Candice Simpson is an art teacher, painter, and a passionate ‘wholeness through creativity’ advocate! She works as a COMPAS teaching artist and also teaches and creates in her studio in NE Minneapolis’ Arts District, the California Building. Candice worked as the Art Teacher and then Art Director at a day program for adults with disabilities, [...]
Rita Panton
Rita Panton shares her whimsical passion for clay while exposing students to foundational techniques of ceramics. She seeks to create a playful environment of exploration, welcoming students to find their own story in clay. As an educator her focus involves encouraging students to find meaning and connection in their making process. Students learn to use [...]
Katie Knutson
Katie Knutson is a storyteller and teaching artist based in the Twin Cities who has performed and taught around the US and in Canada, Chile, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates. She has been called an “enchanting and magical” performer, and an “articulate, fun and inviting” workshop leader. Katie began storytelling in high school and [...]
Broderick Poole
Broderick Poole is a Twin Cities-based artist hailing from Saint Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood. He began creating art in grade school, and in 1996, his work was first featured in a national publication—a milestone that fueled his passion for both art and community. In 2000, Broderick combined his creative talents with his desire to give [...]
Layl McDill
Credit: Sarah Maricha White (2nd photo to right) Layl McDill grew up in Gillette, Wyoming where she began creating at a very young age. Her early works were dollhouses, marionettes and even an entire “Smurf Village”. Layl received her BFA in Illustration from the Columbus College of Art Design but she found it more exciting [...]
Dralandra Larkins
Dralandra Larkins is an award-winning spoken word poet, author of “Before I Lie, 2025”, and a recipient of the MN State Arts Board Creative Individuals grant. Her work is featured in literary publications including the League of Minnesota Poets Agates Anthology, MN Women’s Press, Tupelo Press, The Edge Magazine, and Insight News. She is the [...]
Linda Brant-Malm
Linda Brant-Malm studied art at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She spent her 40-year career working in costume design, specializing in animals for mascots, amusement parks, festivals, and stage productions throughout the world. She loves the challenge of changing [...]
Nicholas Pawlowski
Nicholas Pawlowski M. Ed. is the founder of The Story Table Foundation, a non-profit that promotes mental and emotional wellbeing through interactive storytelling and makes space for great storytellers from around the world! Through improvisation, drawing, dance and conversation, audiences are invited to participate in active listening and explore values like empathy, thankfulness and cooperation. [...]
Jan Elftmann
Jan Elftmann is a public assemblage artist believing that art should be everywhere. A major part of her process as an artist is the treasure hunt aspect of looking, gathering, and collecting the components, but she also enjoys collaborating with her audience. What this means for her work is that the audience not only completes [...]
seangarrison
A native Detroiter raised in Minneapolis, seangarrison has 38 years of people-serving work. From working with youth to older adults, teaching curious minds how to articulate what resides in them in an abstract art way. He is a co-founder and former member of the ROHO Collective, an African-American arts collective, and coined its name. He [...]
Pauline Moll
Pauline Moll (she/her) holds a BA in Theater from Northwestern University and an MA in Dance/Movement Therapy from Antioch University New England. She is an alum of Up with People and a multiple-year fellow of The Heart of It Writing Retreat. Through teaching and performance, Pauline has brought the arts to many settings including elementary, [...]
