Betsy Alwin is an installation artist from Brooklyn, NY. Her work reflects the psychological tension between our social selves and our private selves, often exploring the enhanced function of a space, or the creation of autonomous "dwellings" within the context of a larger, more public space. Her work has been exhibited in various galleries around the country, including the Synergy Gallery in West Palm Beach, Florida and Phoenix Gallery in Bloomington, Indiana. A recent Fellow and Resident of the Vermont Studio Center, Betsy holds a B.A. and B.F.A. from Mankato State University, and a MFA from Illinois State University.

Alice Arnold is a portrait and reportage photographer whose images are regularly published in books, magazines and in cd packaging. Her photographic projects examine city life and explore urban cultural forms and experiences. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including the Henry Street Settlement in New York, NY and the Generati Foundation in Vienna, Austria. A recent recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Photography, Alice holds a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Aileen Bassis is a visual and installation artist from Oradell, New Jersey. Her work centers on her personal and emotional connection to social and political issues currently facing her community and communities around the world. Her work has been exhibited around the country and internationally, including the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in New York, and the Frans Masereel Center in Kasterlee, Belgium. A former fellow of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Aileen holds a B.A. from SUNY at Binghamton and an M.A. from Hunter College, CUNY.

Isaac Diggs is a photographer from New York. His series, "Mixed Messages" addresses issues of leisure, gender, race and sexuality by examining one of the recreation rituals of African American young adults. Isaac's work has been exhibited in a variety of New York galleries, including the Bronx Museum and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library. A recent recipient of the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship from the Department of Education, Isaac holds a B.A. from Columbia College, Columbia University, and an M.F.A. from the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College.

Dana Ganssle is a dance and installation artist from Shelton, CT. Currently studying at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA, her work combines her self-designed studies that combine dance, architecture, art theory and studio, physics and mathematics. She has choreographed and performed several dance pieces as part of the Open Forum Project, of which she is the founder and organizer. Dana will receive her B.A. in the spring 2003.

Courtney Martin is a literary artist from Brooklyn, NY. Her current work is influenced by her experience working with immigrant students at Brooklyn International High School, as they defined and expressed their own views on where they had come from, where they are now, and where they want to go. Courtney's work has been published in several publications, including The Writer (May 2002) and blue jean magazine (several articles, 1997-2000). A current recipient of a Clark Foundation Fellowship, she holds a B.A. from Barnard College and is an M.A. candidate (May 2004) at New York University.

Yedalis Ruiz is a literary and visual artist from Hartford, CT. Her artistic interpretations have been influenced by her experiences in the Hartford community having come from Puerto Rico at a critical time in her development, and her poems tell stories about her life. This is her first performance. Currently pursuing a career in the fashion industry, Yedalis has spent the past several years working with youth, using the arts and research to support their personal development. She holds a B.A. from the University of Hartford.

Stephanie Mesner Ruta is a visual artist from Natick, MA. Her paintings use a variety of incongruous objects that are layered with color glazes and applied patterns, giving the viewer several different levels and meanings to explore. Her work has been shown in a variety of exhibits in the Northeast, including the Silvermine Guild Arts Center in New Canaan, CT, and the Papp Gallery in New York, NY. Stephanie holds a Bachelor's in Fine Arts from Tufts University and MA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA.

Deborah Simmons is a visual and performance artist from Hartford, CT. Using the various mediums - textile, music, wood, acrylics, canvas, pen and ink - her current work has been heavily influenced by September 11th and events following. Deborah's work has been exhibited throughout the Northeast, including the Bloodroot Bookstore and Café and Craftery Gallery in Hartford. A participant of Connecticut's Urban Artists Initiative (a partnership of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and the Institute for Community Research), Deborah is the Director of the Music Department at Manchester Community-Technical College and holds a Ph.D. in music education.

Claudia Sohrens, from Brooklyn, NY, combines video, sound and the physical environment to create works that explore issues of origins and identity, crossing social spaces and cultural boundaries. Her work has been exhibited worldwide, including the Bronx Museum and the LomoLondon Gallery in London England. A 2002 participant in the Artists in the Marketplace Residency program, Claudia has studied at the International Center of Photography in New York, and Institut Grafik Design and Adademie Mode Design in Hamburg, Germany.