MEET THE ARTISTS

Solly Blank

Solly Blank is a native of Heidelberg, Germany, where she began her study of art. She has lived in Lynchburg since 1977. She has always liked to draw and paint. In 1980 she decided to become more serious about her art and began taking drawing and pastel lessons from Howard Coleman. Her love for watercolor began shortly after. She then began taking classes from Dick Frisbee. Taking workshops with Ralph smith, Ernest Johnson, Frank Webb, Don Andrews, Serge Hollerback, and Tony couch strengthened her skills further. A few years ago, she became interested in painting in oil. She started classes with Bertha Crockett. For several years now she has been studying, and taking workshops with Rosalie Day White. She likes to tackle any subject matter, which includes landscapes, florals, animals, architecture, interiors, figures and portraits. More importantly, she likes to create compositions, which include people. She is fascinated with light and shadows and how they affect the painting. Watercolor painting appeals to her because of its delicate and transparent qualities as well as the constant challenge to "control" this medium. Oils are exciting to her for the ability to shape and build-up the composition. Solly has won numerous awards and her work is hanging in many private collections in the United States, Germany, France, and Austria. Two of her paintings are in the permanent collection at Lynchburg College. For two years now she is also teaching watercolor classes at the Academy of Fine Arts and the Lynchburg Art Club.

Karen Michalson Bowden

Karen Bowden earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education at Ohio Wesleyan University and continued with post-baccalaureate work at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University, the University of California at San Francisco, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. In more than forty years as a professional artist, she has studied with such recognized artists as Carole Barnes, Christopher Schink, Alex Powers, Gerald Brommer, David Lussier, Don Andrews and Glen Bradshaw. She has taught in the public schools, adult education programs and, since becoming a resident of Lynchburg, at the Lynchburg Art Club and the Academy of Fine Arts. Karen is an award-winning artist whose work has appeared in shows across the country. She continues to exhibit regionally and locally. Her work is regularly on view at the Jefferson Street Studio and in the Riverviews Artist Co-op, both located at Riverviews Artspace in Lynchburg. Throughout my painting career I have found teaching to be a wonderful and exhilarating forum for the exchange of ideas and techniques. When I can offer insights from my years of experience and when students are eager to share their discoveries with one another, creative energies soar! In class I encourage a playful sampling of a variety of mediums and approaches to open windows for freshness of expression while honing each student's individual skills and interests.

Jill Jensen

Jill Jensen is a professional artist who works in a variety of media including art quilts, printmaking and painting. A native of Maryland currently residing in Central Virginia, Jensen's work has been included in national and regional juried exhibitions and she has had eighteen one-person shows in Virginia and Pennsylvania. In addition to exhibiting her artwork, Ms. Jensen has been an "artist-in-residence" in seventeen locations throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and is the former exhibitions curator at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia. Ms Jensen holds degrees from the College of William and Mary and Columbia University. Her work is included in numerous public and private collections in the United States, Ireland, and France. These collections include the Art Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia, Snydow Chapel at Lynchburg College, Augusta Medical Center, Fisherville, Virginia, Centra Health System, Lynchburg, VA, and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Lori Madden

For 10 years dance instructor, Lori Madden, has been providing instruction in Irish step dance, Irish social, ceili and set dance to children of all ages as well as to adults. In addition to her classes through the Academy, Lori also teaches Irish dance in Charlottesville, Richmond and at the Mountain Road Fiddle Camp in West Virginia. Lori has performed with the Humorous Abandon Irish dance ensemble at Floyd Fest and the Lake Eden Arts Festival and also in the full length Irish dance productions Drowsy Maggy and Robin Hood. In 2003, Lori served as Irish dance consultant for the Paul Wagner film Angels. Lori is Executive Director and dance coordinator for the Blue Ridge Irish Music School in Charlottesville.

Jill S. Markwood

Jill S. Markwood is the photographer at Central Virginia Community College as well as the instructional assistant to the Communication Design department. In addition to her employment as a photographer, Ms. Markwood teaches photography at the Academy of Fine Arts and does freelance work. She has designed and published a book of her images, and also presented her work in multiple artist exhibitions as well as a number of solo exhibitions. From the time she received her first camera as a child, she was fascinated with capturing moments on film, which allowed her to go off into her own world. To this day, she is most comfortable with a camera in hand, completely absorbed in capturing an image. This fascination with the photographic image is what keeps her intrigued with the media. Her images are kept mostly pure with very little digital manipulation because she believes the world that exists around us is beautiful and exciting just the way it is.

