Staff

Jackie Feldman
Executive Director

jfeldman@zygotepress.org
216-621-2900 ext 1

In February 2021, Jackie Feldman joined the Zygote team as our new Executive Director. In her two years as ED, she has launched a new Fellowship for artists of Color, engaged the organization in new programmatic partnerships, and shifted the demographic make-up of Zygote to reflect the city of Cleveland. Jackie has over 30 years of experience working in nonprofit management and education. She graduated from Cleveland State University with an MA in English Literature, with a focus on reading across cultures. Her Master’s Thesis explored social fatalism as a trope in classical to contemporary Russian literature. Her work in nonprofit management centered on creating cross-cultural social and practical systems to deliver supportive services and immersive experiences to newly arrived refugees. In this role, she designed the first intensive English as a Second Language program in Ohio that became a model for future community-based immersive language programs. During her years with Cuyahoga Community College, relying on her fluency in the Russian language, Jackie established a cultural exchange program between refugees from Eastern Bloc countries and students of Color that culminated in an annual two-day experiential study of the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. In the years before she joined Zygote Press, Jackie worked with Council Gardens, a HUD Housing Project, as Director of Development and Community Relations. During her 14-year tenure there, she instituted anti-racist policies, designed community-based programs, and initiated cultural programming such as the Heights Culinary Heritage Contest, and “Writing in the Gardens” - a collection of multicultural personal narratives written by Cleveland Heights residents. In addition to her dedication to education and expanding the reach of nonprofits, Jackie is a fiction writer and supporter of literary arts. She serves on the board of Literary Cleveland as Programming Committee Chair. Having come to the United States from Ukraine as a child, Jackie often touches on themes of immigration and estrangement in her writing. Her short fiction appears in Pithead Chapel Literary Journal, Coffin Bell Journal, and Novel Noctule Magazine. She continues to write fiction and creative nonfiction, and uplift all facets of the arts in her daily life.

Brittany M. Hudak
Senior Program Manager, Gallery Manager

brittany@zygotepress.org
216-621-2900 ext 3

Brittany M. Hudak (she/her) has over twenty years of experience working in the arts and is an advocate of Engaged Art History (a professional practice dedicated to new methodological frontiers in community-based art history) . She received an MA in Art History from the University of Cincinnati with a focus on nineteenth-century photography and Womens’ Photo Albums, doing key research at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. She also holds and a Master of Arts with Distinction from the University of London in Victorian Media and Culture. At Case Western Reserve University in their Joint Program with the Cleveland Museum of Art, she worked on her Ph.D. in Art History, researching the impact of Victorian travel and tourist networks on late nineteenth-century prints and paintings. At the Cincinnati Art Museum, she did key research and developed programming for the Award-Winning Cincinnati Wing, led docent training, as well as several exhibition related programs and talks. At the Wellcome Museum, London, she led public tours and worked in the collections interpretation department. She has taught undergraduate Art History at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University, and has curated many exhibitions across Northeast Ohio. At Zygote Press, she has developed programming that incorporates art history into community-engaged programs, using printmaking as an entry point to build equitable modes of engagement and to effect change in our broader community.

Michael Whitehead
Print Shop & Residency Manager

michael@zygotepress.org
216-621-2900 ext 2

Michael Whitehead is a Printmaker/Artist and educator from rural central Ohio. He received a BFA in Printmaking from Ohio University and an MFA in Printmaking from Louisiana State University. Michael’s current body of work is centered around the severe, surreal and sublime elements found in the utilitarian architecture of industrial America.

His meticulous drawings, etchings, lithographs, and woodcuts juxtapose architectural elements from disparate industrial sites to create new ruinous monuments to American progress and power.For Michael, these “Power Structures” serve as an examination of the ruined promises of the industrial revolution.

Michael has a passion for print history, print education, and print advocacy. As an educator, he strives to create an accessible, equitable, and democratic environment for students of print. He brings that same perspective to his work at Zygote Press. Print must play a vital role in our ongoing conversation about Fine Art in the post digital era.

