Doug (Eureka Springs, AR) is the author of 14 books and over 90 articles in woodworking publications, including Fine Woodworking, Woodwork, and American Woodworker. Doug has spent 45 years as a professional woodworker and is one of the founders of Eureka Springs School of the Arts. In 2009, Doug was named an Arkansas Living Treasure by the Arkansas Department of Heritage.

Allen​ ​(Lowell,​ ​AR)​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Journeyman​ ​Smith​ ​with​ ​the​ ​American​ ​Bladesmith​ ​Society​ ​and Arkansas’s​ ​first​ ​Forged​ ​in​ ​Fire​ ​Champion.​ ​​ ​He​ ​enjoys​ ​working​ ​with​ ​steel​ ​to​ ​create​ ​pieces​ ​that​ ​are aesthetically​ ​pleasing​ ​yet​ ​are​ ​quite​ ​functional.

Brandace (Wilsonville, IL) is the Executive Director of The Macoupin Art Collective in Staunton, IL, and an accomplished ceramic artist with a bachelor of art from Webster University in St. Louis, MO.

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.

Spencer (Mt. Vernon, IL) a plein air and studio painter now well into his fifth decade of painting, and is fluent in watercolor, oils and acrylics. He has 20+ years of experience teaching workshops, specializing in strong design and understanding values as a solid foundation for a successful painting. Spencer teaches a variety of painting approaches, broadening each students view of creating art. Spencer has won multiple awards in juried competitions across the country and has been featured multiple times in Plein Air Magazine and other publications.

Kathryn (Wanchese, NC) is an enamellist, metalsmith, and associate professor at College of the Albemarle. She received an MFA in metal design/ jewelry from East Carolina University. Her work is featured in Publications including Art of Enamel, 500 Necklaces, and Metalsmith magazine.

Gary Chapman (Birmingham, AL) is a Professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (MFA at Cranbrook Academy of Art; BA and BS at Berea College). He has taught workshops at institutions all over the country, and Gary has exhibited in numerous exhibitions worldwide. Chapman currently has 13 paintings in the collections of ten museums and many corporate and private collections.

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.

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.

Harold (Marble Falls, AR) became interested in carving quite young and became serious about carving when he was stationed with the US Army, in Okinawa. Harold began carving professionally in the early 1960’s and is considered the “Godfather” of caricature carving in the United States. Harold has given much of his life to promoting the art of caricature carving, sharing his skills and love with thousands of students. Harold has written ten wood carving books and is a founding member of Caricature Carvers of America and a member of the National Wood Carvers’ Association, and several other carving groups around the country.