Emily Maria Villaseñor

Immigrated to the US in 1989 as a Mexican 6 year old. "My memories of immigrating is a childlike one filled with excitement, sadness and a painful insecurity of not 'fitting in.' Although it took year to really examine it, I love it at the same time. As I grew older my understanding of immigration changed from a deeply personal one to a larger political one. My paintings are focused on the experience of the immigrant, the ghost grandmothers whose wisdom brings us back, the prostitiute, the child and the silent brown labor force. Why do I paint about women? Because I have to."

Emily graduated from Bethel College with a B.A. in Studio Art. This is her first exhibition at Intermedia Arts.

Heba Amin

Heba was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt where she attended a private American school. She came to the United States to attend college and study painting. Her work addresses her identity as a contemporary Arab woman and explores different aspects of the Egyptian culture. The urge to portray the Egyptian culture from her viewpoint increases as the media conveys certain negative stereotypes of Arabs. Images readhing Americans are mostly of a political nature; therefore, through her paintings, Heba wants to arouse the viewer and further stimulate their interest in learning about her culture.

Leila Habashi

Born in Tehran, Iran. Influenced by her parent's artistic and educational backgrounds, Lelia majored in art and art history. As an immigrant of Iran, Leila put down roots in America where she initially realized the difference between the two cultures. Through time, she realized that among the many differences in traditions and customs the underlying themes were the same; the respect and caring for self and others, a sense of belonging, and social responsibility are cherished values within the multicultural setting of institutions. Within Leila's positive framework she explores the cultural histories and beauties that provide a window to the pressing question, "how do we live with each other?"

Bounxou Chanthraphone

I was born in Laos in 1947. I first learned Lao Weaving Arts from my mother and my grandmother in the city of Savannakhet, the Central region of Laos. Later, I also had mastered other regional styles of North and South.

My early lessons in weaving were carried on while I was attending Savannah Elementary School and continued even during my teacher training college years in the city of Vientiane, Laos. After I became an elementary teacher, I went back to the city of Savannakhet and taught in Immaculee School for eight years. During my teaching I continued my weaving with the local elders and many textile masters.

I left Laos in the mid of 1970ês for Thailand due to the war. I couldnêt take anything with me, but only my life and my weaving skills. With these skills I continued my weaving in Ubon Refugee Camp and worked with the Japanese Volunteers to establish the first Lao weaving for Lao people in the camp, especially Lao women so that they too can earn some money to support their families, and at the same time have a sense of pride and live with dignity. I was very grateful to my mother and my grandmother; because of these weaving skills I was able to help my family and other families in the camp.

In 1982, I immigrated to the United States with my daughter, Ladda. In Minnesota, I began working on my weaving arts at home in Minneapolis and continued to teach Lao weaving to young women and adults in the community with the Lao PTA (Lao Parents and Teachers Association). In addition, I also worked for the Centre for Asian and Pacific Islanders in the Mothers and Daughters Program, and taught Lao weaving for Centre for Asians and Pacific Islanders School for Weaving Arts and Apprenticeships. I received Folk Arts Apprenticeship grants in 1995 and 1997 to enable me to pass my weaving skills to other women.

In 2000 I was honored with the National Heritage Fellowships Award, a life time award for folk artists. In 2002 I received a Bush Artist Fellowship to weave beautiful architectural wonders of three temples. The support and the honors have still touched my heart through these days, for they are a confirmation and a celebration of my weaving work and life; both of which are the objects of beauty.

Laddavanh Ladda Insixiengmay

Art Director/Lao Traditional Dance/Lao Traditional Fruits & Vegetable Carving Instructor.

"I have been dancing, choreographing, and teaching Lao folk/classical dance since 1988 to Lao children, youth, and other interested children during school and after-school hours at several Minneapolis Schools, and at the Lao Cultural Center and Lao Parents and Teachers Association (Lao PTA). From 1994 to 2004 I teach an average of 180 students per year and these students also have opportunities to perform for their schools, colleges, universities, festivals, and community events.

