I'm an artist that practices all kinds of art, from drawing and painting to photography and design. I enjoy learning new art forms and styles, as well as tackling new projects – like the Phoenix! My goal is to earn a bachelor's in fine art or graphic design, and get myself a job that doesn't feel like work. Also I hope to continue to study art by travelling and being open to all the possibilities.

My name is Ariona Ellis, but my friends call my Ari. I am a single mother putting myself through school. I have been at Clark for three years, and will be graduating this spring! Eventually I plan to get a Bachelor's in P.R and Advertising. I already have a job lined up for after I graduate from Clark, and it is in San Francisco. This is where I hope to attain my Bachelor's. This is my second time being involved with the Phoenix and I love it. It gives local student artist and writers a place to showcase their work. It's such an amazing process seeing all of the brilliant pieces of work come together. One thing that is an important influence on me is my daughter; she is my daily inspiration. I only hope to inspire her the way she has inspired me.

My name is Danielle Laughlin, but I prefer to go by Dani. I spent six years in the ARMY. I am married and I have one child, two dogs, two cats, and a deaf/mute roommate. After the ARMY, I was a stay home mom for a while, and then I came to Clark College to be a Pharmacy Technician. That career didn't quite work for me, so I am back once again. Currently I am working on a Web & Graphic Design (AAT) Degree. I have a natural artistic ability and I find so far that this degree is working for me as much as I am working for it. I really enjoy working on Art and Computers. This really seems to be an area I excel in. I love to read, view art, create my own arts and crafts, listen to music and watch good movies. I think that the Phoenix is going to be a great way to see others work and will help me get motivated to get my creative juice flowing. There are so many past and present artists, literary artists and musical artists that really inspire me; I just can't list them all. In addition to learning more from the Phoenix, I hope to be an integral part of creating a winning publication this year.

In a nutshell, I could be described as a photojournalist football hooligan with a love cars and graphic design. For the past few years I have devoted my life to photography and journalism, which morphed into my life goal of being a combat photojournalist. I have worked at The Independent, which is Clark College's student run newspaper, for five quarters. The jobs I have performed include Photo Editor and Design Manager. Since starting at Clark I have been taking any classes that could expand my knowledge and experience to get closer to my life goal. Finally, I made the leap to the Phoenix; I have loved reading this publication since I started attending here. There was always a part of me that wanted to be on the staff and add my own contribution. I can't wait to see what the rest of this year has in store for us.

I am a 39-year-old student with a renewed passion in following my dreams of being an artist. I quit my 14-year career to venture into fulfilling the nagging desire within myself to reach my full potential. I believe we are all here for a reason, and if we don't follow our intended path we are resisting our destiny. I am here to learn, which can at times be a challenge with my busy schedule as a single parent, but in the end I am sure that my sacrifices will be worthy of the goal.

I plan on transferring to a private art school for a BFA. After this, my goal is to become a professional artist, or something akin to that. My joy of art comes from doing the small things ranging from volunteering in the art gallery for the past year and a half, to collecting magazines and then destroying them for the use of art, to organizing art, music, and other creative community events as well as horror movies. The first art pieces that I created were primarily done on paper. Now, I deal more with mixed media, utilizing my skills in painting and drawing with my original interests.

I am currently attending Clark, and hope to get my degree in Graphic Design. One day I would like to work in a studio, and do some freelance work. I enjoy music a lot, be it listening, playing, or creating it. One random fact about me is I really like bioluminescent jelly fish and eating noodles. The Phoenix is a really good opportunity for me to grow as a designer, learn new skills, and meet some new people.

I have done many things over the years, and as usual, I am most excited about what I am doing right now. Each stage of life has been unique and fulfilling in its own way. I can't wait to see what comes next. I enjoy having the opportunity to learn new things, and spending this time in my life with some wonderful people is amazing. I feel so fortunate to have great teachers to help guide me and inspire me. I'm getting a much later start to a career than most people, but I'm happy to know that I will be doing something that I enjoy.

