SAM BASS (she/her) is an artist, educator and organizer. Her interest in the arts and education developed while teaching in the New Orleans school system. She began her career teaching Kindergarten at Mildred Osborne Charter School for three years, gaining professional development and training within the field of education. Sam has worked in the New Orleans Film Industry since 2015 and is a member of the Local IATSE 478 union. She works in the Set Dec and Props departments and has a wide range of experience in both big budget and independent films. She also creates art installations for events and parties, and has received grants to bring her work to festivals in Louisiana and Miami. Sam founded Art Camp 504 to combine both her love of education and art, recognizing the need for more artistic opportunities for young people in New Orleans.

LEESAW AUDRE ANDALORO (she/they) has worked for the last 25 years as a promoter and producer of cultural events aimed at exposing a wider audience to emerging artists and hidden gems. She is presently the Creative Director at The Tigermen Den and Assistant Creative Director for Art Camp 504. She uses her experience as a music and event producer, as well as her expertise in fundraising campaigns, to plan a wide range of family friendly fundraising events that support our Rising Artists Scholarship program. She is also a dog mom to Freddie, a lover of New Orleans history, cheerleader for the 9th Ward Marching Band and maker of killer road trip playlists.

JANE TALTON (she/her) is a Bywater resident and neighbor of the Tigermen Den. Her imagery is loved by many and reflects much of what it means to live in the Bywater: a place where tongue and cheek humor, theatrics, fine art, rich patterns and fanciful creatures fit right in to the parlors, parades, unexpected pairings and imaginations of those who live here. Jane graduated from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in 1999 with a degree in Illustration. Jane has worked in many creative niches including; caricature art, book illustration, mural painting, portraiture and she has been a featured artist on the Travel Channel and ABC. Her work has shown in several New Orleans galleries as well as the CAC and Jazz and Heritage Museum. Although still a dedicated painter, she has fallen in love with teaching as it has allowed her to share a passion for art with young artists. Check out Jane’s work!

DANIELLE ADAMS (she/her) is an educator and organizational enthusiast! Her love for education began as a young girl and continued with her into adulthood where she served as an elementary teacher for 7 years! She currently serves as the Program Coordinator at Art Camp 504, and she has the beautiful opportunity to merge her passion for education and organization daily!

MAYA JEVANS (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and designer in Barcelona, Spain. She has a Bachelors in Graphic Design and works as an illustrator for the music industry, collaborating with several festivals across the country and clients such as Preservation Hall and VANS shoes. She is currently in her fourth year at Barcelona Academy of Art where she trains in classical 19th century oil painting technique. Maya designs all of Art Camp 504’s graphic content, and also teaches virtual classes! Visit Maya’s website Poster-Child to see some of her work.

MARK T. WILLIAMS (he/him) is an educator and entrepreneur, currently serving as a Career and Technical educator at Young Audiences Charter High School. He works as a graphic design trainer and industry mentor at the Digital Workshop Center. Mark is the visionary behind NoNameCafe and Gallery, along with Decaf Publixations, Llc. These platforms spotlight minority excellence in design and entrepreneurship. Mark has self-published three books, including "Bright Boy: The Art of Defined/Designed Black," "A Pebble For Her," and "The Mind of Mark," offering perspective on the systematic challenges faced by minorities in creative and entrepreneurial fields. Mark has a BA in Art History (2013) and a MS in Industrial Design (2018). He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in museum studies at Southern University at New Orleans.

LEAH DOOLING (she/her) is a local sculptor, painter, and digital artist. Find her work in various galleries and coffee shops around New Orleans. She has completed formal training under Pixar animators in 3d design and modeling, and has worked as a full time artist for the past 5 years. Insects, amphibians, and gastropods are her main interests and points of study, and can be seen expressed in her artwork.

MICAYLA PRICE (she/her) is a native New Orleanian illustrator and printmaker. She is a NOCCA Visual Arts Alumni and Tulane Grad focused in drawing and relief printing. Her work is heavily influenced by the ever-evolving local coastal wetlands, and is an advocate for conservation and restoration. One of her current projects is a graphic novel set in an island chain of a Caribbean hue, that harbors countless oddities to explore. When she’s not filling up her sketchbook, you’d likely find her tending a garden of okra and citrus.

KATIE ABOUDOU (she/her) is a Maryland-based teaching artist who's worked with/for/alongside kids for over ten years. She started teaching in New Orleans charter schools, and was an art teacher at Bricolage Academy. She now delivers engaging screen-free visual art workshops to highly creative kids in public elementary schools. She has experience building props, devising LARPing scenes for kids alongside other performing artists, and developing free visual art workshops for seniors and youth in the community. In her spare time, Katie can usually be found doodling with a colored pencil just for fun, but she is thrilled that one of her latest drawings is the album art for In the Pocket, family-musician Uncle Devin's latest go-go album! Katie also likes to craft Mardi Gras costumes, play the ukulele, stand up for peace and justice, and care for her many houseplants. She received a BFA in Media & Performing Arts with a minor in Illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design and she is so excited to meet the creative krewe at Art Camp 504! Visit Katie’s website

BLAIR PRICE (she/her) is a New Orleans native interior designer, freelance artist, and NOCCA culinary alum. She earned her BA in Graphic Design from Loyola University New Orleans, before moving on to an AA in Interior Design, and Kitchen and Bath Design, at Delgado. She has spent the last decade cultivating her skills in the decorative arts, working under several notable designers and artists in the city, before opening her own residential design firm in 2020. Blair has also traveled twice to Reggio Emilia, Italy, to attend the Reggio Children's conference, where she observed children who were given the instruction that they needed to learn and discover holistically through art. She believes that students must be able to see themselves as unique contributors to our culture and society. This level of autonomy breeds incredible artists. Visit Blair’s website!

