Amanda Thompson is an artist and art teacher specializing in mixed media and silk painting. She is an avid hiker, animal lover, and (pandemic permitting) world traveler. Artists joining Ms. Amanda can expect to try a variety of methods and materials whenever possible. Just remember that will is greater than skill and we make it work!

Anita Fisher focuses on the basics of composition, introduction to different types of media and opportunities for students to express themselves through their art. Her hopes are that by the end of classes students have a better understanding of their strengths and areas for further growth.

Bart Galloway has been drawing and painting since childhood. He received both a B.F.A. (1993) and M.F.A. (1996) in painting. And he has taught Studio Arts to students of all levels of ability from the ages of 3 to 93. Bart employs a multi-faceted approach to teaching that strives to help students gain a personal relationship with the fundamentals of visual expression. Bart’s assignments start with drawing thru observation and work along a trajectory that is only limited by the student’s ideas, materials and time. Bart believes that the malleability of the marriage of Art making and ideas can help us become so much more than we think we are.

 Chloe Cheng is a multimedia artist specializing in installation art. She began her academic journey by studying Fashion Design in Taiwan and later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from Murray State University. She also received an MFA from the Hite Institute of Art and Design at the University of Louisville.

In addition to her creative practice, Cheng has experience as an art educator, teaching college-level courses in 3D design and studio art visual culture. She is deeply committed to understanding her students' unique needs and nurturing their development within the art world. Her primary goal is to help students discover their creative potential and achieve their artistic aspirations by providing unwavering support and mentorship throughout their artistic journey.

Claire Krueger uses a variety of mixed-media techniques in her classes. Often incorporating painting, collage, printmaking, and drawing, her project themes are open-ended with an emphasis on material exploration.

Danielle Flener loves exploring new ways to create mixed media projects. She will encourage every child to step out of their comfort zone with their artwork in hopes of helping them grow their talent.

Debbie Rutledge’s inspiration is from childhood, her family from grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents and siblings have all explored and shared their passion for the arts. Her hope is to share that love for exploring arts with your student. She is not looking for perfection, but creating passion through the process. Students will learn about different media as well as different styles of art, will be encouraged to appreciate their own personal style as they develop confidence in imperfection and discovery of personal talents. The class will work with watercolors, tempera paint, chalk pastels, oil pastels and other media during our class as we discover the world through art.

Deborah Zimlich’s students will explore self-expression and creativity through art. She uses her background as an art therapist to guide her teaching. Students are able to guide the design of projects and chose what they want to explore. Her class focuses on the use of 2D mediums such as collage, paint, and drawing. Students are able to explore art history and adapt what they learn for use in the modern world. Students share and present art work with other members of the class in order to learn how to communicate, process, and analyze art work.

I believe artmaking is a journey of creative expression and healing. In this class, we'll explore experimental techniques and work with unconventional materials to bring your ideas to life in unexpected ways. Each student is encouraged to make the creative process their own, I am merely a guide. This is an invitation to embrace the process and discover new ways to express yourself!

I focus on the fundamentals of art while encouraging exploration of various artist styles. I believe that a strong foundation in the fundamental principles of art, such as composition, color theory, and technique provides students with the tools necessary for effective self-expression. It is my belief that art education should be a journey of self-discovery. I strive to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment in which students can experiment with various mediums and media to discover their individual artistic styles.

Our Printmaking course will teach students how to create prints using methods like relief (linocuts), intaglio (plexiglass drypoint), and silkscreen, meeting students where they are with knowledge and skill level. In doing so, students will learn about the history of the different media and explore contemporary examples for inspiration. In addition to group and one-on-one instruction, students will engage with each other throughout their projects as part of the studio skill of critique, helping each other see what is and is not working both conceptually and technically.

