Art for Kids School Instructors 2010

Travis Conn has been a Maker of Things his entire life. He is a studio metalsmith specializing in raising and repousse sculpture techniques, teaching those techniques to other smiths, as well as teaching for Art For Kids School since 2003. He received his B.A. from The Evergreen State College in 2002 where he still teaches the occasional repousse workshop.

Travis has created countless historical reproductions, sculpture, and jewelry, as well as written and illustrated a number abstract-strategy board-games. You can see the work at travisconn.com.

Hannah Crowley graduated from Central Washington University with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting in June 2008 and has happily made a new home in Tacoma. She has always loved being creative through both art and dance, her two passions.

While at Central, she focused on portrait painting and drawing as well as modern dance. She believes the possibilities of art to be endless and enjoys all art media and forms of expression. She plans on continuing to explore unique ways of representing the human face and figure as well as expressing herself as a dancer.

This is Hannah’s first year teaching for Art For Kids School and is very excited to share her love of art with as many students as she can. Hannah teaches in AFKS Tacoma area.

Mandy Cufley is a Washington native and has always loved creating art. She remembers feeling a strong connection to her work during art classes in junior high. In high school she was introduced to watercolor, acrylic and collage, and her passion truly began to take shape. She was consistently asked to create artwork for various school projects, which led her to school for graphic design. Mandy graduated with a BFA in graphic design from Montana State University in 2000. Her studio art classes included drawing, painting, ceramics and photography. She moved to Dillon, Montana to work for Great Harvest Franchising as in-house graphic artist for two and a half years. Since then her life has taken several turns, all the while including acrylic paint, paper and canvas. She shows her artwork locally and incorporates her distinct and colorful style into her art and design business, Lucky Girl Designs.

In 2007 Mandy was an art docent at Woodin Elementary where her passion for teaching and making art with kids was fully realized. Also during this time she created a community art contest that inspired over 200 entries. Mandy organized two events to show the work, and the winning entry was printed onto canvas shopping bags. She loves to share her passion for art and the inspiration to create, and help give kids a sense of pride. Acknowledging uniqueness and beauty in every child, she finds serenity in their presence, as they naturally live in the moment.

Mandy teaches in AFKS Seattle Eastside.

Liz Korner graduated from Grinnell College with a BA degree in Art and English.   She also studied photography and visual arts abroad in Dubai and in London.  Liz has had a corporate career in 3D simulation but has always stayed involved in the Fine Arts learning and trying new things herself or just as often teaching others.  A native of Tacoma Liz has come full circle returning to the northwest after four years living on the Costa Blanca in Spain.  Liz has been an artist all her life and is thrilled to share her knowledge and to help children express their creativity.

Alexandria English was born May 28, 1984 in Little Rock, AR. For as long as she can remember she has loved art and creating art. Alexandria earned her Bachelor’s in Art from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with an emphasis in Ceramics and Sculpture. Upon graduating, she had two gallery shows, packed her bags, and moved to Washington. She currently lives in Olympia with her fiancé, their dog, and their two snakes. Alexandria has worked primarily on photography and acrylic painting for the past few years. She focuses on human anatomy, biochemistry, human relationships, and the cycles of nature. Just recently, Alexandria has combined her love of art and her love for teaching children to get her Masters in Teaching from The Evergreen State College. She is very excited to share her passion and knowledge with children.

Kirsten Marie Lawson graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts. She lives in Tacoma, Washington with her husband and three cats. Here she continues to pursue her love of photography, painting, drawing, climbing, and yoga. You can see more of her work at www.bythos.org/cmyk. Her photography focuses on creating abstract still lifes in nature, and her drawings are representative still lifes of everything from stacks of boxes to gracefully long euphorbia branches. Presently, she's come into a photographic darkroom and plans on submersing herself in its construction and use. Now that she has more time on her hands, she is excited to focus on drawing and painting. Kirsten is very happy to share her love of art with children and looks forward to giving them the tools they need to express their creativity.

Natasha Lawyer is a Canadian girl who moved to Seattle in pursuit of ocean-views and lavender breezes. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in art education and has spent her time since working in her studio, substitute teaching and drinking chai lattes. She grew up in the Rocky Mountains drawing rocket ships and planets into books made of stapled loose-leaf at a wooden school desk. Nowadays her inspirations include vintage architectural drawings, typewriters, polka dots, turquoise things, patterned paper and birch trees. You can check out some of her personal art at www.natasha lawyer.com. Natasha loves making and teaching art and is super jazzed to be an instructor with Art for Kids School.
 www.natashalawyer.com (website)
 www.prettysketchy.typepad.com (blog)

Jesse Peil was born on November 14, 1979 and has been an artist for most of his life. He graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2002 with a B.A. in studio art including painting and sculpture. This is his fourth year working with Art For Kids School. He has painted large murals at local schools and businesses and sold his paintings locally. He has also been commissioned to make cast bronze sculptures. He currently lives in Seattle and paints large, figurative paintings.

In addition to his teaching, this year Jesse is beginning an administrative position with Art For Kids School.

Jesse teaches in Art for Kids School Seattle Eastside.

Sarah Wade was born in Portsmouth, NH in 1985. She showed an interest for art at an early age and pursued it throughout her years in grade school. After graduating highschool she was accepted at The Atlanta College of Art, and later transferred to the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she received a BFA in Art & Illustration in 2008. While living in Atlanta, Sarah taught at a private art school for children and was thrilled after she moved to Washington with her husband to find a similar opportunity.

Sarah's long term goal is to write and illustrate children's books and in the meantime she enjoys exploring her new hometown of Olympia. She has always loved and been involved with children through out her life and feels that teaching art is the greatest gift she can give.