Carly Duran-Marrero

Radicle Online Business Management
Buddy since 2023

How were you creative as a kid?

I loved making fairy garden with moss, flowers, pebbles, and sticks! Nature was my medium as kiddo!

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I love crafts and working with brilliant kiddos!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

My Art Buddy made a gorgeous microphone to turn everything around into flowers when she sings into it!

This program is a wonderful way to connect professional in the Twin Cities and to support young folx in making their hopes a reality!

Barret Lee

Fine Artist/Illustrator
Buddy since 2023

How were you creative as a kid?

I was! Always have been on the creative side. Was lucky enough to have parents that were and still are very supportive of my creative path in life.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I enjoy helping out with art related volunteer work when I have the time. I also thought about becoming a teacher for a period in my life so art buddies is a perfect fill in for that desire.

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

Just how powerful a kids imagination is. You can take a piece of cardboard and hot glue and really take a kid to a whole new world in there mind. My art buddy Tave loved making all kinds of accessories for our lizard monster and they were all as real as could be in his mind. It's a shame that creative imagination fades away in most adults.

Alexandra Motz

Pastry Chef, Artist
Donor, Mentor since 2019

How were you creative as a kid?

Art class was my favorite. I grew up in an artistic community in southern WI. Once I got to high school the only classes I was interested in were cooking and the arts!

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I love the imagination and creativity children have!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

My buddy and I had a great conversation while creating our “All Are Welcome” sign. My buddy has such a goofy, thoughtful, and creative mind!

Alex Guerrero

Business Development Specialist, Asmodee Games
Mentor since 2019

How were you creative as a kid?

I used to build garages, gas stations, and car washes for my Hotwheels.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I wanted to share something valuable with my community, I think time is valuable so I wanted to share my time and it was a great decision.

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

Walking with my buddy and looking at his happy face, paid off all the hours we spent designing and putting together the costume.

If you were a Super Buddy, who would you be?

Mr. Glitter-a-thor, with the ability to turn anything shiny

“If you have some free time, make a commitment to Art Buddies. You will never regret it, you will enjoy it and will come back looking to be part of another session.”

Lauren Olson

Digital Director at KARE 11
Mentor since 2020

How were you creative as a kid?

I shot and edited videos with my friends as a kid, took countless photos, and was always doodling, drawing or painting.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

To give back to the community in a meaningful way. Creative outlets were everything to me growing up, and continue to be. I am thrilled to have this opportunity and love spending time on writing my Penpal letters to my little buddy each week!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

Receiving my first postcard during the Penpal program was awesome!

If you were a Super Buddy, who would you be?

Rescue Gal! My superpower would be placing every shelter dog in a loving home.

Duccio Mondanelli

Special Education Teacher
Mentor since 2020

How were you creative as a kid?

I liked to write stories featuring my D&D characters!

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

Someone special recommended the program to me!

If you were a Super Buddy, who would you be?

I would be Super Dork, master of dad jokes and nerdy things. My power would include turning everything into a dad joke, knowing all the references to nerd culture, and always having a d20 on me at any time.

Brookley Wofford Topel

Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Mentor, Advisory Board Member, SUPER BUDDY since 2014

How were you creative as a kid?

I loved creating and illustrating stories, pencil, charcoal, and stippling were always interesting mediums to me (I was all about “shadowing”), mixed media artwork using natural materials was my go-to gift for all occasions, and redecorating spaces while adding unwarranted splashes of color were also my jam (so don’t worry parents, sometimes those early “skill developments” can turn into fruitful hobbies)!

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

As a child grieving the loss of a parent and navigating an ADHD -+ dyslexia diagnosis, I found art to have significant healing and confidence-boosting “powers.” Art Buddies instills the ability for kids to tap into that same “power” regardless of their life circumstances!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

The transformations that occur over a semester’s time are always so fun to watch! From a timid child slowly heading over to meet their new ‘buddy,’ to an enthusiastic ball of confidence on stage sharing with the entire program why they crafted their costume. Even as a PenPal this semester I still found those nuggets of confidence being built, sparks of creativity, and the ability to communicate some of the important messages I believe art has to teach us all (self-expression, being vulnerable in sharing your story so you may help others, problem-solving, remaining positive through life’s changes and dreaming big)!

Dawoon Jeong

Elementary Education Student
Buddy since 2023

How were you creative as a kid?

