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.

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 - Cheryl  Chidester
CTAC Traverse City

Website: cheryl-chidester-artist.com
Social Media: @cheryl.chidester

Sharing her love of art has been central to Cheryl Ann Boc-Chidester’s life. Inspired by nature, travel, adventure, and history, she blends techniques and media that explore texture, light, and color—though watercolor remains her favorite medium. She has earned numerous art awards across the U.S. and grants from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. For over 35 years, Cheryl has shared her passion through teaching at studios, galleries, and the School for the Arts. Her work is also shaped by her experiences as an architectural historian, graphic designer, and museum director, as well as her love of rowing, kayaking, skiing, fishing, swimming, and old buildings and things.

Instructor - Royce Deans
CTAC Traverse City

Website:  roycedeans.com
Social Media:  @royce.deans

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, Member, and CTAC Board of Directors - Debbie Lamson
CTAC Traverse City

Website:  debbielamsonfineart.com
Social Media: @debbielamsonart

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 - Karon Leigh
CTAC Traverse City

Website: KaronLeighArtStudio.com
Social Media: @karonleigh, @karonleighartstudio

Karon Leigh is a lifelong artist winning awards since high school. She grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the California Bay area. She studied art at California College of Arts & Crafts, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the Kirkland Art Center as well as with numerous professional artists. Her paintings are often inspired by landscape, water, the weather, dreams, and memories. Her work explores a sense of place, lives lived and the history of what is left behind, while celebrating the beauty of the natural world and the places we call home.

After raising her three sons in the Seattle area, she sought out a change of scenery and spent 16 years in Southern Arizona, working from her studio in the artist’s colony of Tubac, south of Tucson. She co-owned an art gallery and co-hosted a podcast interviewing local artists. As the Artistic Director for the Tubac Center of the Arts, she managed the art exhibitions and an area Open Studio Tour, wrote grants, developed programming including an online business course for artists, and managed the website and all organization marketing.

In addition to her passion for the arts, she holds a BS degree in Computer Information Systems and MS in Integrated Marketing Communication. She eventually established her own design firm, KaronLeighDesign.com. In 2025 Karon relocated to Michigan, a place that was always home, focusing on art and pursuing a creative life surrounded by water, trees, and the changing seasons. She lives in Manistee, Michigan with her dog, Risa.

Instructor - Samantha Hall
CTAC Traverse City

Website: samanthahallart.com
Social Media: @samanthahallart

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.

Represented by Sleeping Bear Gallery, Empire, Michigan

Instructor - Steve Griggs
CTAC Traverse City

Website: stevegriggswatercolor.com
Social Media: @stevegriggswatercolor

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.

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Associations
Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society
Colorado Watercolor Society

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 - Isabel Li
CTAC Traverse City

Social Media: @handcraftedbyisa

Isabel Li (she/her) is a writer, filmmaker, musician, and multimedia artist from Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of sculpting experience, she is a certified clay sculpting teacher and hosts polymer clay and paper clay workshops for people of all ages. When she's not working on her dioramas, you might just be able to catch her live hosting classical music on Interlochen Public Radio! You can find her latest work @handcraftedbyisa on Instagram.

Instructor - Sherry McNamara
CTAC Traverse City

Website: sherrymcnamara.com
Social Media: @sherrymcnamarafineart

Sherry McNamara began oil painting lessons at a young age in a private studio in the Detroit area.  While raising a family, the oil paints were put away, but the mind and hands continued to work creatively with her children doing mosaics, coloring and crafting, and making dolls and stuffed toys for them. When Sherry picked up the brush again, it was to rekindle her love of oil painting which led to her work en plein air while continuing her studio work.  That passion has resulted in being selected for the juried show The Art of the Sleeping Bear Dunes held at the Dennos Museum in 2013 and in the book, The Art of the Sleeping Bear Dunes: Transforming Nature into Art.  Her work is sold through Journey North in Harbor Springs and Bella Galleria in Old Mission.

Sherry is a member of the Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, Plein Air Painters of Northwest Michigan, Studio One 6, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Glen Arbor Art Association, and the Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts. Her work is sold through Bella Galleria and on her website.

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Second Place for Resilience (2016) - Glen Arbor Art Center, Glen Arbor, New Views: A Storm of Art: June 10 -23, 2016.

