Summer Teachers
2007


MICHELLE NEWBY ARMSTRONG
has a BA in art education from the University of Kentucky and MA in Library and Information Science. She is currently the Library Media Specialist at Cardinal Valley Elementary school. Her hobbies include painting, photography, hiking, and playing with her one year old son. 

STEVE ARMSTRONG affirmed his love of sculpture and the human form as a student of Clifford Amyx and John Tuska at the University of Kentucky in the 60’s and 70’s.  Since 1993, and after an 18-year career as a Montessori school director, Steve has made wood sculpture full time.  His whimsical “automata” (kinetic sculpture) is included in many private and public collections.

RENEE BAIR is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago with an MFA in bookbinding and paper arts.  She is also an alumnus of the University of Kentucky where she received a BFA in art studio. A native of Lexington, she is excited to be back home. 

JULIE BLACKBURN graduated with a BS degree from the University of Kentucky and has been working within the Lexington art community for seven years. She uses her imagination and creativity to bring forth fun and innovative ways for kids to enjoy art with science and incorporates creative ways for kids to notice the world around them.      

ERIC BOLANDER sees his art as an intrinsic energy that escapes through visual representation. He uses paint on canvas to make marks that express a moment in time, a moment that only exists in his memory. He is honored to share this passion for the arts with children and be allowed to give them alternative problem solving abilities through personal visual expression.

FRANK BOYER
is a local artist/ musician who has been teaching at the LASC since 1989. In that time he has created many classes, programs, and events for diverse populations from preschool to adults. He is currently an instructor for the UK Donovan Scholars program and continues his love and exploration of computer generated art, music, and all things creative.

MELINDA BOYER is a folklore herbalist and naturalist who owns and operates New Day Herb Farm in Cynthiana. She is the president of the board of The Friends of Griffith Woods and assistant manager of the Bluegrass Woodland Restoration Center. Since 1987, she has taught all ages and populations at LASC and in the community.

SONJA BROOKS is a visual artist who creates paper and fabric collages and mixed media constructions. Combining her love of art and interest in early childhood education, she teaches children’s art workshops around the region. She is also an arts management consultant for the Kentucky Arts Council.

KATHERINE BULLOCK has been on staff at the LASC for two years as the Education Outreach Coordinator where she designs the Discovery Exhibits, leads school groups in art and science activities, and takes outreach programs to local schools and community events. She has a BS degree in Art Education from Asbury College.  

JUDY CAVAGNERO is a mother, writer, and arts teacher. She has taught writing and art for children and adults at various Lexington schools, conferences, and groups over the last twelve years, and at The LASC since the summer of 2000. Her poems have appeared in anthologies and literary magazines.

STACEY R. CHINN has recently taken on the position of Gallery Director at the LASC.  She received an MFA in sculpture in 1998 from Southern Illinois University and a BFA from the UK in 1994. From 2003 to 2006, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor and the head of Sculpture at Georgetown College and is currently adjunct faculty at UK.  

KEVIN CLAPP is a local artist and cartoonist. He has spent most of his life discovering the possibilities behind the expression that visual media has to offer. He has currently earned his Masters of Fina Arts degree from Northern Illinois University, with emphasis in printmaking..

ALISON CLENDENEN currently teaches art in grades K-8 at Seton Catholic School. She pursues fine art photography and drawing and has a genuine love of art. In addition to having taught other children’s photography workshops in Virginia, this will be her third, happy summer at the LASC! 

BEN DURHAM, artist and printmaker, lives with his wife in Midway Kentucky.  A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and ex-printer and illustrator at the design and print shop, Revolution Art & Design in Knoxville, Tennessee, he is now in the process of setting up a letterpress print shop to produce design work and small editions with artists and writers. 

GARRETT GRADDY was born and raised in Kentucky and has spent many a summer attending and then teaching summer classes at LASC. Now she lives in Menifee County but has been studying agricultural biodiversity initiatives in the Peruvian Andes this spring as part of her doctoral dissertation in geography, sustainable agriculture, and saved seeds 

MARTY HENTON has a BA in Art Education from Purdue and an MA in Art Education from Western Kentucky University. She served as Director of the LASC for 23 years and now teaches in the Art Education Department at the University of Kentucky as well as at the LASC. 

