Instructor Bios

DAVID AUER
David received his bachelor of Music in Education from the State University of New York at Potsdam (Crane School of Music).  He has taught public school music (choral and instrumental), church choir and private piano lessons.  He has frequently written arrangements for the choral groups with which he has worked.

RENEA BISHOP
Renea is active in the Society for Creative Anachronism, and international organizatio0n dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th century.  She has studied the myths and history of many styles of belly dance and teaches and performs tribal styles from many different cultures. Renea has taught many styles of dance including tap, jazz, ballet, modern, and belly dance. Renea is a certified Aerobics Instructor and Personal Trainer. She is also certified in Group Exercise, Step Aerobics, Kickboxing, and Yoga. Renea is the Director of a professional performance dance team, with whom she performs. www.dance4fitness-pa.com

BEVERLEE BLAIR      
Beverlee Blair published her first poetry while still in high school.  She studied English literature and Psychology at Boston University, dance at the Institute for Contemporary Dance and acting with Mark Monroe Productions.  Two of her plays have been produced in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she has also acted and directed.  She has been a teacher of creative writing and dramatic arts and most recently has worked as a researcher for national television news programs as well as a private investigator. Ms. Blair also works as the assistant to the Teen Librarian at the Sewickley Public Library.

DOUG BROWN
A Pittsburgh native, Doug attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.  Dough recently returned to Pittsburgh after pursuing a career as a package designer and freelance artist for almost forty years in northeastern Pennsylvania.  He is a signature member and past president of the Pennsylvania En Plein Air Society.  For the past fifteen years, he has taught watercolor classes and shared his love of the beauty of colors with students at several art leagues, both in group and individual formats.  He has given both demonstrations and workshops that benefited both beginners as well as more advanced students.  Doug has exhibited in many areas of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida and is currently represented by Matthews Gallery in Bellevue and Bottlebrush Gallery in Harmony.

DAVID COOPER
David Cooper is a commercial photographer based in Pittsburgh and has been an instructor at Sweetwater for over ten years. David combines his fine art photography background with his commercial experience and love of both the darkroom and digital world to bring a balance to the art and craft of photography. His work has been exhibited in numerous local galleries, and is represented by Getty Images.

SARAH DAVENPORT
Sarah graduated from Robert Morris University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. She works as a freelance graphic designer and artist. She was part of a team that created a beautiful mosaic landscape on the building front of Prism Stained Glass in Lawrenceville, PA. At Sweetwater, Sarah is able to combine her love of teaching children with her love of the arts.

ADINA DEROY-STOUFFER
Adina is a native to Squirrel Hill and a graduate of The University of Pittsburgh. A Silversmith specializing in wire jewelry, she is continuing her family tradition in the jewelry industry, designing selling jewelry for the past ten years.  Adina studied jewelry design in Italy as well as locally.  She is a member of the Craftsman Guild of Pittsburgh, and is also an avid fiber artist and knitter. She sells her jewelry internationally through the Internet.

JEFFREY ELLSWORTH
Jeff Ellsworth is an accomplished guitarist who has been playing and composing for over twenty years.  He’s played on numerous recordings for major independent labels and has toured with several bands throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.  From a young age, he studied with talented instructors both independently and at Duquesne University.  Jeff personalizes lessons accordingly, making his class a favorite of students of various skills levels and ages.  His lessons are focused on the genre requested by the student and follow an intuitive pace on the fundamentals of guitar and bass guitar. 

PAT FALBO
A teacher by profession, Pat loves sharing her knowledge of metal and design with interested students. She is a member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh and is a contributing artist member at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Her business, Jewelry Art by Pat Falbo, furnishes unique pieces to boutiques and galleries in Pittsburgh and Charleston, SC.

BRYCE HEMINGTON
Bryce earned a BFA at Edinboro University and is now seeking his teacher certification at Carlow University. He specializes in ceramics and has worked with children of various ages. In addition to teaching classes at Sweetwater, he is also Sweetwater's Ceramics Tech.

LINDSAY HUFF
Lindsay Huff has been creating for as long as she can remember, making jewelry for the last twelve years, and enameling for the last five years.  She has studied abroad in Florence, Italy and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing with Honors from Syracuse University.  She loves to experiment with materials and techniques and is grateful to all the wonderful teachers, both officially and informally, who have guided her journey.

Primarily, Lindsay chooses to experiment with enamel, the technique of fusing glass to metal.  She appreciates the constant learning process, the constant surprises, and especially the instant gratification of creating a piece within a matter of minutes.  Her venue for sending work out into the world is Huffalo, a small one-woman craft enterprise focused on creating one-of-a-kind, limited production, and custom work.  Huffalo can be found online, in local stores, galleries, and craft events, and in jewelry boxes across the world.  Lindsay’s work has been shown in numerous exhibitions and is also in the private collection of the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon.

