I’ve been an artist my whole life. From drawing, painting, animation, photography, filmmaking, and pottery, I’ve done a little of everything! I grew up in Feasterville, PA and am the only artist in my family. I attended the University of the arts in Philadelphia from 2000 to 2005 and have a BFA in film and digital video. Like many others, I loved too many forms of art to focus on just one, so I studied several art forms during my college career including animation, photography, illustration, screenwriting and film. ​ I absolutely love Disney and the amazing art of the talented people who work for that company, so I partook in an internship program at Walt Disney World during my sophomore year of college. That was an amazing experience that taught me a lot about customer service and work ethic. After college, I worked on the sets of many major motion pictures that were filmed in the Philadelphia area. I’ve met some truly amazing people and actors through my experiences, but eventually it was time to find more steady work. I spent some years working in marketing before I found an art center and a few paint-and-sip companies that helped me turn my love of art into a professional career. Through the art center, I was offered a role as an elementary art teacher at many different schools. Here I learned that kids are an amazing window to new ideas and creativity and it’s a lot of fun seeing where they go with it. ​ Working as an artist allows me to create art all the time and that is my ideal job. I am one of the rare few in the world who can say ‘I absolutely love what I do,’ and honestly mean it. I am truly grateful to have that in my life and am hoping it lasts forever!

Catherine has been creating art in many forms throughout her life, but pastel became her passion several years ago. Weather, sky, and the natural world inspires her landscapes. She is a Signature Member of the Philadelphia Pastel Society. And is a member of the Pastel Society of America, Wayne Art Center and Perk Valley Art Center. She exhibits regionally and nationally, earning awards for her pastels. Her work is part of the permanent collection at the Lackawanna County Courthouse.

I am a Kutztown University graduate with a BS in Education and a BFA with concentrations in painting and printmaking. I have been teaching art for 10 years and 5 years with Mosaics. I have a community, volunteer based 52 foot mosaic mural in Lansdale Pa.

Sue T. has been creating art for as long as she can remember. She was an art major in high school but ended up being a nurse for over forty years. Throughout her nursing career, she continued to be creative and used her art as a form of self-care. She is an accomplished paper artist and has taught rubber stamping and paper crafts over the last twenty years. She has her master's in nursing education and has taught art journaling to nursing students and at nursing conferences as a form of self-care. Prior to the pandemic Sue took a beginner Zentangle class; Zentangle called to her because it is an art form that anyone can do. While she felt she couldn’t draw well, she found beauty, satisfaction, and relaxation in the arts of Zentangle. It became an outlet for her during the extremely stressful times of being a nurse during Covid. She is a Certified Zentangle Teacher and loves to share the creativity and mindfulness of Zentangle to others.

I have been an artist my whole life. I remember being nine years old and oil painting with my Uncle Lester Gallagher, an artist from the Midwest who loved painting the sand dunes of Lake Michigan. For the last 30 years, I have been a pastel artist, and for half of that time I have studied with Master Painter Albert Handell. Now that I have retired, I have the wonderful opportunity of making painting my first priority as I travel this beautiful country with my wife Sue. So far, we have been on two three-month extended trips to many National Parks out West. I’ve attained signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Pastel Society of the West Coast. A story of our 2015 journey and my travel art work was just published in the August issue of the Pastel Journal. During our travels, I conduct “Living the Dream” Plein Air Workshops to share my artist’s knowledge and experience with students as we enjoy painting our treasured National Parks.

Ratna Gandhi is an accomplished sculptor, art curator, and art instructor residing in Pennsylvania, USA. With a rich experience spanning over two decades, she has showcased her artistic versatility by creating diverse artworks using a wide range of materials such as stone, metal, wood, fiberglass, paper mache, ceramics, fabric, plaster, and clay. Ratna received her Bachelor's degree in Sculpture in 2000 and her Master's degree in Creative Sculpture in 2002 from the prestigious Faculty of Fine Arts at M.S. University in Vadodara, India. In recognition of her exceptional talent, she was honored with India's most prestigious accolade for visual artists, the National Award, by the Lalit Kala Akademi of Arts in New Delhi, for her sculpture titled "Family Fun" in 2001. Additionally, Ratna has been invited to participate in numerous Indian National and Regional art camps, and she was granted a National fellowship in Visual Arts by the Government of India for the years 2001-02. Her cultural achievements were acknowledged with the Outstanding Young Indian award by the Worldwide Federation of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs in 2004. Furthermore, her sculpture titled "Interface-I" earned her the Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy Award in 2008. Prior to relocating to USA, Ratna Gandhi resided in India, where she collaborated with renowned National Arts and Design Institutes as an Art instructor. She has actively engaged with esteemed artists of International repute and local communities to create sculptures in various media during art residencies and workshops. Ratna has also made significant contributions as a co-curator for theme-based art shows across different International platforms. One notable example is her collaboration with Israeli and Indian artists on the theme of "Earth" resulting in an exhibition that traveled to India, France, and Israel. This exhibition was co-curated by Ratna and Doron Polak. From October 2020 to March 2021, Ratna served as an Artist in Residence for the City of Port Coquitlam in Canada. During her residency, she undertook a public art project titled "Wall of Interactions" which involved the local community and explored the theme of Nature. Today, Ratna Gandhi's remarkable artworks are cherished by private Art collectors and esteemed Organizations worldwide, including Germany, the United States of America, Canada, Yugoslavia, Paris, Venice, Singapore, Israel, and India.

Brittany is an artist, illustrator, writer, mischief-maker, glitter goblin and devoted cat mom with a BFA from Moore College of Art & Design—a place where her love of art truly took root. While she primarily works in gouache and pastel, she rarely stays put for long—happily wandering into acrylic, glass, clay and whatever medium happens to catch her eye that day. At her core, Brittany doesn’t believe creativity should be contained, categorized, or kept tidy. She doesn’t believe in limiting creativity, and her work reflects that philosophy: open-ended, exploratory, and always evolving.

I am a student at the University of Pittsburgh studying Secondary Education with a minor in Studio Art. I enjoy working with a variety of media, especially pencils, colored pencils, and acrylic paints. I have a passion for both art and education, and I am excited to help students build their confidence and develop their artistic skills while exploring their creativity!

Joanne Funkhouser (b. 1997) is a visual artist whose classical training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts laid the foundation for her work in landscape, still life, and figurative painting. Since earning her degree in 2020, Funkhouser has continued to evolve her practice by attending artist residencies, keeping a consistent studio practice, and exploring expressive styles through plein air painting. Her work is marked by an ethereal quality and a strong visual narrative that invites viewers into a space of reflection, and connection with their experience of the natural world. Funkhouser has participated in the NES Artist Residency in Skagaströnd, Iceland (2023) and the New York Academy of Art Summer Undergraduate Program (2024). In fall 2025, she continued to deepen her technical skills and artistic vision at the Barcelona Academy of Art in Spain. Currently, Funkhouser is continuing her studio practice at home in Pennsylvania while teaching local art classes.