Bohon, Pat - Pat is a Gloucester artist formerly from Suffolk. She earned her B. A. degree in art at Queens College in Charlotte, N.C. Her main art focus is watercolor. She has continued her interest in the medium over the years by taking workshops given by Robert Burnell, Ralph Smith, Janet Walsh, Gerald Brommer, and others. Pat has won a number of local awards for her art and is a signature artist of The Virginia Watercolor Society. Her work has been represented in several galleries in Virginia and North Carolina. She has exhibited with The Elizabeth River Artists of Portsmouth, The Brush and Palette Club of Suffolk, and The Chesapeake Bay Watercolor Society. Some of her paintings can currently be seen at The Morning Glory Gallery in Gloucester and Art Speaks Gallery in Mathews. For many years Pat has shared her enthusiasm for art with others by teaching watercolor painting in her studio in Suffolk. She has given workshops at the Portsmouth Museum and The Art League of Suffolk in the Suffolk Museum. Her other hobbies are gardening and arranging flowers. The fruits of her garden are often the inspiration for her paintings.

Brooks, Wade - is an artist and craftsman in every sense. Primarily self-taught, he is a master woodworker with over 40 years experience in designing and building furniture, a master blacksmith, an accomplished wood carver (with carvings in the VA State Capital), an electrical engineer, and a glass artist. He is president and co-owner, with his wife Susan, of Garden Creek Woodworks, Inc. and Artistic Design Studio in Mathews. He has published several articles in magazines such as Glass Craftsman. He uses metal, glass, pottery, stone, and wood in creating his functional and decorative art.

Brown, Steph - has been self-employed as a graphic designer since 1985. Originally from Pennsylvania, she has always had a love of the arts. Pencil drawing, pen & ink and watercolor are her favorite mediums, which led to teaching classes in PA at the art supply and framing shop she owned from 1999 – 2006. Her background includes trade show exhibit design, drafting, architectural design, print design and corporate identity development. She enjoys teaching more than anything else, and feels that anyone who has the desire can create – it’s just a matter of helping the hands communicate what the heart feels.

Buzby, Nina Eastman – recently retired after 33 years as an elementary school teacher and administrator. Although she has been involved in many kinds of crafts all her life, Nina was introduced to pine needle basketry in March, 2003 at the Bay School. She has been making and designing pine needle baskets ever since. When not making baskets, you can find her playing her cello with Strings & Things in Mathews, Festival Musicians in Kilmarnock and Trio Con Brio in Richmond. She began playing cello in he richmond Publilc Schools when she was 10 and studied privately with Paul Cartwright and Gesila Depcat of the Richmond Symphony. Nina was a member of the richmond Symphony for 5 years during the 70's before moving to Mathews.

Carr, Mary Ann - is a 30-year veteran educator and writer. She has published three children's mystery books designed to develop critical thinking skills. Two remain on the publisher's best sellers list. Her current projects include a Toolkit to help parents complement the education offered by schools, a series of young children's picture books and a series of CSI-like mysteries to help pre-teenaged children develop critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills while having fun solving crimes at home. In addition to frequent speaking engagements, Mary Ann teaches in the College of William and Mary’s summer enrichment program and at the Bay School.

Carpenter, Lausanne Davis – Lausanne has a BFA in Scenery and Lighting Design for the theatre from SUNY Purchase. Lausanne worked as a designer and a scenic artist in NYC and in regional theatres until she went traveling. From 1988 to 2002 she lived mostly overseas. She now lives in Mathews and operates Marsh Hawk Studio as a designer, decorative painter and muralist. www.marshhawkstudio.com.

Chenoweth, Ann – Ann received her MFA in painting and printmaking from VCU and taught studio arts for eight years at Randolph-Macon College. Since 1990, Ann has been on the faculty of the VA Museum Studio School. She ahs exhibited in solo and group exhibitions including Randolph-Macon, the Reynolds Gallery, the Virginia Museum and the Anderson Gallery.

Craig, Sandy -Bobbin lacemaking has been a passion of Sandy Craig’s since she first watched it being done in 1984 while living in Brussels, Belgium. She studied locally for the next 3 years, and continued her studies in the US after her return. Since 1988 she has taught this timeless art to over 250 adults and children in Virginia Beach, where she lives, as well as in other East Coast locations. A Florida native, Sandy graduated from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia with a BA in American History and Political Science. She has combined these ongoing interests with a fascination in historic textiles dated from the mid-eighteenth century on, bringing a lively understanding of all types of lace as a basis for her presentations. Her particular expertise lies in the fields of Bobbin Lace and Flax, as well as other types of lacemaking. As a principal in SEAMS LIKE YESTERDAY, an educational non-profit dedicated to education, consulting, conservation, restoration, and reproduction concerning historic textiles through the 20^th century, she continues speaking and teaching on her beloved subject.

