Artist Bios

Out Of The Box: art from the inside out

Artist Bios

Farron L. Allen
Farron Allen serves as adjunct instructor of sculpture foundry at the University on
Cincinnati, and preparator at a local gallery.

Joell Angel-Chumbley
Joell Angel-Chumbley received her MFA Degree from the University of Cincinnati in
2000. Her work spans th disciplines of fine art, graphic design, environmental graphics
and public art.

Louise Aug
Louise Aug is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. She has maintained her studio in the Pendleton
Art Center for 16 years. Louise has consistently exhibited her art in local shows and
galleries. Currently her work is available at Created Illusions Gallery, Art Design
Consultants, Pendleton Art Gallery, Newport, KY. Nationally she has shown her art at
ST. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana; Steinway Gallery, Chapel Hill, North Carolina,
Laughing Dolphin, Seabrook Island, South Carolina. Internationally in 2006 and 2007
Louise participated in five group shows and completed her initial European solo show at
Sala Barna Gallery in Barcelona, Spain

Anthony Becker
Anthony Becker was born in 1958 in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Yale College in
1981. He works in a wide range of materials from oil paint and rusty metal, to paper, wood
and wire. He has exhibited in places like the Cincinnati Zoo, The Dayton Experiencenter,
and the Spertus Museum in Chicago. In June-August of 2008, he had an installation at The
Weston Art Gallery and most recently made a paper angel for a Pace University theatrical
production in NYC.

Laurie Blaes
Laurie Blaes earned her Master of Fine Art from the University of Cincinnati in 1995. She
currently lives in St. Louis, MO exhibits her sculptures in regional and national
exhibitions. Laurie’s work continues to focus on this specific three sided form and its
relationship to found antique objects and fabricated elements.

Jane A. Cash and Roy Cartwright
Roy Cartwright received his BFA degree from the California College of Arts and Crafts in
Oakland, California, in 1961 and his MFA from the School for American Craftsmen,
Rochester, N.Y. IN 1963. Currently teaching at the University of Cincinnati, he taught
previously at the Cleveland Institute of Art and the University of Illinois. He has exhibited
nationally for over 30 years in juried and invitational shows.

Jane A. Cash has exhibited sculpture and paintings both regionally and locally in numerous
solo and group shows for over thirty years. Jane is a versatile artist who has produced large
bodies of work in various media: ceramic, bronze, wood, mixed media, site-specific
installation, papier-mâché and plaster. Her two dimensional work includes oil, acrylic,
pastel, pen and ink on both canvas and paper. Her work is represented in Cincinnati Bell
corporate collection. She has completed a commissioned work for the Cincinnati Commerce
Center.

She has received grants from the City of Cincinnati and the Kentucky Foundation for
Women. Early in her career as a Montessori teacher she taught art as well as academics.
She is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and studied at the University of Cincinnati.
Reviews of her work have appeared in New Art Examiner, Dialogue and several regional
and local publications.

Jeff Casto
Jeff Casto is a West Virginia native and has live and worked in Cincinnati since 1982. He
has an MFA in Painting from the University of Cincinnati (1989). His work fuses painting
with sculpture through the means of found objects. His work often addresses an array of
issues from the personal to the political. He has exhibited throughout the Mid West and
New York City.

Patricia Corbett
Patricia Corbett graduated from Northern Kentucky University in 2006 with a BFA in
Painting. Since graduation she has exhibited her work throughout the city with a solo
show at the Historic York Street Café Gallery in 2007, and with a portrait in the Face
Cincinnati Show that same year. Ms. Corbett continues to make and show her work about
the connections between the natural world and humanity.

Chris Daniel
Christopher Daniel has an Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of
Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from West Virginia University.
He has taught a welding and blacksmithing class as an adjunct instructor for the
Art Academy for the last seven years and has worked locally as a freelance toy
sculptor, and curator of the Massive Exhibition Series. Currently he continues
to work with Thin Air Studio, creating public sculpture throughout Ohio and
abroad, and he runs Blue Hell Studio, a metal design and fabrication company.

