Amelia Langford is a leading illustrator, graphic designer, and visual arts educator with a focus in drawing, painting and art exploration. Langford is the creator of the “The Treasure Hunt Project”, a mural and illustration series inspired by local ecosystems, community history, folklore and biological connections. Her technical, mark making is driven through detailed pen and ink work from the smallest tip of her pen to the largest stroke of paint on a scaling wall. Every mark is made with a purpose to unfold a story into the light. Langford has continued to expand this project nationwide; including artist residencies at Grin City Art Collective in Grinnell, Iowa and The Rensing Center in Pickens, South Carolina. Langford has designed for several clients such as Capital One, New Normal Apparel Company, Perfectly Translated, Musician; Hozier, Lava Labs, Wapsipinicon Almanac, Biologist: Sean Sutor, Rockin Baby Slings, Germany’s Bake My Day, Glasgow, Scotland’s Mayor Stubbs, and more. In addition, she is the world map illustrator behind author’s Sean Mitchell’s paperback novel, “Might & Majesty: Baptism by Fire” and three published Richmond Young Writers children's books. She has been in several solo and group exhibitions throughout the nation including: “Natural Wonder II” Clemson City Hall, Clemson, South Carolina; “6x6”, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, New York; “Comic Art Anthology”, Suffolk Art Gallery, Suffolk, Virginia; “New & Old”, The Parliament Arts Organization, York, Pennsylvania. Langford’s solo exhibition and clothing line, “The Hunt” was released at New Normal Apparel in 2014 and she was recently an exhibiting mural artist in the Virginia Museum of History and Culture's Fresh Paint 2018-2019 Exhibition. Langford has been recognized for her professionalism, design work, community art engagement and has received several awards and publications. www.amelialangford.com Instagram: @ameliablairlangford facebook.com/ameli

Jacque Minarik obtained a BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Polytechnic Institute 1997 and a Master of Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1999. She has been teaching art to students in JK-12 for 19 years. One of her passions is teaching students to love and appreciate art and watching them express their creativity through the arts. Jacque pursued National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in 2005 and is currently a NBCT. She served as President of the Central Region Art Education Association and on the Virginia Art Education Association from 2006-2009 and is a member of the NAEA. In 2005, she was awarded the National Southeastern Art Educator of the year from the National Art Education Association. Currently, she serves on the Teacher’s Advisory Council at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and teaches art at Saint Catherine’s where she also chairs the Garden Club. In 2009, she was awarded the Dillon-Barnett Teaching Grant to travel and study in Nazca and Cuzco, Peru. In 2016 she was awarded a sabbatical to trek the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain and to donate her students’ art to nursing homes and hospitals across the Eastern United States. She is excited to join the VisArts team this summer!