September | October 2021 ISSUE NO . 35
this issue ’ s art chowder team
Melody Fyre is a recent graduate of the Evergreen State College where she received a dual bachelors of arts and science in physics and communication . She ’ s been involved in running her family ’ s art gallery from a young age , framing , creating , and restoring works of art . Now she writes about the evolution of the world of art and picture framing for Art Chowder while working as the frame room manager for Spokane Gallery . Find her on instagram at Thunderpopdesign
Robin Bishop is Art Chowder ’ s Editor in Chief . She loves a challenge and has an affinity for asking questions that invite innovative solutions to individual and team challenges . She possesses a deep aversion to a “ We ’ ve always done it that way ” existence . Robin has a diverse background , but her passion is writing and bringing others ’ stories to life . She holds a BA in Professional and Creative Writing from Central Washington University and an MA in Organizational and Change Leadership from Gonzaga University .
Mandy Hill is the Editorial Designer for Art Chowder . She grew up in Montana and moved to the Pacific Northwest when she was 19 years old to study at Eastern Washington University . She earned her BA in Graphic Communications with an Art minor . She and her husband currently own and operate Amplified Wax , which is a music recording and graphic design studio in downtown Spokane .
Ginny Brennan - Life and career allowed good fortune of living in the West , Midwest and Southeast all the while painting and exploring art as well as studying the works of favorite artists — Winslow-Homer , Charles Reid and Richard Taylor . Ginny has been associated with co-ops , galleries and art associations across the country . Returning to Spokane in 2013 , Ginny is actively involved in the arts community , with her own art and Art Chowder magazine .
Karen Mobley is a visual artist , poet and arts consultant . Her poems have been published in WA129 , Spokane Writes , and Lilac City Fairytales . She was a artist in residence at Laboratory ( 2018 ). She serves as a Program Contractor for Spokane Arts . She served as Arts Director for the City of Spokane from 1997-2012 . She holds an MFA from the University of Oklahoma and a BFA with Honor from the University of Wyoming . For more information :
karen @ karenmobley . com 509 499 0784
Olivia Brownlee - Spokane-bred Olivia Brownlee has been wrangling words from an early age , largely through her career as a songwriter , performer , and recording artist . Combined with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre ( EWU ) and a Masters in Theatre for Social Change ( Emerson College ), her education , experiences , and interests led her to buy dozens of books on language , anthropology , foreign policy , and cartography , and develop a curriculum to teach Music to groups of people without using words .
Ann Contois is Copy Editor / Proofreader for Art Chowder ; she is a digital composite and stained glass artist , writer , web designer and arts marketing consultant . With a curious spirit and myriad interests , she has traveled widely , visiting European castles and Asian kingdoms ... always feeding her artistic vision . Ann earned a BA in Fine Arts / English from University of California , Berkeley and markets her original digital artworks via DigitalVisionsArt at Etsy . com . She is co-owner of Contois Reynolds Art Glass Studio , creating fine art glass for gallery , residential , and liturgical markets .
Eric Cook is a Certified Specialist of Wine who loves wine , sharing it with others and exploring the regions in which it grows . This fascination earned him the title of Sommelier in 1991 . Since then , he has taught classes for local wine retailers and community colleges , opened historic hotels , and traveled to Europe ’ s most renowned wine regions , having bought and sold millions of dollars in wine . This happy responsibility finds its next expression in writing about wine to make it more delicious for readers at CorkJockey . com and Art Chowder .
Sue Eller - In addition to freelance writing , Sue Eller writes short stories and novels . Her passion is science fiction . Sue is Vice President of the Spokane Authors & Self-Publishers , a member of the Inland Northwest Writers Guild , and the Idaho Writers League . She has also dabbled in news journalism , sports reporting , and screenplay writing .
Jarrett Salyer - Sales Executive for Art Chowder and Hometown Values was raised in a military family , regularly moving from city to city . This encouraged him to engage and learn the local culture . It built in him a passion for meeting new people and exploring to discover interesting places and factoids . Having lived so many places , Jarrett ’ s love for Spokane is deep . It has helped him appreciate Spokane and the Pacific Northwest ’ s immense diversity . Life is never boring here and he still looks forward to learning more .
Jani Bers - Jani ’ s zodiac sign , Gemini , couldn ’ t be more appropriate ! His extensive and varied careers in broadcasting , audio / visual production , and creative writing has been equally split and equally rewarded between Great Britain and the U . S . It ’ s this international “ twinning ” that has formed his diverse overview of the wide world of performing arts .
Tom Quinn - Originally from Great Falls , Montana , Tom Quinn grew up surrounded by art — mostly nostalgic celebrations of the Old West . After receiving a degree in art history from Gonzaga University and spending a year in Florence , Italy , he went on to the Art Institute of Seattle to pursue a career as an illustrator . Now living in Spokane , Quinn has completed several murals , extensive easel paintings , book illustrations , and magazine contributions . Quinn also enjoys drawing caricatures at parties and conventions , and teaching drawing and painting at the Spokane Art School , Corbin Art Center , and the Institute for Extended Learning . His work has been exhibited in galleries in Spokane , Seattle , and Portland .
6 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE