Brandon Lowery holds a BFA from the University of Dayton and an MFA from Miami University in ceramics. Lowery teaches ceramics classes at Xavior University and is currently serving as the Ceramics Studios Coordinator at Rosewood. Tracy McElfresh is the owner of Tracy’s Sewing Studio, a small independent business specializing in clothing alterations, custom creations, clothing replicas, costumes and group lessons for the beginner to the advanced. Since 2004 she has been making custom dresses and teaching the art of sewing. Tracy wrote a monthly fashion column for the Dayton Daily News as well as her own sewing blog, which received the 2018 Best Sewing Bloggers on the planet award. Mary Patterson has worked for more than 40 years as a master goldsmith and artist. She received her BFA specializing in Crafts, from Bowling Green State University. She did graduate work at Wright State University, Miami University and Sinclair. Mary was an instructor at Riverbend for decades, taught classes at Rita Caz Jewelry Studio and continues to teach privately and to lecture on jewelry making across the state. Her goal as an instructor is to give back as much as she has been given by her past teachers and students. Nicoletta Serenata and Giacomo Flora own the company When I Am in Rome, focused on preparing Americans for doing business in Italy. Serenata received her MA in Italian from Ohio State University, and has lectured throughout the United States at universities and businesses. She is a volunteer for the Sons and Daughters of Italy in addition to many other nonprofit organizations.
Hiroko Matsumori Schierman taught Japanese to high school students for more than 20 years and has a background in the performing arts. Nicki Strouss grew up on a horse farm in Lexington, KY and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Columbus College of Art and Design, and is a certified yoga instructor. She has taught at Stivers School for the Arts and was previously the 2020 Artist in Residence at Rosewood Arts Centre. She has an interest in fibers, the outdoors and traveling both to learn and teach. Amanda Wheatley works in both ceramics and textiles. She has studied fine arts with a focus in ceramics at Sinclair Community College. Amanda currently serves as Assistant Facility Coordinator at Rosewood. Leonard Williams is best known for his vibrant watercolor scenes. His paintings have been recognized in numerous juried shows, both locally and nationally, featured in private and corporate collections across the country. His work can be seen in The New Creative Artist by well-known artist/author Nita Leland and he is a featured artist in her newest book Confident Color. In addition, his drawings appear in a series of learning and activity books for children in grades one through five produced by Children’s Historical Publishing.
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