Academy Ballet School of Annapolis

The Academy Ballet School of Annapolis (ABSA) follows the Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus for classical ballet training and is directed and staffed by certified and professionally trained teachers. Opportunities during the year include participation in our Nutcracker, official R.A.D. examinations, and our full-length story ballets in May. 

Our mission is to inspire and empower every child to embrace the joy of movement, and cultivate a love for dance, regardless of age or ability. We believe that consistent faculty and professional excellence in the teaching of classical ballet provide optimal student development in all dance forms. Experienced faculty who are committed both to teaching classical ballet and to the development of young dancers from preschool through adulthood are and always will be the cornerstone of the ABSA program.

Owner and Artistic Director Lindsay Zetter Lucas has staged and choreographed annual performances featuring the entire student roster each spring since 2008, including the classics: Peter and the Wolf, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, and Swan Lake. 

 

Lindsay Zetter Lucas, RAD RTS began her training in dance at three years old, and began with ABSA at five, completing RAD exams through Advanced 1. A choreographer at heart, she led dance teams throughout high school and college. After completing a B.S. in Arts Management through Indiana University in 2010, she obtained her RAD Registered Teaching Status and immediately began teaching and choreographing in Annapolis. As the performance director of ABSA, she is the choreographer, set designer, and stage manager for every show. She formed a successful Junior Company that performed in local theater shows, winter showcases, and dance collaborations with the Annapolis Opera. She has worked as a choreographer for The Colonial Players, Compass Rose, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, and The Gilman School, and was the dance instructor and musical theatre choreographer at The Key School from 2015- 2024. 

 

Gabriela D’Andrea, ARAD RTS began her training at Cisne Negro Dance Studio in São Paulo, Brazil where she obtained her Advanced Foundation. After completing her B. Sc. in Biology, she moved to Boulder, CO and went back to dancing and teaching. Under the direction of Ms Vera Stephenson, RAD Examiner, she passed RAD exams Advanced 1 and 2 while also teaching. She completed her Certificate of Higher Education: Dance Education with the RAD in 2017 and earned the Registered Teaching Status in 2019. She prepared students for exams in Rome for 3 years at Accademia del Balleto before moving to Maryland. In 2022 she completed the level 1 teacher training in Rambert Grades syllabus for contemporary dance. She joined ABSA in 2020 and currently teaches ballet and creative dance at the Greenbelt Dance Program. 

 

 

Sarah Macdonald grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she trained at the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre. She continued her dance training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Ballet Austin and went on to dance with Ballet Theatre of Maryland from 2013-2020. Sarah graduated from Northeastern University in 2022 with a Liberal Studies degree and a Business minor, and she is also certified in both yoga and Pilates. Sarah has been teaching ballet classes for over a decade now and is excited to share her passion, knowledge, and experience with the students at ABSA. 

 

Mark McCormack began his R.A.D. dance training at the Brisbane Academy of Dance in Queensland, Australia, and danced professionally and internationally until 2022. 

Mark began teaching at the National Theatre Ballet School in 2008. During this time, he received his certification for Personal Training from the Australian Institute of Fitness. Since moving to the United States, Mark has guest taught and adjudicated for numerous schools and companies. Highlights include: Ballet Theatre of Maryland company and their Conservatory of Dance, Atlantic City Ballet company auditions at Ailey Studios in Manhattan, company class at Montgomery Ballet, Montgomery Ballet School, the Montgomery Ballet’s Youth Company auditions, master classes with Galveston Ballet, Level Dance Project, Apex Summer Bridge Program,  adjudicating for the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Houston, Delaware Arts Conservatory, guest teaching and adjudicating the Priscilla Payson Foundation.
Mark is continuing his fitness training with Power Pilates and is eager to share the benefits with his students. 

www.academyballetschool.com

LINDSAY ZETTER LUCAS, RAD RTS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

443-659-2272
info@academyballetschool.com

Adrienne Krozack

Adrienne Krozack is a freelance illustrator and full-time Hallmark designer based in Annapolis, Maryland. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a B.F.A. in Illustration and a minor in Writing. Her primary market of illustration is children’s picture books. However, she is also skilled at surface pattern design, fine art, editorial illustration, graphic design, animated illustration, and visual development for animation and games.

adriennekrozack@gmail.com

Allie Corneal

Allie Corneal is a design professional in the Annapolis area, specializing in conceptual design, graphic design, interior design, and branding. With over ten years of experience in the hospitality design industry, Allie has created concepts and cohesive experiential designs for global hotel brands as well as independent boutique properties. 3 years ago, she and her husband started a branding and interior design company, Cedarhouse Creative, where Allie is the creative director.

allie@cedarhousecreative.com

Andrée Tullier

Andrée Tullier is a painter trained in the tradition of Classical Realism. Although her work includes still life, landscapes and figures, Andrée is primarily a portrait artist working in oil and pastel. She has earned degrees in Studio Art and Art Education.

Andrée Tullier is a painter trained in the tradition of Realism. Although her work includes still life, landscapes and figures, Andrée is primarily a portrait artist working in oil and pastel. 

Andrée has studied portraiture, figure, and color with nationally recognized portrait painters Cedric and Joanette Egeli, John Ebersberger, Abigail McBride, Rick Casali and Stephen Perkins. Her work is in collections worldwide. Andrée exhibits locally as well as in the south. 

Graduating with a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Maryland, College Park, Andrée received her second degree in Art Education from Bowie State University. 

Professional Organizations: 

  • Maryland Federation of Art 
  • The Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, board member 
  • The Portrait Society of America 
  • Cecilia Beaux Forum 
  • American Impressionist Society 
  • Maryland Pastel Society 

www.andreetullier.com 

facebook.com/andreetullierfineart 

instagram.com/andreetullier 

Ballet Theatre of Maryland

The BTM Conservatory of Dance is the official school of the Ballet Theatre of Maryland providing classes for ages 3 – adult. We proudly offer classes in many forms of dance and stand out as the only fully comprehensive program for young dancers in Maryland. We offer the best possible quality instruction by professionally trained and educated teachers in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, adult ballet, creative movement, and adaptive dance.

Ballet Theatre of Maryland Conservatory of Dance, founded in 1978, is the only school in Maryland that offers a fully comprehensive ballet training program for the beginner student up to the professional dancer. Offering classes in an array of styles including, ballet, tap, jazz, modern, adult ballet, creative movement, and adaptive dance for ages 3-adult, BTM’s Conservatory of Dance’s goal is to provide the best training to anyone who desires to dance.

A focus on the healthy body and mind aesthetic is a hallmark of Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s company and conservatory. In our goal to train fine professional dancers and share this vital art form with our community, great responsibility accompanies this prominence. In accomplishing these aims, it is central to the mission and vision of the school to expect of each student, whether or not a professional dance career is planned, the very best effort of which the student is capable. We provide professional faculty and the best possible instruction to serve the dance needs of all students in return and give the care and attention the student deserves, always believing in each as an individual, growing young artist. The faculty and staff of BTM are dedicated to this purpose and provide additional resources to help meet our students’ needs.

