Meet the artists from “Awakenings…”

DADSON BAND (performers)
A spiritual dad and son indie rock duo that focuses on inspiring lyrics and melodies through years of playing together. Adam Love, the singer and guitarist has been developing his songwriting and guitar playing throughout his life, sharing his continuing journey through his music. As for his son, Lionel Wadsworth, he has contributed to this beautiful and grounding way of music and life by adding his part of drums and groove to his dads already peaceful and rockin’ flow. They have both been playing together for about 5 years, but earlier this year decided to take it seriously, and continue to share their journeys with the world through music and daily life.

We are shoring up a website right now, with an EPK and all that good stuff. Thanks so much !!

Nicole Findra (artist and vendor) has always had trouble fitting into boxes. Please don’t try to ask “what kind of artist is she?” Because there isn’t really a good answer for that. It’s ALL art, intuitive and free, while refreshing her mind and spreading beautiful seeds of wonder across the world!

She asks that you just enjoy her work for what it is and ask yourself what it means to you, how does it make you feel, what do you see, does it remind you of something or someone? Do you think that piece might look better turned 90 degrees to the left? That’s ok! Take it home and hang it that way!

DO you want to touch it? Go ahead, that’s part of it, it’s a multi sensory experience!  Really let yourself go. Feel the energy of the pieces, feel yourself in the moment. See you at the show!

Christopher Berlino (artist and curator) is the principal photographer & founder of Inner Lite Photography. Originally a Studio Art major in college on Long Island where he was raised, his artistic expertise at the time was painting and sculpture. In 2001, he took a serious interest in photography and avidly began part time work as a publicity/press & event photographer for an Off Broadway Theatrical Production Company here in New York City. Chris has since expanded his experience, expertise, and photographic services full time, serving the NYC-tri state area and beyond in all areas of digital photography from glamour, to weddings, red carpet/VIP events, acting/modeling portfolios, to travel and photo journalism. He has traveled the world from Europe to Australia honing his craft and he LOVES what he does.

Roxanne Nadia Schulman (artist) is a visual artist from Florida. She enjoys drawing and painting. Her favorite mediums include acrylic paint, watercolor, and gouache. Recent subjects of her art include pet portraits, plants and flowers, and her eye pattern series. She also creates digital designs for laser cutting and is a hula hoop maker. Finding herself in the midst of the creative process and expressing different aspects of herself is her favorite thing about art. Visit her website here…

My name is Jose Ramon Espinar Rota, (artist) but my artistic name is Espinaro. I am a Senior Automotive Technician from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and I have worked on the best car brands in Europe, South America and the United States. I have been a self-taught plastics artist for twenty years. I had a period of inactivity but now I am back in the creative process that makes  human creativity so fulfilling! My dream is to be a professional artist full time. I am passionate about art in general and my way of creating is using my imagination to implement colors and artistic styles. I was born in Olesa de Montserrat near Barcelona (Catalonia-Spain-Europe).

Growing up in New York City, Geobani Rodriguez (artist) was heavily influenced by the graffiti of the 90’s. After studying psychology at Boston University, Geo continued to use art as a medium for self-expression and enrolled in classes at the School of Visual Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where he developed traditional artistic techniques. He honed skills completing murals with spray paint at places like 5 Pointz and the Bushwick Collective. He continued in the mural arts scene later while in the Boston area completing various projects including murals for the Boston MFA’s Juneteenth celebrations.  Birds, most often pigeons, and increasingly fish play a central role in many of his works, which often explore surreal themes like time, memory, and love.