In addition to his role as Print Shop & Residency Manager, Michael has worked as an adjunct professor of printmaking and foundations studies for Cleveland State University and Kent State University.

michaelwhiteheadprints.com

Aaron Williams
Education Specialist

aaron@zygotepress.org

216-621-2900 ext 5

Aaron D. Williams is a Cleveland-based multimedia artist and entrepreneur. His work has been exhibited in cultural institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, the Cleveland Public Library, and various Midwest retail and community spaces. A multi-dimensional creative working primarily in mixed media, Williams blends the aesthetics of contemporary design, traditional painting, and street art to examine topics of social significance related to identity and culture. Bringing his experience as the CEO and principal designer of an emerging apparel brand and creative agency, Aaron will continue Zygote’s work to develop new relationships and to foster a love for printmaking in our community.

Nell Simons
Administrative Coordinator

Nell Simons was born and raised here in Cleveland, immersed in the arts community. They graduated with a degree in Sociology from Kenyon College in 2022 and have been working with Zygote as an intern since May of 2023. Previously employed in the social work realm, Nell joined the staff in January of 2024 as an Administrative Coordinator.

Freelance Team

Sequoia Bostick
Social Media Manager

sequoia@zygotepress.org

Sequoia Bostick is an illustrator, maker, and designer living in Cleveland, Ohio. After earning her BFA in Illustration from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2014, she pursued a career as a resident teaching artist working with local youth to grow their visual art skills all while growing her own artistic practice as a multi-disciplinary freelancer. She is a project oriented artist and loves working with others on large assignments. Sequoia's work has been featured in Cleveland Scene Magazine, Vagabond Comics, Ideastream, The CAN Journal, And the Plain Dealer. You can also find her work in Cleveland Botanical Gardens, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and Maelstrom Collaborative Arts.

Meredith Soeder

A Northeast Ohio native, Meredith earned her PhD in History from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017. Since completing her degree she has taught undergraduate history courses and worked in the Development offices at Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra and the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning. She is also a freelance grant writer for Coach Sam’s Scholars, an organization that focuses on improving youth literacy through whole child development. She is currently a Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow at the Allegheny Regional Asset District in Pittsburgh, PA.

Board of
Trustees

Shadi Ayoub - Chair-Elect
Founder + CEO, The 961 Collective

Shadi Ayoub is the founder of @the961collective, a letterpress printing and hot foil stamping studio in Cleveland, Ohio.

He grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and his family owned a modern offset printing press where he was always drawn to the beauty of the old presses that were rarely used at the back of the print shop because they were “outdated”. He became very fond of those timeless presses and over time restored most of them back to functionality and found the quality of the beautiful prints and textures they produced to be incomparable with modern prints.

Shadi majored in Business Administration at the American university of Beirut but print was always his passion. Years after graduating he went back to that same university but this time to teach letterpress classes as part of the printmaking department. www.the961collective.com

Chris Fornadel - President
Director of Development, Cleveland Playhouse

Chris Fornadel is a Cleveland, Ohio based arts administrator and fundraiser. His professional focus and passion is building genuine and equitable relationships, and fully engaging audiences through personal outreach, sustainable data driven engagement strategies, and meaningful programming. Chris holds a B.A in Theatre Studies and a Master of Business Administration from Kent State University.

He currently serves as the Director of Development at the Cleveland Playhouse. He is also a freelance Fundraising consultant and professional charity auctioneer. Before joining the Cleveland Playhouse, Chris served as Director of Philanthropy in the College of the Arts with his alma mater, Kent State. Previous to that, he worked for nine seasons in a variety of roles, including Audience Engagement Manager and Development Manager, with Great Lakes Theater.

Chris is a co-founder of the popular Cleveland Citizens Voice Social Media Account @IntheCLE, voted “Best of Cleveland” 2016 and 2017 by Scene Magazine. He served a two-year term as a Downtown Cleveland Alliance City Advocate and nine years as a member of the Kent State University School of Theatre and Dance Advisory Board.

An avid outdoor adventurer, Chris enjoys back-country hiking and trail running.

