Visual Artists Bios

After ten years of teaching Art and Deaf Education, I decided to start my own business in paintings and clay works. I was born with severe to profound hearing loss and mainstreamed in oral-hearing school system. I received my BA and Masters in Art Education and Deaf Education at Eastern Kentucky University in 2007.

Jack Cochran

I am the first Deaf person to graduate University of Kentucky in studio fine art; my major was in painting, sculpture and printmaking. I graduated Magna Cum Laude in Fine Arts. Hopefully I am able to show the possibilities of equal opportunities in education regardless of perceived disabilities

Bernice Wood

Oil painting had always been her medium of use until 1990. All this changed when she enrolled in watercolor classes taught by Robert James Foose at the University of Kentucky. These informative classes continued for several years and added to her experience. She continued learning by participating in many workshops taught by prominent watercolor artists.

She currently instructs a University of Kentucky sponsored watercolor Osher Lifelong Learning Class. She also teaches a weekly Thursday evening class at Artists’ Attic and a yearly watercolor workshop for The Winchester Art Guild.

Her studio is located in Artists’ Attic in Victorian Square where she is a juried member and serves as president of the artist organization of twenty artists members.

Her watercolor paintings are on exhibit in her studio and can be seen daily during open hours. She welcomes and encourages visits to all Gallery Hops and scheduled member exhibits at Artists’ Attic. Her paintings can be seen at www.artists.attic.org.

Her art is now being shown at Artists Attic along with other gallery members. Recent art exhibits featuring her work were in August 2007 and 2008 Member Shows, Annual Plein Air Shows in October of 2007 and 2008; also in Christmas Shows held in November and December of 2007 and 2008 as well as previous years.

James, or as his friends and family call him "Jim", was born and raised in Bowling Green ,KY. He is the middle child of 5 boys. Jim attended an oral school in Florida but returned to Bowling Green to attend high school. He also attended WKU and took Woodworking classes which led to his love of wicker. At the age of 14, he started his own business repairing antique wicker and making custom pieces. He continues to work with wicker but has expanded his love of visual arts by making custom vintage pieces and steam punk lamps. Jim lives in Bowling Green, KY with his wife Kelly. They have two children, Rachel, who is a student at Bellarmine University and Benjamin, who attends Bowling Green High School. Jim is excited for the opportunity to share his God-given talents with DeaFestival.

Barbie Harris, grew up as a visual artist and a modern dancer. She has been involved with the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Deafestivals since 1996 as a Visual Artist. She was one of the members of the “Three B’s Stained Glass" for years. After her retirement from teaching Arts Education at Kentucky School for the Deaf for 38 years, her passion was to create some interesting art works on Deaf Culture’s sensitivity needs. She uses ink, watercolor and color pencils in her artworks.

Jennifer Harris, is a fifth generation artist on her mother’s side. It has been in her blood wishing to be an artist and also to become an architect since she was young. While growing up, she saw her mother with a variety of skills in the arts and also her grandmother as a modern dancer. Her great grandfather was a sculptor and other ancestors on her mother’s side were oil painters. She is currently studying at the University of Kentucky to become an architect. The legacy still carries on from generation to generation with specific skills in the arts.

John Horsley is a Lexington, KY based Artist. He lived overseas for several years, including Kapolei, Hawaii before moving to Lexington, KY in 1997. He enjoys traveling and is a self-artist who studies objects, people combined with his own personal daily life feelings. He has combined his emotions and thoughts for his subject matter. He is an artist that loves to create beauty, expression, and emotion.

I am a home-based Graphic Artist specializing in American Sign Language (ASL) products. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Art with a concentration in Graphic Design from the University of Louisville.

My artwork focuses on the visual elements of ASL such as hand signs, facial expression and body movements. I draw using color pencils on sketch paper. The drawing is then formatted on computer to create the final piece. I also design handmade crafts with plastic canvas.

It’s inspiriting to see the delightfulexpressions on the faces of the Deaf as they view Laird’s Graphic greetings, pictures, tee shirts designed in their native language. It’s also exciting to see people who can hear signing “Thank You,” from one of my Thank You card or “sick” in a Get Well card. Their delightful, compliments and humble suggestions are the reason I enjoy creating artwork in ASL.

