13th St Train Bridge – Ellamonique Baccus
Ellamonique Baccus is a professional artist and art therapist with a Master of Arts in Art Therapy from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She was trained in Renaissance Oil Painting at the Atelier Neo Medici in Monflanquin, France by Master Painter Patrick Betaudier and received her BFA in Painting from Bowling Green State University. In 2005, she developed WisdomTree Arts that partners with artists, schools, businesses, hospitals and social service agencies to create public art, provide arts education and community-based art therapy programs. Her expertise is at the intersection of community engagement through the arts, youth development, and urban renewal.
Through personal interviews and historical research, Ella documents and preserves the history of communities in public art that celebrates community strengths and leaves a legacy for future generations. She has completed over 30 public art projects in culturally diverse communities and engaged over 1,500 youth with limited access to the arts in arts education workshops, arts training, and employment. Ella has worked as an adjunct faculty member at Arkansas Baptist College and Elizabeth City State University teaching Art History and Art Therapy and lectured at Wichita State University. In 2015, Ella relocated from Chicago to Wichita. She is currently the artist consultant on Wichita’s 9th street redevelopment project, a recipient of the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Grant in partnership with USD 259 and a newly appointed member of the City of Wichita Design Council and Arts Council.
