Instructors

Exhibiting Artist & Workshop Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
kanderson8345@gmail.com
Website

Kurt began painting in 1995 and has never looked back. An outdoor lover, he naturally gravitated toward Plein Air. His goal is to paint the light rather than the object on which it lands. He often prefers his loose, authentic  plein air studies to more rendered studio pieces. “In the field, my goal is to get the composition, color and values down. Non essential details are edited out, forming a stronger statement.”

 He has participated in numerous competitions and has garnered many awards, most recently, shared Artists Choice Award 2018 Paint Grand Traverse. He is a member of Oil Painters of America and American Impressionist Society.

"Our artistic expressions are simply a collection of our prior exposure to the artists that have come before us. We take bits and pieces of the styles and techniques that strike a chord with us, add our life experiences and emotions, and when blended together, guide our brushes on canvas."

CTAC Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
cody@cosmiccapersdrama.com
Website
(972) 661-ARTS

Cody Cosmic is the owner and founder of Cosmic Capers and has been teaching creative drama classes in Dallas since 2013. Before moving to Dallas, Cody managed education programs for Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Creede Repertory Theatre. 

Cody developed her creative drama skill set by studying closely with Rives Collins, one of the premier practitioners of creative drama in the country. She later trained with and taught for Sherry Capers, a creative drama leader in Dallas. Cody has a master’s degree in Theatre from Northwestern University.

Guest Lecturer
CTAC Petoskey
Website

Dr. Elizabeth Fergus-Jean, MFA, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized and award-winning transdisciplinary artist, educator and occasional writer whose focus is on the transformative and healing power of the creative spirit. At the core of her approach is her deep spirituality and strong eco-consciousness and her love of the natural world and sharing this with others. 

Her artwork has been exhibited in museums, universities and art galleries including the Springfield Art Museum, Butler Institute of American Art, Memorial Art Museum and the Ross Museum. Her work is also held in numerous public and private collections, including Huntington Corporation, Price Waterhouse and the New Mexico History Museum. It has also appeared on the covers of more than 15 international myth and depth psychology journals and books. 

She has been Artist-in-Residence at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, and at The Ohio State University.  As an author, Elizabeth has written several books and numerous essays, two of which have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Her two essays, Ariadne and Labyrinth: A Metaphor for Transformation, were published in Mythology: A CD-ROM Encyclopedia.

A passionate and committed teacher, Elizabeth has taught for over 45 years in a wide range of venues, including the Columbus College of Art and Design, Denison University and Pacifica Graduate Institute, where she was a founding faculty member for the Humanities Program. She has also taught and worked with inner city youth, at art centers, museums, church groups, and Jung associations across the county. Her popular workshops reach out to a range of individuals who seek to expand their own creativity, clarify their authentic voice, and become aware of archetypal patterns within their lives. 

She received her BFA (Phi Kappa Phi) from Rochester Institute of Technology, an MFA in Painting and Design from the University of Washington, and her PhD in the Mythological Studies with emphasis in Depth Psychology at Pacifica. Loving to expand her knowledge, she is currently studying Druidry, Tarot and Sophrology. 

CTAC Petoskey
Website

Egan Franks Holzhausen received a BFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a MFA from Kendall College of Art and Design. She teaches a variety of painting and drawing classes at Crooked Tree Art Center and North Central Michigan College and she has been teaching art to youth and adults since 2009. Egan's teaching style matches her art style: playful, energetic, and inclusive.

When she's not teaching or working in her studio, Franks Holzhausen enjoys her time spent outdoors. 

CTAC Instructor

CTAC Petoskey

owenjames101@gmail.com

Jazz guitarist, vocalist, pianist and composer/arranger Owen James has performed extensively throughout the U.S., sharing the stage with many jazz luminaries, at venues such as The Grand Hotel, Indianapolis’s Jazz Kitchen and Oregon’s Mount Hood Jazz Festival. He as over 30 years of performing and teaching experience, and strives, in any setting, to educate and inspire those around him, to share the love of music and to create opportunities, through music, for personal growth, self-expression and communication.

Healing Arts Minister and Educator
CTAC Petoskey

Hilary Lake, MDiv, RSMT/E (she/they) is a healing arts community minister and registered somatic movement therapist and educator. She helps people align with their bodies and values in nourishing and enlivening ways. She worked at the Fetzer Institute, graduated from Harvard Divinity School with an MDiv in Buddhist Ministry and has spent time in Thailand, India and Nepal studying sustainable development, earth based traditions and Buddhism. Her focus now is on birthing Earth honoring, soulcentric culture as a caring steward to land and village in service to all of life.

We are Sarah Koetje & Sarah Mayhew. Mostly referred to as, “The Sarah’s”. We're owners of Little Big - Nature & Adventure Based Learning. We’re experienced and passionate outdoor educators who dream big and create even bigger. We specialize in making meaningful connections and creating unforgettable experiences. Between the two of us we have over 20 years of experience teaching outdoor education across various sectors including government and non-profit organizations.

Workshop Instructor
heidiamarshall@yahoo.com
Website

Heidi Marshall is an award-winning Master Pastellist, whose works have been exhibited in The National Arts Club, The Butler Institute of American Art, and The Desert Caballeros Western Museum. Her paintings are often featured in magazines like Plein Air, Southwestern Art, Pastel Journal and Art of the West. Look for her latest feature article this summer—in Blue, a magazine on Michigan living.

