Karen DeGroot Carte (2007) is a graduate of Syracuse University and a mother of three, is a blogger, a contributor to print and online publications, and a published novelist (One Sister's Song, Pearl Street Publishing 2002, 2004). She is currently at work on a collection of short stories.

Margarita Blush (2007) holds a masters degree in directing for puppet and alternative theatre from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. During her associateship with RMWI she will be developing a puppet theatre performance based on a Bulgarian folk tale.

Joy Roulier Sawyer (2007) is an author, poetry therapist, and performance poet. She received her MA from New York University's Gallatin Division, where she received the Herbert Rubin Award for Outstanding Creative Writing. Joy is currently at work on a theatrical presentation of her eight-sonnet crown, “Following the Piper: Elegy of An American Geography: November 25, 1960-July 16, 1999.”

Deanna Lowman (2007) Although Deanna Lowman received her B.F.A. in photography, storytelling is her life purpose. Relying on her experiences, and a passion for portraiture/self-portraiture, her photography tells her story by relating it to the stories of women of African descent who have inspired and healed her life. She hopes that her current project will inspire and heal others as well.

Li Hardison (2007) A native of Harlem, portrait artist and figurative sculptor, Li Hardison has created a body of work that includes both public and private commissions.   Her sculptural skills were acquired in a six-year apprenticeship with friend, mentor and colleague Paul Moore. Over the past 17 years, Li has expressed the complexity and passion of the human spirit through her art. She has honored the dignity and strength of women and African American women in particular. Her RMWI project will be the continuation of an ongoing series, which honors the achievements of black women artists in all genres of artistic endeavor. The depiction of these women as they manifest their hopes and dreams is an effort to speak to young artists. It is a means to emphasize the critical role the creation of art plays in contributing to the emotional, psychological, and spiritual wholeness of human beings.

Kate Aspinal (2007) is an artist living in Boulder, CO. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland with a degree in Art History and has worked and exhibited throughout as a dedicated creator of large pencil drawings. These works hinge on the figure but seek to create a tension of unlike objects married into strange and playful relationships with each other. As an associate of the Rocky Mountain Women's Institute, she will create a series of large portraits through which she will explore the significance/symbolism of line to identity.

Renee Fajardo (2007) is the mother of seven and is a fifth generation Colorado girl who hails from a Wild West multi-cultural family. She writes for several Latino newspapers and has written four multi-cultural children's books; Holy Mole Guacamole, Pinch A Lotta Enchiladas, Chili   Today, Hot Tamale, and   Ole! Posole! (and other tummy tales). She is the only Colorado contributor to the national best seller Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul. She teaches storytelling, poetry, creative writing and fiction and non-fiction workshops.   Her passion is to help young writers draw on their family and community ties to create a rich and vibrant world.

 

Past Associates

 
2007
Irene VanHam Friedlob
Opera Singer
Irene Elizabeth-Feltes Keeley
Visual Artist
Mariah Raymond
Visual Artist
Amanda Rea
Literary Artist
Jennifer Vacchiano
Literary Artist
Julie Wills
Visual Artist
   

2005

 

 

Gayle Crites

 

Visual Artist

Christine Davis

 

Visual Artist

Nicole Dewart

 

Writer

Sonnet Hanson

 

Writer

Lisa Marie Patzer

 

Visual Artist

Willow Pearson

 

Singer

Sangeeta Reddy

 

Writer

 

 

 

2004

 

 

Betsy Tobin

 

Performing Artist

Gwen Laine

 

Visual Artist

Ruth Burink

 

Visual Artist

Buff Elting

 

Visual Artist

Suzanne MacAulay

 

Writer

Rachel Pollack

 

Writer

Constance Gelvin

 

Writer

 

 

 

2003

 

 

Rokko Aoyama

 

Visual Artist

Maria Cole

 

Architect

Kristen Sidel

 

Architect

Jennifer Devlin

 

Visual Artist

Elizabeth McNutt

 

Opera Singer

 

 

 

2002

 

 

Laura Audrey

 

Visual Artist

Pattie Cowell

 

Writer

Ginger Knowlton

 

Writer/Visual Artist

Lyra Mayfield (with Goodwin)

 

Performing Artist

Tonya Goodwin (with Mayfield)

 

Performing Artist

Jay Tacheny

 

Visual Artist

Melanie Tem

 

Writer

 

 

 

2001

 

 

Janet Bland

 

Literary Artist

Katherine Emsden

 

Literary Artist

Catherine Kunce

 

Literary Artist

Pattie Ortiz

 

Visual Artist

Chandler Romeo

 

Visual Artist

Doris Sung

 

Visual Artist

Lorita Travaglia

 

Performing Artist

 

 

 

2000

 

 

Maureen Breeze

 

Performing Artist

Brigette Dunn

 