NATALIE HENTON graduated in 2006 from The University of South Carolina in Anthropology and Geography.  She has traveled to Argentina and hopes to continue her travels wherever they may take her before attending graduate school. This is her fourth year of teaching at the Living Arts and Science Center and she loves it. 

JAMIE KAROLICH is currently studying Art at EKU and has been working with the Summer Programs at LASC for 3 years. 

DUANE KEATON Duane lives happily in Nicholasville with his wife, Dacian. He teaches art at Southern Middle School and does mural painting on the side. He has worked with children in one form or another for the past 15 years through teaching tennis, art, performing in plays, or working in summer camps. 

DUK LEE was born in Korea, and is a mathematics professor at Asbury College.  He and his family have been Kentuckians for the last 6 years, residing in Wilmore.  He is a member of OrigamiUSA. 

STEVEN LITTRELL is a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BS degree in Architecture. He loves working in digital formats as well as traditional mediums. He is currently the Program Assistant for the LASC. 

RACHEL MILLER graduates this May, 2007 with a BA in Art Education and Art Studio. She enjoys ceramics, and drawing.  Rachel loves creating things and sharing her love of the arts with children.

STEVIE MOORE is the painter of the life size restoration of Stan the T-Rex on display at the Explorium. He is an aquarist and received his BFA degree at UK. He is intent on earning recognition in the field of scientific and medical illustration. He is huge on dinosaurs, the biological sciences, and natural history.

MARY L. NEHRING is a recent graduate from UK with a BFA  in fibers.  She enjoys all types of fiber related art, but her big love is putting color on fabric and yarn.  Finding new ways to use the an old craft, quilting, is another of her obsessions.

LAURA RAY has a BFA. in art studio and a minor in art history from the University of Kentucky, and a journalism degree from Butler University. She loves teaching! Her first medium is photography. She is currently focusing on collage and drawing and attending UK as an art education major. 

STEVE ROENKER is the Co-Founder and Director of My Nose Turns Red Theatre Company (Covington) and has over 25 years experience as a performer, arts educator and as a juried artist with the Kentucky Arts Council.  Steve currently tours his one man shows such as Shootang's Mime, Juggling, Mask & Comedy Extravaganza in addition to running the New Millennium Youth Circus.   

MAGGIE ROGERS graduated with a BS degree in Art & Biology from Georgetown College and has recently returned to Kentucky after four years in Florida where she taught Marine Ecology and Art. She has also worked with authors to design a number of conservation-themed books and has worked as a photographer’s assistant on Sanibel Island for three years.  

BETH ROSDATTER worked for 10 years as a production hand weaver before going back to school and re-tooling as a philosopher. She has taught fiber arts in various local kids programs and at the college level. 

EMILY SCHMIDT is an Art Education major who just finished her first year at the University of Kentucky.  She hopes to teach elementary art in the future.  Some of her interests are painting and drawing, and playing the piano and music. 

SAL VILLAGRAN has a background in illustration and is a figurative artist with extensive knowledge of anatomy.  He is teaching drawing at UK sharing what he has learned at Laguna College of Art and Design and at New York Academy of Art where he received his MFA in Painting. 

AMY WELLS has been teaching at the LASC for four years now! She has her BA in Studio Art from Transylvania and is currently working on her Masters degree. When not studying or teaching she can be found eating, painting, and scootering around town. 

MOLLY COSTICH WILSON has a BFA from Auburn University in drawing and painting and a Masters in Art Education from the University of Kentucky. She is a locally exhibiting artist, has taught at LASC for 18 years and is on the staff as Art Education Coordinator. 

KRIIS ZEPS has a BA in Elementary Education and an A.M.S. Montessori graduate studies degree.  She has taught in private Montessori Schools and public elementary schools over the past 20 years.  She enjoys encouraging children to explore, learn and create using a variety of hands-on materials.