I am currently in the process of attaining my AAS in Graphic Communications at Clark College. I have always had a passion for graphic design and illustration. I am somewhat a perfectionist, meaning I am a very detailed oriented along with dependable and hardworking. I am experienced in working alone and in team settings, with 24+ years in the service side of the pneumatic tool business. I can and do get the job done. I live in Vancouver, WA with my wife, son and two dogs. We also have a daughter who is married and on her own. One day I plan to do work in the graphic design work. Things like creating and selling t-shirt designs happens to be a dream of mine.

I have always been interested in all forms of artistic expression. I was inducted into the International Thespian society in high school. The defining moment in my life was listening to the FM simulcast of Ziggy Stardust's final concert. I realized then that media could be successfully combined in exciting ways. I was nominated for best of show by Jack "King" Kirby at the 1978 Science Fiction and Fantasy Art show in Orange County CA for a combination of comic book art and my Starbarian action figure. As the son of an artist, I am proud to be leaving my own artistic footsteps.

I am a student of Clark College, and I happen to love art, design, business and music. After finishing with my college degree I plan to infuse my love for design and business by furthering my apparel and design company, Manic Monster.

I used to be an exchange student at Washougal High School. I decided to come back to the area in order to perfect my skills and get a formal training in the visual communications field. I already have a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, but an internship at a marketing office in Milan made me realize I wanted to learn more about Graphic Design. My goal is to finish school and be able to make a living doing what I love most: a combination of art and technology. My guilty pleasure is good food, even if I don't feel guilty about it at all! I'm always hungry and I have fun trying new flavors. Though it always feels great when I get to eat some "REAL" Italian food. The thing that inspires me every day is the thought that we shouldn't let our fears stop us from doing what we enjoy and what makes us happy. Life is short, so make the best of it! Artistically, I've been inspired by the 1920's German Expressionist films, especially the awesome "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", with the crooked lines, the shadows, the lights, the absurd unrealistic geometry. I also love Joan Mirò and Vasilij Kandinskij and their abstract and colorful artistic vision. This is my second year with the Phoenix, last year was a wonderful experience and I'm very excited about working with a whole new eclectic group this year: I'm sure the 2012 edition is going to be great!

I am currently attending Clark College in order to attain my Web and Graphic Design Associate of Applied Technology degree. I hope to graduate with a 4.0. I have many passions for different forms of art. I enjoy drawing and painting, interior designing, flower arranging, cake decorating, and many more. One day I hope to learn enough about art that I can become a better artist and even sell my work. Designing shoes is a life aspiration of mine. Recently, my instructors have been a great inspiration to me. This includes, but is not limited to: Carson Legree, Debby Neely, Kathrena Halsinger, Kristl Plinz, and Maya Muller. The Phoenix is giving me a chance to work with a team, and what I have learned about art.

I went into high school thinking I wanted to be a marine biologist. Senior year I took the graphic design class offered and it changed what I had originally wanted to do to graphic design which is now currently my major. I would like to finish my Associates of Art's, and then get my bachelor's degree. I enjoy drawing, painting, reading, writing, crocheting, and video games. I love to paint so I would really like to have some of my art work in a gallery at some point. I like reading too much to pick just one book or author as my favorite. I have a copy of the Phoenix from every year since 2006, and I have always wanted to work on it because it is such a beautiful magazine.

I am a graphic artist for this year's edition of the Phoenix. My previous work on the 2011 edition included editorial art on "Gatekeeper" and "Just a Coincidence". I have a passion for both writing and drawing, but I intend to keep both of them primarily as a hobby. Though working on the Phoenix has helped me grow as an artist, my true ambition lies with food. I am a culinary arts student at Clark, and will earn my diploma after completing summer quarter. I also did the Running Start Program during high school, and earned my Associates of Art's degree last fall at Clark.

