altered esthetics

Board Members

• Cris T. Halverson (Board Chair 2011-2013)
• Kara Hendershot - (Press and Communications Coordinator 2009-2011)
• Pati Hibbard - (Board Secretary 2011-2013)
• Amber White - (Group Exhibitions Director 2011-2013)
• Kate Johnson - (Solo Exhibitions Director 2011-2013)
• Anthony Kephart - (Promotional Director 2010-2012)
• Edie Overturf - (Gallery Director 2011-2013)
• Todd Peterson - (Artist Liaison 2010-2012)
• Suzanne Pfutzenreuter - (Design Director 2011-2013)
• Noelle Pierce - (Board Treasurer 2008-2010, Artist Liaison 2010-2012)
• Cassie Pupovac - (Co-Education Director 2010-2012)
• Bjorn Rolvaag - (IT/New Media Director 2010-2012)
• Summer Scharringhausen - (Gallery Director 2009-2011)
• Jamie Schumacher (founder) - (Board Chair 2008-2010, Development Director 2010-2012)
• Kari Schuster - (Volunteer/Intern Coordinator 2010-2012)
• Chris Thompson - (Board Treasurer 2010-2012)
• Kristin Thompson - (Exhibitions Director 2009-2011)
• Tony Tudisco - (Design Director 2009-2011)
• Kristy Weifenbach - (Co-Education Director 2010-2012)




2010 Curatorial Interns

• William Dorn
• Sean Kwon
• Heidi Lear
• Anne Nelson
• Katherine Parr
• Christie Roberts



2010 Assistant Gallery Director Interns

• Amber Janey
• Katelyn R. Johnson
• Sera Kinoglu
 


Board Member Bios



Cris T. Halverson (Board Chair 2011-2013)

Out of a desire to help the emerging artist, and the emerging gallery, I served as the Chair of Stevens Square Center for the Arts from 2009-2010. I have since admired the people at Altered Esthetics’ camaraderie, dedication to the artist, and ability to pull off some awesome shows and events! It is my pleasure to be a part of the ongoing development of a truly unique arts organization. I have worked in many artistic mediums, finding my niche as a digital artist in 2004. Working with digital photography allows me combine my love for photographing people, fashions, places and nature to portray images of myth, fantasy, Victorian ghost stories, and the occasional Pin-Up.




Kara Hendershot - (Press and Communications Coordinator 2009-2011)

Kara Hendershot is a local painter and illustrator who resides in the Northern Warehouse Artists' Co-operative studios in Lowertown St. Paul, where she serves on the Board of Directors and is the Chair of the Art Crawl Committee of her studio building. Kara graduated from UW-Madison in 2002, where she studied painting, figure drawing, illustration, and design. It wasn't until 2004, after joining the Northern Warehouse Artists' Co-op, that she "took the plunge" to pursue art on a professional level. She began exhibiting throughout the Twin Cities, and found a home at Altered Esthetics Gallery - the first Minneapolis gallery where she displayed her work.

After spending time creating, marketing, and promoting her own work, Kara realized that not only is her own work important to her, but it is also important to Kara to be strongly involved in the Twin Cities art community on both sides - not only exhibiting - but promoting, connecting, and collaborating with other artists. She became an Assistant Gallery Director intern at Altered Esthetics in 2008 to become further connected with a strong artistic community in Northeast Minneapolis. Joining an artist-run gallery was the perfect step for Kara, as she had found a great community here filled with hard-working, open-minded, wonderful people. Upon completion of her internship a year later, Kara continued with Ae to serve on the Board of Directors and took the role of Communications Director. Kara enjoys being on both sides of the art scene: artist/exhibitor, and promoter/coordinator. She continues to exhibit her work throughout the Twin Cities, and recently had her paintings featured in a national juried publication.




Amber White - (Group Exhibitions Director 2011-2013)

I have a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota Morris, with majors in both Studio Art and Art History. While at UMM I was awarded a gallery assistant fellowship in the Humanities Fine Arts Gallery where I organized the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, designed posters and postcards, helped install and pack artwork, document exhibitions, and much more. I also received a fellowship as a digital archivist, creating digital slides for use in art history lectures which, along with hundreds of hours in the darkroom, allowed me to hone my photography skills. As president of UMM’s Art Club my senior year I helped organize the Holiday Art Sale; promoted the Vote YES campaign for the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment; and organized Art-O-Rama, a day of art and craft activities for local elementary school children whose art program had been cut from their schools.

I grew up in Little Falls, Minnesota, and after attending college in Morris I moved to the Twin Cities in August of 2009. After applying to be a 2010 Assistant Gallery Director Intern at Altered Esthetics simply for the opportunity to get involved with a new community of artists, I immediately began to realize the unique importance of what Ae does. We serve artists of all ages and stages of their career, all genres and walks of life, often giving opportunity to individuals who would unfortunately be excluded from many contemporary art spaces. Anyone who creates art has a voice and is valued here, and as Director of Group Exhibitions I am most looking forward to getting to know all the artists that we serve.