Artist and CTAC Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
kimmeyerpottery@gmail.com
Website

Bringing whimsical laugh-out-loud Mugglies as well as striking nature-inspired pottery to Petoskey, Kimberly Meyer finds fun in her work. She creates pieces that are functional as well as funny, comfortable to hold as well as comforting to look upon. She has completed the 100 custom mug collection at Beards Brewery and her work can also be found at the Crooked Tree Arts Center gallery and on her website: kimmeyerpottery.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram @kimberlymeyerpottery
 

ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a potter. Working with clay takes me to a whole different world, where my soul is quiet, and my head is clear. I enjoy the nature of clay. It is an ever-evolving medium that teaches me something new each day. The slow deliberate process of pottery gives me an opportunity to connect with the material and create with intention. Much of my work is done with a potter’s wheel. The physical exertion, fluidity of motion, and fragility of wet clay are exhilarating! Creating just the right curve. Getting an extra inch of height. I enjoy creating useful items that fit the hand. Practical pots that are both balanced and silly. Nature-inspired items that represent the beauty I see around me. I love to make things that make others smile.

Unpretentious, individual, colorful, and sometimes humorous. Those are my pots. 

Guest Instructor
CTAC Petoskey

Hello! I’m Emma. I’m currently earning my BFA at the College for Creative Studies. My personal art practice is multidisciplinary and is based in fibers, glassblowing, Oil Painting, and Printmaking. My approach to creativity stems from a belief that art holds no prerequisites and that all people are capable of creating beauty and meaning in their work.  Creating a warm and welcoming environment for individuals to pursue this innate creativity is something I’m passionate about, and working with CTAC has been a wonderful opportunity for me to share this belief and learn from those around me.

CTAC Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
trish@peachbloomhill.com
Website

Trish Morgan graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 1987 with a BFA in Illustration. After a few years in the commercial art field, she moved back to her hometown of Charlevoix, Michigan, to pursue a career as a watercolor artist. The past years have been spent entering shows, competitions and studying with renowned watercolor artists in the United States and Europe. Her work has been accepted into the Michigan Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, Louisiana Watercolor Society, and the Transparent Watercolor Society of America’s annual juried exhibitions with many awards and recognitions, culminating in a first place national award in 2008. She is proud to have exhibited at the prestigious Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair for over 25 years. 

Trish's approach to painting is a quest to take ordinary subject matter and render it memorable. Her imagery is chosen usually for light and shadow—She enjoys the way sunlight falls across architecture, reflects in unexpected areas and creates wonderfully shaped shadows. Watercolor, for Trish, portrays this luminosity in the most delicate and surprising way.

Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
jasminelacetextiles@gmail.com
Website

Jasmine Lace Petrie of Howl at the Loom is a lifelong resident of Northern Michigan and has been practicing natural dyes for over a decade. She has taught many fiber art workshops in the area and has studied facets of natural dye under Shanna Robinson, India Flint, Elin Noble, and Irit Dulman. Jasmine is also an avid weaver and constantly seeks to express her enthusiasm for local fiber arts by supporting local businesses and organizations.

Guest Instructor

CTAC Petoskey

https://www.elizabethpollie.com/

Elizabeth Pollie’s personal art history extends back decades. Art as a path, a language and a personal frontier has been present from the time of her childhood. Her parents exposed her to the arts as a child and encouraged her to follow her interests. She earned her BFA from The College For Creative Studies where she later taught.

Her interests led her into the field of editorial illustration. The 1980’s were a rich with greatly imaginative artists who honed both their conceptual and representational skills in the world of illustration.  Ms. Pollie’s work was nationally published and awarded. As illustration began to fade from magazines and book jackets her focus upon representational painting became central.

Pollie’s work has received a strong reception in the art world, collecting numerous awards as well as media coverage.

She lives and works in the waterside town of Harbor Springs, MI. along with her husband, three dogs and a steer named Egbert.

Guest Lecturer
CTAC Petoskey

Shanna Robinson earned both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts  in Textiles from Eastern Michigan University. She has been making art from whatever material expresses her purpose for more than 30 years. Working in textiles, ceramics, sculpture and printmaking, she creates a varied body of work connected by a love of the natural world. Robinson is Professor of Art at North Central Michigan College, where she teaches art history, textiles and design.

Instructor
ohsolowy@gmail.com
Website

It is my belief that we are all born creatives in some capacity. Many of us lose our way on that journey, myself included. Through my experiences I have come to conclude that to truly enjoy an enriched life we must search for the ways that creativity will play out in our lives.

​My relationship with art has been ever evolving beginning early in life. I had been serious about my art education since childhood and went on to indulge in everything art-related through grade school. Later I was admitted to Kendall College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids, MI where I studied Art History with a studio emphasis and a minor in Sculpture. I also earned an Art Education teaching certificate from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI. 

​Although both experiences were very impactful I also remember a lot of frustration with the traditional methods of art education. When it came to finding myself in the art world I often felt in the dark. It wasn't until rather recently that I began to let go of the "rules" and immerse myself into my own practice.