Cathy Ray

"Life Long Learner" best describes who I am. Majoring in Dance at East Carolina University has been a wonderful discipline for staying fit, active and creative. My background in dance has allowed me the opportunity to teach creative movement, jazz, ballet and modern dance. After college, thinking it would be a fun adventure, I decided to go to Cosmetology School. And years later, I still find hair designing fulfilling and enjoyable. Another interest of mine is massage therapy and currently I practice as a certified massage therapist. Besides interests in areas of health, beauty and well-being, positive, loving relationships with others continues to be part of my growth process. Another life adventure took me to Lynchburg College where I graduated with my degree in Counseling. Since my college years at ECU, I continue to keep physically fit through a variety of activities including swimming, Yoga, walking, biking, and weight lifting. In this year of 2009, I made a commitment to become a Yoga instructor a natural progression of my interests, beliefs, and passions. An eclectic individual, my intention is to integrate the best of all that I have learned and continue to learn. Integral Yoga and Anusara Yoga are two of my favorite disciplines of Yoga, and my teaching is a blend of these two paths of Yoga...a synergy of dynamic balanced action and deep relaxation.

Christine Rooney

Christine Rooney was born in Springfield, Ohio and grew up on a small farm. It was here that her love for broad bands of color, horizon lines, and quiet landscapes began. After graduating in fine arts from The Ohio State University in 1970, Ms. Rooney worked as a landscape artist for an architectural design firm in Palo Alto, California. While in California, she also studied art at San Jose State University and Foothill College. In 1974, she and her husband moved back to the East Coast. She resumed graduate studies at West Chester State University in Pennsylvania and later at Randolph-Macon WomanÍs College in Lynchburg, Virginia. It was during this time that she began working as a freelance artist. Ms. Rooney works in her studio near the Blue Ridge Mountains where she does both commissioned work and a variety of art in silverpoint, graphite, encaustics, pastels and experimental mediums. In the summer for 2003, she joined four artists in a working studio at the Riverview Artspace in downtown Lynchburg. She lives in Lynchburg with her husband, Michael. They have two children.

Mary-Colin Santos

Mary-Colin Santos has taught Kindermusik in Lynchburg for 13 years. She is active in the music ministry at St. PaulÕs Episcopal Church, singing in the choir and playing in the bell choir. She has a BA in Music from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland. She and her husband Michael have a grown son, a lovely daughter-in-law, and four little white rescued dogs.

Jared Slack

Jared Slack was born in Riverside, California. Jared was raised surrounded by art and music. He is a third generation artist. When he was very young, the family moved to Utah. Jared and his Dad loved fishing in the summer, but during the winter, there was too much snow and ice, so they would paint fishing pictures. Jared attended Utah State University, where he was named outstanding painter. He graduated with his BFA in 2000. He received his MFA from Miami University (Ohio) in 2002, following which he taught college art in Indiana and Ohio for 3 years. After teaching college, Jared lived and worked in Macon, Georgia, where he was an active part in the local art community. Jared began teaching Middle school while living in Georgia. Currently Jared resides in Lynchburg, Virginia, with his beautiful wife Lynley. He is involved in art shows on a regional level, and teaches elementary art for Lynchburg City Schools, and for the Academy of Fine Arts, Lynchburg.

Laura Staman

Laura Staman received her BFA in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1992. She worked for Inner Quest Inc., an outdoor adventure company, from 1992-1994. Since 1994, Laura has worked at Sweet Briar College as the Director of Outdoor Programs and Student Leadership Training. She has displayed her art in recent years in the "Canvas and Paper Trail" show in Fleetwood Virginia, at a Women's Art Gathering in Sperryville, Virginia, at several shows at Sweet Briar College, and a show at Virginia State University. Laura specializes in creating art with natural and recycled materials as well as fiber arts and oil pastel.

Ashley Stewart

Ashley Stewart graduated Lynchburg College with a Bachelor's in Studio Art, and works as an artist for a small local company called Light of Mine Designs. In her free time she is always working on an eclectic mix of projects- anything from fantasy paintings to jewelry creations.