Kate Johnson - (Solo Exhibitions Director 2011-2013)

Kate Johnson lives and works in Bloomington, Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in fine arts and art history. Kate’s art primarily focuses on acrylic paintings, anatomical life drawings and hand-bound books. She has exhibited her work in various group shows around the metro as well as throughout the United States and in Japan. She also sells her handmade books at I Like You, a local artist shop in Minneapolis. Kate has worked with various galleries in the Twin Cities including the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Larson Gallery and as a museum receptionist at the American Swedish Museum. She first became involved with Altered Esthetics in January 2010 as an Assistant Gallery Director Intern. During her internship, she has worked on various projects but has focused on helping the gallery implement the new Solo Exhibitions Program.




Anthony Kephart - (Promotional Director 2010-2012)

Anthony Kephart has been helping the nonprofit art gallery Altered Esthetics apply creative marketing to their business operations since 2006 and is currently a full-time student at Anoka Technical College and freelance graphic designer, he has hosted trivia nights at local establishments throughout the Twin Cities and has developed branding, marketing and creative solutions for large Minnesota based companies such as Martin Williams, FAME Retail Brand Agency, Lund's and Byerly's, Punch Pizza and more. Before becoming a freelance designer, Anthony co-ran a family business in Ham Lake, MN by the name of Signs of Perfection, Inc. specializing in interior retail and commercial signage and displays.

I love AE and the community of artists and volunteers that support it. I live in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis with my dog Sonny Boy. I like collage and found art. I geek out for live music, mostly local shows, and I am a big movie watcher. (I hope the drive-ins stay alive in MN!) I've worked with Mark Vomit and other collaborators on a zine project called The Throw Up, and while I have taken a break from it, I really miss hosting my Pop Culture trivia show at 501 club. I also like long-boarding, skipping rocks, collecting vinyl, playing pool and darts, and thrift/flea market/treasure hunting.

AE is the first gallery I have ever shown works. The welcoming environment both visually and socially was refreshing compared to what my original vision of an art gallery would be. I was impressed by the founder, Jamie Schumacher, and her passion/persistence to keep such a large animal of a project running, growing, and adapting to current state of the art's community and local/national scenes. When I was asked to become a board member, I was compelled to decline because I had absolutely nothing to bring to the table. But I accepted anyway because I was anxious to help in any way I could. A little over a year into it, I am finally beginning to realize that the offer wasn't to benefit the gallery, it was to benefit me. I have learned so much and grown mentally through workshops, and everyday gallery experiences. I feel I am part of something I never thought I could be a part of. And the reward that is felt at every opening: seeing a familiar face, seeing the proud face of a rookie showing their art for the first time, seeing how something as simple as a tiny little art gallery can affect so many peoples lives and minds.




Todd Peterson - (Artist Liaison 2010-2012)

I was Born in St. Paul Mn 1952. I spent My wonder years in South Mpls. My Middle School years were spent in Idaho. I graduated from So. St. Paul High School. From there it was on to the school of hard knocks where I received barely passing grades.It was during these years that I became an upholsterers apprentice , and worked with furniture for 10 years. I've done a little bar-tending and drove truck for 25 years. In these positions I've done union organizing, and organizing golf and bowling tournaments and outings for upwards of 80 participants. At age 11 I won a regional art contest sponsored by Switzer's Licorice and the Captain Ken television show, where I received a very shiny red and chrome bicycle. Since then awards have been few and far between. That is until 2008, when I was asked to join the board of directors at Altered Esthetics as co-artists relations director, and in this position I've concentrated on reaching out to fellow artists to show art and become involved with Altered Esthetics. This has proved to be a very rewarding, fun, and interesting experience, working with founder Jamie Schumacher (the hardest working gal in the art biz) and her merry band. At Altered esthetics I found a welcoming atmosphere, thoughtful and challenging themes, and dedication to community that valued what I had to say as an artist ,and I hope to have a long relationship with AE. I am married to the wonderful Susan, who has put up with my bad jokes for many many years. We have one Daughter, two Granddaughters. I was a founding member of Mill District Arts in downtown Mpls. I had a short run with my own gallery Look Art Below, that I closed in 2010 upon discovering just how much work it truly takes to run a gallery. I am now a member of AZ gallery in lower town St. Paul where I have the position of Vice President. I have work on permanent display at Ted Wilebski's Famous Blues Saloon in St. Paul, and most likely numerous attics and closets throughout the United States.




Noelle Pierce - (Board Treasurer 2008-2010, Artist Liaison 2010-2012)

Noelle (Pierce) Bakken is a graduate of St. Olaf College with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts and Norwegian language and cultural studies, and currently works as a data analyst for a third party administrator in Minneapolis. She has previous arts management experience working with an international musicology conference, and also managing the St. Olaf College Norseman band. After graduating from St. Olaf in 2007, she moved to the Twin Cities for a job opportunity with her current employer. She joined the Altered Esthetics board as treasurer in January 2008 in hopes of becoming more connected with the Twin Cities arts community, and is looking forward to connecting more with artists in her second board term as artist liason. Noelle originally hails from eastern Wisconsin, and in her free time enjoys dabbling in photography, biking on the plethora of trails in and around the Twin Cities, and feeding her inner foodie by trying out new recipes when she gets the chance.




