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Riley Vaughn is a Los Angeles-based painter. His approach to life is simple: anything can be a form of artistic expression if done with intent. Once you’ve found your purpose, you’ve found your art. For Vaughn, the purpose of his art and his life centers around a single idea: “Conversation is everything.” Vaughn utilizes a unique style of mixed media, heavy texture, and in-your-face colors to evoke a reaction from the viewer. The viewer observing his work then becomes a part of the conversation. Vaughn’s current works are a marriage of abstract expressionism and personal vignettes that dive headfirst into the frustrations and joys of the relationships that make life worth living.
Brianna Saranchock (Brisueña) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work primarily focuses on film, video and performance. As an artist, her philosophy stems from the idea that while we are complex individuals, we are made of the same elements or structures as the universe. In essence, Brisueña transforms her daydreams into visual experiences and performances that explore her place in this world. As a bicultural Puerto Rican woman she can’t help but make reality a magical experience that transcends our understanding of culture in a globalized world.
Benton Africano is a video editor and filmmaker from Chicago - living in Los Angeles. He began his career working on long form documentary/ reality TV for networks such as Discovery, History, and National Geographic. Over the years Benton has honed his post skills with commercial companies, Whitehouse Post, The Mill, and Carbon VFX. In 2011, Benton partnered with writer/ director Mason Thorne to form Anyhow, a creative duo specializing in music video and narrative work. Their work has garnered millions of views world wide. In 2021, Anyhow’s most recent short film, Away From It All, premiered at Flickers - Rhode Island International FIlm Festival and ended its festival run at the Oscar qualifying Austin Film Fest. Benton is currently a senior engineer for Whitehouse Post and Carbon, where he over sees workflow, adaptation, and integration of new technologies across all sites. In his spare time he enjoys designing, building, and restoring furniture.
Mason Thorne is a writer, director, and designer from Kentucky - currently living in Los Angeles. At the start of his career, he worked in creative development for Bold Films, The Directors Bureau, and Epoch Films, awarding projects with HBO, BMW, Apple, and Adidas. During that time and since, he's been directing music videos and commercials under the moniker, Anyhow. His most recent short film Away From It All premiered at the Rhode Island Int’l Film Festival and finished it’s festival run at the Austin FIlm Festival. In 2021, he was shortlisted as New Director of the Year by Shots Awards The Americas and has recently been trying his hand at wooden sculpture.
Lauren Pastor is a painter and mixed media artist from Connecticut. Her work can best be described as a dance between the real world and the abstract. Her passion for art started at a young age. Lauren went on to study photography at the University of Connecticut with the desire to capture the world around her. During that time, she felt most connected to her mandatory painting classes where she discovered the art of un-attachment. She learned to create beautiful things and be okay with painting them over. This encouraged her to not only fall in love with painting, but with the process. The art of un-attachment opened a world of building layers and creating textures that result from spontaneous moments. In 2015, Lauren moved to the west coast to be closer to the ocean and pursue her creative calling. Inspired by her time living in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, the push and pull of the energetic city are prominent throughout her recent works. She hopes her work will inspire others to create regardless of medium and to hold onto that childlike curiosity worth exploring.
Edward Robles is a Creative Director, writer, and filmmaker born and raised in Chicago. After beginning his time in Los Angeles in commercial production, Edward found footing in the immersive arts, working with creators like Chris Milk, Shekhar Kapur, Guy Shelmerdine, and Kathryn Bigelow in the burgeoning medium of VR. In 2017 he created, wrote, and directed DISPATCH, an animated cinematic VR narrative, which received overwhelming acclaim for its innovation. The four-part experience premiered at the 2017 La Biennale di Venezia Film Festival and the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and won a Gold Lion at Cannes 2018. As a writer and director, Edward coaxes the audience to explore social and cultural ills, often through the lens of genre. His most recent short, TESLA, about an autonomous car ridding the world of carbon pollutants one pedestrian at a time, is hitting festivals in 2022. Edward is currently a Creative Director at Nexus Studios, Los Angeles, overseeing cutting-edge immersive content.
B.Sting (Bailee Debnam) is a writer, illustrator and multimedia artist currently located in Los Angeles, CA. Her work, both graphic design related and otherwise, is primarily influenced by 50s and 60s horror cinema, vintage tattoo design, and dark comedy. In 2020, she created bsting.co, where you can purchase prints and clothing featuring her most popular designs. B.Sting has collaborated with musicians, event coordinators, and clothing lines; including a sold out 2022 capsule collection with SHEIN. Currently, Bailee is available for commission and is working on her first feature length screenplay.
