Meet the Teaching Artists
VSAN teaching artists are professional artists with expertise in one or more arts disciplines and skills in working with children, youth, adults and teachers in school and community settings. In addition, VSAN teaching artists are familiar with disabilities and effective methods for adapting techniques and differentiating instruction to reach all learners. All VSAN teaching artists share one thing in common, a passion for teaching.
Lorna Denton has taught art for 16 years in the USA and in England. She has been involved with VSA since 2001. Her teaching experience includes adults and children covering a wide range of visual arts. In Reno, she taught at the Nevada Museum of Art and Sierra Arts. In the UK, she ran an Art Department for a school, teaching 11- 16 year old students a wide and varied arts curriculum. Lorna strongly believes that the arts are an essential part of an individual’s development, as they encourage self expression, confidence, and a sense of personal achievement. These goals are reflected in her teaching approach and her emphasis on experimenting with a variety of materials.
Lorna completed a Textiles Degree at West Surrey College of Art and Design in the UK, followed by a teaching certificate. Since then she has continued her studies mainly focusing on photography and printmaking.
Tia Flores has taught for VSAN since 1989. Since accepting an art teaching position with Coral Academy, Tia still manages to teach two classes a week for adults with disabilities at the Lake Mansion, Access Art and at the Larry D. Johnson Community Center in Sparks, Leisure without Limits. Tia is also a professional gourd artist.
Tammy Franchini has been teaching art since 2003 and for VSAN since 2005. Her primary teaching interests vary; but she is recently most interested in teaching mixed media to children. Tammy previously taught for Malamalama Waldorf school in Keaau, Hawaii, where she instructed students in hand crafts. For Tammy, the most rewarding thing about teaching is the opportunity to engage and guide a student in such a creative way and in such a rich environment as the art classroom.
Erik Holland loves teaching art. He has taught art for VSAN, Rainshadow Charter High School, and Sierra Arts for most of the last decade. Erik is also a working artist, selling his work through galleries and events like NadaDada Motel and Reno Open Studios. He is the “DadaMayor De Esprawlius” of the NadaDada Motel event. Erik has lived in the Artist’s Lofts in downtown Reno since 2000, when he came to Nevada from Alaska. He shows his fine art paintings at Ryrie’s Art and Home and the Co-op Gallery in Reno, as well as Vigil’s Collection in Nevada City, and Briggs and Company in Winters, CA. Holland has also published hundreds of political cartoons in various publications and is working on a book called “Outback Cartoonist” to be published late in 2011.
Gene Hughes has taught for VSAN since 2008 moving from Chicago, Illinois where he also taught and exhibited his graphite artwork in a variety of studios and galleries. Mr. Hughes teaches high school and adult students with a variety of disabilities, and has recently started teaching homeless people involved with Project Restart, and veterans at the VA hospital. The veterans workshops are funded by David J. Drakulich Art Foundation: For Freedom of Expression.
Suellen Johnson is a practicing artist who has taught art to children and adults for 30 years in Oregon and Nevada. She came to Reno and began teaching a variety of courses for VSAN in 2008. She particularly enjoys helping individuals see their creative potential. She also teaches Drawing & Foundations at TMCC and Relief Printmaking at Oxbow Press. Her artwork is exhibited within the region, as well as nationally. Suellen has a BFA from PNCA in Portland Oregon and an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Celeste Kiener started teaching for VSAN in 2008 and teaches in a variety of self-contained classrooms with students ranging in age from 3-13 years old. She received a duel BFA from Ohio State University in visual art and fashion design. Celeste says, “The most satisfying part of this experience is enjoying the variety each student exhibits in their finished work. My personal challenge is to bring unique projects that pique the students’ interest. I find that working in the classroom is a rewarding as well as a ‘labor of love’, love of creativity and of those who are open to explore through the arts.”
Jacy Robinson has been teaching art since 2004 and teaching for the VSA since 2006. Jacy’s main teaching interest is in ceramics, and he shares this interest with all ages wanting to learn something in that medium. Jacy wants to share with others what he knows so that they can enjoy clay as much as he does.
Robin’s Creative Movement/Music workshop
Robin Robinson has been a teaching/performing artist for thirty years. After studying Art and Dance at the University of Nevada in Reno, she performed extensively with several modern and folk dance companies throughout Nevada and California. Robin had a private practice as a massage therapist for over 15 years and also studied yoga at the Iyengar Institute. She has taught many therapeutic movement courses for diverse populations and has been an AFAA certified fitness professional. Robin has always loved singing, playing guitar, and percussion instruments, and she currently enjoys combining music and dance in Creative Movement classes for children and adults.
Stephanie Richardson has taught acting for eight years for VSAN since 2004. Ms. Richardson’s primary teaching interest is both adults and children. Stephanie is a 1990 graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts where she received The William B. Kenan Scholarship and The Chancellor’s Award for Artistic Excellence. What she enjoys most about teaching is when her students are able to come out of their shells and actually take on another character. Stephanie is also a part- time drama instructor for The Davidson Academy, and the Executive Director and Founder of Theatreworks of Northern Nevada.
Elaine Slikkerveer has been an educator for over 16 years. She was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and became interested in art education when she started working at a kindergarten called Instituto de Educacão do Rio de Janeiro, an experimental school created to prepare teachers. Ms. Slikkerveer graduated with a degree in Elementary School and Early Childhood Education and School Administration and Supervision at Universidade Federal Fluminense. Elaine also worked in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and was an administrator at Sociedade Pestalozzi do Brazil Rio de Janeiro. She moved to America and has worked as an Art Instructor for VSA Nevada since 2008.
Shannon Schiavone has taught art since 2003 for VSAN and in other community settings. Her primary teaching interests are in drawing, painting, and mixed media. Ms. Schiavone loves combining history and art in her lessons with the children. She graduated from UNR with a degree in Art History.
Susan Sullivan has taught for VSAN since 2006. She teaches in self-contained special education classrooms, at afterschool programs at Huffaker E.S. and Caughlin Ranch, and for W.C.S.D.’s Team Up, 21st Century afterschool workshops. Susan also teaches at Renown Behavioral Services outpatient program and Renown’s Pediatrics Unit. Susan believes that all students are artists.