The BTM Instructors enjoy being able to share their love of dance with the next generation of dancers and dance lovers. Watching the students grow and guiding them toward realizing their full potential is a joy and privilege!

Students of the Conservatory are also offered the opportunity to perform in our Annual Conservatory Showcase at the end of each school year and to perform with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland professional company in productions such as The Nutcracker.

Ballet Theatre of Maryland

Nicole Kelsch, Artistic Director
CONTACT
410-224-5644
Nicole.Kelsch@balletmaryland.org

Bethany Love

Bethany degreed in Art Education at Radford University to teach art in traditional classrooms. Having children of her own, she fuels passion for creating and exploring mediums for ages Pre-K to 5 as they create and discover through art and play.

Art Educator for toddlers. Bethany studied Art Education at Radford University in Southwest Virginia. Following her undergraduate studies she spent several years teaching art in a traditional classroom setting working in both an elementary school and a high school. Bethany has always had a passion for creating and exploring new mediums. Since having children of her own she has been drawn to the process of creating and discovery through art and play.

Mini Makers Art Club with Bethany Love

Art Play classes are geared toward our youngest artist.  The focus is on sensory play and process art.  My goal is to create a safe and fun environment for toddlers and their caregivers to explore various art materials and sensory play experiences.

Each week children would engage with at least 2 sensory play setups, a collaborative group art piece and an individual mixed media project adding a new layer each week.

Cheryl Mauck

A Dance and Wellness Teaching Artist at Maryland Hall since 1990, with a degree in Dance from the University of Maryland, Cheryl offers classes for all ages each semester with an annual stage recital each spring and summer camp dance programs.

Cheryl Mauck has been a Dance Faculty member at Maryland Hall since 1990. Adult Intermediate Jazz Dance was the first class she offered and this class continues to be popular. Other adult classes include Pilates Mat & Barre, and Beginning Jazz Dance. Children’s dance classes conclude with an annual stage recital in front of a packed theatre. Ms Cheryl offers Jazz Ballet & Tap levels I & II, Dance & Creative Movement, Ballet Tap & Tumbling I & II, Mom & Me Rhythm Movement & Props, & Jazz Jump & Jive.  Summer camps include Tiny Toes Tap & Tumbling & Ballet Broadway & Bop. Cheryl is a graduate of University of Maryland with a BA in Dance. She was a longtime teacher for Annapolis Recreation & Parks, former faculty member at Anne Arundel Community College, former board member of Maryland Council for Dance along with being a guest teacher at the 27th State Dance Festival.  She has choreographed numerous musical productions for Anne Arundel Community College, Miss Anne Arundel County Pageants, and Children’s Theatre of Annapolis.

Clare Shepherd

Clare was first introduced to glass as a form of therapy after serving in Kuwait,and fell in love with the art form.She continues to grow professionally through courses at Corning Glass, and brings her techniques and Teaching Style to Maryland Hall.

About 10 years ago, Clare Shepherd was at Walter Reed Army Medical Center recovering after serving as an Army Logistics Captain in Kuwait. A therapist suggested she participate in their art program and she reluctantly tried her hand at glass fusing. When Shepherd moved to Maryland a short time later, a family member suggested she try a class at Maryland Hall.  MD Hall’s Glass Program had been in existence for a short time under the leadership of Gayla Lee. Shepherd tried a class and fell in love with the art form and the process. “The classes really pulled my out my funk,” she says. “The art really was the therapy I needed and has helped me grow in so many ways.”

Artist Statement

Glass makes me happy.

What’s nice about art is that it brings people from all parts of the community together – we have doctors and lawyers and stay at home moms and retired people – all in one class and they learn from each other and get to know each other. When they come to the glass class they can find a common bond, everyone shares what they know and they share ideas.

I see these classes for many people as art therapy – like they were for me.

You can be abstract or literal and still do glass – we have all different types of people in the class.

I try to teach technique but each person makes what they want. I have 4 or 5-year-olds and I can know about their personality based on what they decide to make and how they approach it. It really lets you see someone’s personality.

Compass Rose Theater

Students (ages 5 – adult) explore character creation and storytelling, which is the heart of acting for the stage. All Teaching Artists have bachelor’s or master’s degrees in theater, teaching experience, and work in the world of professional theater

Compass Rose Theater Classes, Workshops and Summer Camps

Compass Rose Theater offers summer camps, workshops and theater classes
at The Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.
(We also bring theater classes to schools and community groups!)

Classes are taught by accredited teachers with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in theatre,
have teaching experience, and work in the professional theater world.

David Trozzo

David Trozzo launched his photography career at the Capital Newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland.
He has freelanced for the Washington Post and the Associated Press and was a team photographer with the Baltimore Ravens NFL team. He has taught digital photography at Anne Arundel Community College and has worked with Apple Inc. as a creative trainer. He has been using Adobe Lightroom daily since its inception and became an Adobe-certified expert in 2016.

david@trozzophoto.com

Della Sztuk

As a lifelong student of traditional, cultural arts from around the globe Della is inspired by themes of interconnectivity and power of community encoded in those lessons. She endeavors to demonstrate the idea that dance, art and joy are for every body and best enjoyed together, any time she graces the stage.

My education of MENAHT dance and music began in 2005 when I began taking classes with Faun Finley in North

Carolina. After moving to Maryland in 2007 I continued my studies with belly dance instructors Christine Dennison

(Despina Bast), Launa Dixon (Naimah), Flissy Saucier and Nina Amaya. I have augmented my regular practice with workshops from nationally and internationally recognized teaching artists of the source countries or of that dance lineage.

As a Pacific Islander myself, my upbringing and identity includes the cultural traditions of Fiji and other nations of Oceania. Although  each nation has unique traditions, we share many values, one of them being the importance of connection and community which has fostered the practice of learning and preserving traditions.

Denise Traynor

Denise holds an advanced certification in yoga Therapy and a 500 RYT Certification in Hatha , Vinyasa Flow Yoga and Yin Yoga. Based in Annapolis, MD and enjoying the Chesapeake Bay life, Denise has been teaching yoga for 18 years.

Denise holds an advanced certification in yoga Therapy and a 500 RYT Certification in Hatha , Vinyasa Flow Yoga and Yin Yoga. Based in Annapolis, MD and enjoying the Chesapeake Bay life, Denise has been teaching yoga for 18 years. She teaches private sessions, holds workshops and teaches in local studios in the area. “Making the practice of yoga individual for students and bringing the complete benefits of yoga to the mat, this the flow of yoga practice.”

Diane Moorman-White

Diane is the owner of DMW Soul Fitness LLC, and is certified in Group Fitness Instruction by the American Council on Exercise. Having enjoyed the benefits from years of line dancing, she is now imparting her love for dancing and teaching as she helps others improve fitness, memory, stress relief, and develop forever friendships for all who love to move!

More coming soon.

Ellen Quay

ellenquay@gmail.com

Emily Hysell

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in Teaching, Emily shares her love for ceramics and sculpture she had at a young age. As a public-school art teacher, she believes that art is a foundational tool for learning for all children.  

As a visual arts educator, Emily has developed the strong belief that art is a foundational tool in the learning process and the importance of teaching students the power art plays in our lives. In the studio, Emily’s work is inspired by her life and uses the  human form and organic shape as a way to convey emotion and inform personal growth.

