delighted by things campers say!” Favorite moments are to hear, “That’s so cool!” during a project demo and “This is really fun!” It’s such a privilege to work with such creative, open, talented people to bring new skills and confidence to these kids and create a memory for them.

Susanne Leolani Fuller is the founder and Kumu Hula of The School of Polynesian Dance in Portland, Oregon, where she teaches Hula (both kahiko / ancient and auana / modern), Tahitian, and Maori styles of dance. Susanne has been in the performing arts all of her life—first training and performing in the disciplines of Hula, Tahitian and Maori, then later into ballet, tap, and jazz. Dancing naturally led  to acting and theater. She received her BA in Theater from Notre Dame de Namur University, trained at the Eugene O’Neil National Theater Institute, and attended the American Conservatory Theater’s Advanced Training Program. Her career has taken her throughout the USA and eventually to the United Kingdom, touring with the New Vic Theatre Company of London and choreographed Lord Richard Attenborough’s film Chaplin starring Robert Downey Jr.  In 2011, Susanne moved to Portland, Oregon, reconnecting with Hula and other forms of Polynesian dance.  Susanne founded The School of Polynesian Dance in 2015. In 2017, her group placed 2^nd in the Wahine Division at the Hapa Haole Hula Festival and in 2018 her troupe won 1^st Place in the Combined Division. For class information, email: shwellness@hotmail.com

Will Hornyak is a soulful storyteller, creative teacher and dynamic performer. Will weaves world myths, local tall tales and original creations into unique, well-crafted and engaging performances, workshops and keynotes. A life-long traveler he has worked as a newspaperman in South America, a fisherman in Alaska, a carpenter, farm hand and university instructor. Stories, poems and songs of work and labor find common ground with Irish myths, Mexican fables, Grimm’s fairytales and Oregon tall tales in Will’s highly imaginative performances. Will taught storytelling in professional communication at Marylhurst Univ. in Portland, Oregon and performs throughout the United States.

In the Past:

Amel Tafsout is an inspirational first source master dance artist, choreographer, instructor, frame drummer, singer, energy worker and one of the finest exponents of North African traditional and contemporary Maghreb Dance of our time. With research in dance anthropology, and long training in various healing practices, Tafsout’s knowledge of her culture and her experience in many dance styles and music make her very unique. Raised in Algeria among the finest traditional dancers and musicians, Tafsout was fascinated by dance and music since childhood. In her early twenties, Tafsout moved to Germany where she founded the Pan Arabic dance company ‘Banat As Sahra’. In the late 80s, she moved to London, U.K. where she taught and performed at various dance and music festivals and founded ‘The Tafsoutettes’ Dance Company. While currently living in the U.S.A. she is still performing and teaching worldwide.

Anne Rutherford is a gifted, professional storyteller who performs regularly at festivals, libraries and community events locally and throughout the Northwest. She also teaches school residencies in writing and public speaking and performs for senior audiences (including memory care.) Anne performs with her husband Norm Brecke as “Storytellers Northwest.” They teach storytelling for adults at Portland Community College and in workshops for caregivers and members of church, civic and community groups.

Barb Griggs has been a practicing artist for a long while. She has a degree in Art History and is a lifelong Oregonian. She has two children and a dog and loves to travel. She has expressed herself in various creative endeavors; painting, jewelry design, mixed media collage, sewing, fabric, textile arts, etc. She has taught home economics and shop classes in Japan. She possesses an acerbic wit, love of vintage wares and mid-century architecture. She enjoys home improvement projects and power tools, sewing, and embroidery, which she has enjoyed since her grandmother taught her when she was young.

Brent Follis started his musical career when wooden spoons found him tapping out rhythms on popcorn tins while growing up on a Southern Illinois farm. His musical journey has led him cross country and around the globe. With his degree in Advertising and music performance from Southern Illinois University, he transplanted himself to the fertile soil of the Pacific Northwest.  Befriending Ghanaian master drummer Israel Annoh, Brent’s style and voice took shape. Needing to fulfill his yearning for diversity, culture, and thin crust pizza, he moved to New York City for a decade of performing, traveling. Now back in the Rose City, Brent records and performs, and can be found backing up many talented singer-songwriters, jazz and pop artists. He believes his role on the drum set is to provide a great feel, uncover the nuances of each song, and create a unique and supportive drum part.