To be honest, I wasn’t very creative. During Art Buddies, my buddy was always more creative than me. So I just tried to encourage his creativity! I helped him to glue the materials, tie the costume, and cut the fabric so that he could make his creative thoughts into reality.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I was looking for a fun, energetic, and exciting volunteer job in the education field. And being an Art Buddies Mentor was perfect job for me!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

Wearing a couple of items with my little buddy! My buddy made me an adorable hat which was the same as his. Taking a picture together with our hats is one of my unforgettable memories!

Stefany Stevens

Accountant by day, crochet artist by night
Buddy since 2023

How were you creative as a kid?

I have always loved being creative, I used to collect all kinds of hobbies. As a kid I loved building and making my own puzzles, photography was also a big hobby and when I was a teenager I taught myself how to crochet and that has stuck to this day.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I like the idea of inspiring young minds to use their creativity! Expressing creativity has always been important to me and the younger people start doing that, the better!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

Being paired up with a buddy who speaks only mostly Spanish reminded me of when I first arrived to the states and also spoke only Spanish. Like my buddy, I had friends who would translate for me and help communicate. It made me happy to see her have so much support!

If you were a Super Buddy, who would you be?

If I were a super buddy I would be WOOLverine! And have crochet hooks as blades on my hands. I’d help the community by crocheting blankets and warm things for anyone who needs them, pets and animals included!

Amanda Day

Actress and Voice Over Talent
Buddy since 2023

How were you creative as a kid?

I put on plays, wrote films, made costumes and wrote songs

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I wanted to be able to connect with kids in an encouraging and creative environment. I wanted to be able to nurture a young little soul and see if I could offer any compassion and inspiration.

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

I was gone for a session because I was out of the country and when I came back my little buddy looked at me with delight and said oh I thought you were never coming back and gave me a huge hug!

I just wish we could keep having a relationship with these little cuties!

Lora Hlavsa

Designer/Illustrator
Buddy Book illustrator, Mentor since 2020

How were you creative as a kid?

I think an easier question to answer would be "how weren't you creative?", haha! Growing up, my parents encouraged my brothers and me to spend our free time learning and being creative. Drawing and painting were something we did lots, and my grandma taught me how to play the piano. Eventually, as we got older, we became more interested in building things, like forts down by the creek near our house. Then, when we got into video games as preteens, I started my design "career" by using Microsoft Paint to design furniture and outfits for one of my computer games... all of these things really planted the seed that inspired me to pursue a creative career!

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

When I was a kid, we had a fantastic art docent program at my elementary school. Even though I was only 10 or 11, I thought it would be the best job ever to spend all day teaching kids about art. As I got older, though, my professional goals changed and I took different paths, but I still wanted to be involved with working with kids and creativity. Becoming an Art Buddies mentor has been such an inspiring and affirming experience that's allowed me to share in creativity with the next generation, and I am so grateful for the opportunities and support that the program provides to both students and mentors!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

The in-person event with the Luxton Learners in spring 2021 was so wonderful. After almost a whole year of being at home and feeling so isolated, it was amazing to gather with the other Pen Pal program participants on a beautiful May afternoon in Minneapolis and create some art together.

“I am so excited about this program and all the ways y'all support kids in our city. 💕”

Jaime Chismar

Freelance designer, photographer, founder of All Are Welcome Here
Donor, Mentor, Program Partner since 2004

How were you creative as a kid?

When I was a kiddo, I loved to write. I fell in love with graphic design and photography in college.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I love being creative and collaborating on projects with kiddos. They are fearless of a blank page -- and have such amazing and inspiring ideas!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

Hearing my buddy shout to his mom, "Mom, look! There's my art buddy! We have so much fun together."

Kolean Pitner

Retired Art School Professor
Donor, Mentor since 2012

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

To help young people to imagine a creative career. And to enjoy their company.

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

After talking about inspiring people in her community, my first buddy decided to become a Powerful Police Butterfly. What a delightful way to incorporate a real life hero (police officer) with what she really wanted to be (a butterfly)!

If you were a Super Buddy, who would you be?

The Bully Bandit. She fights meanness and hard-hearted people with her kindness spell and good humor.

Carly Caputa

Marketing Manager, Jungle Theater
Mentor since 2019

How were you creative as a kid?

I was always drawing. Always.

Why did you become an Art Buddies Mentor?

I think this organization is really special and is offering something so unique to our communities students. I was looking for unique volunteer opportunities that help the community in a creative way. I have always been passionate about keeping arts in our schools and being able to find an organization that did both was so thrilling!

Share a memorable moment from your time as a mentor.

When I met my first buddy. It is such a small thing, but we both thought bees were just the coolest and to this day it still makes me smile.

If you were a Super Buddy, who would you be?

Buzz Gal, Super speed that lets me work and help others at a faster-than-usual rate