JURORS

Troy Aiken

Juror, Installation Projects

Dubuque, IA | www.troyaiken.com

Bio: Troy Aiken grew up in Los Angeles California and spent his youth fascinated by the vast amount of culture and art constantly surrounding him. Early on he decided to work with ceramics as a medium and was drawn to the malleability of clay and the broad range of personal expression that could be achieved with the material. In 2012 he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics from California State University Long Beach and was later accepted into the graduate program at the University of Notre Dame to complete his Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics in 2016. Troy currently lives in Dubuque, Iowa where he teaches ceramics and sculpture at Clarke University. He continues to exhibit nationally as well as internationally.

Previous exhibitions include: TAG Gallery Los Angeles, Gallery Aqui Sam Bien Vallauris France, Royal West of England Academy in Bristol, Craft Alliance St. Louis, Art St. Louis Gallery, The Archie Bray Foundation, Iowa Clay Center, The Clay Center of New Orleans, Snite Museum of Art in Indiana, East Central University, Indiana University Bloomington, St. Louis Community College Forest Park and California State University Long Beach.

Kate Bowen

Juror, Narrative and Performance Projects

Chicago, IL | www.acreresidency.org

Bio: Kate Bowen is an artist and educator living and working in Chicago, IL. She is currently the Executive Director of ACRE (Artists’ Cooperative Residency & Exhibitions); an artist-led, community driven residency and exhibition program. She is a co-founder and co-lead organizer of the Chicago Arts Census, a cross-discipline data collection effort created by, with, and for the art workers of Chicago. As an arts worker her practice is grounded in collaborative, abundant community building. She believes in open experimental platforms and feral pedagogical systems. She is a member of the board of the Pilsen Alliance, Video Programming Coordinator for the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and technical assistant to the artist Barbara Kasten.

Eloisa Guanlao

Juror, Installation Projects

La Mesa, CA | www.eloisaguanlao.com

Bio: Eloisa Guanlao was born in the Philippines. Her significant experiences as an immigrant and nomadic scholar-artist influence her versatile art practice and critical inquiries. Eloisa’s interest in the natural world, history, dance, art, and literature began at an early age. This multifaceted passion was nurtured at the Los Angeles High School for the Arts in California, cultivated with a liberal arts education at Carleton College in Minnesota, and further developed at the University of New Mexico, where she received her MFA in Studio Art.  Eloisa exhibits nationally and internationally.

Lenore Howard

Juror, Narrative and Performance Projects

Dubuque, IA | www.flybynightdubuque.com

Bio: In 1982, Lenore Howard and her husband Doug Donald co-founded Fly-By-Night Productions. She has served as artistic director for the company since 1999. As AD, she has overseen 60 productions and special projects for the company, while, before that, being involved in over 60 other company productions. Among her many duties with the company, Lenore directs, acts, and writes. Audiences will often find her in the front of the house as house manager, where she enjoys connecting with our patrons.

Dawry Ruiz

Juror, Narrative and Performance Projects

Madison, WI | www.instagram.com/dars.mp3

Bio: Dawry Ruiz is an interdisciplinary Hip-Hop artist and cultural organizer. Raised in Boston, Dawry was exposed to organizing at an early age, eventually founding an all youth arts festival. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a scholar in First Wave, the only full-tuition scholarship for Hip-Hop and Urban Arts in the country, with a BS in Community and Organizational Development and a minor in Arts and Teaching. In 2022 he was awarded the national Truman Scholarship for being a leader in public service. He has been featured in TEDx, Forbes, and more. Currently Dawry is the Artist-in-Residence for the Madison Metropolitan School District and serves as the Madison Youth Arts Ambassador. He started the “CueThe608” Artist Collective, which helps youth artists gain professional experience through community organizing, events and artistic development.

Glenn Williams

Juror, Installation Projects

Milwaukee, WI | www.uwm.edu

Bio: Glenn Williams is an Associate Professor of Art and Area Head of Sculpture in the Department of Art & Design at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. His creative research investigates social constructs and their influence on contemporary social realities through sculptural and cross-disciplinary practices. Trained in the tradition of metal fabrication, Williams’ work spans multiple creative platforms, integrating material exploration with concept-driven inquiry. His areas of focus include contemporary sculpture, material experimentation, and the intersection of form, process, and social meaning.

Williams’ work has been exhibited nationally at venues including the Las Cruces Museum of Art, NM; the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA), WI; Franconia Sculpture Park, MN; Lynden Sculpture Garden, WI; Manifest Gallery, OH; and the Indiana Art Center, IN. He earned his BA and MA from the University of Northern Iowa with a dual emphasis in Sculpture and Metals, and his MFA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a specialization in Sculpture.