Staff/Instructors :: Arts Central: The Arts and Culture Council for Central Oregon

Highly educated, creatively engaged, and very experienced, our instructors and staff create a welcoming and relaxed art experience.

Barbara Berry received degrees in art education and fine art from the Univ. of N. Colorado. Teaching since 1985, Barbara teaches all levels of drawing, watercolor, acrylic and oils. www.barbaraberry.com

Pam Jersey Bird earned a B.A. in Art Education and has a teaching certificate with over 30 years of teaching experience. As a professional artist, she creates nature-inspired mixed media abstract paintings.

Helen Bommarito received her B.A. in Art from the U. of Washington and completed two years of postgraduate study in Ceramics and Photography at the U. of Texas, Austin. She is active in the Clay Guild of the Cascades and Cindercone Clay Coop. www.helenbommarito.com

Cindy Briggs earned a degree in Fine Art and Design at Brigham Young University. She has been a professional artist for 26 years teaching, art directing, and showing in galleries. Her work is featured at the River Bend Gallery and Takara. www.cindybriggs.com

Paula Bullwinkel is a Bend figurative oil painter who also explores printmaking. She has a master’s degree in art education from Montclair State, and has taught art in public schools for 10 years. www.paulabullwinkel.com

Rita Dunlavy was educated in the world of finance, but found her balancein the creation and teaching of mosaics. She is the Director of the Mosaic Guild of Central Oregon and a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists.

Debra Fisher has been creating masks and costumes since 1978. She has worked for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center for Performing Arts and was the resident costumer at COCC for 13 years. www.artmask.net

Sarah B. Hansen is an award-winning professional portrait painter who specializes in watercolor. With a degree in interior design, she has focused on watercolor painting for 17 years. She enjoys teaching stress-free watercolor and art lessons to children and adults. www.artbysarahbhansen.com

Sondra Holtzman studied architecture and fine art at Rhode Island School of Design and California College of the Arts and has been painting in various media for the past three decades. As founder of The Traveling Studio, she helps guide people toward their ultimate creative potential. www.sondraholtzman.com

David Kinker is a professional painter and muralist and has been teaching classes for nearly a decade. Trained in architecture, visual communication, and illustration his teaching style focuses on creating a safe environment for self expression and personal discovery. www.kinker.com

Megan Kissel received her BFA and MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art where she studied graphic design, illustration and ceramic art. Megan has been teaching for 13 years at local art centers and universities across the US. www.megsmonsters.com

Jacqueline Newbold’s watercolor journal has become her constant companion taking it everywhere she travels. Primarily a watercolor artist, she uses a warm and playful color palette to incorporate mixed media into her art. www.newboldart.com

Mai Nguyen learned how to crochet from her mother and received a certificate in apparel design and production. She is an ambidextrous, self taught knitter who has been teaching private lessons and classes in Bend 3 years.

Anne Rustand graduated from Willamette Univ. in 2000 with a B.A. in Humanities and French. She received her Masters in Teacher Education from Eastern Oregon University in 2002. Anne has been a classroom teacher in Central Oregon and specializes in early childhood and elementary art.

Vicki Shuck has a B.A. from Oregon State University in Painting and Drawing. As a professional fine artist for over 30 years, she currently focuses on creating "slice of life" paintings in oil. Vicki has taught K-college and is represented by River Bend Fine Art Gallery in Bend. www.vickishuckartwork.blogspot.com.

Karen Williams studied drawing and painting at Cal. State Long Beach and is currently working as a mixed-media artist. In addition to teaching middle school and writing art curriculum, she has taught seminars to other teachers, helping them to incorporate art and art history into their curriculums. karenwilliams.nobullart.com

Art Station Staff

Instructors