Hannah DeWitt is an interdisciplinary artist and art teacher with an MFA from the University of Louisville’s Hite Institute of Art and Design and a BFA from Spalding University. With a wide skill set ranging from traditional to digital to performative arts, she has taught college courses in Studio Art and Visual Culture, Drawing, Painting, and Spatial Investigation. She has received artist enrichment grants from the Great Meadows Foundation and the Kentucky Foundation for Women.

Joyce Barbour's focus is in mixed media illustration, collage, and assemblage projects. Joyce is passionate about using art to tell stories and will pass that along to students by teaching them to utilize concepts like symbolism and metaphor in their work. In her class, students will gain a further understanding of the fundamentals of art, while also being encouraged to experiment and exercise creative thinking skills.

I have been teaching visual art for 18 years, 16 in Chicago Public Schools and 2 in Kentucky. Currently, I am the JCPS District Arts Lead and work with art, theatre and dance teachers throughout the city. I offer students a chance to create with confidence. We look at artwork from the past and the present to inspire our work and I like to teach students how to use a variety of materials so they can have choice in their own art practice. Through demonstrations and one on one assistance, students will create meaningful work that they can take home and be proud of. 

Every semester Mr. Ashford's class do 2 assignments. They vary from watercolor to tempera painting, texture drawing, shading, oil pastel, etc.

Laurel Lammers focuses on drawing and painting from real life. We do still life, portraits and work outside often.

Lauren focuses on the fundamentals of drawing and painting in her class. Drawing from life and composing a well thought out piece is important in this class and will help students create more advanced concepts in the future.

Leslie Shell focuses on the Art Basics and individual interests. Students are introduced to different art media and given the opportunity to expand on their strengths.

Lilly Higgs is a digital illustrator herself who draws on her background as a comic artist to teach high schoolers how to translate their traditional drawing skills into a new digital medium! Besides simply learning the brass tacks of the programs as a tool, there is also study on the art of telling a story in images, exploration in character design, and even a bit of illustration history!

I use a combination of teacher and student-centered approach that keeps students on task but encourages them to feel comfortable enough to share their own ideas, have discussions, and step outside the boundaries to create a piece of artwork that is meaningful to them.  Even though I am the teacher, I always learn from my students so it’s important to hear them out.  It is also important, after demonstrating the task and technique, to step back and observe while they create and step in and ask questions about their process, ask if they need help, and offer suggestions.

Susan is an artist who works in watercolor and mixed media. She cultivates an environment that encourages students to explore their individual art styles and to use art as a way to connect with each other and the world.

Taylor Sanders begins with teaching techniques but allows each student to incorporate their own thoughts and creativity into their piece. She also stresses the importance of critical thinking and discussion around each art work. Sanders’ current work is a collaboration of techniques and ideas based around historical and current events. Having this type of teaching style is great for young art students because their creativity ability is still open while gaining class critique and discussion skills.

Tenille Novinger teaches students to look to the past by discussing art history movements in order to explore their own techniques, but also uses contemporary artist examples to convey the present. She helps nurture and build confidence in her students by using painting as a primary medium of the artist. Her goal is for her students to produce paintings that demonstrate their talents and convey the language of the artist.

Tricia Hart's students will learn to use various 2D art media and techniques, including mixed media, collage, and painting. As an art therapist, she encourages students to use their art as a means of self-expression and a way to find their own voice. Classes will focus on helping students find their strengths and provide opportunities to discuss and analyze their artwork. 

Typh Merwarth focuses on the foundations of art including the elements of art and principals of design. This semester students will explore various media including, pencil, oil and chalk pastels, paint and collage. Informal critiques are incorporated into each class. Students learn how to analyze and explain artwork in an objective manor, building their confidence in speaking about art and understanding the process of art making.

Mrs. Bethel feels that it is important for talented students to have the opportunity to enhance their creative abilities. This she feels can be better achieved by teaching students the basics. The basics are taught in her classes through the introduction of the elements and principles of Art and Design. Different Art projects are assigned using different media.