Our team & Resident Artists

Here at Evanston Art Makers Outpost, we’re a creative and passionate bunch, dedicated to making our space fun, inviting, and inspiring for all.

If you’re interested in joining our incredible team of teachers, workshop facilitators, and resident artists, please reach out to val@artmakersoutpost.com for more information!

VALERIE KAHAN

*(She/Her)*
*Founder | Owner & Creative Director | RESIDENT ARTIST | ART FACILITATOR DIRECTOR*
As Founder/Owner & Creative Director of the Art Makers Outpost, Val believes in community collaboration as the essential ingredient to foster the next generation into socially and environmentally conscious artists and community members. Inspired by her two children, she serves as creative director for the space, doing all the behind the scenes building and launching as well as facilitating classes & workshops, co-curating the concert series, mentoring teen staff & interns and creating new offerings at AMO on the regular. Her vision to create an art space focused on imagination supported by the community to have a positive environmental and social impact that also serves the community comes to life at the Art Makers Outpost. Val is also a practicing artist as a painter & mixed media and as a professional photographer. Valerie is also a seasoned 20 year veteran real estate broker with @Properties and loves helping and supporting people in all the ways.
In addition to being a mother of two awesome kiddos and dog and a Partner to her husband Valerie says “Being a “helper” who supports and lifts up others whether as a teacher, real estate broker, friend or community member is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life- giving back, helping and lifting each other and our community up however we can as fellow humans, is what I believe we are all here on this earth for.”
She can be reached directly at
val@artmakersoutpost.com
FB & INSTAGRAM @artmakersoutpost

DELAUNAY KRAUTER

She/Her
*Lead Art Facilitator | Creative event coordinator*
An artist and dedicated Chicago-land community member, Delaunay Krauter serves as an art facilitator and the creative event coordinator at the Art Makers Outpost. Raised as the daughter of two artists, Delaunay is committed to the belief that art, growth, community collaboration, and social transformation are intrinsically connected. A multimedia artist, jewelry maker, and craft enthusiast, she finds joy in building things from scratch. In her role at Art Makers Outpost, Delaunay continues to learn about the power of imagination and self-expression and is continuously inspired by the authenticity and vulnerability that accompanies the artistic process. She looks forward to learning from the Art Makers Outpost community and is excited to make new connections as she helps to develop novel opportunities for artists at the Outpost.

EMMA KOCHAK

She/Her
*Senior Art Facilitator*
A mother of three wonderful children, Emma Kochak has a background in fashion design. After receiving her bachelor’s degree at Columbia College in Chicago, she worked in New York City as a denim designer before moving back to Chicago to raise her family.
Emma now teaches sewing at various places and does contract patternmaking on the side. She enjoys working at the Art Makers Outpost as a senior facilitator because she likes seeing the creative thought processes of children when they are thinking outside of the box about how to use materials.
During her limited free time, Emma creates her own designs and enjoys creating unique fabric prints for the garments. She also cooks and gardens, and makes her own soaps, lotions, and hair products from scratch.

HARPER NOWLIN

she/her
*Teen Art Facilitator*
The oldest of three, Harper has been crafting and making art her whole life. She loves to sew, knit/crochet, and paint. Most of her art focuses on nature or is just random doodles. When not crafting, Harper is on her high school’s Diving and Gymnastics teams and teaches Learn to Swim.

MARGARET LEININGER

SHE/HER
*RESIDENT STUDIO ARTIST*
Maggie Leininger explores the intersectionality of social patterns and coded languages primarily through the use of threads that are woven, stitched, collaged, or assimilated. Having grown up in a Southern mill town during the decline of the textile industry, Leininger's work explores the relationship between anonymous labor, the extraction of resources, and systems of production within an industrialized framework. Another recurring theme in Leininger's work considers identity and social expectations related to garment construction and the history of handwork such as sewing, embroidery, knitting, and weaving.

SALLY BRANDL

SHE/HER
*Resident STUDIO Artist*
Sally Brandl is an artist living and working in Evanston, Illinois. Her work is inspired by the traditional fiber arts of quilting, weaving, knitting, and embroidery. She has worked many years designing for the needlework industry and has always loved creating with fibers or paint. She began experimenting with combining the two and thoroughly enjoy creating these works. She has an unrestrained love of color and the joy it brings. Each painting begins with shapes and layers of transparent watercolor and no real plan, as she likes to let the painting evolve as she works. During the final phase of the piece, she sews a combination of threads, beads and quilling paper onto the paper to give energy and life to the patterns and shapes. She aspires to create art that makes the viewer feel happy.
https://www.sallybrandlart.com/
Instagram: @SallyBrandlArt