​In my current body of mixed media collage paintings you will find tactile representations of the many layers I find within myself and others. My process is additive and reductive; I use numerous layers of paint, collage paper, and a variety of drawing tools to create a surface history. From there I extract certain areas by scraping or wiping away part of the layers I have created while leaving others until the piece reveals what it is supposed to be. I can't seem to wrap my head around a painting having a straightforward beginning, middle, and end so I connect to this non-linear way of working. 

I am drawn to artwork that offers the viewer a passage to a place of contemplation that cannot be expressed in words. My work attempts to do the same as I am always seeking an other-worldliness that ironically can be found in the depths of our beings.

Instructor
CTAC Petoskey

Karen Stewart recently retired after 43 years of teaching in Petoskey, Pellston and Flushing, Michigan. Most recently, she taught elementary art in the Public Schools of Petoskey.  Karen lives on a farm in Harbor Springs with her 4 daughters, 1 son, and several rescue animals.  She aspires to continue teaching and inspiring artists, young and old, and to volunteer with sea turtles.

Studio and Guest Experience Associate
Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers
CTAC Petoskey
kristal@crookedtree.org
231-347-5552

Kristal joined CTAC as Studio Coordinator in September 2024. Kristal holds a BA in Technical Theatre with an emphasis in Costume Design and Technology from Western Michigan University and a Masters in Costume Design and Technology from Virginia Tech.

Instructor

CTAC Petoskey

jtibus@icloud.com

Website

248-895-3556

As a trained fine artist, Julie has a passion for exploration, an insatiable curiosity to learn, and a desire to push boundaries. She draws from an intersection of natural beauty and bold expression. Her bodies of work range from watercolor to acrylics to alcohol inks and collage. Her contemporary art explores natural themes in landscape and seascape. The overriding theme is the love of flow, motion, and color. Member of the Brighton Artist Guild, ISEA, Ann Arbor Women Artists, and the Washtenaw Women's Art Council. Her education came from many mentors and workshops and a BFA from the College For Creative Studies in Detroit, MI.

Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
Website

My husband and I raised our three kids in Asia, and I spent the bulk of our 22 years there as a high school art teacher at an International School. The sights and sounds of Asia were great resources for art. Since returning to the States and Northern Michigan, I am falling in love with a new landscape. My favorite medium of soft pastel lends itself to the Great Lakes shoreline and interior rolling hills. I continue to do artwork for projects in Asia, along with exploring new work and teaching. Passing on my love of pastels to students brings me great joy. 

Workshop Instructor
CTAC Petoskey
pkwise1@gmail.com
Website

Patrick Wise is a representational painter whose strong emotional response to landscapes, people and nature are conveyed in his  paintings. The beauty of northern Michigan has influenced Patrick’s work, and the memories of growing up in Petoskey continue to inspire his art. He earned his Master of Arts from Wayne State University, Detroit, and is an award-winning painter as well as a college professor. Currently, Patrick is working as a facilitator for an Expressive Arts Program at Harbor Hall in Petoskey, and continues to draw and paint locally- being inspired by the people and the land in northern Michigan.

Instructor

CTAC Traverse City

Laura was born and raised in Indiana, received a BFA and teaching certification from the University of Dayton, then a M.Ed in Art Education/Art Therapy from Wayne State. Laura has taught art to people of all ages- from seniors to young children.  Prior to moving to Traverse City in 2016, Laura was an elementary art teacher in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools.  She and her husband have four children and a dining room that doubles as an art studio. Laura loves seeing the joy that radiates from a child engaged in creating.

Instructor

ben@sandriverart.com

I make woodblock prints (woodcuts) inspired by landscapes, creatures and human enterprises in our world, subjects I have experienced at home in Michigan and other places. It is my way of saying that these things are valuable - they truly matter! As you see them I hope that you will think so too. While most of my multicolor relief prints are representational, more recently I am also enjoying abstract expressions of life in our times. I use plant-based inks which are environmentally friendly, printing both by hand and with a press, holding a strong commitment to this ancient art in its simplest form. Without an art degree, my art career began during retirement through workshops and university classes.

Having completed over a hundred multicolor relief prints, my work has achieved countless awards, exhibitions, and gallery shows. I teach workshops and have been artist-in-residence at Mackinac Island, Homestead National Historical Park, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Bonifas Arts Center, and Olepangi Farm in Kenya. Recently moving from Marquette, I now live in Ann Arbor where my art is an important focus, along with family, friends and community.

The Art Shop, Huron Valley Coucil for the Arts, Highland, MI
Fine Art America online

The Guild of Artists and Artisans, Ann Arbor, MI
Mid America Print Council
Huron Valley Council for the Arts
The Hive at Macon Creek, Clinton, MI

Instructor

CTAC Traverse City

Patty Clark is a retired Mental Health Therapist. She is currently a working artist who shows her work in galleries and at art fairs in the area. Patty works in a variety of media, including alcohol ink, watercolor and fiber felting. She feels that her work is a celebration of the natural elements of the earth, air, fire and water within our environment.

Instructor

CTAC Petoskey

Lyudmila Tomova Clark is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning artist known for her distinctive impressionist style. Working in oil and watercolor, she specializes in en plein air landscapes, figures, and portraits, earning recognition in national and international exhibitions. She participates in an average of 12 prestigious plein air events annually across the U.S. and was recently featured in an eight-page article in PleinAir Magazine (June/July issue), as well as in International Artist, Watercolor Artist, The Art of Watercolour, Pratique des Arts Magazine, and Splash books.

