Community Art Collaborative

CAC Cohort 2020-21

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Community Art Collaborative
CAC Cohort 2020-21
Get to know our current CAC Cohort for the 2020-21 program year!

Read more about our current Community Art Collaborative members and where they are serving this year!

CAC Cohort 2020-21

Sydney Allen

Sydney Allen, a.k.a. aBaltimoregriot, is a photographer and visual storyteller who is passionate about helping youth build their creative skillset. She uses her experience as a working artist to teach youth the technical and professional aspects of artistry in hopes that students can take these skills to cultivate their own artistic practices. Sydney is serving as a CAC Member at Wide Angle Youth Media. When she’s not teaching, you can catch Sydney photographing Baltimore and it’s community members. Check out her photographs on her personal website at: https://abaltimoregriot.com/.

CAC Site: Wide Angle Youth Media

Renee Anderson

Renee Anderson is a Baltimore born artist who has been involved in community arts since their early teens. Renee started as a student at 901 Arts (a long-time CAC Host Site) in Better Waverly in high school, and graduated from Western High School. Once they were of age, Renee immediately started working at 901 Arts as a Co-Instructor for the 901 Arts Drum Line. They facilitated and produced the "Get Your Life!" video project at 901 Arts, which was featured at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2018-19. As a participant of the "Baltimore's Gifted" Program, they have developed skills in e-commerce as well as networking the Baltimore art community. They have also developed their own business selling wire wrapped jewelry using the knowledge they learned in Baltimore’s Gifted. Renee served one full year in CAC at Open Works, developing new maker classes and workshops for middle school youth. Renee is now serving a second year in the CAC program, and has returned to serve at the Site where they attended programs as a youth, 901 Arts. Renee is supporting the Executive Director of 901 Arts in managing many aspects of the organization, as well as leading visual art and drumming classes for youth.

CAC Site: 901 Arts

Kenneth Clemons

Kenneth C. Clemons is currently a graduate student in the MFA Community Arts program at MICA. Mr. Clemons graduated from Coppin State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban Arts/Visual Arts with a minor in Nonprofit Management in 2016. He also received an Associate of Arts Degree from Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in 2012. Mr. Clemons hails from West Baltimore. He is an emerging artist who produces various forms of artwork ranging from illustration, to plywood sculpture artwork, and to painting murals as an artist assistant within different communities around Baltimore City. Mr. Clemons has worked alongside well-known artists at a seasonal summer mural program called Art@Work that is sponsored by Jubilee Arts (in partnership with several other organizations) in which local lead artists are paired with a teaching artist intern and a team of high school youth. Not only is Mr. Clemons a graduate student at MICA; in addition, He is also working on his first comic book work as an illustrator/storyteller at the Baltimore Academy of Illustration (BAI). This year, Kenneth is serving in CAC at Access Art, where he is leading in-school and after-school arts programs for middle school youth at Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School in East Baltimore.

CAC Site: Access Art

Jeneanne Collins

Jeneanne Collins is currently a second year graduate student in the MFA Community Arts program at MICA. She is also serving a second year in AmeriCorps as the Community Artist in Residence at Union Baptist Church - a partnership that she formed from being previously involved with the Union Baptist Church community. Jeneanne is currently working on several exciting projects at the Church. She is collecting Oral History interviews from seniors in the community, and compiling them into videos about the history of the church. She is also leading visioning sessions for the community to develop several new murals that will be painted in the area around the church. In addition to those projects, Jeneanne has formed a strong partnership between the Church and the B & O Railroad Museum. The Church and the Museum are now working together to document the history of how African Americans in Baltimore were involved in building and establishing the B & O Railroad System. The African American community in Baltimore played a large role in making the railroad system as strong as it is today, but that history is often overlooked. Jeneanne will also soon begin leading a quilting projects with seniors in the church community, together with the Keswick Wise & Well Center.