Liliana Duque Piñeiro
Liliana Duque Piñeiro, a sculptor and set designer from Colombia, came to the United
States with a Fulbright scholarship to continue her studies in Fine Arts. She has
participated in several exhibitions in the United States and abroad. Her stage work includes
designs for Opera de Colombia in Bogotá, Teatro Sucre in Quito, Ecuador; Cutting Ball
Theater in San Francisco, among others.

Heidi Endres
Heidi Endres is a native Kentucky printmaker and instructor at Northern Kentucky
University. She graduated with an BFA from Northern Kentucky University and received
her MFA from the University of Cincinnati in printmaking.

Stuart Fink
Stuart Fink received his MFA from the University of Cincinnati. He has an extensive
exhibition record showing a variety of media from painting to sculpture. He has many
public works in the Ohio area.

Richard D. Fruth
Richard Fruth received a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Photography in 1994 and a
Master of Arts in Studio Arts in 1998 at Ball State University, Muncie, IN. Thereafter, he
pursued a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture in 2001 at University of Cincinnati. His
artwork focuses on two points of interest; the narrative, such as telling stories relating of
the past, future, biological or psychological. His second point of interest, focuses on the
use or abuse of the English language, specifically how language becomes repetitive,
negative and sometimes humorous. Currently, he is adjunct and part time teaching at
Northern Kentucky University, Art Academy of Cincinnati and Cincinnati State Technical
Community College. Currently, he is represented by Sandra Small Gallery
(www.sandrasmallgallery.com) as well as working on several projects & exhibitions for
the upcoming 2008 & 2009 season.

Saad Ghosn
Saad Ghosn, a native of Lebanon, has been living in Cincinnati since 1985. A medical
professional and an educator, Saad resorts to visual and spoken art to express himself and
convey his sociopolitical views. Saad believes that activism is at the heart of art expression.
He is the founder of ‘SOS ART’, a yearly art event of sociopolitical expressions for peace
and justice, and the editor and publisher of the yearly ‘For a Better World, Poems and
Drawings on Peace and Justice by Greater Cincinnati Artists’.

Robert C. Glover
I moved to West Chester, OH in 1977 having previously lived on both coasts. I earned a fine arts degree from The Ohio State University and have worked as a professional artist for over 20 years. Now I live in Loveland, OH with my wife and our home schooled daughter. I work in found object assemblage sculpture and photography. In 2008, I completed a series of 1000 grid photography prints which can be seen at RobGlover.com.

Sandra Gross
Sandra was born in Cincinnati, Ohio where she currently resides. While pursuing an
M.F.A. in Sculpture, she discovered Glass and was captured by its idiosynchrosis. She is
constantly reminded of the similarities between Glass and Humanity.

Rhonda Gushee
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Rhonda Gushee received her Master’s of Fine Arts at the
University of Cincinnati. Awards include grants from the Ohio Arts Council, Cincinnati’s
Summerfair Grant, artist’s residencies at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale,
NY, I-Park in East Haddam, CT, and Baltimore Clayworks in MD. In addition to creating
art, Gushee has taught as an adjunct professor and given numerous workshops.

Celene Hawkins
Celene Hawkins received her MFA in Sculpture from University of Cincinnati and a BFA,
cum laude, from The Columbus College of Art and Design. Recent awards include an Ohio
Arts Council Individual Excellence Award in 2006 and also a residency at the Artist’s
Enclave at I-Park, in Connecticut. Hawkins co-owns a sculpture studio with her husband
where they do public and private commission work and fabrication for other artists.

M. Katherine Hurley
Since 1976, M.K. Hurley has been a practicing artist in Cincinnati , Ohio . She is nationally
known for her colorful, mysterious landscapes. Katherine’s work is part of private and
corporate collections throughout the USA . She is a mentor and teacher to many through
her work with the Taft Museum ’s Artists Reaching Classrooms (ARC) and giving landscape
workshops in oil and pastel.

Lisa Jameson
Lisa Jameson teaches art education and drawing at Northern Kentucky University.
Everyday occurrences and simple materials influence her work, which she combines and
distills into a visual language with which to express the beauty and drama of both inner and
outer worlds. Lisa’s art lab is in Alexandria, Kentucky, “where the city meets the country”.

Julie Mader-Meersman
Julie Mader-Meersman is a graphic designer, visual artist and Associate Professor of
graphic design at Northern Kentucky University. She earned her MFA in visual
communication design from the University of Washington School of Art in Seattle in 1996.
Her art and designs have appeared in publications and exhibitions internationally.

