PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence for May/June 2017 was Barbara Dimond. She considers herself a mixed media artist working in out of the box processes in collage, as well as paper mache. Originally from New York City, she has been living in Colorado Springs and New Mexico for her adult life. Trained as a handmade paper artist, she collects papers and fibers found, bought, and prepared. Barbara teaches art around the region and has been on the faculty of the Fine Arts Center Bemis School of Art for well over 20 years. She loves to share her artistic ideas and processes with her students. Barbara went to the City University of New York, getting a degree in art and art education. She then did her graduate work in Southwest Studies at the Colorado College.
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PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence for March /April 2017 was Linda Smith, an artist and art educator who started a non-profit while living in Kigali, Rwanda, called the “TEOH Project”, which provides cameras and art classes to children in Rwanda, Ghana and Bronx NY. She has been commissioned by the UN to provide photographic classes to survivors and former perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. She earned her BA from Syracuse University an MA in Communications at Goldsmith College at the University of London and an MFA from the University of Connecticut. Her work has been exhibited in the United Nations, embassies, and universities.
Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information about this program.
PPLD's Makers in Residence for January and February 2017 were Ron Cousar and Dr. Wanda Tisby-Cousar.
Ron Cousar has played R&B, blues, and jazz for many years. In addition to studio work with Savoy Records, he has played with bands in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Baltimore, and now Colorado Springs. He has dedicated his talents to playing blues, R&B, funk and jazz. His influences include Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, and a host of other artists.
Dr. Wanda Tisby-Cousar storytelling and dance to coach innovation and artistic ability. Sande Leadership, a model Dr. Wanda developed, is based on ancestral lineage to the Mende of Sierra Leone, West Africa. Tisby-Cousar has studied tap and interpretive dance since the age of four with Sydney King School of Dancea nd performed with Afi West African Dance Ensemble.
Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information about this program.