Arron Foster

Arron Foster received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Printmaking and Art Education from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC and his Master of Fine Arts degree in Printmaking and Book Arts from the University of Georgia, Athens Georgia. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally and has held academic appointments at the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. and the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. Arron is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Kent State University at Stark.

Heather Galloway

Heather Galloway, Conservator, Galloway Art Conservation + Adjunct Professor, Case Western Reserve

Conservator Heather Galloway is the principal conservator of Galloway Art Conservation in Cleveland. A Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation, she has over 35 years of experience. She completed her conservation graduate studies at New York University and holds an MA in Art History from Williams College. She has worked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Cleveland Museum of Art. She opened her private practice in 2015 after working at the ICA Art Conservation for 16 years. She has taught about courses about art conservation and the history of art materials and techniques at Oberlin College, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Oslo. She has a deep commitment to hands-on learning and the intersection of science and the arts.

https://www.gallowayartconservation.com/

Diana Maher - Treasurer

Diana was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Diana received an MS in Education Administration from John Hopkins University. After spending years as an educator and school administrator in Cleveland, she has found her passion in school finance and works to make innovation in education sustainable. Diana volunteers on the Education Finance Advisory Committee with the Ohio Association of School Business Officials where she collaborates with districts across the state to make recommendations for policy changes related to school finance. She thoroughly enjoys all the Great Lakes have to offer and spends time as a Master’s Coxswain with rowing crews on the Cuyahoga River.

Daniel Noel

Daniel is currently the Program Coordinator at the Cleveland Museum of Art, working in Collection and Exhibition Programs. Throughout his tenure at the museum, he has worked to produce dynamic and inclusive programming, ensuring that the museum serves as a reflection of its community. He has obtained his Master of Science in Museum Studies with a concentration in Practice & Theory from the University of Glasgow, and a Bachelor of Art in the History & Criticism of Art with a Minor in Museum Studies from Florida State University.

Claire O’Connor

Claire O’Connor is an attorney in the Real Estate and Environmental practice group at Benesch Friedlander Coplan and Aronoff and focuses her practice on commercial leasing in retail, industrial, warehouse, and office spaces. Claire has a Bachelor of Social Work degree, a J.D.,and a Master of Public Administration degree from Cleveland State University. Prior to law school, Claire was a licensed social worker and practiced throughout Cleveland. She lives on the near west side of Cleveland and when she has free time she likes to travel, hike, bike, figure skate and, honestly, watch TV.

Britany Salsbury

Britany Salsbury is a curator of prints and drawings at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where she specializes in modern and contemporary works on paper. Britany holds a BA in art history and English from Case Western Reserve University, a MA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a MPhil and PhD from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Prior to returning to Cleveland in 2018, she held curatorial and research positions at the Milwaukee Art Museum, the RISD Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Morgan Library & Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago, and she founded and served as co-president of the Association of Print Scholars. Britany loves learning from printmakers and everything related to Cleveland.

Erin Benay

Erin Benay is Associate Professor of Early Modern Art at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. She is the author of three books and numerous articles about early modern art, print history, and global circulation. In addition to her work in the field of global early modern studies, Erin is also dedicated to the cultivation of public humanities initiatives in Cleveland and works closely with area non-profits to incorporate art history into community-engaged practice.

Terri Mazzola Gertz

Senior Manager of Small Business Growth, COSE and the Greater Cleveland Partnership.

With over 15 years of dedicated experience in membership engagement and development, Terri is committed to cultivating relationships and building a sense of community in Greater Cleveland. She is currently at COSE and the Greater Cleveland Partnership where she works to connect members to the resources, programs, products, and services they need to grow their businesses. Her journey in the arts and culture sector started at the Cleveland Museum of Art where she worked for 15 years. She served as the Membership and Annual Fund Manager and she ran the mid-level membership program and Annual Fund campaigns. She directed the solicitation and renewal process for annual gifts and cultivated many meaningful connections with museum donors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with a Minor in Psychology from Bowling Green State University. She lives in the Gordon Square neighborhood of Cleveland with her husband, two children, two cats and dog.

