Julie taught art and ceramics at Monroe High School for 6 years right out of college and has been at home with kiddos for 7 years now. She currently teaches the Teen Pottery class at Middletown Arts Center. Along with her husband, they have three beautiful daughters and possibly another daughter on the way- we haven't gotten to that ultrasound yet! It can be difficult for her to make time for clay during this time of her life, but teaching really helps her stay connected to the art community. Julie loves seeing her students succeed and get a vision for what they can do and where they want to go with their work.

Craig Boldman  Class: Cartooning

Many years ago, Craig -- as an aspiring cartoonist -- wrote a fan letter to his favorite artist on the Archie comic books, a man named Sam Schwartz. Sam responded with a letter of encouragement that must have made an impression, because Craig would eventually find himself writing and drawing the Archie characters himself, a job he's now handled for nearly twenty years. Craig was also inspired by another of his favorite cartoonists, Dick Moores, who wrote and drew the comic strip "Gasoline Alley." Craig made a yearly summertime visit to Dick's studio in Ashville, North Carolina for several years. Craig attended the Kubert School, where he studied under great comic book artists and cartoonists: Joe Kubert, Hy Eisman, Dick Ayres, Irwin Hasen, Tex Blaisdell, Ric Estrada and others. Craig now enjoys showing others a thing or two about cartooning in his class at the Fitton Center.

Pete Davidson  Private Lessons: Drums

Pete was bitten by the rock n roll bug at age nine. He has played the drum set every day since uttering the words, “Mommy, I’m a drummer!” He participated in every music class available in Hamilton City Schools while enrolled there and continued studying music through college at Miami University. Pete has played the drums in nearly thirty bands throughout his career in the styles of rock, jazz, swing, ethnic, big band, blues and country. His inventive drumming can be heard on countless studio recordings including work he has done for RCA Records. Ever since teaching his first private drum lesson in 1991, he has been devoted to sharing the gift of music. Pete also works as an “edu-tainer” for the Fitton Center’s outreach program where he is affectionately known in the preschool circuit as Mr. Pete.

Rebekah Dixon  Private Lessons: Piano and Voice

Rebekah has loved the piano and singing since she was a little girl. This passion lead her to study voice at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, travel the world with Celebrant Singers (an International Music Ministry), and be involved in music all of her life, which included teaching elementary music in the Hamilton City Schools for the past 7 years. She currently teaches voice and piano to children and adults in both Hamilton and Middletown. Rebekah believes that music provides an outlet for worship and creative expression. She desires to see both children and adults alike reach their own personal goals as they create music of their own.

Matt Frechtling  Private Lessons: Guitar, Electric Bass and Banjo

A graduate of University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music (CCM) with a degree in classical guitar performance, Matt has over 15 years of teaching experience. He is very pleased to see his students perform and glad to have former students pursue careers in music. He has played in original bands and is currently in an acoustic rock trio with his wife. He resides in Hamilton with his wife and two sons.

Bevy Sue Hammons Class: Hatha Yoga

Bevy Sue Hammons RYT has taught yoga for almost 10 years in Hamilton and Fairfield with certification from Atma Yoga (a Kripalu-style yoga). She is a registered member of Yoga Alliance and CYTA (Cincinnati Yoga Teachers Association) and continues to attend yoga workshops and gatherings to bring fresh ideas to her classes. Bevy Sue has been inspired by great teachers: Lilias Folan, Julie Lusk, Christopher Baxter, Eric Shiffmann and many others. She enjoys sharing her love and joy of yoga with her students as well as helping them learn ways to de-stress and to realize the body, mind and soul connection. Her classes include getting centered, warm ups and yoga asanas.

Linda Hanson Class: Functional Pottery

Linda Hanson has been creating pottery since she first studied ceramics at Miami University in the early 70's. She has returned to Miami for numerous pottery Craftsummers and also attended many Arrowmont workshops. Linda taught art for over 25 years at several local schools, including Lakota and Northwest. She also has worked in the education departments for the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Fitton Center for Creative Arts. As an art educator, Linda dabbles in many art forms, including jewelry making, painting, marbling and photography. Pottery however, because of its therapeutic and earthy qualities, is and will always remain her favorite.

