Reese is a professional drummer with nearly 30 years of experience. He holds a graduate degree from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has played stages at Lincoln Center and the Apollo Theatre, as well as toured with Italian jazz singer Amalia Gre’. Reese has been sharing his talents and energy with ArtWorks Young Artists since 2011.

Learn more at journeythroughrhythm.com 

Deborah comes from a creative background that includes fine arts, dance, and film art direction. She helped develop the Laser Painting Program which enables medically complex children and young adults to create paintings by directing brush strokes and colors with a laser affixed to a headband. 

See Deborah’s program in action

Emmy winning animator for “Socially Conscious Cartoons” and Founder of Small Factory Productions, Chris is as an illustrator, cartoonist, graphic designer, animator, writer, and editor. He offers a number of workshops for ArtWorks Young Artists including computer animation, claymation, and cartooning. 

Learn more at mysmallfactory.com

Robyn is a contemporary artist living and working in Beacon, NY. She has been a teaching artist with ArtWorks since 2010. She holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and an MFA from Hunter College. Her work has been featured in established institutions including the Guggenheim Museum and MDI Biological Laboratories. 

See Robyn’s work at robynellenbogen.com

Ashley is a Dance and Movement Therapist and professional dancer who utilizes dance as a means of expression and communication. She earned a BFA in dance from George Mason University and an MS in Dance and Movement Therapy from Pratt Institute. Ashley held an internship in dance/movement therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Pediatric Oncology and Kings County Hospital in an acute psychiatric unit.

See more of Ashley’s work on social media @artistik_ash

Lindsey graduated from Penn State University with a BFA in Ceramics and a minor in Psychology. She uses her personal artwork as a platform and voice for those living with a chronic illness like herself.  In addition to her studio work, she is a curator, mural artist, and the Project Manager for the national creative aging organization, Lifetime Arts. She currently serves on two boards, the Ossining Arts Project and Bethany Arts Community.

Learn more at lindseyfrancisceramics.com

Linda is a contemporary poet and writer living and working in New York City. She holds an M.A. in English and American Literature and an M.F.A. in Poetry from NYU where she was a Starworks Creative Writing Fellow. She grew up with a genetic heart condition, so experience as both a patient and caregiver enables her to understand and connect with patients. 

Learn more at lindahdolan.com

Prior to co-founding SAORI Arts NYC, Ria was a pediatric nurse practitioner at NY Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Her practice focused on palliative and curative care for pedatric patients facing cancer and hematological diseases. Throughout her career, she has advocated for integrative therapies and interventions to promote healing.

Learn more at saoriartsnyc.org

Steven is a professional photographer, teacher, and Teaching Artist based in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree at SUNY Purchase College in 2013. Steven is a brain tumor survivor and his understanding of the hospital experience enhances his ability to adapt his lessons and show compassion to children of all ages

See Steven’s work at srhphoto.com 

Baba fuses poetic Hip Hop lyrics and soulful vocals with funk, dub & jazz influenced multi-instrumentalist production with his group Soul Inscribed. As a master-level arts educator, Baba leads workshops in beat-boxing and music production. He offers an experience of empowerment, showing participants that they can create music with just their bodies. 

Learn more at babaisrael.com

Yako is a multimedia artist, instrumentalist, beatboxer, and graffiti artist based in New York City. He holds an MFA from Goddard College’s Interdisciplinary Arts program and has been a Teaching Artist with ArtWorks since 2013. He has composed music and visuals for theater performances, co-curated large scale art exhibitions, and toured as a professional musician and mural artist.

See more of Yako’s work at yako440.com

Russ Rubin is an outsider artist and writer from the suburban shadows of New York City. His flexible and open teaching style emphasizes the capacity for everyone, regardless of age or ability, to create work completely unique to themself, and in so doing to embrace or escape their realities. 

See Russ’ work at russrubin.us

Michelle is an internationally recognized artist living and working in New York City. She holds an MFA from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and taught fine arts at the University of California at Berkeley. Michelle is a Primordial Sound Meditation instructor through the Chopra Center, as well as a certified Reiki Master. Michelle believes and trusts in the energy of the creative spirit as a healing force on the earth.

See Michelle’s work at michellesakhai.com

Rebecca is a contemporary musician and caregiver living and working in New York City. She holds a BFA in Music and Psychology from The New School and performs regularly with her band Are Skwaird – a duo that reimagines old folk tunes and outsider classics. She uses guitar and other instruments to encourage children to sing their favorite music in a collaborative play environment. 

Listen at areskwaird.bandcamp.com

Duv is a beatboxer and musician and a member of Hip Hop/Funk band, Soul Inscribed. He has performed in venues such as Blue Note, Highline Ballroom, and The Bowery Poetry Club. Duv offers workshops in beatboxing and songwriting, allowing participants to express themselves musically and through their own words. 

Learn more at soulinscribed.com