Teachers| Teachers |
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After college Lauren accepted the K-12 Art Teacher position at Vail Mountain School (VMS), allowing her to move to beautiful Vail, Colorado which she soon began to call home. Lauren taught art for five years at VMS. “Working with children at all levels and all ages was such a unique experience. Their growth and self-discovery is incredible to observe, and it helped me to grow as an artist as well.” Lauren’s love of teaching, connections with families throughout the valley, and role on the board of EVAA (Eagle Valley Artists Alliance) sparked the idea to open Alpine Arts Center for the community. She is thrilled to finally realize her lifelong dream and begin this new journey at Alpine Arts Center. Lauren’s Portfolio
Since college, Katie has investigated many different artistic career paths such as a Rug Designer with Mohawk Home and Product Developer with Juicy Couture. Katie says,“After years of searching for a place I want to live and call home, The Rocky Mountains are definitely my spot.” She spends her free time making glass beads from her studio at home, and is incredibly excited for the growth and development of the Alpine Arts Center. “Working with children and people of all ages is one of my greatest passions in life. Becoming a teacher at the Alpine Arts Center will help me grow immensely in so many ways: as a communicator, a listener, and an artist!” Katie's Portfolio
In 1976 she attended a summer workshop at the SummerVail Art Workshops, where she studied ceramics and fell in love with Colorado. She accepted a position with the SummerVail Art Workshops as ceramics assistant, and moved to Vail. Debbie says, "It was an inspiring summer and I continued to work for the Workshop for several summers, in addition to teaching pottery classes at Colorado Mountain College’s two facilities in Vail and Eagle." She produced a line of dinner ware in her East Vail pottery studio, and her pottery was sold in galleries in Vail, Minturn, and Glenwood Springs, as well as numerous art shows and festivals throughout Colorado, including Vail Arts Festivals where she won Best of Show several years running. In addition to her ceramics career, Debbie has been teaching Art at Red Sandstone Elementary School for the past 23 years. Debbie's Portfolio
Fernando's art also reflects influences from his past experiences in Spain, Holland, Germany, and Thailand. This wide palette of cultural experiences has helped him develop a unique style, and Fernando covers multiple genres in his classes to inspire students and create a fun learning environment. "Each student has unique experiences and interests. Teaching the fundamentals of drawing and painting, and then collaborating with students to incorporate their individual passions is how I structure my classes and work with students to bring their artwork to the next level." Fernando's Portfolio
Lynne has a long resume of teaching many different ages from pre-school to college level. "My intention is to offer creative opportunities to further personal growth and expression that builds the sense of self. This could be a toddler exploring finger paints for the first time, or an adult learning an art technique that prompts a masterpiece." She has designed and implemented youth art programs for a local non-profit, The Youth Foundation for eight years, her most recent being "Graffiti Theatre". Lynne's personal business venture is "ShimmerLynne," a line of hand-made jewelry and painted murals. She also enjoys spending time in nature with her two teenagers, her Australian sheppard and her horse. Lynne's Portfolio
Wendy Satsky (Art Instructor) moved to Minturn with her family from New Jersey in 1978. She’s a graduate of Kean University and Colorado State University and has studied at the New York School of Visual Arts and Naropa University in Boulder. Since retiring after a 25-year teaching career with Eagle County School District, Wendy assists the Vail Valley Medical Center’s arts and healing program and serves as art director for People House, a center for personal and spiritual growth in Denver. Her artwork reflects a love of nature, words, and color as “calligraphics”, a unique blend of her calligraphy and painting. Wendy's Portfolio
Holly has lived in Vail for 13 years, as a ski bum, a business owner, and most recently as a teacher's assistant at Red Sandstone Elementary and then an art and music teacher at Meadow Mountain Elementary. Enriching a child’s life through the arts has always been Holly’s passion, so elementary art and music were a perfect fit. What she enjoys most about teaching is sharing the curiosity and excitement of the students in her classes each time they enter the room. Holly will be teaching a number of children's summer camps at Alpine Arts Center.
An award winning artist, Jeanne exhibits regularly in both western and national exhibits. You may see her out and about in the Vail Valley, painting the mountain scenery, but she is equally at home painting in her studio just outside of Denver. She is a member of Plein Air Artists Colorado, Nomades del Arte, and Oil Painters of America. Jeanne's Portfolio
 Will Foster (Stained Glass Instructor) is a fourth generation Colorado native who grew up in Edwards. He attended Vail Mountain School where he took several classes from Lauren Merrill. Currently, he attends Fort Lewis College in Durango where he is double majoring in Art and Business Management and minoring in Adventure Education. Although stained glass is his main artistic passion, which he has been doing for five years, Will also enjoys dabbling in other art mediums. This spring, he received an award of recognition for excellence in 3D art at Fort Lewis College. During the summers, Will works for the Lazy J Ranch in Wolcott as a trap shooting coach and fly fishing guide, and he has started instructing at the Alpine Arts Center this summer. He loves sharing his passions and experience whether casting a fly, hitting a target, or building stunning stained glass works of art. Will's Portfolio
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Lauren Merrill (Owner/Director/Teacher) grew up on Long Island, New York, where she first began to explore the idea of opening an arts center. Lauren says, “At that point, the arts center was just a dream I talked about with my family at the dinner table. But I kept coming back to the idea, and it inspired me to become an art major in college.” Lauren attended the University of Michigan, School of Art and Design, and became well versed in a number of art mediums, including painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, scientific illustration, and graphic design.
