When I was fourteen years old, I was introduced to mural and 3D art at a local church in my native Puerto Rico. While I learned and painted, my love for art became an integral part of me. In 1994, I packed my suitcase and moved to Madison, WI. The bone-chilling temperatures of our Wisconsin Winters reminded me of how much I missed my family and the friends that I left behind. I missed the sunny days, the warm rain, and even the call of the Coquí. In the midst of it all, Art spoke to me, I painted, and created, and found solace in my personal expression. This realization led me to study Art. I received my Associate Degree in Graphic Design from Madison College. By then I had established myself in Madison, WI. I began to explore ideas that I could implement to provide my community with ways to express their concerns through collaborative art projects.

In 2014 I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Art Therapy at Edgewood College. During that time, I was offered the position of Executive Director for UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. I accepted, and soon I created a space at UNIDOS where survivors would use their original ideas to heal and recover from domestic abuse. Through art-making, survivors can feel comfort. Art and creativity have always been the manifestation of everything that I do. I believe that creative expression empowers people and it can make a powerful contribution in their healing process.

I see art as a tool for healing, and a way to introduce people to new artistic experiences. Through my small Art Business, MVF Art and Design, I was contracted by DAMA (Dane Arts Mural Art) and there I met a fantastic group of artists who work to beautify Dane County, and create spaces for dialogue, community engagement, and violence prevention through mural making. I believe that we are all creative beings, and our own originality helps us survive and thrive.

Came onboard in 2017

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My work tends to focus on how our world hurts and how we can heal. As an undergraduate, I studied the history of racism and racial construction. Armed with a robust sociological analysis of social problems, I pursued a Masters in Social Work with a focus in Trauma-Informed Care at UW-Milwaukee to facilitate paths to healing interpersonal and community problems. Most recently, I’ve attuned to my creative self because I believe the alchemy of creativity is part of the magic needed to address the crises of our times. I use traditional and digital media, practicing ancient and modern techniques. I am drawn to collage and community art, a collaboration of elements and items made by different hands, honoring the pieces and creating a new whole. Making art for me is a collaboration with the divine; it is the simultaneous process of shaping a new creation and being shaped by making it.

You can check out some of my work here: https://express.adobe.com/page/kNvYHXYS1YsXv/

Came onboard 2022

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Sharon Tang is an artist and scientist in Madison, WI. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Queens, NY, Sharon took the scenic route while making her way to the Midwest. After completing her undergraduate studies in Studio art and Russian studies in upstate New York, she taught elementary school English in rural France. She then taught kindergarten and 1 st grade in a public charter school in Washington, D.C. for several years and earned her masters in speech-language pathology in Baltimore. She finally landed in Madison to complete a one year clinical fellowship in 2013 and has made it home ever since.

In her free time, Sharon creates her own oil and acrylic paintings in her home studio and is broadly driven by the intersections found in discovery, creativity, communication, and connection with others through art. She is thrilled to combine these interests through mural making and working with the DAMA team to help communities engage in the spaces around them. In addition to painting and designing murals, Sharon is currently a cell and molecular biology PhD candidate studying wound healing in bacterial infections of the heart. She feels incredibly lucky finding a beautiful balance in swapping between petri dishes and paint brushes every day.

Came onboard in 2020

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Hello! I go by Chele Ramos, and I am a Madison raised, self taught portrait artist. I have been painting for about 4 1⁄2 years now, but have enjoyed drawing since I was young. I grew up in Madison, took a 7 year hiatus on the west coast, and eventually found my way back to my hometown where I started my family and began my art career. I am an independent artist, meaning I work for myself. I love painting people and animals, so most of my work has some element of this in it. My focus has been portraiture, but as I grow my work has really become more about human emotion and mental health awareness. Going forward, I want Mental Health Awareness to be my main focus. I feel that there are a lot of broken people who don’t know how to deal with it. I hope to bring light to this situation and spread hope with my art.

I paint with several different mediums including watercolor, acrylics, oils, pastels, graphite, and charcoal. Recently, I have been working with Dane Arts Mural Arts to learn the art of mural painting, and with these new skills I hope to spread my art and my message to a larger audience.

Came onboard 2021

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I have lived in Madison for about 20 years. I have been working for the Madison district for close to a decade as a behavioral education assistant. As an art therapist I understand the importance of communicating feelings and opinions in art. I hold a BA in Art Therapy from Edgewood.

I was born and grew up in Venezuela with exotic aromas and flavors, in a colorful landscape. My paintings are highly influenced by the traditions and customs of my birthplace. My cultural background inspires me to use bright colors. My hope is that these colors will also positively influence the audience. When it comes to my paintings, I am equally comfortable with abstract and realistic subjects. It is common for me to use bright colors, continuous lines and a horizontal orientation. I hope that this way of working allows my art in the community to express itself in a colorful and joyful way, generating a positive impact.

Came onboard 2022

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Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli, is a mixed media artist, painter and art therapist, and has over twenty years of arts programming and facilitation experience. She has a Master's degree in expressive arts therapy/mental health counseling and is the author of Art Journal Your Archetypes. Her public art projects include Flamingo Wings (2018), an interactive street art installation in downtown Madison, WI (#flamingowingsmadison) and 56 BEDS (2019), a collaboration with the local domestic abuse shelter, DAIS. Prior to joining DAMA, she was the Program Director for VSA Wisconsin (Very Special Arts). Click here to read a Madison Magazine article about her work.
website: about.me/gabriellejc

photo credit: Ahmad Kromah

Came onboard in 2019

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