Jawunn Bailey

Youth/Outreach Instructor

Jawunn started drawing at age 2. He admired his grandmother (Mary Lue Smith) and her artistic abilities as a seamstress. With his grandmother as an inspiration his desire for creativity/drawing grew. His mother (Patricia Bailey) encouraged Jawunn to draw all the time. Over the years his passion for drawing blossomed into J1Art LLC, founded April 12, 2021.

Soon after founding J1Art LLC, his mother Patricia developed the idea of Jawunn painting with groups of all ages, with children being their target audience. Adults and children alike love his one-on-one classes and painting parties. Jawunn teaches painting classes with after school programs and summer programs throughout Middletown.

You can tell Jawunn your concept, and he will visualize it, draw it out, and make it come to life. Purchasers of his artwork enjoy quality, original merchandise and products personally designed by Jawunn. He’s developed and created work for over 10 businesses. Middletown Art Center, Jawunn first began his relationship with the Middletown Arts Center when he came in 3rd place in the competitive Drawing category in the Area Art Exhibition, with his work Brother and Sister.

Currently, he is collaborating on projects with Middletown City School Bus Transportation, Middletown Middle School Cheer Team, and Madison School Bus Transportation. Jawunn hopes to continue using his talent and years of experience to spread his vision.

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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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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!"
 

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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Kelly Kroener

Youth/Teen Ceramics

A native of South West rural Ohio, Kroener studied sculpture and fashion at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While in school, she studied draping and pattern-making applying her sensibilities of line to the body and the meanings these create in society. Since her graduation in 2010, she has taught visual arts classes for underserved students and has made it a prerogative to be a force of vitality in her neighborhood’s life, while developing her fiber based studio practice. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Kimburgh award from the Dallas Museum of Art. Her work has been reviewed in arts publications, such Art in America.  Currently, she lives in Cincinnati, where she works and runs Basketshop, an exhibition space with her partner Eli Walker.

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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

Basket 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.

 

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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Jill Pheanis

Wire-Wrapping Instructor

A Middletown native, Jill Pheanis is a self-taught artist specializing in wire wrapping. She is passionate about collecting minerals, gemstones, and fossils which she can transform into works of art. She has been making jewelry for over 20 years & is constantly refining her craft. Jill is a longtime member of the Cincinnati Lapidary and Faceting Society,  and now serves as the club's president. She shares her artwork at local festivals and craft shows, and is featured in several small businesses throughout Ohio.

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Chris Riegel

Teen/Adult Instructor

Chris is a retired high school algebra teacher turned artist, engineer, and designer. In addition to her passion for creativity and teaching, she is also the founder of Silver Lock Designs where she designs and engineers portable plein air easels and other fun projects like hardbound sketchbooks and earrings! 

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Yetunde Rodriguez

Blockprinting/Textiles

Yetunde Rodriguez is a Nigerian-American Textile Artist and designer in living and working in Dayton OH.

Her work is a celebrates the joy created by the simple combination of color and pattern. She believes that the things we surround ourselves with should bring joy and have meaning, and we should elevate the everyday.

As a child growing up in Nigeria, she experienced the joy of color and pattern. She comes from a people that truly believe in celebrating with passion and beauty. She takes creates with this ethos, whether she is in the studio making art, or designing patterns. She creates art that is whimsical and bold in a colors vibrant color palette that get a reaction.

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Anisha Kanakia Sanghani

Youth-Adult | Various Classes

Anisha Kanakia Sanghani is a contemporary artist based in Cincinnati, OH. She has a diverse background with a BFA in Fine Arts from DAAP (Dean's List Recipient), 25+ years of working experience as a Senior Graphic Designer, and Background in Textile Design. Her portfolio is prolific and ranges from miniature paintings to bold, brazen abstracts. Having spent her childhood years in Mumbai, India, her artwork references both Indian and Western artistic cultures. Her versatility stems from her fun–loving, adventurous self!

Anisha's goal is to create an emotional connection between the viewer and her work. Anisha has taught Art Workshops at DAAP Summer Art Camp, Fitton Art Center, University of Cincinnati. Anisha has also taught art to children and adults of All Levels at various Outreach Programs and her artwork has been shown in several juried exhibitions throughout the U.S. She has been consistently growing in her field and receiving recognition awards. She has created artwork for many companies and their clients such as: Martha Stewart, Target, Kohl’s, Wal–Mart, CVS, Pier–One Imports, Mars M&M, Star–Wars, JCPenney, Dylan’s Candy, Christopher Radko, Walgreens, Meijer, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby.

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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.

 

John Wiehe

Oils/Acrylics Instructor

After retirement, Fairfield Ohio resident John Wiehe turned his focus to artistic painting. His 40-year home improvement career, experience with graphic design programs and lifetime hobbies of woodworking and furniture making have all contributed to his success in this new venture. In his short career, this self taught artist has won numerous awards from local area art shows, exhibiting in 10 different Greater Cincinnati art venues. John is a partner with 3 other MAC teachers and students at Studio 104 in the Middletown Pendleton Art Center, where he currently has a series of 38 Civil Rights paintings on display in the 2nd floor main gallery.

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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.