Take a moment to read more about our wonderful teaching staff!
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Meet the Instructors:
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Laurel Smith
Laurel is a working and teaching artist who has been at Munroe since 2013. She founded and facilitates the Figure Drawing studio group, and leads 'In Your Hands', the teen visual arts studio group. She has been active in the visual arts in Lexington since her grown children were elementary students, and is a member of the ArtWalk committee. Her focus is on building an individual’s art 'language' through practice, risk, and play. Explore Laurel's work and read more about her inspirations online! |
Emily Passman
Emily is a painter of oils and acrylics, known for her expressive, loose style. She works from observation, both in the studio and plein air, and describes her work as 'a reaction to’ the subject, as opposed to a ‘rendering’. In addition to teaching oil and acrylic techniques, she encourages and teaches students to sketch. She says daily sketching is a great way to heighten one's ability to see, and important to incorporate into one’s painting process. After earning both a fine arts degree and a Master’s in Education, she had a successful career as an educator and graphic designer. She teaches privately in her California barn-studio during winter months, and at various educational venues near Boston. Her work is shown in galleries in New England and private collections internationally. See more of Emily's work online. |
Laurie Engdahl
A life-long painter and art enthusiast, Laurie's original passion was working with watercolors. Since leaving the world of law practice, Laurie now works with a variety of mediums, including oil, gouache, and even wool felting. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching (Visual Arts) from Salem State University. Much of her work is inspired by the natural beauty of New England landscapes, as well as the history reflected in its architecture. Explore Laurie's pieces, passions, and award/show history online! |
Lisa Lubarr
Lisa is a classically-trained professional portrait artist, with an M.F.A. in Painting from Boston University, a Master’s degree in Religion from Harvard Extension School, and a B.A. in Fine Arts from Amherst College. As a teaching artist, she works primarily in drawing (pencil and charcoal) and painting (oil, watercolor, pastel, and mixed media), stressing both traditional techniques and the freedom to experiment and express – to break free from fear and to discover the living joy of line and color! To re-discover the wonder and exuberance of life’s forms and unlock one’s inner voice is to literally burst and bloom on the page, beautiful and bold: the spirit of art! |
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Stephanie Stigliano
Stephanie Stigliano is a printmaker extraordinare, with experience leading students of all ages through book arts, drawing, and printmaking. Currently, she is a faculty member of the Art, Art History, and Film Department at Boston College. She has curated for Hess Gallery and taught across New England, from Walnut Hill School for the Arts to Art New England. Her artwork is in collections and displayed both nationally and internationally in areas such as Boston Museum of Fine Artists and the Book Art Museum of Łodz. More information on her wonderful and extensive endeavors are available online! |
Nancy Crasco
Nancy Crasco's passion as an artmaker comes through in how she utilizes fiber arts alongside other mediums. After studying at both the Rhode Island School of Design and Lesley University, Nancy continued teaching both public and privately, predominantly through fiber arts and printmaking. As a member of the Studio Art Quilters Association and Surface Design Association, Nancy has worked with textiles for the past several decades. Likewise, her personal work has been displayed both nationally and internationally, including locations across Japan, Europe, and South America. Much of her pieces are inspired by the intricacies of nature; this work can be previewed on her website. |
Valerie Richkin
Valerie is a mixed-media artist who has been teaching art to children in a variety of settings for over 20 years. She has an M.S. in Education, specializing in Museum Education, from Bank Street College. Valerie is happiest in a room full of children exploring art and being creative. When Valerie is not teaching, she can be found in her home studio. |
Taylor Pierce
