Featured Artists
Tifah Al-Attas, singer/songwriter – Some people just make you feel at home. They have an innate ability to immediately break through any barriers and draw you in. Tifah Al-Attas disarms you with her honest, intuitive lyrics, warm vocals, and all encompassing sound. She invites you into a real, relatable experience…her life. Her songs expose a vulnerable and innovative artist who is not afraid to lay it all out on the table. People respond to her music. As one fan shares, “…you should know…the impact your music has on some people’s lives, since I bought your CD…I have been a changed person…” (see www.tifah.com). With a welcoming, rich tone, her vocal control and unique style audibly embrace every listener. Tifah’s vocal talent has warranted her national and international invitations to perform. She is a disarming, inviting, and relatable seasoned performer who makes everyone in the audience feel as if they are the only one there.
Anna Barthman, actor, model, film maker – Originally from northern Minnesota, Anna has been modeling in New York City since 1998. She started modeling at age 15 and has lived and worked in Los Angeles, Florida, Milan, Munich, Hamburg, Rome, Chicago, France, Tokyo, and San Francisco. Anna accepted Christ at age 18 while moving to California to live. Anna just finished an improv class and show, and is currently working projects with Elizabeth Webb and boyfriend Michael Wisniewski.
Chuck Blakeman, clarinetist/composer – Chuck began his musical career winning a Concerto competition with the Toledo Symphony in High School. He studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, Peabody Institute, and Eastman School of Music. Chuck and his wife Diane live with a few convinced friends among the unconvinced in the Denver area. Believing that God wants to redeem both people and place, they have joined existing rhythms in their culture to see God work among the unconvinced right where they live.
Chuck Bollar, architect – Chuck is an architect and has had projects built in Louisiana, California, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, Canada, Dominican Republic and Albania. In Chuck’s mind it is difficult to view art apart from God, the ultimate Artist. A look out the window tells us one of 2 things: “WOW” look what He did” or “Oh my, look what man has tried to do.” Currently Chuck and his wife, Ione, live in their multi-generational home (designed by Chuck) “Angelwalk” which exhibits some of their artistic bent. This project started based on the prayers of their youngest grandchild, Corey (age 3 and now 18). She asked God to let Paw-Paw design a house where all 7 of us could live together; Angelwalk is now 7 years in existence, we are having a blast!
Gary Bradley, visual artist – Through the visual arts Gary has found new ways of helping others. In the summer of 2002 he began painting, to see what he could learn about himself and why/how he responds to color, form and design. It was the beginning of a journey that has now developed into a passion. Presently working in watercolors, Gary enjoys a wide range of subjects and compositions that go beyond representation. “Anything can make us look…only art makes us see”—Archibald MacLeish. To this end the words of Pope Paul, quoted in His “Letter To Artists”, serves as Gary’s artistic goal, “…all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece.” web.mac.com/gbradleync/bradleystudios/original_work.html
Judith F. Bradshaw, actor and film maker – Judith graduated from the University of Kansas and received a Masters in Fine Arts at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Judith has performed in NYC, Madrid, London and Tokyo and other locations. She has created site specific performance work for gallery events and conferences, written and directed nine musicals for children for the Summer Musical Theater Workshop at Merkin Concert Hall and have had several of those pieces published and produced at schools and programs in the northeastern USA. Judith teaches various age groups how to create theater that speaks from the heart about issues of interest to them. She has also done workshops with Ann Bogart’s Siti Company, The Barrow Group, and Ecstatic Voices.
Eddie Broussard, linguist – Eddie graduated from Texas A & M in 1978 with a B.S. degree in Pre-Medicine/Zoology, doing graduate study in education, and teaching chemistry at Navasota High School in Texas. Eddie has also helped to train missionaries in the former Soviet Union (1993-1997). Eddie and Barbie now live in Colorado Springs. Eddie, with his Creole African-American heritage, brings sensitivity and perspective to his role as Vice-President of Cultural Affairs for the U.S. Navigators. An avid language enthusiast, Eddie speaks Spanish and Russian, and has facility in German as well.
Melinda Daetsch, violist – Melinda started playing the violin at the age of 4, and discovered the viola 8 years later. She especially loves playing the music of JS Bach and hopes that the same Holy Spirit who inspired Bach will breathe through his music as she performs. In addition to performing, Melinda teaches violin and viola at The Hartt School, University of Hartford. She has an undergraduate degree in Comparative Religion from Harvard University, and a Masters of Viola Performance from the Juilliard school.
