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Graduated from West Virginia University with a BFA in Fine Art, Mariah Majakey is currently a residing artist creating painted and sculptural works. Majakey’s works are described as catching fleeting moments through the act of painting, focusing on the feelings of vulnerability
Michael Green is a retired art teacher from Morgantown, having taught at Morgantown High School, and North Elementary, while also having traveled or substituted in several other schools. Green enjoys a variety of artwork including mixed media collages, watercolor painting, and others. He often incorporates repurposed items such as photos, frames, and old canvases in creating his art. In Spring 2021, Mike opened Hog Fence Gallery at 357 Brockway Ave in Morgantown, the home of Artwork by Michael Green LLC.
Behind the photography work of Mountain Burst is artist Boyce McCoy. McCoy is a travel and nature enthusiast, illustrated through his photography and creative works. McCoy received his education from Frostburg State University and West Virginia University, which provided him with extensive management and business skills background.
Aside from his education and business experience, McCoy also loves adventure, nature, and travel. He has captured numerous action shots of mountain biking, various adventuristic activities, and the scenic landscape of various states.
Behind the artwork of MothraArt is WVU student, Alexis Wilkinson. Alexis is continuing her senior year at WVU studying painting and religious studies. Her works emphasize the abstract nature of her surroundings and the colorful side of wildlife and insects. Her vibrant lines and love for mother nature’s creatures are clearly portrayed in Alexis’s works.
Faith McCardle is Morgantown-based artist who primarily works with paint and relief printmaking under the artist name Papa Faith. McCardle grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, and graduated from WVU in 2020 with her degree in Art Education with an emphasis in printmaking. McCardle loves finding new and fun ways to depict animals in unique situations and has begun adding various animals to her illustrations.
Graduated from WVU in 2017 with a BFA degree in Art Education is artist Payton Brown. Brown is continuing her MFA education in painting and therapeutic art at WVU while being actively involved in the Morgantown working artist community. Brown’s talents do not stop at painting. This artist sells original coloring books to spread her love for creative expression!
Liuqing Ruth Yang earned a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting from West Virginia University in December 2021.
Yang was born in rural China, and began her painting journey at 28. Yang made her way to American in 2011, completing her GED in 2015. She works predominately in portraits which research and pictorially meld Chinese culture and the history of Christian symbolism in traditional painting.
Shapeless Flame, known as Natalie Kovac, is a creative cartoonist and illustrator, specializing in editorial comics, storytelling, and original character designs. Natalie’s work explores themes of nature, the unexplained, and mental health. Explore Natalie’s work on her social media, @shapelessflame or on her website https://shapelessflameart.wordpress.com/.
Sally Brown is an artist, curator and writer currently based in Morgantown. Her artwork including drawing, painting and performance, explores womanhood, motherhood and the body. She has exhibited her work in spaces nationally and in the UK.
Brown has won two awards for illustration for Intimates and Fools and Leaves of Absence, both with poetry by Laura Madeline Wiseman. She has participated in artist residencies with Stay Home Gallery in TN and Rhoneymeade Sculpture Center in PA; and will be participating in the internationally renowned artist residency, Proyecto Ace, in Buenos Aires, May 2023. You can see her work donning two trash bins in downtown Morgantown.
Sonda Cheesebrough is a local artist and WVU graduate, with a BFA, Emphasis in Painting and an MA in Art. She taught Art in Monongalia County, most recently at North Elementary School for 15 years.
Sonda is a storyteller, expressing her ideas by combining whimsy and color with the written word. A major influence on her art is essentially the children that she taught. Cheesebrough describes, “Children express positivity in the purest form on a daily basis. On the darkest of days, they paint rainbows, usually without the rain. They draw suns up in the corner of their paper even though it’s against the “rules”.”
“It seems like suddenly one day, I found myself compelled to include all the colors of the rainbow in everything. It just seemed right, complete. It also brought me joy to see those colors glide off the end of my paintbrush.”
Reproductions of Sonda’s work are available downtown at River Fair Trade and at Terra Cafe in Star City.
Behind the works of Spring Fox Studio is local artist, Elisha Rush. Rush defines herself by her goofy style, proud hillbilly upbringing, tinkering abilities, and love for the natural world.
Steve Heap is a professional photographer with over 17,000 images in his published portfolio and is represented by several global agencies. He aims to create images that capture the essence of favorite locations – both locally in West Virginia and around the world. As a stock photographer, he has many photos of all genres including travel, product, and food photography.
Steve writes about many of the places and subjects he has photographed on his site – Backyard Image
Behind the creative work of Sugar, Pop Press is Morgantown printmaker Leslie Norris. Growing up in the wood of Hancock County has had a long-lasting impression of Leslie’s creative inspirations. Leslie’s work features colorful prints full of eye-catching details.
To view more of the work of Sugar Pop Press, visit her website at https://www.sugarpoppress.com/contact.html
Terry Lash is an accomplished artist from the Greater Morgantown Area, being a prominent creative force since the 1970’s. Lash’s works have been displayed at the Monongalia Art Center, Morgantown Art Association, and more. Lash is currently a member of the Monongalia Art Center and the Morgantown Art Association. Her works are a variety of painting visual art including portrayals of her environment.
