OUR TEACHING ARTISTS

Janna Columbus has been painting for over 30 years starting in oil. She started her career as a color plate artist for Buzza-Cordoza Greeting Cards. She has taught in several states and countries including: Canada, Saudi Arabia, Texas, Oklahoma and now Georgia. She is the owner of Back Street Gallery Inc. located in Villa Rica.

James Gardner first became interested in photography while studying printing at Santa Monica City College in California, at a time when printers copied art and type with litho film. He bought a 35 mm camera and learned how to make photographs in a darkroom he built in his garage. In 1980, he moved to Georgia and purchased a Bronica medium format camera. He started shooting weddings, but he enjoys scenic photography most of all. The most challenging part of photography for him was, and still is, learning how to create an attractive picture. In the late 90's, he joined the Sweetwater Camera Club as their webmaster and have since started shooting with a digital camera. He enjoys sharing his photos with people and hope that he can create some images that will be enjoyed for many years to come.

Marion Greenwood is best known for her school mural projects, but last year her spring break arts campers created a seven foot tall sculpture of drawings and paintings. This year Marion established the Arts For the Heart afterschool program funded by the CAC's Grassroots Arts Program.

Joseph Falligan was trained as a medical illustrator, but his life is dedicated to working with people and teaching them to enjoy and learn from their own creativity in the visual arts.

Tamara Morgan began painting about 30 years ago; trying out about every medium she could get her hands on. Through the years I have also taught classes in decorative painting, acrylic, oils and watercolor It never ceases to amaze me what people can achieve when they have the tools, guidance and inspiration to learn to paint!

Mack Porter began teaching classes in his craft in 1972. His commissions include a window for a meditation chapel in a Michigan Hospital - repairing the front door windows at the historic Roberts-Mosley House, the home of the Cultural Arts Center. He also created a signiture piece and series, depicting a Magnolia, for our 2006 Gala & art auction.

Kim Bowers Rheay is a an actor, director and singer who works with the Alliance Theatre's Department of Education. A regular performer with many Atlanta theater companies, she is on the Georgia Council for the Arts Teaching Artists Roster. Kim has coordinated and participated in the CAC's Arts in After School program for two years. She enjoys working with students in a variety of settings including our Summer Arts Camp at Hunter Park and Spring Break Arts Camp at Deer Lick Park.

Jamil el-Shair is a playwright, director, storyteller and actor who has worked with the Alliance Theatre, Working Title Playwrights, Jomandi, etc. He has a degree in theatre - playwriting. His plays have received awards and he is published. He worked as an artist-in-residence with the CAC’s Art’s in the Afterschool program this spring.

Michael Spring is a writer, teacher, musician and actor whose mission is teaching children. Educated at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Virginia, he has won many awards for song writing, poetry, singing and acting; He worked as an artist-in-residence with the CAC's Art's in the Afterschool program last fall.

Terumi Todd is a visual and performing artist who brings her Japanese culture with American and other cultures in her arts. She teaches Arts and Crafts for children, Fabric Arts (Art Quilts), for adults and Fashion Art for young adults and adults. Currently her works are showing at Rockmart Art Center, U*Space and Neo Renaissance Art House in Atlanta

Paul Vogler now teaches music at the University of Tennessee (Chattanooga) and Georgia Perimeter College. Since 1995, his Lake Productions has offered educational programming and interactive exhibits. Most recently Paul presented a workshop for the Atlanta History Center's Black World Music Series, produced music and exhibits for Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon and Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga. His "Bessie Bus," a mobile jazz and blues program, won the 1997 Dorothy Mullen National Arts Award. Paul also maintains an active performance schedule playing steel drum, vibraphone and percussion.

LaVue Vandecar, a pottery instructor at South Fulton Arts Center where she studied with Jean Bean and Paul Craighead for many years, has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. She also studied at Clayton State College and Georgia State University. She studied drawing, water color and sculpture at the Southwest Art Center. LaVue has taught art at several Vacation Bible Schools, the Woodland Christian Camp, and Cochran Mills Nature Center. In addition to hand-building and ceramic surface design, she has offered classes in tie dying and unfired clay sculpture for children, teens and adults.

Nancy Whittenburger has been a music educator for 37 years. Her teaching experience has ranged from kindergarten age through college. She retired from the Douglas County School System in 2006, where she served as Elementary Music Resource Teacher. She was selected as the Douglas County Teacher of the Year in 1991 and 2004.

Nancy is an adjudicator for the Georgia Music Educators' Association. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Music Education from Georgia State University, with concentrations in voice and piano.She currently serves as a field supervisor for the teacher's education program at Mercer University. Her hobby as a puppeteer has entertained many students and adults through the years!

Join Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville and Douglas County!