Katie Steiner

Katie L. Steiner is an associate in Hahn Loeser & Park’s Business Practices Area. She provides counsel to a wide array of for-profit and non-profit clients on matters involving commercial transactions, compliance, intellectual property, and litigation. Katie focuses primarily on the firm’s Nonprofit & Art Law practice, which has a national reach and serves arts-based organizations in the advancement of their charitable and educational missions. She is also a 2023 graduate of the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Cleveland Bridge Builders program.

Esther Tseng

Esther Tseng, MD FACS is a trauma and acute care surgeon, educator, and researcher at MetroHealth Medical Center. After obtaining their medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, they completed surgical residency at Temple University Hospital and surgical critical care fellowship at UTSouthwestern/Parkland Memorial Hospital. Their professional work is centered upon patient care, student and trainee education, clinical outcomes research, and DEI in trauma surgery. As a lifelong enthusiast of the arts and science, they believe passionately in the power of these two fields to help people solve problems, enrich their lives, and transform communities for the better.

Teaching
Artists

Zygote Press is proud to host an amazing array of teaching artists who teach our 1 on 1 classes, as well as group printmaking classes.

Interested in becoming a teaching artist at Zygote? Learn more here.

Elyse Herrera

Elyse is a first-generation Cuban-American fine art printmaker. She received her BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2018 and continued on to assistant teach at the university until moving to Cleveland. Now the Shop Tech at Zygote Press, Elyse continues to create prints through etching, photolithography, and screenprint to explore moments of intimacy and voyeurism.

Hannah Manocchio

Hannah Manocchio is a Cleveland based artist, educator, and random fact extraordinaire. With degrees in printmaking and art history, she is the owner of Snakes + Acey’s — a screen based print shop in historic Little Italy. Her eclectic range in style, technique, and design can be seen throughout her apparel, merchandise, and fine art. Her work is influenced by mythology, inequality, street art, and symbology. In addition to running her own business, she also teaches silkscreen to adults and youth. www.snakesandaceys.com

Wendy Partridge

Wendy Partridge grew up in Rome, Italy and Berkeley, California. She has a degree in history and French from Wellesley College and a graduate degree in art conservation from the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. Between her undergraduate and graduate studies, she worked with printer Peter Koch for three years at his letterpress studio in Berkeley and at the Press in Tuscany Alley in San Francisco.

She currently works as a paintings conservator at the Intermuseum Conservation Association. She is a resident artist at Zygote Press where she helped establish the letterpress studio. In 2010 she received the Paul H. & Ginger S. Duensing Scholarship from the Penland School of Crafts to take a two week intensive letterpress workshop with book artist Inge Bruggeman. In 2012 she was awarded a five week residency at the Grafikwerkstatt in Dresden, Germany by Zygote and the Ohio Arts Council.

Lisa Schonberg

Lisa Schonberg explores the world of printmaking by combining a variety of processes including relief, intaglio, monoprinting and screenprinting. Her images evoke a reverence for nature and exhibit phenomena such as water flow, earth formations, abstracted and entangled foliage along with other natural ephemera. Lisa received her MFA in Printmaking from Kent Sate University in 1984 and her BFA from Ohio University in 1976. She recently retired from teaching as an adjunct professor of printmaking at Baldwin Wallace University, Notre Dame College and has taught in the Cleveland Institute of Art/Continuing Ed. Dept. Her 40-year career includes a variety of experiences from teaching in public and private schools to participating in artists’ residencies and internships. lisamschonberg.com

Paul Serrianne

Paul is from Cincinnati, OH and attended SAIC in Chicago, graduating in 2005. He taught high school art in Chicago Public Schools until 2014 then decided to make the move back to Ohio. In undergrad, Paul mainly focused on painting and drawing then fell in love with printmaking while taking etching and lithography classes. He experimented with screen printing here and there, but didn’t begin involving it into his own work until 5 years ago. Since then, it has become his printmaking medium of choice.

