Staff
Artistic Director + Founder
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 (she / her) is the founder and artistic 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.
Education Programs Manager
Where did you grow up?
Upstate New York
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
Drawing and textiles, but I have a broad definition of drawing
What do you like to do in your free time?
See live performance, listen to podcasts, visit museums
Mary Rynasko (she / her) is KoKo NYC’s Education Programs Manager. She joined KoKo NYC in June 2024. Before joining the KoKo NYC team, Mary worked with international nonprofits and foundations, oversaw operations of a boutique baking company, and managed a screenprinting studio. Mary graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in Studio Art and Sociology.
Communications and Programs Assistant
Where did you grow up?
Seattle, Washington
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
I love drawing and bookmaking
What do you like to do in your free time?
You can probably find me riding my bike around the city, reading in a park, or swimming at the pool.
Aidan Murphy (he / him) is KoKo’s Communications and Programs and Assistant. He joined KoKo in April 2026. Before starting at KoKo, Aidan was a counselor at a handful of summer camps, worked in a design firm, and conducted research on communal living. He graduated from Parsons with a degree in Architectural Design.
Our Teaching Artists
Ana (She / They)
Where did you grow up?
Brooklyn, NY
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
I love to draw! My illustrations often take the form of comics and zines. I also do ceramics and fiber arts.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I love to read, see live music, cook for my loved ones, and garden.
Asha (She / Her)
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 (She / Her)
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 🙂
Clara (She / Them)
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
Freddy (He / Him)
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Miami Florida as a first generation Cuban immigrant and always had a taste for the dramatic.
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
I studied to be a film director but these days I spent my time running roleplay games focused on nuanced emotional narratives!
What do you like to do in your free time?
I often can be found enjoying a sunny day with a cup of cafecito surrounded by my three cats! La vida can be good!!
Freddy is a 2026 PASEsetter Award Winner!
Watch Freddy’s speech HERE!
Gerardo (He / Him)
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.
Mardea
I have been a teaching artist in New York for several years and back again. I usually incorporate (holistic) mentorship through art with my students! I’ve lived in many places throughout my life, but am a New Yorker at heart and have spent most of my time here. Through art, I love to assist students in obtaining their creative freedom, confidence, and a license of freedom in being their most authentic, confident and positive self as a world citizen and an individual! Each person has a unique intelligence that can not be replicated nor underestimated and it amazes me as each student discovers that. Our classes at KoKo truly provide the keys!
Ruby
Where did you grow up?
New York City
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
I am a mixed-media artist exploring the tension between abstract mark-making and the formal craft of bookmaking. Recent projects utilize digital manipulation and risograph printing to collage and bind together otherwise distinct visual fragments spanning various mediums (paint, pastel, graphite, and ink paired with written text, asemic writing, and photographic elements).
What do you like to do in your free time?
Ride my bike, read, bake, spend time with loved ones!
Ruby (She / Her / They / Them)
Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in New York! Originally Sleepy Hollow.
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
I am a multidisciplinary artist and educator working across the fields of sculpture, painting and drawing. With a BFA in Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design, I have developed a practice that is grounded in using worldbuilding as a primary tool for exploring human vulnerability and ambivalence. I fabricate fantastical environments and hybrid creatures that embody the fluidity of being.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I spend my free time seeing art shows, watching live music, dancing, spending time with friends, gardening, running, and collecting found objects for my work.
Spaghetti (He / Him)
Where did you grow up?
In and out of areas in Brooklyn but mostly around The Lot – it has changed a lot since I grew up here.
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
I participate in performance art and like to sing from time to time. But do not pet me during my act. Thanks.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to eat and test out new furniture. I also enjoy walks.
I am constantly looking for inspiration.
Vic (Any Pronouns)
Where did you grow up?
I moved around the US a lot!
What kind of artist are you / art do you do?
Sculpture, sound art, environmental, trash, and living art.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Tinker on my bike, fix things, garden, & get dirty.
Wally (He / Him)
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.