Creative Individuals-Round 2

Holly Alcott: Alcott is a grants manager with Region 2 Arts Council where she designs and administers grants programs for artists and nonprofits and helps community members apply for these grants programs. Previously, she worked for a decade as a graphic designer, and as an art teacher in the decade before that. Alcott has been a dedicated advocate for the arts and a volunteer for various arts organizations such as Very Special Arts Montana, the Art Directors Guild, Bagley Area Arts Collaborative, and Bemidji Community Theater. She has had solo shows of her paintings and drawings, been included in group shows, been a juror for student and community exhibitions, and been on the boards of various nonprofits including libraries and historical societies. She has also acted in local theater productions, sung in choirs, participated in poetry slams, and produces an online comic. Alcott graduated from Wells College with a bachelor?s degree in studio art and a K-12 teaching certificate and then from Oregon State University at Corvallis with a master of arts in interdisciplinary studies encompassing women's studies, fine art, and graphic design.; Rachel Brophy: Brophy currently works as a substitute teacher. She has experience working in education and journalism as well as various other pursuits that include sales and service industries. Brophy currently holds a teaching license in secondary English/language arts. She has used her training to do copyediting in many of her current and previous jobs. Brophy received certification from Minnesota State University in A to Z Grant Writing, Advanced Grant Proposal Writing, and Becoming a Grant Writing Consultant. She successfully drafted a proposal to secure funding for an ADA compliant ramp during her time working for the Ely Chamber of Commerce.; Tina Dybvik: Dybvik (it's Norwegian: DIB' vick) is a Minnesota writer and editor with a focus on recovery and speculative nonfiction. Her prose has published in The Christian Science Monitor, Fate magazine, and most recently, The Phoenix Spirit. She?s a grateful alum of The Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies/Jerome Residency, a former resident of the Tilsner Artists? Cooperative, and holds formal degrees in both journalism and teaching and learning. In addition to a collection of essays in progress, she is working on a never abandoned, near fiction novella which is facing novel growing pains in 2023.; Divya Karan: Karan is an information technology consultant and is the principal of her LLC registered in the state of Minnesota. She has resided in Minneapolis since 2000 and has actively participated in the cultural and artistic life of the metro area. This includes her service on the board of a prominent performing arts company, contribution of her time to review proposals for the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council and contributing funds to support multiple arts and community organizations. She is active in organizing awareness campaigns and discussion events on critical social issues within her various communities, particularly the South Asian diaspora.; Wendy Lane: Lane is a creative nonfiction writer and visual artist. In 2015, she retired from a twenty-five-year career in human resources, employed by Walker Art Center, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and the University of Minnesota. She was a volunteer member of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council board of directors from June 2017-2020, and Forecast Public Art board from May 2013-October 2016. Lane received a BA in arts administration from Metropolitan State University and an MFA in painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. As a visual artist, Lane was the recipient of a residency at Yellowstone National Park, and received a Career Opportunity Grant from the Arts Board to support that residency. She was also awarded a Jerome Foundation fellowship as a protege in the WARM Mentor/Protege program. Lane was selected for the first year-long artist in residence program at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and her graduate exhibition was held at the Visitor Center gallery. As a writer, Lane was awarded a residency at the Grand Marais Art Colony in January 2022. Her creative nonfiction essays have been published in Litro magazine, Of Rust and Glass magazine, The Fieldstone Review, and an anthology published by Running Wild Press.; Alexandra Lewis-Sadrant: Lewis-Sadrant grew up in northeast Minneapolis and moved back after living in New York and France for more than a decade. She works for a local nonprofit with a focus on education and enjoys discovering artists and their work as a spectator and through volunteer opportunities with artistic organizations. She sings with her neighborhood choir and tries her hand at visual arts like watercolor painting, collage, and paper quilling.; Charles Libra: Libra is a lifelong Minnesotan. Born in Saint Paul and currently living across the river in Minneapolis, Libra took a break from the cities to attend Minnesota State University, Mankato where he graduated with honors in theater arts. As the business manager for Lakeshore Players Theatre, Libra is an active member of the White Bear Lake community artistic experience. Previously with Lakeshore Players Theatre, Libra was the organizational contact for community members and patrons. He was in direct contact with artistically engaged Minnesotans on a daily basis and able to identify what patrons were excited to see.