Cohorts I — VII Alumni

  • Young woman with half blonde, half black hair, wearing a black and gray argyle sweater vest, silver jewelry, and a confident expression, standing against a dark backdrop.

    Helen Beckley-Forest

    Hi everyone! I’m Helen I graduated as a painting major last year, but my current focus is experimenting with different materials like canvas…

  • A young woman with pink and purple wavy hair, wearing a white tank top, and showing multiple colorful tattoos on her arms and chest, standing against a plain white background.

    Camille Buscemi

    Hello everyone! My name is Camille Buscemi! I am a local artist here in Buffalo! I've been creating art since I can remember, and some of…

  • Young woman with dark brown hair, glasses, wearing a sleeveless blue dress, standing outdoors in front of green leafy bushes with sunlight filtering through.

    Akasya Crosier

    My name is Akasya, she/her. I am a digital artist and mixed media painter based here in Buffalo, NY. As a visual artist born to paint nature but forced to make…

  • A young woman with short brown hair and glasses poses in front of several paintings, wearing a light-colored satin camisole top with spaghetti straps. The background features a peeling green and brown wall.

    Laike Palermo

    My name is Laike , pronounced Lake. I'm an oil painter from Oswrgo NY, living in Buffalo NY. My work has always been a study..

  • Person with curly hair wearing glasses and a denim jacket, holding their hands near their face with fingers spread, looking upward.

    Soda

    Howdy! I’m Soda. They/He. I’m a polynesian queer artist originally from Texas. I do a mixture of oil painting, sculpture, and performance work…

  • A woman with short brown hair smiling and holding a colorful portrait painting of a young person with an exaggerated angry facial expression, surrounded by cartoonish flowers and animals, in an art gallery setting.

    Sky Vance

    Hi! I’m Sky! I’m an oil painter living in Buffalo. I make work that attempts to explore internet micro-niches, human connections to climate change…

  • A young man with dark skin, long dreadlocks, wearing multiple necklaces, a white shirt, and a fur-lined jacket in front of a plain white background.

    Emeka Wajed

    Hey there everyone my name is Emeka and I go by “Mek” In short I am a multifaceted creative obsessed with constant exploration and experimentation…

  • A young man with dreadlocks wearing a plaid shirt, looking to the side with a thoughtful expression.

    Paulie!

    I’ve always heard of the persistent stigma that plagues my community: that Christianity doesn’t belong in the Black Culture. Much resentment…

  • A woman with vintage makeup and earrings holding a green plant, sitting in front of a wooden paneled wall.

    Cecilia Beavers

    Cecilia Beavers is a 26 year old artist based in Buffalo, New York. She enjoys creating large mixed media and oil paint pieces. She loves exploring surreal…

  • A young woman with curly hair and glasses smiling for the camera, wearing a dark gray sweatshirt with a flower design and text.

    Emma Brittain

    Emma Brittain is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the intricate tapestry of identity through cultural connections…

  • A young woman with light brown hair and pink highlights, smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top and pink heart-shaped earrings, standing in front of a colorful abstract background.

    Emma Stanton

    Buffalo based painter, Emma Stanton, has been most recently using art as a vehicle for play. She is currently a Resident…

  • A smiling young man with glasses, a beard, and wavy hair, wearing a white graphic t-shirt and a light denim jacket, standing in front of a white wall.

    Mojo Banjo

    Mojo Banjo is an emerging dark fantasy artist, who utilizes both traditional and digital mediums. Inspired by filmaking, old-school…

  • Close-up portrait of a young man with brown hair and beard, wearing a dark shirt, standing against a dark background.

    Robert Rusch

    I am an artist working in Buffalo, New York. I received my BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016. I am part of the first cohort of…

  • Person with long blond hair sitting on a bed, holding a stuffed bunny, wearing lace clothing with tattoos visible on legs and arms, in a dimly lit room.

    Wavy

    I prefer not to restrict myself to any certain set of rules when it comes to creation. By proclaiming that I am an artist who does this and works in…

  • A young woman with long blonde hair and glasses posing in front of a colorful abstract art background.

