OAC Board Members

Hi, I'm Natisha, my friends call me Tisha. I live in Ontonagon, Michigan, with my husband, daughter, dog, cat, bunnies, and fish. I'm a former roller derby girl and love working on all sorts of crafts including knitting, crochet, tatting, handmade lace, resin work, wire work, beadwork, weaving, and more. I have been a crafter since childhood and learned many arts from family members. I love the outdoors and finding new ways to incorporate nature into my crafts. I am a big fan of community theater and music. You might recognize me as "Your BFF Bella Faith Foster" from the play "The Little Mermaid of Lake Superior"!

People always ask me if I am a local and my response is always an emphatic Yes!

My mom's family settled here from Ireland more than 125 years ago and we, as a family, has had property up here ever since, and my dad was from Bergland. so ya I consider myself a Yooper at heart!

After many years in the hospitality industry, I pivoted and started a wedding floral and event design business called The Gilded Thistle which keeps me busy downstate in Grand Rapids.  While not a true artist in the typical sense of painting, I consider floral design an art form, but I do have an artist's soul and long to pick up a paintbrush at some point. 

My goal with belonging to the Ontonagon Artist Collective is twofold. I would love to see Ontonagon as a thriving, vibrant community again as it was in my youth and to bring people together through community events and activities.

I realize that typical industrial industry is not likely in our village but I believe we could become known as a community that has an abundance of natural beauty & friendliness, and a fabulous arts scene.Two of my mottos are "Many hands make light work" and "It takes a village" I am committed to doing whatever I can to see that the true beauty of this community shines brightly.

Cherri was born and raised in the far north suburbs in Illinois. She vacationed with her family and an extended group of friends on the Wisconsin/Michigan UP boarder since 1999. In Spring of 2019, with her two adult daughters living happily in Chicago, she and her  husband relocated to Ontonagon.

Cherri channels her creative interests as a current member of the North Country Quilters. Cherri’s volunteer addiction includes Secretary of American Legion Riders, American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Team Captain for American Cancer Society Relay for Life and, most importantly, Girl Scout member for over 20 years as a girl, leader and regional council liaison.

I am passionate about the importance of education and life-long learning. During my career as an educator, first with adolescents in public secondary schools and then with educators in staff development seminars, I incorporated activities that included writing, music, graphic arts, kinesthetics, and reflection into lessons featuring science content.

I love Ontonagon County, its woods and wilds, its remoteness, and the majesty and mystery of Lake Superior in all its moods. I felt most grounded here. After my late husband and I purchased our home on the lake near Ontonagon in 1976, we made it our retreat, at first part time while we finished our teaching careers in Palatine, Illinois, and then full time after we retired in 1994.

I also love long talks with good friends, good books, the second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, and watching the lake in all her moods. I loved teaching both teens and adults. I loved seeing their eyes light up when they experienced those “aha” moments when they “got it.” I love quiet moments, introspective moments.

I want to help the Ontonagon Artist Collective grow and thrive. This organization fills a vital niche in the ongoing health of the community and has already provided a model for incorporating the arts into everyday activities. I am honored to be invited to be a part of it.