Our Artists — Cru Arts and Culture

Jadie Meprivert

Brooklyn-based artist Jadie Meprivert was born in the Dominican Republic. She has taught high school while showcasing my work at Hunter College, Wall-works, The Lower East-side Girl's Club, Online Galleries with the Bronx ArtSpace and The Lehman College Gallery. She has also had the honor of performing at The Apollo’s Amateur Night. More recently she was showcased in Buzzfeed's article "13 Latino Artists Creating Impact Within Their Culture'' for Latin heritage month.

She has filmed a documentary series as part of a residency program with The Bronx ArtSpace in Governor’s Island called “The Hope in Us.” I was also a recipient of Chashama’s yearly Studio Residency Program, “Space to Connect.”

Chris Fox

Chris Fox is an illustrator and writer from Rock Hill, SC. He’s been drawing and writing since he was a kid. So when it came time to decide what to study at Winthrop University, the choices were obvious: Spanish with a minor in Religion and Philosophy. After college, he rediscovered his love for these mediums as ways to express visually and in prose the ideas and concepts that engage his imagination.

Laurie Horvath

Laurie Horvath (aka LA Chandlar) is the National Best-selling author of the ART DECO MYSTERY SERIES with Kensington Publishing featuring Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and a fresh take on the innovation and liveliness of 1930s New York City. Her debut novel, The Silver Gun released in 2017, followed by the sequel, Agatha Award nominated, Silver Falchion Award Finalist, The Gold Pawn. Book 3, The Pearl Dagger releases 2019. A Michigander by birth, Laurie has been living and writing in New York City for 17 years and has been speaking for a wide variety of audiences for over 20 years. She is also a member of the Sisters in Crime National Speakers Bureau and her talks range from NYC history, the psychology of creativity, and the history of holiday traditions. Laurie has worked in PR for General Motors, writes and fund-raises for a global nonprofit, is the mother of two boys, and has toured the nation managing a rock band. She loves vintage cocktails and despises thwarted love and raisins.

Rasheeda Winfield

Rasheeda Winfield is the consummate multi-hyphenate, navigating the creative industries with curiosity, excellence, and grit. As a seasoned storyteller with over a decade of news and entertainment production experience, she has produced and developed countless hours of content for major TV broadcast, cable and digital networks including NBCUniversal, OWN, and FOX. She served as an executive producer for the feature-length documentary film, Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom (Our Daily Bread Media) and as producer for In Her Element, a short film directed by Idil Ibrahim and accepted into the Queen Collective, a Tribeca Studios initiative aimed at increasing the gender and racial equality of directors working in both entertainment and advertising.

Born and raised in New York, Rasheeda holds a Master of Arts in Public Communication and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Media Studies and Visual Arts (double major) from Fordham University.

Danni Peace

Danni Peace is a genre bending Pop artist who weaves R&B and Rock. Her powerful vocals and gentle demeanor have been enjoyed by throughout the country.

In 2017 Danni released The Odyssey, a 5 song project focused on exploring life, loss, and love. The project received local recognition leading to a Homey Award nomination by WSTW 93.7FM, appearances on ABC27 and Citizen’s Bank Park. She made her national debut on Good Morning America to promote American Idol.

Danni’s music can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, and most streaming services.

Phyllis Thomas

Phyllis Thomas’ art-making is an intentional process combining conceptual and thematic images which begin with a thoughtful response to an object, circumstance, nature, book, biblical text or music. More often than not it is a spiritual meditation inspired by biblical texts informed by dictionaries, commentaries and historical research. She keeps obliterating shapes until she finds the bare elements that translate and summarize her personal insights through note-taking, observation and sketches. Almost iconic in essence, Phyllis’ work becomes a symbol or sign extracted from the words she has read and studied. Her primary mediums are fluid acrylics and watercolor on paper, canvas or board. The renderings are often enhanced with stitched thread, embossing and gold or silver leaf which have the effect of slowing her down and taught her to reflect on the piece as she works.

Alyssa Rodriguez

Alyssa believes art transforms lives and unites us all in Christ through restoring beauty to the oppressed and marginalized.

Over the last seven years, Alyssa’s gifting in art has impacted social change in human trafficking relief and revealing the beauty of the Gospel through hope. Alyssa developed programming and continues to research using art to prevent sexual abuse in children and adolescence, as well as to bring restoration for those already abused. Her work has been done not only in the United States, but also in India and Mexico. Alyssa, her husband, and son Caleb currently reside in the mountains of Colorado.