Cutler, Rita – Rita has revived the art of primitive and homespun rug hooking. She is the owner of the Primitively Hooked Studio in Mathews County. Rita combines traditional and new motifs with unique and striking color schemes.

Damato, Elizabeth - I have been sculpting flowers now for 14 years but I have been working as an artist for the past 34 years. My technique is based on a combination of training from three different Capodimonte artists for the past 20 years. I have been trained for 5 years in the techniques of blending and painting with kiln fired German medal oxide paints and oils (German Artists). Seven years working with the English art of painting free hand family crests, and Brass rubbings (a technique using rag based paper and metal oxide, bees wax crayons). I have combined the techniques of all the artists (German, Italian, and English) to develop my own style in sculpting and painting every leave and petal of these flowers. There are no two alike and they are given life with the Italian tradition of Capodimonte. Just like every artist I am still learning every day and developing new flowers. I was born in Europe from a military family, and spending half of my life overseas I learned many techniques to develop the style that you see today in my work.

DeBrava, Valerie - Valerie started playing the violin at age 3 at the Harford Conservatory until she began studying at teh Hartt School of Music a the University of Hartford. She has served as the concertmaster of the York River Orchestra and has played with the Richmond Philharnonic and the Lynchburg Orchestra. She currently plays with the Williamsburg Symphonia and for Colonial Williamsburg.

Deans, Patsi - an award winning quilter, began a love affair with needlework as a young child at her mother’s knee. Almost before she learned to read and write, Patsi learned hand sewing, embroidery, knotting and crochet. While sitting on books she learned to sew on her mother’s sewing machine and has been sewing ever since! Over the years she has worked in a variety of fields; a needlework teacher, a social worker at a psychiatric hospital and, a manager for a Bernina sewing machine store. While living in southwest Virginia Patsi began teaching regionally and has continued for over 20 years. She considers herself a “high tech” teacher/quilter and enjoys teaching a variety of techniques and designs. Patsi loves to help needleworkers find their creative side and believes that classes should be fun as well as informative. After moving back to the Richmond area in 2002, she quickly found a chapter of the Richmond Quilt Guild and American Sewing Guild to join and began teaching various needlework classes locally.

Eide, Karen - holds a BFA from VCU in Richmond, Virginia. She is an award-winning artist whose richly textured encaustic and mixed media paintings are shown in exhibitions throughout the country and are collected internationally. Her work draws from an iconography of flora and fauna through which she presents a quiet and contemplative visual dialog of the rural world around her. Several times a year she offers workshops through the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Finley, Brenda - is a potter who lives in Mathews and Richmond, Virginia. She earned a four-year scholarship to Columbus Art School as a high school senior but, instead, attended OSU and Columbus Business University pursuing a business degree. Having spent over 25 years with state and national trade associations and/or professional societies and earning CAE and CMP designations, she formed Brenden & Associates, Inc. -- a multiple-association management company in 1987 -- serving as president until selling the business in December 2006. Along the way, she continued to "dabble" in watercolor and acrylic painting, writing and a 20-year stint as a stained glass artist. Wheel-thrown pottery was a lifelong goal. She began realizing that dream in the late 90's and now has time to pursue pottery more fully. She studied with two excellent potters at the Visual Arts Center in Richmond. She has participated in numerous exhibitions in Richmond and Mathews, Virginia and has taught classes since 2005 at the Bay School. She recently began teaching at the new Rosewood Pottery in Richmond.

Foster, Melissa - Melissa is a successful basket maker whose work is available through her business - Thyme In a Basket! Her work can be seen in her studio in Tappahannock, Virginia, and in many quality craft shows throughout the state.

Fuller, Jack – Jack teaches 21 +/- Tai Chi classes each week in Richmond and is looking forward to sharing this wonderful art with those in the Mathews area. Jack welcomes your question calls at 725-3730.

Grow, Lana - Lana is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, RRWS Red River Watercolor Society, SLMM Society of Layerists in Multi Media, SDWS San Diego Watercolor Society, ISAP International Society of Acrylic Painters. ISEA International Society of Experimental Artists. “At this time I am the only- woman Minnesota painter that is a signature member of AWS. My work has been exhibited in many local, regional and national shows winning numerous awards. My teaching has included workshops throughout Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Texas, Florida and California. My work has been sold on the internet at www.guild.com, galleries, one-person shows, mixed media group shows, art fairs, public collections, corporate and private collections and galleries in the Minneapolis area. I am a featured artist in these books: Searching for the Artist Within, Painter’s workshop; Creative Composition and Design, Splash 8 North Light, The Art of Layering; Making Connections. An in-depth interview, art work and working demo, is featured in the Spring 2008 issue of the American Artist Watercolor magazine.”

