Artist in Residence 2026
Kate Holly
Kate Sanderson Holly (aka “Hollynitski”) is an applied theater artist, transformational coach, host of “The Space Beyond Scarce” podcast, and former founding member of Fever Theater and Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble. She holds an MFA in Contemporary Performance from Naropa University, and is currently working towards a Master's in Counseling at Lewis and Clark College. Her work explores the intersection of theatrical forms, personal growth, social change, and whatever subject she is currently hyper-focused on. You can learn more about her at www.kateholly.com.
Maia McCarthy
Maia McCarthy is a facilitator, teaching artist and performer who brings a daring spirit of play and dedication to creating a sense of belonging to every project they are a part of. Maia connects decades of experience in community building, coaching, and creative expression to provide clients with one of a kind services. They offer off the menu workshops as well as custom and collaboratively designed experiences to meet the needs of your organization.
Katheryn Shamrell
Katheryn is an actress, writer, US Army veteran and linguist, who extensively used her languages working with refugees and immigrants from around the world in her career. Before retiring in 2020, she started to study theater in order to indulge her secret passion for acting Shakespeare. She has lived in Panama, Germany and Russia and travelled around the world with her latest adventure a first time trip to Greece.
Monique Barbee
After receiving her BFA from Southern Oregon University and her MFA from Yale and a subsequent stretch in NYC - Monique found herself consumed by the machine that is the entertainment industry. And so she did what she must, and left!
Now, ten years later she is walking back into an artistic space - but this time on her terms! Having met Katherine ( our founding Artistic Director) during their undergraduate years at Southern Oregon University she jumped at the chance to collaborate again. She’s grateful to return to a space that is process oriented and grounded in community, generosity, and shared process.
Rob Aley
Rob Aley is a middle school teacher and writer with a deep passion for performance and the arts. With a background in theater, he has brought a range of characters to life on stage, including a notable performance as John Proctor in The Crucible. His experience spans numerous workshops and productions, exploring styles from Shakespearean classics to postmodern movement work. Rob’s creative practice blends education and performance, allowing him to inspire students while continuing to develop his own voice as both an artist and storyteller.
Rachel Slater
Rachel Slater is an interdisciplinary artist working across dance, film, and storytelling. Based in Portland, Oregon, she maintains a strong connection to New Orleans, where she serves as Director of Dance Film at BODYART’s International Dance Festival NOLA. She is also the co-Artistic Director of Muddy Feet Contemporary Dance, alongside Suzanne Chi.
A graduate of the former University of the Arts, Rachel has performed for Minh Tran & Company, Franco Nieto, Tracey Durbin, Carla Mann, and BODYART, among many others. She is an alumna and former faculty member of the Jefferson Dancers, and a dedicated mentor to young artists.
Her choreographic work has been presented across the Pacific Northwest and nationally, in cities such as Detroit, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well as internationally in Amsterdam and Melbourne. Dance films created with Muddy Feet Contemporary Dance have screened in 25 countries and at over 45 festivals worldwide, earning multiple awards.
Rachel’s creative work orients around visceral, textural movement and the excavation of memory and emotion. A Resident Artist at FLOCK Dance Center and 2024 Miller Foundation Spark Awardee, she is currently developing her first evening-length solo, Daughter Debris. She is offering workshops at the Portland Grief House, and will be a 2026 From the Ground Up Resident. Rachel believes that artmaking can be a radical, humanist act—one that supports and amplifies stories, deepens empathy, and builds community.
Kamala Woods
Kamala Woods is a multidisciplinary artist focusing in video, photography, and documentary. She received her BA in Studio Art from Lewis & Clark College, where she graduated with distinction. After graduation she trained with the Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble (PETE) and studied contemporary performance. Kamala has completed prior artist residencies with COHO Theatre and Kolaj institute. Through her artistic practice she embodies transformation, using multimedia forms to explore the complexity of identity and invoke the transcendent. She carries these themes in her documentary based work as well. She completed her debut documentary feature Homefree in 2023, and since then has been working as a documentary videographer. Kamala’s work carries a strong performative and narrative aspect as she experiments with the boundaries of selfhood. She utilizes a mythic and psychological framework when relating to herself and her artistic practice, exploring how creativity can be a catalyst for change.
Joe McLaughlin
Joe is a very curious individual who is always exploring what is possible in human form. As a movement based creator he finds the ability to explore, imagine and expand the performative space. He is inspired by the creative world, finding it to be a space of deep connections and self discovery. He is thrilled to join From the Ground Up this year, work in a community of artists and share in ideas together.