Riss (she/they) has been an art educator for 7+ years in Detroit and Virginia. She grew up in Germany before moving to Northern Virginia for middle and high school. She earned her undergraduate degree in Photography from Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA. After working professionally in Charlottesville, VA, and Detroit, MI, she returned to school to pursue teaching and earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from Wayne State University. She lives in Detroit with her wife, Tiffany, and daughter, Movi.

Riss loves art because creating makes them feel balanced, free, and powerful. They are able to make something out of nothing, using whatever they have nearby. From an early age, they realized they had a knack for explaining things in a different, more approachable way—and it turns out that is a huge strength in teaching. Now, they get to show kids, teens, and adults that they, too, can create anything they want, and that everyone (yes, everyone!) is an artist.