Alyssa also equips artists in focus areas like art & awareness, advocacy and policy, community development, art healing and trauma informed care, and hospitality. She has a masters in Art Leadership and Cultural Management from Colorado State University and her undergraduate degree in Ecclesiastical Art & Studio Art from Concordia University Nebraska.

Kelly Bradway

As a musician herself, she is intimately aware of the hardships that musicians experience. The pressures of performing, exhaustion from life on the road, separation from friends and family, and constant income instability take their toll on a musician’s heart, mind and body. Though these struggles existed long before COVID, the pandemic made things even worse, negatively impacting the mental health of 70% of music professionals. Saddened by the depth of their pain, she sees the struggles with addiction, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, financial insecurity and loneliness permeated their stories.

Mary Beth Minnis

A friend’s story brought Mary Beth into the world of documentary filmmaking. What started with a desire to tell that story, became a true passion for her. Mary Beth has worked on several feature length and short documentaries including producing Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story with Director Jacob Hamilton and executive producing the documentary alongside Steph Curry. In 2018, Mary Beth produced Unforgivable with Director/Producer Giosue Petrone which made its world premiere in Florence, Italy, its African premiere at the Kigali Convention Center in Rwanda and its US premiere at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

In 2016, Mary Beth associate produced Mama Rwanda with Director Laura Waters Hinson, which chronicles two Rwandan women entrepreneurs who prevailed over extreme poverty in the shadow of genocide. In 2015, Mary Beth associate produced Imba Means Sing with Director Danielle Bernstein and Producer Erin Bernhardt. In 2013, Mary Beth produced Return to Mogadishu: Remembering Black Hawk Down with Director Matt Knighton, which documents Army Best Ranger Jeff Struecker’s first trip back to the scene of the Battle of Mogadishu since the firefight twenty years ago.

In 2021, Mary Beth executive produced REFUGE with Director/Producers Erin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship.

Most recently, Rasool Berry invited Mary Beth to work alongside him on Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom, a feature length documentary directed by Ya'Ke Smith and produced by Our Daily Bread Voices Collection. She is also an Executive Producer on the accompanying soundtrack: Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom (original motion picture soundtrack)

Mary Beth is thrilled to have been a part of presenting these films to audiences around the world. While she appreciatesthe glowing receptions ofthe documentaries and the international attention they have received, it is the sparking of hope and the beginning of importantconversations with life-changing consequences that keeps Mary Beth in the documentary film world.

Sasha and Sarah Hallock

They live and work in Brooklyn, New York. With an Iranian father and American mother, Sasha’s paintings speak to this “bringing together,” of disparate pieces to create an object of beauty.

Geometric forms, vibrant colors, odd textures and sculptural landscapes populate his paintings. Fueled by the joy of seeing two objects connect, each painting is the result of meticulous building, one line, shape, and color in relationship with the next. Hallock uses a unique abstract language to tap into themes of play, joy and faith.

Sasha is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and Sarah is a graduate of Syracuse University.

Abby Thompson

Abby Thompson is an Emmy Award Winning voiceover artist, storyteller, and teaching artist. Abby has won an Emmy for her voiceover on PBS’s Muhammad Ali Documentary Program Promotion Campaign. She has performed, written, and directed social justice, devised, immersive, and youth theater. Her performance credits include Albany Park Theatre Project, Filament, and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and teaching credits include Northlight, Steppenwolf, and Storycatchers Theatre. She is currently a performer in Albany Park Theatre Project's production of Port of Entry and CAMP Store's Bluey Pop Up Production! Abby is a spoken word poet and has a desire to work on empowering art that engages the community. She also works to create, meet, and journey with arts students at Columbia College Chicago spiritually. In her free time, she can be found salsa dancing or traveling the world.

Alexius Alldrin

Alexius is a Wardrobe Stylist based in Berkeley California. She finds inspiration through the Bay's unique expressions of culture and individuality. She recieved her undergraduate degree in Apperal Design & Merchandising where she discovered her passion for creative collaboration and storytelling through clothing and photo studio art direction. She has gotten to rub shoulders with some of the fashion industry's most talented, models, photographers, designers and hair/makeup artists in the Bay Area and believes these artists have the unique ability to express not only the culture of the times but God's Image through individuality and personhood to the world. Aside from her love for being on fashion sets, she has also found joy in becoming certified as an enneagram teacher as well as learning new forms of art expression and movement through yoga and ceramics.