Hankins, Cherri - of Maidens, VA, is the fiber artist whose life work is to teach the fiber arts and create a community of quality fiber artists. She shows her work nationally and internationally.

Harrison, Kim - Kim lives on a small farm southwest of Richmond with her husband and two children. She raises fine-wooled white and colored sheep to produce the wool for her fiber habits--spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, and needle felting. Kim has been raising sheep and using their wool since the mid 1980's, but she also works with other natural fibers.

Hayes, Bill - is a full time potter who lives in Hallieford, VA. He began working in clay in 1996, making functional stoneware pottery, but soon discovered the fascinating process of raku firing. He taught several classes at Sarah Creek Potters and recently won first place in clay at the 2004 Newport News Fall Festival.

Hayes, Martha - has been a potter for over 30 years. She holds her business degree from Franklin and Marshall and a BFA from Alfred University. She was a member of Sarah's Creek Potters for 19 years before moving her studio to Hallieford.

Hendrickson, Thomas - Thomas has played guitar for ten years and has two years of instructional experience. He is currently in the process of earning his bachelors' degree in Music Education. He works with all ages and is currently working with special needs children. Thomas has a guest teacher endorsement in Gloucester County public schools, and was the recipient of the 2008 Outstanding Youth Award for his music work with special needs children.

Hollberg, Wanda – Wanda works and resides in Urbanna, VA. With a degree in fine arts from VCU, she has owned and operated Greenwood Glass since 1979. Wanda enjoys experimenting with a wide range of subjects. She exhibiits at numerous galleries including the VA Museum of Fine Arts.

Jones, James Warwick - studied at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Will Barnet, Walter Stuempfig and Hobson Pittman. He graduated magna cum laude from Old Dominion University with a BS degree in Secondary Art Education in 1971. He has taught painting over 35 years including The Chrysler Museum, Christopher Newport University, Peninsula Fine Arts Center and currently at The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center.

Kennedy, Jane – Mathews got lucky when Jane moved here from Yorktown where she’d been an elementary school teacher for gifted students. She incorporated music, art and drama in her classes to the delight of her students and their parents. Jane teaches our 2nd and 3rd grade public school students how to incorporate art into their social studies.

Kreckman, Linn – Fiber artist, Linn Kreckman has practiced the beautiful, useful and decorative art of English Smocking for over 28 years. She is a member of the Smocking Arts Guild of America and continues to study with nationally and internationally known teachers.

Miller, Celeste– after nearly 25 years in “Corporate America”, Celeste retired to pursue her creative side. Her engineering background and love for “process” attracted her to stained glass, glass mosaics, and fused glass. The desire to do more with fused glass led to a certification in Precious Metal Clay (PMC) a few years ago. When her PMC students wanted to make bracelets for their PMC pieces, she took a number of classes in chain maille and became “addicted” to the ancient art. Celeste currently works part time for JoMoCo Studio in Richmond, VA and loves teaching a variety of classes in the Richmond area. Celeste and her husband enjoy their two rescue dogs and travel and golf in their spare time.

Nelson, Bruce – has studied with top national photographers in the fashion, lifestyle and architectural areas. His work is routinely published in national magazines and catalogs. He recently opened his own studio in Gloucester, Bruce Nelson Photography.

Noffsinger, Kathleen - an award-winning watercolor artist from Deltaville, Virginia. Her colorful paintings include lively renderings of wildlife and nature from the Chesapeake Bay, the Florida Keys and Bermuda. Working with “purist” watercolor techniques in a style she calls “impressionistic realism”, Kathleen’s goal is to capture on paper a memorable and creative visual impression for the viewer. Noffsinger is a member of the National Watercolor Society, Virginia Watercolor Society (Signature Artist Member), Florida Watercolor Society, Mathews Art Group, Rappahannock Art League and the National League of American Pen Women. Her limited edition prints are found at many fine art galleries on the East Coast and in Marco Island, Florida and the Florida Keys. Her paintings have been purchased for both private and corporate collections throughout the world. For information about her limited edition prints, original paintings, classes or workshops she may be reached at her studio in Virginia.

Payne, Angela - Mathews County resident and owner of Plantation Lawn Services. Now that her three children are getting older she is able to do what she enjoys most, being outside and gardening. In addition, a chance to make a living from it also. She has been a gardener for several companies like Busch Gardens and The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. At colonial Williamsburg she had a special opportunity to join in on the festive (and famous) wreath making. Where it was also customary giving demonstrations, to guests, on the wreath making. While giving these classes she found out that she was no longer the person that was scared to get up in front of people and give demonstrations, but one who thoroughly enjoys seeing an audience amazed at what you just created.