LISA JOSEPH
Violinist and teacher, Lisa graduated from California State University Northridge in Los Angeles with her Bachelor’s of Music degree in Violin Performance at the age of 19.  While at CSUN, Lisa received several awards and graduated summa cum laude.  Lisa is pursuing her Master’s of Music degree in Violin Performance at Duquesne University.  She was awarded a full scholarship as a graduate and teaching assistant where she has completed her first year and eagerly anticipates graduation in May 2008.  Currently, Lisa is a member of the Butler County Symphony and has played with Wheeling Symphony and Johnstown Symphony.  Lisa has taught violin privately for five years and has taught in two elementary schools for one year.  She has been a member of ASTA (American String Teachers Association) for three years.

KELLY KOBLE
Kelly graduated from Mercyhurst College in Erie with a B.A. in Art Therapy and Art Education. She enjoys working in all media and loves children’s imagination and problem solving skills used in the creative process of making art. Kelly is an elementary art teacher with the Central Valley School District and Sweetwater’s Administration Assistant/Volunteer Coordinator.

VANESSA LATOUR
Vanessa Latour is a certified art education teacher who possesses a lifelong passion in her field.  As a Sweetwater Instructor, she has taught a variety of children at summer camps, After-School programs at St. James and Cornell, and art workshops throughout the year.  In addition, Vanessa also collaborated with Summerbridge Pittsburgh to provide arts enrichment to middle school students facing limited opportunities.  Vanessa also teaches visual art through Lincoln Park Performing Art Center’s ArtReach program, which offers hands-on classes to PA Cyber school students throughout Pennsylvania.  As an artist and educator, Vanessa’s talents embody various styles and mediums including: painting, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, jewelry, fibers, assemblage, and photography.  Her unique, diverse, and often nature inspire artwork is exhibited regionally in various galleries and festivals. .

MICHELLE LONG
Shelly Long earned a Bachelor of Music degree, magna cum laude, in music education with a concentration in flute from Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, studying with David P. Tessmer. Currently, Shelly is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the music teacher at Serra Catholic High School in McKeesport, PA, where she teaches concert band, chorus, and flute choir, is chapter advisor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society, has assisted with the spring musical and marching band, and teaches several private flute students. Shelly is also a private flute instructor at Johnstonbaugh’s Music Center in Bridgeville, PA. She is principal flutist of the North Suburban Symphonic Band, has played the flute and piccolo with the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra and North Suburban Woodwind Quintet, and plays actively in area musical theater productions and church services. Shelly also served on the board of directors for the Edgewood Symphony. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the National Flute Association. Shelly has taught beginning, intermediate, and advanced flute students for over seven years. Please visit Shelly’s flute studio website at http://www.slflute.webs.com for further information and resources.

DUNCAN MACDIARMID
Duncan works primarily in terra cotta and bronze with a focus on the sculptural portrait and figure.  His early public projects included an exterior bronze sculpture for The Sewickley Public Library and two large-scale theater masks for Saint Vincent College.  Private commissions have included portrait busts, cameo portraits, animals and statues.  As an instructor, Duncan has taught clay modeling at Sweetwater Center for the Arts, The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and The Carnegie Museum.

In the early 1980's Duncan MacDiarmid spent two years in Italy studying sculpture and art history.  Upon his return, a visit to the historic Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown, Pa. sparked his interest in sculptural terra cotta tile, which led him to create a small tile production studio.  Shortly after receiving his Master of Fine Arts degree from The University of Pennsylvania in 1986, Duncan moved to Pittsburgh and established Earthview Studios.  Currently Duncan works in a studio located behind his home, where he runs his tile business, and creates portraits, figures, and other sculptural designs.  His work can be viewed at www.earthviewstudios.com.

CLAUDIO MASCI
Claudio has over 40 years of experience in the world of food, ranging from corporate event catering to being an Executive Chef. His past accomplishments include being the Executive Chef at Abruzzi's Restaurant in the South Side, as well as owning and operating his own catering company.

JUDY MATTEI
Judy is a professional artist who exhibits locally and nationally and studied for 15 years with Philip Salvato. She is a member of Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Society of Artists and South Hills Art League, is past President of South Hills Art League, and is a Board Member of South Arts and Chartiers Valley Arts Council.

THERESA NERO
Theresa Nero has been an artist for the past 25 years. Many of her paintings and artwork are in private collections in Houston, Seattle, Philadelphia and throughout the Pittsburgh area. Theresa has taught art at Sweetwater Center for the Arts for many years and has taught after school programs at the following institutions: Bradford Woods Elementary, Marshall Elementary, AAUD in Aliquippa, the Montessori School in Sewickley, Focus on Renewal in McKees Rocks, and Head Start Schools in Beaver County. For the past ten years, she has taught art privately. Theresa studied Painting/Fine Arts at PCA and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. She resides in Hookstown with her husband and five children. Theresa's additional interests include Agriculture and Beekeeping.

