ARTIST – kelly stellEr hrad
Kelly is a contemporary abstract artist known for her vibrant, textured paintings that blend bold color, layered emotion, and the intuitive rhythm of movement. Working exclusively with palette knives, she creates richly dimensional compositions that reflect the complexity of life—its messiness, its healing, and its beauty. She calls herself a “reflectionist,” using her work as a form of visual journaling: a way to process what’s been lived, felt, and learned.
ARTIST – tony holman
Tony has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University and Master of Fine Arts from the University of North Texas. His studio and gallery is in an 1890 Victorian home in old-town Plano. Tony throws most of the pots on a potter’s wheel. Others are slab constructed and altered. The shapes of his vessels are functional but can simply be decorative, and because each is hand crafted, no two are exactly alike.
Plano international festival
Founder and Director, Graciela Katzer, believes in the power of the arts to bring people together across different backgrounds and cultures. Every culture has its own unique artistic expressions, each beautiful, meaningful, and reflective of its traditions and people. Sharing these art forms beyond one’s own community fosters greater understanding and appreciation. The Plano International Festival is the largest and longest-running multicultural event in North Texas, drawing more than 20,000 visitors each year.
Chef - salvatore gisellu
A native of Italy, Salvatore is a classically trained chef who moved to the U.S. in 1991 and served as Executive Chef at Arcodoro/Pomodoro and Daddy Jack’s Wood Grill before opening Urban Crust in Plano in 2009 with his wife and partners Bonnie and Nathan Shea. Its success led to two more restaurants — Urban Rio Cantina & Grill (2012) and Urban Seafood (2021). His food has received numerous accolades from culinary journals throughout the metroplex.