Artifice

Growing up in Southern California, Casey Parlette developed a deep connection to wildlife while exploring the region’s hills and ocean. Inspired by these experiences, he began sculpting at a young age. After earning a degree in anthropology from UCLA, Casey worked as a commercial diver and later as a career ocean lifeguard in Laguna Beach. His adventures include operating underwater cameras for the television series Inside Sportfishing, traveling to remote regions of the world, and spending eight months in the Peruvian Amazon, where he discovered a previously unknown fish species now classified as Rivulus parlettei. A naturalist at heart, Casey draws on his lived experiences to inspire his sculptures. Casey works with wood, metal, and stone to capture the movement and feel of the natural world. He selects materials whose inherent patterns and textures echo his subject. curly redwood may suggest the stripes of a tiger shark, while a manzanita burl can reveal the form of an octopus. Through blacksmithing and m

April Waller @aprilmakes is a "whimsical artsy mom" and content creator based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in creative DIY home projects, sewing, painting, and homemaking.

My name is Connor Book, I’m 26 years old born and raised in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. I currently work as an Assistant Winemaker at Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery in Jordan, Ontario. I went to Brock University for Oenology and Viticulture and have travelled around and worked harvests at wineries in Australia, British Columbia and Niagara. There are a lot of aspects I enjoy about winemaking but the whole process of watching the grapes grow and creating a very different and complex product in the end is something that never gets boring.

Moritz Simon Geist is a music producer and researcher working with sound, robotics and algorithms. Beginning his academic career in semiconductor sciences as a PhD student, Geist made a career shift to focus on art and music, where he now merges sound with robotics and algorithms. His approach to electronic music, which involves creating sound through mechanical robots, has earned him international recognition. In 2012, Geist's first work, the "Drum Robot MR-808," went viral, and he has since explored the sound making and producing of electronic music with robots and mechanics as well as releasing many influential and viral works. Geist's compositions are influenced by a broad range of musical styles, including various electronic music genres and classical music, creating a unique and experimental sound. Over the years, he has collaborated with a range of renowned artists, including Mouse On Mars, Tyondai Braxton, Robert Lippok, and Thieß Mynther. His work has been showcased at many international venues an

Olga Saretsky is a visionary performance artist, designer, and choreographer based in Miami. She is the creative mind behind Kikimora Studio, a unique performance art company that brings divine wearable sculpture and living art to life. Olga’s creations, often described as “high fashion,” blend mystery with beauty, evoking a sense of the extraordinary. Kikimora Studio also houses Kikimora Fashion, a collection of vibrant, high-performance costumes for dancers, yogis, and performers. Born in Kazakhstan to a Russian family, Olga began her artistic journey at age 15, evolving into a costume designer and choreographer. After performing globally, she founded Kikimora Studio in the U.S., where she now teaches and produces her visionary wearable art, captivating audiences worldwide. Performance booking Art for events- www.kikimorastudio.com, Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/kikimorastudioart/ Fashion brand, custom costumes - www.kikimorafashion.com , Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/kikimorafashion/

Inspired by natural forms, Stéphanie Kilgast’s artwork is an ode to nature and its current biodiversity. Plants, mushrooms, insects and other animals intertwine in a vibrant swirl of colors under her brush or sculpting tools. Since 2017, in her series ‘Discarded Objects,’ she sculpts colorful organic growths emerging from manufactured objects, celebrating the beauty of nature in a dialogue with humanity and questioning the lost balance between human activities and the natural world. Her work has a cheerful post apocalyptic feel to it, a reassuring reminder that nature has the capacity to grow back, if we only let it. Her work has been exhibited in North America, Asia, Australia and Europe. She is French and was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in 1985. She currently resides in Vannes, France. https://www.stephaniekilgast.com/bio https://www.instagram.com/petitplat/

Meet Elodie Durande, a French Perfumer whose journey into the captivating world of scents began in a quaint countryside village in Normandy, France, where she spent her childhood. With a creative mind and a rational scientist's brain, perfumery emerged as the perfect fusion of both her passions. Elodie's academic journey led her to study chemistry before she embarked on a transformative two-year Perfumery course at the University of Montpellier, France. During this pivotal period, she immersed herself in the fragrant world of Grasse, working as an intern. Fate intervened when she encountered Master Perfumer François Robert on the Île Sainte-Marguerite. From that moment, François became her mentor, guiding her on the path to realizing her dream of becoming a Perfumer. In February 2014, Elodie commenced her journey with Quintessence Fragrances as an intern. Swiftly rising through the ranks, she joined the evaluation team within six months. Three years later, an opportunity to continue her training as a Junior

