ARTS FACULTY
Brandon Chambers, Visual Art Teacher
Brandon Chambers is a visual artist committed to a multidisciplinary practice. He uses art as a vessel to document and preserve his grappling with the human condition and its effects on lived experience. He does this abstractly by engaging in the creative act in varying contexts and observing himself, the process and results to draw conclusions and insights about existing. Brandon’s most recent interest is in the idea of virtual reality, not just as an emerging technology, but as a philosophical concept tracing back to Plato’s Cave and the question of how information and our perceptions shape our reality and how we live with uncertainty about the nature of reality. Brandon received his BA in Studio Art from the University of Maryland and an MFA from the University of Minnesota.
Zamara M. Cuyún Grimm, Visual Arts Teacher Zamara received a BA Anthropology U of MN, and has completed 2 years of Graduate Studies in Anthropology at U of Penn. A self-trained muralist, Zamara uses elements of Guatemalan and Maya history, ideology and iconography while focusing on the strength of women in community building. Recent public art projects include St. Paul City Council Chambers, La Mexicana Supermarket (funded through an Early Career Artist Project grant from Forecast Public Arts). Zamara also serves on the leadership committee for Serpentina Arts, a Latinx Visual Artists Organization.
Murah Hsiung, Instrumental Music Teacher Murah Hsiung is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance. She is currently the associate principal violist of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and plays with several orchestras including the Quad City Symphony and Mississippi Valley Orchestra. Murah is the current Head Music Librarian at Minnesota Youth Symphonies where she enjoys music preparation, coaching sectionals and interacting with students. She has a passion for cooking and enjoys traveling.
Alice Paige, Creative Writing Teacher Alice Paige is an author, teaching artist and performer from Chicago. She received her B.Sci in Biology from Iowa State University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. She is a Loft Mentor series Fellow and a Digital Pedigogical Lab Fellow. Her work can be found in American Precariat, Freezeray Poetry, Coffin Bell and other strange journals.
Aaron Preusse, Theatre Teacher Aaron is the Founder of the Fake Fighting Company, a stunt and stage combat company based in Minnesota. He is a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors. In addition, Aaron received honors of Advanced Gold with Recommendation from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. He has served as Fight Director for over 25 productions at the Guthrie Theater. He has been the Fight Director for Children’s Theatre Company and their Theatre Arts Training Senior and Junior Intensives, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Minnesota Opera, Commonweal Theatre Company, Park Square Theatre , as well as many other theatres, universities and film projects in the region. Aaron has taught for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, the University of Minnesota, Concordia University of St. Paul, the Minnesota Thespian Festival, along with many other institutions. Aaron is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. More info can be found at www.fakefighting.com.
Matthew Vinge, Instrumental Music Teacher Matthew is a classical/fingerstyle guitarist and music educator based in downtown St. Paul and the southwest metro. He studied music communications at Normandale Community College and attended the University of Minnesota after receiving the John Chatterton Guitar Schoolarship to study music and classical guitar performance. He has been awarded participation in master classes with some of the world’s top classical guitar performances such as Scott Tennant, Xuefei Yang, Marco Tamayo and Odair Assad. On the weekend, you will find him performing in local cafes around downtown St. Paul or the southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities. When he is not teaching or performing, he is out in nature with his ukulele, chasing and potographing the aurora borealis in the Minnesota northwoods.
Zamara M. Cuyún Grimm, Visual Arts Teacher Zamara received a BA Anthropology U of MN, and has completed 2 years of Graduate Studies in Anthropology at U of Penn. A self-trained muralist, Zamara uses elements of Guatemalan and Maya history, ideology and iconography while focusing on the strength of women in community building. Recent public art projects include St. Paul City Council Chambers, La Mexicana Supermarket (funded through an Early Career Artist Project grant from Forecast Public Arts). Zamara also serves on the leadership committee for Serpentina Arts, a Latinx Visual Artists Organization.
Murah Hsiung, Instrumental Music Teacher Murah Hsiung is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance. She is currently the associate principal violist of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and plays with several orchestras including the Quad City Symphony and Mississippi Valley Orchestra. Murah is the current Head Music Librarian at Minnesota Youth Symphonies where she enjoys music preparation, coaching sectionals and interacting with students. She has a passion for cooking and enjoys traveling.
Alice Paige, Creative Writing Teacher Alice Paige is an author, teaching artist and performer from Chicago. She received her B.Sci in Biology from Iowa State University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. She is a Loft Mentor series Fellow and a Digital Pedigogical Lab Fellow. Her work can be found in American Precariat, Freezeray Poetry, Coffin Bell and other strange journals.
Aaron Preusse, Theatre Teacher Aaron is the Founder of the Fake Fighting Company, a stunt and stage combat company based in Minnesota. He is a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors. In addition, Aaron received honors of Advanced Gold with Recommendation from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. He has served as Fight Director for over 25 productions at the Guthrie Theater. He has been the Fight Director for Children’s Theatre Company and their Theatre Arts Training Senior and Junior Intensives, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Minnesota Opera, Commonweal Theatre Company, Park Square Theatre , as well as many other theatres, universities and film projects in the region. Aaron has taught for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, the University of Minnesota, Concordia University of St. Paul, the Minnesota Thespian Festival, along with many other institutions. Aaron is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. More info can be found at www.fakefighting.com.
Matthew Vinge, Instrumental Music Teacher Matthew is a classical/fingerstyle guitarist and music educator based in downtown St. Paul and the southwest metro. He studied music communications at Normandale Community College and attended the University of Minnesota after receiving the John Chatterton Guitar Schoolarship to study music and classical guitar performance. He has been awarded participation in master classes with some of the world’s top classical guitar performances such as Scott Tennant, Xuefei Yang, Marco Tamayo and Odair Assad. On the weekend, you will find him performing in local cafes around downtown St. Paul or the southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities. When he is not teaching or performing, he is out in nature with his ukulele, chasing and potographing the aurora borealis in the Minnesota northwoods.
