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
Andrew Bertke - Everett Allen Photography
Andrew Bertke, working under the name Everett Allen Photography, has been capturing portraits and documenting the leather and kink communities since 2013. His portrait work explores themes of identity, intimacy, and power, with a focus on honoring the self-expression of queer individuals. Known for his collaborative and respectful approach, Andrew creates compelling, emotionally resonant images that reflect the strength and vulnerability of his subjects.
In addition to his portraiture, Andrew is the lead photographer for International Mr. Leather, the world-renowned annual contest held in Chicago. He has also provided long-standing photographic coverage of regional events such as Twin Cities Leather and the Mr. Minneapolis Eagle contests, and previously served as the official photographer for Mr. Wisconsin Leather and Iowa Leather Weekend. Beyond contests, his work documents the broader leather community—including bar nights, leather club activities, and social gatherings—preserving the everyday moments that shape and sustain leather connection.
The Everett Allen Photography name offers a distinct identity for Andrew’s creative work within kink and leather communities, supporting both artistic focus and professional clarity.
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.
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.
Member She/Her
Dana Guth - My Compadre LLC
As one half of the husband-and-wife team behind My Compadre LLC, Dana Guth brings decades of experience as a versatile mixed media artist. Her art spans countless mediums, reflecting her boundless curiosity and fearless approach to creativity.
Dana’s work blends humor, whimsy, surprise, and surrealism, resulting in pieces that are as thought-provoking as they are imaginative. Her passion lies in exploring a wide variety of artistic styles, always pushing boundaries and embracing new challenges.
At her core, Dana believes in the transformative power of art to unite people. She champions inclusivity, celebrating the beauty of human connection across all backgrounds, identities, and walks of life. Her guiding philosophy? "My path may be different than yours, but I am no more, and no less, as important."
An empath through and through, Dana is deeply committed to fostering love, understanding, and a sense of belonging for everyone. Together with her husband, Craig, she is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community, using her voice and artistry to amplify the message that love truly conquers all.
Member He/Him
Andy Bensen a.k.a Trygve
A lifelong dreamer, Trygve has wandered through careers in IT, software development, animation, game design, and education—but personal art has always remained at the heart of his journey. No matter the path, the creative thread has stayed strong.
During the colder months, Trygve shares his knowledge and passion by teaching drawing, painting, ceramics, and graphic design. In the summer, he turns inward, diving deep into his own artistic explorations—experimenting, making, and growing. His work reflects a life of curiosity, reinvention, and the quiet power of staying true to one’s creative core.
Member They/Them
Emerald Von Hulsing - Jackalope of All Trades
Emerald Von Hulsing, also known as the Paint Slinger and Jackalope of All Trades, is a multidisciplinary artist who has been creating for over 20 years. Their work spans photorealistic painting, found object sculpture, textile and costume design—anything they can get their hands on becomes a medium. Von Hulsing explores themes of trauma, gender and body dysphoria, grief, queerness, and the surreal horror of growing up in the 80s and 90s. Their art is both personal and political, confronting the dystopian world we’re falling into with sharp wit, texture, and emotion. Whether working with yarn, bone, pearls, or paint, their pieces dwell in the space between discomfort and beauty, humor and mourning—inviting viewers to reflect, unravel, and rebuild.
Member She/Her
Juliet Parisi - Beauty Through Chaos
Born and raised in the punk rock pulse of California’s Bay Area, this ocean-loving, nature-connected artist now calls the Midwest home. For the past 20 years, she’s discovered new beauty in the landscapes around her—capturing that quiet wonder while still holding space for her deep love of the West Coast.
Her work blends surrealism with lived experience, drawing inspiration from the natural world and the emotional currents within. Growing up immersed in San Francisco’s urban sprawl, she was captivated early on by the raw energy of graffiti and street art. That influence still pulses through her creations today.
Fusing academic technique with street-style grit, she creates a unique visual language—one that’s deeply personal, emotionally honest, and rooted in place. Her pieces are a love letter to the worlds that shaped her: coastal cliffs and city walls, wild nature and urban rhythm.
Member He/Him
Edwin Marc
I'm a self-taught artist with a few classes at MCAD under my belt, but most of what I’ve learned comes from staying curious and letting the work lead me. I love experimenting with different media—seeing where it takes me, what surprises show up. That sense of discovery is part of the magic.
I found my real creative voice when I stopped trying to force it and just followed what I love: the world around me, and men in all their complexity and beauty. That focus opened up a space where I could be honest, playful, sometimes raw—and always connected.
Art, for me, is about feeling, exploration, and not always knowing the answer. That’s what keeps it alive.
Member He/Him
Andy Lamp - RainbowBuiltArt
I'm interested in bringing together many disparate and individually beautiful parts to create a greater, even more brilliant whole. I build rainbows for the queer people and community around me - for anyone else who is attracted to color, who sees a rainbow and walks toward it and feels at home in color and brilliance and difference.
I fell into collage after growing impatient with developing my sketching, painting, and sculpting skills (and after ruining many apartment carpets). Collage allowed me to jump right in and starting arranging, creating, and sticking paper to paper or some other surface to create something bigger than itself. Paper has been a versatile, affordable, and collectible friend while developing my style and artistic vision. I've always had an instinctive feel for color and I get a lot of joy in communicating my inner self through it.
Member She/Her
Anna Brauch
Anna is a multi-media textile artist born in Minneapolis. Having honed her crafts over decades of practice, she continues finding ways of incorporating new methods and materials into her work, exploring themes of gender identity, belonging in community, and how to create space as a genderqueer femme. Anna has worked in various galleries, teaching spaces, and theaters in the Twin Cities, as an artist, costume designer, and performer. You'll often find her foraging free boxes and junk piles for textiles and hardware to repurpose into art. She loves dolls and ghosts and black cats and lacy things, and her work is rooted in her background in the DIY punk and goth scene.