Dolly Spice

Dolly Spice was born and raised in Jackson, MI. She received her Bachelors degree in Music (Vocal Performance and Piano Studies) and Theater Performance in 2007 at the age of 20 from Spring Arbor University. She also holds a certificate in stage management. Dolly enjoys teaching voice and piano, and has a passion for musical theater. In college she was a featured soloist and swing dancer in Broadway Revue, a jazz/show ensemble and was also the vocal soloist for her university's jazz band. Dolly has also enjoyed being a member of the improve troupe Spoonerism and has had the privilege of performing lead roles, such as Maria in West Side Story, Maria in The Sound of Music and various semi-lead roles as well. She has also co-directed, both artistically and musically, and stage managed several musicals including Oklahoma! and It All Happened in the Country. She also composed and directed a short operetta which was performed in a 500 seat auditorium in 2007. Dolly enjoys teaching others what she is so passionate about, and is excited to show the next generation, whether seeking music and theater as profession or not, that it can be fun, and something you can carry with you and enjoy throughout your entire life!

Indukanta Udasin

Indukanta Udasin , a native Ohioan, a classically trained musician combines her passion for music and the arts with over 25 years of equally passionate and dedicated practice, study and teaching experience in yoga as: asana or postures; meditation in sound and silence and as a lifestyle. Her journey has led from Ohio to New England where she become a member of a yogic renunciate order that established a life of surrender and service. In that capacity, opportunities lead her to directorship of programs on various aspects of yoga. The journey continued with more practice, study and teaching in Key West Florida. Before arriving in Lynchburg, Indukanta spent a number of years dedicated to practice and study of yoga and music in a small village in Gujarat, India.

Kenneth Weinfurtner

Kenneth has an MFA in Studio Art from Radford and attended Museum Study Programs in Europe. He currently teaches studio classes at Central Virginia Community College, as well as the Academy.

Rosalie Day White

Rosalie Day White received her B.A. and M.Ed. from Lynchburg College in Virginia. She also attended the Washington Studio School in Washington, D.C., and undertook independent study in Paris, France, on three occasions. Her work has been widely exhibited in venues such as the Courtyard Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, Kansas, the Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Virginia, and L'Hermitage, Rueil Malmaison, France. Ongoing commercial representation is through the Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington, D.C., the Warm Springs Gallery, Warm Springs, Virginia, and the Callen McJunkin Gallery, Charleston, West Virginia. Her Work is included in private and corporate collections in the United States and France. Ms. White currently teaches at Amherst Middle School, Amherst, Virginia, The Lynchburg Art Club and the Academy of Fine Arts, Lynchburg, Virginia. She is one of the Founders of The Beverley Street Studio School in Staunton, Virginia. July of 2009 brought her tenth season as artist in residence, Nimrod Hall, Bath County, Virginia. Her excellence as a teacher earned her a listing in Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1992 and 1998. She has been selected Virginia Governor's School Outstanding Educator three times. The most recent being July 2009.

Emily Rose Wright

Emily Rose Wright is a gifted performer and choreographer skilled in Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, as well as Zumba®, Aerial dance, Improvisation and Flamenco. She is a 2005 Shenandoah University honor graduate with B.F.A. dance performance. Ms. Wright performed with Flying Lions Dance Company at the Jazz Dance World Congress, Buffalo, NY (2003) and Regional Choreographers Showcase at Old Dominion University (2004). She also participated in the Jazz Dance World Congress, Chicago (2002) and Costa Rica (2004). In 2003, Ms Wright traveled to the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Louisville, KY to perform in Erica Helm's Third-Construction, choreographed to John Cage's composition of the same title. Over the summer of 2004, she danced in Paula Kellinger's Consider This, which was funded by the Mazur Professorship awarded by Wilson College. After graduating, Emily signed on with Dick Foster Productions at the Harrah's Casino in New Orleans as a performer in the production Masquerade. In December of 2005, she traveled to the Philippines for the show Spellbound, which was a huge success. In 2006, she travelled to Dollywood in Tennessee for two months to perform in the Big Cats & Magic Show, starring the Fercos Brothers. She worked again with Dick Foster Productions in 2007 in New Orleans. In 2008, Emily was a featured model in the Bravo show Shear Genius. Ms Wright has performed at the Joy of Motion Dance Center, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C and the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Emily has now begun a new chapter in her professional life with Zumba®. She resides in her home region of Central Virginia and also has her own photography business, Full Blossom Photo.