Erin Schweers

Erin Schweers holds her BFA in Fine Art from Ringling College and has been a Teaching Artist for 8 years. Her artwork has been exhibited in various shows specializing in large abstract oil paintings. She enjoys guiding students in developing their own work.

Erin Schweers has taught art to children, teens and adults privately and through after school programs, non profits, and other local institutions in Anne Arundel County for over 8 years. She holds her BFA in Fine Art from Ringling College. Her artwork has been exhibited in various shows throughout Sarasota, FL and Annapolis, MD. As an artist she specializes in large abstract oil paintings. Sharing her artistic process is a big part of how Erin guides students in developing their own work. As a teacher she seeks to encourage her students to explore their own unique style.

Heather Kerley

Heather Kerley is a mixed media and fiber artist, who studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design before earning degrees in literature and gender studies. As a fiber artist committed to sustainability, she uses upcycled materials in much of her work.

Heather Kerley is a mixed media and fiber artist living in the Washington, D.C. area. She studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design before earning degrees in literature and gender studies. As a fiber artist committed to sustainability, she uses found and upcycled materials in much of her work. She has made dozens of abstract embroideries using found fabric such as vintage table linens and kimono silk scraps.

Currently, Kerley is also working on a series of quilts addressing climate change. These quilts use the tradition of memory and mourning quilts to grieve for all that is being lost to climate change from the receding arctic sea ice to the human lives lost in extreme weather events. A quilt brings to mind caretaking, heritage, and heirlooms. In other words, what kind of world are we leaving for our children?

Henry Stover

Henry is from central North Carolina, and recently moved to Maryland. He has his BA in Art and Design from NC State University, and loves to create multimedia comics, animation, and other story-based art. He has worked with NC State’s Design Lab for K12 Outreach to help teach students and show them potential futures in design. He is excited to help students dive into new software, learn new techniques, and find what makes you passionate about media arts!

Holly Rosario

Holly pursued her BFA and Master of Arts in Teaching at Maryland Institute College of Art. Her interest in watercolor, inks, paper cuts, ceramics and passion for art history are inspired by love of nature from her earliest years as a child.

Holly Rosario was born in rural upstate New York, and spent her childhood exploring its forested terrain. Introverted and aesthetically curious by nature, Holly was interested in art from a young age. In 2007 she moved to Baltimore to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art where she pursued her Bachelors of Fine Arts in conjunction with a Master of Arts in Teaching. While at MICA, she developed an interest in watercolor, inks, paper cuts, and ceramics as well as a passion for art history.

As an artist, Rosario’s papercut works and watercolors are inspired by a love of nature on its most minuscule levels, and explore the role of pattern and repetition in the processes of growth and decay. Rosario spent three years as an Elementary Art Teacher with Baltimore County Public Schools. She sees her pursuits as artist and educator as inseparably intertwined, and hopes to facilitate transformative learning by sharing her passion for the visual world. Holly teaches visual arts classes for childen.

Jessica Heckwolf

Jessica is painter and credentialed art therapist (LCPAT, ATR-BC). She has over 15 years’ experience helping others heal through art making in a variety of mental health and educational settings. Jessica has experience teaching art techniques in art therapy groups.

Jessica is a painter and credentialed art therapist (LCPAT, ATR-BC). She has over 15 years’ experience helping others heal through art making in a variety of mental health and educational settings. Jessica has experience teaching art techniques in art therapy groups.

Jessica is a painter and credentialed art therapist (LCPAT, ATR-BC). She has over 15 years’ experience helping others heal through art making in a variety of mental health and educational settings. Jessica has experience teaching art techniques in art therapy groups during her positions as Sheppard Pratt Health System in Towson and Franciscan Children’s in Boston. In addition, she has lead collaborative art-based trainings for mental health providers and taught undergraduate and graduate level art therapy classes at Towson University and Notre Dame University of Maryland. Jessica holds a master’s degree in Marital and Family Therapy and Art Therapy from Loyola Marymount University, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). You can find her at her Annapolis private practice office, Ultramarine Counseling and Art Therapy, or painting local coastal spots with a new, contemporary lens.

Art Therapist (LCPAT, ATR-BC)

https://www.ultramarinecounseling.com/

https://jessicaheckwolf.com/

Jessica McGrath

Jessica is an art jeweler with a very active and productive studio practice. She loves sharing her skills and teaching new techniques to jewelry and metals enthusiasts. Jessica studied Studio Art with a concentration in Metals at Monterey Peninsula College. Her work focuses on color, texture and geometric form. She uses enamel, gemstones, silver, gold and patina in her work.

Jessica spent 31 years as a Navy spouse and enjoyed traveling throughout the world and all around the United States, usually enroute to the next coastal city she would call home. 

Form, line, shape and color have always intrigued her. She worked as a jewelry and accessories buyer for a major department store, leading to a lifetime of learning, making and teaching. 

Jessica’s work focuses on her love of color, texture and geometric form. She uses enamel, gemstones, silver, gold and patina in her jewelry, adding texture to her work by creating plates etched with the photographic images taken during her travels.  

Jessica studied Studio Art with a concentration in Metals at Monterey Peninsula College in California, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, the New Approach School for Jewelers, Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft and Metalwerx. She is currently a community member and president of the board of directors at the Baltimore Jewelry Center. She works as a studio jeweler,selling her work at national art shows, galleries and on her website.

studiojmcg.com. 

Insta: @studiojmcg.com 

Jewelle Carter

jcsproductionstudio@gmail.com

Joan Harris-Ternovan

Joan fell in love with the gentle movements, internal centering and feeling of peace with Tai Chi. Her studies under several masters, led to permission by the elders to teach in 2008. She carries on the goal of introducing “The Pearl of the Eastern Culture”.

Joan was first introduced to Tai Chi in 1990 at Maryland Hall. During a one hour workshop on the 8 Therapies led by Carol McGonegal, Joan fell in love with the gentle movements, internal centering and feeling of peace. She has continued her own growth in the Art of Tai Chi under the following masters and disciples of Cheng Man Ch’ing:  Benjamin Lo and Maggie Newman, both senior student of Professor Cheng Man Ch’ing. She also studied with Carol McGonegal, Lenzie Williams, Wiliam CC Chen and Wei Ming. In 2008, Joan was given permission by elders to teach. She is grateful to carry on the Professor’s goal of introducing Tai Chi, “The Pearl of the Eastern Culture” to the West.

At Maryland Hall, Joan offers Tai Chi for beginners and experienced students keeping the ancient practice accessible to all who will benefit from it.

Joan says: What I am impressed by most is the sense of community within Maryland Hall. It’s more than teacher – Student or Teacher – Teacher relationships. Being part of Maryland Hall is being part of a creative sharing community. It doesn’t end when the class ends. The people, smiles, creativity, and experiences become a part of me.

Stay sung (relax). When practicing the form you must keep relaxed. In time you will find that it will become part of your physical and mental state.