Aimee Maher
Aimee Maher has her Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from Miami University, concentrating in Painting and Sculpture. She has studied Sculpture in France under a Student Fellowship Grant, and was elected by her professors as member of the Department of Art Student Advisory Committee. As the student representative of 3-Dimensional Art during her time at Miami, she organized various student art shows and competitions. She currently lives as an artist and educator in Boulder, Colorado.

Alejandro Mandel
Alejandro Mandel was born in Santiago, Chile. He studied art in Chile, Israel and the
United States and has a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. He currently works and
lives in Kentucky.

Laura Martin
Laura Martin received her B.S. in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati in 1984.
She currently does graphic design work including print and environmental design and public
art projects. Laura is a mixed media artist, residing in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has exhibited in
various local and regional exhibitions.

Kirk Mayhew
Kirk received his MFA from the University of Cincinnati in 2000. He has been an
instructor and sculptor in the greater Cincinnati area ever since. Kirk is a three-dimensional
fine art enthusiast who primarily works with clay, found objects, and performance issues.
Most of his recent portfolio deals with abstracting perspective and scale between figure and
architecture incorporating the residue of perseverance.

Brad McCombs
McCombs’ role as an artist is comprehensive and embraces: activism, anthropology,
ecology, and sociology. He uses a broad range of materials and works in many mediums,
which enable his conceptually driven works to become fully realized. McCombs has
shown both nationally and internationally with exhibits at the Gallery Project (Ann Arbor,
MI), LACE (Los Angeles, CA), SPACELab (Cleveland, OH), and the Cité Internationale
des Arts (Paris, France).

Lisa Merida-Paytes
Lisa Merida-Paytes holds an M.F.A. from the University of Cincinnati and her work has
been featured in exhibitions and publications, regionally, nationally and internationally for
the past 10 years. Recently, her work was featured at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago, IL,
School of the Ozarks in Missouri and will be featured at NCECA 2009 held in Phoenix,
Arizona.

Matt Miller-Novak
Matt received his B.F.A. from Youngstown State University in 2001. He moved Cincinnati
to attend University of Cincinnati where he received his M.F.A. in 2005. Matt has been
currently drafting a body of work titled: The Life and Times of Lucifer von Satan, which is
a narrative series of drawings taking a light-hearted look at the internal conflicts of morality,
temptation and angst.

Marie Oberkirsch
An adjunct instructor at Maryville University, development professional at Laumeier
Sculpture Park and practicing studio artist, Marie Oberkirsch is active in many community
arts organizations. She participates in local and regional exhibitions and teaches textiles to
adults and youths at a number of institutions in St. Louis, Missouri and Saratoga Springs,
New York.

With interests in behavioral science and nature Marie studied textile design as a vehicle to
explore the intersection of humankind and the environment. Crafting mechanical animals
and hand-woven fabric to simulate fur and grass she makes environments that reveal the
complexity of our relationships with the natural world around us.
Marie has received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1998 and BFA from the
University of Kansas in 1992.

Cheryl Pannabecker
Cheryl is an artist facilitator at Cincinnati area senior centers and nursing homes. She has
her MFA in Ceramics from University of Cincinnati and has taught ceramic sculpture at
local colleges for a number of years. She continues to teach at the Art Academy of
Cincinnati through their community education program.

Mark Patsfall
Mark Patsfall is an artist, printmaker and publisher. MFA, University of Cincinnati,1979. Founded Clay Street Press, Inc. in 1981 and moved to his present location on Clay St. in Over the Rhine in Cincinnati in1986. He has worked with many local, national and international artists in the creation of fine art original prints and multiples.

Randel Plowman
Randel Plowman is an artist living and working in Northern Kentucky. He has a B.F.A. in
printmaking from Northern Kentucky University. Plowman’s work has been exhibited
throughout the United States and is in many public and private collections both in the
United States and abroad. He is currently writing and curating a book, featuring the
work of over 40 collage artists, for Sterling Publishing.

Terri Rack
Terri graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a BA in English and is currently working on a MA in English there as well. Terri has had a number of poems published in a variety of writing magazines and has a book of poetry, which will hopefully be published in Spring of 2009.