CAC Site: Union Baptist Church

Roberto Dyea

Roberto M. Dyea (Tsi YOO Nah in Native Laguna Pueblo) has come from a long way home from Barstow, California. He started in Barstow Community College for his general education, then in January 2017, he transferred to the University of Redlands, where he earned the San Manuel Excellence in Leadership Scholarship. During his undergrad studies, he used a variety of media, such as: painting, oil painting, charcoal, writing, charcoal, graphite, photography, graphic design, and ink. He dived into character design, manga art, mixed with his tribal heritage to create various pieces that show his tribal culture and personality. Roberto also served as an intern at New Americans Museum at San Diego, Calfornia. He gained the knowledge of immigrants who wishes to seek better opportunities and then became Citizens of the U.S.A along with Oral History when arriving in America. Additionally, he became an advocate for the Native American students and Indigenous students as he was Vice President for the Native American Student Union (NASU) and an intern for Native Student Programs. He belongs to the tribe called Pueblo of Laguna. April 2019, he proudly earned his Bachelor's Degree in Studio Arts at the University of Redlands becoming the first generation in his family who earned a BA degree. His dream is to become an art professor to advocate Native American, First-Generation, and the People of Color students. Last year (2019-20), Roberto began learning the concepts of the community as he taught manga art and character designs at his CAC Host Site, Refugee Youth Project. In his second year of the CAC Program, he is serving at FutureMakers. He is continuing is work to support students of color and refugee youth by working with FutureMakers to translate art making materials and tutorial videos into Spanish, Farsi, Urdu, French, and Yoruba. Ultimately, he will continue his journey to earn his Master of Fine Art in Community Arts at the Maryland Institute College of Art and say... "I did it."

CAC Site: FutureMakers

Ebony Evans

Ebony Evans is a musician, performing artist, arts instructor, lightworker, and radical activist centering her work around the freedom, agency, empowerment, and self-expression of Black Womyn and girls. Ebony holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Arts from Coppin State University. She is serving a third year in the Community Art Collaborative program at MICA, and continues to serve as resident artist and Education Coordinator at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric. With years of experience in cultivating spaces of spiritual empowerment and body positivity for Black Womyn, she fosters growth and healing in the face of unchecked misogyny; and in her years-long work as an arts instructor specializing in African Folklore and theater for children in grades K-8, Ebony continues the work of dismantling white supremacy in our most vulnerable populations.

CAC Site: The Modell Lyric Performing Arts Center

Genifer Fraser

Genifer Fraser has been involved in the arts for several years. She has performed in stage productions, dance troupes, as a choral singer and musician; but first and foremost, she is a visual artist. She graduated with a B.A. in Art History, a second major in African American Studies, a minor in History, and a certificate in Community Engagement from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has displayed and sold her art at shows in Maryland, Virginia, and California. Finding beauty in the mundane, taking inspiration from daydreams, and appreciating the details in the world around her, she uses bright and expressive colors to authentically display them. Her work focuses on storytelling and illustrates aspects of human nature from a sociological perspective. She often contemplates about who we are and how we relate to one another and our environments. One prevalent theme is the timeliness of the beauty and joy that we experience in life. She desires to express the importance of memory, stopping to smell the roses and savoring these fleeting moments. Currently, she is studying Community Arts at the Maryland Institute College of Art in their MFA program and serving a second year in AmeriCorps as the Community Artist in Residence at Port Discovery Children’s Museum. She hopes to continue to expand her craft, pushing the themes of her work with the goals of meaningful social engagement and empathy building in mind.

CAC Site: Port Discovery Children's Museum

Chelsi Johnson

Chelsi Johnson is a Baltimore inspired, eclectic artist passionate about youth's artistic discoveries, while serving youth at Access Art. She studied Audio Engineering and Video Production at the Arts Institute of Atlanta. Through her artistic journey, Chelsi has worked with a multitude of artists of all ages across various artistic disciplines, and has discovered a desire for mentoring youth on multiple levels through the arts. Through building strong rapport, Chelsi serves and mentors youth as they explore their talents in developing original art pieces and video productions. Successfully supporting youth in the creation of art, Chelsi has had the honor in seeing many of them continue their artistic careers through high school concentrating in creative disciplines such as theater, photography, and audio production. Keeping this mindset toward youth served in Baltimore, MD, Chelsi continues to focus on mentoring youth in her surrounding communities through visual arts; such as video, performance, and mixed media arts. Chelsi has been teaching at Access Art for several years, and is now continuing to expand her role at Access Art as a CAC Member.