Christopher Ramos is currently serving as Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He conducts the UVU Wind Symphony and directs instrumental studies within the music education area. He additionally teaches courses in conducting, music education, and music appreciation. He received the DMA in instrumental conducting at The Hartt School, studying with Glen Adsit and Edward Cumming. While at Hartt, he assisted in conducting Hartt's instrumental performing ensembles and the Greater Hartford Youth Wind Ensemble, and as part of the adjunct faculty he taught courses for graduates and undergraduates in conducting, brass methods, diversity and belonging, jazz pedagogy, and in the core music theory sequence. Before Hartt, Chris served as a band director at Dalat International School in Penang, Malaysia where he taught Western classical and jazz music in performing and theory courses across grades 6-12, and his students were invited to perform in international festiva

"Wade Ronsse is a touring drummer, private drum teacher, session musician, and a small but enthusiastic part of Boise, Idaho's vibrant music scene. He tours nationally with Americana/Jam troubadour Jeff Crosby and has been a part of many (mostly locally) well regarded bands, including Lounge on Fire, Wend, Sun Blood Stories, Freeman Dejongh, and Rider & Rolling Thunder. This more band-focused drumming has led to creative applications on projects spanning from heavy psychedelic rock, horn-driven R&B, psychedelic to avant-garde harp and string quartet experimental music, all the way to Honkey Tonk Country. His recording career is rooted in a deep appreciation for Boise-based musical creators, resulting in a small but cherished catalog of over 100 recordings with his favorite local musicians, collaborators, and friends. His 2025 record contributions include the surfy/twangy Day for Night with femme-fronted group Cactus Moon as well as the indie/folk and art rock Wait, Sky by Jesse Blake Rundle (released on DOE

David Singer is an internationally acclaimed clarinetist whose career has included two performances at the White House and more than 150 appearances in Carnegie Hall. Joseph Horowitz in The New York Times wrote about David Singer, “To describe his playing would be to enumerate a catalogue of virtues.” Mr. Singer’s recording of the Aaron Copland Clarinet Concerto was praised by Lawrence A. Johnson from Gramophone Magazine in the UK as “one of the finest accounts around,” and his performances have been featured on the BBC and on Sirius XM as a principal performer of the Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, NYC. Professor Singer taught as a guest teacher at both the Yale and Princeton Schools of Music as well as at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, and is Emeritus Professor of Clarinet/Coordinator of Chamber Music at Montclair State University, NJ. He continues to coach young musicians across Southern California and performs with the Singer Chamber Players and th

Ann Wood@Woodlucker is a paper botanical artist who graduated from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1986. She also earned a two year degree from Hawkeye Institute of Technology in photography. Before creating botanical pieces, she was an exhibitor at craft shows with her husband, Dean Lucker, all over America. Some of the shows include the Smithsonian Craft Show, The Philadelphia Museum Show, and many of the American Craft Expo venues such as the Baltimore Craft Show. She started an Instagram account 10 years ago creating paper botanicals that currently has 375,000 followers. Her work focuses on creating flowers, food, mushrooms, and even some paper animals all paper. During the pandemic, her paper botanical wall was shown with Royal Delftware at a museum in the Netherlands. Ann has been featured in many national and international magazines, including Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes & Gardens. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodlucker/ Website: www.woodlucker.com

Amy Reader is an Asheville-based fiber artist and educator. She works primarily with wool, yarn, felt, and thread. Her work explores tiny moments of joy found in the natural world, translated through her vivid sensory experience as an autistic artist. Amy has been a professional artist since 2018. She was named one of The Rising Tide’s 20 On The Rise in 2019. In 2023, her solo show Beneath the Surface was featured on the Hello, Rose City! Artist Corner on KGW in Portland, OR. Amy splits her time between creating her artwork, teaching workshops, and creating educational content for her Patreon.

Lady Dhyana Ziegler, DCJ, Ph.D., is currently President and CEO of Z/Creators, LLC and Professor Emerita of Florida A&M University, U.S.A. . She has worked in the field of higher education and technology for more than 35 years as a professor and administrator. Dr. Ziegler is the author of four books, more than 60 scholarly publications - including book chapters - and has produced more than 100 videos and other multimedia works. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences. Besides her academic career, Dr. Ziegler is a multimedia writer, digital content producer, and songwriter (to name a few). She serves on several boards and other professional organizations.

Hailing from the vibrant city of Austin, Katrina Cain is a Texas-rooted artist with a voice shaped by the open road. Born in Dallas and raised across many statelines, she grew up without a hometown, and that search for belonging runs deep through her songwriting. Now finding herself at home in Austin, Katrina's sound captures the raw truth of Americana with the polished grit of modern country. Katrina first caught national attention on NBC’s The Voice with a standout rendition of “Rhiannon,” and her journey has only grown more compelling since. Her 2024 EP Gold introduced her as a fearless storyteller, inviting new audiences to share in the honesty- and often, humor- of life’s struggles. With the lead single’s music video, “New Mercedes,” amassing over two million views, Katrina proves she’s a rising star who’s here to stay. Her upcoming, full-length album, recorded in early 2025, features an impressive lineup of talent including Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson), Philippe Bronchtein (Chase Rice), Doug Pettibo