Valda Hilley Classes: Digital Photography for Beginners, Advanced Digital Photo, Photoshop for Photographers

I truly love my work in engineering and technology, but there's always something else calling out of the shadows of my mind. It's my right-brain self, reminding my of my early creative moments. Mostly I make photographs, write, consult and teach. I tend to soak up creativity from different people and sources: other artist, musicians, writers, books, the web, musuems. I love to help people learn to do something better or differently - knowing that in some small way I've touched their lives positively.

Emily Howard Classes: Kids Drawing & Drawing Outside the Box, Youth and Teen Art Camps

Emily Howard is an elementary art teacher with the Hamilton City School district. She loves teaching because she loves learning new things and helping students to arrive at creative visual solutions. She loves to work with glass and create colorful drawings. Her favorite artists include Georgia O'Keeffe and Dale Chihuly because they are both pioneers in their media fields. She has been teaching drawing classes for kids at the Fitton Center since 2001.

Cathy Jeffers Workshops: Art Quilts x2 & 2-Day Batik Workshop

I am an artist who works primarily in fabric and mixed media. I often visualize finished art in my mind. Recently, my quilts have become more of a fabric journal, recording events in my life and dreams. My education is in Art Education and Gifted Education, and I teach art K-8 in Dayton Public Schools. My artistic accomplishment include work in four publications, international exhibitions, several collectors, and being selected for Quilt National in 2009.

J. Austin Jennings  Workshops: Painting With a Pro Workshop Series

J Austin Jennings is an acrylic painter and collage artist based in Dayton, Ohio. She has been has been exhibiting and teaching art for more than 20 years. Her acrylic paintings and collage pieces are shown and collected across the country and have earned many awards, including a featured spot in The Artist’s Magazine’s Year’s Best Art issue in Dec ‘09. She is an active member of Dayton Visual Arts Center, Ohio Collage Society, Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors and Arts & Culture Alliance, TN. She teaches at The Dayton Art Institute, Rosewood Arts Centre, The Fitton Center, and privately in her home studio.

Andrea Knoth Youth Art Camp Instructor

Andrea is an art teacher at Clermont Northeastern Elementary School and has been teaching art for 4 years. She graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a Bachelors of Science in Art Education. In her free time she enjoy hanging out with my dog Bella, a boxer mix. She also loves painting and making art for her family and friends, shopping, and spending time outside. Andrea’s favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh. Growing up she had a Starry Night room based on his famous painting. His bold and expressive style has been an influence on her own painting style.

Paul Loehle Class: Drawing Studio

Paul’s work has always been heavily influenced by painterly realism and the human figure, and his current body of work explores the relationship of traditional media and methods to the ephemeral worlds of amateur digital photography and social networking phenomena. His work has been shown in such venues around the Cincinnati area as Manifest Creative Research and Drawing Center, Bromwell’s Gallery, DesignSmith Gallery, and the Fitton Center. Additionally, Paul’s work was displayed in the Contemporary Realism Biennial at the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art and has appeared in several other national venues. Paul has taught Life Drawing at UC as a graduate student and foundations drawing at Miami University, Oxford as an adjunct instructor. He has been teaching a drawing class at the Fitton Center for the past 5 years, and he hopes to be a lifelong student and educator of fine arts..

Sue Marvin Class: Belly Dancing for Beginners

Sue began belly dancing in May of 2000. Sue is now a member of the troupe Circle of Rhiannon and director of the troupe Sugar Hips. She continues her dance education through weekly classes with Circle of Rhiannon and seminars around the U.S. The Circle of Rhiannon troupe has been performing in the tri-state area at festivals and other private venues for 5 years including the Music Cafe and Fitton after 5. She has been teaching the Beginner Belly Dance Classes at the Fitton Center since June 2006. "I just love watching the improvements in my students as they learn the movements. It's like clay that is molded into a beautiful piece of art."

