Shirlee Bauer

Watercolor Instructor

Shirlee Bauer is a graduate of Central Academy of Commercial Art, worked as a graphic designer and is now devoting herself to Watercolor painting. She studied under many artists at Middletown Arts Center (MAC), Fairborn Art Association and attended workshops with nationally acclaimed artists. As a watercolorist, Shirlee strives to design compositions that are compelling in shapes and tonal values. She enjoys allowing colors to blend and dance with each other, creating unique backgrounds and textures. Her work includes portraits, landscapes and figurative paintings. She has exhibited in area galleries and has been juried in many shows. Shirlee is a signature member of Ohio Watercolor Society (OWS) along with a member of Western Ohio Watercolor Society (WOWs) and Fairborn Arts Association (FAA), where she has been honored with many awards.

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Darryl Berry

Glass Instructor

Darryl Berry has been working with kiln glass for over 20 years. During that time he has worked with and studied under some of the top glass artists from around the world, including master classes at the Studios at Corning Glass and a residency at Pilchuck Glass School.  His commissions include health care, public and religious institutions, as well as tableware for some of Cincinnati’s finest restaurants.  He has works in private and corporate collections on four continents. He lives in Trenton, Ohio, with his incredibly supportive wife, Mary Alice.

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Craig Boldman

Cartooning Instructor

Nationally renowned cartoonist, Craig has worked on Superman, 'Mazing Man, Cap'N Catnip, Bazooka Joe, and his written two full length comics for Disney.

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Jean Ann Bolliger

Ceramics Instructor & Ceramics Studio Manager

"I was raised between the fields of Illinois and the rivers of Florida. Always my experience and inspiration comes from the natural spaces and creatures of this part of the US. I've earned a Bachelors of Nursing and Fine Arts from Miami University. I've been making pottery and sculpture since 2001 and teaching classes for the same. What pays my bills is selling cheese at Kroger which is fun. Just ask me about cheese - you might regret it!" Click here to visit Jean Ann's pottery shop online.

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Becky Botos

Youth Instructor

Becky has been working with young students for over 25 years. She has a CDA and is current with first aid and CPR. She has taught preschool through 3rd grade artists here at the MAC for over five years.

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Patty Clark

Oils & Acrylics Instructor

"Graduated from Miami University with a B.S. in Interior Design. I have been a student at the Middletown Arts Center for almost three decades. I mostly paint with acrylic and top it with oil. I paint on boards more than canvas. I love color!"

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Jim Crotty

Photography Instructor

Crotty is also a Communication Instructor at both The College of Modern Design in Kettering and at the University of Dayton. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Professional Studies in Instructional Design Leadership at Franklin University.

Crotty’s subjects as a photographer are varied. Along with shooting nature and landscape prints, and his work for corporate clients, he also provides portrait photography high school seniors and families as well as real estate, product and architectural images. On assignment, he has been published in USA Today, Smithsonian, National Wildlife, Nature's Best and Ohio Magazine among other media outlets. In 2009 Crotty earned his Certified Professional Photographer designation through the Professional Photographers of America. “Nature photography is a refuge. It’s my sanctuary.” Crotty added. “Through the prints that I publish, showcase and sell; and from the workshops and instruction I provide, I want to illustrate the deeper meaning of photography as an art and as a purpose.” Full bio can be found on Jim Crotty's website here.

 

Kathy Davis

Youth Instructor
Kathy is a long-time MAC watercolor student and retired elementary art teacher. Her vast experience translates well in meeting youth students where they are and helping them develop their creative expression through a variety of mediums and projects.
 

Adriana De Palma

Ceramics Instructor

Has had extensive work in raku and pottery studies at North Carolina State University and Miami University. Adriana began instructing at the Middletown Arts Center in 2001. 

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Joy Dysart

Jewelry & Silversmithing Instructor

Craftsman Society Member, Joy has been an instructor at MAC since 1986. In addition to teaching at the MAC for over 36 years, she has been a student of painting, enameling, glass fusion, and knitting. She has also been part of the display team for exhibits and our lobby gallery for all of those years.

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Erica Eyre

Youth Instructor

Erica is an artist and at educator currently based in Cincinnati. A Recent graduate of Taylor University and current high school art teacher, Erica considers both of her practices, visual artist and art educator, as callings that engage her faith in rich and wondrous ways. On a personal note reflecting upon her own works, she explores how intimate human relationships and patterns of thinking, perceiving and being, particularly those that manifest themselves in childhood, affect one's perception of and relationship to God.

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John Ferrando

Glass Artistry Instructor - Stained Glass & Fused Glass

John is the owner and operator of Haute Fusion Studio in Middletown and has worked in the medium of glass for over a decade. He has taught private workshops for several years and has written a book on the art of decorative glass fusing entitled Decorative Motifs with Fused Glass. Previously, John worked for Butler County where he worked with artists with developmental disabilities.

