Jay Shinn was born in the small town of Magnolia, Arkansas, and grew up in a large family. As a young boy, he often accompanied his father to his job, where his dad oversaw the construction sites of new motels. Watching his father work inspired his childhood plans for the future. “For most of my childhood, I thought I would become an architect, because I didn’t see a clear path to being an artist. But I always came back to drawing and painting,” he recalls. … At seven, Shinn enrolled in Marjorie’s House of Artists, a staple of Magnolia.
Don Riddle, a retired Marine officer and former business owner, now finds his greatest inspiration in the night sky. Photographing the Milky Way above the rugged landscapes of America’s national parks has become his life’s pursuit. For Riddle, photography is about more than creating beautiful images. It is about encouraging others to pause, look up, and recognize that the universe is vast, breathtaking, and that our parks are worth protecting. … Riddle spent his early years serving his country as a Marine officer, a role that taught him both discipline and leadership.
Kayla Hamilton is a Texas-born, Bronx, NY-based performance maker, dancer, educator, and consultant. Lauded for her work in the dance, disability arts, education, and access fields. Hamilton has received numerous national awards, recognitions, and fellowships and was recently named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” for 2025. She has performed and shared work at the Whitney Museum, Gibney, Performance Space New York, New York Live Arts, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, and The Shed in New York City.