SALLY OBERDICK
Sally Oberdick has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and elementary teacher certification from Chatham College. She has taught the pre-kindergarten class at a local pre-school for 11 years and has taught children’s classes at Sweetwater for 10 years. She is also a substitute teacher through the Northern Area Teacher Service.

DONNA PENOYER
Donna Penoyer specializes in fine silver jewelry and sculptural whistles, known as ArtWhistles, made from Precious Metal Clay. She is certified through both Rio Grande and the PMC Connection and is a juried member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh. She teaches and exhibits nationally and has written instructional articles that will appear in upcoming issues of PolymerCAFÉ and Art Jewelry magazine. Her work can be seen in the 2007 and 2008 editions of the PMC Guild Annual, a pictorial collection of the finest work being made in PMC around the world. Penoyer has a degree in literature and creative writing, as well as extensive training in performance, and has been a professional stiltwalker for several years, entertaining at corporate events and festivals.

JOYCE WERWIE PERRY
Joyce Werwie Perry is the owner of le Poire, a fine art studio and gallery located at 11 E Crafton Avenue in the heart of Crafton near the West End of Pittsburgh.  Joyce has won numerous awards in regional and national exhibitions, including juror’s awards given by such people as Douglas Fogle,  Curator of Contemporary Art at Carnegie Museum of Art, Virginia Mecklenberg,    Curator at The Smithsonian,Washington, D.C and Faith Ringgold , renowned international artist and Caldicott Award winner among others.  Most recently, Joyce received the prestigious Westmoreland Museum Exhibition Award by Curator Barb Jones for a solo exhibition in 2010.
Her work has been shown at Carnegie Museum of Art, Andy Warhol Museum, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Butler Museum of American Art in Youngstown ,Ohio, Avampato Discovery Museum  in Charleston, West Virginia, Duquesne University, Seton Hill University, Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts,  and many other local galleries.  Joyce is a member and former Vice President /Exhibitions Co-Chair of The Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and has nationally over 110 works in private and public collections nationally. She also teaches her original knife technique at le Poire as well as Touchstone Center for the Arts near Uniontown, PA.

DAVID PLANKENHORN
David Plankenhorn is 28 years old, and has been a resident of Pittsburgh for the last 10 years.  He attended culinary school at Pennsylvania Culinary, and graduated in 1999 where he went on to work at Top of the Triangle, Valhalla, and Lidia’s Italy Pittsburgh.  David is currently the Chef de Cuisine at Lidia’s.  In his time there he has been on learning trips to restaurants in Kansas City and New York City, also working closely with Lidia on many special events and menu writing.

CYNTHIA SHAFFER
Cindy is a multi-media artist with experience in many fields throughout her 25 year career. She has been a fine artist, magazine illustrator, greeting card designer, mural painter, henna tattoo artist, teacher, calligrapher, musician and sculptor. Her current medium involves collecting natural elements such as insects, bones, feathers, pods, etc and meticulously arranging them as a Mandela pattern. She has designed interactive murals for schools and directed hundreds of local students in painting them. For the National Baseball League All-Star Game held in Pittsburgh, Cindy created an 8' painted relief sculpture which won first place with both the juror and public votes; it was displayed for 9 months in the city of Pittsburgh and is now permanently installed in the PPG Aquarium at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Cindy also spends much of her time in public service, taking photographs for the Butler County Humane Society, teaching art at Gilda's Club cancer center, and caring for rehabilitating animals at the ARL Wildlife Center. Her experience with animals and nature is evident in her fine art work.

COLLEEN SHERTS
Colleen earned her B.S. in Art Education from Indiana University of PA. She teaches children's art in a variety of settings such as after school programs, scout workshops, home schooling classes and facilitates birthday parties. She presently substitutes for art K-12 in the public schools. Her art endeavors were in a "holding pattern" for 23 years while she was a flight attendant, but are now "taking off" as she pursues her art interests. Her pastel paintings which she exhibits locally have won several awards. She has written and illustrated several children's books which she hopes to someday publish. She is a member of the North Hills Art Center and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

ELLEN SIERGIEJ
Ellen graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a BFA; she majored in ceramics with a double minor in art history and printmaking. She also works under Terracotta Illustrations as a freelance artist specializing in cartoon and animal illustrations. Ellen has been working with children off and on for the past six years through the Girl Scouts of America. She also enjoys working with pets, and much of her artwork is inspired by her love of animals.

