Founded in 2015, Mint Artists Guild began as a labor of love for co-founders Linda Buck, Vickie Elmer and Mark Loeb. Detroit artist Hubert Massey joined within months. They launched the first Mint creative summer jobs program in 2016, and the rest is history. Our board consists of diverse artists, entrepreneurs, and educators who fervently believe in the transformative synergy of creativity and business. New members are admitted annually in November or December, but all board meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held every other month on Tuesdays or Wednesdays evenings, currently on Zoom. Please contact us for more information. Board members list is current as of February 2022:
Co-Founders
Artist and arts educator Linda Buck
Writer / editor and careers coach Vickie Elmer
Art fairs / cultural events organizer Mark Loeb
Public art artist – Hubert Massey
Board Members
Alexis Bagley, board vice president
This 28-year-old artist was born and raised in Detroit. She has created art from a very young age and used her talent in Mint’s Learn and Earn program during her senior year at Cass Tech. She served as a team leader for the Mint Creative Summer Jobs program for the last two virtual years. She loves to travel and creating Afro-futurism in her creative work. Alexis is currently attending college full-time studying nursing and has served as Mint’s board vice president and president.
Kelly O’Neill, Board President
A retired General Motors marketing professional, Kelly O’Neill is an artist and sculptor whose work is sold at galleries and art fairs. She had a booth across from Mint Artists at the Funky Ferndale Art Fair in 2017 and soon after became a Mint Ambassador. O’Neill has created many Mint videos on our YouTube channel. She has served as Mint’s marketing director, a volunteer role before becoming board president in 2024. Photo credit: Emma Burchusel
Vickie Elmer, Executive Director
Elmer has accelerated Mint’s growth during the pandemic by hiring more youth and engaging more funders. A freelance writer and editor who focuses on careers and business, she co-founded the organization and leads it day to day. She also started the Magic of Art in Palmer Park in 2015 and is an active volunteer with People for Palmer Park, SHARE Detroit‘s Leadership group and more. (Photo credit: Nick Hagen)
Hubert Massey, Co-founder
Massey is a revered Detroit artist and muralist. He is the creator of major mosaics, frescos and murals in Detroit, Flint, and elsewhere. He loves working with young people. Hhs son Matthew participated in our 2015 program and his daughter Lia participated with Mint in 2018-2019. Mint Artists helped with his first street mural downtown; see more in this video.
James Gomez, Treasurer
James Gomez joined Mint as our financial lead at the end of 2017. Gomez is an auditor and accountant with a passion for helping youth. He has worked for a major music and concert company and smaller accounting firms. He was elected Mint’s treasurer in September 2018.
Santana Malnaik
Santana Malnaik is a graduate of the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan. She served on the President’s Advisory Committee on Public Art (PAConPA), assisting in curating the University’s collection of public arts. An artist herself and passionate about accessibility to the arts, she worked with Integrity Shows for three years, where she was introduced to Mint. Now based in New York, Santana works in the fashion industry.
Catie Carlton
Catie Carlton is a product designer based in Metro Detroit, who currently works at Stellantis designing digital experiences for in-vehicle interfaces and connected systems. Her background is in user experience design, art direction, and storytelling, and she has spent most of her career focused on using design to make life a little more intuitive and inspiring.
Trinity Brown
Trinity Barbara Brown is the founder and CEO of Trinity Barbara (the brand), a sustainable jewelry company. She is a 2024 graduate of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a Mint Artists Guild alumni. She connected Mint to the Wolverine Pathways internships and was our first Wolverine Pathways intern. This is her second stint on Mint’s board of directors.
Toni Topp, board secretary
Toni Topp is a full-time student currently studying marketing at Queens University of Charlotte. She joined Mint as a summer marketing intern through U-M’s Wolverine Pathways program and returned during her senior year of high school. She also became a part of the Mint Learn & Earn program.
Charlene Uresy
Charlene Uresy is an artist known for her colorful clothing and jewelry, her vibrant smile, and her ample use of ancient African symbols on repurposed furniture. She sells her beautiful work, furniture and photographs, in fine art fairs and a few galleries. Charlene often takes photos at art and cultural events around Detroit and shares them on Facebook.
Linda Whitaker
A retired Detroit Public Schools principal, Linda Whitaker, has a leadership role in the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club. She loves youth and art and she and her husband, David, have one of the best private collections of art in the Detroit. Linda helped Mint create its signature fundraiser Mint Masterpieces, held in a major collector’s home.
Volunteer with Mint
Our board members contribute their time and talents to Mint Artists Guild and you could too. Contact us about volunteer projects or check with our listings on Idealist or ShareDetroit.
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