CAC Site: Access Art

Keyarra Johnson

Keyarra Johnson is a college sophomore who is currently working as the Program Assistant for Jubilee Arts' Youth in Business through the CAC AmeriCorps program. Being born in Baltimore and raised as an artist, Keyarra recognized the strong relationship between art and politics. She feels it is important to use the skills she’s learned as an artist to strengthen and improve her city. She spends her time she working on developing her skills as an entrepreneur, animator, and graphic design artist and collaborates with different organizations to help clean up the streets of Baltimore. She hopes to one day be able to give back and rebuild her community, and run a successful game developing company. Keyarra is serving a third year in CAC with the Jubilee Arts Youth in Business Program.

CAC Site: Jubilee Arts Youth in Business

Jemn Napper

Jemn Napper, a Washington, D.C. native, is a first year graduate student at Maryland Institute College of Art and candidate for the MFA Community Arts program. As a multidisciplinary artist their focus lies in healing and innovation. The goal of their art practice is to preserve the black queer experience and the people that create it, while emphasizing the connections we share through our adversities. That process of preservation often looks like capturing oral stories or events through audio and video formats; but can take the form of visual art such as a painting, graphic design, and illustration as well. Along with beautifying spaces and environments using various mediums, Jemn is aiming to create platforms based in social entrepreneurship and wellness, that are in line with the ever-changing economy. Jemn is serving in CAC at the B & O Railroad Museum, which is a new CAC Host Site for 2020-21. Jemn is developing a brand new youth program for the museum, that aims to better engage youth who live in the neighborhoods directly adjacent to the museum.

CAC Site: The B & O Railroad Museum

Alexa Oliveira

Alexa Oliveira is an interdisciplinary artist and writer. Her art practice includes installation, photography, writing, painting, digital art, and collage. She grew up in the Central Valley of California and was a community artist in the Bay Area for five years, before recently moving to Baltimore. She received her Bachelor’s of Art in Art History from St. Mary’s College of California. Alexa has served as a Teaching Artist at the Richmond Art Center of Richmond, California, as well as a Gallery Assistant and Intern art handler at the Bedford Gallery of Walnut Creek, California. Her art practice is heavily influenced by her art history background. Much of her work explores re-imagining and questioning art historical narratives, specifically related to the representation of female figures. Alexa has exhibited in group shows in California and Florence, Italy. She was selected to present at the de Young Museum’s 10th Annual Bay Area Undergraduate Art History Research Symposium on her paper, Uncommon Thread: Re-imagining Traditional Carpet Weaving. She is currently the Community Artist in Residence at Jubilee Arts, where she teaches Recycle Art and coordinates exhibitions. Her latest work primarily focuses on digital collages inspired by her research into the communities she serves, as well as the communities she has lived in throughout her life.

CAC Site: Jubilee Arts

Joshua Olsen

Joshua Olsen is an artist from Long Island, New York. He is receiving his M.F.A. in Community Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He received a B.F.A. at SUNY Old Westbury in Studio and Visual Art, and his A.A.S. at SUNY Suffolk Community College in Computer Art and Animation. Before receiving his education, he served in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman. From forced, militant, and structural thinking to openness, awareness, and creative thinking, Josh has entered a realm he continues to grow in; winning consistent awards and contests from local county and college levels, as well as statewide and national levels. He also frequently exhibits his work in public spaces and galleries. His work incorporates narratives with satiric and imaginative images including both positive and negative views of society and humanity. His work often features animation, paintings, and drawing as the primary mediums. Josh is now serving as a Community Art Collaborative AmeriCorps Member with Access Art, where he is serving as a Teaching Artist to help train and empower youth in artistic skills, confidence, and positive development through art making.

CAC Site: Access Art

Antoinella Peterkin

Antoinella Peterkin is a native of Baltimore City where she embraces her struggles and life lessons through her creativity and style . She received her Bachelor of Arts (Communication Arts Major) from Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2012. Shortly after graduating, she launched her mentoring program for young ladies. In 2015, FAME Design Program officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit and began connecting with schools in the Baltimore area to bring services to them for young creatives . She also found her passion for making tutus through connecting with the youth and their creativity. It was in May 2018 when Antoinella birthed Queen Tu Royal Collection. Her collection consists of one of kind tutus and other statement pieces where the customer always feels like royalty throughout the entire process. Antoinella believes that you should create your own path in life and she works hard to help the youth find their customized path on the runway of life. She has hosted many virtual fashion courses during the pandemic. Speaking of pandemic successes, she was also acknowledged as one of the amazing local designers featured in the Anthrôp 8 segment on sustainable fashion being showed throughout New York Fashion Week . You can follow her on IG (@famedesignprogram and @queen_tu_royalty) and on Facebook (Antoinella Peterkin) for updates and to see all the amazing things she is doing. She is currently serving in CAC at Access Art where she helps other youth bring their artistic creativity to life.

