CREATIVITY & COMMUNITY COMBINED
Overview
Bad Art by Good People is a unique event where community leaders team up with local artists to collaborate, learn, and create a finished piece of art. The public then votes on their favorites, and the works are auctioned to support the museum. The event celebrates the idea that anyone can make art, no matter their experience, while fostering connection and joy through the creative process.
How it Works
Local artists are paired with community leaders for a month of collaborative art sessions. During this time, the leaders learn the fundamentals of their chosen medium and work toward creating a finished piece of art, which will be auctioned to benefit the museum.
Important Dates
Thursday, September 18th
Public voting beginsThursday, October 8th @ 6pm
Cocktail party & auction
WHO’S WHO
Community Leaders
These influential members of the St. Joseph community will spend a month stepping into the shoes of a student, exploring and discovering their own artistic abilities along the way.
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Melissa Birdsell is the Executive Director at Voices of Courage Child Advocacy Center, a local nonprofit whose mission is to lead a community-wide response to child abuse with care and compassion. She began her career working with victims of crime as a trial assistant and advocate with the Buchanan County Prosecutor's Office. In 2016, she moved over to Voices of Courage, an organization she had already come to know and love. She became it's Director in 2017.
Melissa and her husband Carl live in St. Joseph. They have 2 children and 5 grandchildren. Besides spending time with her grandchildren, she enjoys all the "grandma hobbies" including reading, true crime, baking, working in her garden, knitting, and crocheting.
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I am the front of house manager at River Bluff Brewing. I've been behind a bar here in Saint Joseph serving our community for over 25 years. Married to my wonderful wife Hayley for 20 years, and we have a 16 year old son that we love more than anything we could even imagine. I spent a lot of time creating art in high school and some years after, but decades have passed since I have attempted any artwork. I hope this project can reignite my love for creating.
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Sarah Elder is currently the manager of the Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph, Missouri. She was employed 29 years at the St. Joseph Museum (39 if you count the 10 years as a volunteer. A native of St. Joseph, she is a graduate of Central High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Sarah is knowledgeable in various aspects of history, including western emigration (Oregon-California Trails), the California Gold Rush, the Pony Express, the Border War and Civil War in Missouri and Kansas, as well as general western history, and is expanding her knowledge into natural history. She has assisted on local documentaries “Days of Civil War”, “Spirit of the Pony Express”, and “The Legacy They Left: Mount Mora Cemetery”.
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Jenni Jimenez is an Employee Benefits Broker with 25 years of experience helping businesses and individuals navigate the ever-changing world of health insurance and employee benefits. As a broker with John Joe Insurance Agency, she specializes in designing employee benefit programs and HR compliance solutions for employers throughout Northwest Missouri. Known for her strategic approach and passion for building relationships, Jenni enjoys helping organizations solve complex challenges while keeping people at the center of every decision. She is actively involved in the St. Joseph community and is honored to support the local arts through this volunteer project.
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Chris, age 71, is a lifelong resident of St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was born, raised, and educated, attending both private and public schools before studying at Missouri Western State College from 1973–1976.
After a 45-year career as a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments, Chris retired to enjoy the things he loves most—travel, music, family, and new experiences. He and his wife are the proud parents of four adult children and grandparents to five grandchildren.
Chris has always believed in giving back to the community that has given him so much. Over the years, he has served as President of Downtown Rotary Club #32 (1990), chaired the Allied Arts Council's Arts Fund Drive (1993), helping raise approximately $190,000 in support of the local arts, and served on the boards of the Robidoux Resident Theatre, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. His commitment to community service reflects his belief that strong communities are built by people willing to pitch in.
A passionate admirer of the arts, Chris has traveled the world for nearly four decades, attended hundreds of concerts, and has a deep appreciation for music and cinema. Ironically, despite a lifelong love of the arts, he has absolutely zero experience creating visual art.
This experience marks Chris's very first venture into the world of making art—a true beginner proving it's never too late to try something new.
Artist Mentors
These artists, from St. Joseph and the surrounding area, have been passionate advocates for the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art and the region’s vibrant artistic culture. Each brings their own unique style and creative vision to the community.
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Colored Pencil artist & recipient of the Mayor's Artist of the Year award.
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Tori Christgen is an artist, educator, and curator whose interdisciplinary practice spans drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, ceramics, installation, and collaborative community-based work. She serves as Head of the Art & Design Department, Associate Professor of Art at Campbellsville University and Director of the Pence Chowning Gallery, where she teaches, mentors emerging artists, and develops exhibitions that connect visual art with broader campus and community life.
Christgen earned her MFA in Studio Art from the MICA and her BFA in Studio Art from MWSU, graduating summa cum laude from both institutions. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally, with projects ranging from achromatic textile installations and works on paper to clay, printmaking, and artist books. Her practice often explores memory, place, domestic history, material transformation, and the poetic possibilities of overlooked or everyday objects.
In addition to her studio work, Christgen is deeply invested in collaboration, experiential learning, and arts outreach. She has led workshops in printmaking, clay, book arts, and mixed media, and regularly creates projects that bring together art, music, wellness, and community engagement. Through both teaching and making, she encourages creative curiosity, thoughtful observation, and meaningful connection.
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Alex Asher has worked at the AKMA for the past nine years and is the Director of Education. She has a BFA in studio art and art history, and an MA in Art History. While she loves working in all mediums of art, she also enjoys teaching beginner's classes right here at the museum. Come and take a class with her!
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Madison McKinley is a painter and the Marketing & Communications Manager at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. With a background in studio art and art history, her creative work often explores themes of beauty, symbolism, and human connection. In her role at the museum, she combines her artistic insight with strategic communication to engage the community and highlight the museum’s exhibitions, programs, and events. Madison is passionate about using art as a tool for storytelling, outreach, and community building.
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Visitor Services Coordinator at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, Childrens Art Teacher & Owner of Bee Creative Studios.
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Amber Wilcox is a mixed media painter and the Events Manager at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. In addition to her creative work, she brings her passion for the arts into her role at the museum, where she curates meaningful experiences that connect people with art and culture.
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My name is Rebecca Reilly. I am an artist living in the Downtown area. I have my BFA from Missouri Western State University. I am primarily a printmaker, working in relief linocuts. More recently, I have been exploring collage as a medium, playing with different styles and techniques.
I have an affinity for all things vintage. Imagery of vintage technology and utilitarian items is a common theme in my work. I also love using vintage paper and packaging in my collage work. I am always searching for new inspiration and developing new ways to express myself.
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Alex Asher has worked at the AKMA for the past nine years and is the Director of Education. She has a BFA in studio art and art history, and an MA in Art History. While she loves working in all mediums of art, she also enjoys teaching beginner's classes right here at the museum. Come and take a class with her!
VOTE
Cast your vote for your favorite artist—or your favorite artwork! Every vote is also a donation to the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, so you’re supporting creativity and our community at the same time.
We had a fantastic time collaborating with so many wonderful people this year and can’t wait to do it again next year!
Vote as many times as you like—your support truly makes a difference.
Melissa Birdsell
Justin Alvarez
Sarah Elder
Robin Frost
Amy Voltz
Jenni Jimenez
Marla Heeler
Liby Waltemath
Christopher Jones