Getting to Know Us….
Patty Axford is an award winning Professional Photographer and
owner/photographer of Patricia Axford Photography. She is a member of the
Professional Photographer’s Association of America (PPA) and the NHPPA, PPAM,
and PPANE. She is also a photographer for the nilmdts non-profit organization
(nilmdts.com). View her work at www.axfordphotography.com.
Diana Baranowski graduated
from UMASS with her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. She has been working with
and selling her jewelry for over 15 years. Diana owns Beadles Bead Shop in
Westford. Where she sells beads and designs jewelry.
Susan Blackwell, is a writer, training consultant, lecturer, and
facilitator of healing — working with individuals and organizations to create
healing and balance and inspire transformation. Susan
established Pathways to
Healing in 2000. Her teaching and healing work integrate
techniques and experiences drawn from her personal healing journey as well as
more than 20 years of private study and professional training in various
healing modalities including Reiki energy healing, Divine Intervention healing,
meditation, dream work, Sahaja Yoga, and Native American healing practices.
Tina Caruso, has a degree in early childhood education and has
been working in the field for 25 years. She has been a kindergarten
coordinator, a Preschool Lead Teacher as well as Assistant Director of two
preschools, and has taught countless children’s classes and science camps
during the school year and over the summers, as well as raising three children
of her own. Tina enjoys designing theme and tea parties for children. A writing
enthusiast, Tina has written three children’s books and a cookbook. Tina is a
member of the GCA’s Board of Directors.
Mark Femino, graduated from Syracuse University with a BA in
Music. He spent 10 years actively touring on his own and with his band. Mark
has spent the last 7 years giving private instruction on the guitar, the 3
years as a choral director and music teacher, as well as 3 years being “Mr.
Fun” and a dynamic music director for the GCA’s Artworks! Summer Camp. He
currently resides in Leominster with Kelly and their daughter Autumn.
Jan Hadland’s varied 20-year experience in the
performing arts includes teaching, performing in professional and amateur
theaters, and directing in schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a B.A. in Theater Arts/ Dance and
Secondary Education teaching credential, she taught dance and drama and
directed several high school productions.
Her favorite performing roles include Amy in "Company", Acid
Queen in "Tommy" theme park vocalist, as well as touring with a Children’s
Theater Company to elementary schools throughout Northern California. Jan hopes her life-long passion for music and
dance will inspire her students to find the joy of movement!
Ginger Hughes, has a combined degree in studio art and art history
from Mount Holyoke College. She has
enjoyed teaching a variety of art classes in a variety
of settings to adults and children in the area since 1996.
Mb Lincoln, wears many hats. Best known as the lady in the GCA
Office, she also divides her time working at the Blanchard Middle School in
Westford, painting murals professionally, directing plays for school aged kids,
and conducting a church choir. With a degree in Business, it’s her love of the
arts and working with kids keeps her young and with her thumb in many pies!
Donna Lynch, has taught her One-Stroke painting class for the GCA
for several years and for eight years locally. She earned a Bachelors of Fine
Arts degree from Mass College of Art.
Marilyn Maguire is an accomplished folk artist with a diverse array
of quilted projects and designs in her portfolio, having quilted for 20 years.
A frequent 'Viewer's Choice' award winner at quilt shows across Canada, Marilyn
has created original designs and fascinating twists on classics. More recently,
Marilyn has created and sold quilts and quilt inspired items through her own
business, Raven Quilt Folk Art. Always inspired by the enthusiasm of fellow
quilters, Marilyn enjoys sharing her knowledge and the friendship of new
quilters through classes and guilds.
Lisa O’Malley, is the mother of three, and a Girl Scout Leader. In the past she has
been a Theatre Director for children and a softball coach. Lisa has studied to be
a Reiki Master and is excited to be offering classes for the GCA. Lisa truly
enjoys children and helping them finding their highest potential. For testimonial
visit: www.magnificentpowerofme.com.
Lisa is also a member of the Board of Directors for the GCA.
Bonnie-Jean Marchesani,
has been singing and acting on amateur and professional stages since the age of 3! A nurse
by training, Bonnie has received several awards for singing and acting and has
performed on cable TV. She is passionate about helping others find the courage
to trust their imagination while giving permission to everyone to “play” in
this often stress-filled world.
Jeanne Masterman, holds a Bachelor of Music
Degree in Voice Performance from University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
She has taught voice privately for 20 years in Westford, and has also
taught in after-school programs at Dracut and Chelmsford High Schools. Jeanne
is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Ben Oldham is Lawrence Academy’s Director of Technical
Theatre. He has worked with middle
schoolers for the past ten years and has taught middle school collaborative
play creation for five. He has never
seen middle schoolers fail to develop wonderful theatrical performances. Most recently, he taught a hugely popular
summer camp at Lawrence Academy similar to the course he is offering through
the GCA.
Janice Toth has been a life-long painter and artist. She has been
teaching children and adults in schools and community settings for more than 12
years. As an exhibiting artist, she shows her work in galleries and shops
throughout New England. Janice has a degree in Studio Art and maintains a studio
in Dunstable. She is a member of the Copley Society, the Rocky Neck Art Colony,
and the Rhode Island Watercolor Society.
Michela
Verani’s jewelry has
won a number of awards. Michela’s beaded work and felted work has also been
featured in Bead Trends Magazine as well
as in ads in numerous national magazines. Having worked in many forms of
felting, needle or dry felting as well as wet felting, Michela’s work has been
finalists in national beading contests. Michela is also an Art Clay Certified
Senior Instructor in silver metal clay. Her silver clay jewelry has won
numerous awards and been featured in numerous publications.
Lia Wright-Oldham made her theatrical debut at the age of four as a
featured dancer in My Fair Lady at
the South Jackson Civic Center in Tullahoma, TN and has been performing ever
since. Some of her more memorable roles
are Lizzie in Baby with the
Millennium Repertory Company, Commenda Bull in the Winnipesauke Playhouses
touring children’s show The Recyclabulls
and Caroline in the Four Point Theatre Collaborative’s world premier play The Romantic. Lia enjoys teaching and
recently taught a collaborative performance class for North Shore Music
Theatre. Other classes she has taught include costume design at Lawrence
Academy as well as music, performing arts, and choreography courses at St.
Andrew’s Sewanee School in Sewanee, TN. She graduated Cum Laude from Middle
Tennessee State University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and
minors in Music and Dance.