Joseph Norman is a bigger than life Hemmingway-esque character. Like the Pied Piper of old, everywhere he travels children flock to him to hear his funny stories and watch him draw and paint pictures. A highly regarded educator and artist, Norman is widely considered a world-class draughtsman. Many scholars and art historians place Norman, among the most important African American muralist and printmakers of his generation. Norman has worked with the youth populations of the Caribbean and Central and South America for decades. A sensitive voice in the art world, he dedicates time and energy to empowering young people through the creative process of mural painting. Through his community outreach and service-learning initiatives in the arts, Norman has touched the lives and sparked the imaginations of thousands of youths throughout the Americas.

Joseph Norman is a Professor of Art at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, University of Georgia and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Art at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island. He is the former Chairman of the Painting and Drawing Department and Founder of Study Abroad Latin America, Cuba, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

Joseph Norman has lived and worked in Canada, Germany, Spain, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Cuba. His works are housed in America’s most important museums and public collections including: The Museum of Modern Art, NY, The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The National Gallery, The Fogg Museum, Harvard, Cambridge, The Albright Museum, NY and Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington, DC. The Newport Art Museum, RI, The Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, RI.

Jessica Helfrecht owns Echo Contemporary Art and is a ceramic artist that primarily hand builds functional pieces. She has over 30 years of experience advocating for artists within retail art galleries and nonprofit art organizations. Helfrecht has worked with 10 galleries and has opened six new gallery spaces.  She led the growth of existing organizations in art sales, memberships and audience. Jessica has an artistic vision and fundraising skills that are well-paired with her love of collaborative work which creates a sense of community.  Helfrecht enjoys developing partnerships with artists, curators, collectors and the Atlanta art community. She thrives at coordinating events, and developing  opportunities for artist outreach and visibility. As the Artistic Director at MINT, Helfrecht coordinated four galleries’ exhibition schedules and served as the point of contact for the artists in the Leap Year, MINTernship, Open Call and Studio Artists programs. As the owner of Echo Contemporary Art, Helfrecht exhibits mid-career and emerging Southeastern Artists.  The gallery is located with the Guardian Studio building on the Echo Street West Campus.