    Angela Guest

    My process for my body of work is motivated by a contemplation of what my own life is and what it will become. The choice to use thread and fabric in my artistic…

  • Portrait of a confident woman with dark hair, wearing an olive green leather jacket and a nose piercing, against a gray background.

    Bree Gilliam

    Bree Gilliam is a painter and entrepreneur from Buffalo, NY. Her work primarily focuses on social issues and experiences that people face daily. She uses…

  • A young man with dark, wavy hair, wearing a navy suit, white shirt, and blue tie, smiling slightly against a plain light-colored background.

    Harrison Aponte

    I'm obsessed with entendres. As an avid rap music listener, I most admire a rapper that can carefully place a word where it can have different dimensions…

  • A man with glasses and a beard wearing a suit and tie, standing in a room with wooden furniture and framed paintings on the wall.

    Mickey Harmon

    Mickey Harmon is a Buffalo-based illustrator and graphic designer, co-owner of the Pine Apple Company gallery on Allen Street, and the chair of Allentown First Friday Gallery Walk…

  • A young man with dark skin, curly hair, and a beard, sitting on a stool against a beige wall with gold trim, wearing a loose black T-shirt.

    Brandon Watson

    Brandon Watson is a photographer based in Buffalo, NY. His works focus on the obscure, yet dynamic, subcultures of society. Brandon’s work is not only a first-person view of “the process,”…

  • A woman with dark curly hair smiling against a dark background.

    Darmelle Esterlin

    Painting oil on canvas portraits is my passion and making pictures has been the core of my existence for many years. It's always thrilling to experience the moment a painting takes on a life…

  • A young man with glasses and a brief afro hairstyle standing in front of bookshelves filled with books, labeled 'THEORY', in a library or bookstore.

    W.T. Joshua

    W.T. Joshua is a poet, writer, and photographer from Buffalo, NY. I always feel called to create work that stems from a question. If I were to trace my thoughts backward from a…

  • A man with long, curly hair and a beard wearing a black turtleneck, standing in front of an abstract yellow art piece with facial features.

    Conner Chadderdon

    Conner Chadderdon grew up in Orchard Park and then after high-school attended Buffalo State College. He was awarded the Fine Arts Award in 2019 and in 2020 he received the…

  • Portrait of a woman with blonde curly hair wearing a black top, standing in front of an abstract colorful painting on a blue wall.

    Kayleah Aldrich

    Kayleah Aldrich was born in Buffalo, New York and graduated in 2021 with her BFA from Alfred University’s School of Art and Design in The New York State College of Ceramics with minors in…

  • Portrait of a man with curly hair wearing a black turtleneck and gray trousers, standing with arms crossed against a colorful, abstract background.

    Jalen Law

    Jalen has been an artist since the age of four. He’s always been interested in different forms of creation, including painting, drawing, and sculpting. In his sophomore year of college, he…

  • A man with short brown hair and wearing a light-colored T-shirt stands indoors in front of a brick wall and a colorful background.

    Andy Krystek

    Native to the Buffalo/Niagara region. A graduate of the University at Buffalo with a BFA in printmaking in 2011. Much of his twenties was spent working…

  • Portrait of a young woman with wavy black hair, standing indoors in front of a white door.

    Chango

    As an omni-disciplinary artist my practice tends to feed on the world around me. Energy leaves impressions on me that I have to reckon with through my work…

  • Young man with long hair sitting on a ledge in front of a window, holding a camera, with a backpack on the ground next to him, and plants nearby.

    Kevin Burzynski

    MIXED MEDIA ARTIST

    Kevin Burzynski is a visual artist from Buffalo, NY who works in photography and mixed media painting. His paintings experiment with detail and tactile…

  • A man with crossed arms standing in an indoor space with a wall covered in black and white photographs and a large poster about DJ Carr Meraki.

    DJ Carr

    Derrick Carr is a self-taught artist from Buffalo, NY specializing in portraiture, documentary and street photography. Derrick started…

  • A young woman with wavy brown hair and a nose piercing stands outdoors near a tree, smiling softly at the camera, with greenery and blurred trees in the background.

