Chris Dahlquist, Kansas City, MO

Chris Dahlquist learned to use a camera and darkroom as she was learning to ride a bicycle and write in cursive. Originally from Fort Worth, she wrote her first artist statement on a Big Chief tablet in phonetic Texan, claiming for herself a life of travel and “tacking pitchers”. She has held a camera in her hands ever since.

After spending the early part of her career in commercial photography and film, Dahlquist returned to her childhood proclamation and since 1998 has shown her mixed media photography nationwide, from Miami to Seattle and many, many places in- between. Chris has combined her wanderlust and her love of historic photographic process with contemporary technology to create artwork that has won many awards, is in hundreds of private collections, and is in many corporate & municipal collections, including Winter Park, Florida; Marquette University; Pacific University; CoBank; Pioneer DuPont; H&R Block; and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

In addition to her own practice Chris is also a facilitator for Artist Inc., a professional business development program for artists. She also travels nationally, independently speaking and conducting workshops on business topics relevant to artists. In 2015 Chris worked with the city of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City Economic Development Corporation to develop micro-loans for artists. Chris has served as a juror and advisor for national fine art festivals. She is a Creative Capital Professional Development Workshop Grantee, has received grants from the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City and Mid America Art Alliance, and is the cofounder and former owner of Locust Factory LLC, a collaborative studio and gallery. Chris is currently represented by Sager Braudis Gallery in Columbia, MO.

John W. Kinkade, Loveland, CO

As the founder and Executive Director of the National Sculptors’ Guild [NSG] at Columbine Gallery, and Principal/Co-Owner of JK Designs, Inc., John Kinkade has worked with over 200 artists and countless cities and municipalities as he has sought out, designed and implemented the installation of over 500 monumental public sculpture placements across the country, since 1992. He has also consulted on numerous public and private outdoor sculpture gardens and Master Plans, including the cities of Little Rock, AR; Southlake, TX; Louisville, CO; the Skagway Sculpture & Flower Garden in Skagway, Alaska; and the Cerritos Public Sculpture Park in California. John was named one of the nation's 40 Most Prominent People in the Arts by Southwest Art Magazine in May, 2011.  

"Outside of work for the Guild and Gallery, I enjoy chairing the Annual Rotary Art Scholarship and Governor's Art Show among other ventures through the Rotary Club of Thompson Valley. I can often be found in the garden with my dogs, Sophie and Shadow; or following the ventures of my grandson when I'm not traveling to present or install NSG public artwork. With each placement, our family grows as art truly connects, and the people I have been fortunate to work with (artists, clients, city commissioners, etc.) become close friends. I am doing what I love and hope it shows in the designs and placements we create."

Brent Kee Young, Cleveland, OH

Glass artist and Cleveland Institute of Art Professor Emeritus Brent Kee Young, has been recognized by scores of museums, galleries, colleges and universities in the United States and Asia, which have displayed and/or acquired his work or invited him to speak, demonstrate or teach. In 2006, the Smithsonian American Art Museumʼs Renwick Gallery acquired its second piece by Professor Young for its permanent collection. “Amphora … Save” is from Professor Youngʼs Matrix Series. It is a construction of intricate and technically complex works he created by flame working borosilicate glass rods into layers of glass webs. In 2010, Professor Youngʼs work was selected for New Glass Review 31, the annual survey of contemporary glass sponsored by The Corning Museum of Glass and in 2011 he was selected as a Creative Workforce Fellow, generously supported by the Citizens of Cuyahoga County and the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture. In 2012, his work was published in “50 Years of Studio Glass” a selection of 50 top glass artists working worldwide. In 2018, numerous works in the Matrix Series were acquired by the Imagine Museum of St. Petersburg Florida which focuses on the most prominent glass artists in the American Studio Glass Movement.

Professor Young has conducted numerous workshops in the U.S. and Asia including at The Niijima International Glass Art Festival, Niijima, Tokyo; the International Glass Art Society Conference, Seto, Japan; Grand Crystal, Peitou City, Taiwan, ROC; University of Miami, Coral Gables; Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; University of Kentucky, Louisville; and California Polytechnic University, San Louis Obispo. He has served as a juror for The National Endowment for the Arts and lectured at the Smithsonian Institution's Renwick Gallery. In 1990, Professor Young was selected as head of glass at Aichi University of Education, Kariya, Japan where he was responsible for establishing the studio, designing and implementing the curriculum and teaching the first glass program in a national university in Japan. Currently retired from teaching, Emeritus Professor Young continues his inquiries into mysteries that working with glass has to offer.