DEVIN BATES (Author of “Viele Tausende”)
JOHN BERGMAN (Photographer of “Pandora” and “Frozen”)
My name is John Bergman. I was born in Houston, Texas, but spent my life growing up in Colorado. Over the years, I developed a great sense of appreciation for the environment and wildlife as I spent my time exploring the mountains and traveling. I have always considered myself a creative, free spirited individual, and built my life on a foundation of nature and artistic expression. I graduated in 2003 as a graphic artist, which has evolved into photography focus. What primarily brought me into Barrow was the fact that my sister and her husband lived here, as well as a job vacancy as a Marketing/ Communication Specialist at Iḷisaġvik College. But on a personal note, coming to north Alaska helps fulfill a sense of adventure inside me, which keeps me exploring and seeking new experiences in the world. Barrow is an extremely beautiful place, with captivating landscapes and unique personality. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be here with my camera!
LYNELLE GANT (Author of “The Big-Mouthed Baby”)
SARAH MARTINSEN (Illustrator of “Charlie Dreams of the Blanket Toss” and “Charlie on the Blanket”)
Sarah Martinsen was born in Houston, Texas and grew up in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. She has worked as a freelance artist and illustrator since high school, and officially began her art career working as a professional caricature artist at Denver’s largest amusement park, Elitch Gardens. She completed her art education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, earning a BA in Studio Art and Psychology in 2007. She moved to Barrow in January 2010 and has enjoyed incorporating the Alaska’s rich cultural heritage into her work. Her personal work is whimsical and character-based, and addresses themes of childhood, friendship, and adversity. Sarah has just recently completed the illustrations for her first children’s book, Charlie and the Blanket Toss, to be published in the fall of 2014 via Graphic Arts Books (based out of Portland, OR). Sarah currently works as Design and Communications Specialist, and facilitates the marketing of Iḷisaġvik College.
DORCAS MAUPIN (Author of “Moonsun”)
Hi, I’m Dorcas Maupin who was born in Anchorage but raised in Barrow for sixteen years. My dream is to work with animals. So, for starters, I’m taking General Studies courses through Ilisagvik College, and I’m working toward Veterinary Medicine in my Bachelor’s Degree. During my lovely free time, I love watching movies with friends, dancing, and writing creative writing.
ISAAC MEADOWS (Author of “Life”)
Hi, my name is Isaac Meadows. I am originally from upstate New York. I moved to Alaska when I was 9 years old. I grew up in a single parent home; I am the first person in my family to receive a High School Diploma. And I’m going to college to try and better myself mentally and as a person.
ROMEO MORALES (Author of “Living in the Cold” and photographer of the following: “Kivgiq,” “Mother and Child,” “Swing,” and “Priceless”)
There are four things that fascinates Romeo Morales, an immigrant from the Philippines—photography, writing, women, and snow.
A serious photography enthusiast, he is one of the founding members of Zone V Camera Club in the Philippines. He has won several awards in photography and has had his One-Man Photo Exhibit at the U.S. Embassy in Manila.
At one time in his life, he had turned to writing as his source of bread and butter. It brought him to places he had never seen before.
He first came to America in 1992 to observe the U.S. presidential elections and to get a feel of snow. It was snowing then in Chicago when he went up there but pressing commitments back home made him leave without experiencing huge snowfall.
Two years later, he came back as a grantee of the United States Visitor’s Program, enabling him to see more of the U.S., including the dregs of society and even cockroaches and ants. But every time he came back to the so-called Dreamland, he always landed on the West Coast, where it doesn’t snow.
So when he decided to stay for good with Uncle Sam, he found himself working as a paste-up artist for a Filipino community newspaper in Los Angeles. After a year, he switched jobs; worked with an immigration law firm for several years. Then the economy would falter very badly; jobs would be hard to find. Someone told him about the 49th state; he packed his bag, and went straight to Barrow. The unexpected happened—he finds peace with the cold environs; breathes life and co-exists with the snow. He now works with the Alaska Court System after a short stint with the North Slope Borough Police Department.
And the women . . . oh, never mind! Let’s leave that to him.
AUSTIN PARKHILL (Photographer of “Biscuits” and “Stir” and “Startle”)
Austin Parkhill is an artist living and working in Barrow, Alaska. Parkhill widely exhibits his artwork, generally hyperrealist paintings, from Alaska to Denver to New York City. In his free time, photography serves as another creative outlet.
GREG SHRIVER (Author of “I Know You”)
Greg is currently the ABE/ESL instructor and ESL Regional Examiner for Ilisagvik College, Barrow, Alaska. Greg has an A.A. degree in English, a B.S. in Psychology, a Masters in Applied Cultural Anthropology, and a Masters in TESOL (ESL). He has taught 4-12th graders in Bahrain. Greg also taught ESL, and accent reduction for Saudi Telecom employees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Greg has held the positions of Director of the Curriculum Consortium for Coconino College, Flagstaff, AZ, and Program Coordinator for AMHA in Anchorage Alaska. Greg served two years of National Service in the AmeriCorps while at Nine Star Enterprises, Anchorage, Alaska just before coming to Ilisagvik College. Although Greg has written many short stories, attempted to write books, has written articles for newspapers such as the Sedona Redrock News, and has written hundreds of poems, he has never published nor submitted any of his works for review.