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.

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.

Nyle (Ethel, MO) has garnered national and international awards for many of his compelling figurative and landscape paintings. He has also gained a reputation for his encouraging and effective teaching style. Nyle’s workshops are in demand and fill quickly.

Anne (Pawlet, VT ) has been an independent studio artist for 17 years and has work included in numerous exhibitions, collections and publications. During 2018 work was included in three invitational international exhibitions, including Blaze in Taiwan. Anne is currently treasurer of The Enamelist Society, Pocosin Arts, and Enamel Guild North East.

Deborah (Eureka Springs, AR) works in oils, acrylics, and jewelry making. She was trained in the old master’s style of painting by Valery Bassett in Northampton. MA. She received additional training at the Anderson Mandette studios in Jerome, AZ. The school’s founder, Robin Anderson, won the Florence Biennale in 2003.  

Kate (Lexington, KY) is a self-taught fiber artist. She has taught felting workshops locally in Kentucky and is a member in good standing of the Berea Arts Guild of KY. Her work has been featured on sites like BuzzFeed, Bored Panda, ThinkGeek, Geekology, and Fashionably Geek.

Wayne (Hot Springs, AR) has been a self-taught sculptor since 1970. His steel sculpture is often functional – tables, stools, and chairs; but he truly enjoys creating unique “people” and larger works that are inspired by music. His accomplishments include works at the Hot Springs Civic and Convention Center, Hard Rock Café in Miami, Florida, Hot Springs Sculpture Garden, and several hospitals, churches, libraries, banks, and private homes. He has also been featured in “Southern Artist” and “Active Years’ magazines.

William (Boston, MA) is an artist who utilizes traditional silversmithing techniques and untraditional materials to create jewelry. William earned his BFA from MassART in 2012, and his MFA in 2016 from the University of Massachusetts: Dartmouth.

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.

Dawn (Holiday Island, AR) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work combines photography, printmaking, painting, encaustic, sculpture and found objects.  She received her Ph.D. in Arts Education and a MA in Printmaking from New York University and has been a university art professor for the past 20 years teaching art history, design and studio courses. Dawn has been the recipient of several grants for advanced study including a recent workshop on Digital Printmaking in Santa Fe, NM.