Christian J. Barrios  was born in Mexico City where he learned the art of ceramic painting in the historic Talavera tradition at a young age through his family’s business. At the age of 16 he moved to the United States and later studied under master marquetry artist Gene Zanni. During this time he also studied painting, paper mache and photography. Christian is an active participant in the Oregon and Washington Latino art scene, with exhibitions at the Portland Art Museum, Portland State University, The Dalles Art Center, Concordia University and many others throughout both states. Christian’s work can be found in private collections in Mexico, Canada, California, Oregon and Washington. He currently works with the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Right Brain Initiative and the Hombres Honor Program at Hillsboro High School.

Daniel (Granias) Gyu is a native Midwesterner now living in Portland, whose focus is teaching clay and creative processes.  His experience of working across a wide range of age levels and social backgrounds has taught him how making art unifies peoples’ experiences with themselves and each other.  Daniel first joined Grace Institute in December 2016 for Peace camp. Currently Daniel is also a teaching artist for the Right Brain Initiative and Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington, which serves public schools across the Portland Metro area. He received a BFA in Fine Arts and a Teaching License in K-12 Art Education from the University of Iowa in 2009 and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Ceramics from the Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2012. His personal work focuses on soft and hard forms, internal anatomy, touch and intimacy, and social engagement across all age levels.

Donna Cloud is a Portland based artist, educator and certified Speech Language Pathology Assistant. She has taught a variety of subjects to people of all ages and abilities in several different settings. Artistically she specializes in Non-Toxic Printmaking. After earning her BFA in Printmaking from PNCA, Donna began working with youth and realized that many of the processes she studied were far too toxic and costly to teach in many youth programs. This is when she focused on non-toxic methods of printing using recycled materials without a press. Making printmaking accessible to everyone is her passion, creating a unique class that brings color, texture and humor to camp since 2009. During the academic year she works for David Douglas School District as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant and teaches a variety of creative classes through their S.U.N. program. In her free time she enjoys her pets, traveling, gardening and exploring nature.

Elsy Dinvil is originally from Jérémie, Haiti. Elsy loves to cook and owns the business Creole Enterprises, LLC. She recently published a book, Cooking With My Mother, which is filled with over 100 easy-to-follow popular Haitian receipts. Check out her website for more information….

Gerardo Calderon is a composer, teaching artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Mexico City. He grew up surrounded by music, dance and culture. Gerardo is the musical director of Grupo Condor and Nuestro Canto, and has pursued his interest in learning about traditional Mexican music, Latin American folk music and Pre-Colombian music. He has performed with folk music ensembles in Mexico, Canada, New England, and the Pacific Northwest, and He has also toured with choir and world music ensembles through out the USA. Gerardo has composed music and designed sound for contemporary Ballet companies, documentaries, short films, commercials, theater companies, and cultural organizations. Gerardo has been sharing his talent as a teaching artist for over 25 years and has continuously served the northwest community.

Gia Whitlock lives in Portland with her husband Trevor, and two art campers, ages 8 and 5. Outside of camp, Gia’s work always includes collage and paint, on canvas or panel. If you wish to see Gia Whitlock art beyond toilet paper tubes and tennis balls, come to First Cup Coffeehouse, Art in the Pearl, Local 14 Art Show and Sale, or Wild Arts Festival. Come on, you know you’re curious.

Jem Pritchard came from a family of creative people, so it was not a surprise when he attended Savannah College of Art and Design to study painting. He graduated in 1991 with honors then moved to Seattle to pursue painting on his own. Over the years he has shown his work in several group and solo shows. He’s taught private art lessons, helped start a non-profit arts organization called SCOPE, and he also followed his love of Jazz by teaching himself to play the trumpet. Jem now primarily makes his living as a woodworker, but still loves to paint and draw in his spare time. His newest project is a house to remodel! He is excited to spend a fourth year with Grace Art Camp and looks forward to teaching art to kids in the future.

Julie Akers – This is Julie’s second year of teaching at Grace Art Camp and she couldn’t be more pleased! She has been teaching acting, directing and theater history at the university level for the past twenty years. She received an MFA from University of British Columbia and has worked as a Professor at New Mexico State University, Willamette University, Portland Community College, and Lone Star College. She is currently teaching theater at Portland State University. In addition, Julie has been recognized for her work with young adults throughout her career. She has been nominated for an Emmy for the collaborative work she did with Teens and Company, in Portland, Oregon. She has run summer long theater camps for high school kids in Las Cruces, New Mexico. And, she recently worked with kids at risk in Austin, Texas, through the Creative Action Project. Her commitment to educational theater, at all levels, is absolute.