IDEN NOWLIN

*She/Her*
*Director of Development |SENIOR ART FACILITATOR | RESIDENT ARTIST*

Iden is a lifelong Evanstonian She joined Art Makers Outpost after a 20 year teaching career in Special Education. Art has always been a passion of Hers, including painting, paper crafting, sewing, and stained glass. As Director of Development for the Outpost, During her time with the studio she has helped implement new programming such as the adult maker nights and Mini Makers, classes for preschool aged children ages 3-5 and Created the Artisan Fairs we host 2-4 times per year. As a special education teacher for 20 years, Iden developed an environment that focused on creativity and allowed her students to explore and excel in hands-on learning. At the Outpost she continues to work on programming for preschool aged children, homeschooled families, and includeS sensory based learning for disabled children. She looks forward to helping to continue to connect Art Makers Outpost with the community and creating youth and adult programming and community activations so that everyone has an opportunity to get to know Art Makers Outpost and all that we do here!
In her own creative life, Iden enjoys upcycling textiles, creating mixed media pieces, and creating with her three children. Iden can be found on instagram @ irbncreations
She can be reached directly at Iden@artmakersoutpost.com

PRIMM HAGUE

She/her

Senior art facilitator

Primm Hague is a writer and artist from Wilmette, IL. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Film from Kenyon College and since graduating has spent much of her time working with community organizations in and around Chicago. Primm has always found great joy and satisfaction within educating and supporting those around her. Over many years working with young learners through Scouting, community outreach, and museum education, she has developed a strong sense of empathy for those she meets and always strives to approach situations with grace and kindness. When Primm isn’t gaming or watching a movie, she is most often spinning records and drafting short stories with her cat perched nearby.

HANNAH MCLEOD

she/her
*Teen Art Facilitator*
Hi! I’m Hannah and I’ll be a Senior at ETHS in the fall. I’ve always loved experimenting with different types of art and trying out new techniques. I love to spend my free time painting, drawing, and crocheting. I’m so excited to meet all the campers this summer and have so much fun creating new things with everyone!

ISABEL NINO

she/her
*Teen Art Facilitator*
My name is Isabel and I was hired as a facilitator at Art Makers Outpost in the summer of 2023. I started as a camper in the mural camp at the Outpost and loved it so much I applied to work here a few summers later! At the Outpost I help kids with their artistic ideas whether that be through a camp, birthday party, or any of the other amazing programming we offer! Working with and getting to know the kids is the best part of it all, as well as seeing them make their ideas into reality. As an artist in my own life I love painting shoes and clothes and drawing and designing stickers for my family and friends. Working at the Outpost is a great experience for me as a young artist and I hope to inspire other young artists too!

SUSAN KEATS

SHE/HER
*Resident Studio Artist*
Susan’s work is a whimsical view of our inner thoughts and emotions. Topics such as fear of change, day dreams, annoyance, or desire to be magically transported elsewhere are depicted in a dreamy, fantastical way. She finds inspiration in Outsider Art and all forms of art that tell a story.
In addition to painting on canvas, Susan also crafts tiny still-life paintings to be worn as jewelry. Each piece is completely unique and one-of-a-kind. She firmly believes that life is too short to not surround yourself with beautiful things.
Examples of Susan’s work can be seen on Instagram at: @susankeatsstudio

MEREDITH KOPELMAN

SHE/HER

RESIDENT STUDIO ARTIST

My process reflects everyday experiences through unexpected prisms. I draw on vibrant colors, material explorations, and luminosity through form and line. Painting can be a stage to illuminate life from an emotional reality. By exploring personal narrative, my work interweaves abstraction and representation with memory and fantasy. My physical painting process uses the entire body, which allows for playfulness,confidence, and spontaneity. We are all part of a moment in time. Life can be beautiful in all its imperfection and mess.

Instagram@ msamanthaart

Facebook@ Meredith Kopelman Artwork

Website: meredithkopelmanartist.com

ANNA SOLTYS

*(she/her)*
*RESIDENT STUDIO ARTIST | OUTPOST AFTER DARK CURATOR | SENIOR ART FACILITATOR*
Anna spent over a decade creating Public Art in Chicago; working with communities, organizations and individuals to create long-lasting impressions representing messages of hope, love and individuality. Whether in your home, on the side of a public building, or the facade of a business, these installations function as landmarks singing for the world.

She studied Fine Art at Ball State University, and Columbia College Chicago, focusing on a variety of Art practices. During these years, she explored 2D and 3D mediums such as painting, ceramics, collage, drawing, and jewelry making. These tools have unlocked the doors leading to the creation of limitless installations.

It is her belief that success lives in hope, and hope is the belief you can succeed. Applying this in her practice, Anna Soltys creates spaces that inspire hope, and ultimately remind us of the beauty in this world.