Kammie Powell participated in the Storm Drain Art Contest for the third year in a row. With the help of her three children, she brought “Every Drop Ripples” to life on South Broadway Street. She and her family are avid lovers of art in Carrollton and are proud to continue participating in the community.

Born and raised in the DFW area of Texas, Courthie Thomas is a long-time artist and appreciator of all things creative. Courthie has had many amazing opportunities to share her art across the nation, competing in National Fine Arts competitions through high school/college, and even across the globe in Kenya, Africa, from commissioned work with non-profits like BroomTree International. She believes art is a beautiful form of visual expression and an invaluable, multifaceted tool that helps connect communities everywhere; she hopes to inspire others as she has been inspired.

Michael DeJong is a long-time resident of Carrollton with a close family tie who works with the City of Carrollton, and while he's more of a gamer at heart, he also greatly admires the public art around his neighborhood and jumped at the chance to lend his talents in support. This is both Courthie and Michael's first year to participate in the City of Carrollton's Storm Drain art contest, and they're beyond excited to share their out-of-this-world design and bring awareness to such an important cause. 

Emily Nicoletta is a proud Carrollton resident who works full time in corporate marketing while pursuing her love of art in her free time. She enjoys creating cute, whimsical illustrations that feel playful and charming, with watercolor as her favorite medium. Her dream is to someday write and illustrate her own children’s book.

Valentina Muniz is a senior from Grand Prairie Fine Arts in Grand Prairie. Her favorite art mediums are scratch board, pen, and color pencil. Her scratchboard piece advanced to State VASE this year. Besides art her other interests are cars and reading. What she plans to do in the future is being an automotive designer and potential work in motorsports. You can find her artwork on IG @vslar.art 

Martell Holloway is a Dallas-based muralist and curator dedicated to revealing the extraordinary in everyday life. Through his signature four-step process of sketching, refining with charcoal, layering color, and final composition, Martell transforms familiar subjects into expansive new worlds. In “The Guardian of the Fork,” he explores Carrollton residents’ shared connection to the Elm Fork watershed. By capturing the familiar Great Blue Heron and blending its feathers into the very water people drink, Martell uses wordless imagery to highlight the vital, silent journey of the environment humans navigate every day.

Danielle Mio Sogno is an accomplished visual artist, graphic designer, and muralist. The daughter of a well-known expressionist artist who urged her to "color outside the lines", she was introduced to the arts at an early age. She enjoys working in a variety of mediums, with her favorites being mixed-media collage, watercolor with ink, and mosaic. Symbolism plays a significant role in her work, and after extensive research into her subject matter, Danielle finds innovative ways to incorporate meaningful symbols and hide them in plain sight. Public art is at the forefront of her passions, and she loves engaging the community through her work. Danielle holds a master's from Harvard University in Cambridge and completed her undergraduate studies at UNT in Denton, Texas. She owns a real estate brokerage firm, teaches art and creative writing to children and adults, and is a licensed foster parent. She loves that art unites people as not many things can, and it's her pleasure to give back in the way she knows best.

Alejandra is a Puerto Rican artist (wepa!) based out of Texas (y’all). Frequent traveler, avid audiobook listener, and owner of Luna Azul eStudio, a woman-owned independent creative business that focuses on illustration, surface design, and public art. Wondering around cities, visiting museums, and the salty smell of the ocean are the main sources of inspiration for her eclectic style. Her original designs have been featured on fabric, apparel, books, greeting cards, brand merchandise, street banners, murals, and storm drains! When landlocked, Alejandra loves working with textiles and embroidery to create ornaments and sketchbooks that she binds by hand. You can follow her on IG @lunaazulestudio and visit her online at LunaAzuleStudio.com.