Corrie Francis, animator, photographer - Corrie is a freelance animator and photographer based in South Lake Tahoe, California. A classically trained animator with an MFA from University of Southern California in Los Angeles, she has worked with sand, paint on glass, cut-outs and hand-drawn mediums. Recently, Corrie shifted her focus to documentary and is exploring how drawn images can imaginatively compliment documented reality. Her animation emphasizes the integration of digital and traditional mediums and a dialogue between technique and content. She has worked independantly and collaboratively on international projects and educational workshops. She enjoys wandering in and out of the world’s beautiful landscapes as she creates her films. Visit her online at www.corriefrancis.com.
Makoto Fujimura, visual artist – Mako was born in 1960 in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated bi-culturally between the US and Japan, Fujimura graduated from Bucknell University in 1983, and received an M.F.A. from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music with a Japanese Governmental Scholarship in 1989. The university purchased his thesis painting and he was invited to study in the Japanese Painting Doctorate program, a first for an outsider to this prestigious traditional program. After 20 years as a successful artist in Japan and the U.S., Fujimura has become a voice of bi-cultural authority on the nature and cultural assessment of beauty, by both creating it and exploring its forms. His paintings address the creative process and explore what it means to see. The work moves the observer from cognitive categorization to visceral experience.
Kyle Gregory, jazz trumpet – Kyle studied jazz and classical trumpet at Berklee College, Indiana University, and the University of Northern Colorado. In 1990 Kyle received a Fulbright Grant for conducting doctoral dissertation research in Hungary on improvisation pedagogy, completing his doctorate in 1995. That year in Europe opened the door to his entry into the rich European jazz scene. After five years as Assistant Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at Bradley University, Kyle moved with his wife and three children to Verona, Italy, where they have lived since 1998.
Randall M. Hasson, painter - The work of Randall M. Hasson combines fine art and calligraphy to create a visual feast for the eyes. Contemplative and Reflective Works of Fine Art, and Private Legacy Commissions, offer viewers and collectors many options to enjoy this unique form of inspirational art. These rare paintings have been an inspiration to many. Produced in acrylic on canvas, they are individually lettered by hand and layered to achieve the acquired effect offering a never-before-seen product. Each original piece takes 2-3 months to create. They are presented in large canvas panels. Due to the limited availability of these paintings they are Giclee’ reproduced in limited editions of similar or smaller sizes on both canvas and paper. Mr. Hasson utilizes a natural gift of combining his many calligraphic hands with image. Virtually an untrained natural-ability artist, he offers a passionate look at the unique relation between the written word and the visual world. Visit his website and see some of his work at www.randallmhasson.com.
Mike Hamel, writer - Mike Hamel is a seasoned storyteller who has honed his skill over theyears by telling tall tales to his four children. He is the author of several non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles, and his most recent project is a series of novels for children. Read more at www.matterhornthebrave.com.
Charise Hastings, flute/piano – Charise graduated from University of Michigan with a degree in Comparative Literature and a dissertation comparing musical performers to storytellers. She studied how a performer learns a musical work from a score and then communicates this “story” to an audience. The concept of God as the creator of artistic beauty is something she has only begun to explore.
Joel Hastings, piano – Joel says music has always been a passion as long as he can remember. He received degrees in piano and organ from the University of Michigan and has played recitals and concertos across the United States and Canada. His hope is to fully understand someday what it really means to play to the glory of God.
Tim Hong, guitarist – Tim went to Faith Academy boarding school in the Philippines where he began learning guitar and also took advanced painting and pottery courses. He moved to Michigan for college and majored in Classical Music Theory and minored in theology and art theory. In college Tim led a jazz-fusion group performing original music blending ethnic sounds with rock and jazz. Tim currently owns and operates a bakery/cafe/jazz club where some of Washington DC’s top musicians are performing (www.shillabakeryandcafe.com), and is engaged to marry Candice in October.
Michael Lawler, percussion – Michael’s early strong interest in music drew him to start playing the drums at age 5 in Wisconsin, and take lessons from age 7 to 18. During that time, Michael performed with jazz bands and other venues, which gave him the experience needed to pursue a music career in New York City. Michael studied jazz at the New School University with some of the most prestigious jazz musicians of our time and performs regularly with other great musicians. Coming to Christ in March of 2004 was pivotal for Michael, giving him new purpose for his music with a worship team in Manhattan and travels to India with his own music ministry. Michael also plays guitar and composes.
Jon Perry, zither, voice – Jon brings us music from Indonesia through samplings of the rich Javanese musical tradition. Throughout its history, instrumental gamelan music and the sung poetry of Java have been expressions of the Javanese spiritual journey—pacifying the rice goddess, teaching the precepts of Hinduism and Buddhism, spreading Islam, and most recently enabling followers of Jesus to worship in a culturally familiar way. Jon will sing an unaccompanied Javanese chant, and a praise song, based on a traditional melody, accompanied on a zither.
