Amy Coursen

Amy teaches preschool pottery and "mommy and me" classes at BAYarts. She has worked with clay since childhood and taken classes at Orange Art Center, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland State University, and BAYarts. She earned her bachelor degree from CSU in Ceramics, as well as Environmental Planning. Outside of the studio, she is a mom to her sons, native plant enthusiast, and a very happy camper. Amy has had the joy of introducing children to clay since 2011.

Gail Crum

Gail Crum has been a professional artist for over 25 years. Even without formal training, Gail always had a creative side to her. It wasn't until she took her first art class at 40 years old that she became inspired by the art forms of collage and assemblage. She started collecting unwanted and discarded objects from antique shops and flea markets with the idea of transforming and repurposing them into a new story. Gail has exhibited in over 80 art shows and juried exhibitions and has received awards for
her art from shows at Valley Arts Center in Chagrin Falls, BAYarts, Stella's Gallery, and the Westlake/Westshore Annual Juried Shows, winning first and second place awards in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Gail won Best in Show for her assemblage piece “Bingo Betty” at Stella's Art Gallery Juried Show in 2018. In 2017 she was in a three woman exhibition at the Beck Center in Lakewood. In 2018 “Claiming Our Place and Space” was a three woman show at Article Gallery in the Waterloo District in Cleveland. In 2020 Gail was in a three woman show “Women in Conversation” at the Stocker Arts Center at Lorain County Community College. Gail was in the Wothington Yards exhibition “Art Made in the Shutdown” and had work in the “Wallflowers” Show at BAYarts and was accepted into the BAYarts Juried Show in March 2021. Gail was in a three woman exhibition at the Playhouse Gallery in the BAYarts Complex in April and May of 2021. She has also been featured at the “Skull & Skeleton Show” every other year at Lakeland Community College. She has exhibited work in the Good Goat Gallery in Lakewood, the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, FAVA Gallery in Oberlin, and Lakeland Community College. Gail has also done workshops for The Art Continuum- Westlake, The North Ridgeville Kiwanis, The Agape Gallery in Ohio City, The North Ridgeville Arts Council, The Split Winds Gallery in Port Clinton, North Ridgeville High School, the Porter Library in Westlake, and “Enshrined” at Small Studios in Westlake. Gail also exhibits every year in the Holiday Show at FAVA in Oberlin and has shown her work in art festivals during the summers. She has also judged exhibitions for the Cleveland Institute of Art, The Westlake/Westshore Arts Council, and Firelands Area Art League.

 

 

Nicole Fraley

Nicole is a recent graduate from Baldwin Wallace University with a BA in Business Administration and Studio Art (focused in Ceramics). As our recent addition to the BAYarts pottery studio, Nicole comes to us with over 5 years of pottery experience and passion. She manages our adult pottery open studios, has become a Pug-master, and instructs/assists with kids workshops. You can see her current work at nicolemfraley.com.

Jim Giar

When he's not busy thwarting alien invasions, local artist Jim "Rev" Giar is huddled over his drawing table pursuing his passion: drawing comics. Referring to himself as a pop culture brat, Jim was raised on healthy doses of westerns, film noir, grindhouse cinema, horror films and comics. These influences are sprinkled and peppered into his single illustration work. Jim attended CCAD, studying illustration and photography. There is where adopted advice from his illustration instructor as a lifelong mantra: “every illustration should tell a story.” Recently he has contributed to several anthologies, including the Harvey Award nominated Once Upon A Time Machine published by Locust Moon & Dark Horse Comics, as well as the New York Times best seller FUBAR: Empire of the Rising Dead. He shares his love of comics with kids, looking to motivate the young storytellers of the future to continue telling stories through the use of sequential images… A talent, Jim feels, exists in all children. You can find him on chelzostudios.com.

Susan Gray Bé

Susan Gray Bé has taught Oil & Acrylic Painting at BAYarts since 2010. She has a MA. in Painting from the State University of New York at Albany, a Certificate of Completion from the National Academy of Design, and has taken summer courses at the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Vermont while in college. Susan received an BA. from Hamilton College in 1980, majoring in Art & a minoring in Psychology. Alongside teaching at BAYarts, she teaches drawing and painting to adults at the Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Cleveland Museum of Art (since 1997).