Her work has garnered awards from the PleinAir Salon, ArtFields, Art Renewal Center, NOAPS, OPA, and the American Impressionist Society, and she holds signature memberships in multiple watercolor societies. Lyudmila earned a BFA in Illustration with a gold medal from FIT in NYC and also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and the Special School of Fine Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. Originally from Sofia, she immigrated to the U.S. in 1990, building a distinguished career as a full-time painter, illustrator, and designer.

With 40 awards in 2023–2024, including 17 first-place wins, her dynamic, painterly approach seamlessly blends abstract and traditional elements, capturing light, energy, and emotion.

Instructor

ambercoultercreative@gmail.com

Born and raised in Northern Michigan, Amber is a self proclaimed permission giver and creativity coach. She has been making art her whole life, but found a love for Art Journaling, book binding, and everything Mixed Media about five years ago after having two daughters. She also teaches with Arts for All of Northern Michigan and online.

Instructor
CTAC Traverse City
Website

Royce Deans was born of parents that understood the important role that art plays in society and how crucial exposure to and participation is to the development of a young person. He was raised in the western suburbs of Chicago with access to museums and concert halls of every variety. Graduating from the American Academy of Art in Chicago gave him the foundation to build a life in the arts.

“Moving to Traverse City some four decades ago set his art on a wonderful trajectory. He counts each artistic endeavor as a rich experience that has shaped him into the artist he is today. Northern Michigan is such an incredibly beautiful place, the landscape has, of course, become an overwhelming source of inspiration.

Royce’s love for teaching and art has allowed him to travel far and wide. His artwork is in collections public and private in the US and in many of the countries of Western Europe, Israel. Highlights of his travels have been presenting classes, workshops, and retreats.

Instructor

lore_feldpausch@mac.com

Living in the northern tip of lake Huron on the Canadian border her summers were filled with nature and the quietness,that the big body of water creates. With no phone or TV her imagination was free to explore and grow. After having been downstate for 35 years she still spends as much time in the summer right next door to where she grew up. Renewing her spirit and giving the calmness that only the great lakes can do. 

Her art has been a lifetime journey working with a New York artist spending 14 years working on Murals for large hotels such as The Plaza in New York (4 years 18 murals) Palm Beach Breakers hotel (Venetian ballroom) Greenbrier (restoration) and many others.  She decided it was time to paint for her and so she started taking classes first with Sharon Griffs Tarr and then Scott Christensen 2 workshops with him.  Mary Whyte, Stuart Shils , Diane Rath (mentor) Kevin Beifuss ,David Slonim 

She a big believer in self-study.  Having examined a long lineage of artists, she feels a sense of history when she paints, a connectiveness to the source of information, be it the color of green Edgar Payne used on his water or the the light that streams across a Sorrola painting. Her paintings are more than just a concept or design, they are more from about capturing a feeling from the heart, an unwritten word.  A soul connection from the painter to the viewer. 

Instructor

CTAC Traverse City

Mary Fortuna is an exhibiting artist who works in all media, most recently in soft sculpture, textiles, collage, mask making, drawing and painting. She has worked in art education programs all over the Detroit area, including at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Hatch, and elsewhere. She has conducted hands-on workshops for children and adults, including masks and costumes, soft sculpture insects, collage, mono prints, shadow puppets, mobiles, and more.

Member, CTAC Board of Directors

Debbie Lamson and her husband, David reside in Kewadin and Farmington Hills. Debbie’s career began in accounting in the Detroit metro area until her daughter was born then left the business world. Once her three kids became independent, she returned to college for an art education degree. Teaching in a gifted and talented arts school in Ann Arbor, Debbie was encouraged to continue her artwork since the school saw the value of students observing working artists.

In 2016 Debbie left teaching to focus on a life long dream as a full time artist. This chapter of her life has been enormously enjoyable, although not always ideal. Working in a dimly lit basement, dining room table, a vacant bedroom and a barn with no heat, air conditioning, or running water and shared with mice and red squirrels. Once Debbie moved from the Leelanau Peninsula to Kewadin, to a studio with utilities and no bushy tailed companions, her artwork flourished.

Instructor
CTAC Traverse City
samhallartist@gmail.com
Website

Samantha Hall is a professional artist specializing in colored pencil drawings. She is very interested in nature's beauty and simplicity, and highlighting that beauty is the focus of all of her work.

Originally from the East side of the state, she received her BFA in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2015. Samantha now lives and works in Northern Michigan.  She spends her time bringing portraits to life for clients and finding beauty in something as simple as a piece of fruit to something as complex as fur and feathers.

In her free time she enjoys cooking, kayaking, exploring breweries and wineries,  and most of all spending time with her husband Joe and their cats and dog.

Instructor

artistdebrahoward@gmail.com

Debra Howard is a full time, award winning plein air, oil painter, currently residing on Traverse Bay, Omena Michigan. 

Her work has been featured in the American Scholar and Plein Air Magazines. She is a Signature Member of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA). She offers artists talks, plein air workshops and has a regular plein air group that meets in northern Leelanau County. She has a passionate national collector base.

Debra has been juried into prestigious Plein Air competitions in over 20 states, winning many events, including, Savannah, Harford, Solomons, Floyd, Glen Arbor, Northport, Ellicot City, Dexter, Crisfield and Mountain Maryland.