Haruko Mizoguchi Class: Open Pottery Studio

Pottery turns daily life from ordinary to amazing. There are infinite possibilities to be explored and enjoyed. The pottery studio is a hidden jewel where experienced and novice potters alike can unleash their creativity and hone their skills. There is nothing like working with clay to re-center and re-claim peace of mind. "That’s why I like coming to the pottery studio and sharing the experience with all who are interested."

Erika Morales Class: Zumba

Erika Morales is the director, founder, and choreographer of Colombia Viva! a folkloric dance group that promotes diversity and the richness of the Colombian culture since 2001. She began her career as a dancer about 15 years ago and fell in love with the Zumba program. “I love teaching Zumba classes. The reason is simple: Every class feels like a party!”. Erika also finished her studies in sports and physical education. She is very passionate about Zumba and feels it is a great way on incorporating exercise and dance; which are two of her favorite things to do.

Karen Overmeyer Classes: Fabric Dye and Design & Draw, Paint, Print!

Artwork by Karen Overmyer often has a touch of humor in it with influences from contemporary artists such as Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, and Karen Finley. As a fine arts students she studied metal and fiber arts, drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed media with her thesis in performance art. As a student of art education she researched divergent teaching practices to support her students' individuality. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan and a Masters in art Education from the University of Cincinnati. As an artist she is inspired by natural sciences and human interactions. As a teacher she is inspired by her students.

Alison Rampa Classes: Musical Theater Camp, Creative Writing Camp & Creative Writers journey

Alison has worked as a choreographer for Greater Hamilton Civic Theater, Encore Summer Youth Theater and Ross High School. Currently she can be seen as a member of Incredulity, an improvisational theater troupe that has earned positive reviews from the Cincinnati Fringe Festival and the Chicago Improv Fest where they performed sold out shows. Alison's day job is with Wilson Middle School in Hamilton, Ohio, as English teacher and director of the Wilson Drama Club. She is a Miami University graduate with a Masters in Education through the Ohio Writers Project. Alison loves to read, write, teach and perform. She is inspired everyday by her wonderful creative students as well as writers Kurt Vonnegut and Jane Austen. Her biggest artistic influences are Lady Gaga and Beyonce - just kidding (not really).

Justyn Rampa Classes: Beginning Theatre Part I & Beginning Theatre Part II

Justyn’s first memory of performing in a theater was playing Charlie Brown in a summer theater class at the Fitton Center that his mother forced him to try. Since then theater has filled his life with love, laughter, friends, and he even met his wife in a production of “Bye Bye Birdie”. To be given an opportunity to teach and help give others the wonderful gift of theater is the reason he is teaching at the Fitton Center. His performance experience over the years with Encore Summer Theater, Greater Hamilton Civic Theater, and Mad Anthony have provided him with ample knowledge to help children find their voice and learn how to express themselves on stage and in life.

Kate Reed Private Lessons: Trumpet

Kate Reed is a 2002 graduate of Fairfield High School. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in 2007 from the University of Oklahoma and her Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 2011. She has competed on a national level at the National Trumpet Competition 6 years in a row and has been asked to perform at the International Trumpet Guild Conference on multiple occasions, one being in Sydney, Australia. When Kate isn't trumpeting, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Adam and their dog, Anna Banana.

Dave Sams Private Lessons: Study of the Guitar & Guitar Summer Camps

Dave’s biggest artistic influences come from the live music she saw on television as a youth, also his peers, teachers and mentors. He is inspired by her students, the musicians that he works with and by well played, creative music. Dave attended Miami University in Oxford and The Army/Navy School of Music. He toured Europe with the 8th I.D. Army Band and the U.S. as a solo artist and with various bands. He has had clinics with Joe Pass, Billy Cobham, and Jaimie Aebersold as well as private study with Cal Collins and Dave Baney. Dave has been a private music instructor for most of his adult life; what he loves about teaching is watching talent develop.