Honorable Mention for A New Dawn - A New Hope (2016) - Baypointe Church, Traverse City, Perspective Juried Art Exhibit: Hope - April 15 - 24, 2016.

Honorable Mention Award for Battling Worry (2015) - Baypointe Church, Traverse City, Perspective Juried Art Exhibit: Battles - 24 April 2015 - 3 May 2015.

Instructor - Brooke Brewster 
She/Her/They/Them
CTAC Traverse City

Social Media: @broken_glass_co
Shop: brokenglasscompany.bigcartel.com

Howdy, ya'll. I am Brooke. A queer artist living amongst the cherry fields and cows of Northern Michigan. After 7 years of teaching art, I decided it was time for me to create again. There was a few years of working and trying to build my business and I'm finally able to solely create. My goal is to build onto my home studio and be able to teach group and individual classes within my community. 

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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 - Barbara Reich
CTAC Traverse City

Website: www.barbarareich.com

Barbara Reich is a nationally recognized artist specializing in soft pastel, a medium that is very exciting and beautifully complex. Capturing moments, subjects, and strong visual concepts, with the near pure pigments of soft pastel is exhilarating, and sharing this knowledge with others is something she is passionate about. Barbara’s work walks the line between realism and impressionism. She feels a strong connection to the character and subtleties of the Northern Michigan landscape, and she strives to capture its spirit in every painting. She is an avid plein air painter and enjoys working from life as often as possible. Early instruction instilled in her the intense desire to draw better, paint color with more emotion, and to always hunt and study the changing light.

Barbara regularly exhibits in juried shows, as well as Group and Solo exhibitions. She has achieved signature status in the Pastel Society of the West Coast, and the Great Lakes Pastel Society as a Master Pastelist. She participates in numerous plein air paint-outs each year, finding them to be uniquely challenging and rewarding. Barbara strongly believes that creating art is a continuous learning experience, and greatly enjoys giving back in the form of teaching and demonstrating.

 

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 - Kari Ganoung Ruiz
CTAC Traverse City

Website:  kgruiz.com
Social Media: @kariganoungruiz

Kari received her BS in Fine Art Painting from Ashland University, and opened a picture framing studio and gallery with her husband Diego. In 2014, Ruiz began to explore painting ‘en plein air’. Kari and Diego now travel the US, capturing the landscape through painting and photography. Ruiz has won a multitude of national awards, and has work held in both public and private collections across North America; most recently added to the collections of the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado and The City of Gloucester in Massachusetts. Kari is also a regular participant in CTAC-Traverse City's yearly 'Paint Grand Traverse' event!

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Awards & Recognitions
Lighthouse Plein Air Festival in Florida 2024
Best In Show -Shadows On The Teche in Louisiana 2023
Best In Show - Paint Grand Traverse in Michigan 2023 and 2022
Grand Prize - Monuments And Canyons Plein Air Colorado in 2021
Grand Prize - Adirondack Plein Air in New York in 2020.

Galleries
Gallery 46 - Lake Placid, NY
Maya Gallery - Sante Fe, New Mexico
Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery - Canandaigua, New York
Salmon Gallery - Trumansberg, New York

 

 

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.

 

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
CTAC Traverse City

Social Media: @tearwater_t

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 - Rufus Snoddy
CTAC Traverse City

Website: rufussnoddy.com
Social Media: @rufussnoddy

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."

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 Arts Center. 

Instructor - Terry Tarnow
CTAC Traverse City

Featured Here

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.

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.

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Awards & Recognitions
2025 Unusual Landscape Exhibit - by invitation, Oliver Art Center, Frankfort, MI
2025 Honorable Mention - Petoskey Fine Art Show
2024 Third Place - Boyne Thunder Show, Boyne City, MI
2023 Honorable Mention - Northville Art in the Sun
2021 Award of Distinction - Cedar Key Art Show 
2021 Honorable Mention- Petoskey Fine Art Show
2021 Solo Gallery Show - Cedar Key Art Center 
2020 Honorable Mention- Kaleidoscope Show, Brighton, MI
2019 Juror’s Choice Award- Kaleidoscope Show, Brighton, MI
2019 Best In Show - Northville Art in the Sun 
2018 Honorable Mention- Petoskey Fine Art Show
2018 Honorable Mention- Kaleidoscope Show, Brighton MI
2017 Honorable Mention- Kaleidoscope Show, Brighton MI
2017 2nd place- Howell City Art Project

