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Dayna Block, Executive Director
Dayna Block, MAAT ATR, is a co-Founder and Executive Director of the Open Studio Project. As principal administrator, she oversees programming, fundraising, and finances at the Studio. She is an Instructor at the School of the Art Institute and a registered art therapist, with a MAAT from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dayna lectures and runs workshops on the creative process locally and nationally. She exhibits her artwork frequently and curates shows that raise awareness for social issues in the community. As an architect of OSP's creative process programming, and an unwavering believer in the artist inside of everyone, she is the primary holder of our egalitarian vision, and of our ethic of care. Evidence of her thriving relationship with the board includes creating a policy procedures book with the president, and initiating and carrying out the Long Range Planning process with the board. |
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Sarah Laing, Associate Director
Sarah Laing, MAAT, LPC, ATR is our Associate Director. Sarah is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois and a Registered Art Therapist. She has an MA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a BS in studio art from Skidmore College, NY. She is also an experienced gallery manager, serving for several years at a premier Chicago gallery. She has directed many shows with individual artists, groups, and organizations as well as exhibiting her own work nationally Sarah partnered with Dayna Block in 2000 when OSP relocated to Evanston (her native town). She is responsible for organizational management, program administration, outreach programs, and gallery direction. She has been an internship coordinator and mentor, supervising graduate, undergraduate, high school students, and volunteers. She works closely with the board and the special events committee. A strong advocate of community youth, she was instrumental in piloting our Art & Action out-of-school-time program. Sarah has literally grown with the organization becoming well versed in non-profit management as well as being pivotal in connecting OSP with local organizations. She has more recently initiated OSP’s first work of public art- a mixed media mural- coming soon to the Main St. station. |
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Ted Harris, M.A. Operations Director
Ted is a graduate of Brown University and a Master’s level graduate of Harvard University’s Philosophy program. He is a highly trained woodworker, a proud graduate of North Bennett Street School’s program in Preservation Carpentry.
Ted joined the staff and began facilitating classes in 2000. “Thanks to the Open Studio Project, I now see that the creative process is a fundamental force in the world. As fundamental as love and compassion, awareness, gravity, heat, and light. Since I’ve been doing this, I’ve been able to shake off a lot of the heavy garbage I used to carry around what it “means” to make art. Now I get to walk in beauty (which can be full of marvels and terrors), follow the art where it needs to go, and presto, in doing that, I’m am doing what is most needed in the world. I also have a lot more fun. I hope you’ll join us. It is a wonderful, satisfying honor to be working alongside everyone who walks in the door here.”
A musician with a belief in the music inside of everyone, Ted is helping to develop music & sound based programming for OSP.Ted facilitates Connecting with the Creative Process classes as well as the Art & Action program for youth placed at risk. |
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Erin Mooney, Program Director
Erin Mooney, LCPC, ATR, is our Program Director. Erin received her Master’s in Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy from Adler School of Professional Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and a Registered Art Therapist. She received her BA in Communications from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and has experience working in graphic design, advertising, and photography. Besides being on staff at OSP, Erin also works on the adolescent psychiatric unit of a nearby hospital. Her group experience includes: adults with developmental disabilities with dual-diagnosis, geriatric adults, adults with chronic mental illness and adolescents.
Aside from facilitating adult Connecting with the Creative Process classes, Erin has facilitated OSP workshops for women facing homelessness, domestic violence, and elementary, middle school and high school aged youth and teens from Evanston and the Chicago area faced with various challenges, from academic, behavioral, and economic challenges to acculturation, depression, bipolar, anxiety and substance abuse. Erin is currently coordinating programming with teens in the New Trier Township area. Additionally, she is responsible for studio management, website administration, coordinating volunteers and supervising interns at Open Studio Project. Erin is grateful to be able to do this type work every day. |
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Karla Rindal, Facilitation Director
Karla was profoundly ill in 1996 when she stumbled upon the book, Art is a Way of Knowing by OSP co-founder Pat Allen. She has been an OSP participant ever since and credits the process for much of her healing. Intention setting, artmaking, and witness writing have all become important elements of her spiritual practice. Karla is also a board member, facilitates groups at all levels, and has a special love for found object sculpture. She earns her living as a tutor, writing teacher, and free-lance editor. |
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