Taylor Pierce has worked as a teacher in the Boston area for six years, holding a BA in Fine Arts from Suffolk University, as well as a state Visual Arts license. Much of Taylor's experience is specialized in painting/drawing, alongside graduate courses in 2D and 3D design, printmaking, and figure drawing. In education and social environments, she is committed to inclusivity and exploring how various cultures and information intersect with art. In addition to art instruction, Taylor's personal love for the sea is incorporated in own artwork, and even in her seasonal work as a ferry tour guide across the North Shore. |
A.J. Jerrett
A.J. is an illustrator, graphic designer, caricature artist, children’s book creator, creative mentor, and art instructor. His mission is to inspire people towards expressing the Picasso within. A.J.'s fun-loving work can be viewed online. |
Jamie Magid
As a long-time Lexington resident and arts advocate, Jamie Magid is excited to join the ceramics teaching team! As a multi-media creator, they enjoy working in both 2D and 3D mediums. In the classroom, Jamie emphasizes tactile and interactive elements of art in order to encourage creativity and play. They hold a B.A. from Lesley University. Jamie's crafted creatures and other artwork can be viewed online. |
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Anya Krupnik
Anya Krupnik is a multi-disciplined art educator and ceramic artist. As a ceramicist, she is skilled leading students through both pottery wheel and hand-building techniques. She is passionate about teaching students of all levels because she believes that art lessons bring a lifetime of inspiration. Anya holds an MFA from Yale University School of Art and a BA from the Corcoran School of Art. Much of her own functional artwork can be seen on display, such as in the 87th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft at the Fitchburg Art Museum. See both in-process and completed pieces on her website. |
Drew Moss
Anyone who attended our vacation camps will recognize Teacher Drew! In their classroom, Drew makes sure to balance fun with learning plenty of skills, such as design, structure, and detail work. Drew has been a visual artist since they were young, using paint and recycled materials to make puppets, costumes, sculptures, mobiles, and more. Drew's classes expound upon imagination, giving students the tools, skills, and guidance to let their imaginations run wild. Check out their personal Instagram, full of tiny creations! |
Alejandra Cuadra Sanchez
Alejandra Cuadra Sanchez is an interdisciplinary artist living in Medford, MA. She holds a BFA in Sculpture and Minor in Public Engagement from Maine College of Art, and participated in various residencies ranging from Yale Norfolk School of Art to the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation. After ten years of apprenticing at Kemp Pottery and recent completion of Mudflat Studios' technical education program, Alejandra continues her creative path as an independent artist. The motifs she creates are inspired by observations and contemplations of nature and the natural world around her. She believes working with clay allows one to experiment with letting go of control, and is excited to bring her enthusiasm and knowledge to the ceramics studio. |
Courtney Apgar
Courtney fell in love with pottery in MCA's own ceramics studio, building up her skills and interest in experimenting with form and glaze combinations. Outside of the studio, she has an academic background from Johns Hopkins University and Boston College Law School. Courtney has been a Lexington resident for 11 year, serves as a Town Meeting member, and loves spending time with her family and dogs. |
Judith Cooper
Judith is an artist-teacher who received her BFA in Painting and Drawing from Boston University, minoring in art education. She taught art for 30 years in the Gloucester public schools, mainly spanning ceramics, drawing, and portfolio development. Now, Judith utilizes a Masters from Lesley University and training in spiritual guidance to lead creativity and self-exploration workshops from her Lexington studio space. Judith participates locally by teaching classes and serving on the steering committee for Lexington Open Studios. Her drawings and mixed media pieces have won awards from the Women's Caucus for Art and Cambridge and the Concord Art Associations. Her work hangs in private and corporate collections, and can be seen on her website. |
Annie Thompson
Annie first fell in love with pottery over 30 years ago during a college course, practicing throughout graduate school. Years later, she joined the Munroe community as a student and volunteer, which reignited her love for the ceramic arts. Annie is foremost drawn to the pottery wheel, which she believes helps improve focus and combat stress. Additionally, Annie enjoys experimenting with glaze combinations. In her day-to-day, Annie lectures at her alma mater MIT, where she studied Real Estate & City Planning. |
Check out the classes offered by Munroe Center for the Arts:
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