Galleries
Boyne Arts Center - One Water Street, Suite 203, Boyne City, MI 49712 | boynearts.org
Somebody's Gallery - 302 E Lake St, Petoskey, MI 49770

Jennifer is a painter, interior designer,  retail stores owner (1989-2012), writer and attorney. She works both in Chicago (Constellation Studio) and Michigan (Ten Blossom Studio, Old Mission) as well as onsite plein air painting in any locale. Her background is in languages, law, interior design, and the creation and ownership of home decor stores: (La Belle ProVence; Glorie Be; bondurant.) She has studied at Palette and Chisel, Old Town Art Center, The  Art House and Lillstreet Art Center (Chicago,) as well as with Elizabeth Pollie (Harbor Springs, MI,) Mark Daniel Nelson (Denver, cO,) Brenda J. clark (Suttons Bay, MI,) and Rebecca George (The Art House.) Jennifer's work reflects places in her life, from native South Dakota, to Michigan, Chicago and Southern France. She has a strong affinity for nature, light, color and humor in her paintings.

"I work in acrylic and oil paint, along with oil pastels. Most of my work is representational; I either start with an actual image, or imagine one, but the exact reproduction of the image is never my goal. I seek to explore the emotional tone of the image, through saturated color and stylized form. Abstract works start with free forms and movement. I do not limit abstraction to pure form, but rather enjoy discovering the unconscious representations that derive from laying down the paint."

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. 

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.

 

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.

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.

Select Awards & Honors
2025  More Faith, Tim and Meg Shelley Purchase Award, 47th Annual Elkhart Juried Regional Exhibition, Elkhart, IN
2025  3rd Place Award, First Brush of Spring, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, New Harmony, IN, Between Sun and Rain, Shawn Kroeger, juror
2025  Nocturne Award, First Brush of Spring, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, New Harmony, IN, Feeling Good Blues, Shawn Kroeger, juror
2025  9th Place, Paint Grand Traverse, Traverse City, MI, Beathe a Sigh, Kimball Geisler, juror
2025  Best Representation of Light Award, Wayne Plein Air, Wayne, PA, Between Rain and Sun, Larry Moore, juror
2024  2nd Place, 100th Annual Hoosier Salon Arts Exhibition, Indianapolis, IN, Seems Like Nothing, Jill Stefani Wagner and Qiang  Huang, jurors
2024  Award of Recognition, Paint Grand Traverse Plein Air, Traverse City, MI, Before Full Dark, Kathleen Hudson, juror
2024  Award of Excellence, 72nd Annual Chesterton Womens Club Show, Chesterton, IN 

Select Exhibitions & Plein Air Events
2025  Back to Good and My Kind of Day, Ten by Ten, Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
2025  More Faith and Catch My Fall, 47th Annual Elkhart Juried Regional Exhibition, Elkhart, IN
2025  Slow Down Blues, 101st Hoosier Salon Exhibition, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN
2025  Oils and Watercolors: The Art of Mark and Kim Vander Vinne, 2-Person Exhibition, Heartland Art Center, Plymouth, IN
2025  Viewpoints: Personal Landscapes in Oil, Solo Exhibition, Moon Tree Studios, Plymouth, IN
2025  Bluff Strokes Plein Air, Dubuque, IA
2025  Paint Grand Traverse, Traverse City, MI
2025  Wayne Plein Air, Wayne, PA
2025  Spring Song (6"x6") and Spring Music (20"x20"), Field to Finish, Hoosier Salon, New Harmony, IN
2025  First Brush of Spring, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, New Harmony, IN
2024  In Your Direction and Sittin' Pretty, Ten by Ten, Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
2024  Accordingly and Second Thoughts, 36th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition, Plymouth, IN

 

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
CTAC Traverse City

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.

Instructor - Brandy Wheeler
CTAC Traverse City

Website: bwheelercreative.com
Social Media: @bwheelercreative

Brandy has been an artist all her life! She has her BA in Visual Art from Albion College, where she focused primarily on drawing and printmaking. However, it was her later job in the communications department that launched her graphic design career. Since then, she has transitioned from computer-based design to handmade fine art. Her favorite mediums are watercolor painting, tufting, and traditional Ukrainian Pysanky egg painting. Brandy's work is continually inspired by the shores of Lake Michigan and the beautiful nature of Northern MI.