Padre Island National Seashore

Represented by Sleeping Bear Gallery, Empire, Michigan

Instructor
CTAC Traverse City
steve@stevegriggswatercolor.com
Website

Steve's love of art started early in life. While other children would lament field trips to the art museum, that was his favorite day of the school year! Steve's mother bought his first 'real' watercolor set of six tubes of paint, when he was in elementary school and his love of watercolor was born. Growing up in a large family made finding time and space for painting difficult. Whenever possible Steve would steal away to the basement of his childhood home where he would paint but never show anyone what he had done. Steve remained a 'closet artist' until he attended Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in Studio Art. Steve later attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California and studied Industrial Design. It wasn't until 2005 that Steve began to paint professionally, showing his paintings in galleries and juried art exhibitions. He currently has signature membership with Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society and Colorado Watercolor Society.

Steve's earliest influences and inspirations came from the Great Lakes region where he grew up. Throughout his lifetime he has been enamored of boats. Sailing vessels, lake freighters, military frigates; any type of boat has captured his imagination. Although Steve has resided in Colorado for many years, his paintings often reflect his love of the Great Lakes, fostered by frequent trips to his hometown near Detroit, Northern Michigan, and Wisconsin.

In addition to boats, Steve also paints landscapes and cityscapes. Steve frequently displays and sells work in local, state, regional, national, and international exhibitions and galleries. He offers workshops, demonstrations, and salons, as well as individual and small group painting lessons to help other artists understand and learn his unique style. Steve's students range from the very inexperienced artist to the professional painter. His paintings can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Steve is currently represented by Mirada Fine Art Gallery in Indian Hills, Colorado. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Watercolor Society and continues his early love of art.

Steve shared a little with us about his background in his own words:

I've always been a dreamer, a romantic, and an artist. I've been told more than once that I have my 'head in the clouds.' I admit that is true. I see the world differently. Maybe that is why I like watercolor so much. It is fluid and free and has a hard time playing by the rules. I received a traditional art education at both Michigan State University and Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, but I just couldn't seem to follow the rules either. I kept asking, "What if I did this?" Or, "What if I changed that?" Early on I developed a loose style of watercolor painting and over time it has evolved to a very loose style. I start a story with my paintings but then, I want the person looking at them to find their own story and finish what I started. That is how I connect with the collector, by creating a story telling relationship. I want to do more than paint a pretty picture. I want to create art that connects us through thoughts, memories, feelings, and beauty.

Associations
Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society
Colorado Watercolor Society

Artsy Shark Article

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Youtube

Instructor

CTAC Traverse City

Richie recently moved to Traverse City from Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys rambling in the woods, snooping around stream beds, and searching for Petoskey stones with his family. Richie has a master’s degree in Architecture from the Savannah College of Art and Design where he also studied illustration, painting, and photography. He is a generalist, seeking to learn a little bit about everything and loves discussing art and the creative drive. 

Instructor

Instagram

Kristy Kurjan is an intuitive abstract artist specializing in large scale paintings based out of Traverse City, Michigan. She is inspired by nature, textures, and the extensive beauty of northern Michigan. Her passion lies in the process of creating art that evokes emotion and brings joy to others. Water, landscapes, and organic beauty are often depicted in her works. In addition to her works of art, she has authored and published four books and written for numerous publications. Her board book titles include: I Spy… A Pig in A Plane, Nap-a-Roo, Dream Sweet Dreams, and The Many Ways to Say I Love You.  View samples of her artwork in person in the hallways of The Grand Traverse Commons at Haven Boutique, Millie & Pepper, and at Bohmey Beauty in Traverse City.

Instructor
Website

Sherry McNamara began oil painting at a young age in a private studio in Detroit. Her first experience in the studio raised a passion for oil painting that has continued throughout her life.

Sherry was selected for the juried 2019 Northwest Michigan Regional Juried Exhibition The Dennos Museum Center. She was also selected for the juried show The Art of the Sleeping Bear Dunes at the Dennos Museum in 2013 and the book, The Art of the Sleeping Bear Dunes: Transforming Nature into Art.

• 2015 Honorable Mention in the Baypointe show for Battling Worry
• 2016 Honorable Mention in the Baypoint Show for A New Dawn
• 2016 Second Place in Glen Arbor Art Center for Resilience

Sherry has been occupied with the natural world from the time she was young growing up on a ravine overlooking a river watching the wildlife and waterfowl on a daily basis. She has a fondness for painting water scenes, but also artistically explores barns, fields, clouds, trees, and people.  Sherry keenly observes how light affects all things, how it illuminates the sunny side of a barn, how it brightens thinning clouds, how it is broken into shadow patterns by tree branches on grass.  Nature is always, always intriguing.   

Sherry is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, Plein Air Painters of Northwest Michigan, Magic Thursday Artists, and Studio One 6.

Her work is sold through Bella Galleria and on her website.

Instructor

BFA Studio Arts, Minnesota State University

Mr. Murphy, an Artist/Illustrator and Art Educator, has been teaching classes and workshops in Oil, Watercolor and Acrylic since the mid 70's. He received an Arts Educator Of The Year award in 2003. Traveling workshops have taken him to many areas of the U.S. and abroad to France, Italy and Spain.

