This has certainly been an exciting year for P.S. ARTS. Following our recent merge with Inside Out Community Arts (IOCA) this past spring, we have been graced with a few fresh faces: Lora Cawelti – Program Coordinator, Lauren Deck – Senior Program Coordinator and Lui Sanchez – Associate Director of Programs for IOCA. Due to our quick growth, we were also very happy to welcome two additional members: Jacob Campbell – Operations Assistant and Christopher Lor – Financial Analyst.
While we have definitely had some time to get to know and love our newest personnel, we thought it would be great for you to learn some fun facts about them, as well (you can also feel free to peruse each of their bios)!
Lora Cawelti, Program Coordinator
Q. Briefly introduce yourself and explain your new position at P.S. ARTS.
A. At P.S. ARTS I am the program coordinator for SMMUSD. I help provide unique arts programming that is custom designed by each school. This district is really exciting because they have made the decision to give the same quality arts education in all eleven schools.
Q. What book is currently on your night stand?
A. My Nook is on my night stand. I am obsessed with impulse buying books while I sit in bed; it’s like having a library at my fingertips and I love it! I am working on reading the Game of Thrones series, but am so constantly distracted by other books, it’ll probably take me years to finish!
Q. What is currently the most played song on your iPod?
A. There’s never any one song. Mostly I’m a public radio junky and I love the The Opera Show on Saturday mornings on KUSC.
A. Where is your favorite place to view or take part in art in Los Angeles?
I love the Getty Villa because it feels like you’ve been transported to Europe, but my most favorite is the Music Center because it is alive with opera, musicals, theaters, and it reminds me of my earliest theater experiences as a kid in the LA area. Oooohhh, the Hollywood Bowl — It’s the best — being in the peaceful quiet of the outdoors while in the middle of the city.
Q. What famous person, either dead or alive, would you choose to take out for coffee?
A. Eleanor Roosevelt
Lauren Deck, Senior Program Coordinator
Q. Please briefly introduce yourself and explain your new position at P.S. ARTS.
A. Lauren Deck, I am a visual artist and have worked in the non-profit sector as an instructor and administrator for ten years. I am a new Senior Program Coordinator, and will be administering three main areas for P.S. ARTS – art classrooms in Lawndale and Wiseburn elementary schools in the Centinela Valley, Inside Out Community Arts which is a specialized after-school theatre arts program for middle school students, and a high school after-school program, Teen Media Initiative, that teaches design, online technology and career skills.
Q. What book is currently on your nightstand?
A. I am currently reading Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
Q. What is currently the most played song on your iPod?
A. Dido’s “Let Us Move On” featuring Kendrick Lamar
Q. Where is your favorite place to view or take part in art in Los Angeles?
A. The Getty because it combines many things I love – paintings, photography, sculpture, installations, gardens, incredible views, and architecture. I also love taking dance classes at Your Neighborhood Studio in Culver City.
Q. What famous person, either dead or alive, would you choose to take out for coffee?
A. Andrew Goldsworthy – a British artist and environmentalist who works in outdoor locations to create temporary installations using only the materials he finds on site. His pieces take tedious hours or days to complete, and then wash away with the tide, wind, rain or snow. When I look at photographs of his beautifully engineered work, I am reached on a deep level about the many life cycles that his art represents.
Lui Sanchez, Associate Director of Programs, Inside Out Community Arts
Q. Please briefly introduce yourself and explain your new position at P.S. ARTS.
A. Lui Sanchez. Associate Director of Programs, Inside Out Community Arts
Q. What book is currently on your nightstand?
A. The Play that Changed My Life. (Plays that influenced American Playwrights) as well as Tennessee Williams: Plays Volume I and II
Q. What is your favorite food dish?
A. Hmmm, I’ll say broiled chicken drumsticks with jasmine, pepper, and garlic salt – always a good protein pick-me-up warm or cold.
Q. Where is your favorite place to view or take part in art in Los Angeles?
A. Skid Row – a very exact theatre experience.
Q. What famous person, either dead or alive, would you choose to take out for coffee?
A. Pancho Villa, Ella Fitzgerald when they were about 16 – 17 years old. What was in their eyes?
Jacob Campbell, Operations Assistant
Q. Briefly introduce yourself and explain your new position at P.S. ARTS.
A. My name is Jacob Campbell and I am the new Operations Assistant at P.S. ARTS! I graduated from UCLA in 2013 with a degree in World Arts & Cultures/Dance and minor in Visual and Performing Arts Education, and spent the past year teaching English to second graders in Madrid, Spain. In the summer of 2011, I worked as the Programs Intern at P.S. ARTS, and I am so excited to be back on the team, this time focusing on supporting the Operations side of the organization.
Q. What book is currently on your nightstand?
A. I’m on David Sedaris kick right now! I loved his most recent book Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, but I’m currently finishing up a copy of his older book Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim that I picked up from a book exchange at a hostel in Oporto, Portugal. His books are hilarious!
Q. What is currently the most played song on your iPod?
A. “Whispers” by Passenger
Q. Where is your favorite place to view or take part in art in Los Angeles?
A. Well…I’m a little biased, but I love to see dance performances at UCLA! I also live in Long Beach and everyday on my way to work I drive over the Vincent Thomas Bridge and all the colorful shipping containers and the bright green bridge make me feel like I’m driving through a giant public art installation!
Q. What famous person, either dead or alive, would you choose to take out for coffee?
A. Bob Fosse!
Christopher Lor, Financial Analyst
Q. Briefly introduce yourself and explain your new position at P.S. ARTS.
A. My name is Christopher Lor, I am working as a Financial Analyst at P.S. ARTS. This position mostly deals with the company’s financials.
Q. What book is currently on your nightstand?
A. Currently I have a book called げんき or ‘Genki’ on my table; it is a college textbook used for learning Japanese. Whenever I have the chance, I try to study it in hopes of visiting Japan one day, and so I will be able to communicate with the locals. Note to self: replace Japanese textbook with zombie survival guide.
Q. What is currently the most played song on your iPod?
A. Mono – Kidnapper Bell
Q. Where is your favorite place to view or take part in art in Los Angeles?
A. One of my favorite places to view art in Los Angeles is actually my hometown at Echo Park. There is a lot of interesting graffiti that usually stays up for a few days then gets removed and updated. Also, there are beautiful murals that were painted by families from the community. I actually went to grade school with one of the family members who painted the mural that I always pass by when I am heading home.
Q. What famous person, either dead or alive, would you choose to take out for coffee?
A. I would take Robert Downey Jr. out for coffee or tea because he is one of my many man crushes. I feel that he would be a very interesting person to have a conversation with.
