MCMILLEN FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Anita Yan Wong is an Asian American painter best known for her expressive brush strokes and unique style of "Contemporary Traditional" paintings that defies tradition and modernity. The artist, who taught at UC Berkeley S.F. extension California in recent years, is a 4th generation Lingnan painter (which originated in southern China in the late 19th century, known for the fusion of mastering modern Chinese, Japanese and Western painting approaches.). Wong worked as an art Professor for over 14 years at MICA, SVA and Temple University before returning to a sole focus on her painting passion in 2015.
Her works are currently featured Internationally on over 60 Traditional and Hip Cultural Blogs & Art Magazines including N.Y. Arts, ESPN, Disney Inc., Daily Arts Magazine, Flower Magazine, Art Dependence Magazine, KTSF Channel 26 News Interview and a cover story of Works & Conversations 2017. The artist was awarded "Excellent Scholars" from Maryland Institute College of Art & "Teaching excellence honor" from the art Institute. Wong's work is researched by Academics; Art historians and Phd students Internationally.
She has collaborated with MAHB, Stanford University with the goal of preserving Lingnan Guo Hua and the beauties in nature. Yale University's China Hands Magazine described her paintings as
"Traditional art form that questions the modern minds." Wong started traditional Lingnan Painting lessons at the age of five with Master painter Hsin Pengjiu - first female students of Chao Shao An and Pu Hsin-Yu (Aisin-Gioro Puru), cousin of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China.
Justin Gibbens received his BA in painting from Central Washington University in 1998 and a Scientific Illustration Certificate from University of Washington in 2003. He is a founding member of PUNCH Projects, an artist collective from central Washington. Gibbens was the recipient of a 2006 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award and a 2008 Artist Trust Fellowship Award. He is represented by G. Gibson Gallery in Seattle, WA and Elizabeth Leach Gallery in Portland, OR. His work has been collected by Grinnell College, Microsoft, 4Culture/King County Portable Works Collection, the City of Seattle, the City of Kent, the City of Shoreline and the Washington State Arts Consortium. In addition to his studio practice, Gibbens has begun adapting his images for larger-scale public mural projects. Gibbens lives in rural Thorp, Washington with his dangerously talented wife Renee Adams. When not is his studio, Gibbens spends his free time spotting birds and chasing after reptilian inhabitants of the shrub-steppe. Additionally, he plays upright bass in a string band.
Katie Miller was born and raised in Northeastern Minnesota, but is now deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest. As an interdisciplinary artist, Miller creates site-specific installations often with experiential and participatory elements. Her artistic practice embodies research, observation and experimentation to create site-responsive environments in which viewers can relate to and reconsider their surroundings.
Miller has been selected for numerous artist residency programs including MadArt Studio, Anderson Ranch, Art Farm, Brush Creek Foundation, Bullseye Glass Resource Center, Montello Foundation, and Sculpture Space. Her work has been collected and exhibited nationally, with recent exhibitions of installation-based work at Hoedemaker Pfeiffer (2019), A Gallery (2019), MadArt Studio (2018), Gallery 4Culture (2017) and METHOD Gallery(2016) in Seattle, Washington and group exhibitions at Bellevue Arts Museum (2018) in Bellevue, Washington and Temple Contemporary (2016) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Miller received a BFA from the University of Washington and an MFA from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University.
Priscilla Dobler Dzul is a Tacoma-based artist from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. She is an interdisciplinary storyteller who creates multimedia installations in wood, textile, ceramic, food and painting that focus on reframing the context of America's prideful nationalism and colonization of indigenous cultures while critiquing identity and examining the structures of power in our domestic lives.
Her work has been exhibited domestically and internationally most recently she has shown at Project for Empty Space, Newark, NJ; A.I.R Gallery, Brooklyn, NY; Consulate of Mexico, Seattle, WA; The Northwest African American Museum, Seattle, WA; NARS Foundation, Brooklyn, NY; 125 Maiden Lane, NYC, NY; Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle, WA; King Street Station, Seattle, WA; The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA and Decentered Gallery, Puebla, Mexico.
In addition, she was a 2014 recipient of Grants for Artist Projects from the Artist Trust, 2015 Bailey Award, 2016 Edwin T. Pratt Scholarship, 2017 & 2021 Tacoma Artist Initiative Program Grantee and 2021 Puffin Foundation Awardee. Since 2016 she completed seven successful artist residencies on full fellowships. She received her MFA in Sculpture from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 2013.
Robert B. "Bob" McMillen was born and raised in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. As a young man, his first job was working in his father's pharmacy, and after graduating from Denison University in Granville, Ohio he served in the Air Force.
Eventually, he found his true calling: working in the transportation industry. His great love of the maritime industry and his capable leadership helped he and his partners create a strong, successful holding company: SaltChuk Resources, parent company of Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE), Foss Maritime and many others. Bob remained President of TOTE for over 15 years, and a company executive until the time of his death in October of 2002. He was very proud of the 25 years he served as a leader of TOTE. His partners, employees and community leaders remember his contributions with respect and admiration. "His integrity, generosity and leadership have created a proud legacy", said AMO National President Michael McKay.