Youth Studio Staff
Megan Liles Endy
The Coordinator of Youth & Family Studio Programs at VMFA and a professional artist. She has a BFA in Art Education from VCU.
Alex Parrish
Assistant to the programs coordinator in the Youth and Family Studio Programs at the VMFA. She has a BA in Art History with a minor in Museum Studies from the University of Mary Washington.
Kids & Teen Studio Faculty
Heidi Field-Alvarez
An award-winning, mixed media artist and educator. She has a BA in Art Education from Radford University and MA in Curriculum Development from Goldsmith College, University of London, UK.
Angela Backskocky
An internationally recognized fashion designer who studied in London, VCU and SCAD. Her work has been shown at New York Fashion Week and appeared in Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, and The Wall Street Journal. Angela was also a contestant on Project Runway.
Tyger Belton
A working filmmaker, photographer and librarian. He is a graduate of VCU and holds a MA in Mass Communication.
Lauren Bleam
A licensed art educator, Lauren received a BA in English and Minor in Art and Art History from The College of William and Mary, before completing her Masters of Art Education at VCU.
Sarah Brown
A freelance fashion designer with a BFA from VCU who is currently pursuing a masters in Art Education. Previously worked in NYC for Isabel and Ruben Toledo as their design assistant and studio manager.
Cheryl Dillard
An art teacher and local artist. She holds a BA in Fine Arts Management (studio emphasis) from Randolph-Macon College and did graduate work in VCU's Art Education program.
Anh Do
is a freelance artist/animator. He holds a BFA from VCU, specializing in Kinetic Imagery. He also has developed and runs a nationally ranked Animation program for VSU.
Lindsay Olsen Steele
A local artist and educator. She is a graduate of VCU and holds a BFA in Art Education.
Angele Fernandez
A professional artist and educator, holds a BFA in Craft & Materials Studies from VCU.
Tiffany Glass Ferreira
A professional arts educator and a celebrated maker of small art. She has a BFA in Art Education from Radford University.
Steven Glass
The resident potter at VMFA, where he has taught since 1982. He has conducted pottery residencies in Great Britain and South Korea and is a member of the board of Cub Creek Pottery Foundation.
Celeste Johnston
A professional Botanical artist and instructor. She has a Certification in Botanical Art and Illustration from the Corcoran College of Art and Design. She has also served as a docent at VMFA since 2000.
Dan Kaczka
A professional artist and licensed art teacher, Dan majored in Art Education at Pennsylvania State University.
Brian Korte
A professional artist specializing in LEGO® mosaic portraits. He owns and operates Brickworkz.
Caroline Velazquez
A professional artist and art educator with a BFA in Studio Art and an Art History Minor from JMU. Caroline is passionate about making art accessible to everyone of all abilities, social classes, and populations.
Christine Mingus
An award-winning educator and teacher at Sabot at Stony Point. She has a BA in Art History from New York University, an MA in African Art History from Howard University, and a post-baccalaureate degree in the Teacher’s Licensure Program from the University of Richmond.
Stephanie O'Dell
An accomplished graphic designer and educator. She received a BFA in Graphic Design and Masters of Art Education from VCU.
J. Parker
A VMFA Fellowship Award recipient with a BA in Painting and Printmaking from VCU. His unconventional and energetic approach to teaching art focuses on the creative process, self-expression, and experimentation with material.
Todd Raviotta
A film teacher at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School, as well as a multimedia artist and photographer. He has a BFA and MFA in Photography & Filmmaking from VCU.
Cindy Shelton-Eide
An artist and art educator. She holds a BFA in Painting and Printmaking and a Master of Art Education from VCU.
Anna Showers-Cruser
A working artist and arts educator, with a background in community arts. She has a BFA in Painting from Maryland Institute College of Art, and an interdisciplinary MFA from University of Chicago.
Mary Swezey
A professional artist. She holds a BFA from VCU and an MFA in Fibers from Arizona State University.
Kendra Wadsworth
An accomplished artist and educator, who serves on the Board of Directors at 1708 Gallery. She has her MFA from the University of Pennsylvania and her BFA from VCU. Among receiving numerous awards for her work, she is also a recipient of a VMFA Professional Fellowship.
Merenda Cecelia
An artist and museum educator with a BFA in Art Education from VCU. She works with tile, mosaics, and reclaimed materials, and hopes to harness the power of art to save the world.