CHENG MAN CHING (1947)

harrisjm1@verizon.net

Joe Yablonsky

Joe Yablonsky specializes in gelatin silver photographs of public sculpture and architecture. The photographs are taken when a rare combination of lighting and atmospheric conditions are present in the scene to highlight the sculpture and its environment.

Joe Yablonsky specializes in gelatin silver photographs of public sculpture and architecture. The photographs are only taken when a rare combination of lighting and atmospheric conditions are present in the scene to highlight the sculpture and its environment.

The subjects include works by master sculptors such as Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French and Isamu Noguchi, to contemporary artists involved in community public art projects.

All photos are hand printed using a traditional darkroom on fiber paper and are selenium toned to increase their archival permanence.

Teaching Philosophy

I feel that good photographers do more prior to taking the photo than after. Whether it is film or digital, my philosophy is to give every student a strong foundation of the technical considerations (depth of field, exposure) and creative considerations (lighting, balance) that must be addressed prior to pressing the shutter release button. Also, I encourage each and every student to bring their own personality and individuality into the process by pre-visualizing the final image and obtaining photographs that are uniquely their own.

joe_yablonsky@yahoo.com

Kathie Perry Lynch

Kathie’s love of glass started 25 years ago and has taken master classes with renowned glass artists at Corning, Urban Glass, Vitrix Glass, Weisser Glass, AAE Glass and Bullseye Glass. She has been a Teaching Artist in many schools including the Corcoran School of Art.

My glass journey began about twenty-five years ago when I fell in love with the glass medium and the interplay of glass itself with the lighting around it.

Hooked on glasswork and this new art form, I went on to become a founding member of the Glen Echo Glass  Art Consortium.

To further hone my craft I have taken many master classes with renowned glass artists at The Studio at Corning, Urban Glass, Vitrix Glass, Weisser Glass, AAE Glass and Bullseye Glass.

Currently, my work can be found displayed in galleries and at craft shows on the East Coast.

I have been a Resident Artist and teacher at Glen Echo, Visarts and Artists and Makers in Rockville, MD. I have also taught at The Workhouse at Lorton and as an Adjunct teacher for the Corcoran School of Art.

Kristi Funk

Language Immersion Learning is a Maryland-based educational organization that supports and advocates for a more inclusive, multilingual and multicultural community. Kristi’s program introduces young children to Spanish language through immersive activities including arts and crafts, stories, music and movement.

Language Immersion Learning is a Maryland-based educational organization that supports and advocates for a more inclusive, multilingual and multicultural community.

About the Organization

Language Immersion Learning is a Maryland-based educational organization that supports and advocates for a more inclusive, multilingual and multicultural community. The key components of this organization include:

  • Implementing and maintaining a comprehensive, practical and research-based approach biliteracy instruction that celebrates and builds on the cultural, linguistic, and academic backgrounds of all learners and educators.
  • Differentiating services to accommodate all learners using a growth mindset.
  • Collaborating with all stakeholders including learners, educators, families, schools, community

organizations and others.

  • Creating sustainable systems that ensure optimal biliteracy instruction through program and curriculum development, community partnerships, advocacy and other best practices.

Language Immersion Learning offers a variety of programs at different locations throughout the Annapolis area. Bilingual Storytime is a weekly Pre-K and Kindergarten push-in program at four different Annapolis Elementary Schools which includes puppets, songs, and stories in both Spanish and English. The Art of Language is an early biliteracy arts integrated program at Maryland Hall that introduces young children to Spanish language through immersive activities including arts and crafts, stories, music and movement.

About the Founder

Language Immersion Learning was founded in 2021 by Kristi Funk, a veteran language teacher with over 13 years of classroom teaching experience. She has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and Spanish, a Master’s Degree in Second Language Teaching, and holds an Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate from the Maryland Department of Education. Ms. Funk is a former Anne Arundel County Public School Educator and Department Chair from the World and Classical Language Department. She currently serves as the Spanish Specialist at Chesapeake Montessori School in Arnold, Maryland. Ms. Funk is also a parent and community member in Annapolis, Maryland.

What do our programs entail?

Both Bilingual Storytime and the Art of Language are dual-language early literacy programs geared toward preschool and early elementary students. These programs provide a unique opportunity to nurture cognitive and language development for both native English-speaking children and those who are learning English as a second language. Each themed session is led by one or more Biliteracy Specialists who implement research-based early literacy practices that engage children of all linguistic backgrounds. All materials and activities in every session are specially designed to strengthen native language proficiency, promote second language development, and provide meaningful, culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate educational opportunities for all children.

Language Immersion Learning’s Programming provides long-term cognitive and academic benefits for all children as fluency in two or more languages benefits children’s overall learning, marked by increased cognitive and social-emotional development, as well as long-term success (see The Benefits of Being Bilingual). Additionally, Language Immersion Learning’s programs reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of our community and fosters cultural sensitivity and awareness among young children and their families.

Laura Dixon

Laura Dixon graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Maryland and has been a working artist for 35 years, owning the River Gallery. She has been a Teaching Artist of drawing and painting for 40 years.

Medium: graphite, colored pencil, collage, w/c, acrylic

Laura Dixon graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Maryland and has been a working artist for 35 years. Laura’s been involved in art education on and off for 40 years, most recently in her home and at Maryland Hall. Laura works in several media but enjoys drawing the most. She is the owner of River Gallery in Galesville and has been showing her work and that of other local artists for over 30 years.

Laura Graham Booth

Laura holds a degree in mathematics and love for knitting. She became fascinated at the ways we use two-dimensional knitting to fit three-dimensional shapes. She is also weaves, spins, and dyes fiber and yarn to deepen her understanding of knitted fibers and fabric.

Laura came to the fiber arts in a roundabout way. She holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics and learned to knit when her children were small. She became fascinated at the ways we use two-dimensional knitting to fit three-dimensional shapes and began to collect knitting theories and techniques as she explored this new topography. In recent years, Laura has also taken up weaving, spinning, and dyeing fiber and yarn to deepen her understanding of knitted fibers and fabric. Today she teaches knitters from beginners through advanced and designs patterns with step-by-step instructions to help knitters of any level achieve success in their projects.

Laura Switkes

Laura is a master potter who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bowie State University with a degree in Art Education, and holds a masters equivalency in Ceramics. She was nominated for career art teacher of the year from the Maryland Art Education Association.

Laura is a master potter who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bowie State University with a degree in Art Education.  She also holds a masters equivalency in Ceramics.  She was nominated in 2011 for career art teacher of the year from Maryland Art Education Association.

Laura got her start in the world of clay soon after graduating high school when she apprenticed in a NYC pottery where she got a solid education learning all aspects of the potters trade.

She maintains her potters studio at her home in Annapolis and sells her work privately.

Leandra Parkinson

Leandra has studied Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, Contemporary, African, Bollywood, Clogging and Hip Hop, along with studies in Fashion Merchandising. As a Fitness/Dance Instructor she inspires with passion and technique to express it through dance for all ages and levels.