Elise Maurine (artist and curator) is firstly a word artist, as she is an Off Broadway playwright and theatrical producer who has ‘curated’ over 350 performances from her 16 full scale plays and musicals she has written. Among her many other jobs on site for her theater productions, one of her additional passions… set design and creating ART for her sets. She is also a metaphysical Wiccan practitioner who creates spiritual curios of all kinds. Her favorite kind of art to create is acrylic paintings blended with images and pastel colors, sometimes mixing in words and poetry. Art is a form of therapy for her and is a huge advocate for freedom of expression – art is soul baring for her and she is not afraid to show people that depth through creative expression and through theater. Visit her website at www.HangingCowProductions.com

Christie Latino (artist and hostess) is a multi media artist and creator. Originally from Connecticut, Christie channels and expresses herself and her appreciation of art inspired by her Native American roots. Having a passion for nature and animals, her art often speaks to the details in observing the beauty around her. She loves to create in all mediums; acrylic, sculpture, wood working, photography, and her favorite, charcoal. She loves to create custom furniture and accessories, home decor, dream catchers, paintings, drawings, and much more! Christie now uses art for therapy and to induce peace and calm, but years ago her art was featured in her hometown in advertising campaigns where she won awards. She now creates art for mostly her own personal fulfillment and as gifts for others. This is her first show in 20 years and she is excited to share her work with the town of Peekskill!

I am twenty-eight year old Dylan O’Reilly, (artist) a self taught artist from New York. As long as I could remember, I have been fascinated with art. I grew up watching the classic Disney animations and then later my attention drew towards comics and graphic novels. As the years changed so did their styles. Though one thing that never changed was my love for it all. When I was in school, I was always getting in trouble for doodling in class, and now I doodle for a living. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my work! Visit my website here…

Christina Nardulli (artist) is originally from Yonkers, NY and after getting married, moved up to Yorktown Heights, NY where she lives with her husband of 28 years and her two amazing sons.  Christina took a liking to art from a young age where she loved to draw freehand.  She would pick a page from a coloring book and draw it.  She took art throughout high school which is where she created most of her pieces.  They range from watercolor, pencil, pastel and ink.  At the age of 15, her mom signed her up for painting lessons once a week, where she would pick a picture of something she wanted to paint on a blank canvas.  Here is where she found her love of oil painting.  Most of her oil paintings were done between the ages of 15-17 years old.  She hasn’t picked up a brush or pencil since then.  Her new love of art comes in the form of marketing for her real estate business.  She is a full-time real estate salesperson with Keller Williams Realty Partners in Baldwin Place, New York.  She helps buyers and sellers in Northern Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties.  Her love of creating art can be seen in her real estate marketing pieces, where she likes to think outside the box to fit her own personal style. 

Max Russel’s (artist) primary focus is portraits with an emphasis on texture and emotion. Detail and shading can completely transform the mood and meaning of a piece. He does drawings, paintings, ceramics, and he is from Carmel, NY

Jonathan Ray Buie Jr. (artist) is from Newburgh NY. He is a member of the Bricklayers and Allies Craftworkers Local 1 by day and an acrylic painter by night. As an artist he tries to deliver beautiful art that speaks to people, giving them hope and happiness.

Samantha Mileski (performer) is so excited to be performing at this year’s festival. She is co-owner of Epiphany Shakespeare Company and would like to thank her wonderful cast for coming out and bringing their talent to this years art festival. Previous acting credits include Rebel Without a Cause (Judy), Jekyll and Hyde (Lucy), Into the Woods (Rapunzel), The Drowsey Chaperone (Kitty), The Music Man (Ensemble), Lend me a Tenor (Diana), Clue (Yvette), Hamlet (Ophelia), The Three Stooges (Larry), The Magical Lamp of Aladdin (Jasmine), Murder Cafe (Becky), The Play That Goes Wrong (Saundra), Macbeth (Lady Macduff/ 3rd Witch), Rumpelstiltskin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Game of Clones (Nun), and Hung up Games (Katniss Everdeen), she recently made her Off Broadway debut in Angels Among Us as (Maddie). Film Credits include A Coffee House (Shawna), Killer Campout (Stacy), RIP (Petite), Her Phobia (Eliza), An Angry Boy, The Adults and Pretty Little Liars (Original Sin), Ebenezer Scrooge (Bell), The Vord (Cleaning Lady), Barbie (Lexi). She is also an award winning Special Effects Makeup Artist working on over 50 productions throughout her career. Agedbloodfx.com

