FOUNDER & BOARD PRESIDENT

Cathy Sarkowsky (she/her) is a painter and printmaker whose passion is playing with color. Born in Seattle, she has spent most of her life living in the magnificent Pacific Northwest.

Sarkowsky has been showing and selling her work in galleries and exhibitions since the early 1990s, taking classes and workshops, attending residencies and being part of a proliferation of artists, collectors and appreciators. She continues to make art and to experiment, working intuitively within a nonrepresentational framework.

Vashon Artist Residency is the fulfillment of a dream. Sarkowsky’s vision and desire to share this special place led her to establish this small artist residency on Vashon Island in 2021. Along with Executive Director Heather Dwyer, she is thrilled to provide artists the space to create and develop new work, the time to explore new practices and relationships and the opportunity to rest and recharge.

Photo courtesy of Steven Miller

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Heather Dwyer (she/her) is committed to supporting artists from all backgrounds and disciplines. Having witnessed remarkable growth among artists who have participated in residency programs, she is excited to oversee the daily operations and explore future programming for the facility.

With extensive experience as an arts administrator, curator, and activist, Dwyer's previous work includes work within public, private, and nonprofit institutions such as the Seattle Convention Center, Alden Mason Foundation, 4Culture, Artist Trust, Jack Straw Cultural Center, Washington Lawyers for the Arts, Bank of America Art Programs, and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, among others.

Dwyer earned her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, and her MFA from CalArts in Valencia, California. She and her family also own a design/build company and reside on Vashon Island.

Photo courtesy of Sunita Martini

BOARD MEMBER - SECRETARY

Max Sarkowsky (he/him) is a musician and theatrical designer who explores the boundaries between design disciplines for live performance. Based in Seattle, Max works internationally and often in collaboration to create original music, soundscapes and visuals for works spanning theater, dance, circus, installations, podcasts and film.

BOARD MEMBER - TREASURER

Roy Otwell (he/him) is a designer and co-owner of Switch Modern in Atlanta, where he curates contemporary furniture and lighting from leading global brands. With a passion for modern design, his creative work centers on elevating interior spaces through form and function.