ARTE LIBRE VA

Liana McDonald was born in China and moved to the United States, where she joined the McDonald family and became an American citizen. Liana is a rising senior at the Independent School of Winchester. Liana’s pronouns are she/her. Liana McDonald has been passionate about the arts since her first dance class at the age of four. She really enjoys the creative movement and sense freedom she gets from dance. Dance helps her keep in touch with her Asian roots, it makes her feel grounded. Liana has taken art classes with Abi Gómez at the Independent School Of Winchester for quite a few years, and absolutely adores her, and her work! Liana is delighted to have been able to intern in the past with Arte Libre and continues to share her excitement of love for the arts with students of all ages!

Kathy Bonilla is a spiritual creative who focuses on healing through the use of art and writing. Very passionate about changing the narrative of generational traumas, she spends her time learning and promoting inner healing. Being first generation, her mother immigrating from El Salvador, has deeply impacted her experiences and perspective and has pushed for Kathy to follow a path of empowering BIPOC. Some of her hobbies, aside from painting, include: jewelry making, podcasting, poetry writing, and listening to an abundance of self help books.

Grant Li was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and currently lives in Winchester, Virginia.  His father is native Chinese and his mother is Italian and German.  Grant has been very active in theatre arts, acting in four productions, the most recent being The Enchanted Bookshop and The Little Mermaid Junior.  He also loves to sing, and participated in the Independent School of Winchester's choir for the last two years.

Grant is very excited to work with Arte Libre, as he has had many opportunities to study the arts, and wants to ensure other kids who don’t have the same opportunities have a chance to learn and enjoy the benefits of the arts.