Michele Barnes earned a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, has studied with world-renowned calligraphers and has attended several International Calligraphy Conferences. She has exhibited her work in NYC; locally and nationally and her calligraphy has been commissioned by New York University and is in many private collections. In addition to her calligraphic work, Michele is an encaustic artist and printmaker. She has taught in both public and private venues and is currently an art educator in Virginia Beach.
Monee Marie Bengtson received a Master of Fine Art degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelor of Art degree from Northern Illinois University. In addition to her studio practice she is currently the Registrar and Preparator in the Exhibition and Education department at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia.
Diana Laurel Caramat graduated from VCUarts at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009 with two bachelors in Sculpture and Printmaking. She has exhibited her work in Virginia since 1998 and in 2008 was awarded a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts fellowship. She currently teaches at the Tidewater Governor's School for the Arts.
Lea Deglandon earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in sculpture and art education from James Madison University. Lea has taught classes during CAC’s Art Camp and is also teaches the Student Art Start program at the museum. She enjoys working with students of all ages and believes that art is part of everyday living.
Donna Iona Drozda, a widely exhibiting and published painter and author, has artwork in a number of corporate collections and is a frequent presenter of workshops, lectures and classes both locally and nationally. Visit her web site at www.donnaionadrozda.com
Janet Lynn Eggen received a Bachelor of Science degree from Old Dominion University and studied at the graduate level at several state universities. She has served as an art instructor of children and adults in Northern Virginia and adult education systems for the past 30 years. She currently works as a full-time artist and teaches privately. Her award-winning oils and watercolors have been exhibited in several art galleries locally, as well as Northern Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. She was recently accepted a Signature Member of the Virginia Watercolor Society from whom she has also received two awards for her work.
Derek Eleyreceived a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design. Derek received a graduate fellowship from the Virginia Museum of Fine Art in 2001 and is currently an adjunct photography professor at Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Virginia. Visit his website at www.captionfiction.com.
Kim Herman,whose current creative outlet is in altered arts and mixed media, has over 25 years of experience working with children through her own home child care business, as well as Student Art Start, Family Fest, 1st Art and Pre-K programs at CAC. She teaches numerous classes and workshops for adults and children at CAC and in the local community.
Karla Mann holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing and painting from Old Dominion University. She is an experienced teacher, having formerly taught at Tidewater Community College, and is a winner of national and international awards for her figure drawings and paintings. Karla’s work has been published in Color Pencil vol. 5, Creative Minds, and the Daniel Smith Art Supply Catalogue, fall 2005.
Amanda Outcalt received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Metal Design from East Carolina University. Her work has been featured in many local and national exhibitions including the 2009 Mid Atlantic Art Exhibition in Norfolk and most recently the annual Small Works Exhibition at the Charles H. Taylor Art Center in Hampton. Amanda’s metalwork was also featured in the Lark Book 500 Enameled Objects. She has taught CAC’s Art Camp and was a gallery educator during the Art of Glass 2 exhibition.
James O'Connor earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking and the book arts from the University of the Arts. He also received certification from the Italian Government as a qualified professional of fresco techniques.
Jacqueline Poutasse has been making books for almost twenty years. She has shown her work locally and has taught many classes and workshops in bookbinding and mixed media. Another one of Jackie’s passions is photography; she has been taking photographs ever since she could hold a camera. A few years ago she left the corporate world to pursue a career on her own in photography and the book arts and has never looked back. Visit her website at www.tjphotoarts.com.
Ali Rogan, an award-winning glass artist and teacher for over 20 years, continues her study at the famed Pilchuck Glass School, Penland School of Crafts and Corning Glass Museum. She has taught for the Governor’s School for the Arts since 1998, is past-president and current board member of Peninsula Glass Guild of Virginia and co-owner of Cristallo Artisans in Newport News.
Elizabeth A. Sawyer received a Bachelor of Arts in studio arts from Mary Washington College in 1998 and studied Studio Production Pottery at Tidewater Community College from 1998-2001. An award-winning resident artist and instructor at d'Art Center, she has previously been a guest lecturer at Old Dominion University and Governor's School for the Arts. She has exhibited in both local and regional shows and exhibitions.
Dede Schmidt earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts as well as a teaching certificate from Eastern Michigan University. She taught at the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Grand Rapids Michigan. Having shown her work locally as well as nationally, Dede has won awards for her ceramic design and excellent craftsmanship. She most recently won the juror’s choice award in the 2004 Strictly Functional Pottery National.
Suzanne Stevens holds a Master of Arts degree and is an award-winning painter and instructor with experience in a variety of media. She is a five-time recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award at the Governor’s School for the Arts, Richmond, most recently in 2006. Visit her website at www.suzannestevensartist.com.
Mary Westbrook earned a Master of Fine Arts from Old Dominion University in May 2010. She directed ODU’s Writers in Community program from 2009 to 2010 and has taught writing at ODU and the Muse Writers Center in Norfolk as well as to CAC’s Teen Apprenticeship Program. She is currently working on a collection of short stories set in Virginia.
