Instructors
The Visual Arts Center of Richmond is proud of its wonderful and talented instructors. Here is a little information about them.
Susan Adams, a jewelry designer and metalsmith, holds an MFA degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She was the 2004 Visual Arts Center Master Teacher.
Barbara Atkinson has been a professional stained glass artist and instructor for more than 25 years.
Stephanie Baker, a professional photographer, holds a BA in Art History from VCU and a professional photographer’s certificate from Portfolio Center in Atlanta.
John Balasa, a professional faux finisher, works for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the Department of Exhibition Production.
Ingrid Bernhardt is a graduate of the Pratt Institute. Her beadwork is exhibited nationally.
Lee Bloxom holds an MFA from VCU in Creative Writing and a BA from Wellesley College.
John Bryan has written for such publications as Sports Illustrated, Delta SKY and Writer’s Digest. His books include The James River in Richmond and Take Me Fishing (published by Skyhorse in 2007).
David Camden is a graduate of Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont. He has been teaching at the Visual Arts Center since 1978.
Kyla Carter
Darryl Cheek is a local blacksmith and metal artist.
Ann Chamblin graduated from VCU and teaches and exhibits in the region.
Carlie Collier has an MFA in photography from VCU. She is a professional artist, photographer and educator.
Allison Compton
Tom Crabb
Dan Currier
Barbara Dill studied woodturning at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She is a full-time studio artist and instructor.
Tennessee Dixon
Don Dransfield is a designer/goldsmith and has a BFA from the State University of New York at New Paltz.
Daniel Eaves has an MFA in Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He is a full-time jeweler.
Nicole Anderson Ellis has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from VCU. She has published dozens of articles ranging from hard news to personal essay to commentary, and is currently the editor of City Edition magazine.
Jaye Erickson holds a BFA in Interior Design from VCU and worked in design for two years before coming to work at La Difference in 1995 where she is now the Head Furniture Buyer. Jaye has done three Symphony Designer House rooms and renovated her Fan home, which was featured on the cover of Home Style and included in the Summer Showcase of Homes tour in 1999.
Carmen Feliciano is a professional fashion designer with a degree from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. She worked for a number of design houses in New York contributing designs for collections of Lady Carol, Damon, Billy Jack and others.
Regi Franz is a professional photographer. She has an MFA from VCU and has photographed extensively in South America, Europe and Southeast Asia.
Jessica Freeman is a professional stained-glass artist.
Doug Finkel
James Fueglein holds an MFA in creative writing from VCU where he teaches in the English Department.
Janet Gilmore Bryan earned her MFA from Columbia University and teaches in the VCU Communication Arts Program.
Jeff Glötzl, a graduate of the New England School of Photography, has worked in advertising photography doing both production and post-production work for the last 12 years, and has recently started his own creative imaging business.
Charles Gustina holds an MFA in photography and film from VCU. A graduate of Parson Design School, he worked many years in New York in interior design heading his own firm for ten years.
Cherri Allen Hankins is the owner of the Maidens Handweaver and teaches locally.
Mary Henck is a local fiber artist who has been hooking rugs for over 10 years. She is the Director of the Outer Banks Rug Hooking Retreat and owner of Mary's Wool Garden. She also does commissioned work.
Matt Isaacson
Brenda Isenberg is a fulltime professional artist who received her MFA in Painting from the New York Academy of Art.
Douglas Jones is a professional writer and teacher who has written and seen produced more than 30 plays. He has a BA from the University of Chicago and did graduate work at the University of Virginia.
Shelley Jones has been making silver and bead jewelry for more than six years, working first in silver, then incorporating bead weaving techniques, fiber and wire into her work. She exhibits and teaches locally.
Heather Kachurka
Charlotte Laroy is a professional basket maker who teaches workshops throughout Richmond.
Catherine MacDonald
Deirdra McAfee received an MFA in fiction from the New School in New York; there she served as prose editor of LIT. McAfee has won national recognition, including the 2007 WC&C Scholarship, the 2006 H. E. Francis Prize for Short Fiction, a Pushcart Prize Special Mention, the 2005 Seattle Review Fiction Prize and the 2004 STYLE Weekly fiction contest.