Charles has been represented by more than 45 galleries  in the U.S. and Caribbean and his work is included in innumerable collections both private and corporate including Kraft, General Motors, U.S. Gypsum, John Hancock, Mead Corporation, Prudential, and more. He has exhibited with the American Watercolor Society and the International Society of Experimental Artists. 

Murphy has illustrated several books including the multiple award winning "Reach For The Moon" (Scholastic Books) written by Samantha Abeel, "Smokey The Raccoon",  "Chickadees At Night" and 2 others by Bill O. Smith and his own book of rhyming verse, "The Waking Hour".

Charles Murphy is represented in northern Michigan by Twisted Fish Gallery in Elk Rapids and Bier Gallery in Charlevoix. He lives in Traverse City with his wife, Carrie.

Instructor

mike@michaelnovak.com

A true Northern Michigan native, Mike was born and raised in Traverse City. A love for drawing brought him to the Kansas City Art Institute where he received his BFA in Illustration. His career has involved work in many creative fields including graphic & web design, digital painting, illustration, and fine art. His work has been displayed in galleries, restaurants, and breweries throughout Northern MIchigan. Mike is married and has two amazingly creative kids.

There is a moment of pure elation, when someone has been toiling to learn something difficult, but finally starts to see success. This spark of joy is what pushes Mike toward teaching. He has a deep desire to help people achieve their dreams.

Instructor

Website

Janet (Jan) paints with acrylic, oil and watercolor. Jan loves nature and the beauty within, which is captured in most of her work. Her paintings lean towards realism, often enhanced to emphasize inspirational elements. She also paints portraits and does other commission work. 

Jan is the illustrator for the picture books: “Fire Bird: The Kirtland’s Warbler Story,” “Rosie’s Rescue: Rosie the Roseate Spoonbill,” "Indy, One of a Kind" and “The Lord Looks at Your Heart.”

Jan has been teaching part-time since the late 1990s, but her specialty is teaching watercolor painting. She has taught many classes at Northwestern Michigan College’s Extended Education Program, Mr. Pinn Gallery in Bellaire (now closed), Crooked Tree Arts Center, and the Senior Center Network (at the Interlochen and Traverse City locations). 

Jan has received awards and recognitions for her book illustrations, including winning the the grand prize in the Citrus County Watercolor Show in Spring 2024, and has been a finalist in both an art show at the Grand Traverse Commons and wine label competition through Bowers Harbor Vineyards. She has shown her work throughout the region at various art shows (including juried exhibits) and fine art galleries. You can see her work now in the gift shops at Crooked Tree Art Center, Traverse City and Oliver Art Center, Frankfort.

Instructor

https://www.saagocreations.com/

Instructor

jasminelacetextiles@gmail.com

Jasmine Lace Petrie of Howl at the Loom is a lifelong resident of Northern Michigan and has been practicing natural dyes for over a decade. She has taught many fiber art workshops in the area and has studied facets of natural dye under Shanna Robinson, India Flint, Elin Noble, and Irit Dulman. Jasmine is also an avid weaver and constantly seeks to express her enthusiasm for local fiber arts by supporting local businesses and organizations.

Instructor

CTAC Traverse City

Ivy’s journey began in the woods of Northern Michigan where she developed her deep curiosity for ecological relationships and respect for nature. She has traveled to Asia, South Pacific, Central, and South America to try and understand the complexities and beauty of the world. She studied art at a handful of institutions as well as Child and Family Development at Western Michigan University. She has taught Studio Art at The Pathfinder School for over a decade. She is passionate about student-interest based learning and emergent curriculum, which she combines with stewardship and the natural world to develop dynamic art experiences.

Ivy strives to create a nurturing environment where every child feels empowered to experiment and discover their artistic voice, finding value in their unique perception of the world. Together, we can explore how art can inspire positive change for the earth and humanity, starting with small acts of creativity, problem solving, making mistakes, learning to observe deeply, and considering sustainable processes.

Ivy and her husband Fields settled on their childhood stomping grounds to raise their kids, Wren and Royal.

Instructor

janet@jartjewelry.com

Janet grew up in Columbus, Ohio, spending summers in Leelanau at her grandparents' cottage on Lake Leelanau. She grew up with art projects and summer rock collecting. She attended Lake Forest College, where she took her first silver jewelry construction workshop taught by students in a dorm basement.  After graduating with a major in Mathematics and Physics, she began a 38-year career in Information Technology. In 2004, while living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she began re-exploring her interest in Jewelry by creating space for a jewelers bench in her basement and investing in books and tools. She also started taking classes in Metal Techniques at the Milwaukee Area Technical School and with visiting artists. In 2016, she retired and moved to Cedar near Sugar Loaf Mountain in August 2017. She now continues to learn new techniques by taking classes while creating and selling jewelry at local art shows and she teaches jewelry classes.

Instructor

justin.m.shull@gmail.com

Justin finds inspiration the landscape. He is especially interested in the interaction between the built environment and its geography, trees and plants, and in the quality of light and color unique to each location.  In his paintings, trees, buildings, telephone poles, plants and geography are all cast members interacting on a stage. The story they tell is the story of how we create our environment and how it shapes us. Justin thinks of each painting as building an image that captures something of an individual landscape’s growth and it’s unique environmental conditions. He works in a variety of media, including oil paint, gouache, acrylic, and wood, handmade paper, and sculpture.