Leandra Parkinson, originally from Southern California, began dancing at the age of 3. Throughout the years she has studied Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, Contemporary, African, Bollywood, Clogging but specializes in Hip Hop. Highlighting her younger years, she has attended many workshops/master classes, participated in Valencia College for the Arts Summer Program, performed in Superbowl XII, Orange Bowl and she was a member of AACC Dance Company for 3 years. She studied Fashion Merchandising in College and just like Fashion, Dance is an expression. She loves to educate dancers to take inspiration, passion and technique and express it through the art of dance. Her career as a Fitness/Dance Instructor has allowed her to work with all ages and levels of dancers. Leandra is very excited to share her passion and love for dance, as well as all of its healthy benefits with Maryland Hall students.

Leslie Thompson

Leslie has worked with many theatres and youth focused organizations throughout New York City, including the Creative Arts Team Youth Theatre and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. She has a BFA from Ithaca College, and Masters Degree in Applied Theatre from CUNY in NYC. She loves working with young people to create original works of theatre that explore the world around them, and works through play and a serious sense of silliness!

Leslie is a teaching artist working with children in a variety of ages in NYC for in-school and after school programs. Led by the students’ interests, they choose a social issues and topics, and create a service learning

projects incorporating theatre games, art projects, video games, and public speaking opportunities. She is also currently a Museum Educator at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan leading schools and camps in group visits, and facilitates an artistic program for inmates and their children incorporating visual arts and theatre activities in her programming. She is returning this summer to her home in Annapolis leading summer camp puppetry programs at Maryland Hall.

Linda Luke

Linda is an internationally recognized fine arts professional, with many commissioned works in watercolor and oils. She is currently the President of The Annapolis Watercolor Club,and is the sole Teaching Artist of Watercolor techniques at Maryland Hall.

Linda Luke, Visual Arts

Linda is an internationally recognized fine arts professional. She was raised in Delaware County, Pennsylvania but has lived in many states. The first solo exhibit of her paintings opened on her 21st birthday at the Widener Museum of Art in Chester, Pennsylvania. Her realistic watercolors and oils reflect the Brandywine tradition that surrounded Linda in her youth. Landscapes are her first love and primary subject matter, however, people, animals, flowers and still life are painting subjects as well.

Linda has enjoyed a long career as a professional artist and has been commissioned by a variety of professional and private clients such as the Hershey Trust, Hilton, Franklin Mint and Sterling Vineyards to do paintings for them of this country, Europe and Africa. These works hang in public and private collections here and around the world. Her largest commission to date has been that of a 98 foot by 7 foot mural on the rotunda ceiling of the Association of Baptists Worldwide Evangelism headquarters in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. The mural depicts 32 different countries where the mission is active. Working overhead, using two levels of scaffolding, it took 5 years to complete this remarkable oil painting. It is open to the public for view by request.

Linda enjoys her life as a professional artist. She is currently the president of the Annapolis Watercolor Club and enjoys teaching at Maryland Hall. She resides in Annapolis Maryland with her husband Peter.

Linda often says, “I’m happy when I paint…I hope that shows!”

Lisa Peelish

Having studied ballet her entire life from age 5, Lisa continued with her love of Ballet beyond raising her family and retiring from a career in law to teach the Ballet for Life Program at Maryland Hall for over 10 years.

Lisa Peelish, Dance & Wellness

I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska and began my ballet studies at the Cora Quick Ballet Studio at the age of five. I continued with my studies through my twenties adding jazz and tap dance along the way.  After graduating from Law School, practicing law in Denver, and raising a family, I found myself back in the ballet studio studying with Barbara Owen , Founder of the Ballet for Life program at Maryland Hall.  I have been teaching the Ballet for Life Basics I and Basics II classes for over eight years and have really enjoyed introducing ballet to new students and helping those with ballet experience reacquaint with the art form.

Even if only for an hour during their busy week, the Ballet for Life classes offer students a chance to focus solely on ballet movement, allowing them to take a step away from life’s hectic pace. Students often comment that this hour is one of the highlights of their week.

LISA PEELISH

Liz Carren

“I believe art intersects with healing, and creativity and that is at the heart of my work—the potent fusion and intersection where positivity, creativity, and mindfulness converge. We will harness that power to illuminate your path to healing, wholeness and have some fun too.” 

Liz is an Intuitive painter – digital and paper. She is a Certified Art Medicine Practitioner, who will help guide you in transformation power of art and relaxation.   

Liz Carren, Digital Art

Liz Carren's Digital Artwork

What you will see in my art is my love of color, illustration, flowers, animals, and whimsy.  I enjoy maintaining the integrity of the literal image using new digital tools to move to interpretive imaging. I desire to enhance, recreate and quietly reimagine what I see.

My background is in art and design as far back as I can remember.  I grew up in an “arts household,” painting at a young age with my painter grandmother, going to museums and events with my family, and just “doing art” for fun. I went to Ithaca College, School of Communications and received a Bachelor of Science in Cinema Studies and Photography. With an appetite for adventure and travel, I furthered my studied in London at the International Film School (Covent Garden, London) and received a diploma in Film from there as well.  Upon returning to the States, I needed to work, and so I started my own business as an Interior Design Large Format Photographer. After a while, I went back to school again, this time for a certificate in Landscape Design. Over the years, I have pursued art and design with displays, exhibits, gardens, landscapes, and graphic arts.

The disciplines of all these arts add to a broad base of knowledge to pull from for shaping new techniques and ideas. Presently my focus takes two tracks: One path is “The Botanical Beauties and Beasties” with its whimsical art creatures and their community, called Botaniumaus.  The mantra of their land is Kindness: Kindness to self, each other and the Earth. Their purpose is to share this message with a big dollop of sustainability.  Created digitally. Created with a mission. Created with soul and heart.

The other path is the sheer meditative joy of sketching, the overall process of creating, exploring creativity with digital tools and sharing it with others.

Regardless of the path, the journey requires my camera, my computer, sometimes paints, and always my eyes, my heart, and my imagination.

www.caringartist.com 

Louise Wallendorf

Louise Wallendorf was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She is an artist/scientist who combines lifelong passions for the ocean, drawing and printmaking. 

Louise Wallendorf was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She is an artist/scientist who combines lifelong passions for the ocean, drawing and printmaking. 

 She was atelier trained in charcoal drawing as a teen and has maintained an interest in drawing from life, studying at RISD and MICA and most recently with Rob Liberace.  She has participated in the portrait and figure co-ops at Maryland Hall for 15 years.  

  
As an artist in residence at Cape Cod National Seashore she developed a new environmentally friendly printing process called surf lithography that captures the abstract movement of sea water and sand across an aluminum printing plate with tusche, a greasy lithography ink.  She prints lithographs in the studios at Anne Arundel Community College.             

http://www.louisewallendorf.com 

Lyn Vencus

An avid practitioner and teacher of various styles of yoga for over twenty-five years, she transitioned to safer ways to move the body after a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Lynn iscertified in Integrative Yoga for Seniors, at Duke Integrative Medicine, and YogAlign, Kuaui, HI.

Lyn Vencus, YogAlign

An avid practitioner of various styles of yoga for over twenty-five years, it felt very natural to transition into the instructional side of things. My basic training and teaching experiences began at Pure Prana and Radiance studios in Alexandria, VA in 2010. A diagnosis of osteopenia triggered a need to seek out safer ways to move the body. This led to various workshops, more training and additional certifications in Integrative Yoga for Seniors, at Duke Integrative Medicine, Durham, NC, and YogAlign, Kuaui, HI.