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Ben Frederick
Drawing & Teen Ceramics Instructor

Ben is an artist and teacher from Dayton, Ohio. He received his MFA in painting from Edinboro University in 2018. He teaches at multiple institutions in the greater Dayton and Cincinnati area including Miami University, Indiana University East, Stivers School for the Arts, Rosewood Arts Centre, and Middletown Art Center. In 2019, he was selected for the New American Paintings, No. 143, Midwest Issue. He is currently affiliated with Thomas Deans Fine Art in Atlanta, Georgia and Dutoit Gallery in Dayton, Ohio. Ben’s work includes observed and imagined images of daily life, which are manifested through drawing, collage, and oil paintings. His work explores the intersection of light, color, observation, and invention. Ben resides in Dayton with his wife and three children.

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Shawna Hatton

Oils & Acrylics Instructor | Teens Instructor

Shawna Hatton is a multimedia artist, instructor, and the owner of Chasing Light Art Studio and Gallery  in Springboro, OH. She has been an artist all of her life, inspired by nature, light, and people. She received her B.F.A in painting from Saint Mary’s College, and attributes her love of art history to a year studying in Rome. She has been an educator in the arts for over twenty years, and loves helping students find their own creative voice. Shawna loves mixed media and her work can be described as a blend of Impressionism and Expressionism. Her work can be found in private collections around the country and has won many awards. This past spring she organized an art show/fundraiser for the children of Ukraine, supporting A Child’s Hope Int’l. Over 250 sunflower art pieces were for sale, from artists ages 7 to 77. The community rallied around the cause, raising over $12,000 to help feed the orphans displaced by war. It was a true testimony of the power of art to unite and bring some good to the world.

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Carole Lantz

Mixed Media

Fine artist and operator of Paint and Panache studio at the Pendleton Arts Center in Middletown, OH

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Bethany Lewis

Poetry

Bethany Lewis graduated from the Art Academy of Cincinnati in 2019. They returned that same year to TA poetry, and will be teaching creative writing through the school's community education program in Spring ‘23. You can find Bethany’s work in Hooligans Magazine, Forklift, Ohio, Apartment Poetry, and other (usually midwestern) publications. Besides writing, their personal work shows a background in fine arts. They enjoy making books and illustrations that combine visual art and poetry.

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Kelli McIntosh

Calligraphy

Kelli McIntosh is a hand letterer and illustrator and took her very first art class at the MAC in early elementary school.  She has a Bachelor's and Master's in Education and has taught modern calligraphy with brush pens online and in person for over 4 years.  She owns the Etsy Shop, "Mac & Fox Designs" where she sells her work.  Kelli, her husband, and two teenage children reside in Monroe. You can visit her website here: www.KelliMcIntosh.com

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Susan Marine

Weaving

Sue received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and worked as an analytical chemist for 47 years.  While a professor at Miami University, she designed and taught a special topic course Chemistry in Art for non-science majors on the Middletown and Luxembourg campuses.  She redesigned it as a study abroad course in Italy for science majors. 

Sue became a serious basket weaver in 2009, has participated in many juried shows, and has won blue ribbons at the county and state levels.  She started teaching basket weaving in 2015 at the Heritage Basketry Guild of Dayton.  She is a member of the Happy Weavers and is currently serving a 3-yr term on the executive committee of the Kentucky Basket Association.

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Karen Ng

Oils, Acrylics, & Mixed Media

Signature member of Cincinnnati Art Club and Ohio Plein Air Society.  Active studio painter in acrylics and oils, awarded and exhibited regionally, partner in Paint & Panache Studio in PAC Middletown.  Started oil painting at Middlebury College, studied plein air painting with Chuck Marshall.  Teaches traditional principles plus use of digital photos and pics; tips and techniques for each medium.  Started as an oil painter, but now works more in acrylics.  Love of photography, gardening, and nature inform her work.    

www.Facebook.com/KarenNgStudio 

www.Facebook.com/PaintandPanache

 

Jill Niemiec

Fiber Arts - Knitting & Crochet Instructor

An accomplished artisan, Jill was taught to knit and crochet by her great-grandmother when she was eight years old. Jill took a brief hiatus from fiber arts until her daughter was born in 2000 and has been knitting and working in fiber artistry again ever since! Jill is skilled in many facets of knitting and other fiber arts including cables, color work, socks, entrelac, and intarsia.

