Amon Carter Museum welcomes 2024 with new class of Carter Community Artists

Four local artists will use their talents to enrich the education programs of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (the Carter) as members of the 2024 class of Carter Community Artists.  The 2024 Carter Community Artists are Colleen Borsh, Stuart Hausmann, Anna Joy Pham, and Kelsha Reese.

Established in 2018 and supported in part by the Building Community Fund, the Carter Community Artists initiative is a yearlong commitment that allows local artists to collaborate with the Carter’s education staff on a wide variety of projects and events designed for audiences of all ages and abilities.  Each year, the Carter selects four local artists to assist with creating, planning, and leading experiences at the Fort Worth museum and in the community. In 2024, these four artists will each bring their distinct talents and perspectives to the Carter as they build connections between the museum and the local community.

“The Carter Community Artist initiative prizes the impact of art on our local community,” said Amanda Blake, Director of Education, Library, and Visitor Experience at the Carter. “Each year, the Carter’s creative collaboration with our Carter Community Artists continues to expand. As we approach our sixth year of this initiative, one of our goals is to amplify diverse voices in our local community through our work with these talented artists. We look forward to seeing how this new class of artists will deepen our understanding of American art and create new opportunities for connection in our community.”

The 2024 Carter Community Artists’ practices range in a variety of topics, media, and themes, each bringing a different perspective to the program. With over thirteen years of experience as an educator in the classroom and in the museum space, Colleen Borsh brings colorful illustrations and interactive educational resources to the community. An advocate for making art accessible to all, Stuart Hausmann uses colorful illustrations to connect with a variety of audiences of all backgrounds and ages.

Anna Joy Pham’s whimsical and colorful artworks reveal poetic stories just underneath the surface, communicating to viewers that they are not alone in their experiences. Kelsha Reese’s collage and acrylic artworks serve as a canvas to amplify the voices and experiences of marginalized people, specifically the narratives of Black women. These artists’ unique talents, passions, and areas of focus will shape the ways we connect with our community in 2024, from lectures and workshops to student tours and art-making activities.

As it celebrates its sixth year, the Carter Community Artist initiative continues to collaborate with and support local artists, to enhance the Carter’s events and programs, and to connect practicing artists to the North Texas community. The Carter’s collaboration with these artists will help expand our vision of American creativity at the Carter and beyond. 

The 2024 Class of Carter Community Artists

Colleen Borsh 

Colleen Borsh is a Dallas-based artist and educator. With over thirteen years of experience teaching art in both the classroom and the museum space, Borsh has worked with a variety of ages, community partners, and artists. Her colorful illustrations embrace bright colors, organic shapes, and repetition. Borsh also creates interactive educational resources and shares her artwork in pop-up markets throughout the community. 

Stuart Hausmann 

Stuart Hausmann is a Dallas-based artist and author-illustrator represented by United Talent Agency. In 2023, Hausmann made his debut as an author-illustrator with Linus, a children's picture book published by Simon & Schuster. His work has been showcased throughout DFW, including Craighead Green Gallery’s New Texas Talent exhibition, and he is an advocate for making art accessible to all. 

Anna Joy Pham 

Anna Joy Pham is a Fort Worth-based Vietnamese American artist and art teacher at Trimble Tech High School. With eight years of experience as a graphic designer and art director, Pham left the design field to focus on her personal work as an illustrator and painter. Her work is whimsical, colorful, and cozy, but reveals a deeper, poetic story just underneath the surface. Pham is a Gold and Bronze Addy Award winner, and her artwork has been exhibited throughout DFW galleries. 

Kelsha Reese 

Kelsha Reese is a multidisciplinary artist and middle school art teacher in Arlington ISD. Specializing in collage and acrylic work, Reese’s art is driven by her southern roots, the feminist perspective, and a dedication to amplifying the voices of marginalized people, particularly focusing on the narratives of Black women. Beyond her artistic practice, Reese is deeply committed to making a positive impact in her community through creativity, dedicating her expertise to empowering young individuals.

Learn more: Amon Carter Museum of American Art