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is a humor writer and visual artist. Her whimsical sculptures, drawings, paintings, and photographs have garnered awards including first place and best of show; and she’s a published cartoonist. In her writing life, Lill is a Calyx Journal editor, LBCC creative writing teacher and a freelance editorial consultant, who has helped many students and clients win awards and publication. Her own award-winning stories are published in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including The Risks of Sunbathing Topless and Best Women’s Travel Writing 2008. Lill looks forward to assisting other ArtsCare artists during her apprenticeship, and finding her whimsical niche.

is a folksinger and guitar player in the fingerpicking style. Her repertoire includes songs from a variety of contemporary songwriters that celebrate the power of love and the beauty of nature. She occasionally performs at farmers’ markets and local folk events. With a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in creation spirituality, Lorraine also works as a freelance writer and editor and an adjunct professor of college writing at Linn-Benton Community College. As a member of ArtsCare she plays regularly at Mario Pastega House and GSH’s Ambulatory Infusion.

is a strings player and a certified teacher of the Suzuki method. She alternates her ArtsCare time between the lobby of Albany General Hospital, Samaritan Albany Cancer Resource Center - where she plays for visitors, staff, and patients waiting for appointments-- and  Samaritan Regional Cancer Center (SRCC) in treatment waiting areas. Julie and fellow musician Kathy Morris will play viola and harp duets upon request for various healthcare events. Julie is a longstanding member and beloved teacher with Corvallis Elementary Strings Program. 

is a ceramic artist trained in graphic design. She lives and works in Lebanon at Leaf in the Wind Studios, her own pottery business. Holly believes strongly that Art is for everyone, and that to be human is to be creative.  Hands and heart are all that’s necessary. Shells and bells, ornaments, tiles, and wind chimes, are just some of what she makes with patients in Dialysis. Holly has been active at Mario Pastega House and our Saturday Arts Workshops. She hopes to pursue group ceramic opportunities for both patients and staff at Lebanon Community Hospital.

Visit Holly Dubrasich's website

joins us with a 14-year background in crafts: rubber stamp art, pressed flowers, paper-making, and geneology scrap booking, all of which suit her well to work with elderly and disabled patients.  She has worked for STARS afterschool program and in our own classes at The Arts Center, as well as Corvallis Parks & Rec, LBCC, the Senior Center, and the Benton County Fair for many summers. It's hard to find a place Michelle has not taught art classes! She loves learning new techniques and sharing them with others. Michelle currently works in GSRMC's Dialysis unit, at Mario Pastega House, and in our Saturday Arts Workshops. 

potter and much-beloved teacher, has done many residencies in schools in Oregon and Alaska. She has taught numerous clay workshops and has work represented in galleries across the Pacific Northwest. She is also proficient in ancient Sumi brush painting. Terry has been active in site-specific projects with staff and patients at the Cancer Center and Good Samaritan Hospital, creating ceramic tile murals. She works regularly with clients at the Grace Center for Adult Day Services.

Visit Terry Inokuma's website

comes to ArtsCare with a strong professional background as both an arts educator and a registered art therapist.  She has taught art to children and adults in places as far afield as Australia and Turkey, and as close to home as Portland Comm. College and the Children's Farm Home.  Lucy delights in showing people of all ages the healing benefits of art-making.  She has a special love for working with clay, but also excels as a painter, using what she calls "imaginative" techniques to help free the inner artist in everyone.  Lucy will work with clients at Pastega House and in our Saturday Arts Workshops.

is a native of Ohio, and has been a musician since early childhood.  She plays her harp for patients, visitors, and staff on several wards at Good Samaritan Hospital, alternating her time between GSH and sites in Eugene. Donna writes movingly of her experiences with patients and their families, especially at bedside.  Nurses often tell her how calming and stress-releasing her playing can be for them.  In addition to her role with ArtsCare, Donna is a licensed massage therapist.  She has been a Certified Therapeutic Practitioner through International Harp Therapy since 2000. 