LINKA A ODOM (she/her) is a full-time wedding photographer and artist in New Orleans. Linka utilizes photography to create one of kind immersive photo light box installations oftentimes hung in outdoor settings including found trees. Ms. Odom’s installations have traveled to events and festivals all over the world. Linka’s work is driven to influence a culture of acceptance, encouraging the viewer to reflect and ultimately gain insight on the interconnection amongst all things. Ms. Odom has earned both an M.A. in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the Univ. of the Arts London College of Communication, 2012 and a B.F.A. in Photography from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, 1997. Visit Linka's website!

FINLEY JANES (he/they) is a filmmaker and musician and has been teaching creative filmmaking for 10 years. He is originally from Gloucester, Ma. Before he moved to New Orleans he was the Director of a film program for elementary school students called See-Hear-Feel-Film. He was lucky to be able to teach and make art with students in the program for four years! He makes both fiction and non-fiction movies but his favorite genre to make is fantasy! He lives in the Bywater with his gentle old dog, Mama, and a cat named Ding. He is currently making his first full-length movie!

STEFAN SICLAIT BYRD (he/him) grew up in Miami, Florida and graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (2015) with a BFA in Filmmaking. After working as a welder and metal fabricator building pieces for television sets in Los Angeles, he made his way into Art Direction and Set Decoration for commercials, music videos, and tv throughout the US and Europe before finally landing in New Orleans. When he’s not working in the art department he shoots documentaries and non-fiction work. He is currently in post production for a documentary feature on cremation workers in India. In his free time you might find him drawing or by a lake pretending to know how to fish. This will be his second time teaching film camp at ArtCamp504.

ANDERSON FUNK (he/him) is an artist, engineer, radio show host, and filmmaker. He studies and reads a lot, and likes to make beautiful situations, sculptures, and sentences. He attended graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he studied engineering. He likes using the languages he learned in both institutions to inform his understanding of the other. He is a member of The Front gallery, and has designed experimental theater for the Museum of Human Achievement, The Orpheum, and Saturn Bar. He has taught at De La Salle High School, and enjoys sharing perspectives with young folks. He enjoys drinking tea and hopes to make the world brighter and more possible day by day. Visit Anderson's website!

CHRISTOPHER “MR. CHRIS” SHEARD (he/him) is a music teacher and teaching artist with over fifteen years in the field of early childhood music. He has been certified in Music Together, Wolf Trap Early Learning Through the Arts and the Young Audiences National Teaching Artist Credential. He is the founder of Blue House Music, a direct-to-family early learning music program that serves children under five and their caregivers. He currently works as the lower school music teacher at The McGehee School for Girls and Little Gate. He is a Bywater resident, father of two, and is so excited to join the Art Camp 504 team!

MALCOLM PATTERSON (he/they) is a youth advocate from sunny California! He’s worked with ages ranging from infants to those that like to reminisce on simpler times; in both Dungeons and Dragons AND his day to day career in patient care at the Center for Resilience. He encourages creativity and prides himself on providing a space that feels safe and challenging to those that want and deserve it! His history in theatre and love for comics, anime, and other tabletop mediums allows for a fluid and out-of-box approach to adventures that gives everyone at his tables an opportunity to learn, play, or both!

ADAM LEDET (he/him) is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology's Interactive Media and Game Design program with a bachelor's degree in Game Design and Development. He has professional experience in the video gaming industry as a Game Designer for companies including Second Avenue Learning, where he helped to publish a mobile game; Blizzard Entertainment, where he interned with Hearthstone's Mission Design team; and Noxcrew, where he aided in the design and development of the Minecraft server "MCC Island." Adam is happy to be in his third year participating with Art Camp 504. Adam is a pianist, singer, and thespian who loves to evoke emotions in others through his crafts. Adam's love for Dungeons and Dragons has colored his life, and he is excited to guide new players through the TableTop Role-Playing experience! For more information on Adam, you can visit his Linkedin profile or his website.

SASHA RIVERA KRUGER (she/ her) is a graduate of Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature and a dual minor in Chinese and Asian Studies. Her journey with teaching began in 2008 when she embarked on a volunteering abroad program to teach English in Zhongshan, China. This shaped her understanding of the importance of inclusive communication, and drove her passion for helping her students embrace the challenges of honest self expression, no matter the language. Her love for collaborative storytelling brought her to the world of TableTop Role Playing games, what started as a desire to spend more time playing with her son has turned into an essential part of her career. When not running her own campaigns, she is preparing to attend various conventions where she runs D&D games and assists vending artists, most recently New York Comicon, Jordancon, Cyphacon, Pax Unplugged and Fanexpo New Orleans.