Anna Tararova

Anna Tararova was born in Russia and currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Anna is a printmaker and papermaker. She received an MFA in Printmaking from Ohio University and completed artist residencies at Paper Circle, Women’s Studio Workshop, The Center for Book and Paper Arts at Columbia College Chicago, The Morgan Conservatory, and Dundee Contemporary Arts. Anna runs Empress Editions and is the Shop Manager at Zygote. annatararova.com

Michael Whitehead

Michael Whitehead is a Printmaker/Artist from rural central Ohio. He received an MFA in Printmaking from Louisiana State University and a BFA from Ohio University. His work has been described by peers and mentors as “A return to the arts and crafts movement of the late 19th century”. While his technical approach to relief, intaglio, lithography and screen printing can be described as traditional; his work is always focused on creating a contemporary response to the animate architectural landscapes that surround him; evoking a sense of place while drawing narrative parallels between our current cultural moment and moments in print history.

Chandler Mack

Chandler Mack is a Post Digital Printmaker from Youngstown, Ohio. She received her BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Printmaking from Kent State University, and she hopes to work towards her MFA soon. Her work mainly focuses on the idea of women working, how their work defines them, and the way it changes society’s perception of them. She uses alternative photo-processes combined with traditional printmaking processes to create dynamic layers intended to resonate with the viewer’s own experiences.

Josie Krampitz

Krampitz is a Cleveland-Based mixed media artist who graduated from Kent State University with a concentration in Print Media and Photography in 2023, minoring in design. Krampitz’s work at Zygote includes being a teaching artist as well, specializing in risograph, screen printing, screen print monotypes, fabric screen printing, experimental print, and intaglio. Josie primarily works in intaglio, while they often utilize silkscreen for their digital designs. They find printmaking to be an exciting medium for exploration, while they continue to focus on illustrative drawings. They were introduced to printmaking during their college career, and the introduction of editions has allowed them to further embrace their roots in cartooning and design. Josie also works as a teaching artist for children, and loves spreading the word of print to whoever may listen!

Interns

Zygote’s internship program is essential to our organization’s mission, and our interns provide ideas and energy that are crucial to our success.

Interested in becoming an intern at Zygote? Learn more here.

Chandler Mack | Intern Lead

Bee Ferance

Raised in a household of creatives, making has been as connected to her as any limb. Printmaking became a focus in highschool through a passionate and resourceful teacher that trained her in a variety of at-home printing methods. It was in college though, where she found her love of stone lithography. Her work takes her vulnerable and private experiences and expresses them through cryptic personal symbolism. In hopes to not only blur the lines of her own memories but also so that it may be vague enough the viewer may project their own experiences and interpretation and find something to take home with them. Currently her work is exploring symbolism of yarn in connection to the body while also presenting contrast within the hardened nature of stone lithography printmaking

Leo Covault

Leo Covault is an exuberantly multimedia artist with an interest in the connections between gender, historical fashion, and folklore. His work at Zygote focuses on linoleum block printing and risograph zines, but he also makes illustrations using paper dolls and hand crafted sets. He enjoys blocky, handmade shapes in all media. He graduated from The Cleveland Institute of Art's Illustration program in 2023 and can now be found at art vendor events all over Cleveland.

Josie Krampitz

Joey Leppo

Joey Leppo is an artist with a passion for creating work using various printmaking methods. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, his artwork is mainly inspired by his upbringing as a military child and his heritage as a Japanese American. Joey creates his work through creating highly detailed drawings, then transferring and reproducing those images through various print methods, abstracting editions of an image as a representation of the movement of time. Outside of print, his interests lie in skateboarding, graphic design, and ceramic design

Logan Robinson

Logan Robinson, known as LMDR (he/they), is a recent graduate who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from Bowling Green State University in May 2023. LMDR's art combines printmaking and new technologies to explore the influence of 20th-century American artists like the new topographic photographers, Edward Hopper, and Kurt Vonnegut, shaping their unique creative voice. Through their work, LMDR offers a contemplative perspective on the Anthropocene, emphasizing the dominance of automobiles in the modern landscape. Their pieces skillfully employ simple shapes and halftone dots to evoke a mechanical and liminal haze, revealing enigmatic emotions within evolving spaces.

