Fitton Center Faculty

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 is an artist who creates in a variety of mediums out of her two home studios (painting and sculpture) in Darrtown, Ohio. She attended Miami University from 2001-2005 and received a Certificate of Completion from The Creative Center at University Settlement's Creative Aging Training Institute, NY,NY in 2013. Collopy has been teaching the Creative Aging Acrylic Painting Classes at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts since 2015.

Natalie Crain is an art teacher at Colerain Elementary school. She grew up in Fairfield OH, and attended Miami University. When, not teaching you can find her antique shopping, creating her own art and participating in weekly music trivia events. Her favorite type of art to create is pet portraits with oil paint.

I am a new art instructor at the Fitton Center. I have been practicing art for over 10 years and I am so excited to be sharing what I have learned over this time with others! I have 2 cats at home and I love to travel and read in my spare time!

Noah is a talented ceramic artist and educator. He earned top honors at the Tipp City Art Council's "A Fine Art Affair." As an instructor, he creates a welcoming and enriching environment for students. Beyond teaching, he dedicates himself to crafting unique pieces as a full-time ceramic artist.

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."

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.

Karen Gaski is an artist and teacher with 37 years of experience in the public school system. She has shared her knowledge of metalsmithing at both high school and collegiate levels. Additionally, she is an exhibiting artist, showcasing her work throughout the Midwest.

I have been sewing since my mother put needle and thread in my hand at age 10. I made my own clothes throughout my high school years. About 15 years ago, friends at church introduced me to quilting and I have never looked back. I have made over 30 quilts, wall hangings and some landscape pieces. I graduated from the University of Cincinnati with 3 degrees in education and I have taught grades pre K to college. I live in Hamilton with my husband, Dick and 2 dogs. Our grown children and grandchildren live in AZ, MN, and OH.

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.

Jen Hobbs is originally from Ross and currently resides at the Artspace Lofts in Hamilton. Throughout her life she has always loved creating with her hands. She holds degrees in Biology and in Art, with a concentration in painting. Currently she teaches art at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton. Creating Art with children brings her great joy, taking part in their curiosity of the surrounding world and how it translates into imaginative works of art. In her art practice, the natural world and its complexities is a regular them in her work. She creates abstracted mixed media works using various ephemera, ink, fibers and encaustic wax.

When I'm not teaching geography courses at Miami University, I'm volunteering with the Miami Valley Knitting Guild or buried under a cat or two and a pile of art projects. I'm a multifaceted artist but, at the moment, my go-to mediums are watercolors and yarn! I almost always have a cup of hot coffee or tea within reach.

Sarah is a community-oriented artist specializing in mural work, volunteer leadership, and illustration. As a Lead Artist for ARTE (Apprentice) in Cincinnati, OH, she designed and painted a mural for the Fringe Coffee House and co-led the creation of over a dozen community murals, including a special piece at the Red's Stadium. As an Assistant Painter for StreetSpark in Hamilton, OH, she demonstrated her skills on three-dimensional utility boxes, contributing to a lasting piece of public art for the Hamilton community. Her passion for art and community shines through in every project she undertakes.

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.

Abby holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Miami University. As an art teacher she fosters confidence that everyone can be an artist with a unique voice. She creates an inclusive environment, encouraging creativity and empowering students to be leaders in expressing and sharing their individuality.

A cherished memory from Haruko's childhood in Japan is accompanying her mother to downtown Tokyo. Together, they would hunt for the 'perfect' bowl or plate to complement the dishes her mother lovingly prepared for the family. As she explains "We would go to small neighborhood stores full of ceramic wares piled up from floor to ceiling. Each ware was examined carefully from a visual & tactile perspective, and how it might complement the dish that she had in mind. This is the spirit in which I pursue pottery. Pottery is art of everyday living. It turns ordinary days into special moments."

Haruko started to ‘play’ with clay 25+ years ago and has been teaching classes at Fitton for the past several years. Her goal is to create an environment where people can learn, try out, create, slow down, find peace, get dirty and have fun.

In 2011, Amanda graduated from the Art Academy of Cincinnati and shortly after commenced her pottery career. Since then, she has been creating chubby lady pottery and currently holds the position of Pottery Studio Manager at the Fitton Center. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys cooking and hiking with her little dog, Violet.

Janet Provenzano leads the Fitton Center's senior dance group, The Golden Tappers.

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).

Rebecca graduated from Miami University in 2017 with a BFA in ceramics. Since her graduation, she has immersed herself in the world of clay – working at The Rookwood Pottery Co., crafting art in her own studio, and instructing community pottery classes. Rebecca's preferred creative outlet is throwing, a passion that ignited from the very moment she first sat down at a pottery wheel. While she also enjoys exploring ceramic sculpture and hand-built functional forms, teaching others the art of working with clay and the wheel brings her immense joy. Her aim is to share the beauty and fulfillment that ceramics has brought to her with others through the teaching process.

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.

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.

Jamie Schorsch holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in Art Education from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning and a Master of Education in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from the University’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services. Schorsch's teaching experience spans diverse groups with affiliations including the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Fitton Center for Creative Arts, ArtWorks, StreetSpark, Tiger Lily Press, and Oak Hills Local School District. Schorsch has garnered awards for artwork featured in regional and national exhibitions, along with appearances in multiple publications.

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 has been teaching yoga since 2002 and has taught for the Fitton Center since 2005. In addition to being certified in the Kripalu Method of yoga, she has extensive training in anatomy, safe alignment, and relaxation techniques. Her careful instruction makes her on line classes clear and easy to follow.

Abbie Webster 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.