Katie McBride has a BFA from VCU in Communication Arts and Design and works as a freelance illustrator and designer.
Richard McCord is a professional ceramic sculptor who has been teaching at the Visual Arts Center for over 20 years. He served as the 2001 Visual Arts Center Master Teacher.
Mary McNeil is a local teacher and stained glass artist.
Lindsay Mis has a BFA in jewelry design from VCU. She also studied at the Pratt Institute.
Darren Morris has an MFA in creative writing from VCU and was recently recognized in the Best New Poets series by Meridian books.
Kirk O’Brien is a professional freelance cartoonist and illustrator. His work can be viewed on his website at www.inkyline.com. He served as the 2003 Visual Arts Center Master Teacher.
Amie Oliver earned an MFA from Bowling Green (Ohio) State University. She is a professional artist and teacher.
Brad Pearson is a professional lampwork artist. He holds a BFA from VCU, and has taught and exhibited for a decade.
Louis Poole holds a BFA in painting and printmaking from VCU and is a professional artist working in Richmond.
Susan Quinnild, a studio potter, was the 2005 Visual Arts Center Master Teacher.
Sally Ramert holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history with a specialty in European and art history. Her 20-year teaching career focused on modern and post-modern architecture and decorative arts, which led naturally to collecting of fine examples from around the world.
Pamela Rose Rennolds is a professional ceramist and teacher, has a BA from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.
Shane Rocheleau is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College and an MFA candidate at VCU.
Meg Rogers
Sara Rupnik holds an MFA from Vermont College and is a workshop instructor at the Chautuqua Institute. She co-founded the Around the Block Writers Collaborative.
Alyssa Salomon is an artist and photographer who exhibits, lectures and teaches nationally. She is the recipient of the VMFA fellowship, a returning fellow at the VCCA and has a BA from Kenyon College.
Jude Schlotzhauer holds an MFA in glass working from VCU and a BFA in painting from American University. She is a full-time studio artist.
Jay Sharpe is professional metalsmith who holds a BFA from VCU and is the proprietor of a jewelry store in Richmond.
Jennings Sheffield holds a BFA in Photography from the Atlanta College of Art and has taught graduate research in photography and film at VCU. She currently heads her own digital imaging studio.
Shelly Bechtel Shepherd is an artist-member of the Virginia Watercolor Society and frequently exhibits throughout the U.S. She served as the 2002 Visual Arts Center Master Teacher.
Leslie Shiel holds an MFA from VCU. She has taught a variety of writing courses at VCU, has curated the Eric Schindler Gallery Reading Series and has taught private poetry and nonfiction courses in the community.
Susan Singer holds a Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies in Art from VCU. She has worked extensively with polymer clay and pastels, and shows and sells her work in regional galleries.
David Tanner is a portrait and figurative painter with a BFA from VCU. Tanner is an active member of The Portrait Society of America and the American Society for Classical Realism. Tanner also studied with modern master Nelson Shanks at the Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia.
Sarah Thompson is a professional photographer who holds a BA from the University of the South. She holds a professional certificate in fine art photography from the Maine Photographic Workshops.
Jim Valentine has taught art in Richmond and Hanover County for 30 years. His pottery and sculpted clay faces appear in public and private collections in the U.S. and Germany.
Thomas Van Auken is a professional artist whose paintings have been shown locally and nationally. He studied fine art at the Corcoran School of Art.
Brittney Van Deusen is an artist and graphic designer. She has a BA in fine arts from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Art Education degree from VCU.
Christopher Wiedeman holds an MFA in Photography and Film from VCU and is a 2006-2007 Virginia Museum Fine Arts Professional Fellow.
Craft & Design
Now accepting artist applications for 2008 at zapplication.org. Deadline: May 25
Adult Summer Classes
The 2008 adult class schedule is now posted!
Artventure
Check out the Summer Artventure class schedule!