Erin Owen

Erin Owen is an ecofeminist sculptor and printmaker who is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma and just recenlty moved to Cleveland, Ohio. In their work, they contemplate the destruction of the natural world and the challenges of living in a late-stage capitalistic society through the lens of play and their inner child. They graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Oklahoma State University and have been recognized consistently for their success within their creative community. They recently finished an internship at Universal Limited Art Editions in New York City, coordinated an annual mural festival in Stillwater, Oklahoma for aspiring artists, and is expected to have a solo exhibition at Positive Space Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the beginning of 2024.

Tahm Lytle

Tahm Lytle is a queer, Black and Latine printmaker based out of Cleveland Heights. They primarily use relief, risograph, and letterpress processes to create new works. Most of their body of work is linocut block printing with black ink on recycled/upcycled paper. tahm prioritizes accessibility in their practice by incorporating cheap and recycled supplies and processes that can be done at home and easily taught to others. Their artwork illustrates their leftist politics, explores queerness, and shares their sense of humor. Muses include ecology, lesbian love, the Black and Latine experience, memes, cartoons, music, and more. They strive to speak to the human experience under late stage capitalism, imagine a post-capitalist future, and challenge the viewer to consider what resistance can look like in everyday life. Memento mori is a common motif in their work. They often depict humans as skeletons or use skull imagery, as an overt statement about humanity, and a hat tip to influential Mexican political printmakers such as José Guadalupe Posada.

Car Aldana

Car Aldana (he/him) is an undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University where he is studying art history and studio art. He has previously interned with a professional artist in Florida as well as at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. His passions lie with drawing, but he also works with other mediums, and he is excited to learn more about printmaking at Zygote. Much of his work explores gender, the natural world, and features dog motifs. Besides creating art, he likes board sports, reading, and playing the drums. His family is from the Philippines and his hometown is in Florida which means he is very cold in Ohio.

Fi Burnham

Fi (they/them) is a multimedia artist and designer based in Kent, Ohio. Currently working towards a BFA in Visual Communication Design, their work spans mediums of photography, graphic design, illustration, printmaking, and pretty much anything else they can get their hands on. Their muses include found and forgotten print ephemera, intersecting queer and religious iconography, and their three pet rats. When not creating, you can find them working in galleries and absorbing as much art as possible.

Adylade Krimmel

Adylade Krimmel is a fourth year undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University majoring in Art History and minoring in German language. She is a passionate learner and creative striving to incorporate artistic practices into her future career. She is interested in working with all types of artists to foster community, inspire creativity, and encourage learning.

Zygote Fellows

Ben Levy | Arts Education Advisor

Benjamin Levy is a curator and art historian. He is a PhD Candidate in Art History in the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Museum of Art joint program. Ben is passionate about printmaking, photography, and the artistic practice. Prior to coming to Cleveland, Levy was the Assistant Curator for Collections & Academic Programs at the Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, and as the Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Prints, Drawings & Photographs at the Baltimore Museum of Art. He was a contributing author for the journal Art in Print and the Co-Director of the 2012 and 2015 Baltimore Contemporary Print Fairs. He serves on the National Advisory Board for the Tamarind Institute, University of New Mexico, and as an officer of the Association of Print Scholars. A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Levy studied printmaking, book arts, and photography, gaining collaborative printmaking experience at Harlan & Weaver, Inc. and Dieu Donné in New York.

Lacy Talley

Lacy Talley, a Cleveland-based artist, brings a burst of color and eccentricity to her acrylic paintings, capturing the essence of otherworldly beings with a playful grace. In her most recent works, Lacy delves into the captivating world of crystals and their healing properties, infusing her pieces with their mystical energy. Each brushstroke becomes a conduit for the vibrations and transformative power that crystals offer, creating a visual symphony of color and intention. With a fusion of Afro Futurism and Surrealism, Lacy's artistic journey embraces the ethereal allure of crystals, inviting viewers to explore their own inner realms through her art. Her vibrant palette, unique perspectives, and crystal-infused creations breathe life into every canvas she touches. Throughout the years of her creative journey, Lacy placed her main focus on branding and identity projects, illustration work and mural art. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Communication Design and a minor in Pan African Studies from Kent State University. Lacy primarily works in acrylic paint, resin, clay, and digital art. Beyond her studio, Lacy has made a mark as an Art Director, collaborating with renowned names like Spotify, Moet Hennessy, and Cadillac. Her work extends beyond campaigns and presentation decks, as she recently partnered with Maker's Mark for their Art & Soul Program, showcasing emerging Black Creators who leave an indelible mark on the world. Lacy's creative prowess also extends to being one of the designers behind the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award and the Cleveland Summit location marker, developed in collaboration with the National Basketball Association and the Marcus Graham Project.

