Staff Members

A Bloomington-Normal native, Doug graduated from Normal Community High School in 1983 and Illinois State University in 1987. He holds a masters degree in Studio Art from ISU, where he was a recipient of the Elizabeth Stein Scholarship and Friends of the Arts Talent Grant. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from Northern Illinois University in 1992, where he was awarded Best of Show in the Student Annual exhibition. He has exhibited at Addington Gallery and the Peter Miller Gallery (both in Chicago), Illinois Wesleyan University and at the Chicago International Art Expo.

His artwork has been published in Better Homes and Gardens and in the Chicago Tribune Sunday magazine. He is a past board member of the McLean County Dance Association and the Heartland Jazz Orchestra and delivered the commencement address at Lincoln College, Normal, in 2009. Johnson served as the co-chairperson for the 2011 and 2016 One State Arts Conference, the Program Committee for the Arts Alliance Illinois, and as the co-chair 2009 One State Conference Program Planning Committee.

Doug has taught at Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Judson University, Waubonsee Community College, Ray College of Design, the Rockford Art Museum and Heartland Community College.

He currently serves on the executive board of Arts Alliance Illinois, and is the past president of the Bloomington Rotary Club. Additionally, he founded and serves as president of the Area Arts Round Table (a consortium of McLean County Arts programmers) and is past co-chair of the Local Arts Network (a statewide group of executive directors at cultural institutions).

Contact Doug here

Lisa Lofgren is an artist, educator and founder of a community printmaking and papermaking facility titled Together Press in coordination with cometogetherstudios in Bloomington, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Wyoming with a BFA and received her MFA from Illinois State University. Lisa’s past gallery experience includes owning Main Gallery 404 in Downtown Bloomington, Illinois and working for the University Wyoming Art Museum as an Interim Ann Simpson Art Mobile Curator before assisting the museum preparators.

Contact Lisa here


	Carmel Rhoda serves as Office Manager. Joining the staff in November 2011, Carmel is in charge of membership and bookkeeping responsibilities. She has enjoyed becoming involved in the local arts community and frequently attends shows and festivals locally and throughout the Midwest. She is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelors in Sociology. Carmel and her husband have three children. Contact Carmel here
	Justin Hay recently received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Illinois State University with a focus in Ceramics. Justin started at MCAC as an intern for the Ceramics studio and has now moved to the title of Project Coordinator. Justin currently works and lives in Bloomington and continues to make artwork utilizing the MCAC Ceramics studio. During 2016 Justin received The Alcorn Family Scholarship while at Illinois State University which allowed him to attend an Artist Residency Workshop at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, CO. This inspired him to want to be a part of some artist residencies around the country before applying to Graduate School. Until then, building a studio practice and new body/bodies of work outside of academia is his main goal. Contact Justin here
	Sarah Sciba holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Kendall College of Art and Design, where she studied Printmaking and Art Education. Sarah graduated with high honors and was awarded the National Art Education Association’s Higher Education Achievement Award in 2009. Sarah moved to Bloomington in 2012 with her husband, Morgan Price, assistant professor of Lithography at Illinois State University. They reside in the Founder’s Grove neighborhood, where Sarah maintains her home studio. Sarah works primarily in relief printmaking and hand-stitching. In addition to being a practicing artist, Sarah is a strong advocate for art education and enjoys facilitating studio art classes for diverse audiences. Contact Sarah here
	Interns
	Amber Gravett, Ceramics Assistant. Amber was born in Bloomington and graduated from Normal Community High School. She earned an Associates of Art at Heartland Community College and was the first ever recipient of the Joseph E. McCauley scholarship. At Illinois State University she earned a Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts with a concentration in drawing. Amber uses drawing as a foundation for all of her artwork, which ranges from animation and illustration to ceramics and printmaking.

	Board of Directors Shawn Gravelle President; Julia Davis, Vice President; Dan Galvin, Treasurer; Yvonne Hoop, Secretary; Alexis Kalish, At-Large; Sally Berry, Anita Carney, Gay Dolan, Susie Vincent, Ruth Ann Friedberg, Sue Ge, Carol Koos, Kevin Kuebler, Sheila Lamberson, Craig Lee, Michele Peterson, Deb Risberg, Rashod Taylor, Linda Willis Fisher, and Eleisha Whitney Olson.

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