Justin Shull was born in Newport, New Hampshire in 1982 and currently lives and works in Traverse City, Michigan. Justin received a BA in Studio Art from Dartmouth College and a MFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers. His work has been exhibited and collected nationally, and he has won several national awards from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the College Art Association, and the International Sculpture Center.

Instructor

Tracy Smedes-Hepler holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with 13 years experience as a preschool teacher at the Leelanau Children’s Center. She has been a mother and nanny for over 22 years! Her love of the arts and creativity inspired her to launch an arts exploration business, Tearwater T, which aims to provide art programming to local children. After a successful first year, she is excited to engage with the youth in her community for a second summer as a creativity mentor and play-based art teacher.

Instructor
CTAC Traverse City
Website

Rufus Snoddy spent his formative art production years in Los Angeles, California. While an adolescent, his family moved there from rural East Texas. Watching Los Angeles go from street cars and Hollywood bungalows to freeways and gated communities, gave impetus to his sensitivity to change and perception of place. Growing up in the inner city, where there were often over a hundred languages spoken in a given high school, lent an awareness and keen interest in texture.

Snoddy's work reflects a concert of approaches, materials, and dichotomy, striving for seamless shifting from  one to the other. "It is sculpture....it's painting....it is both." More accurately he calls his work Construction Paintings.

With a graduate degree focusing on sculpture, Snoddy has spent many years pursuing the act of collecting sundry materials, construction and painting methods. These things, all for the passion of giving order to chaos in enticing ways.

While in Los Angeles he served on the board of FAR (Foundation for Art Research) in L.A., an executive member of L.A. Artcore, worked with Angel's Gate, a non-profit arts organization in San Pedro, California and  was one of ten artists selected for the CETA Arts In Public Places program, working with Brockman Gallery. Rufus moved to Northern Michigan in 2002. He taught Studio Arts and Design for ten years at Northwestern Michigan College, in Traverse City.

"I have traveled and exhibited in various places in the world. I find that wherever I go there is a common visual language, some more visually literate than others. Visual art continues to be a reflection of man, his activities and environment, much like the cave paintings of thousands of years ago. I see myself as just another messenger, hopefully, with an innovative perspective."

Rufus resides and works in Traverse City, Michigan. He continues to exhibit throughout the United States and other countries.

Instructor

Website

After attending the Rhode Island School of Design where she studied Textiles, Alyssa worked in the fashion industry. She then created her own Embroidery Design Company where she designs and creates one of a kind embroidered goods. She loves teaching her passion to others and is elated to be a part of Crooked Tree Art Center. 

Instructor

great_lakes_girl@me.com

Rochelle Stark's photography seems to delve deeply into the subtleties of everyday life, capturing the extraordinary within the ordinary through the lens of black-and-white imagery. Her work highlights the emotional power of monochrome photography, which strips away the distraction of color to focus on fundamental elements such as shape, form, texture, and pattern.

Stark's approach is intriguing because it invites viewers to pause and reflect on what is often overlooked. By choosing a specific focal point, she transforms mundane scenes into compelling visual narratives. This method not only accentuates the inherent beauty in everyday objects but also encourages a deeper engagement with the simple aspects of life.

Instructor
CTAC Traverse City

Terry Tarnow has been a fiber artist for over 50 years. Over the years she has taught fiber related classes at Northwestern MI College, Crooked Tree Art Center, Dennos Museum Center, Michigan League of Handweavers and private classes in her home. She is currently co-president of the Northland Fiber Arts Guild and President of Michigan Legacy Art Park.  Terry works in all types of fiber techniques including weaving, silk painting, felting, quilting and knitting. She has most recently won awards for her fiber work from the Michigan League of Handweavers and the Dennos Museum Center.

Instructor

(248) 895-3556

As a trained fine artist, Julie has a passion for exploration, an insatiable curiosity to learn, and a desire to push boundaries. She draws from an intersection of natural beauty and bold expression. Her bodies of work range from watercolor to acrylics to alcohol inks and collage. Her contemporary art explores natural themes in landscape and seascape. The overriding theme is the love of flow, motion, and color. Member of the Brighton Artist Guild, ISEA, Ann Arbor Women Artists, and the Washtenaw Women's Art Council. Her education came from many mentors and workshops and a BFA from the College For Creative Studies in Detroit, MI.

Instructor

jtobias3902@gmail.com

Jennifer Tobias maintains art studios on Old Mission Peninsula (Ten Blossom Studio) and in Chicago, IL (Constellation Studio.) A former home store retailer and interior designer, Jennifer paints landscapes which reflect the experience of living on both sides of Lake Michigan, as well as abstract art and commissioned work. Jennifer has taught art workshops in Dordogne, France and will be offering another French workshop in 2026.

Workshop Instructor

Website  

Adam VanHouten received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Art Education from Western Michigan University and a Masters in Education from Michigan State University.  He currently is a full-time visual art instructor for Traverse City Area Public Schools, and teaches a variety of workshops and classes to children and adults. Born and raised in Traverse City, he is an artist with a commitment to share his learning through his teaching and to continue to advocate for the expansion and growth of the visual arts in Northern Michigan.  