CAC Site: Access Art

Laura Sligh

Laura L. Sligh, performer, teacher, director and visual artist, has a degree in performance from Morgan State University and has worked extensively in the Baltimore Washington area for over 20 years. Laura has worked as theater teacher for many years. She has worked as a private coach and with organizations such as Eubbie Blake, Baltimore Cultural Arts, Arena Players, Y.A.T.T.S and Baltimore city and county schools. As a director, Laura’s credits are numerous. She has directed musicals such as Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, The Wiz, Oliver, Once on this Island and Sussical. Laura was an Allen Lee Hughes stage management fellow at Arena Stage, and has worked extensively in the Baltimore area as a stage manager. Laura is also an experienced wig and makeup designer and has worked with the Baltimore Opera and Catholic University Summer Opera in wigs and makeup. Laura has also worked in local theaters such as The Arena Players, Eubbie Blake and Coppin State University were she designed wigs and makeup for Dreamgirls, Checkmates, Longtime Since Yesterday, Bubbling Brown Sugar and Carmen Jones, Laura also does the wig, makeup and costume designs for all of the shows that she directs. Laura’s newest venture into the arts is visual. Her mediums are oil, acrylic, wood, fabric and photography. She is now working on and looking forward to her first showing. Laura is currently serving a third year in CAC at Single Carrot Theatre.

CAC Site: Single Carrot Theatre

Susan Tuberville

Susan is an interdisciplinary artist who loves exploring new media and sharing art-making experiences with others through teaching and collaborative projects. Susan was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee and completed her BFA in Studio Art and Art Education at Birmingham-Southern College. With experience teaching young people from preschool through high school and teaching English to adults, she left the U.S. to enter the field of international education. First teaching in Botswana and then South Korea, Susan has further pursued her passion for connecting with others around the world! Susan moved to Baltimore to pursue her MFA in Community Art while serving in the CAC-AmeriCorps program at Maryland Institute College of Art. She served at Refugee Youth Project as Community Artist in Residence for two years (2017 - 2019), teaching elementary and middle school students. In her third year as a CAC Member, Susan was thrilled to join Access Art as a Site Coordinator supporting after-school programs in Morrell Park, Baltimore. Susan is now serving a 4th year in CAC in this role of Site Coordinator at Access Art. In her free time, Susan loves hiking, yoga, all kinds of art-making, trying new foods, and exploring.

CAC Site: Access Art

Sarah Edelsburg - CAC Program Manager

Sarah Edelsburg has served as Program Manager for the Community Art Collaborative (CAC) AmeriCorps program at MICA since 2015. She is an artist, organizer, and educator originally from New York City, but she has been living in Baltimore since 2009. She is an alumna of the CAC program, and the MA in Community Arts program at MICA (class of 2010). Before coming to MICA, she taught art classes to elementary school youth at Jubilee Arts (one of CAC’s long-term partners), and worked with a local artist/community organizer on two city-wide community arts initiatives, Autumn Leaves (a series of intergenerational storytelling events) and the New Day Campaign (an initiative to use art to address stigmas of mental illness and addiction). She also worked as the office manager at Repair the World, a volunteering program focused on education and environmental justice, and at the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, where she planned cultural arts events for public space in downtown Baltimore. It has been an extreme honor for Sarah to work with all the talented and committed Community Art Collaborative members that serve in the program each year. She is constantly impressed and inspired by their creativity, and their dedication to the youth and adults that they serve. She is also honored to partner with many incredible community arts organizations around town, who are working tirelessly with community members to use art as a tool for activism, advocacy, and personal growth. Many of these organizations are led by CAC alumni who are not only colleagues, but also friends. Sarah is grateful to be part of a community arts family in Baltimore (“The Greatest City in America”), that has been established by CAC, by the MFA Community Arts program, and by MICA.

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