    Alison Cortes

    BIO Alison Cortes is a working artist residing in Buffalo, New York. She graduated from The University at Buffalo in 2021 with a BA in Art History. She has…

  • A woman with curly brown hair, wearing a red blazer and black top, smiling outdoors against a colorful brick wall.

    Elizabeth D’Amore

    ARCHITECTURAL ARTIST

    Elizabeth D’Amore explores the relationship between art and documentation through the creation of hand drafted, watercolor renderings and..

  • A woman with long, curly dreadlocks posing topless against a yellow background, wearing black shorts and a patterned shirt tied around her waist.

    Avanna Duff

    Avanna Duff is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She has learned the art of painting since the tender age of 6. Avanna attended Martha Ellen Stilwell school of the arts majoring in…

  • Portrait of a young man with dark, messy hair, a beard, and mustache, wearing a gold earring on his left ear, standing against a red background.

    Nick Mass

    Nick Mass is a multimedia artist from Buffalo, NY. Self described as a “Rapper, Painter, Creative, dude”, he tries to express himself in any way he can. Some hats he…

  • A man with a beard and mustache, wearing a beige T-shirt with a colorful graphic design and a black backward cap, sitting behind a drum set in a dimly lit room with brick walls.

    Phil McAndrew

    Phil McAndrew is an illustrator, a cartoonist, and a writer. His work has been published by The New Yorker, MAD Magazine, The Nib, Popula, and many…

  • A woman sitting on a wire chair in an art gallery, with paintings displayed on the wall behind her.

    Jeannine Mullan

    MIXED MEDIA ARTIST

    Jeannine Mullan is a visual artist from Buffalo, NY who is exploring excessive texture and using layers to build up the surface of her paintings. Painting with

  • Close-up black and white photo of a young man's face looking to the left, with a wooden locker background.

    Peter Olonade

    FASHION AND MIXED MEDIA ARTIST

    Peter Olonade is a fashion designer from Brooklyn, New York. During his childhood he studied in Lagos, Nigeria and returned to the states to complete..

  • Woman standing in front of a table with art supplies, large potted plants, and a wooden cabinet, smiling and looking to the side.

    Cassandra Ott

    An eternal optimist and quiet observer, artist Cassandra Ott's lighthearted and bright artistic explorations take shape across a variety of fine art, public art, and surface pattern design. She…

  • A woman with dark hair tied back, wearing earrings, is painting on a canvas with a brush while holding a palette or palette knife in her other hand, in a black and white photo.

    Danielle Saeva

    PAINTER

    Danielle Saeva is a painter and art educator based in Buffalo, NY who works for Locust Street Art, a nonprofit which provides free art lessons for the...

  • A woman with short, wavy brown hair and light skin smiling at the camera, wearing a black sweater and leaf-shaped earrings, with a colorful blue and red graffiti mural in the background.

    Kelly Schnurr

    Kelly Schnurr is a multidisciplinary artist and mother of two living in Buffalo, NY. She merges her design background with fine art practices…

  • A black and white portrait of a young man with light facial hair, wearing a beanie, resting his head on his hand, looking directly at the camera.

    Eugene Sims

    Eugene Sims is a painter and freelance artist based in Buffalo, New York. With a focus on portrait and figure, his artwork invites you to witness a story…

  • A woman with long, wavy brown hair, light skin, and blue eyes smiling in front of a red brick wall.

    Laura Valkwitch

    Laura is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on pyrography and oil painting. She is a WNY native and studied fine art at Niagara County Community College. Currently, Laura…

  • A woman with long dark hair, wearing a pink floral shirt, turquoise jewelry, and statement earrings, standing against a gradient green background.

    Jesse Lee Vargas-Colucci

    PHOTOGRAPHER

    Jesse Lee Vargas is a photographer who has spent the past 10 years photographing immigrant communities in California. After 15 years, she…

  • A woman with long wavy hair and glasses, wearing a black t-shirt, standing with crossed arms in front of a dark wall with a peace symbol and lighting fixtures behind her.

    Nicholas Wheeler

    Nicholas Wheeler is an artist, tradesperson, and designer. He works primarily through woodworking and carpentry, and is often oscillating between…