The Artist Mentor Grant Program has been designed for 8th – 12th grade student artists who wish to broaden their knowledge and skill in an art form they are passionate about, by either mentoring with a professional artist they haven’t worked with before, or attending an new arts camp or class along with other talented student artists.
In school, homeschooled, and PSEO students residing in Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, and Mahnomen counties are eligible to apply for an Artist Mentor grant.
Students interested in mentoring with a professional artist should take the time to research possible mentors in advance of the artist mentor review panel. R2AC asks Artist Mentor grant applicants to come to the artist mentor review panel with a “well-researched list of potential mentors in your back pocket.” (Hint: student artists will be asked to talk about why they want to attend a certain class or camp or why they’d like to mentor with the artists on their list. Please come prepared to respond directly to this question!)
Below is a roster of professional and practicing artists who have either mentored young Region 2 Artists or who have shown interest in mentoring. For additional information about the process of selecting an artist mentor, please read Seeking Mentors During the Application Process and Selecting an Artist Mentor After Grants have been Awarded at the bottom of this page.
If you are seeking an individual not on this list or if you do not see someone you are interested in working with, simply call or email the R2AC office (218 751-5447 / staff@r2arts.org). This list is continually growing and we will gladly assist you in locating a professional artist who matches your arts discipline.
2014-2015 ARTIST MENTOR ROSTER
Lou Samsa: Guitar
Eric Olson: Violin
Nicholas Jackson: Illustration
Andrew Green: Composition
2013-2014 ARTIST MENTOR ROSTER
Eric Carlson: Guitar/Songwriting
Greg Gaston: Music Composition/Live Performance
Nicholas Jackson: Visual Arts (painting and drawing)
Del Lyren: Trumpet
2012-2013 ARTIST MENTOR ROSTER
Nina Lubarski: Visual Arts (painting, drawing)
Nicholas Jackson: Visual Arts (graphic arts, painting, drawing)
Joe Rossi: Photography
Malisa VanMaasdam: Visual Arts (painting, drawing, printmaking)
Terry Honstead: Visual Arts (painting, drawing, collage, mixed-media)
Pamela Edevold: Visual Artist (painting, drawing)
Karen Bradley: Voice
Maureen O’Brien: Visual Artist (painting, drawing)
2011-2012 ARTIST MENTOR ROSTER
Malisa VanMaasdam: Visual Arts (painting, drawing, printmaking)
Jake Baggenstoss: Visual Arts (painting, drawing)
Lou Samsa: Performing Arts (Guitar)
Nicholas Jackson: Visual Arts (graphic arts, painting, drawing)
Kristin Gustafson: Visual Arts (painting, drawing, mixed-media)
Al Belleveau: Visual Arts (Sculpture/Metal work)
2010-2011 ARTIST MENTOR ROSTER
Paula Jensen: Visual Arts (Sculpture/Metal work)
Nina Lubarski: Visual Arts (painting, drawing)
Dr. Steven Konecne: Performing Arts (Saxophone)
Jeff Burger: Luthier
POTENTIAL MENTORS in VISUAL ARTS
Bambi Goodwin: clay, painting, drawing
Eric Carlson: visual arts, mixed-media
Thomas Goodman, Sr.: pen and ink, airbrushing
Paula Swensen: painting
Terry Honstead: painting, drawing, collage, mixed-media
Kathy Gustafson: painting, drawing
Terry Kemper: mixed media
Mary Therese Peterson: painting, drawing, mixed media
Margaret Burger: Puppetry, mixed media
Jeff Burger: Ceramics
Emily Wendland: painting, illustration
Joe Rossi: Photography
Vivienne Morgan: Photography
Cal Rice: Photography
Christina Thorne: Jewelry making
Shannon Lucas-Westrum: Basketry, Jewelry design/beadwork
Monica Hansmeyer: Jewelry making
Diana Roholt: Painting, crafts
Dawn Standera: fiber arts; knotting
POTENTIAL MENTORS IN LITERARY ARTS
Erin Marsh: Poetry
Roy C. Booth: Theatre and performing arts
Lou Ann Muhm: Poetry
Cynthia Ekren: Creative Writing
Sean Hill: Poetry
Julia Oxenreider: Slam Poetry, Creative Writing
POTENTIAL MENTORS IN MUSIC
Eric Carlson: variety of instruments including guitar, songwriting
Jacque Tinsley: Harp
Susan Nelson: Flute
Lance Kingbird: Native American Drum and Dance
Ron Brown: Brass instruments/Trumpet
Aaron Tank: Guitar, Song Writing, Technical Skills and Performance Strategies
Beverly Everett: Conducting, Organ, Collaborative Piano (Accompanying)
Eric Sundeen: Percussion Instruments
Shannon Murray: Guitar, Song Writing, Folk
David Clark: Song writing, hip hop, media arts and music
POTENTIAL MENTORS IN FABRIC ARTS
Kristin Mazjrak: Tapestry Weaving, Yarn
Mary Therese: Batik, painting on silk
POTENTIAL MENTORS IN THEATER ARTS
Diana Roholt: Scenery design, stage make-up
Seeking Mentors During the Application Process
Students are asked to come to the review session with a well-researched list of potential mentors “in their back pocket.”
- R2AC will never supply potential mentors with names and contact information of student applicants or their families.
- Only with an artist’s consent will R2AC provide families with contact information of potential artist mentors.
- R2AC will provide a list of more than two potential mentors to each family who asks, without steering a family toward one or another mentor.
- Parents and student applicants may or may not have narrowed their selection to one mentor prior to the review session.
Selecting an artist mentor after grants have been awarded
- R2AC asks parents to take an active role in selecting an artist mentor for their child.
- R2AC recommends parents and students meet potential mentors face to face before deciding on one mentor over another.
- After meeting with a student and his or her parents, mentors may choose not to work with a particular student.
- As soon as parents have selected an artist mentor and the mentor has agreed to working with a student, criminal background check procedures will be put in motion.
- R2AC does not consent to unchaperoned Artist Mentorships starting until the information from the criminal background check has been brought to the R2AC office and reviewed.
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