These training programs, additional research and personal observations continue to inform my teaching style. As a yoga instructor, my goals are to create a relaxed and fun space inviting students to safely experience a smart, accessible and sustainable yoga practice. I am very confident sharing YogAlign with others – it is painless and improves posture, overall health and sense of well being.

When not teaching or practicing yoga, I enjoy designing, painting and listening to music. Connecting with nature is a must and best done while gardening, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling. And I am also an avid “wannabe” sailor.

Life is just more fun when you’re Aligned.

LYN VENCUS

Marion Kadi

Marion has had several exhibitions and holds a Master’s Degree in Typographic Design, Degree in Graphic Design, and experience in Publishing, Graphic Design, and Advertising in Esaa Duperre, Paris, France.

Mary Budnitz

Hi! I am a 2D animator and character artist, currently residing in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland where I have been freelancing for the past 3 years. I received my BFA in Digital Arts – 2D Animation from The Pratt Institute.

Mary Slater

Mary has taught dance at Maryland Hall for over 30 years. With degrees from U of Maryland and U of Colorado in Dance Ed, and the NYC Walden School of Dance, she has danced and taught all over the world.

Mary Slater, Dance

I love sharing tap as an artform and great exercise. Students enjoy music, props, exercise, and friendships. Dancers move as chorus and soloists using our mind, body, and soles (souls). Tap is my Specialty!

Biography:

University of Maryland College Park, Dance Education K-12, University of Colorado specialty training dance education for children, NYC Walden School Dance Education. 12 years NYC modern dance, jazz, ballet, tap, studied performed, and taught classes. Mentored by Henry LeTang, Brenda Bufalino, and Charles Cookie Cook.  20 years Professor University of Maryland, College Park. 30 years Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 28 years Slaters Dance Studio in Edgewater and Deale, Maryland. McCarthy and Slater-dance team, NYC, cruiseships, cabaret, Las Vegas, Catskills. Bubbling Brown Sugar- Judy Cantrell, CrossRoads Theatre, Regional, Carribean Tour. I am proud of my students that have continued with dance in Stomp, Tap Dogs, Bring In The Noise Bring In the Funk, RiverDance.

I love teaching and sharing the art of dance with children and adults. Dance uses your body as a means of expression. It is a nonverbal form of communication.

MARY SLATER

Mary White Newcomb

After years of trial and error, Mary began taking jewelry classes at Maryland Institute College of Art, then to NYC to complete the studio at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Her favorite materials include sterling, gemstones, and sparkly things she finds.

Mary White Newcomb, Jewelry & Metals

Mary White Newcomb was born and raised in Annapolis and recently returned to those roots after 20 years of adventuring in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Northern California and Colorado. Mary started making jewelry when she was 8, after discovering a wonderful bead shop on Maryland Avenue, so she loves teaching both kids and adults. After many years of self-taught trial and error, she began taking classes at Maryland Institute College of Art’s Meadow Mill facility, then moved to NYC to complete the studio program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. While completing this training she wove in personal explorations along the way, taking classes at the 92nd Street Y and Haystack Mountain School of Craft in Maine. Her favorite materials to work with include sterling, unique gemstones, shrinky-dinks and sparkly things she finds on her walks.

Matt Radtke

Matt started the on the lathe at 10 years old and became a full-time woodturner and teacher once retired. Matt loves teaching all levels and is a member of several woodturning groups and on the board of the Howard county woodworkers guild.

Matt started the on the lathe at 10-years-old making a laminated rolling pin. Thirteen years ago started making bowls and became a full-time woodturner 5 years ago. Matt loves to teach spindle turning, bowl making and endgrain objects like boxes and hollow forms. He is recently hooked on the potential of resin/wood projects.

Matt currently is teaching in Rockville Maryland, and at his home shop in Howard County, and is a member of several woodturning groups and on the board of the Howard County woodworkers guild.

Melissa Gryder

Melissa Gryder lives and works in Annapolis, Maryland.  She received her BFA in 1999 from Frostburg State University and went on to continue study at Oxford University and University of North Florida.

Melissa Gryder, Oil

Contemporary Realism inspired by the Cape School Tradition

Melissa Gryder lives and works in Annapolis, Maryland.  She received her BFA in 1999 from Frostburg State University and went on to continue study at Oxford University and University of North Florida.  She spent over a decade studying portraiture and color extensively with Cedric Egeli, John Ebersberger, and at the Cape School of Art in Provincetown, MA.  She has been teaching painting classes in the Annapolis area for over 6 years and at Maryland Hall since 2018.  Locally she is represented at Main Street Gallery.  She has been featured in national juried exhibitions and museum shows throughout the United States. Her works are included in collections in the United States, Japan & England.  She is an active member of Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of American, American Impressionist Society, Mid-Atlantic Painters Association and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.  She is currently the Vice President of the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, of which she has served on the board for the past 8 years.

When I moved to Annapolis 15 years ago, I was thrilled to discover Maryland Hall. I love how many of the painting instructors at Maryland Hall have been trained in the Cape School tradition. It is a treasure for students to be able to study various subjects of painting with different instructors who share similar backgrounds.

Melissa Hyatt Foss

Melissa Hyatt Foss is an instrument-maker, musician and composer-performer who co-creates with an ever-growing collection of instruments that she hand-crafts with clay and other natural materials. Her instruments, which are both visual and sonic objects, both sculptural and functional, recreate and reimagine Pre-Columbian sound artifacts of the Americas through the lens of personal narrative and regional mythology.  

Melissa received her training in Argentina under the tutelage of composer and educator Alejandro Iglesias Rossi and musicologist and educator Susana Ferreres, and developed her career as a performer, instrument-maker, teaching artist, and researcher for over a decade in connection with the National University of Argentina.  Learn more at melissahyattfoss.com.  

Melissa Hyatt Foss is an interdisciplinary artist who co-creates with an ever-growing collection of sculptural musical instruments, including flutes, horns, trumpets, noise generators, bells, rattles, and whistling bottles, that she hand-crafts with clay.    

Melissa received her training over 12 years in Argentina, where she completed her master’s degree in Musical Creation, New Technologies and Traditional Arts at the National University of Argentina.  There, she was initiated into Pre-Columbian instrument-making traditions under the tutelage of composer and educator Alejandro Iglesias Rossi and musicologist and educator Susana Ferreres.  Within the framework of this innovative artistic-academic program, and as a soloist for seven years with the Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies, she learned to understand historic sound artifacts as cosmographic objects; vessels of visual, sonic, and energetic information that speak to us of other ways of seeing and being in the world.  

Melissa’s original work reimagines instruments of the ancient Americas through the lens of personal narrative and regional mythology to open a dialogue between the ancient and the contemporary, the individual and the collective.  Her instruments and the music she makes with them explore themes of memory, kinship, and myth, as well as sound itself; its ability to induce altered states of consciousness and its power to generate moments of shared emotions and connection.  