Linda Goik

Prior to joining BAYarts as a teacher, Linda was the owner of the popular Local Girl Gallery in Lakewood - for art education, exhibition and selling the work of local artists - where she created a myriad of art-themed fundraising events for special causes such as Juvenile Diabetes, Adults With Disabilities, Domestic Violence and The Cleveland Clinic Starry Night, just to name a few for over 10 years. At BAYarts, she uses her artistic sensibility to develop and teach children's programming while simultaneously managing BAYarts' Gallery Shop which supports regional artists; Linda also creates the winter wonderland that is BAYarts popular Holiday Shop.

Yuki Hall

Yuki Hall holds a signature membership to Transparent Watercolor Society of America, as well as Ohio Watercolor Society. Her approach to watercolor painting emphasizes simplicity, effective use of tonal value patterns, fluidity and execution of confident brush strokes. After leaving her career as an engineer in 2006, Yuki extensively studied the medium with nationally and internationally acclaimed artists such as David Taylor, Eric Wiegardt, and Alvaro Castagnet. Yuki’s work has been accepted into various prestigious national & international level watercolor juried competitions including the National Watercolor Society Annual Members’ Exhibition, International Exhibition of Transparent Watercolor Society of America, and Watercolor West International Exhibition. Her works also have been published by highly competitive national art/watercolor publications such as Watercolor Artist Magazine and Splash, the Best of Watercolor. You can find her online at her website, www.yukihallfineart.com.

Jim Johnson

Jim started at Potter and Mellen Jewelers after graduating from High School in 1950, and continued on until 1995. He learned jewelry and silversmithing during his time there. He then started teaching at Mayfield Heights in 1989 and switched to Mayfield Village in 2012. Jim then came to BAYarts in 2001. He was in the May Show 4 times, won third prize once, as well as winning awards a number of times for Potter and Mellen.

Kelly Kocon

Kelly Kocon has been at BAYarts since 2014. She teaches preschool art as well as art camps during the summer. She remembers always having loved teaching other’s, even when she was a child herself. She’d even put her babysitting income towards art supplies to bring to her next babysitting gigs. She went to LCCC for Early Childhood Education and has taught traditional preschool, been a nanny, and also managed an in-home daycare. “BAYarts has given me the chance to grow as a teacher and as a person. I love watching my preschooler’s tiny little hands creating their masterpieces to bring home. It is truly a rewarding job.” Currently living in Bay Village, she is a Mom to 3 children – ages nine, seven and three.

Christopher Leeper

Christopher Leeper is a realist painter working in all mediums. His award-winning work has been shown in solo and juried exhibitions throughout the country. He has illustrated four children’s books and has written and illustrated the book Realism in Watermedia, North Light. His work has also been featured in The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magic, Plein Air Magazine, Ohio Magazine and Splash 14 (North Light).He is a member of the adjunct faculty in the Department of Art at Youngstown State University. He is a member of the Oil Painters of America, Ohio Plein Air Society and is past president of the Ohio Watercolor Society. A popular instructor, he teaches workshops throughout the Midwest and South. He has been teaching workshops (watercolor and oil) at BAYarts since 2010. You can see his work at christopherleeper.com

Susan Mangan

Susan began teaching writing at BAYarts during summer 2015.  She holds an MA in English from John Carroll University and MA in Education from Baldwin-Wallace University. A former Power of the Pen writing coach and Bay Middle School Language Arts teacher, Susan currently publishes a monthly column for the ianohio:Irish-Amercian News Magazine. Susan is also a private reading and writing tutor who works with students of all ages.

Beth Martin

Local jewelry designer and author Beth L. Martin spends the summer months walking the beaches of Lake Erie in search of glass and other shoreline findings. A life long resident of the North Coast, Beth arrived at BAYarts as a jewelry instructor in 2013, using beach glass from Lake Erie exclusively in her jewelry classes. Beth guides each student through her step by step instructions, whether it's Wire Wrapping 101 or more intricate pendants, bracelets or earrings. Beth's gift is inspiring our students to incorporate beach glass in new and unique ways. Part of BAYarts “dynamic duo", she co-authored a book with Eva Sherman, another one of BAYarts' noted jewelry instructors. Beth’s designs are also available in our shop.

I’m a bilingual writer, poet and artist. I write to understand and paint when language fails me.I sought asylum in the United States in late 2018 after facing prosecution in my home country Kuwait due to my political opinions and social activism. As a law professor, a lawyer, and a feminist, I strongly believe in democracy, freedom of speech, and gender equality, but I couldn’t live by my beliefs in Kuwait. When I advocated for the human rights of The Stateless; more than 50,000 longtime inhabitants in Kuwait deprived of citizenship, health, education and work, and held the Sheikh responsible for their tragedy, I was prosecuted. I condemned the growing problem of femicide (honor killings), I spoke up about the poor treatment of women in Islam, I was vocal about LGBTQ rights in a country where homosexuality is still illegal, and I organized protests against the Kuwaiti government’s ban of over 5000 books. When my imprisonment became imminent, I fled, knowing that my daughter Jori and I would never be safe in Kuwait. I now live in the Cleveland area with Jori and our cat Ty. 

