​Larry Blovits As a college professor for 26 years, Larry taught Basic Drawing, Anatomy and Life Drawing and all of the painting mediums. A consistent award winner in national and regional shows since 1964, he is a featured artists in a number of books and magazines. He has authored two books: Pastel for the Serious Beginner (Watson-Guptill, 1996), and No Experience Required: Sketching and Drawing (North Light, 2004). Elected to signature status in many national art organizations including the Salmagundi Club in NYC, the American Portrait Society, and the Master Pastelist in 1996. A professional portrait artist, his portrait commissions include presidents of colleges, corporations, and universities; noted professionals in the medical and legal professions as well as many private individuals. The American Portrait Society acknowledged Larry as "a portrait artist of exceptional quality." You can see more information about Larry on his website www.larryblovits.com/

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Bux Dhyne is a mom of 3, an artist and a performer from Grand Rapids, MI. They graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2007 with a BFA in Illustration and a Minor in (Traditional) Photography. Bux is a nerd at heart and loves comic books, music, and games. They can be found in their studio in their free-time working on completing their MFA in Painting. Their work and information can be found here.

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Barbara Carlson lives with her family in Spring Lake. She is a life-long artist who works primarily out of the Armory Art Center in Grand Haven. Barbara is well-known in the community as a teacher of yoga and art classes. She has earned many awards and honors in area art shows. She is a member of Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective and Lakeland Artists. Barbara is also a 2 time breast cancer survivor.  

 “I strive to make all of my classes fun and educational. I believe that art and the act of creating is therapeutic for everyone. Personally, my art has always been a very important part of navigating life’s challenges. Whether I reach one person in a class - or 10 - I feel blessed.”
www.barbaracarlsonart.com

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Sherrill Cannon has been interested in creating all of her life. In high school she  studied ceramic art and photography, which developed into a lifelong  passion in college. She earned her BGS from the University of Michigan  where she studied photography and ceramics. She also has participated in  many workshops in Penland , Haystack and GVCC, studying with well  known sculptors. 
As a studio potter for over 30 years, she participated in numerous jurried  art fairs from New York to Chicago, and has numerous awards. Her  exhibitions were well thought out montages of sculpture and tile top tables  designed to bring a child like magic to all of her pieces. 
Her work has evolved from making full-size heads to masks, busts and  tilework primarily depicting myths, real and imagined. 
"My work with clay has been an adventure that has become an integral  part of my life, it makes me whole."

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Sandie Coffman is “specially designed.” This means that although she's hearing impaired, the loss of hearing causes her to see the need, seize the moment, and assist in solutions. Her first name, Sandra, means “helper of mankind.” She takes the meaning literally. It is her joy and privilege to help people use resources to reach their goals and objectives. This makes her perfect to teach the Arts Council’s Art for All program for developmentally disabled adults and teens. In addition to Art for All, she teaches art for the Thursday Resource in Center for homeschoolers and is an art instructor for seniors at Evergreen Commons in Holland, MI.

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Douglas David received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Visual Communication from Indiana University Herron School of Art and studied under Frank Mason of The Arts Students League of New York for ten years in his summer class in Vermont.Douglas aims to capture the natural beauty of landscapes, sea scapes, city life and still lifes throughout the United States and Europe. Douglas currently resides in Indianapolis, although he constantly traveling around the country in different tours.

John Diaz has enjoyed a life-long involvement in both visual and music arts. A drummer at birth (and still playing), he developed a passion for ceramics, sculpture and graphic design while in his teens. He went on to earn a BFA in ceramics from The University of New Mexico, and an MFA in sculpture from The University of Illinois at Chicago. While still actively engaged in creating and teaching ceramics, he developed a nearly 40-year career in graphic design and marketing as an art director and creative director, in Chicago.
3 grown children, Orlando, Ivan, and Maia, currently span the country from New York, to Chicago, to Los Angeles. John and his wife Sharon, who just retired after a long career in the Not-for-Profit management world have just recently moved to Holland. They are delighted to be here and are looking forward as they settle in as active members of this community.  
John is excited to be able to share his creative aesthetic, teaching skills and experience in this wonderful space and is looking forward a very rewarding relationship, not only with lovers of clay, but also with the Arts Council and it’s extraordinary group of talented and committed staff.

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Jane Ewing  earned a bachelor degree from Western Michigan University and master degree from Wright State University in Ohio. Her work has been published in Letter Arts Review, recognized by the Smithsonian Institution, and accepted into juried exhibitions at the Chicago Newberry Library, the Dennos Art Gallery in Michigan, the Muskegon (Michigan) Museum of Art, the Holland (Michigan) Area Arts Council, and others nationwide. Overseas her work has been exhibited in Singapore, Wales, and Belgium. She received instruction in brush lettering in China, where she taught Western calligraphy to Chinese university students, and she teaches locally. Her art emerges from Zen aesthetic ideals. Ewing’s book my calligraphy my response was published in 2016.

Gemma Fletcher took the ceramics 1 class in September 2020 and has been developing her skills ever since. She loves the camaraderie found in the ceramic studio, how everyone is eager to help one another to overcome obstacles to improvement .
Originally from the United Kingdom, Gemma spent 10 years working as an Art and Textiles teacher in a busy high school before moving to the U.S with her husband and 2 boys. She works as a visual artist as well as volunteering as a docent at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. She has a Masters and Bachelors degree in Fine Art as well as a postgraduate certificate in Art Education.
In her spare time Gemma loves to swim in Lake Michigan and take long walks with her dog Florence.