DANE SCHINDLER (he/him) is a native New Orleanian with over a decade of experience as an Adapted Physical Education (A.P.E.) teacher, and over two decades as a seasoned musician. He has dedicated his career to helping students of all abilities thrive through movement and play. He has performed with many stage bands and marching bands across the New Orleans' music scene, and has gone on tours across the country and even abroad. As a lover of games and being creative, Dane particularly enjoys the collaborative and imaginative aspects of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. He is passionate about fostering a welcoming space for shared gameplay, where creativity and camaraderie can flourish. The sense of belonging and connection that games create among friends is what it’s all about!

LEE GARCIA (he/him) is an award winning filmmaker and musician who moved to New Orleans to study film at the University of New Orleans. After graduating, he worked on a number of productions in Louisiana, including "Jurassic World" and "Terminator Genisys," as well as co-producing two feature films, "Easy Does It," and the Louisiana music documentary "On Va Continuer!" Today, Lee works primarily with sound, producing podcasts and working behind-the-scenes on TV shows shooting in New Orleans. Lee is a collector of VHS video tapes and has been a Dungeon Master for over 15 years.

TAN WATKINS has been an avid player of Dungeons and Dragons for over half his life. He grew up in Hattiesburg, MS, where he was active in the art and drama programs throughout High School. This is when he began to play D&D with his friends, which sparked a life long love of the game. Tan has taught at Neshoba Central Elementary school for the last decade, teaching grades k-2 math, spelling, reading and writing. When he isn't teaching, he is busy playing tabletop role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and Dungeon Crawl Classics. His love of teaching has spilled over into the hobby as he has taught countless friends and family members how to play these games. Tan is a devoted husband and father of three boys who lives in Philadelphia MS.

AKSHITA MONGA (she/her) is a realist and figurative artist, currently living and learning in Barcelona, Spain. She’s previously trained as a self-taught digital artist and gone on to work as head illustrator for a youth magazine - arre.co.in creating relevant illustrations for write-ups and news stories. She’s also worked with writers and film-makers to create Children’s Story Books and Graphic Short Stories. Akshita is currently an advanced resident artist at Barcelona Academy of Art, which is a traditional atelier school, training artists in 19th Century European Classical Art. Her works have been displayed at Nippon Gallery, Mumbai, India. Check out her work here!

Ziggy Stardust’s favorite activity is playing fetch with five or more kids at once. He loves to prance around, showing off how wonderful he is. Ziggy is a Japanese Chin, born in September of 2022 and has been coming to camp with his mom Sam since he was 12 weeks old. Sometimes he’s the sweetest thing in the whole world, and sometimes he’s in gremlin mode…

Princess Supernova is elegant, dainty, and makes the craziest sounds of all of them. She was born in January of 2023 and spent most of her puppy months at Art Camp with her mom Sam. She likes to be carried around and doted on. She also like to team up with her sister Sookie to attack her big brother Ziggy!

Freddie (Frederica) is Leesaw’s dog, the owner of the Tigermen Den. She is a trained service dog and has been visiting our students the past few years. Freddie is super chill, likes to sleep most of the day, and loves when the kids use her as a pillow. Sometimes she pretends to be a puppy and gets the Zoomies with the chins! Ziggy has a little bit of a crush on Freddie…

Mama is the wise old grandmother of Art Camp 504. She started coming to camp last year with Mr. Fin and has been teaching the puppies manners ever since! Mama likes to nap and observe the children from a fluffy bed most of the day. Her favorite thing is to run around in Clouet Gardens with all of her friends!

Pop Tart is the Queen of the Chins. She is a real sophisticated lady and is 100% sweet all of the time. She enjoys wearing handmade clothes, sleeping in custom designed cardboard boxes, and resting on top of piles of fabric. Pop Tart is married to Fozzy and they renewed their vows at Winter Camp 2022. Thank you to Pop Tart’s mom Irene for sharing your perfect angel with us!

This little guy joined our family in Dec 2023. He is a happy, cheerful pup and likes to wag his tail and follow the big dogs around. His mom STILL has not committed to a name. Top contenders are Remi (Gremlin), Mishima, and Go Potty.

Sookie is Princess Supernova’s crazy sister! They are best friends and love to do everything together - especially attack Ziggy. Her tail sticks straight up, her hair is a little frazzled, and sometimes she looks like she drank too much coffee. We love when her mom Sydney drops her off to play!

Fozzy is happiest when he is getting a belly rub from at least five kids at a time. He loves attention, fetch, dress up and long walks to Markey Park. Fozzy’s best friend is whoever is holding the ball! He visits camp when his mom Linka teachers Mixed Media Photography every summer.

Skylar was our very first Art Camp pup, and has been visiting for over 4 years with her mom Linka! She is a little scared of people, but will sniff your hand and sometimes give you a little lick if you are gentle. If you are not careful, Skylar might steal your pencil and carry it around camp like a stick. She is excited to see the kids at Mixed Media Photography Camp next year!