Faculty, Staff, Directors & Board Members
Brookline Arts Center Staff
Ted Livingston, Interim Executive Director
Maren Coniglione, Assistant Director
Katharina Chapuis, Assistant
Board of Directors
Manika Srivastav, President
Lisa B. Barr, Vice-President / Clerk
Michael Vahey, Treasurer
Board Members
Peter Ames, Mim Berliner, Matt Boger, Chris Burke, Vasundhra Ganju, Carol Gladstone, Mika Hornyak, Chobee Hoy, Gail Rice, Sonia Schneider, Emily Speicher, Jill Streck.
Brookline Arts Center Faculty
Janet Ashton is one of our Moms, Dads, & Tots teachers. A long time performer of Celtic and traditional music at the Colonial Tavern Museum, Janet also performs historical concerts in character and costume.
Vladimir Barsukov has a PhD in physics and mathematics from St. Petersburg University in Russia, and has been making mobiles for as long as he can remember. Vladimir's work can be seen at galleries throughout New England. Vladimir is a member of the Cambridge Art Association and the Concord Art Association.
Joe Carrigg has a Massachusetts Teacher's Licence for Grades K-12. He received an Art Teaching Certificate from MassArt ('09) and a BFA in Painting from Boston University ('85). He attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, ME. ('83). He has traveled to study artworks in France, Italy, England, the Netherlands, Ireland and Lichenstein. For twenty-three years, Carrigg drafted, designed, etched, sandblasted and cut stone for his family's business, Thomas Carrigg & Son Monuments. His carvings and etchings can be seen in many local cemeteries and he has shown his drawings, prints and paintings in Massachusetts, Conneticut and Vermont. Many of his works are in private collections. He also teaches at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the John D. Philbrick School in Roslindale, MA. Currently, he is illustrating a children's card game.
Sarah Cunningham received her BFA from Masachusetts College of Art in sculpture and ceramics. She functions as BAC's ceramic studio manager and teaches adult wheelthrowing classes. Sarah runs her own pottery business, and sells her work at galleries and craft fairs throughout the Boston area.
Tamar Etingen received an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of California Berkely. Her public commissions include work purchased by the University of Maine, Orono and Colby College. She will be exhibiting her work in a solo exhibition at the Brookline Arts Center in March 2011.
Caren Fishman began her artistic career as a ceramicist, who became fascinated with mosaics nearly a decade ago. She has studied its techniques with a variety of mosaic artists, and has exhibited her work at the Somerville Museum and Arsenal Arts Center. She is a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists and exhibits in Brookline Artists' Open Studios.
Sue Funk holds a BA from Monmouth University. She is a freelance illustrator and strives to bring out the "creative child" in all her students. She presented a one-person show of her art at the Acton Memorial Library in February and March 2009.
Amber Gadde received her BFA from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University. She also holds a four-year studio art diploma from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts with concentration in drwing, ceramics, and printmaking. Amber loves to bring humor and freestyle ideas to the classroom.
Beth Ann Gerstein is the Executive Director of The Society of Arts and Crafts. Gerstein holds an MFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan. Beth is a board member of the Glass Art Society, and Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts.
Mark Hanser is a Massachusetts-licensed Visual Art teacher with many years' experience. He received an Ed.M in Arts in Education from Harvard University and a BFA in Painting and Media and Performing Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He also teaches performing arts, English, history and social studies, and believes in creating academic success by integrating the arts into other subject areas. He has also worked with adolescents at risk, and at the Arlington Center for the Arts and the Milton Art Museum.
Vanessa Irzyk taught art at Sociedad Latina in Roxbury, and Ceramics at Ramapo Summer camp. She has exhibited her own work at Mass College of Art, the Brookline Arts Center gallery, and Colo-Colo Gallery in New Bedford. Vanessa has a degree in painting from Mass College of Art and Design. Her work can also be seen at http://vanessairzyk.com
Ramune Jauniskis is an illustrator for book publishers and magazines, as well as a fine artist in a wide range of media: watercolor, acrylic, ceramics, papier mache, pen and ink, and paper sculpture. She also works as a mural and decorative painter in private homes. On weekends, Ramune runs the popular BAC art birthday parties for children. She received her BFA from Mass. College of Art and Design. Shop for her felted art work on Etsy.
Peg Kane holds a BFA in Painting from Mass College of Art and a MA in Painting from Pius XII Institute, Florence Italy. She teaches additional art classes at the Cape Cod Conservatory and has shown her work at many galleries in the Boston area.
Ruth Kates holds a BFA in painting and an MFA in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art. She has been teaching at the BAC and community art centers for over twenty years. Since Ruth began exhibiting her work in the early 70's, she has won over 50 artist awards at exhibitions in the region. Her work is included in collections nationally. She has been honored with BAC's Art Treasures Award.
Margaret Langdell graduated from the Univ. of Mass. at Amherst in 1995 with a BA in Comparative Literature and graduated from the prestigious jewelry program at the North Bennet Street School. She has worked extensively in jewelry and glass blowing as well as mentoring for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She has consulted with museums in the U.S and the U.K. in regard to their enamel collections. Her article "Enamels in the Delaware Art Museum" was published in the February 2004 issue of Glass on Metal Magazine.