As a Creative Director, Lacy has curated captivating shows and exhibitions, including Cleveland Collabs, Nucleation, and Crystallize, where art becomes an immersive experience. Passionate about nurturing young talent, she shares her knowledge and love for upcycling as an art educator, working with the Center of Arts Inspired Learning and Karamu House. Her dedication to artistic expression and community engagement has earned her a spot in the upcoming Heights Art Collaborage Group Exhibition, showcasing her work from August 18 to October 15, 2023.

Lacy Talley's art is a vibrant tapestry that reflects her creative journey and her commitment to making the world remarkable with her unique vision

McKinley Wiley

McKinley Wiley is a self-taught editorial portrait photographer based in his hometown of Cleveland, OH. Since he picked up a camera nearly twenty years ago his intention has always been to empower people to see the beauty within themselves even if it's only for a brief moment. In 2019 he was the recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize Verge Fellowship. His work has been shown in galleries such as Notre Dame College, Bostwick Design Partnership, The *new* Glick Building on MetroHealth's main campus and The Cleveland History Center of The Western Reserve Historical Society.

Chester Hopkins-Bey

I, Chester Hopkins-Bey, am a Cleveland-based artist and recent graduate of Central State University. My artistic practice primarily focuses on paint, spoken word, and installation art, exploring complex themes related to social justice and sustainability. I am excited to apply for the BIPOC Fellowship at Zygote Press to enhance my artistic voice and deepen my practice through printmaking. As a BIPOC artist, I am committed to sharing my knowledge and skills with other artists in our community, to contribute to the growth of the city of Cleveland through art and sustainability.

Chudney Patterson

Chudney O. Patterson is a Cartoonist and Illustrator living in Cleveland, Ohio. She decided to pursue an art career at the age of 16, after she entered and won Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid Comic Contest. Chudney obtained a B.F.A in Illustration from the College for Creative Studies and is currently working as a Teaching Artist and Educator at the Cleveland Museum of Art and various other community organizations in Northeast Ohio.Chudney enjoys using bold colors, dynamic shape language, and her sense of humor to set her designs apart. Her goal is for audiences to form an emotional connection to her characters so that the design lives on forever. In her art practice, she is developing a series of Christian Comics that will share her testimony of faith in Jesus Christ and empower others to be courageous in their walk of faith. In the past 3 years, Chudney has developed 10 comics, which she dubs “Evangetoons” that will share her faith; she will focus on two comics in particular during the Residency: a daily comic strip called A Day in the Life of Chudney, which details her everyday struggles of being a Christian and a manga style graphic novel called DaPOOf! which illustrates the adventurous yet perilous journey of the Soul back to GOD. Chudney is grateful to have the opportunity to work on these two comics, as they are a continuation of the original comic that started her artistic journey back in 2011.

Sydney Kay

Sydney Nicole Kay is a multimedia artist working in photography, video and screen-printing. Originally from the Eastern Shore in Maryland, she received her BFA in Photography from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2021. Sydney currently works in creative production at a local advertising agency call Marcus Thomas LLC and has won numerous awards including a Red Bull micro-grant and the 2021 Bivens Fellowship. She is always interested in new ideas and processes or what she would call “learning to fold the blanket in a different way”. Her goal is to create work that communicates her stories and to share the stories of those who are often under-represented.

Lawrence Hudson

My name is Lawrence Hudson. I am a freelance photographer, art facilitator, creative thinker, and activist Here are some of the core values that speak truth to me.

1. Standing up for those whose voices aren’t being heard, especially those that lack representation (marginalized communities)

2. Using photography and art as a primary medium to tell stories

3. Creating a more accessible and sustainable way of living for the world around me