Stories that connect art and discovery

I joined the Northern Arizona State University (NAU) Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program as an Instructor in July of 2015. I was an Occupational Therapy Assistant Instructor at Brown Mackie College (BMC) since October of 2013. I hold a Doctorate Degree in Education in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from AT Still University. Before joining NAU, I worked as an OT in various settings, which included outpatient/inpatient adult and pediatric, school setting, infant/toddler home health, and rehabilitation facilities. I have been a fieldwork educator for over three years supervising OT and OTA students.

Reeves’ practice is multifaceted, but is always grounded in the medium of light and energy. By using light, space, collaboration, and immersive environments, Reeves strives to make room for openness and magic in a world that is increasingly disenchanted.

Manisha Thakkar, MD, is a pediatrician, educator, artist, and entrepreneur. A Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Arizona–Phoenix and AT Still University, she has served communities for 25+ years, mentoring future physicians and advocating for children’s health with a philosophy that “new possibilities arise from impossible tasks.”

Mark Pomilio’s current research has focused on creating images, which embody principles of geometry, fractals, cloning and single cell manipulation. These interests have led to invitations to lecture nationally on topics as diverse as art and mathematics and the role the visual arts can play, in understanding the social ramifications of advances in the Life Sciences. His artwork has been featured in solo museum and gallery exhibitions nationally and internationally, including Luxehill Museum in Chengdu, China, Xu Beihong Art Academy, Renmin University of China, in Beijing, the Chapelle Saint-Louis de la Salapetriere, in Paris, France, and Art Resources Transfer, in New York City. Originally from Philadelphia, Mr. Pomilio is currently living and working in Phoenix, Arizona. Where he is a Professor of Painting and Drawing within the School of Art, at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

As both an artist and a storyteller, Marshall Shore creates and shares narratives that blend performance, visual art, and community memory. His work transforms overlooked stories into interactive experiences, bridging the gap between past and present, and reminding audiences that history is alive all around us.

Mary Lucking works primarily as a public artist, creating artworks that help people explore and understand the environments and communities where they live. Her work ranges from large-scale, permanent artworks to temporary interactive installations, and includes art incorporated into walking trails, transit stations, and neighborhood parks. She also maintains a private studio practice, where she works with media and themes that don’t fit well into the structure of public art, such as small-scale work inspired by philosophical questions and emotional tensions. Her studio art is based in cloisonné — a meticulous craft where multiple layers of vitreous enamel are melted into finely-wrought wire designs.