In 1999, I began teaching and sharing fruit and vegetable carving in the community. As a traditional carver,"I use patience, eye concentration, and steady hands and acquire a perspective of the desired art form to executive a sharp cut of each line. This intricate art form requires years of learning and practice, while the end results, rejoining of self and nature and, of course, people's reactions, prove to be incredibly rewarding.The first thing I learned was how to hold the knife correctly. The knife is not held only by the handle but by its entire length so that proper cutting pressure may be applied at all times exactly at the point needed. Through this technique in carving, I draw upon my cultural heritage and nature to capture many beautiful shapes of bowls, baskets, platters, and animals such as peacocks, birds, and butterflies, and varieties of beautiful flowers such as lotus, roses, and marigolds, and many unique leaves designs.

After mastering the fruit and vegetable carving, I use the skills to carve soaps. The beauty of it is most impressive and pleasing. The carved soap can just simply be a treasure to keep and share for a long time."

Natasha Dikareva

Natasha was born in Kiev, Ukraine and holds degrees from both the Muhina Fine Arts Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia and the University of Minnesota.

"My cultural heritage encourages me to understand and blend cultural and historical influences in my art. I was raised in Kiev, an ancient city more than 1,500 years old, and I also lived in and studied art in St. Petersburg. Both places belong to a land eternally poised between East and West and endlessly alternating in the receipt of Eastern and Western influences. Most of my works are inspired by the cultural traditions of one historical era or another. At times, it seems that I create my sculptures living and traveling freely through the history in search for links between the past and the present and the laws of universal harmony. In any of the cultures and times they represent, the images seem to emulate our genetic memory of mankind's cultural experience.

The theme of time which is pivotal in my work, symbolizes the perpetual vitality of the world as manifested in the continuity of cultures rather than its transience. I use a traditional process for creating my sculptures. I start with the visualization of an idea and a depiction of it in drawings. Then I make a model and finally move to a large, definite sculpture. Formal changes and adjustment for scale are made throughout the process. I enjoy combining bronze or welded steel elements with clay forms. Including metal supportive elements, I am seeking sculpture which moves and extends itself in and through space, with space being incorporated as an active formal element. Furthermore, my sculpture is no longer anchored to the base as a heavy mass but begins to elevate itself, touching and supporting itself on multiple points. The ultimate goal is to create the whole environment of which the sculpture is an integral part."

Patricia Mendoza

Patricia Mendoza was born in Mexico City. Her parents emigrated to Mexico City from Oaxaca in the 1950's. She is the sixth of seven children, and at very young age she discovered her artistic skills. Her early influences were her uncles and her brother Norberto who guided her into the world of art. In High School her artworks were regularly selected for the schoolês art collection. In her search for learning the discipline of the arts, she apprenticed with several painters, observing the work of real artists and learning the artistic discipline.

"My work is a continual search for new materials and new artistic expressions," she comments. "My culture nourishes my work. My inspiration is in the streets, in the traditions and in the people. I believe in art with a message, with social content. I admire even the humblest of works, and I try to learn from the great masters. In my culture, death has a different sense and this duality vis-a-vis life, inspires me. That's why death and its presence is a constant in Mexican popular art. In my work, I try to express the fleeting of the material life. My artistic expression has that influence; the immediacy, the simple, the ephemeral, the daily life, the emotion, art that frees the feelings of people in order to heal their material wants.

"The existentialist notion that nothing is permanent inspires me to pour all my emotions in whatever I do, hoping that the observer will capture briefly those emotions, causing a feeling, a chain reaction to influence him or her, and the people around. Hopefully, the fleeting moments of those emotions will achieve a change in our frame of mind, creating a new energy, that both empty and replenish our own emotions."

Archana Vatsan

Archana Vatsan was born in India and lived in many countries, such as Africa and Malaysia, where she experienced various multicultural influences and traditions.

Most of Vatsan’s work shows the blending of Indian traditions, Middle Eastern and Western cultures. Her artistic journey encompasses participation in plays, dances and musical performances. All through her artistic journey, she learned new skills of self-expression, voice, music and movement that are core elements of art. She is interested in being part of an international community at Intermedia Arts and contributing in creating global presence for unity.

From an early age, Vatsan loved doodling. Her favorite pastime was drawing and painting faces. Her artwork from college focused on varied mediums such as acrylics, watercolors, Batik and printmaking. Her favorite art influence was Salvador Dali and his surreal works. As she grew older, she focused more on vigorous materials such as pastel colors. Currently, her work is abstract using mixed media forms.

Vatsan completed a Fine Arts course at the LaSalle College of Arts in Singapore and continues to pursue her artistic abilities. She has a Bachelor of Computer Science degree.