Instructor Bios

Karen Arango is an independent photographer, videographer, and black and white gelatin silver printer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in photography and digital imaging from Ringling College of Art and Design and completed the general studies photography program at the International Center of Photography in New York City. Karen was selected as one of the 30 Under 30: Women Photographers by Photo Boite. www.karenarango.com

Seth Barendse has been working with clay for the past 22 years. He received his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Oregon College of Art and Craft. Seth has taught ceramics at Booker High School Visual Performing Arts Program, workshops at Wildacres Retreat, and Ringling College of Art and Design, and has been a studio manager at State College of Florida, and the Penland School of Art and Craft. www.sethbarendseceramics.com

Dorothea Calvert draws inspiration from science, nature, and news. Her MBA in business administration is balanced by art, her muse. Dorothea’s work is in private collections in Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. She studied with international ceramic artists such as Gertrude Smith, Michael Sherrill, Robert Boomer, and Nick Joerling.

Jeffery Cornwell studied fine arts at Ringling College of Art and Design. He is an exhibiting painter whose work is represented by galleries in Florida, Texas, and on the west coast of the United States. He has been teaching Teen Studios at Ringling College for 15 years and is the coordinator of the College’s Summer Teen Studio program. www.jefferycornwell.com

Rick Dakan lives, writes, and teaches in Sarasota, Florida, his home and native town. He is the author of over forty books, games, and comics and is a professor of creative writing at the Ringling College of Art and Design. He teaches classes on writing for video games, writing for tabletop games, writing comics, the history of game art, and other fun writing genres. Sylviane De Roquebrune holds an MFA in visual arts, studio arts, and art education from McGill University (Montreal, Canada), and a BFA in studio arts and art education from Concordia University. Her personal objective is to continue to progress and share her knowledge and experiences as a visual and studio arts educator, while also challenging herself in her work as an artist. She encourages and inspires students to discover and enhance their own artistic abilities and creativity. www.sylvianederoquebruneart.com

Danielle Dygert, a Sarasota native, earned a BA from New College of Florida in 2016. Within large-scale oil paintings she depicts the physical manifestation of persona. By unraveling her own shifting personas, she explores sexuality, independence, and self-worth. Danielle is currently working on American Mythos- a socio-political project culminating in a 90-foot oil painting. www.danielledygert.com

William Ferrell is an award-winning illustrator, graphic designer, and educator. He earned his BFA in illustration at the Ringling School of Art and Design. Later, he would go on to earn his MFA in illustration from the University of Hartford (CT) and study graphic design at Savannah College of Art and Design (GA). Currently, he is the lead graphic designer for Reef Donkey Fishing and instructs Commercial Art at Braden River High School. www.ferrellart.com

Louise Gallagher, a certified life coach, retired from a 25-year psychotherapy practice in Modesto (CA). She has appeared on TV, radio, and in local magazines. Louise has a master’s degree in counseling from California State University, Fullerton. She attended both the University of Southern California and the University of the Pacific for doctoral work in counseling.

Graciela Giles, originally from Argentina, has been an active watercolorist and teacher for two decades, earning awards from art societies for her sensitive portrayals of landscapes and people. Her paintings are in private collections internationally and in galleries in Florida and North Carolina. She and her husband Herbie Rose were instrumental in the founding of the Village of the Arts in Bradenton.

Chandler Howard earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in film from Ringling College of Art and Design. She has worked on commercial and documentary film projects including, The Dark Night and Dynasty. Chandler is an artist-in-residence teaching at Booker Visual & Performing Arts High School, and has been teaching film for Ringling College PreCollege and public programs since 2017. www.linkedin.com/in/chandler-howard-65104a90

Emily Wells holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in ceramics from University of South Florida. “Emmie” is a local Sarasota artist whose work is focused on developing different methods of surface design. Working with ceramics, Emmie creates clean forms that often include quotes and images together. Utilizing multiple methods of ceramic construction such as hand building, wheel throwing, and mold making she is melding traditional practice with proven and experimental surface treatments to create bold, intricate, and interesting results.

Michael White graduated in 1985 from the first Illustration class at Ringling College of Art and Design. His clients have included Marvel Comics, Coca-Cola, Amoco Oil, Delta Airlines, Hyatt Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, and the Atlantis Resort. He has created art for Sarasota Opera House, Tropicana, Child Protection Agency, Circus Sarasota, Sarasota Magazine, and the Humane Society, and drew caricatures at the 2010 Super Bowl. www.michaeljwhiteart.com

Tom Winchester is an artist and art critic. He holds a BFA in photography and an MFA in art criticism from the School of Visual Arts (NY). He’s been an adjunct professor in Ringling College of Art and Design’s Photography and Imaging department, and has contributed criticism to publications like The Creative Pinellas Arts Coast Journal, The Miami Rail, Hyperallergic, and M/E/A/N/I/N/G. www.twinchester.com; www.twcritic.com