Kennedy Conrad

I have been creating art for as long as I can remember, however, I did not begin to develop my skills until I was 12. Video games and   anime greatly influenced my artistic development and as I refined my skills, character creation became a primary focus. The thought of bringing my ideas to life on paper felt amazing and these characters have become a major source of inspiration and self- expression. Over the years, they have followed my journey as I gained the confidence to share them with the world. Portfolio

Julia Collado

My purpose is to connect our emotions and experiences in forms of expressions. Expression is personal and subjective to the   artist whereas the audience can relate to these forms of reaction and sensations. Therefore, understanding the battle within   ourselves and our past experiences that shaped our perspective. Adding to the effect that our psychological processes commission our reality by expressions through art and how we communicate our feelings. Art and psychology go hand and   hand in my future endeavors through critical reflection and research. I will be looking forward to applying both subjects as a part   of my mission of expressions. Portfolio

Makenna Klarr

I have always loved drawing. When I was younger, I would often doodle on my class notes or trace images I admired. Some of my earliest memories are of doing crafts with my grandma which sparked my imagination and creativity. In high school, I realized I wanted to pursue a career in art. As I explored different mediums and techniques, I discovered that creating helped me cope with anxiety and express emotions that were otherwise difficult to articulate. Art became a tool for emotional processing, reflection, and healing and has helped shape who I am today. My process is both intuitive and responsive. I often begin with a feeling, memory, or a subject that I find interesting and let the materials guide me. I like to explore all kinds of media and often like to mix it up. I’m also drawn to methods that encourage mindfulness and grounding, such as zentangle, neurographic art, and repetitive subjects. These practices allow me to connect deeply with myself and regulate overwhelming emotions. Today, art remains the way I reflect, regulate, and understand the world around me. I have explored personal themes such as grief, identity, and growth. My work blends observation with interpretation, combining recognizable imagery with emotional undertones. I hope that when people view my work, they gain a glimpse into how I experience the world, not just visually, but emotionally. Whether abstract or representational, my art speaks to the quiet, meaningful moments that shape us. Portfolio

Arvilla Morett 

For the past 15 years, I have been a graphic designer, illustrator, and educator, and I have enjoyed creating artwork for teachers’ walls, illustrating children’s books, and mentoring and teaching over 100 students professionally. During that time, I realized I wanted to do more. Looking back, I had been craving purpose in my professional life, which led me to explore art therapy and counseling as a working adult. I took a leap of faith and applied to a college across the state, where I was accepted. I learned many things in an in-person art therapy and counseling program, but I especially learned to open myself up through art once again. I have been involved with the Cheyenne River Lakota Reservation, attended the All Ohio Counseling Conference, and volunteered as a moderator for the Ohio Counseling Association (OCA). I also participated in Ohio Legislative Advocacy Day, held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, where I met with local and state legislators to discuss real issues facing our profession. I ended up transferring to West Liberty University so I could have a better life balance, with work, school and family. Being an online university allows me to be an active parent, be able to work in my field and be a full-time student. I live in a small rural town in Ohio and have noticed a significant disparity in mental health services for children. I would love to work with kids across the area and bring not only my passion in helping but also my creativity through art therapy techniques. My goal is to open my own art therapy practice and studio space for children and young adults in the area. My ideal clients include parents, and I am interested in pregnancy and reproductive education. As I explore working in the field, I will be working as a Youth Treatment Advocate, working with kids in Respite at the National Youth Advocacy Program, which I am excited to get started in. I know that starting a new career can be scary, but I didn’t want to live with regrets and I have faced many new challenges and discovered my strengths later in life which I know can only help me become a better art therapist for the community I plan to serve. Portfolio

Asia Sims

As a self-proclaimed artist I have always been fascinated by the ‘why’ behind a piece. I am attracted to the idea and planning portions of the art making process more than the finished product. I want to know why certain color combinations were chosen as opposed to others, what ratios were used to make said colors, the meaning behind line, shape, and shading compositions, the intentionality or spontaneity behind brush strokes, etc. Watching the process always propels me into the mindset of I can do that, too. I gravitate to many different art forms, so much so that I won’t subscribe to one form of art. I am inspired by what I can do next and how I can challenge myself. Portfolio

Jessica Snow

Since stepping into the healing arts, Jessica has devoted their free time and resources to building social change and making healing arts available to the public. One of Jessica’s primary goals is to facilitate greater equity in the healing arts, and the financial barriers that often arise in access for populations struggling with poverty inspired Jessica to realign their private practice. Jessica has organized free community yoga offerings, educational retreats at low or no cost, and volunteered countless hours as a healing artist and social activist within the DC metro area. Their passions include plants, photography, artistic bodyscapes, churches across all denominations, traveling to the west, eating vegan food, the mountains, the ocean, and long rides on public transportation. Jessica believes that art lives within each person on this planet, no matter their age or ability, and connecting in community and creativity is where we will find the depths of our healing. Portfolio

Danielle Coss Sovinsky

My relationship with art has always been complex. I never had any real passion towards art or ever considered myself an artist. I found art during a difficult time in my life, when my brother was hospitalized for a month, and I was introduced to art therapy. Watching the art therapistswork with my brother, as well as other patients, changed the way I viewed art. It shifted my perspective from seeing art as something that was only for those who are talented or creatively driven, to a tool that can be used to process emotions and encourage reflection and healing. I learned that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful and while creating art is still difficult for me, I now see the value in the challenge. Portfolio

Jared Stone

Beauty is not defined by optimism vs pessimism, nor by nihilism vs existentialism—it is simply the realization that each part contains the same essence as the whole. My art arises from understanding that chaos and order, no matter how distant they may seem, are always intimately married within the passion of the creative heart. The mysterious ritual of art is an ancient memory within us of a time when everything was one. Through this sentiment, we are driven to recall such unity as it all appeared to us in the eyes of our own creator. Portfolio

Alexis Swan

Art has always been a way for me to reflect on my personal experiences and further connect with things I find beautiful in this world.  Early on as a self-proclaimed artist I put immense pressure on the look of my final product, but as I have grown, I have discovered just how important the process of creating has been for my overall well-being. I have also found that making art is one of my favorite ways to connect with those in my life. This connection often inspires what I create, thus influencing my my fondness of 3-D materials as I find joy in making ceramics as gifts. I favor clay for its ability to be both functional and aesthetic, but I have been fortunate in my art journey to have been exposed to many art mediums, my favorite being ceramics, printmaking, and most painting mediums. As an artist most of my inspiration has come from my grandma Terri, who has shared her love for art in all mediums with me since I was young. Art has helped me connect with the world around me on such a deep level, it is exciting to think that I get to share this in a professional setting as an aspiring Art Therapist. Portfolio

Marissa Ziobro

Art personally has always been a form of outlet for stress, events or ideas. This remains true as I have aged. A lot of my inspiration to continue art comes from fibers artists and fibers art of the Bauhaus movement, people I interact with and my own experiences. The work I create at times can be personal pieces, my own physical interpretation of a memory to an emotion. I gravitate towards using two dimensional media, colored pencils, painting, graphite and charcoal. Embroidery over the years has also become an important art tool for myself. Maintaining a sketchbook practice as well. While art is something I view as therapeutic to make and be easy on the eyes as a product, it’s also a creation that can empower or empathize with its viewer. I see art and the art process to be a formation of words into a physical object that otherwise had no way of being communicated verbally. Art to me can be made in the most mundane of tasks and interactions we have with others on the daily. Portfolio