Creating artworks in glowing layers of color and cultivating the artist within. I am inspired by the beauty that surrounds me and I use my personal vision to create.  A huge part of my art is sharing, inspiring, while guiding and nurturing other people to find their inner artist.  My life is rooted in experimentation, gaining experience by practicing skills, developing focus and concentration, working through failure and persevering.  Art should allow the voice of the artist to shine through.  Each of us has a unique statement, and mark to make, we just need guidance as we grow.  Art is within each of us.  Failure is an inevitable part of the process:  it is what we do with that failure that assists us in growing as an artist and a person.  As I continue to create, mistakes become opportunities for growth and innovation.  Mistakes should not be feared as much as respected for their ability to bring us closer to our artistic realizations.  I embrace all of these opportunities, viewing them as part of the learning process. 

Instructor

CTAC Traverse City

Retired after 42 years as a custom-design jeweler and goldsmith, Mark is now enjoying the freedom of being an artist unconstrained by choice of medium. He studied art at Michigan State University, and has been making baskets since the early 80s.He has explored many different materials and techniques. His basketry work has been exhibited internationally. His interests include science & space, relief printmaking, woodcarving, cooking, homebrewing, papermaking, making books, photography, and designing tattoos. Some of his photos, writing and original word puzzles can be found locally in Freshwater Reporter, a free community newspaper he and his wife co-edit. He teaches at, and his work is exhibited regularly in, regional art centers and galleries.

Instructor

markv@vandervinnestudio.com

Mark Vander Vinne (pronounced VAN-der Vin) paints thoughtful landscapes in a contemporary tonalist style of the rural Midwest. He's best known for his quiet scenes, elegant compositions and subtle color palettes. His award winning oil paintings have been featured in numerous solo & group exhibitions as well as plein air events and private collections.

Mark was born and raised in the small town of Eldridge, IA just north of Davenport. He studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL. After graduation he began a career in illustration and ended up as an art director/designer in the advertising industry. His love of the landscape comes from his love of the fields, farms and forests where he grew up, as well as the travels out West he took with his family to see the national parks and American landscapes.

Mark has a passion for learning and has taken workshops with master artists Ken Auster, Scott Christensen, Marc Hanson, and Kenn Backhaus. He is a prominent member in the local art community: teaching classes, workshops and hosting critiques as well as giving lectures. He currently resides in Porter, IN near the Indiana National Lakeshore with his family.

Statement

As a child, I was fortunate to travel much of the western United States and see the National Parks and grand vistas they provide. When traveling long distances, sometimes the only thing I could do was look out the car window at the passing landscapes. That taught me to admire each location for what it was and find beauty everywhere in nature. I brought this love of the landscape home and soon began to see the beauty in what was familiar to me — the farms, fields and forests of the Midwest.

As both a studio and en plein air (outdoor) painter, the wide variety of scenes are a never-ending source of inspiration, from the beaches and trails of the Indiana Dunes National Park to the farmlands, forests, lakes, streams and marshes. I'm especially captivated by the different seasons, light conditions and times of day. It's taking the scene and simplifying it to its basic shapes and design, then controlling the color to create the emotion that is always the challenge and fun and keeps me going. 

What I want the viewer of my art to see is the beauty found in the everyday places and moments. I cherish the subtle moods created by nature, such as the quiet contemplation of the night, or the familiarity of a family of trees at the end of a road, or the warmth of the dappled light on a newly planted field. It’s these ordinary, often overlooked scenes that speak to me, and I want the viewer to pause and appreciate them, too. And maybe even see them differently when they are driving by looking out their car window.

Motto. :  Create • Educate • Inspire

Create: It’s a verb and it's about the mental and physical act of painting, from inspiration to concept to execution, and all the process in between.

Artist & Workshop Instructor

Instagram

Whether painting landscapes, interiors or figures, Jill Stefani Wagner’s primary focus is always “light” and how it affects the scene she’s trying to capture. Working in pastel and oil, she approaches painting as a sculptor would, carving out the nuances of light and shadow. An avid plein air artist, Jill paints landscapes in Europe and in plein air festivals around the U.S. During the cold winter months in Michigan, she paints in her studio.

Jill’s paintings have been juried into many national pastel exhibits and have been honored with prestigious awards. Pastel Journal Magazine gave her paintings ten Honorable Mention Awards in their Pastel 100 Competitions. One of her pastel paintings was recently on the cover of Plein Air Magazine, and Fine Art Connoisseur and Pastel Journal often feature her work. She has been designated a Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of America and the International Association of Pastel Societies. Jill has been Pastel Faculty at the 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023 Plein Air Conventions. She has been featured on Eric Rhoads Live presentations and also on the Plein Air Podcast.

Her two videos featuring her “5-Step Pastel Painting” technique are available from Streamline Publishing here.

Jill Stefani Wagner received a B.F.A. in painting from The University of Michigan School of Art. She owned an award-winning advertising firm in Ann Arbor, before “seeing the light” and becoming a full-time artist.

Instructor

Margaret Weeks is a lifelong teaching artist seeking to share her passion for the visual arts with students of all ages. She has taught in a wide variety of venues including the public schools in Charlotte, North Carolina, Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Arts Camp, Blackbird Arts, and Glen Arbor Art Center.

Since earning her Master of Arts Education degree at Winthrop University, South Carolina, in 2008, Margaret has been drawn to watercolor painting. The reflective quality of the medium, and her spontaneous approach combine to capture her visions of nature. Her paintings celebrate the changing colors, light, and seasons of the natural world.