Ken Carpenter (Cartooning Instructor) has been noodling with pens and pencils from about the age of 5-6, and perhaps even earlier. Since 1984 he has worked as a professional caricaturist in the Vail Valley. Although he has worked in almost all forms of the Visual Arts, the simplicity and challenge of saying something with only a pen or pencil was what has caught his eye about cartooning. It is also what makes it most challenging! Areas of cartooning that intrigue him are editorial/political cartooning and, the single panel cartoons, most notably of the New Yorker! When he was about 17, he visited the home of some friends. The refrigerator was so covered with these single-panel cartoons that you could not see the fridge!. 
Cody Downard (Photography Instructor) grew up in Eureka, Kansas. He attended Kansas State University, and has lived in the Rocky Mountains for the past 14 years. After college, while working for the National Park Service in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, Cody’s love for nature inspired his photography. His hobby became his career when he moved to Vail, Colorado in 1999. Cody photographs a wide range of subjects including: weddings, fine art, nature, outdoor sports, mountain lifestyle and portraits.
Katie String (Art Instructor) was born in Jacksonville, FL, attended the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA and graduated with a BFA in Fibers & Textile Design in 2007. While attending college, Katie became very endowed in various artistic media including screen printing, sewing, drawing, painting, sculpting, repeat‐pattern design, embellishment techniques, jewelry making, graphic design, and dyeing techniques. Travels around the world played a significant role in Katie’s life and artistic development throughout college. She spent 3 weeks in Italy studying Italian Renaissance Art History, and 3 weeks in China studying Early Asian Art History. Katie has also spent time studying at the Louvre in Paris, and attended numerous world textile trade shows throughout Germany.
Debbie Bolon-Feeney (Ceramics Instructor) has lived and worked in the Vail Valley for 32 years. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio University with a major in painting, however, realized in her final quarter that her passion was really ceramics. From graduation on, she pursued ceramics beginning with work in a small pottery studio on the upper west side of Manhattan. Eventually, she began teaching pottery classes, entering her work in art shows around the city and finally became one of the founding members and owners of the 78th Street Pottery Coop in New York City.
Fernando Palomo (Painting and Drawing Instructor) moved to the Vail Valley two years ago, and he has become recognized for his urban contemporary paintings comprised of bright, vivid colors and influences of pop, classic, and stylized graffiti. Fernando grew up in Texas, and after taking advanced art classes all throughout high school he attended The Art Institute of Dallas, where his focus was in visual communications and commercial art. After college, Fernando designed and decorated music venues and clubs, creating large scale paintings and murals with themes such as Havana Cuba, Western, and Modern Rock. 
Katherine Sanz (Jewelry Instructor) is a second generation jewelry artist and a Colorado native. She is inspired by the natural rhythms of the earth, their connection to the body, and jewelry’s ability to enhance that relationship. She earned a Fine Art degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder and celebrates her life as an artist. She has been making jewelry, silversmithing, and teaching jewelry making professionally in Colorado for six years. Katherine lives in a little cabin in Breckenridge where she is constantly thankful and inspired for the beauty around her. 
Laura Karolchik-Griffin (Computer Graphics Instructor) is a Colorado Native who grew up inspired by the beauty of the Rockies. She is an expert with design software and enjoys teaching others how to create art with their computer. 
Lynne Elizabeth Perry (Art Instructor) grew up in Northern New York State. "What motivated me into the field of art was my elementary art teacher. Her art room was a safe haven for art and emotional expression." This has continued to be Lynne's theme throughout her extensive teaching career. Attending New York State Universities, she completed Associates in Early Childhood Education and Bachelors in Elementary Education (minor of Art Education). Lynne then earned her Masters in Art Therapy at Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Upon graduation at Lesley in 1990, the sunshine and healthy lifestyle of the Vail Valley lured her here for a summer, which now has turned in almost 20 years in the Rocky Mountains.
Kristine Chalk (Art Instructor) grew up in the suburbs of Boston and then moved to Colorado after graduating from Bates College. Kristine worked at Vail Mountain School as a classroom teacher and a K-12 art teacher, and also led a number of backcountry trips at VMS. Kristine accepted a position at Colorado Mountain Medical, and then decided to return to her teaching career at Red Sandstone Elementary School. Kristine is currently fulfilling her personal goal of climbing Mt. Everest with her husband, and will return to Vail this summer, hopefully as the youngest American couple to complete all 7 Summits! Kristine enjoys all aspects of teaching art to children, and is excited to spend her summer at Alpine Arts Center.
Holly (Tranter) Delonay (Art Instructor) grew up in East Lansing, Michigan where she began her love for the arts. After high school, she attended the University of Kentucky and graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Art Education. During her studies, she participated in a Cultural Immersion project as part of a masters’ program that took her to Exeter, England for a student teaching experience. 
Jeanne Echternach (Plein Air Painting Instructor) is a transplanted New Englander, having grown up along the New Hampshire coast. But for the past 30 years, Colorado has been her home. Painting has been a part of her life since she was a young girl, studying oil painting for several years until continuing on to Columbus College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Art, and most recently the Art Students League of Denver.
Kelly Schlott (Glass Instructor) grew up in Iowa City, IA. Her love of art was fertilized by her father and grandparents. In high school she took every elective art class available and was first introduced to glass. "I love the way it absorbs and emits light. Its juxtaposition of strength and fragility makes it such an intimate material." Kelly attended Anderson University where she studied fine arts and graduated with a BFA in sculptural glass. After college she traveled extensively and lived in South Korea for two years where she taught English and developed a love for teaching. Her experiences there changed her perceptions of art and led her to begin instructing at Alpine Arts Center.