Born and raised on the island of St. John, Virgin Islands, Victor Provost is internationally recognized as one of today's leading voices on the steelpan. Praised by The New York Times as a "serious jazz improviser" and lauded by Downbeat Magazine as "a rarity" in the jazz ecosystem, Victor blends Bebop roots, contemporary jazz sensibilities, and Caribbean traditions into a dynamic and original sound.
I have two books of poetry--Island and Living Room (prose poems)--a lyric essay memoir, My CIA; a poetry chapbook, Muse Annie; and a literary memoir, Run Scream Unbury Save. My CIA was named a top ten book of 2012 by the Review of Art, Literature, Philosophy and Humanities and added to their ongoing list of Great Nonfiction reads. It won a Baker Artist Award; was showcased on Maryland Public Television’s program, An Artworks Special; and was featured through an art installation co-produced by Maryland Institute College of Art’s MFA in Curatorial Practice in early December 2013 in Baltimore.
Alif Laila is one of the few internationally performing female sitar players of the world. She was trained in Indian classical music through sitar in Dhaka, Bangladesh. By Mir Qasem Khan, nephew of legendary maestro, Allauddin Khan. During her final years of training, she attended the College of Fine Arts in Dhaka, where she graduated in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree and received several awards for her watercolor painting.
Ollie L. Jefferson (Ph.D., Howard University) is a Producer, Playwright, Professor, Publisher, and the Founder/President and Chief Executive Officer of Timeless Visual Works – The Inspirational Film, Theater & Publishing Co. She formed the collegiate communication, culture, and multimedia organization with extensive experience in the arts and education. As a professional teaching artist, Dr. Jefferson designed Masterclasses at Timeless Theater Academy. She has a proven track record in educating and training film, television, and theatre professionals to compete in a global market.
René Treviño was born in Kingsville, Texas. He received his BFA in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in 2003 and his MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 2005.
Mary Amato is the author of over 25 books for children and young adults. Her work for adults also includes poems, plays, essays, and short fiction. Amato's fiction has been translated into foreign languages, optioned for television, and produced onstage. She teaches workshops in creative writing, songwriting, and the creative process around the country and is a frequent presenter in Maryland schools. She is a former classroom teacher and also teaches a weekly online class for adults and teens who are serious about writing.
A cultural nomad with many roots I have lived my life at the intersection of cultures. Serendipity brought me to Rockville where I now live and create art.
A multi-media artist with a background in photography and trained in classical oil painting, I have been moving into installation art over the last decade. I transform my photo-based images into interactive and immersive installations often environmental in scope. Playful, they unapologetically appeal to our sense of wonder and invite the viewer into a contemplative space.
Sara Dittrich (b. Cincinnati, Ohio 1991) is an interdisciplinary sculpture artist who builds introspective experiences that shift perspective from passive seeing to active looking, from passive hearing to active listening.
As a resident of Prince George's County, Winston W. Harris earned printmaking degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University, (BFA) and Howard University (MFA). (2022-2023 Key-Holder Artist in Residency Program at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, (2016-2017) Finalist Artist: Purple Line Transit Partners Project and Sandy Spring Museum (Guest Artist Program).