​Patricia Bailey studied for her BFA in Studio Art at Miami University. She loves working with children and believes they make the best artists. She is an oil painter by trade, but equally loves crayons and coloring books! If she weren't visual artist - and could carry a tune she'd be in musical theater! 

Chrissy Collopy attended the Miami University College of Creative Arts from 2001 – 2005. In 2013, Chrissy earned a Certificate of Completion from The Creative Center at University Settlement’s Creative Aging Training Institute in New York City, New York. Since 2010, Chrissy has been the Lead Artist for O.M.A. (Opening Minds Through Art) – “an intergenerational art program for individuals with dementia” sponsored by the Scripps Gerontology Center. Chrissy also teaches acrylic painting classes for seniors at Colonial Seniors Home in Hamilton, Ohio, from 2011 until the present day and teaches a variety of painting courses for the Fitton Center for Creative Arts.

Natalie Tritt is an elementary art teacher in Middletown. She grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Miami University. She loves running, rock wall climbing and of course making art! Her favorite type of art to make is portraits in oil paint. 

Lori Kay Farr earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design from Bowling Green State University. Over the past 15 Years, Lori has been teaching art to students in private and public school settings. During this time she worked creating many theater set displays and themed room designs along with custom mosaic designs. In 2012 Lori was selected to lead a large group of homeschool students to create a mosaic pig for Cincinnati ArtWorks Big Pig Gig. It was displayed on Fountain Square along with another pig she created; a version of “Starry Night” painted on a standing winged pig. Lori loves to share her passion for mosaics. "I find it very rewarding to take broken and discarded items and find new life and beauty in them when they are brought together in a mosaic."

Bio coming soon!

Bevy Sue Hammons RYT has taught yoga for 17 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 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.

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.

Abigail Jackson graduated from Miami University in 2013 with a Bachelors in Art Education. She is an elementary school art teacher with the Hamilton City School district. Abigail loves teaching children art because she is passionate about creative thinking and pushing creative boundaries. She feels children can express thoughts through their art that they might not have words to describe. Abigail has a love for printmaking and pottery. Abigail’s personal artwork is heavily influenced by nature and loves the earthy tones that are so easily represented in pottery.

Jenna Knight is a ceramic artist living in Lebanon, Ohio. Graduating from Miami University in 2022 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, she enjoys learning about and working in a plethora of subject areas. In her ceramic work, Jenna currently likes to focus on functionality with play between textiles and clay. She also enjoys exploring the intersection of mental health and the arts, and is pursuing a graduate degree in School Psychology. When not creating ceramic work, Jenna enjoys spending time with her two cats, playing flute, and rock climbing.

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."

Bio coming soon!

Alison Rampa has worked as a choreographer in the past 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). 

I graduated from Miami University in 2017 with a BFA in ceramics. Since graduating, I have filled my days with clay - working at The Rookwood Pottery Co., creating art in my own studio, and teaching community pottery classes.

Throwing on the wheel has been my favorite creative outlet from the very moment I first sat down at a pottery wheel. I also enjoy dabbling in ceramic sculpture and hand built functional forms from time to time. I love to teach others how to work with clay and the wheel, because I want to bring the same joy to others that has been given to me through the beautiful process of ceramics.

Kate Schaich graduated from Miami University in 2017, obtaining a Bachelors in Art Education and a Bachelors in Fine Arts. Afterwards, she began teaching art at Sacred Heart School in Fairfield, Ohio, where she continues to enjoy creating each day with artists in kindergarten through 8th grade. Having worked at the Fitton Center since college, she loves both the familiar and new faces she gets to see each summer as part of Camp Creativity. When she’s not in the classroom, Kate enjoys spending time with her husband and their two cats, who are always helpful companions as she creates her own artwork at their home in Hamilton.

​After graduating from Mount Saint Joseph University in 2017 with his Master of Teaching degree, Rob Schaich began his current position as the junior high language arts teacher at Sacred Heart School in Fairfield, Ohio. He loves the opportunities that summers at the Fitton Center grant him to continue helping young writers find their voice and potential. When he’s not teaching, Rob enjoys exploring the world of storytelling through books, film, and video games. He and his wife reside in Hamilton with their two cats, where they enjoy playing board games, taking walks around local parks and the city, and wandering wherever adventure leads.

Jamie Schorsch holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in Art Education with PK-21 licensure in Art Education of the University of Cincinnati’s college of D.A.A.P. Jamie’s teaching experience has been widely varied and includes working with students ranging in ages from 5-18, private and public institutions, and both inner city and suburban schools. Jamie has taught at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools, and is currently employed as an art teacher at Oak Hills High School where she serves as Art Department Program Coordinator. When not teaching, Jamie Schorsch can be found deconstructing concepts of the American dream through mythology, fairy tales, and literary characters, while picking apart representations and interpretations of popular culture.

Billy Simms is an award winning comics artist and MFA student in studio art at Miami University. He has 17 years of teaching experience working with students from three years of age to adult. He lives in Hamilton with his wife and two cats.

Sharon Theard has pursued her passion for the arts throughout her life.  She has taught art for 25 years to all ages from preschool to senior citizens.  Her classes have included painting, drawing, sculpting – even sewing!  A graduate of Wilmington College, Mz. Theard’s three children have grown up and she now lives with her husband, the artist Paul Theard, and the world’s sweetest dog, Hendrix, along with the world’s silliest dog, Lucy. 

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.

Abbie Webster is a student at Miami University who has attended Fitton Center's clay programs since she was 8 years old. She loves to teach kids of any age how to work with clay and drawing. Abbie sees art as a chance to relax, unwind, and explore new creative opportunities. She believes that being able to create our own stories through art is an important part of living; art is a way we can share our thoughts with the world and make it a better place.

Bio coming soon!