Pfaff, Julia – Julia is a 2000-2001 recipient of an Individual Artist’s Fellowship from the VA Commission for the Arts. With an undergraduate degree in Art History from the University of Toronto and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, she divides her time between making art quilts and working as an archaeological technical artist in Greece, Egypt and Jordan. She has exhibited at the American Craft Museum in NY and the Textile Museum in Washington, DC.

Pletcher, Marga - Marga lived in Tokyo, Japan for six years where she studied Ikebana with Japanese sensais. She studied at Ikenobo, the oldest school of Ikebana and Sogetsu, a more modern form of Ikebana. Marga is a member of the Mathews County Garden Club. She enjoys keeping fresh flowers in teh house and uses flowers and greenery from her garden to create her Ikebana arrangements.

Rice, Valerie - has always been interested in the arts and in crafting. She has taught herself to paint, knit, sew, cross stitch, bead and craft solely through books. She attended Donna Dewberry’s One Stroke Certification Program in Feb. of 2007 and became a One Stroke Certified Instructor (OSCI). Her art has also been available for sale in boutiques and galleries in Williamsburg VA, Gloucester VA and Nags Head NC.

Richardson, Ben – A resident of Mathews County, Ben has spent most of his life either on the water or carving. He has won numerous awards, Best of Show and First Place ribbons in local and regional shows and exhibits. He is a member of the Mathews Art Group where he shows his work.

Rizzio, Marianne - A "retired" certified massage therapist who was instrumental in starting massage therapy on the peninsula in the late 80's. She owned her own business and practiced massage therapy for 14 years before moving to Mathews County. Marianne taught massage classes through Newport News Parks and Rec. Dept.

Schacht, Amy- Amy is from Urbanna and has a BFA in painting from UGA. She studied under Richard Pitts at the Kansas City Art Institute and at UGA under James Herbert. She was a graphic designer for Reynolds Metals before running her own company locally. Currently, she is in her 7th year as the art teacher for Aylett Country Day School. ( Grades 3 yr. old to 8th.)

Smith, Dee- "Knitting is my passion. I have been knitting over 30 years and 15 of those years have been in production and sample knitting. Teaching people to knit is a joy and hope that my passion for the craft inspires the student as well."

Sweezey, Mary – is the administrative assistant for the VMFA Studio School and is a professional artist. She has a B.F.A. from V.C.U and an M.F.A. in fibers from Arizona State University.

Taylor, Amanda - has had a passion for food and wine since living in France. She worked in a wine shop for 10 years and has studied cooking for years.

Van Winkle, Jennifer – received a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1996. Variety in materials fascinates her; varying her techniques fuels her. The home for her versatility is the visual cabaret-installation art. Recent solo exhibitions include the following installations: A Collection of Permutation, Room, Trees & Birds, Spielzeug/Zeitfeist (Toys/Spirit of Our Times) and Doubleness: Peripheral Memories. She is currently on the faculties of V.C.U. in Richmond and Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville. In addition, she is an arts education program consultant for the University of Virginia Art Museum in Charlottesville.

Wertheimer, Lee Gerry - earned her Master of Arts Degree from New York University. She was awarded a scholarship to study art in Siena, Italy. In 1993 she studied and exhibited in many cities in China. She is a certified art teacher with over 30 years of teaching experience. Her professional art studio is located at the d'art Center in Norfolk, Virginia.

White, Rachel Sawan- graduated in June, 2000 from Loughborough University School of Art and Design with honors in Fine Art Printmaking. Ms White studied bookmaking and bookbinding at LUSAD, including traditional and experimental techniques.

Wolitz, Linda Leah - paints portraits and wildlife because “I delight in capturing the inner self of my subject. Each one is special, and my challenge is to bring forth that uniqueness. Every painting is a celebration of life.” Working in pastels, colored pencil and graphite, Linda’s award winning paintings reproduce the spirit of her subjects in a style that is almost three dimensional in effect. Art affiliated activities in Richmond include commissioned portraiture and wildlife paintings, teaching, demonstrations and workshops. She has been represented in galleries in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. Linda’s work has won many awards and has been published by the Virginia Museum of Natural History and Virginia Tech. She and her artwork were featured in Mature Outlook magazine. Linda’s portraits and wildlife paintings hang in private and public collections from Mexico to Alaska. A selection of Linda’s portrait samples and archival reproductions can be seen on her website.