Kimberly (Cookville, TN) is an Associate Professor of Art with a BFA in Ceramics and an MFA in Furniture Design. She has taught at Penland School of Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Anderson Ranch Art Center, The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship and the Appalachian Center for Craft.

Amy (Fayetteville, AR) is a full-time oil and acrylic artist who focuses on colorful figures, animals, and anything with eyes and a personality. Her background in dance performance, teaching and choreography has influenced her work to emphasize expressive color, movement and character and to appreciate the performance aspect of visual art. Amy’s love of teaching has brought her to instruct at multiple locations including ESSA, Crystal Bridges and now monthly sold out workshops in downtown Rogers. Amy has a studio at Art Ventures Gallery in downtown Fayetteville.

Sarah Doremus lives in Deer Isle, Maine in a house up a mile-long dirt driveway that her wife, Linda and she bought because it fulfilled her most important housing requirement: It is private enough to hang laundry naked. She was trained as a sculptor but after college in a metalsmithing studio and her work has since been jewelry sized. Sarah produces work for galleries and private clients and teaches workshops around the country (including Penland, Peter’s Valley, Arrowmont, and more). Her work is held in private and public collections, has been included on blogs and in publications, and has been part of numerous shows. The bulk of her time is devoted to teaching art at two rural Maine elementary schools, where her work often takes the form of collaboration with 8 year olds.

Lillian (Highlandville, MO) holds a BFA in Metals/jewelry from Missouri State University and is an art instructor for Springfield Art Museum, Springfield Regional Arts Council, and Placeworks. She teaches jewelry/metalsmithing classes through the museum and her work has been exhibited across America and in Japan.

Vic (Hot Springs Village, AR) has 25 years of experience teaching adults both in the corporate world and in studio settings. He was an artist in residence at Krueger Pottery in St. Louis for 10 years. Vic is currently retired and spends his time creating in steel and wood. His work in on sale at galleries in Hot Springs and Eureka Springs, AR.

Jason (Eureka Springs, AR) has been a percussionist for over 30 years and is the owner of New World Drums. He has apprenticed with master drum builder Doug Powell beginning in 2017, and has assisted Doug in several drum-making classes at ESSA.

Eleanor (Eureka Springs, Arkansas) is a studio artist using primarily weaving and beading techniques to create her sculptures and wall pieces. Her work is in the Arkansas Arts Center. She has taught in the United States, Mexico, and West Africa. You may see her work in 500 Beaded Objects and Masters of Bead Weaving.

Louis (Rockaway Beach, MO) is a wheelwright, wainwright, master carpenter and toy maker. He is a portly, bearded man that likes making toys for children around Christmas time (….sound familiar???). He started out learning to make his own toys as a child from his father who, despite being blind, was proof that if there is a job to be done, you find a way to do it. Louis has extensive experience building sets and props, and you can see some of his work – such as a 42′ tall chicken or a 16′ dog – in Branson, MO.

Kurt (Henrietta, NY) has 20 years of woodturning experience, 175 internationally published articles, and has delivered 100s of demos and classes.  He enjoys the entire continuum of woodturning. A frequent instructor on all facets of woodturning, he’s well known for pens, ornaments, and lidded boxes. 

Julie Hop (Rogers, AR) earned her BFA in Painting and Drawing from Columbia College, Chicago. She has been a muralist and has participated in exhibits in Chicago, New Orleans and Eureka Springs. Julie has designed and implemented art classes for children, teens and adults and has experience as a public school teacher. She is currently Program Coordinator at ESSA.