Kellie Martin is visual artist, photographer, and experimental digital artist. She draws from her spiritual understanding of the world that exists. Imagination comes from that source and is channeled through her galaxy expression. Art is a way for her to travel through the imagination and she brings that imagination to others to help them understand themselves. During this time in her life, she is going through a journey of healing and expression and aims to inspire others to do the same. Bringing beauty to the transformation n life is what fires her up. May you enjoy looking through the art and apply the intrinsic experience it gives you.

www.instagram.com/kelliedianee

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but he has lived and worked in central Indiana for the past 33 years. Inspired by his father’s and grandfather’s artworks, warren pursued an interest in art at early age. he attended Rochester Institute of Technology in New York where he studies graphic design for five years. He served as a graphic designer until the recent economic downturn. He began painting after he was laid off from his graphic design position. He was interviewed and featured in the nationally known magazine, DeafLife. His artwork has been featured on ABC family Channel, Switch at Birth.

I am originally from Louisville, KY and was raised in New Albany, Indiana where I reside today. I really enjoy the arts, travel, nature, trying new foods, and just trying new things! I just started acrylic paintings few months ago. I didn’t know that I had a painting talent... I love it! Currently I am juggling my time between painting projects and work.

Yelhsa

When I noticed my signature on one of my earliest painting through a mirror yelhsa, Ashley spelled backward. I saw myself the true artist “Yelhsa”. Yelhsa, an unique artist working in mixed media, acrylic, photography, abstract, murals and more…

www.facebook.com/AshleyMontoyaTrueArtist

Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Dick graduated from Kentucky School for the Deaf in 1968. He then attended Gallaudet University for a few years, until he decided to become a printer and was hired at the Washington Post in D.C. Dick is married and has four grown children and two grandchildren. He retired a few years ago from the Washington Post and now enjoys traveling with his wife in their recreational vehicle. He also enjoys sailing, riding his Harley, and of course pursuing photography.

Dick has always been interested in cameras. He purchased his first Nikon when he was in college. He started by selling his photography as key chain viewers at deaf sports events such as AAAD. He is a professional freelance photographer doing a wide range of work from weddings and sports events to portraits, groups and he also works with the Deaflympics. His work has been published in various newsletters, the Washington Post newspaper, and many magazines. He is now exploring a different venue of photo work, by selling his photographs to the public.

Mindy Moore is a multi-talented entertainer who truly leaves a mark on the stage and on her art, batik tie-dye. She hand crafts beautifuldresses, scarves and shirts for children, adults and even your dog…you only have to ask her…

Mindy is extremely versatile, excelling as an actress, storyteller, poet, mime and visual artist. She currently teaches Art, Drama and Deaf Studies at the Texas School for the Deaf. She also directs school plays, gives workshops and is a full time mother to her two children. She works on stage performances and markets DVDs depicting ASL Stories and Deaf Culture.

www.justmindy.com

Karen Putz is a deaf mom of three deaf and hard of hearing children. She holds a B.S. in Counseling and an M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Northern Illinois University. Karen mentors families in her state's early intervention program and she brought the initial push for the GYBS program to Illinois. She is a writer for the Chicago Tribune TribLocal and Chicago Now blog. Karen sits on the board for Hands & Voices and is the founder and board member of Illinois Hands & Voices. In her spare time, Karen can be found competing at barefoot water skiing tournaments and has been featured on espnW, Growing Bolder, AOL That's Fit, The Waterskier, Waterski, and Suburban Woman. She is the recipient of the 2011 Hot Momma's Project Award and is one of twenty deaf women honored as The Pearls. Karen has been published in several books, including "On the Fence, The Hidden World of the Hard of Hearing" and an upcoming Chicken Soup of the Soulbook.

My artworks take a critical view of blending pop art and classical subjects. In my work, I deconstruct the classical subjects that is part of my childhood and adult culture. By incorporating a positive vibe, my work reproduces familiar classical subjects by arranging them into digital art.

Often times these themes are combined into installations that feature stripes as abstract bases on sunrises/sunsets with different color temperatures. The color scheme of a sunrise/sunset establishes a good morning or good night, suggests the notion of good vibe, and formally unifies the disparate objects in each installation. The artworks provide clues to interpret the content.

Each project often consists of multiple works, often in a range of different media, grouped around specific themes and meanings. During research and productions, new areas of interest arise and lead to the positive feeling.

jonsavagegallery.com