Members

Hello my name is Mykael Ash Urban Contemporary Artist. The mediums I work in are Charcoal, Pastel, Acrylic, Oil & Spray Paint also a background in photography & graphic design. My mission is to fill ESTL with Art & projects with the community. My motto is Open your mind Create your Life.

I’m Allena Brazier, a curator and artist based in East St. Louis, Illinois. I am a multidisciplinary artist working across sculpture, installation, photography, painting, and writing. Drawing inspiration from urban and natural environments, history, and faith, my practice explores connection, inquiry, and lived experience within the communities I am part of. Through immersive installations and exhibitions, I create spaces that examine place, presence, and the complexities of human experience.

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My artistic journey is rooted in a profound commitment to dignity, justice, beauty, and truth. I believe that as a reflection of the Original Artist, my work should embody His essence and the ideals He represents. Through my art, I strive to reveal the intricate interconnectedness of these principles and challenge viewers to consider how they resonate in our lives today.

Born in Estl. Graduated from Maryville University in St. Louis with desires to start my own brand and collaborate with others to help build theirs as well. 

Kevin Hopkins grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, and is a graduate from the Illinois State University College of Fine Arts. He has worked as Art Director and Marketing Manager for several St. Louis area businesses and corporations, and maintains a freelance practice as a photographer, fine artist, graphic designer, and author. 

Cultural technician/traveler/writer/drummer

​Tiffany Lee is a distinguished educator, historian, and media executive, dedicated to preserving and promoting Black history and culture. As the CEO of Think Black Cultural Media Group, she brings history to life through compelling storytelling and media.

Lee is a respected authority on Race Riots, having served as a Subject Matter Expert in presentations for the State of Illinois African Descent Reparations Commission, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and now as an Illinois Rad Scholar. Her literary and creative contributions include the book Legendary East St. Louisans: An African American Series, the short documentary "I Bear Witness: Untold Stories of American Race Riots," and the historical play Melodies on the Wind: When Miles Met Chuck. 

Born in Chicago, with a Port Arthur TX upbringing, Ke'Ira has a deep love and obsession for music.  In her world, music is LIFE!  You can find Ke'Ira writing (song and theatre), producing, rehearsing with her band Fy'Nully, recording, performing, but most importantly, continually striving for success.  Through her company KDL Produktionz LLC, you can expect to engage in music that brings you back to 90s R&B. Her stage plays, which incorporates original music, will make you feel every emotion possible.

My name is Edna J. Patterson-Petty and I am a life-long resident of East St. Louis, IL. I am a graduate of SIU-Edwardsville, with a BFA in Studio art and a MFA in Textile arts and a MA in Art Therapy. Although I am more known for my fabric art quilts, I also enjoy creating assemblage art using a variety of found and discarded objects, as well creating personal/public mosaic art and mosaic sculptures. 

Dr. Treasure Shields Redmond is a poet, novelist, master educator, community arts organizer, and culture keeper. She is the author of chop: a collection of kwansabas for Fannie Lou Hamer (2015). Dr. Redmond is the founder of The Community Archive, a nonprofit where she teaches communities how to collect their elders’ oral histories.

Founder & Executive Director, The Community Archive

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Poet/Host/Brand Ambassador/Actress/Co-Founder of Melting of the Minds open mic & Asa Sistas art group since 2017.

A part of the creative art and spoken word group Asa Sistas. Working and building a fashion centered brand. 

Bobby “Phree” Williams Jr is a multidisciplinary creative  hailing from Alton, IL. From fashion to public speaking. Creativity is always connected to his expression. He channels his creativity through his spoken word poetry, hosting, public speaking, and visual arts by way of painting on anything he feels connected to. His work is vulnerable, and thought provoking. As a member of the nationally ranked St. Louis Poetry SLAM team, he has toured throughout the country performing in various cities. He is featured in the film, Poetry in Motion: St. Louis Poets Take the Mic.  

Jaye P Willis is a poet, playwright, author, and community activist from East St Louis, Illinois. Her poetry has been published in several anthologies, including DrumVoices Revue v17 (SIUE), Crossing The Divide (Vagabond), Valley Voices (Mississippi Valley State University), and Merge Literary Magazine. Her book, The Pandemic Prophet - The Legacy of Reginald E Petty , was published in 2022. Jaye currently serves on numerous boards and is the Executive Director of the East St Louis Historical Society. 

Jered R. Willis is a freelance nature and architectural photographer from St. Clair County, Illinois.  Jered is a graduate of Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois with an A.A. and A.F.A. and a graduate of Webster University - St. Louis, with a B.A. in Communications, Studio Photography. His work has been featured in art shows in Illinois and Missouri, most notably at the May Art Gallery at Webster University.  Jered held the first solo art show at the House of Miles in East St. Louis. He is best known for nature photography. His artwork graced the cover of the Bulletin periodical of the Missouri Botanical Garden.  He is also credited with photos in the I Am East St. Louis magazine.