Anisha Sanghani Workshops: Henna /Mehendi Design & The Art of Indian Cooking

Anisha has been fascinated with the art of Henna since childhood and treated my palm like a canvas and drew things that came to my mind. She is a self taught artist and a full time graphic designer by profession. Her designs have a strong Arabic influence that contain free flowing designs such as swirls and other delicate patterns. Due to her passion for henna she enjoys teaching and sharing her love for art and find new ways to make her henna art exclusive. Her students learn how to create the henna paste, cone and design traditional and contemporary Indian, Arabic, Gulf motifs of animals, birds, butterflies, flowers etc. She has won awards and participated at major events such as Bronner Brothers Hair & Beauty Show, Atlanta GA, Krohn Conservatory, Asian Festival, weddings, ladies night out, birthday parties, baby showers and other major events.

Stephen Smith Classes: Teen Art Studio, Figure Drawing, Private Art Lessons

Stephen has been exhibiting artwork and teaching in southwest Ohio since graduating from Miami University in 2003. While his first loves are traditional painting and drawing, Stephen is proficient and widely knowledgeable in many materials and styles. His favorite artists are Roberto Matta, John Singer Sargent and Mark Ryden. Stephen taught art at Winton Woods High School for eight years and holds a master's degree in Art Education and a bachelor's degree in Painting. As an area resident, he has most recently finished working on Hamilton's first mural as a teaching artist with ArtWorks of Cincinnati.

Bernadette Unger Class: hatha yoga

Bernadette teaches yoga in Oxford and Hamilton and has been teaching for 10 years. She has extensive training in safe body alignment, anatomy and relaxation and is a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance. She first did yoga as a teenager watching the PBS show “Lilias, Yoga and You”. Fast forward a few decades and she was in a Continuing Education Yoga class at Miami University and the teacher told her an American yoga expert, Erich Shiffman, was holding a workshop in Cincinnati. To prepare, Bernadette got his book, Moving into Stillness, and reading it changed her life because the book used easy-to-understand language to explain how to do yoga poses and also addressed techniques for deep relaxation and self acceptance. She was hooked; and loves doing and teaching yoga.

Carol Waldorf  Classes: Youth Pottery, Advanced Youth Pottery & Teen Pottery for Creative Expression

Carol's interest in the arts have been a lifelong passion. She has worked in many media, photography, painting, printmaking and her favorite, pottery. She has been inspired by the impressionists, Manet, Renoir and Monet and ultimately by nature. She hasappreciated the opportunity to have been a part of the Fitton Center, first as a student and later going on to teach classes here. She has really enjoyed teaching youth pottery classes here for over 8 years. Working with the students and seeing their sense of wonder and accomplishment as they develop new skills has been very rewarding to her. Carol also enjoyes seeing how her students Fitton Center experiences reveal to them the value of art in their lives.

Scott Williams  Classes: Active Yoga for Energy

Scott's been practicing yoga since 2002 and teaching since 2004. His first teacher training program was at Miami University, conducted by Elizabeth Silas, who is still a great influence on him. Scott also has a Yoga Alliance 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher Certification through The Cincinnati Yoga School. He mainly teaches Vinyasa (meaning that the movement is linked to the breath) style yoga. At the start of a class he gives students a few moments to set an intention. The intention he sets for himself at that time is usually "to give everyone in the class the opportunity to have a good experience". Then he does his best to hold up his end of the bargain, and finds the focus required of him and the interaction with the students to be very rewarding.

Tracey Wolterman  Workshops: Scrapbooking Studio

Tracey has always had a passion for being creative. She attended St. Francis University as an art major. Tracey enjoys photography, and has been an avid scrap-booker for the last twelve years. She has a passion for encouraging people to tell their life stories through scrapbooking. Tracey believes that everyone has a story to tell and every family has a collection of memories. Incorporating photos and stories together records our life for the future, makes us more aware of our blessings, and encourages us to build our best life.