THE ARTISTS

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Marisol Landers was raised in northern California and after moves to Arizona then South Carolina, she now calls Auburn, NY her home. A woman of several centralities of Latin heritage, Marisol trained in alternative healing arts. She is a certified hypnotherapist, energy therapist and Reiki master teacher. Her art reflects her view that “humans are multi-dimensional beings, layered and complex, with each individual having a unique view of the world.” Her paintings reflect the textures and layers that exist between the conscious and sub-conscious self and she utilizes oil pastel, watercolor, acrylic and gauche paint to create art that she calls “prayer painting” or “soul sketching.” In addition to her exhibition in this issue of aaduna, she has a solo show that will run through June 30 at the Seward House Museum in Auburn, NY.

Joyce Stokes Jones,born on December 31, 1929 in Auburn, NY, graduated from local public schools. A career secretary, she retired in 1989 after fifteen years as secretary to the president of the Syracuse Common Council. From 1968 - 1992, Joyce distinguished herself as a chronicler of African American heritage through her work as a newspaper columnist, producer of a TV program that explored issues in the Black community and Harriet Tubman’s life and designed the Harriet Tubman doll. Beginning in the early Seventies, she began thirty years of research and writing about the life and times of her great, great grand aunt Harriet Tubman whose home and burial place is Auburn. In October 1999, Jones compiled her research and began writing Beyond the Underground, Harriet Tubman: A Heroine, a story that details the nuances and realities of slavery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and captures the paradox of winning freedom in the northern states and Canada.

Lisa Huff has no advanced art training and is the only one in her family to be 'taken up' by art. In 3rd grade, Lisa drew an elephant that looked like the one her teacher drew on the chalkboard. Needless to say, Lisa was filled with joy and was hooked! In an artists statement, she shares, “Drawing became my hobby. It entertained and empowered me. My 'art-time' is my unencumbered playtime that excites my mind, invigorates my imagination and is very therapeutic. I regard art instruction books and magazines as vital learning tools. It's always a thrill to be recognized as a talented artist and to have others enjoy my artwork. Being published in aaduna is a huge thrill and has inspired me to strive for a career in art." Ms. Huff resides in Corvallis, Oregon.

Camille Goodison earned graduate degrees in Fiction from Syracuse University and Binghamton University. Her work has been accepted by St. Ann’s Review, Steam Ticket, Tonopah Review, Mad Swirl, Teachers and Writers, CaribBeat, Africana, Monthly Review, and Z Magazine among others. Ms. Goodison grew up in Kingston, Jamaica and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York where she teaches freshman composition at the New York City College of Technology.

Michele Jones Galvin, director of Onondaga County’s Community Initiatives in Syracuse, NY is a specialist in program design, implementation and evaluation, and is a certified Bridges Out of Poverty facilitator. Ms. Jones Galvin holds a Masters degree in psychological research from the New School for Social Research. She received her baccalaureate degree from Fordham University with a double major in Psychology and African American Studies. Michele has extensive experience serving on several diverse Boards of Directors and affiliates herself with numerous community and regional organizations. A recipient of several prestigious awards, she is one of the founders of the Women’s Fund of Central New York and received the Bethany Baptist Church Harriet Tubman Spirit Award in 2009. In 1999, Ms. Jones Galvin and her mother Joyce E. Jones began collaborating on Beyond the Underground, Harriet Tubman: A Heroinetold from the perspective of a relative, Tubman’s great, great grandniece, Joyce E. Jones.

Max Pryor Eyes is slowly figuring out the ways of the pen. Currently, Max is pursuing a BFA in Creative Writing at the University of Maine Farmington. He seeks solace in the space between words and lets poetry portray itself. Someday soon, he will tango in Argentina and drink his first Grateful Dead. For now, he will keep rubbing his dog’s belly and writing poems.

Patrick Lee Clark is an emerging writer and MFA student at New Mexico State University and a self-described “young African American poet.” In December 2011, his piece, “Guitar Hero” was published in Diverse Voices Quarterly Issue 11. Moving forward, Patrick hopes to capture the world in his poetry.

Eleanor Leonne Bennett is a 15-year-old photographer/artist who has won contests with National Geographic, The Woodland Trust, The World Photography Organization, Winstons Wish, Nature's Best Photography and other entities. Her photographs have been published in exhibitions and magazines across the world including the Guardian, RSPB Birds , Dot Dot Dash, Alabama Coast, Alabama Seaport and NG Kids Magazine, the most popular kids magazine in the world. She has the distinction of being the only person from the UK to have work displayed in the National Geographic and Airbus “See The BiggerPicture” global exhibition tour with the United Nations International Year Of Biodiversity 2010. She was the only visual artist published in the Taj Mahal Review June 2011 and the youngest artist to be displayed in Charnwood Art's Vision ‘09 and New Mill's Artlounge Dark Colours exhibitions. Miss Bennett is also the youngest artist published in Grey Sparrow Press. She has also been a featured artist in Able Muse. Eleanor resides in Manchester, Cheshire, UK

THE ARTISTS - VOLUME 2 / ISSUE 2 (Summer 2012)- page 1