Ursula Roma
I am a fine artist, a illustrator and sculptor. In 1986, I received a BFA in graphic design and
have pursued illustration, design and fine art as my career since graduation. I have my own
business, Little Bear Graphics, where I do commissioned work for non-profit organizations
and local and national clients in various mediums including computer design & illustration,
acrylic, oil and watercolor painting, collage, and pen and ink. I also create mixed-media wall
art and sculptures using found objects and salvaged materials.

Merle Rosen
Working artist/instructor for 40+years, Media worked in includes drawing, painting, ceramics, bronze, glass, oil & dry pastels, mixed media. Currently the Golden Artist Colors Working Artist in the Midwest. Teaching uses of acrylic materials & methods at universities, art schools, colleges, art groups and art suppliers in the Midwest.

Christine Amick Sarra
BFA James Madison University MFA Washington University. Christine is currently a
practicing artist and teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. Her work maintains a documentary
style approach.

John Sarra
John Sarra received his BA from the College of Charleston in 1994 and his MFA
(Painting) from Washington University in St. Louis in 1997. John’s studio practice
includes painting, custom woodworking, and restoration work. He is represented by Space
B Gallery in New York and by Gottheiner, Ltd. in St. Louis. John is a Senior Lecturer in
the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis.

Frank Satogata
Being of Japanese ancestry and raised in a Western culture, I am
constantly searching for ways to integrate the best of both cultures into my personal identity
as a painter. My search has focused on understanding the relationship between Zen
Calligraphy and Abstract Expressionism. Spontaneity of Brush Strokes and Evidence of
Process are an important part of both and an essential part of my work. I am contantly
refining my mark making so it becomes more and more a part of my personal
calligraphy.

Ana Thiel
Ana Thiel won first prize at the 2006 Biennale of Art in Glass in Latinamerica and has
twice been the recipient of a fellowship from the Mexican Council for the Arts. Her work is
exhibited and forms part of international museums, and she has been an invited resident
artist around the world. In the words of art critic Mónica Mayer, Thiel is an artist that has
“the ability to scratch one’s spirit and wring one’s heart.”

Candice van Loveren Geis
Candice van Loveren Geis is a lecturer and advisor in the Department of Visual Arts at
Northern Kentucky University. As a photographer, Candice utilizes a 4x5 camera and
sheet film that is altered digitally. A combination of photographic, printmaking, and fiber
materials provide the basis for her work, crossing 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional
platforms. Current scholarly research focuses on post-secondary advising and social
reconstructivist teaching philosophies.

Lawrence Voytek
Lawrence Voytek has been the director of art production for Robert Rauschenberg for over twenty-five years, and he has consulted for art installation, fabrication and restoration with renowned museums and galleries world-wide. Lawrence holds a BFA from Rhode Island School of Design.

Mary Sullivan Voytek
Voytek received her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design and her BFA from
California College of the Arts. Currently maintaining a professional fine art fabrication
studio in southwest Florida, Voytek also serves as Assistant Professor of Art at Florida
Gulf Coast University. Voytek has exhibited her work in galleries and museums

Gloria Wachtel
Gloria Wachtel has a BA in art history, BFA and MFA in sculpture. In the past she has
created large-scale environmental pieces that invite the viewer to enter into the architectural
space. Normally, the interior spaces would be filled with organic hanging forms lit within
creating an almost mystical feeling. Most of the time, she has used manipulated fabrics and
organic materials, working with natural materials a dialogue between the materials and her
creative ideas. Gloria is influenced by space, light, color and spirit.

Paige Wideman
Paige Wideman received her BFA in sculpture from the Kansas City Art Institute (1989)
and her MFA from the University of Cincinnati (1999). She is currently a Lecturer at
Northern Kentucky University. Paige explores printmaking, photography and painting, but
her main focus is mixed media sculpture. Out of the Box is the first show that she has
curated.

Nancy Willman
Nancy Willman is the founder, principal and creative director of Willman Design – a
graphic design, corporate communication firm. Nancy’s photography is deeply influenced
by her designer sense of color, composition and symbolism.
An avid traveler, she often focuses that sensibility to capture the unique and local sense of
place.