Marcia Peck is an award-winning writer and accomplished musician, celebrating over 50 years as a cellist with the Minnesota Orchestra.  Inspired by the rhythms and sounds of music echoed in language, her debut novel, Water Music: A Cape Cod Story, combines all of her passions –music, writing, and Cape Cod. The book has received critical acclaim and has received many book awards, including Literary Titan Gold, National Indie Excellence Award, New England Book Festival Regional Lit Winner, and Feathered Quill Reviewers Choice Award Winner. Additionally, she was a finalist for American Writing Awards, Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize, Firebird Book Awards, and Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Pacifica book Awards designated it as a “Notable Book” and her book was long-listed by both Historical Fiction Company Book-of-the-Year Award and Somerset Book Awards.  Peck's writing has received awards from New Millenium Writings (First prize for "Memento Mori"), Tamarack Awards (honorable mention for "An Unexpected Cadence"), L

Kathryn Bertine is an author, athlete, activist and documentary filmmaker. As a professional cyclist, she raced five years on the World Tour pro circuit. Prior to racing, Bertine was a columnist and senior editor for ESPN.  Her award-winning documentary film, HALF THE ROAD: The passion, pitfalls and power of women’s professional cycling debuted in 2014 and is still screened worldwide today and named one of the Best Cycling Films of All Time in 2020. As an advocate for equality in women’s sports, Bertine succeeded in petitioning the Tour de France for women’s inclusion, leading to the 2022 “Tour de France Femmes.” She now serves as CEO for Homestretch Foundation, a nonprofit which provides free housing to female professional athletes struggling with the gender pay gap. Her latest book, STAND: A memoir on activism. A manual for progress was named a finalist for Best Memoir / Best Social Change in 2021.  In 2022 Bertine was named University of Arizona Alumni of the Year for her work in Tour de France gender equi

Roxy is the creative mind behind Xanne Fran Studios, a sculpture and jewelry shop with a focus on magical figurative design. Inspired by the natural world and the world of her imagination, she brings to life dreamy jewelry designs in gold and silver, and fantasy sculptures in classic, timeless bronze. She got her start as a figurative artist, focusing on drawing and painting the human form, but immediately fell in love with the lost-wax casting process when it was introduced to her in college. Jewelry was never part of the plan, but sculpting at a very small scale came naturally to her, so when she tried casting silver on a whim, she fell in love with that too! xannefran.com @xannefran

Briar West, a visionary fluid artist raised in Southern California, infuses her work with the essence of the ocean. She embraces the elegance of imperfection and the beauty in chaos. Through her art, she captures the notion that we are all imperfectly perfect, and believes that’s a beautiful thing. Briar’s journey into art is as unconventional as her medium. With a background in medical research, her artistic path began as a blend of self-care and curiosity. Lacking traditional supplies, she started experimenting with inks, using materials she had on hand - alcohol, bleach, vodka, even antifreeze. This inventive spirit defines her work to this day, often sourcing supplies from Home Depot, liquor stores, and auto part stores. Briar is known for her dynamic process, sometimes using a leaf blower to swiftly guide alcohol and ink across large canvases, capturing a moment before it fades. Briar has been called an alchemist, taking common, everyday products and creating magic. Today she continues to use those same

Receiving B.S. and M.S. degrees from The Julliard School of Music, David Taylor started his playing career as a member of Leopold Stowkowski's American Symphony Orchestra, and with appearances with the New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez. Simultaneously, he was a member of the Thad Jones Mel Lewis jazz band, and recorded with groups ranging from Duke Ellington to The Rolling Stones. He has also recorded numerous solo CDs on the following labels: Koch, New World, ENJA, DMP, Tzadik, CIMP, PAU, and TLB. Mr. Taylor performs recitals and concerti around the world: from Lincoln Center in NY to the Musikverein in Vienna and Suntory Hall in Japan. In addition to his own compositions, he has been involved in well over a hundred commissioning projects for solo bass trombone collaborating with composers including Alan Hovhaness, Charles Wuorinen, George Perle, Frederic Rzewski, Lucia Dlugoszchewski, Eric Ewazen, Dave Liebman, and Daniel Schnyder. He has appeared and recorded chamber music with Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Pe

Chad's artwork embodies beautiful woods from around the world. What began as retirement gifts for his fellow active duty servicemen has turned into amazing creations exhibiting the Pacific Northwest, wildlife, instruments, pop culture, ancient culture and mythology. Chad understands how to use the unique characteristics of the wood to enhance his work into a one of a kind piece of art. He won Best of Show and the People's Choice award at the PNW Art School juried art competition for his amazing octopus sculpture in 2024. He was recently accepted into the Anacortes Arts Festival and Kent Summer Art juried art competitions. https://www.instagram.com/chadpilk72/