Cassie Pupovac - (Co-Education Director 2010-2012)

I grew up just west of Chicago and moved to Minneapolis in 1999. I graduated from Bethel College with a B.A. on Art Education. Since Bethel I have continued on to teach at the High school level in White Bear lake, over seas in Japan and I’m currently teaching at Clover Ridge Elementary in Chaska, MN. I heave recently finished up my M.Ed in Professional Studies of Art Education and the University of Minnesota. As an art educator I am very driven by experiential learning and have completed several artist in residencies involving student collaboration. In my own time I enjoy working with ceramics and painting. My artwork focuses on simple elements such as color and texture though repetition. I’m inspired by the connection of repetition that so often occurs in both nature and man made structures. I have also found that my work as a ceramics artist and the elements of clay are often what inspires the abstraction in my paintings.

I came to Ae in early 2010 as the Co-Education Director. Working here is an exciting new adventure for me that I’m sure will present many great opportunities. I look forward to getting to know all of the wonderful people that contribute to and make up this fantastic community.




Bjorn Rolvaag - (IT/New Media Director 2010-2012)

Bjorn graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art. As he became more involved in the Minneapolis arts community, he decided to pursue an internship at Altered Esthetics. While completing his gallery director internship, he helped set up the Altered Esthetics wiki and online galleries. After his internship ended, he decided to stick around and serve the organization as the board’s first IT/New Media Director.




Summer Scharringhausen - (Gallery Director 2009-2011)

Summer Scharringhausen has a Bachelor’s Degree from Bethel University with a major in Visual Arts Education and a Minor in Spanish. She is the Gallery Director at Altered Esthetics. She also teaches art to immigrant and refugee high school students at Lighthouse Academy of Nations in Minneapolis, MN. Before teaching at Lighthouse, she taught at Franklin Middle School (Mpls) and Four Seasons Arts+ Elementary (StP), was a certified instructor/trainer for Caribou Coffee Company, and taught art for an independent after-school program. Summer is currently enrolled in the Masters of Professional Studies program at the University of Minnesota, completing her Masters degree in Arts and Cultural Leadership.




Jamie Schumacher - (Board Chair 2008-2010, Development Director 2011-2013)

Jamie Schumacher is the founder and current board chair of Altered Esthetics. She has a background in office and nonprofit management, with over 10 years of experience helping small to mid-size businesses develop streamlined, technologically appropriate office practices and sustainable networking systems. Through her project management work at Bicycle Theory, a local communications company, she has also helped a variety of nonprofit organizations such as the Blandin Foundation and Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota address their communications needs. Over the past six years she has helped Altered Esthetics develop from a small independently held fledgling gallery into a sustainable, shared-power nonprofit organization. Jamie graduated from California State University Fullerton with a Baccalaureate degree in Philosophy and Art. Originally from Southern California, she works to combine her creative endeavors and artistic passion with her vocation by finding creative solutions for nonprofits of all sizes. She is the current Executive Director of the Northeast Community Development Corporation, an organization dedicated to promoting the economic development of Northeast Minneapolis in a manner that furthers the interests of both residents and businesses. She is also a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a master's degree specializing in innovation in nonprofit management.




Kari Schuster - (Volunteer/Intern Coordinator 2010-2012)

Kari Schuster graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. After years of studying art, she was guided towards working more intimately with the Minnesota arts and non-profit community through volunteering at The Soap Factory in 2006. For the next few years she remained involved with The Soap Factory, including an internship as their Data Analysis and Technology Administrator. In 2010, Kari joined the Altered Esthetics board as a way to further her involvement with the arts community not just as a working artist herself but also as a way to further her work with non-profits and emerging artists.




Chris Thompson - (Board Treasurer 2010-2012)

Chris Thompson is the Board Treasurer at Altered Esthetics. He has 5 years of progressive finance/accounting experience and currently works at Honeywell in Minneapolis as the site Engineering Financial Analyst. In this role, he provides finance support/budget planning & reporting for the Engineering function at the Minneapolis and Clearwater, FL Honeywell locations. Originally from Sioux Falls, SD, Chris obtained his Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of South Dakota. An active volunteer, Chris was drawn to the opportunity at Ae because of the fun, collaborative nature of the board, the worthiness of the mission, and the chance to meet and work with talented and creative people.




Kristin Thompson - (Exhibitions Director 2009-2011)

Kristin has a BA in Womens' Studies from the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Kristin started her work in the arts in 2007, assisting in two solo exhibitions in Great Falls, MT for artist, Jennifer Thompson. In 2008, moved back to MN, completed two years in MN Reading Corps, AmeriCorps? program as a one-on-one reading tutor at Cityview Elementary. While in the program, Kristin became involved in Ae in 2008 as Curator Intern. In 2009, she became the Exhibitions Director and Ae Board Member. Aside from Altered Esthetics, Kristin works at Mississippi Market Food Co-op as a cashier and is an usher at the Ordway Performing Arts Theater.




Tony Tudisco - (Design Director 2009-2011)