Jonathan Steele grew up in the greater Seattle Area. He took his first ceramics class in 2008 as an elective at Whitworth University where he earned a BA in Physics. After graduating, He knew he wanted to dive into ceramics and took the roundabout path of going back to community college to earn my acceptance into a Post-Bacc program in Art at University of Puget Sound. He earned his MFA in Craft from Oregon College of Art and Craft in 2016 and is currently Resident Artist at Pleasant Hill Pottery in Pleasant Hill, OR. He has accepted an offer for spring 2018 to be Sabbatical Replacement Professor at University of Puget Sound and looks forward to the opportunities that will unfold for him from there.

Jude Cornwell (aka Judee Moonbeam), earned her degree in apparel design from Bassist College, the precursor to the PDX Art Institute. She works out of her NE Portland studio, designing colorful wearable art consisting of piecework and cultural silkscreen motifs which she sells through juried art shows, festivals and galleries. Her line of “NW Native Tree Leaf” purses, historical identification endorsed by the OSU Horticulture Department, is sold in the Vista House Gift shop at Crown Point. The Pittock Mansion offers her line of bags silkscreened with the mansion’s best-known architectural motifs. Other commissions include chasubles for clergy and custom ordered graduation stoles for several colleges. She sells her work through juried art shows, festivals and galleries. Jude teaches during the arts weeks at the French American International School  and has led the Fibre Arts Studio at Grace Art Camp since 2000.

Kailee McMurran spent her formative years in Alaska, the last frontier, as a pint-sized pixie whose happy place was being in a handstand. After training & competing as a gymnast for 11 years, Kailee switched to ballet full-time until the Northwest beckoned. She holds a degree in Graphic Design from Western Oregon University where she also danced nationally & internationally as a Principle with Rainbow Dance Theatre under the co-direction of former Pilobolus dancer Darryl Thomas & former Merce Cunningham dancer Valerie Bergman. These days she is not only dancing with SubRosa but also molding young spirits doing acrobatic school shows with Do Jump! Kailee founded and is festival director for the Annual Portland Dance Film Fest. Often upside down is where she is happiest. She’s also the leading lady of her design firm Design by Goats.

Nancy Judd creates couture fashion sculptures from trash through her business Recycle Runway. She exhibits her work in high-traffic public locations around the US to inspire action around conservation of resources. Her traveling exhibition called ReDress: Upcycled Style is touring museums around the United States, and one of her pieces, the Obamanos Coat, is in the Smithsonian Museum’s permanent collection. Nancy’s work has been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, in the Huffington Post, and in media outlets around the world. Companies and organizations such as Delta Air Lines, Toyota, and The Nature Conservancy have sponsored her sculptures and exhibitions. Currently she is creating work for a 2nd exhibition in the Atlanta International Airport in 2019. Nancy is also a Teaching Artist, providing Arts Integration (exploring curriculum via creative experiences) in schools and gives presentations and workshops to audiences of all ages around the globe including two TEDx talks.

Norm Brecke is a spirited storyteller who revels in telling a good story. He is also known to mix music and humor into his programs. Norm spent many years as a primary school teacher. While teaching he developed and implemented after-school programs where he guides 3rd-5th grade students learned to tell and perform stories. He now works as a professional storyteller; performing for festivals, libraries, senior citizens, and community events locally and throughout the Northwest. Norm often performs with his wife, Anne Rutherford, as “Storytellers Northwest.” They teach storytelling for adults at Portland Community College and in workshops for caregivers and members of church, civic and community groups.

Robert Randall started working in education at the age of 12 as a volunteer at OMSI. That same year his stop-motion animation was featured in a commercial for the Imperial Hotel Christmas window. Robert’s video work has also been featured in the Microsoft Mediaroom campaign. For the last seven years Robert has with Portland’s own Tears of Joy Theatre as an educator, videographer, and performer. Each year he works with hundreds of students in residency programs all over Oregon and Washington. He is also an artist, luthier, and maker of things fine and semi-fine. His wood inlay work is just lovely!

Shelley Stoffer has a BA in Art Education from the U of O. She is a practicing artist working in glass (mosaic and fused). She was a Lower School Art teacher at Oregon Episcopal School for 25 years, and is now retired. Previous to that she was an artist in residence in Portland Public Schools, an arts administrator and a teacher at The Children’s Museum. Shelley and her husband live in Irvington and have 2 grown sons and 2 darling grandchildren.