Foss has created and delivered innovative, bilingual educational programming with groups of all ages at the National University of Argentina, Baltimore Museum of Art, Shepherd University, Creative Alliance, and Baltimore Clayworks, and with early childhood through 8th grade in schools across the state of Maryland. Her arts integrated performances, workshops, residencies and professional development trainings focus on using clay, music, and Pre-Columbian musical instrument traditions to inspire interest in nature, culture, and history, while facilitating embodied creative experiences and group connectivity. 

Naptown Jazz Kids – Steve Fidyk

This non-profit offers educational classes, community engagement and musical training through Jazz Music, America’s original art form. Professional staff engage students with creative programming that helps develop character, leadership, friendships and communities.

Steve Fidyk is widely recognized for his versatility as a musician, composer, and educator. For more than 21 years, he was the drummer and featured soloist with the Army Blues Big Band, a prestigious 17-piece jazz ensemble based in Washington DC. During his tenure, Fidyk performed for seven US Presidents, various dignitaries, and jazz icons such as Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Doc Severinsen, and Benny Golson. He also participated in goodwill musical missions to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for Habitat for Humanity, and to the Middle East in support of troops stationed there. 

 

Presently, Fidyk leads ensembles showcasing his original compositions and arrangements. Additionally, he performs nationwide with small groups led by tenor saxophonist Walt Weiskopf and is a key member of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia under the direction of Terell Stafford. 

 

As a respected educator, Fidyk shares his expertise as a faculty member of the jazz studies department at Temple University. He also serves as an educational consultant for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Program. 

Nic Berg

Nic loves connecting visual art with music and theater. She has worked for years as a theatrical makeup artist and national educator and is currently the Wig & Makeup Director at The Young Victorian Theater Company and vocalist with Live Arts Maryland.

Nic Berg is a Native Annapolitan Folk Painter focused on divinity in nature. Nic’s relationship with art began in early childhood, when she would regularly attend classes at Maryland Hall. She spent decades connecting her love for visual art with music and theater. Nic has worked for over 10 years as an editorial and theatrical makeup artist and national educator. She is currently the Wig & Makeup Director at The Young Victorian Theater Company in Band a vocalist with Live Arts Maryland.

Renata Mastroti Kunkel

Renata studied ceramics in her home country of Brazil, and earned an MBA in Sao Paulo. She was invited for a two-year apprenticeship at the Rochester folk Art Guild (NY) and has been teaching Ceramics at Maryland Hall for 18 years.

 

For several years Renata studied ceramics in Brazil. In 2000 she was invited for a two-year apprenticeship with Annie Schliffer at the Rochester folk Art Guild (NY). Renata currently works at her studio in Edgewater, MD and teaches at the Maryland Hall for The Creative Arts. Renata’s work has been displayed at galleries and stores in the US and Brazil. She has an MBA from Fundacao Getulio Vargas in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

My pieces combine simple forms with a passion for intricate decoration. I’m inspired by geometric patterns and nature forms. Carving, piercing and leaf application are some of the techniques I’ve been exploring in a search for harmony between detail and simpleness. I’m interested in the contrast between the earthy tones of the clay body and the bright glazes applied around the decorated areas. That process allows the bare clay body to become the focal point and the blank canvas where the decorative process takes place.

http://www.rmastrotipottery.com

Robin Gilliam

Robin M. Gilliam has been an artist for 35 years and a caregiver of ill and aging family members. She has a degree in fine arts and psychology, from Goucher College, and is the author of Gift of Desperation about the healing power of art.

Robin Gilliam, Artist and Author

    Art Journaling for the Caregiver

Robin M. Gilliam has been a mixed media artist for over 35 years and a caregiver since 2017 when her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Robin was also the caregiver for her aging parents, who have both recently passed, and continues to care for her husband through his journey.

She was selected to show her art in the Healing Power of Art sponsored by the past first lady of Maryland, Mrs. Hogan. She has a BA degree is in fine arts and psychology, from Goucher College. She is the author of the novel Gift of Desperation which takes us on a wild ride out of past secrets and into the healing power of art.

Robin has published articles, taught at large recovery conferences, and been featured on addiction and recovery podcasts. She shares her creative journey at www.recoveryartstudio.com

Caregiving added a new twist to Robin’s life. She is grateful for art journaling which helps her to release angst, relax her mind, and rejoice in her achievements. She is excited to teach her students how to use art journaling to help them heal their hearts and lifts their spirits.


Sam Coscas

Hello new students! Here is a little background about myself
-I Am a relatively new Designer in the industry, but have loved my experience so far.
-I Studied at anne arundel community college then went on the get my bachelors at UMGC
-I spent a little over a year working for a book blog and have had some great memories there
-I now have moved onto doing graphics/marketing locally and have
been having a great time in these past months
-Im VERY excited to start teaching you all 🙂

samcoscas@gmail.com

Scott Newcomb

Scott Newcomb was born in Upstate New York in 1977 and raised in the Hudson Valley on art, soccer and homemade tacos. Scott received his BA in Sculpture from Hartwick College in 1999.

Scott Newcomb, Mixed Media, Visual Arts, Multidisciplinary Artist

www.scottnewcombart.com

Scott Newcomb was born in Upstate New York in 1977 and raised in the Hudson Valley on art, soccer and homemade tacos. Scott received his BA in Sculpture from Hartwick College in 1999. His work at that time was almost entirely three dimensional, involving glassblowing, metalsmithing, and conceptual installation. Scott then attended a post-baccalaureate program at MICA, where he began creating visually meditative “panels” that broke away from academic explanation; he intended for them to be seen and understood by all. The panels were typically mounted away from the wall to create a slight shadow, and covered in a mixture of wax and pigment.

After a move to Brooklyn, NY in 2002, Scott began selling his panels on the street, typically in Union Square and Central Park, something he continued for the next 5 years while meeting countless friends and collectors.

In 2011, he moved to the Bay Area and was soon metalworking and teaching youth classes at The Crucible while enjoying the unique arts opportunities offered in Northern California. He continued sculptural metalwork after a move to Colorado in 2017, fabricating custom architectural elements in homes in Aspen, Boulder and Denver.

Scott’s work is in hundreds of private collections, and his piece, “Wendy Williams Packing Heat,” is a permanent part of the Annette and Peter Nobel Collection, shown at the Museum of Modern Art in Salzburg in 2010. He also has pieces on permanent display in Japan and England.

Scott, his partner, Mary and their daughter now live in Annapolis, Maryland. When Scott’s not in the studio, he can be found teaching at ArtFarm in Annapolis, preparing for upcoming shows, and trying to catch a few minutes of soccer in between.

Selin Balci

Selin Balci is a mixed-media artist from Istanbul, Turkey. She is passionate about the traditional Turkish art form Marbling, or Ebru in Turkish, with its intricate patterns and vivid colors. She has an MFA in Mixed Media from the University of Maryland.

Selin Balci is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher. Her artistic practice combines scientific equipment and biological mediums with traditional art materials. Selin’s work is classified as bio-art, a new direction in contemporary art that employs living organisms. The marriage of her formal science and art education let her exploit this relatively new practice. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Maryland, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor of Science from Istanbul University.