Jim Petersen, author – Jim grew up in Minnesota, in a family that valued godliness and learning. His mother loved beauty—expressed it in the way she set a table, served a meal and arranged the flowers, and encouraged Jim’s natural interest in music, drawing, and painting. Jim graduated from the University of Minnesota with majors in Fine Arts and Art Education. His favorite medium was watercolor. Jim married Marge in 1954, and moved to Brazil to initiate the Navigator ministry in that country. Jim came to realize that the ultimate art medium is the Person; that the artist is the Holy Spirit, and that He uses the Scriptures and his messengers to accomplish his transforming artwork in a person. So, people have served as Jim’s primary creative outlet ever since. Jazz is Jim and Marge’s music of choice and ballroom dancing is their favorite way of listening to it.
Sunita Puleo, singer/songwriter – Since graduating The American University with a degree in Vocal Performance, Sunita has had the chance to sing at home in NYC and overseas, and to make an album of original songs. Sunita continues to learn to make a career of music while still bonding with her husband and daughter and wanting to actively minister God’s love in close relationships with people. As a singer, her passion for excellent music is closely rivaled by a love for deep, communicative lyrics. Good writing excites her! Sunita looks forward to continuing to explore how music can reflect God’s glory and thereby inspire the soul towards Christ.
Libby Scrofano, chef – Libby attended Apicius Culinary School in Florence, Italy, and has worked in wonderful places: a cafe in Florence, a four star French restaurant in St. Louis, a high-end fine wine store in Indianapolis, and others. Libby loves how food makes people comfortable as well as the challenge of creating something new and beautiful.
Pam Shank, painter - Pam has over twenty years of experience in portraiture, specializing in watercolor. She studied traditional oil portrait painting at the Art Students’ League in New York City before returning to North Carolina, where she began to experiment with various subjects and mediums. Her work allows her to unite her twin passions of children and painting. Her paintings portray people in ways that illuminate life and love and expression. See more of her work at www.pamshankportraits.com.
David Stickel, painter – David encourages others to reflect on the wonders (and beauty) of the everyday world around us and really ‘see’ things that our busy and fast paced lives often cause us to overlook. Through his choice of subject matter and use of light, color and reflections in his words, he wants to create art that excites people, makes them spy a treasure across the room and impatiently hurry over to give closer inspection. He aspires to paint on a 2-dimensional surface and make it look 3-D. Like many great masters, he values and enjoys a representational approach. David draws inspiration for compositions of his beloved North Carolina as well as two years in Africa, trips to China, Europe and other places in the U.S. he has lived.
Upper Room Art Gallery, Robin Merrill - The Upper Room Art Gallery is a non-profit global collective of artists & designers whose artwork specializes in organic and recycled materials and who are concerned with global poverty, social justice & environmental issues. Visit them at www.upperroomartgallery.com.
Elizabeth Webb, actor, filmmaker, writer – Elizabeth Webb graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelors degree in Fashion Design and an Associates of Science degree in Costume Technology. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting. After completing a two-year program at The William Esper Acting Studio, she trained with The Matthew Corozine Studio and ultimately created CORE Theatre Company (CTC) with a handful of fellow students. As a company, CTC successfully produced two main stage, Off-Broadway productions and staged a variety of new works and one-act performances. Recent projects include writing, directing and producing a ten-minute short feature film entitled Ruby & Lilly with Anna Christine and Michael Wisniewski. Together as Good Light Pictures they are developing Ruby & Lilly’s Big Apple Adventures among other original ideas in the hopes of further successful collaborative film projects.
Roberta Welburn-Milstead, photographer, mixed-media - Photography continues to be the visual root for me. It captures a moment in time that makes me eager to collaborate with other mediums. The path my journaling takes allows me the opportunity to recapture what might otherwise be forgotten or cast aside. Architecture anchors any iconic curiosity I might have at the time. Doorways, arches, columns, and statuary become the movable objects that help to record a savored moment. Interior spaces on the other hand, for me, become the rooms I seek. The life or the voice my rooms may have witnessed now become a reality, I am free to alter and re-invent them. www.robertamilstead.com
Amy Wevodau, writer – Amy received her Master’s in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in England, and currently teaches Middle School English in South Denver. She wants her students to learn how to wield words well, to begin to understand, and steward the power that lies in each person’s ability to bless, and to curse. She is passionate about not only adding her own voice to the conversation which has been unfolding through history, but about helping others learn to do the same. She has poems forthcoming this year in Radix and Crux.
Michael Wisniewski, actor, film maker – Michael was born in the Philippines and grew up in northern California where he morphed from a skate punk into a computer nerd, and finally into a 10 year career in the computer industry. Michael grew restless and left it all behind to move to New York to pursue filmmaking and photography. A scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was instrumental in his coming to Christ. Michael is currently enjoying living in New York City, learning improv theatre at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade and helping produce independent projects while he hones his craft.