Epiphany Shakespeare Co. (performance company) is so excited to be a part of this year’s Art Festival. We are a traveling theatre company putting on classic Shakespeare productions with a pop culture twist. We are run by 5-Time Broadway World Award Winner for best director & actor, Joshuah Patriarco and internationally acclaimed artist in the film industry, Samantha Mileski. We are comprised of some of the finest classical actors in Central NY, and seek to bring a riveting, one of a kind theatrical experience to all of our audiences. We always strive to hit the sweet spot between crowd pleasing entertainment & high artistic achievement. We have two upcoming productions that you won’t want to miss: Macbeth: Galaxy of Blood is a haunting new Mashup of the classic thriller with iconic Star Wars characters…& Romeo and Juliet: A Classic Hollywood Musical, is a new spin on the iconic romance as told (and sung) by the golden age of movie stars, including Marilyn Monroe and James Dean as the tragic lovers. You don’t want to miss these two amazing productions!!! Visit Epiphanyshakespeareco.com for tickets and more info!

Joshuah Patriarco (performer) and Artistic Director, Epiphany Shakespeare) He is a 5-Time BroadwayWorld Award Winner for his performances as Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden (Best Actor in a Musical, 2019), Oedipus/Donald Trump in Oedipus Rx (Best Actor in a Play & Best Actor in a Streaming Play, 2021), Dolly Parton in The Love Play (Best Supporting Actor, 2022), for his Production of “Gaslight” (Best Director of a Play, 2022). He is also the recipient of the Best Singer award in the 2021 NY Theater Festival for his Drag Queen Persona “Destiny Day-Licious” in “The Hamlet Experience”. NYC & Regional credits also include the title roles in Hamlet (2x), Jekyll & Hyde (2x), Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, Sunday in the Park With George, Sweeney Todd, Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, The Fool in King Lear & Tennessee Williams in Yellow to Lavender, among many others. As a proud member of SAG-AFTRA he has played everything from The Joker to Marilyn Monroe onscreen. He most recently directed, adapted & starred in Epiphany Shakespeare’s touring production of Hamlet: The Clown Prince.

Jake Proscia, (artist) is local and works primarily with micron pens. His subject matter over the last decade has involved everything from architecture, to tattoo designs, to abstract pieces. Except for faces. He never liked drawing faces. Currently, he’s been working in this abstract style as seen on display, which he originally explored 10 years ago, but opted for other styles until recently. No matter how he anticipates it coming out, it always differs which makes the long process worthwhile. The processes and final pieces can best be described by the words of Connor Fox Bow (@fox_bow_art), when he described it as “…expression and exploration and exhaustion and explosion.” You can find more of Jake’s work at @jake_proscia on Instagram.

Brianna Alvarado, (vendor) a proud native of New York, is a creative force who wears many hats. She is a skilled craftsperson, jewelry maker, and artisan of exquisite bath products and accessories. Her artistic journey has led her to become a self-published author as well. Driven by her passion for crafting, Brianna decided to enhance her entrepreneurial skills by returning to school for business. Armed with a blend of creativity and business acumen, she embarked on her journey to establish her own small artisan business. Brianna’s work reflects not only her artistic talents but also her commitment to creating unique, handcrafted items that leave a lasting impression. Whether through her jewelry, bath products, accessories, or captivating written words, Brianna’s creations are a testament to her dedication to the world of creative expression. Discover the world of artistry, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship with Brianna as she continues to bring her unique vision to life in the heart of the Mid Hudson Valley.

Tori Kraese (artist) began painting in 2018 while taking a class at Marymount Manhattan College taught by artist Timothy Hull. While she had only taken the class to fulfill a graduation requirement and had no prior painting experience, she had fallen in love after just 3 months of classes. Experiencing immense frustration on the day of her first still-life assignment – painting some white cubes in grey scale – she told Hull that she does not have the “artist’s eye”, and cannot comprehend how they portray shadow, dimension, and light. Hull simply responded “Just paint what you see” and from that moment, it all made sense.
Painting became more than a hobby in 2020 when Kraese, finding herself unemployed due to the pandemic, needed to get creative in order to pay the New York City rent. She advertised affordable commissions on social media and was able to pay her bills with money made off of her paintings.