Lee Ann Frame currently teaches at Muskegon Community College and owns Norris Creek Printmaking Studio. She earned an MFA in printmaking, is a member of the Society of American Graphic Artists and participated in continuing education classes at Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, Hollanders Bookbinding School and West Shore Graphic Arts Society. She is a signature member of the International Experimental Artists Society, and is active in the art community in numerous capacities including as an award-winning artist, curator, instructor and juror. See more of Lee Ann's work here.

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Sarah Irvin graduated from the University of Michigan in 2015 with degrees in Earth Science and Environmental Studies. In 2016, Sarah and her husband Sam moved to Holland, where she works as a Naturalist at DeGraaf Nature Center and the Outdoor Discovery Center. She has taken Mary Wolter’s ceramics classes at the Holland Area Arts Council since 2017 and enjoys both hand-building and wheel-throwing modern, functional pieces. In her free time Sarah likes to travel with her husband, work on home renovation projects, and spend time outdoors. ​

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​Mari Jo Koedyker teaches our Musical Beginnings class for toddlers at the Holland Arts Council! MJ has years of experience teaching elementary music in Grand Haven. She loves watching students grow into their own musicianship fall in love with music as a creative outlet. Teaching ukulele is also a favorite of MJ’s. When she’s not teaching, you can find her singing karaoke or performing with her band, Friends of Friends!

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Eileen LaMore took the Arts Council’s Ceramics 1 class for the first time in June 2017.  Taking a Ceramics class had been on her bucket list for years. “The moment I put my first chunk of clay on the wheel, I felt I was home!” Ever since that first class, Ceramics has become a large part Eileen’s life, her creative outlet.   The studio became her second home.  “The HAAC Potter's community is kind, warm and welcoming to all that join it.  In my role as Ceramics Studio Manager, I feel blessed everyday to have the opportunity to give back in a small way to this wonderful community ... and of course, the best of all, is that I am able to support the Art Council in any way I can."

Tom Reverman, Instructor and HAAC Program Manager, graduated from Lake Superior State University in 2015 with a degree in wildlife management and moved to Holland shortly after. Prior to the HAAC, he worked for Park Township Recreation as Program Manager. He began pyrography, or "wood burning" in 2016, and soon found it to be his favorite medium. He primarily enjoys burning scenes of nature and animals, combining his love for the outdoors with his wood-burning talent. Tom also enjoys biking, fishing, and hiking with his dog. 

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Maranda Shear's work includes a vast variety of subjects and medium, while all staying in the realm or organic shapes and patterns with an overall connection to nature and humanity. Her largest body of work consists of her hand drawn designs on up-cycled clothing items. Drawing inspiration from various cultural textile patterns and natural elements, each drawing is truly one-of-a-kind, lending a truer sense of ownership to the one it is destined for. Shear also has a penchant for dabbling and has a variety of work including jewelry, ceramics, renderings, prints, paintings and mixed media work. Shear is the Candle-ology master, mixing all of her products by hand in her Michigan classroom/studio. She creates custom blends for her clients in candles, lotions, soaps and more. She has a true passion for creating the perfect scent for any occasion. 
If that isn’t enough, Shear also teaches all Art as a Lifestyle classes. Her shorter classes being geared more towards kids, she focuses on the exploration of new mediums, cultures and specific artists from which inspiration for classes is gleaned.  Drawing classes are geared more towards teens and adults seeking to hone their skills through a variety of fundamental based exercises. Last but not least, her Canvas Classes are a great stress-free way to get a little messy and have fun with paint. The ease of the step-by-step instructions ensures that anyone can follow along.   

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Sean Sterzer Freelance graphic designer and illustrator, Sean Sterzer has been drawing for a very long time, and studied with a myriad of teachers.  She believes drawing is not only fun, it’s the keystone most fine arts.

Mary Sundstrom is a seasoned instructor with a wide range of interests and an insatiable appetite for the process of learning. She teaches watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting as well as collaging and printmaking. Mary specializes in teaching the foundations of color, design and technique while encouraging the students to find their own voice. Mary has been teaching art to adults and children at the Arts Council and in West Michigan for over a decade. As Exhibits Director, Mary works to expose the Holland community to a wide variety of artists and mediums.  Mary is a published illustrator and an award winning artist whose work can be found in juried shows throughout the region.

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Jesse VanderBand graduated from Central Michigan University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in K-12 Art Education. Jesse has taught ceramics and graphic design in Wisconsin and Michigan, and is currently an art educator at Hudsonville High School. Jesse considers himself a life-long learner, and he enjoys helping his students communicate their ideas through the ceramic arts. In his own work, Jesse primarily creates functional, wheel-thrown ceramics that are designed to enhance daily rituals and encourage conversations between people. Jesse also enjoys a good cup of coffee, hunting, fishing, and camping with his wife and kids.

Mary Wolter is an experienced Ceramic Instructor living and working in Holland Michigan. Her teaching reflects her love of learning and passing knowledge to her students with a sensitivity to diverse learning styles.   She studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and received her BFA from the University of Northern Iowa. Her work combines handbuilt and wheel thrown processes to create pieces fired in a wood kiln to be used in a functional way to enhance the everyday things we do in our homes.
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"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."
Albert Einstein

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