Visual Art

Phobe Flower

Elizabeth Schoonmaker lives and work in the Town of Plainfield in upstate New York. Elizabeth received a Master of Fine Arts from the University at Albany and have exhibited her work in Chicago and New York. In her career as an artist a Munson Williams Proctor School of Art, Utica, N.Y. and Hartwick College, Oneonta, N.Y., Elizabeth launched several community-based projects. “The Drawing Company”—a program offering drawing classes and exhibition opportunities for elderly residents of Brookfield, N.Y. and “A Wedding Gift,” a historical narrative, featuring stories and photographs about memorable wedding gifts and their owners. Elizabeth wrote and illustrated the picture books Square Catt and Square Cat ABC, published by Aladdin Books/ Simon & Schuster.

La Llorona

John Widdowson’s art basis is on abstract expressionism, depth of visual texture and structure. Most based on traditional media and techniques, such as canvas, acrylic and mixed media. Vibrant to discrete coloring and poetic symbolism inspire John, creating new abstract compositions or restructured paintings.

Human Nature

Hiokit Lao is a 29-year-old self-taught artist from NYC. Through surreal, abstract, and vibrant pieces, she aims to create meaningful art that instills hope and positivity.

Her art is a kaleidoscope of surrealism and abstract expression, a vibrant fusion echoing the various cultures that have shaped her worldview. Inspired by her diverse upbringing and a deep fascination with the world, her work resonates with the colors, traditions, and social causes around the globe. Each piece is a homage to cultural diversity, intertwining social narratives and her own artistic vision. 

Employing different techniques, she creates pieces that offer dual perspectives, presenting dichotomous yet harmonious narratives based on the viewer’s orientation. When the canvas is inverted, a different narrative surfaces — a testament to the multifaceted nature of culture and perception.

Tired Man on Grass BW

Ulysses Hill, a dynamic nineteen-year-old born in Los Angeles and raised in Pasadena, is making waves as a writer and photographer while studying at Dartmouth. His unique blend of Black and Mexican heritage infuses his work with a rich cultural perspective. Ulysses seamlessly navigates diverse literary genres, from crafting romantic short stories to thought-provoking essays, drawing inspiration from Dostoyevsky, Turgenev, and Baldwin. A YoungArts finalist in creative nonfiction, his piece "The Threat of The Black Boy" is featured in the 2023 YoungArts anthology and Active Voice Magazine, alongside contributions to Cathartic Lit and Afritondo. Ulysses Hill's storytelling prowess and versatile approach promise an exciting future in the worlds of literature and photography.

Stop Sign Painting

Michelle McELroy is a native New Englander drawn to the subtleties of life, capturing quiet moments illuminated by the interplay of light and shadow. Whether inspired by the serenity of early morning runs, the intimacy of midnight snacks in the kitchen, or the beauty found in ordinary observations, her paintings reflect the extraordinary within the mundane. Through art, she strives to initiate a dialogue that transcends the canvas. Each play of light becomes an invitation for the viewer to recognize the simple moments that often go unnoticed. Her work is a celebration of the everyday, a reminder that even the most commonplace scenes can possess the power to stir souls and create lasting connections.

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Kara Dunne is a printmaker and performance artist who also dabbles in video and installation. She studied printmaking and glass blowing at Alfred University, performance at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and earned her master’s degree in printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her creative drive is fueled by her dual background in both the visual arts and theater; the combination of the two enable her to explore the opportunities of the live, the staged and the recorded. Dunne believes art should be an active experience, not a passive event, and should be encountered in other places besides the confines of a museum or gallery. She strives to find new ways in which her work may interact with the public in their natural habitat. Her videos, performances and prints serve as a social commentary on what we forget about the past, deny in the present and dream about in the future.