Melissa Metzger

Melissa Metzger began working at BAYarts in 2016 as an assistant and instructor for our children's classes and camps. Some of her favorite experiences as a student herself were taking classes at the Cleveland Institute of Art and studying plein air painting in Giverny, France. For Melissa, seeing a child’s eyes light up at their own artwork is very fulfilling. She believes art brings confidence, creative outlets and independence to children. Melissa enjoys many mediums and styles including watercolor illustrations, drawing and hand lettering, beading, screen printing, metal stamping and silver clay. Melissa lives in Lakewood with her husband and three children and is always looking for a creative way to connect with those around her.

Jill Milenski

Jill Milenski studied art in Paris and New York City before moving to Cleveland. A prolific creator, she has participated in a number of collaborative art projects and exhibitions, and has shown her work widely throughout Northeast Ohio. Jill’s work has been featured at the Stocker Center at Lorain County Community College, Article Gallery in Cleveland, The Beck Center and Local Girl Gallery in Lakewood, Pentagon Gallery in Cleveland Heights, FAVA in Oberlin, and Bay Arts in Bay Village, to name a few. Jill has always been attracted to color and making artwork. She loves all types of art: painting, drawing, fiber, printmaking, bookmaking, every iteration of art there is, really. She lives in Lakewood with her family.

Beth Milli

Beth Milli is a freelance writer with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Cleveland State University. She has worked in educational publishing with extensive knowledge of the Common Core Educational Standards. Beth is author of a blog on environmental education with international readership and a regular contributor to the Children & Nature Network. She is the mother of four children and strongly believes in the transformative power of exposure to the natural world.

Melissa Moon

Melissa Moon began her career at BAYarts as a child, growing up on the campus as a student and volunteer in art classes of all kinds. While pursuing a degree in Art Education at Bowling Green State University, Melissa returned to BAYarts in 2012 as an instructor bringing with her an excitement for teaching. At BAYarts you can find Melissa instructing anywhere from the pre-school to the adult 2-D classes, Art Academy and the Summer Girls Camp dressed up alongside her musical husband, Tim Moon, dancing with the 250+ girls in attendance. Currently, Melissa teaches at Strongsville High School where she instructs a variety of classes focusing on Ceramics and Art Exploration for Special Needs Learners. On the side she is a professional photographer and working artist. Her recent work is inspired by the newer medium of "Zentangle Art", where she can produce pen and ink drawings with repeated artistic marks and patterns. You can check out her latest work on her instagram @melmoonart.

Tara Murdoch

Tara teachers Mini Mosaics: Art & Music. She is a Music Therapist and the Music Class Coordinator at Music Therapy
Enrichment Center (MTEC) in Westlake. Tara received her Bachelor of Music Therapy degree from Western Michigan University, with voice as her primary instrument. She then completed an internship at The Pioneer Center in Chillicothe, Ohio, where she worked with children and adults ages 0-21 with developmental disabilities. Tara grew up in Canton, Ohio and in her spare time she enjoys  spending time with family and friends, going to baseball games, watching movies, and
cooking. Music as has always been part of her life and she's eager to continue using what she loves to help others.

Sharon Pomales

Sharon Pomales Tousey is a realist contemporary artist, born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since moving to Bay Village, Ohio in 2012 her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States and Europe. Her work can be found in private and public collections across the United States and Puerto Rico and it has been featured in countless publications, including Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Pastel Journal Magazine, the book Strokes of Genius 8, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Hyperrealism Magazine, and many more. Sharon is a member of the International Guild of Realism, Allied Artists of America, and has earned the honor of Signature Member status at American Women Artists, the Pastel Society of America, and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society. Sharon’s work is represented by Lovetts Fine Art Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Abend Gallery in Denver, Colorado.