In 2022 and 2023, she was awarded independent artist grants by Anne Arundel and the Maryland State Arts Councils. Her other awards include the Mary Sawyer’s Baker Award from the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance, the College Art Association (CAA) Professional Development Fellowship, the Hamiltonian Gallery fellowship, the Anne Truitt MFA scholarship, and the SOFAlab Science/Art Project grant from George Mason University. She has attended the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Vermont Studio Center, Istanbul Art Residency, and MASS MoCA residency programs.

She has a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Maryland, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor of Science from Istanbul University.

Shannon Mcardle

Shannon holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Art in Sculpture from SUNY Fredonia in NY and a Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Goucher College. She has been making pottery for 20 years, and has worked and taught at Baltimore Clayworks, the Pottery Guild of Baltimore and AACPS Sculpture and Ceramics.

Shannon McArdle, Ceramics

Shannon holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Art in Sculpture from SUNY Fredonia in NY and a Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Goucher College. Shannon has been making pottery for 20 years and has worked as a teacher and artist at Baltimore Clayworks and the Pottery Guild of Baltimore. Most recently, Shannon was a co-manager at Monocacy River Pottery in Thurmont, MD where there are 3 wood kilns that are fired year-round in a community setting. Shannon currently works as a high school sculpture and ceramics teacher.

Tami Cicale

Hello! I am a portrait and fine art photographer here in Annapolis, Maryland. I have been a photographer since 2015, mostly as a hobbyist. I have retired from a long career in the military, law enforcement and teaching. I am ready to devote more time to my passion and new career. I love photographing people, especially children and teens. I aim to create heirloom treasures that are enjoyed for generations.

cicaletdesigns@aol.com

Teairra Humphries

Born and raised in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Teairra is a self taught visual artist with a bachelor’s in digital art and design from Full Sail University. Her skills range from traditional acrylic on canvas to 2D digital art. In her personal life, she enjoys traveling, singing and trying new foods.

humphriesteairra@gmail.com

The Musical Autist

The Musical Autist (TMA), a local disability rights nonprofit with a mission to provide access to the arts and create platforms for self-advocacy. TMA accomplishes this through Sensory Friendly Concerts, Empowerment Jam Sessions, and classes offered through Maryland Hall.

CJ Shiloh, MT-BC, Co-Founder & Executive Director Naomi Davis, MT-BC, Instructor

The Musical Autist is a place where neurodiversity is celebrated and respected!

Their mission is to provide access to the arts and platforms for self advocacy for musicians of all ages and abilities on the autism spectrum. The Musical Autist’s vision is to create places online and within the community where neurodivergent musicians and artists are celebrated and accepted, through venues where there is opportunity to work, perform, and build relationships. The Musical Autist is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that started Sensory Friendly Concerts in 2011. Other programs include Empowerment Jam Sessions and Musical Autist Troupe.

C.J. Shiloh, MT-BC, Co-Founder & Executive Director

C.J. Shiloh MT-BC, is a Board Certified Music Therapist and co-founder of The Musical Autist, a local disability rights nonprofit with a mission to provide access to the arts and create platforms for self-advocacy. TMA accomplishes this through three main programs, Sensory Friendly Concerts, Empowerment Jam Sessions, and a weekly class offered through MD Hall, Musical Autist Troupe.

CJ is a classically trained pianist with 20 years experience as a piano instructor. She earned a liberal arts music degree in 2003, with concentrations in both music performance and music education, from Colorado State University. In 2014, she earned the MT-BC credentials through Shenandoah University, after completing a 6 month clinical internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

She brings her skills in music education and music therapy to MD Hall as a teaching artist for the Troupe program, working with The Café at Maryland Hall to offer Empowerment Jam Sessions, and exploring opportunities with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra to offer Sensory Friendly Concerts in future concert series.

Naomi Davis, MT-BC, Instructor

Naomi Davis, MT-BC, is a Board Certified Music Therapist providing services in the Annapolis area. In addition to working with The Musical Autist, a disability rights non-profit with a mission to provide access to the arts and create platforms for self advocacy, Naomi provides music therapy services through Annapolis Music Therapy.

Naomi is a bassoonist by training with over a decade of experience teaching bassoon, guitar, piano, and cello. Naomi earned a Bachelors of Music in music therapy from Colorado State University in 2020. In 2021, she earned the MT-BC credentials after completing a clinical internship at Annapolis Music Therapy. Naomi brings her training as a therapist and her passion for teaching to her role as teaching artist for the Troupe program.

CJ Shiloh, MT-BC

Teaching Artist

cjshilohmtbc@gmail.com

Wildhearts Academy

Using significant figures throughout history along with everyday heroes to guide each week, students will explore and discover the world around them, while engaging in creative lessons that teach problem solving and nurture their Wildheart spirit.

Wildhearts Academy is a philosophy to teaching children while also building an inclusive, compassionate and forward thinking community. With a comprehensive approach, using Arts Integration, Wellness Habits and Nature Based curriculum, Wildhearts Academy provides a unique approach to seeing the world around us through a diverse lens. Using significant figures throughout history along with everyday heroes to guide each week, students will explore and discover the world around them, while engaging in creative lessons that teach problem solving and nurture their Wildheart spirit.

We want our own children to tap into their inner strength and ability to discover their own power.  But more than that, we want them to use this power in the world to do good and make change. These are the tenets of Wildhearts:

  • wellness to allow a child the emotional strength and peace to act with clarity,
  • art to allow a child the freedom to express how they experience the world,
  • inclusivity to ensure all types of people are considered and respected, and
  • connection to the natural world to foster a sense of wonder and respect for all living things.
Laura Brino

Laura Brino is a freelance artist and singer/ songwriter who studied illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art and Art Education at Towson University. Currently the Director of Community Programs at Maryland Hall in Annapolis, MD, she oversees many youth arts programs. Prior to this work, she worked as a Middle School Visual Arts Teacher as well as an Arts Integration Specialist. She is passionate about using the arts as a pathway for learning and is committed to providing dynamic programming for youth. She has presented at three national conferences about the healing power of arts. She is also an accomplished songwriter and musician and has released five albums under her name and her band Lily and the Pearl.

Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith is a School Librarian and Media Specialist with a Master of Library and Information Science from the iSchool at University of Maryland, College Park and an SL Certification for grades K-12.  She was led to this path by her passion for children’s literature and the potential it has to spark a child’s imagination, curiosity, and contribute to their world view. She further found her calling within this profession as it allows her to guide young individuals to learn how “to learn” and create their own knowledge through research and reading. Stephanie has written Library Media curriculum for her school district for 9 years with the goal to ensure the program empowers students to become lifelong discoverers.

Maryland Hall is such a diverse and central core to our community. Being able to offer our classes here during the day allows us the opportunity to bring both homeschoolers and traditional learners into an inspiring and creative space.

Winship Wheatley

 

Throughout my musical journey, I’ve focused on merging acoustic depth with digital innovation, creating unique soundscapes. My passion lies in exploring and pushing the boundaries of music production, primarily through solo projects. This exploration is driven by a desire to blend traditional musicality with modern technology, continually refining my sound.

 

winshiplive@gmail.com