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Lana Read

Acting Instructor

Lana Read who has been Acting & Directing for over 25 years has been tagged by many industry professionals with the term of endearment “An Actor’s Director” due to her nurturing yet firm instruction which is a vital skill in pulling a convincing and poignant
performance from her actors. For more on her background, philosophy, and portfolio, visit her website at www.lanaread.com

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Kathryn Streiff

Ceramics Instructor

Kathryn Streiff has a bachelors of psychology from East Carolina University, and a masters of social work from the University of Cincinnati. She has also pursued varied creative interests throughout her life.
Her art experience includes classes in ceramics taught by Joyce Turnier in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Photography taught by Ben McIntire at the Middletown Arts Center; Ceramics taught by Adriana DePalma at the Middletown Arts Center; Handbuilding Challenges taught by Ruth Easterbrook through the Harvard Clay Program; and individual wheel throwing lessons by Ben Clark at Queen City Clay. While making and “baking” mudpies as a child, Kathryn often heard her mother say “she just plays in the mud all day”. Now, when she’s able, the same rings true today.

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Andrew Thomas

Workshops & Outreach Instructor

Andrew is a graduate of Wittenberg University and got his masters in art education from Xavier University. Originally from the Chicago area he has made Cincinnati his home for the last 31 years.

Andrew currently has celebrated 30 years teaching art to young people in both the Fairfield and Kings Local school districts, and has spent his summers teaching classes at the Middletown Arts Center since 2019. Along with being primarily a watercolor artist, he recently created a 3-D work for the Illinois Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. In Art, it is Andrew's goal to create watercolor paintings that are accurate, consistent and full of life. He tries to convey to the viewer the "soul" of the objects or places he chooses to put on paper. Some of his influences include Georgia O' Keefe, Edward Hopper, and Rene Magritte. In teaching art to young people he tries to create fun and enjoyable experiences that students will remember and be proud of. 

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Nancy Thomson

Workshops & Outreach Instructor

A resident of Liberty Township, Nancy studied Art Education at Miami University, earning both a BA and MA in Art Education. She taught Art, grades 7-12 for 35 years.  After retiring, Nancy has exhibited her pieces in shows locally.  She currently teaches privately and is a member of the Queen Art Club, the Middletown Arts Center, and the Fitton Center.

 

Peggy Trimble

Watercolor Instructor

Peggy Trimble is a graduate of New York School of Interior Design and attended Ohio State University and Miami University.  She is a current artist and art instructor at the Middletown Arts Center since 2008, teaching both Beginning/Intermediate and Advanced Watercolor classes. Her art has been shown in many one-person exhibits, received numerous awards, including acceptance in the Ohio Watercolor Society Exhibit, Cincinnati's Viewpoint, Arts Council of West Chester & Liberty, Fitton’s Greater Hamilton Art Exhibit, Kettering's Rosewood Gallery, and MAC Masters Exhibit.  She has recently been a guest artist at the Fifth St. Gallery, Cincinnati, and Pop Revolution Gallery, Hamilton.  Her work is currently on display at Hanover House in Cincinnati.  Her paintings are in private and corporate collections in 12 states and Europe. Peggy has had an art studio, Paint and Panache, at the Pendleton Art Center in Middletown since 2012. Preceding her art career, she worked in the corporate world, retiring from Financial Planning Consultants as Corporate Secretary in 1993.  She then founded The Finishing Touch, a custom framing business, from which she recently retired.

 

Jean Vance

Enameling & Watercolor Instructor

Jean Vance is a versatile artist and instructor working in watercolor, oil, jewelry, and glass enamel on metal. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Miami University, a Master of Arts, and a Master of Fine Arts from Bowling Green State University. Whether painting portraits, landscapes, or intimate studies of nature, her work has a personal quality that is evident in her use of color and her sensitivity to the subject.  Her style ranges from abstract “impressions of nature” to more realistic images of people, places and things. Jean’s work is represented in private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Europe, China, Japan, and the Caribbean. She has had numerous one-woman shows and her work has been included in many juried exhibitions. Jean is currently an adjunct professor at Miami University and conducts workshops for the University of Cincinnati.  She continues to teach private classes in Oxford, Ohio, and at the Middletown Arts Center.  She is curator for two annual regional juried exhibitions placing original art in hospitals, and conducts painting workshops.  Jean is also a signature member of the Ohio Watercolor Society.

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Sarah Williams

Youth Instructor

Sarah received a bachelor's degree in art education from Bob Jones University and taught kindergarten through high school art at Middletown Christian Schools for 8 years.  She is now a stay-at-home mom but enjoys keeping up her art and teaching with her involvement with the MAC.  "I love trying all different types of art but some favorites include drawing, illustration, calligraphy, and batik.  The creativity of children makes me smile, and I love to see their art skills grow!  In my own art pieces, I try to express color, beauty, and imagination - all things that point me back to my Creator God."

 

Ron Wilson

Photography Instructor
Ron has over 30 years of photography instruction experience. He is active in the Tripod Camera Club, Cleveland Photographic Society, West Chester Photo Club and Photographic Society of America. He is a part-time professional photographer. His publication credits include National Geographic Traveler, Audubon, Readers’ Digest, and Country Magazine.