Meet the artists currently working with Umbra
Co-Owner - He/Him
Josh Kelly
I’m the originator of Umbra Arts and currently the Director of Operations for the Umbra Building. In 2016, I left the corporate world behind and made the move to Minneapolis in search of community, creativity, and a place to truly call home. Since then, I’ve found my passion in woodworking, specializing in whimsical, hand-crafted pieces that invite a bit of magic into everyday life.
While woodworking is my main focus, I love experimenting with a wide variety of artistic mediums. For me, art is all about play, exploration, and growth—whether it’s in the woodshop or dabbling in something new. Every piece I create is a reflection of the joy I find in the process of making.
At the heart of everything I do is a deep connection to people and the community that surrounds me. Umbra Arts is more than just a collective—it's a home for creatives, dreamers, and makers like me.
Co-Owner - He/Him
Mike Welton
Mike Welton is the co-founder of Umbra Arts, a fine arts collective in the Twin Cities, which he started with his partner, Josh Kelly. As a practicing artist with 27 years of experience, Mike uses his signature series of signage art to reflect on life as a gay man. His work with Umbra Arts captures and shares personal and collective LGBTQ+ stories, blending his unique visual language with themes of identity, resilience, and community.
For over 35 years, Mike has actively contributed to LGBTQ+ media and culture. His journey began with producing the "Pride Guide" from 1989 to 1992, followed by his role in transforming GAZE newspaper into GAZE Magazine from 1992 to 1995, a publication later acquired by LAVENDER magazine. His commitment to LGBTQ+ representation through these platforms helped amplify queer voices in Minnesota and beyond.
As Umbra Arts continues to grow, Mike envisions it as a vibrant community where diverse artists and perspectives can shine. He believes that by bringing together unique voices, the collective can highlight both the individuality and shared experiences within our communities, encouraging understanding and connection in an ever-evolving world.
Founding Member - He/Him
Henry Sabia-Tanis
Henry Sabia-Tanis is a founding member of Umbra Arts and an upcycle artist with a passion for breathing new life into discarded materials. His art focuses on transforming everyday objects—cans, bottles, hubcaps, and more—into stunning, illuminated sculptures and one-of-a-kind lamps.
Each piece Henry creates is a blend of functionality and artistry, turning trash into treasures that light up spaces in unexpected ways. His work invites people to see beauty in the overlooked and reminds us all of the power of creativity and sustainability.
Founding Member - He/Him
Tom Reynen
Tom Reynen is a photographer with deep roots in St. Paul, now living and creating in Shoreview, MN. His work, which spans nature photography, architectural details, travel scenes, and abstract digital photography, has been featured in numerous galleries across the Twin Cities. In addition to these subjects, Tom specializes in male portraiture, capturing unique and powerful perspectives through his lens.
A passionate advocate for the local arts scene, Tom serves as President of Gallery 96, a nonprofit organization that supports and promotes diverse artistic expression in the northern St. Paul suburbs. He is also the former President of the St. Paul Art Collective, known for organizing the iconic Spring and Fall Art Crawls.
Tom’s photo studio is located in the historic FOK Warehouse, just across the river from downtown St. Paul in the Harriet Island neighborhood. Through his work, Tom blends artistry with community, bringing creative energy to both his photographs and the local art landscape.
Orignial Member - They/Them
J. M. Liles
My work revolves around the deconstruction of bigotry and genophobia, often laced with a touch of dark humor. (Don’t worry—I’m fine.)
As a sculptor, I create pieces that merge the natural and manmade, using elements like teeth, bone, feathers, stone, and moss, alongside resin, processed metals, and other human-made materials. By combining these materials, I explore the delicate balance between life, decay, and the industrial world we inhabit.
In my paintings, I often work with acrylic on canvas, layering with collage elements from recycled magazines and found materials to add depth and texture. The result is a visual dialogue between the organic and synthetic, chaos and control.
My creative expression extends to writing, where I focus on poetry, nonfiction prose, and semi-biographical stream of consciousness. My writing mirrors my visual work—raw, honest, and always questioning societal norms.
Through each medium, I aim to challenge and provoke, encouraging people to confront their own preconceptions, with a little dark humor along the way.
Original Member - She/They
Sooltan Madsen
Sooltan Madsen (b. Sun Valley, Idaho) is a visual artist celebrated for her vibrant portraits exploring LGBTQ+ and Western identity. She received her B.F.A. in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2022 and has since exhibited her work across the United States in cities like Savannah, Chicago, Laguna Beach, Long Island, and San Diego, as well as internationally in Galway, Ireland.
Madsen’s work stands out for its rich color and expressive portrayal of identity, inviting viewers to connect with her subjects’ stories. Her achievements include an Honorable Mention from the Art League of Long Island and the Grand Prize Artist Grant from Teravarna Gallery in Los Angeles. In January 2024, she completed a residency at Dorland Artist Colony, immersing herself further in her artistic practice.
Currently based in Minneapolis, MN, Madsen continues to create dynamic pieces that bridge personal and cultural narratives, capturing the spirit of place and self with a bold, contemporary voice.
Original Membrer - She/Her
A Quiet Window
AQW is an interdisciplinary artist whose work flows between form and abstraction, guided by the unique objectives of each piece. Exploring landscapes, flora and fauna, and the human form, their work embodies a love for the natural world and its many nuances. Every piece, regardless of medium, is an invitation to pause and find stillness, offering viewers a quiet refuge within their own minds.
Art for AQW is a deeply personal practice, a place of calm in an often chaotic world. Through intricate textures, organic shapes, and thoughtful compositions, they craft spaces that evoke a sense of peace and contemplation. With each piece, they hope to share this tranquility, allowing others to experience a similar sense of restfulness and connection.
Original Member - She/They
Trist Mark "Homo Menace"
Trist (a.k.a. Homosexual Menace) is a visual and performance artist from Kansas City whose work explores the layered experiences of Queer and Disabled identities. Growing up in the Midwest with deep ties to their Portuguese heritage, Trist uses these influences as vivid backdrops in their art, blending personal history with universal themes of resilience and belonging. Each piece invites viewers into a narrative space where movement and identity intertwine, capturing raw, intimate reflections that are both deeply personal and broadly relatable.
Movement is central to Trist’s practice, merging performance and visual art into a seamless storytelling experience. Whether capturing a quiet moment of defiance or an exuberant display of joy, she uses motion to embody the complexities of visibility and connection. Her alter ego, Homosexual Menace, channels an unapologetic energy, reclaiming and reimagining labels with a bold and fearless presence.
In each work, Trist reshapes stigmas into points of strength and curiosity, reminding us all of the power in owning every facet of who we are. Her art is a powerful call to embrace authenticity and celebrate the beauty in our intersecting identities.
Member - He/Him
TFH Studios - Timothy Hornstine
Tim Hornstine is a Minneapolis-based artist using digital artistry methods to express perspectives of beauty that his eye beholds. Influenced by his queer identity, Tim unbinds boundaries by unapologetically dancing through the intersection of sexuality, culture, and personal truth. His art is a celebration of humanity, offering uninhibited visuals and unrestricted interpretations of art as a means of conversation starters to the larger topic of LGBTQ+ visibility and expression. With every proud line drawn, he continues to shape a world where self-acceptance and love live boldly at the forefront of each creation.