harpist, is certified in the Music for Healing and Transition Program. She performs with several unique music ensembles, and has extensive experience playing harp for Hospice patients. Kathy has a special interest in working with critical care patients, especially infants. She recently completed her graduate certification with International Harp Therapy, and now plays weekly at Lebanon Comm. Hospital for patients and staff in both Cardiac Rehab and in the peaceful Emenheiser Infusion Center.

is a retired oncologist with 32 years experience working with cancer patients, and long-time practicioner of Shodo, a meditative form of Chinese calligraphy.  Dr. Norek offers ongoing “Shodo for Fun” workshops at Corvallis Senior Center, Samaritan Regional Cancer Center, and Samaritan Albany Cancer Resource Center (SACRC).  For the time being, he is our token male.

Beatrice is a Certified Therapeutic Harp Practitioner and a Certified Music-thanatologist who offers her services via ArtsCare at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis.  She's also employed in the Sounds for Healing Program and the Strings of Compassion practice at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene.  Beatrice is a graduate of the acclaimed International Harp Therapy Program.  And she was in the inaugural class (2009) at Lane Community College's Music-thanatology Program.  As a CTHP, Beatrice offers music of harp and voice, prescriptively given at bedside in all units of both hospitals, serving those at the end of life and their loved ones.

a writer, has B.S. in psychology with an emphasis on aging, grief, and dying. She uses narration and poetry as healing tools with dialysis and Hospice patients, believing that everyone has a story to tell. Susan herself is an essayist, poet, and children’s story writer. In addition to her interest in memoir, she helps patients make hand-made books using paper and materials important to them. She currently works for ArtsCare in both dialysis units, at Good Samaritan and Lebanon Comm. Hospitals.

comes to ArtsCare from a long history of arts education, having taught numerous classes for children and adults in this community and in other states. Work with fabric — dyeing and quilting is her specialty, but Jennifer is skilled in many visual arts media. In early 2006 she became our first artist to work in both mental health units at Good Samaritan doing weekly art classes with patients suffering from severe depression. Jennifer also creates art projects with patients and families at Pastega House.

 is an ArtsCare musician who focuses on piano and vocal venues. Through the years Tiah has worked in a number of Oregon church congregations, offering leadership, support and directorship. Tiah did her Music Practitioner internship at Albany General Hospital, Albany Evergreen Hospice and the Mennonite Village. Currently she is playing at the Cancer Resource Center and the Mario Pastega House, where she will add a healing, musical touch during evening art sessions.

a fiber artist who specializes in art dolls, comes from a family of quilters and has been making dolls since she was a young girl. She taught elementary school for ten years, and continues to work in a public school with special needs children, sometimes creating her famous Celebration Dolls, based on children’s own drawings. Leetra is a respite care volunteer for Benton Hospice, while her ArtsCare work is with Dialysis patients at LCH. She and Kerry McFall love to collaborate on whimsical quilts.

has worked for The Arts Center for eleven years, first in Arts-in-Education, and now as the ArtsCare Coordinator. She has a BA in visual arts and has worked with many different populations: learning-impaired children, disabled adults, and ESL students. Mary’s work with GSH Dialysis patients involves painting, crafts, poetry, and therapeutic writing. She is an award-winning poet who holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Seattle Pacific University. Mary loves to share her favorite poems with participants in Surviving to Thriving.

is a well-known maker of beautiful baskets and a patient teacher of weaving skills.  She has been a key part of our Surviving to Thriving workshops for cancer survivors since their inception. This past year Jan has been a rotating artist at Pastega House and works alongside Jennifer Smith at Samaritan Mental Health.  She has also participated in our Saturday Arts Workshops in Albany, teaching people how to make wreaths, baskets, and dreamcatchers. Jan believes “we’re all constantly re-weaving our lives”, so she finds basketry to be an ideal metaphor.

watercolor artist, will do occasional workshops in Albany for cancer patients and others.