Gayle Pritchard

Every life has a story, just waiting to be told. No one else can tell it. I have always loved art. I was lucky as a child to have the time to explore my world and take it all in. I was also fortunate to have supportive adults along the way, especially wonderful art teachers who encouraged me. I started creating art quilts more than 30 years ago, but I have been making art for most of my life. My work continues to evolve as my life experiences expand and are integrated into contemplative expression. It doesn’t matter what materials are used to that end. To find the deepest voicing of my soul, I create with my hands. My mind and my hands are my most important materials, and I hope I never lose the use of either. From small, intimate drawings to altered and transferred photographs, from collages to three-dimensional assemblages and shrines to gigantic wall quilts, I tell my story. I invite the viewer to contemplate my experiences as they are presented in my art. Viewers are necessary participants for artists. In my work, I hope to touch you on a personal level, making an immediate connection by the familiarity and accessibility of the materials I use: cloth, paper, photographs, thread, words. I invite you into my world, hoping you will be lured to linger by the textural sensuousness you find there.

Angela Oster

Angela Oster grew up in northeast Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in digital media from the Cleveland Institute of Art. After a life-changing Creative Workforce Fellowship from Cuyahoga County Arts & Culture in 2009, she found the confidence to do what she truly loved - draw cartoons. Angela's work explores the tearful yearnings and joys of childhood, and she also enjoys drawing odd and spooky characters. She lives in Rocky River with her husband Tom Stevick, also an artist, and her daughter Sylvie. Angela's grandmother and father were both teachers, so she is thrilled to carry on the family tradition as a teacher at BAYarts. Her website is angelaoster.com.

Jessica Ramage

Jessica Ramage is a professional photographer/ceramicist/artist living and working in Cleveland. She received her BFA in photography from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2003 and her MA in Art Education from Case Western University in 2004. She is currently the Ceramic Studio Manager and a ceramics instructor at BAYarts. Jessica also owns her own business, Ramage Arts (ramagearts.com) where she specializes in child photography, invitations and party décor, murals and more. Her biggest achievements in life are her two adorable daughters and one very lucky husband.

Andrea Serafino

Andrea Serafino joined the BAYarts ceramic department in 2008 and teaches both children and adult classes. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, Andrea has been an active participant in the Cleveland Art Community as a ceramic artist, teacher and supporter of the arts. She, along with fellow artists, coordinated and performed Spaces Gallery first benefit, "Eat at Arts." She then spent six years as a Spaces Gallery Board member. She has curated several ceramic exhibitions in the Cleveland area and was a member and then director of East/ West Alternative Gallery. As a teacher, she draws on and shares her expertise as a wheel-thrower and ceramic sculptor, often encouraging students to combine techniques in their work. Her 18 years of teaching in the children's program at the Cleveland Museum of Art, has made teaching art history fun for the many children she has taught over the years. As well as teaching for us here at BAYarts, she works and teaches at her east side studio, Beachwood Ceramic Guild.

Eva Sherman

Eva Sherman began beading as a way to spend time with her daughters but soon became hopelessly addicted. In 2005 she traded in her architectural career for the opportunity to spend all her time among beads, and opened Grand River Bead Studio in Cleveland, Ohio. Eva now happily spends most days in the studio creating, writing. She has discovered an affinity for working with wire and metals, and prefers to design in an organic and unstructured style. Eva has authored two books on jewelry design: "Organic Wire & Metal Jewelry" and "Cool Copper Cuffs" and has been teaching metal jewelry classes at Bay Arts since 2013. Her website is www.evashermandesigns.com

Judy Takács

Judy Takács has been teaching her Paint a Celebrity Artist Portrait Class at BAYarts since 2012. With a 1986 BFA in Illustration and Portrait Painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, she has curated and exhibited in solo, group and juried shows at museums, art centers and colleges in Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania... Her paintings have won awards throughout Northeast Ohio and from the Portrait Society of America and the Art Renewal Center. She has signature status at the Akron Society of Artists, and is archived with legendary Cleveland artists at the Artist Archives of the Western Reserve. She chairs the New Media Relations Committee on the Cecilia Beaux Forum of the Portrait Society of America. In 2013, Judy won an OAC Grant for her ongoing traveling painting project, Chicks with Balls: Judy Takács paints unsung female heroes. Chicks debut in 2013 at BAYarts. You can find her online at judytakacspaintspeople.com & chickswithballsjudytakacs.blogspot.com

Kathy Winzig

Kathy is a graduate of Buffalo State College with a B.S. in Business. After teaching preschool at Bay Nursery School for ten years, Kathy brought her experience to BAYarts beginning in 2007, teaching preschool summer art classes. When not at BAYarts, Kathy works with young children at Providence House year round and during the school year teaches preschool at Pembroke Kids in Avon Lake.