Ch/Art Board

Chairperson

After a long and rewarding career as human rights and civil liberties lawyer, public advocate and non-profit leader, I rediscovered my passion for art. I have been a working artist for close to ten years. My work has been shown in galleries and other venues in the DMV area, I am a member of the Studio Gallery and a founder, board member and Acting Chair of Ch/Art. Board service has given me the opportunity to use the leadership and management skill skills acquired during the first chapter of my life to support the stability and success of the organization.

Art Walk Director

Erin is an attorney who practiced law in DC for over a decade before deciding to shift her focus to more creative pursuits, including painting, writing, building/refinishing furniture, and gardening. Erin brings to Ch/Art strong leadership, organization and communication skills that served her well in her legal career. Having worked to support clients in high-stakes, high-pressure situations, Erin is known for her even-keel, no-nonsense approach. When she isn't painting, Erin loves to travel and spend time with her husband, two teenagers and dog and particularly enjoys outdoor adventures like skiing, hiking, zip-lining and snorkeling.

Treasurer

My creative journey has been a tapestry woven from diverse mediums and evolving inspirations. I began by crafting jewelry, drawn to the intimacy of wearable art and the intricate interplay of color, texture, and form. This passion soon expanded into ceramics, where I explored the tactile beauty of clay and the transformation it undergoes through fire.  Curiosity led me to fiber art, where threads and textiles became a new language of expression, followed by the luminous possibilities of glass mosaics. The discovery of fluid art opened my process to spontaneity—pouring, swirling, and manipulating pigments to capture organic movement on canvas. Today, I merge all these disciplines by crafting mosaics and jewelry from fluid art canvases, transforming abstract flows into singular, tangible works. My evolving practice is a testament to continuous exploration, always inviting a new conversation between form, color, and material.

Secretary

After a successful career in biology and bioinformatics, Hoda relocated to Rome in 2009 to pursue her passion for jewelry making. She immersed herself in a variety of courses, studying basic metalwork, the lost wax casting technique, stone setting, jewelry design sketching, and digital design using GemVision Matrix. 

In 2014, BELLINATS was born in the basement of Hoda’s home in Bethesda, MD. With guidance from professional jewelers and support from friends, she began experimenting with a range of techniques, including Keum-boo, patinas, stamping, forming, and stone setting. Each piece is crafted with intention and care, resulting in jewelry that is both unique and meaningful.

At-Large Board Member/Membership and Technology Committees

Sara Bardin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from the University of Dayton. She has been a resident of Washington, D.C., for over 30 years and has worked in the public sector for 25 years. In 2009, Sara started creating art as a way to relieve daily stress. Her artwork primarily features large-scale florals and portraits painted in acrylic. She chooses acrylic paint due to her sensitivity to chemicals, enjoying the vibrant colors it allows her to achieve. This medium helps her subjects stand out visually on the canvas. Recent advancements in acrylic paint have improved blending and drying times, making it easier for her to create realistic textures. When she’s not painting, Sara travels to watch her daughters play NCAA Division I volleyball.

At-Large Board Member

Kamael (Kam) Mishra is a Washington D.C.-based artist who subscribes to an intuitive process of painting whereby colors and shapes defining her work are determined in-the-moment and inspired by her immediate surroundings. Using a variety of tools, she layers vibrant acrylic hues to create a wide array of canvases that evoke abstract landscapes to which she is connected.

Kam’s work began on the heels of the pandemic after leaving her decades-long work as a dental hygienist and reigniting her long-standing passion for painting. From her studio, she today produces original and commissioned works ranging in size from 8X10 to 36X48. 

A native Vermonter, Kam now resides in Washington’s Chevy Chase neighborhood along with her husband, three children, and their dog, Beau.