Cultivating Creativity: How to Foster a Resilient Art Community

Presented by Shift Gallery

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In this panel discussion, we delve into the essential strategies and practices necessary to cultivate a thriving and resilient artistic community. Creativity is the lifeblood of any artistic ecosystem, but it requires organization, care, and support to flourish sustainably. Through insightful dialogue and shared experiences, our panelists will explore the ways by which individuals, organizations, and communities can come together to foster an environment where creativity thrives. Our panel experts will include artists, art administrators, gallerists, and curators from the larger Pacific Northwest Area.

From providing accessible resources and spaces for artists to offering mentorship programs and fostering collaboration, this panel will examine the multifaceted approach required to nurture the arts community at every level. We will also explore how inclusivity, diversity, and equity create a stronger and more resilient arts community.

Drawing upon real-world examples and innovative initiatives, our panelists will offer practical insights and actionable strategies for building resilience within the art community. Whether you’re an artist, gallerist, collector, or enthusiast, join us as we explore how to cultivate a creative community and foster a robust and adaptable artistic ecosystem that can weather any challenge.

Moderator, Amanda Triplett, Shift Gallery member 

Amanda Triplett is an artist and art educator who practices, shows, and teaches in the Pacific Northwest. Using primarily recycled textiles, Amanda creates craft-based, fiber sculpture, performance, and installation about human relationships to biological, ecological, and cultural narratives.

A recipient of numerous residencies, grants, and awards, Amanda has had the honor of working as an artist in residence at Lewis & Clark College and the Mary Olson Farm artist in residence in Auburn, WA.

As a member of the cooperative Shift Gallery in Seattle and the larger art community of Pacific Northwest, Amanda is committed to the cultivation of community engagement by hosting and facilitating conversations about creative cultural resilience.

Tammy Jo Wilson, Artist, Curator, and Arts Organizer

Tammy Jo Wilson is a black artist, curator, and arts organizer in Portland, Oregon. Wilson received her BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and her MFA from San Jose State University. In 2017 Wilson co-founded the arts organization Art in Oregon with artist and curator Owen Premore; a statewide visual arts non-profit working to foster culturally rich regional communities through partnerships, advocacy, and investment in artists, businesses, educational spaces, and community spaces. In recent years Wilson co-curated the exhibit An Artistic Heritage in 2019, Art Makes History and You are Not a Robot in 2020. Wilson curated six iterations of the traveling exhibition Black Matter from 2021-2022, featuring all Oregon-based black artists. Currently, Wilson is co-curating the second iteration of the ongoing land art exhibit Terrain with Kendra Roberts and Clairissa Stephens, and continuing Black Matter at the Patricia Reser  Center for the Arts in 2025 and Black Fish Gallery in 2026. Additionally, Wilson serves as Director of Exhibits and Programming for Bush House Museum. She also has served in the art department at Lewis & Clark College as the Visual Arts & Technology Program Manager for the past 14 years. In her art practice, Wilson has exhibited her work nationally and was awarded the Leland Ironworks Golden Spot Artist Residency, performed in the SALT: Above a Whisper at Shaking the Tree Theatre, and was featured in the two women exhibit Biological Dissonance at the Parrish Gallery in Newberg, Oregon in 2019. In 2022 she had solo exhibitions of her artwork in Salem at the Gretchen Schuette Gallery and Roger Hall Gallery at Willamette University. In 2023 she had a retrospective of her work at Truckenbrod Gallery in Corvallis, Oregon. Most recently she had a solo exhibition of new works at Souvenir Gallery in Portland in May of 2024.

Judith Rinehart, Owner & Director of J. Rinehart Gallery

Judith graduated with her BFA in Art History from the University of Utah and has been working in fine art galleries in the Seattle area since 2007.

With over 15 years’ experience as a professional art dealer, Judith previously managed two highly successful art galleries before launching her own space in 2019. In this time, she has curated, planned, organized, marketed, and executed more than 150 successful exhibitions and openings in the gallery and at art fairs across the US. She has established herself as a fixture in the gallery community, serving for three years as treasurer of the Seattle Art Dealers Association, as the curator and panelist at the Seattle Emerging Arts Fair in 2018, and the lead organizer of the Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair in 2020 & 2021, and a founding board member of Art + Culture Week, Seattle – we week-long city-wide event to be held in September 2024.

Judith is a member of the Board of Trustees for Artist Trust, the longest-running arts organization in Washington State that supports and encourages artists of all disciplines that enrich community life, and on the Board of Directors for the SOLA Awards, which recognizes and celebrates mature female artists in Washington. She is a member of the Association of Woman Art Dealers (AWAD), an international network of women art dealers committed to upholding professional standards and positively impact the enterprise of each member. Through her gallery and her volunteer work, Judith continues to advocate for art and artists in the Puget Sound region.

Jo Mikesell, Shunpike 

A compassionate, creative leader with over 20 years of experience in the art and culture field, Jo Mikesell is the Program Director for Arts Business Services at Shunpike Arts Collective. Her specialties include arts programming and exhibition management, arts funding, and digital humanities. Her work is dedicated to nurturing social equity by facilitating meaningful and transformative arts experiences for diverse audiences.

Jo earned an M.A. in Visual Arts Administration from Columbia University, New York, and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Washington. Their diverse professional background includes roles at organizations such as ACA Galleries, Creative Time, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Barnard College, The Northwest School, Artist Trust, and Amazon.com.

Outside of work, Jo serves as a Board member for Pratt Fine Arts Center, curates exhibitions, and is a member of the Council of Readers for the College Art Association.

Nichole DeMent, Creative Strategist, Cultural Producer, Professional Artist, and Spiritual Mentor

Nichole DeMent, a creative strategist, cultural producer, and professional artist, has 20+ years  experience in the Pacific Northwest nonprofit arts and is currently the Executive Director of SOLA (Support of Old Lady Artists). Her journey intertwines art, spirituality, and conscious leadership, with a mission to elevate Creativity to its rightful place in society through supporting visionary change makers.

Embarking on a fulfilling journey as an artist and change facilitator spanning over two transformative decades, I’ve had the honor of intertwining the realms of art, spirituality, and conscious leadership. This privileged experience has shaped my mission: to share the profound insights gained along this path and contribute to the world by elevating art, culture, and spirituality.

My Highest Goal: To empower individuals through the creative expression and expansion of consciousness, fostering spiritual well-being.

Miha Sarani, Shift Gallery member 

Miha Sarani is a visual artist, art historian, and an art educator. Born and raised in Ljubljana, Slovenia, he moved permanently to the US in 2007. Returning to school in his late 30s, he earned a BFA in 2015 and an MA in 2019 – both from the University of Washington. Miha was a student speaker at the graduation ceremony for the School of Art + Art History + Design in 2015, and received the Husky 100 award in 2019. He was appointed to be one of the Washington State Arts Commission Curators in 2022.

His work has been shown at museums and galleries, featured in art journals, publications, promotional materials, and on music covers. His large Koncentrik Painting series is owned by the University of Washington and on permanent display at the Mary Gates Hall. Miha currently teaches art history and studio practices at Seattle University.

Also passionate about music, Miha released his first music album Emona Au Revoir in 2016, which was included in the Seattle Public Library’s PlayBack program the following year. Miha is a member of the Shift Gallery in Seattle – where he lives with his wife Tomitha, children Edmond and Ana, and their dogs Blue and Sister Ray.