Andrea Luff holds a Bachelor of Art in Multimedia Design from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, and has taken several studio courses at the Art Institute of Boston. She has been drawing since she was a little girl, and has recently been accepted into the MFA in Cartooning program at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. She has been working with children of all ages and abilities for 12+ years, and has completed 2 years of college coursework in Elementary/Special Education. She currently works in classrooms and households with children with special needs, providing play therapy, socialization and life skill coaching, as well as implementing various art activities to promote self-expression. She is very interested in Art Education for children of all abilities, and - being that her favorite subject in art is cartooning - hopes to begin her own tutoring business specializing in cartooning and animation lessons for children. Andrea is very excited to teach the Comics for Teens class at BAC, and looks forward to a great semester!
Marc Mancuso has taught at workshops and camps for children. He also teaches ceramics at Brookline Adult and Community Education, and MIT.
Karenna Maraj graduated with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from RISD. She has been creating & selling her own jewelry, "Washers" and "Sticks", for a number of years. She has been teaching since 2008. Recently, she opened a Jewelry gallery in Belmont called Karenna Maraj Jewelry Collection where displays her work and also jewelry made by other local artists. Her work can also be seen at http://www.karennamarajcollection.com
Kim Mellema received her BFA from SUNY Buffalo in 1980. She has been an artist and teacher for the last 15 years. Kim has taught at the New England School of Art and Design, her book illustrations have been widely published.
Claudine Metrick earned a BFA from Arizona State University and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. She teaches painting and drawing, and maintains a professional studio practice in the Boston Metro area.
Tom Pendergast is a jazz musician with a Professional Music Diploma from Berklee College of Music. He plays children's music at cafes, birthday parties and other gigs regularly in the area. Tom also teaches private guitar lessons to all ages. Email him at TomPen@110.net
Elizabeth Rocha studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and has an ALB from Harvard's Extension School. She has been working as a children's illustrator for the past ten years and teaches in a variety of programs around Boston.In November 2009, her costumes and masks were featured in a production by Prometheus Dance.
Michelle Rothman worked as an interior designer for many years before starting her jewelry line, Ojas, in 2008 with partner Lisa Trachtman.
Alexandra Rozenman teaches Oil Painting, Drawing and Seminars in developing creativity. She has received degrees from School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University, Boston, MA (M.F.A. in Visual Arts and Art Theory) and State College, SUNY, New York, NY (B.F.A. in Painting.) She has exhibited her work extensively in Boston, New York and around the nation. She has been named a fellow and artist in residence at Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, NH, and Rocky Neck Summer Program, Gloucester, MA, among others. More information is available on her website, http://www.alexandrarozenman.com/
Leslie Shershow holds a BFA in Fine Arts 3D/Metals from Mass College of Art. She has studied stone carving in Florence Italy and currently assists in a number of metals studios. Leslie was awarded the Lillian Bardfield Award and Foundation Auction Award, she also took honorable mention at the All Schools Show in 2005.Her work can also be seen at http://leslieshershow.com/
Jennifer Sherr is a Boston-certified artist who operates Sherr Designs, specializing in decoupage accessories. Her work can be seen in over 25 galleries and boutiques nationwide. Most recently, the city of Boston has selected Jenn's work for a three window storefront in downtown Boston, calling the window "Art is a Sherr Thing.' Over 20 pieces of decoupage furniture and accessories are on display. Her work has been covered in over 20 periodicals, including the Boston Globe and South End News.
Veronica Shimanovskaya was born and educated in St. Petersburg Russia. She is a designer and a painter and she loves to teach her skills to others.
Wendy Soneson has been teaching art in Brookline for thirty years. She has shown her work locally and has an M.Ed. from Lesley College. She works with under served populations in the Boston area, teaching all ages. Her current focus in her watercolors is depicting light. She often participates in community art events such as Open Studios at Allendale Farm. She has been honored with BAC's Art Treasures Award. Soneson is exhibiting her work, and that of her students, in a major art exhibition at the Main Branch of the Brookline Public Library through June 30, 2009
Merrill Smith is a graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and has been teaching young children in the Moms, Dads, & Tots program at the Center for many years. She founded the ArtReach program at the Brookline Housing Authority in 1990. She has been honored with BAC's Art Treasures Award.
Anne Steinman is from New Orleans and graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Her artwork reflects a longstanding interest in wildlife and nature. Anne's painting and drawing style consists of a harmonious blend of Western and Oriental techniques with focus on both realism and impressionistic expression. She teaches additional art classes at North Shore Community College. To learn more about her artwork and Chinese brush painting you can visit her website at www.annesteinman.com
George Summers received his BFA from UMass Dartmouth and has been working in batik for over 20 years. He has exhibited in many venues from Massachusetts to Key West, Florida. George's batik work is profiled in The Crafters Book of Angels and The Ultimate T-Shirt Book by Deborah Morgenthal, and was recently featured at the Society of Arts and Crafts.
Ashley Vick earned her BFA in metals from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Utilizing the techniques of electro-forming, lost wax casting and various methods of fabrication, Ashley creates sculptural jewelry that is inspired by forms and colors found in nature and minimal, bold, clean lines. In addition to creating her one-of-a-kind pieces, Ashley created Filomena DeMarco Jewelry, a production line of jewelry named after her great-grandmother, Filomena DeMarco. All of Ashley’s pieces are handcrafted using sterling silver, gold and/or natural gemstones. Ashley currently has a studio in Somerville, MA and lives in Providence, RI. To find out more about the artist and to see her one-of-a-kind pieces please visit: www.ashleyvick.com
Page updated 31-08-2011