This is Kraese’s first ever art show, and she is thrilled to be able to share her passion and hard work with the public.

NYC born & bred, Alex Moyano (artist) a.k.a. G3NiUS currently lives in Wappingers Falls, NY. A visual artist, music producer, & sound engineer Alex has a devotion to deepen their studies with a cosmic approach. (Majoring in) film in college and with an Audio Technology Diploma at SAE Institute has allowed Alex to build a strong foundation in artistic expression.
Interweaving their love for sound and visual aesthetics through seeing where these concepts bridge, Alex now utilizes these mediums to heal by rewiring thought and behavioral patterns, using frequency and visuals to harmonize both body and mind.

Maria Tavares (artist) first knew she was an artist when she was just six years old, telling her dad that she wanted to paint. In fact, at age eight she was offered a scholarship to go to art school in Mexico, but her parents could not afford the extra expenses and they needed her to stay home. However, Tavares was not deterred to continue painting. She used to paint in bakery shop store windows, where they would pay her in cookies. An interesting fact about Tavares is that she grew up in a household of sixteen children, whereas she was number fifteen. Tavares married when she was just sixteen, to a fifty-six year old man. He was very supportive of her and provided her with art materials. Tavares’ first husband passed away when she was in her
early thirties. Tavares married again, and it is with her second husband that she came to America. She and her husband currently reside in Somers.

Master Reiki Healer and Psychic Medium Zen Jen (vendor) is gifted with Clairsentience, Clairvoyance, Claircognizance, Clairaudience, and Clairgustance. Jen was always intuitive and aware of energy. Her mission on Earth is to help and is in every way so grateful for her gifts. She is eager to heal everyone and shows no judgment. Her empathy is not limited to just humans, but all beings. Jen took numerous courses in Mediumship, Reiki, Astrology, Dreams, Chinese Medicine, Chakras, Crystals, and Connecting with Angels. Jen is certified in Reiki 1, Reiki 2, and Hypnosis. She is a certified Reiki Master, White Light Healer, Master Healer, and Angel Quest Practitioner. She has also dabbled in Shamanism and Kundalini Yoga. Jen went from being a victim, to a survivor, to being a warrior. Through spirituality and guidance.

In 2014, Jen founded Jen’s Healing Energy Inc with the goal to help heal the world and continue to bring peace and love through spiritual healing. Jen’s dedication has paid off, and her gifts are now recognized. She was invited to appear on Staten Island TV as a co-host and guest on “Soulmate Talk.”, “Spiritual Exploration”, and “God’s Way”. Jen has maintained a large following on her Instagram, @JensHealingEnergy, where she spreads love and light.

For Patrick Abanathy, (artist) photographer/writer, a disposable camera made him realize his passion to capture and accentuate life’s wonderful moments and beauty through the lens of a camera. Following high school, he went on to minor in photography at Murray State University as a compliment to his major in print journalism. Following graduation in 2002, he was lucky enough to be able to apply both his major and minor as a reporter/photographer for a small town newspaper in Yerington, Nevada where he took award-winning pictures for the paper. He currently owns
hos own studio and photography business, AbanathyPhotography.com

Sky is a visual artist! She practices painting, drawing, photography and occasionally ceramics. Sky is mainly inspired by what she sees around her in the city while going about her everyday life! Street fashion, graffiti, landscape and the architectures of Manhattan are just a few sources of her inspiration. The life she tries to live to its fullest constantly provides her with a flow of creativity to build upon her interests in the art world. She loves to document the people in her life which manifests across all mediums she invests time into. Sky has a realistic style approach to her work but often loves to add exaggerated elements to achieve an overall dream-like effect.


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