Originally, I am a Fashion and Jewelry Designer who recently turned to a Graphic and Web Designer. I grew up in the NW, and moved to New York, then to Los Angeles after that. I have traveled the world, yet I came back to the NW to start over. In the meantime, I ride mountain bikes, do Yoga and Pilates, and eat a lot of sushi. I am inspired by my mother, who was also a Jewelry Designer, and also did some modern art and mid-century modern designs. In the next five years, I find that my career will lead me to Product Development. The Phoenix is granting me an amazing opportunity to work on an award-winning publication. I feel very fortunate.

I have been attending Clark on and off for the past three years. My goal is to combine both Art and Business into my degree. I am planning to use my skills to open up a creative photography studio in the near future. I have a passion for Photography. Not only am I the Secretary for the Clark Photo Club, but if you have taken courses involving the use of the darkroom than you have likely been helped by me. I am proud to have taken all of the photo classes offered at Clark, and I am a big fan of alternative photo techniques meaning that I like to find new methods to keep photography interesting. The Phoenix is important to me because I love to support and encourage local artists, as well as showcase the great many talents of the school's art department.

I am from California, and have been labeled as laid back, so I kind of go with the flow I guess. I became interested in the graphic design field after I saw my friend start up his clothing line, which were mainly t-shirts. He showed me some Photoshop techniques and typography. It will be interesting to be able to apply this in a real world scenario and see if this is a good fit for me. I have always wanted to do something in art and design.

I grew up in nineteen different places along the west coast, ranging from La Mirada, CA to North Pole, AK. This has made it so I am able to find my way out of any situation, sun or snow. I love to learn, and in the face of new media I am fearless! I divide my time between my freelance design clients, the boutique that I run on the weekend, and working hardtop earn the coveted title of resident J.Crew "Looks We Love" expert. To expand on my Associates of Art's, I plan to complete my BA from Marylhurst University this next year. I am pursuing an interdisciplinary degree combining both Business Communication, and Graphic Design. I enjoy long hikes, microbrew, great food, and even better friend. I believe in making every moment count. In the words of Jackie Kennedy, "I want to live my life, not record it". I couldn't imagine doing that alongside anyone else besides my best friend and fiancé, Nathan.

I can't even concentrate on this, it's over thought, anticipated. The pen ink is running dry; It's been thrown to paper and wasted. Creativity has been blocked and over tasted, Maybe in time, I'll appreciate it Hold on, hold on, we'll be with you soon These papers are stuck in this book, 'till they're torn out and pasted, to inside of my memory, where I can later look and see them in a new gallery, where they can later be viewed and appreciated. Longing for what has been lost, And longing for what hasn't been obtained, It's a small cost, forgot the past, lost the future, Only now remains

Currently, I am attending Clark College, and I happen to only be one class away from attaining my Associates of Art's. Once I get to a University, I plan to double major in both Forensic Psychology and Creative writing. My ultimate goal is to become a Behavioral Analyst for the FBI, and get one of my novels published at some point down the line. I am so proud to be a part of this year's Phoenix because I feel that it will be the best one yet. We have such a great group of staff members, and it is all coming together so nicely. I absolutely cannot wait to see the final result. It will be phenomenal! Of course there will be a lot more work, and probably a ton of stresses, but it will definitely be worth it.

I've been a student at Clark College since Spring 2009 and I began my education by taking art classes. Being a part of the art culture at Clark opened the door to the Phoenix and I've been fascinated by it ever since. I am so thrilled to be on the literary staff this year; it is a prelude to my dream job, a fiction editor. Currently I am a student at both Clark and WSU. I am studying Japanese and Linguistic Anthropology.

Since Winter of 2010, I have been taking classes at Clark College and I am now only five credits away from attaining my transfer degree. I was made aware of the Phoenix early on in my experience at Clark and I was instantly drawn by the previous publications. My passion for literature and art pushed me to join the team of creative minds to create an exciting and unique edition for 2012's Phoenix.