Performing Artist

Andrea Dupree

 

Literary Artist

Elizabeth Haukaas

 

Literary Artist

Jan Marino

 

Literary Artist

Lauri Lynnxe Murphy

 

Visual Artist

Dania Pettus

 

Visual Artist

Sheila Schroeder

 

Visual Artist

Cole Swenson

 

Literary Artist

Dominique Walton

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1999

 

 

Michelle Baldwin

 

Visual Artist

Lucy Congdon

 

Visual Artist

Jerri Davis

 

Performing Artist

Amy England

 

Literary Artist

Elizabeth Faulhaber

 

Visual Artist

L.L. Griffin

 

Visual Artist

Janis Hallowell

 

Literary Artist

Crystal Potter

 

Literary Artist

LaRana Skalicky

 

Performing Artist

Lisa Trank

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1998

 

 

Michelle Barnes

 

Performing Artist

Debra Goldman

 

Visual Artist

Christine Hume

 

Literary Artist

Norah Krogman

 

Visual Artist

Sylvia Montero

 

Visual Artist

Regina Sanders

 

Literary Artist

Reven Swanson

 

Visual Artist

Gail Waldstein

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1997

 

 

Dawn A. Williams Boyd

 

Visual Artist

Elizabeth Cross

 

Literary Artist

Naomi Horii

 

Literary Artist

Rita Kiefer

 

Literary Artist

Tori Read

 

Visual Artist

Kimberlee Sullivan

 

Visual Artist

Karen A. Schatten

 

Performing Artist

 

 

 

1996

 

 

Janet Austin

 

Visual Artist

Lee Ann Brown

 

Literary Artist

June Favre

 

Literary Artist

Susan Meyer Fenton

 

Visual Artist

Linda Kozloff-Turner

 

Visual Artist

Amelia Maria (Ramirez) de la Luz Montes

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1995

 

 

Martha Daniels

 

Visual Artist

Heather Delzel

 

Visual Artist

Virginia Folkestad

 

Visual Artist

Judy GeBauer

 

Literary Artist

Jeffrey Richards

 

Visual Artist

Kim Robards

 

Performing Artist

Jacqueline St. Joan

 

Literary Artist

Laurie Marr Wasmund

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1994

 

 

Deborah Horner

 

Visual Artist

Dorie Klein

 

Visual Artist

Michele Spring-Moore

 

Literary Artist

Margaret Neumann

 

Visual Artist

Beth Nugent

 

Literary Artist

Elizabeth Stein

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1993

 

 

Leslee Becker

 

Literary Artist

Liz Buhr

 

Visual Artist

Trine Bumiller

 

Visual Artist

Doris DeHardt

 

Literary Artist

Lisa Spivak

 

Visual Artist

Morgan Williams Wahab

 

Performing Artist

Kathyrn Winograd

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1992

 

 

Kathy Hutton

 

Visual Artist

Peggy Lyon

 

Performing Artist

Kristin Iversen

 

Literary Artist

Cathleen Meadows

 

Visual Artist

Kay Obering

 

Visual Artist

Rickie Solinger

 

Scholarship

Barbara Wright

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1991

 

 

Clarissa Pinkola Estes

 

Performing Artist

Dee Farnsworth

 

Visual Artist

Vicki Finch

 

Visual Artist

Patti Leota Genack

 

Visual Artist

Hannah Kahn

 

Performing Artist

Carol McKelvey

 

Literary Artist

Janet Singleton

 

Literary Artist

Karen Zidwick

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1990

 

 

Trista Conger

 

Literary Artist

Andrea Ellison

 

Visual Artist

Susiehyer

 

Visual Artist

Colleen Hubbard

 

Literary Artist

Opalanga Pugh

 

Performing Artist

 

 

 

1989

 

 

Nancy Bohm

 

Visual Artist

Lolly Gold Brown

 

Literary Artist

Jean Casbarian

 

Visual Artist

Jeanne W. Englert

 

Scholarship

Barbara Geller

 

Literary Artist

Valari Jack

 

Visual Artist

Nancy Means

 

Visual Artist

Ania Savage

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1988

 

 

Tahiri Ali-Masai

 

Literary Artist

Carolyn Hart

 

Literary Artist

Jan Johnson

 

Visual Artist

Kimberly McCord

 

Performing Artist

Renna Shesso (aka Nancy Clegg)

 

Literary Artist

Pat Staten

 

Literary Artist

Constance Studer

 

Literary Artist

 

 

 

1987

 

 

Irene Blea

 

Literary Artist

Carolyn Braaksma

 

Visual Artist

Nancy Dana

 

Literary Artist

Sally Elliott

 

Visual Artist

Nancy Good

 

Literary Artist

Anne Price

 

Literary Artist

Walter Weare

 

Scholarship

Linda Yarr