About
Staff
Executive Director
Education Director
Program Administrator
Where did you grow up?
Austria
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Social practice, environmental art, sculpture
What do you like to do in your free time?
Getting inspired by kids, art. Hiking, skiing, knitting, and cooking.
Monika Wuhrer is the founder and executive director of Open Source Gallery and KoKo NYC. Originally from Austria, she received her MFA in sculpture from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Monika founded Open Source Gallery and its education wing in 2007. She is the mother of 3 boys and realized that education in New York City is missing programs that encourage kids to play, explore and build without the standard supervision parents and other programs provide, but by letting kids assess their own risk, while still being supervised and kept safe. Monika has exhibited in the US, Norway, Austria, Italy, Thailand, Finland, France, Switzerland, and Japan.
Where did you grow up?
Charlotte, North Carolina.
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Someone who enjoys art but doesn’t really make any!
What do you like to do in your free time?
Walk my dogs, read, travel
Christie Hodgkins is KoKo NYC’s Education Director. She received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Columbia University and started her career in the field of education as a Teach For America corps member in New Orleans. Christie has coordinated public programs for kids + families at Battery Park City Parks Conservancy and served as the Executive Director of Youth on the Edge…of Greatness in Detroit. Most recently, Christie worked at CAMBA where she developed and scaled up youth development programs ranging from early literacy and elementary/middle school after-school programs, to summer camps and college access + prep programs. Christie believes deeply that all kids should have access to KoKo’s unique programming and is excited to bring KoKo to more communities across NYC.
Our Teaching Artists
Alida
Where did you grow up?
Bermuda
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Sewing/textiles design, clothing upcycling, painting, drawing, wood and metal working.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love being in or near the ocean—snorkeling or scuba diving is a plus!
Alex
Where did you grow up?
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Asha
Where did you grow up?
Washington, D.C.
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
I love to draw and see myself as an illustrator but have recently been exploring textile arts and am excited to see where that goes.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to walk when the sun is out and listen to audiobooks (especially mystery novels by Agatha Christie)
Asia
Where did you grow up?
Poland
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Painter and social practice artist
What do you like to do in your free time?
Bike, run, travel, see new places, meet new people meditate, learn, & grow 🙂
Chan
Where did you grow up?
Mostly in PA
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Anything that involves something I like.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Be outside – preferably in the sun. I like to eat and try new foods; visiting somewhere new is always fun too.
Clara
Where did you grow up?
Brooklyn, NY
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Drawing and sculpture
What do you like to do in your free time?
Dance, bike, go to the beach, cook, read, picnic, laugh
David
Where did you grow up?
Brooklyn, NY
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
David moonlights as a data scientist and data engineer, creating beautiful visualizations of information.
What do you like to do in your free time?
David loves to paint Warhammer models and go on hikes
Deepti
Where did you grow up?
I’m from India! I grew up partly in India and partly in Saudi Arabia though!
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
I’m an illustrator, muralist and sculptor. I work across a wide variety of media, including digital and traditional illustration, and clay and papier-mache sculpture. Whether I’m crafting giant animals and plants out of paper mache, making whimsical clay sculptures or creating illustrations to bring a story to life, I find great happiness in using my hands to create. I hope that my work helps viewers connect with the childlike wonder and enchantment within themselves.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Read, cook yummy food, spend time with friends+fam, watch live music and theatre 🙂
Erin
Where did you grow up?
California
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
I’m a writer, editor, and artist. I currently run a magazine.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I dance every chance I get!
Freddy
Where did you grow up?
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
What do you like to do in your free time?
Gerado
Where did you grow up?
Brooklyn, Southern California, Puerto Rico, & New Orleans.
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Visual Arts usually, mixed media on paper, some digital, I love building as well.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like breaking (dancing), illustrating, watching movies (stories), singing, cards & board games.
Hadar
Where did you grow up?
Israel
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
I’m a conceptual artist working in mixed media. Mainly creating small scale sculptures.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Go to art galleries, cooking, and read.
Hannah
Where did you grow up?
Atlanta, GA
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
I am a theater artist! I perform in many different capacities, including as a deviser/performer in experimental theater projects, in Film & TV projects, and creating clown/character bits for variety formats. I’m a founding member of an improv team called Milk Run, the new clown ensemble called WüfPak, and the experimental theater collective called CHILD. This summer I head to Edinburgh Fringe Festival to perform in a month-long run of a play, followed by a world-premier of an original show at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this September.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I love biking, laying in hammocks, being outdoors, swimming in bodies of water, hiking, writing music, singing in a choir, seeing live music and performance, gardening, practicing qi gong, meditating, dancing, and many other things!!
Lindsey
Where did you grow up?
Queens, NY
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
I don’t have a preferred art medium, but I’m currently working on mixed-media collaging & block printing!
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to write, learn more about gardening and botany, and go on long walks to Dunkin’ for an iced coffee with oat milk!
Moein
Where did you grow up?
Tehran – Iran
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Digital art, jewelry, music
What do you like to do in your free time?
Walking in the city
Oliver
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
A little bit of everything! Drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, fiber, drag, costume, makeup, installation, anything else I have the opportunity to try! I like things that are tactile, multisensory, interactive, community-centered.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Depending on the day I find myself on hiking trails & in moshpits & home with my beloved kitty Mr. Bubbles
Sam
Where did you grow up?
NY, Brooklyn, Park Slope
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Graphic design, gardening
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to work in the garden, work on photoshop and play badminton with my friends.
Seana
Where did you grow up?
Maui, Hawaiʻi
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Undergraduate artist in mixed media and printmaking.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to go on walks in different parks in the city. I also like to draw in parks and visit museums/art galleries.
Spaghetti
Wally
Where did you grow up?
Brooklyn, New York
What kind of artist are you/ art do you do?
Poetry
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to study history, walk dogs, and picnic in Prospect Park.