RON THURTON
“A surge of visual impact here, a wisp of creative style there, if it looks good, leave it alone.”  Ron Thurston is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and a past President of the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society.  He is a founding member of Pittsburgh Under Water and a member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators.  Ron has a long career as a commercial artist, whether from design firms in the advertising market, or in the personal commission field where his reputation as one of the area’s premier watercolor painters brings many buyers to his work.  Ron’s favorite borrowed philosophy comes from the artist Henry Koerner: “If you do something with love, love looks back at you.”  For ten years Ron was the President of Watercolors, an artist-owned gallery located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s downtown cultural district.  He currently teaches watercolor workshops at Sweetwater and Touchstone. 

CHARLOTTE TOLLIVER
Charlotte Tolliver, CDP, is a Sister of Divine Providence. A Potter skilled in wheel thrown and hand built vessels, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from LaRoche College and an MA in Ceramics from Edinboro University. She has been commissioned to do liturgical vessels for churches and retreat centers throughout the country. Charlotte teaches ceramics classes at Sweetwater and at Friendship Village of South Hills. Workshops, retreats and demonstrations for art clubs, senior citizens and high schools are also part of her ministry as a member of her religious congregation.

TAYE TOWNLEY
Taye Began her training under the guidance of Pittsburgh craftswoman Adah Roth Dick, in preparation for Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. She received her degree in Textile Design from the University of California, Berkeley. She served apprenticeships with Jack Larson in New York and Olga Amaral in Bogota and has worked as a journeywoman with Sue Corbett at Handwoven on Carson. Taye teaches classes in her home and for occupational therapy students at the University of Pittsburgh. She now helps with handwork classes at Waldorf School of Pittsburgh.

CHERON URBANEK
Cheron has her B.A. in Psychology and the History of Art and Architecture, with a minor in Studio Arts from the University of Pittsburgh. During her education at Pitt, she took advantage of studying abroad by participating in the Spring 2006 Semester at Sea program. This opportunity allowed her to explore exotic places such as Brazil, South Africa, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Japan, and more. Also, she spent a semester independently traveling and working through New Zealand and Australia. She was introduced to Sweetwater as an Intern for the Summer of 2008 and enjoyed working with all the children as well as all the people involved here. Currently, Cheron works with children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum in their homes, the community, and in their schools. Additionally, she serves as an Administrative Assistant and Business Assistant for Sweetwater. Cheron is excited to effectively use her enthusiasm for the arts and culture while working with children at Sweetwater Center for the Arts.

SANDRA WARD
British born Sandra Ward studied painting at Rhodes University, South Africa, printmaking at Durham University, UK and computer graphics in Philadelphia. She has exhibited her art both nationally and internationally and has been included in shows both at the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Andy Warhol Museum and many other local venues. Her work is in corporate and private collections both here and Sandra is an experienced artist/instructor who has taught students of all ages in various media including oil, acrylic, mixed media and pen and ink..
She is a member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Society of Artists and the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society. For more on her work visit www.gallery4wards.com

DANIELLE WORST
Danielle Worst is an American artist working in printmaking and installation. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Art in 2005, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a focus in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking.  During her undergraduate years she studied at The Glasgow School of Art in Glasgow, Scotland and researched Arts Education in Sydney and Cairns, Australia. Danielle then continued on to pursue her Masters in Fine Arts degree from a joint program through Bowling Green State University in Ohio and Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy in 2007 with a focus in Printmaking. Since graduation, Danielle has continued to be an active member within the arts, showing in exhibitions, volunteering, teaching, and sharing her knowledge and skills in a fun and creative environment.

CELENA YUSSEN
Celena graduated with a BA in Art Education from Carlow University. She is a PA certified teacher, with experience instructing grades K-12. She is a dedicated artist, specializing in drawing and painting. For over a decade, she's been avidly following Japanese animation and comics, which has lead to a love of Asian art and culture. She's attended over 30 anime conventions throughout the US and Canada, volunteering at many, including Pittsburgh’s local Tekkoshocon, where she runs several workshops and panels.

TARA ZALEWSKY
Tara Zalewsky received her Masters of Fine Art in Painting from the University of New Mexico (2006) and her Bachelors of Fine Art in Graphic Design and Illustration from Kent State University, OH (2003). She recently moved from Albuquerque, New Mexico where she taught Painting, Drawing and Design classes for the Art Center Design College, the University of New Mexico and multiple community education programs. She has had frequent solo exhibitions of her painting and sculpture in Sante Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos, NM. Her work is represented by the Bright Rain Gallery in Old Town, NM and has been exhibited at the Millicent Rodgers Museum in Taos, NM. She was the artist in residence at the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos (2006), and her painting and sculpture has won various awards, including The Friends of Art- Best in Show award from The Jonson Gallery in Albuquerque.