PROGRESS 2014 - People

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agriculture & industry • community • faith & charities Education • down through the years • family & home business & health • life • neighbors • people A PUBLICATION OF THE ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE • FEBRUARY 2014

Ideas and art mix in A.L.

It’s not just a blue-collar town; meet artists embracing community Interviews and photos by Brandi Hagen brandi.hagen@albertleatribune.com

Jennifer Ordalen

to McNally-Smith for some master’s classes because I was feeling stuck.

Q: Tell me about your family? A: My mom is Beth Stadheim Ordalen; my dad is Eddie “Cowboy” Ordalen Jr.; and I have a younger sister, Ahne Ordalen, and her boyfriend is Tad Lunning and their kids Easton and Evie.

Q: What kind of schooling have you had? A: I did a year at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. I got a vocal scholarship to go there for classical singing. That’s when I decided I didn’t want to continue with classical music, but I still wanted to sing. I came back to Albert Lea to go to Riverland Community College to get my generals done. Then I went to Music Tech, which has turned into McNally-Smith College of Music. I have a bachelor of music in vocal performance. Now I’m going back

May Yahya

have you had? A: I graduated from the American University of Beirut in 2012 with a degree in graphic design. I also interned at Future TV for animation.

acrylic, oil pastels, collages, threedimensional pieces, black and white ink, linoleum, silkscreen, photography, cross hatching, scratch board. Sometimes I tend to forget how many mediums I’ve done. So many artists have a certain style. In my case I like a mixture. I don’t like to limit myself to a medium or a style, although I may be stronger in one or the other.

Q: How old are you? A: 32

Q: How old are you? A: 23

Q: Tell me about your family? A: My husband is Dr. Fadi Yahya. My mom is Nada and my dad Hikmat. I have two older brothers, Kamal and Mazen, and a younger sister, Zalfa. Q: What kind of schooling

Q: What do you do for work? A: I do freelance work like poster design, logos, brochures and magazine layouts. I did the posters and brochures for the Holiday Bazaar. Q: What mediums have you explored? A: I like to experiment. I’ve done

Q: What do you do for work? A: I work in the family business, Stadheim Jewelers, which I also have schooling in. I volunteer as chairwoman of entertainment for Wind Down Wednesday, and I am a freelance musician. When you try to be a musician, or when you are being a musician, you have to wear so many hats. Q: What do you mean by freelance musician?

Q: What is unique about your art? A: You would recognize that I use multiple mediums in one piece. And

A: I sing at weddings and funerals. I also jump in when a band needs a singer. For example, the day after Thanksgiving a friend of mine needed to go back home for Thanksgiving so she said she had a gig for me. I had 12 lead songs to learn in one week. The day of the show, I drove up to the Cities and met everyone for the first time. Then I found out there was choreography. I had to learn it on the spot. You have to tell yourself, “I’ve got this. I’m a rock star.” It doesn’t matter if you 4Ordalen, Page 2

I use recycled items. I like to collect stuff that I know I would reuse in my art. I collect items that bring me back to a moment — a special moment, maybe a sad moment or a happy moment — something that when I look at it it triggers a moment. Q: How long have you been interested in art? A: It’s been with me since I was a child. It’s my passion. That’s the reason I went into graphic design. 4Yahya, Page 2


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