Meet Our Instructors

Abigail Cloutier (MFA ‘26) is a mixed media artist who enjoys using unconventional materials as a part of her practice. Her practice is based around an investigation into the perception of time and how it deeply shapes how we live. Their work often stretches across multiple mediums including painting, animation, poetry, video work, drawing and more.

Abigail Sprague attended Maine College of Art & Design and earned her BFA in Metalsmithing & Jewelry in May of 2025. Sprague is presently a bench jewelry studio assistant at Natalie Reed Fine Jewelry and is a bench jeweler and sales associate at Folia Jewelry. As an artist, metalsmith, and bench jeweler, Sprague's work uses bright primary colors to engage the viewer through interactive, one-of-a-kind kinetic objects and jewelry. This work aims to create jewelry that inspires the beholder to cherish the wonder in life by pausing from daily activities to play and interact with objects and one another. In 2019, Sprague began her own production business, selling handcrafted goods at local craft fairs and events. In 2021, this practice evolved into a handmade jewelry business. This production series mirrors the interactive thematics of her one-of-a-kind studio practice.

My teaching style is very relaxed and adapts to student needs as a class as well as individually. Demonstrations will be the basis of the class with lots of open guided work time to practice skills.

Adeline Goldminc-Tronzo was born and educated in Paris, France. In the mid-seventies, she moved to New York City, where she studied at the Art Students League with American Artists: Marshall Glasier, Joseph Hirsch, Robert Beverly Hale, and Norman Lewis. She holds a BFA in Art and Philosophy.

Over the past 44 years, she has frequently exhibited her work across the US and Europe. Her work is held in numerous private collections both here and abroad. She currently lives and works in Eliot, Maine, with her husband, the painter Michael Tronzo.

Interview by Lights Outs Gallery

Amelia Garretson-Persans is an interdisciplinary artist based in Portland, Maine. She received her BFA in Studio Art from Concordia University in Montreal in 2008 and her MFA from the Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME in 2016. Her film, writing, and theatrical work has received awards and recognition, including a Critics Choice Award in 2025 from the PortFringe Festival for her original play, A Tincture of Time, and a Maine Literary Award for Excellence in Publishing in 2023 for her very handsome book, Where the Avonley Seed Falls. She lives and teaches in Portland, ME with her two terrific kids, Paul and Lily. www.ameliagarretson-persans.com

Teaching Style
Enthusiastic, supportive

Ana Rogers-Reed is a textile artist and disability justice advocate who explores the intersections of labor, time, and the body through her work. Originally from upstate New York, she is currently based in Portland, Maine. She received her BA in Visual Art from the University of Maine at Farmington (2023) and earned her MFA at Maine College of Art & Design in 2025. In 2022, her work and writing were published in Branches: A University of Maine at Farmington Anthology Celebrating Work from Students Across the Arts & Humanities, Science, and Education. Her recent exhibitions include Alt Txt at Field Projects Gallery in NYC, the 2025 MFA Thesis Exhibition at Maine College of Art & Design, and ArtPM 2025 at Buoy Gallery.

Ana's teaching style is laid-back and accessible that includes a mix of demonstrations, 1:1 support time, and independent work time.

Andrew Elijah Edwards is an artist exploring the digital dreamscape and improvisational performance art. His work investigates the forefront of emerging digital tools as a medium for exploring new realms of collective dreaming, blending performance and virtual worlds, delving into humanity's evolving relationship with simulation and virtual imagination.. Edwards holds an MFA in Emergent Digital Practices from the University of Denver and teaches Communications & New Media at Southern Maine Community College, assisting people of all ages through storytelling, animation, cinema, digital alchemy, performance, and channeling the imaginal.

Andrew's teaching style is project-based studio work alongside skill demonstration and one one-on-one mentorship.

Website

Deb Dawson developed her narrative voice at SALT Institute of Documentary Studies. Through contemplative observation and a lyrical style, she photographs the working lives of maritime communities and the environment. She was introduced to Maine over 30 years ago while honing her photographic eye at Maine Media Workshops + College before completing her BFA in Photography at the University of Southern Maine. Deb’s photographs have been exhibited in juried exhibitions nationwide. View more of Deb’s work at www.debdawsonphotography.com

Teaching Style:
Understanding that each student brings a unique perspective, I try to foster a collaborative environment where every question leads to a constructive dialogue to find the best approach to various photographic techniques.

Devin Luke Harrington is a visual artist and illustrator whose practice explores the intersections of storytelling, conceptual design, and interactive media. Through illustration, graphics, and traditional art expertise, he explores how visual identity and world-building can shape narrative experience, inviting both peers and pupils to see creative work as both a critical and collaborative process. Follow Devin on Instagram or visit his Website.

Diane Dahlke has been teaching painting through the MECA&D CS program since 2000. She has a BFA in painting from Syracuse University and an MFA from Vermont College. Her work has been shown nationally and she is currently represented in Portland by Casco Bay Artisans Gallery. Follow her on Instagram or visit her Website.

Dianne Ballon is a sound artist from Portland, Maine. Her sound works have aired onNational Public Radio's All Things Considered. She was awarded a Maine ArtistFellowship from the Maine Arts Commission.

Her recent exhibition at the Maine Maritime Museum, Lost and Found: Sounds of theMaine Coast by Dianne Ballon, featured her field recordings of working harbors,boatyards, and the sounding buoys of Casco Bay. From the museum's collection, sherecorded the historical, circa 1900-- bells, whistles, and early foghorns. These objectsaccompanied the sound recordings.

Her coastal sound work was featured in Yankee and Down East magazines. And, onthe podcasts: Radio Maine, The Natural Curiosity Project, and Light Hearted: the officialpodcast of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.

During her Artist-in-Residency at Shenandoah National Park, she created a soundportrait for the park. At the Goethe Institute, she presented her sound installationMusical Instrument Dreams. She produced audio for the award-winning, nationalexhibition, The Marines and Tet: The Battle That Changed the Vietnam War. For aninternational radio art competition, she was awarded for her field recording of boatscreaking at a dock in Iceland. She produced audio for Tactile Images, a company thatcreates fine art for museums that is accessible to the blind through touch and sound.

At the University of Maine at Augusta, she taught audio production and radio theatre.For over ten years, she was a member of the teaching and production staff at theNational Audio Theatre Festivals. She taught many workshops and classes to artists,producers, and podcasters. This includes the Public Radio Exchange Podcast Garage,Harvard Music Department, and the Harvard Sound Education conference. Currently, sheteaches audio production through the SALT Institute for Documentary Studies at MaineCollege of Art & Design.

Website

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Emily Armstrong is a ceramic artist and educator based in Portland, Maine, currently serving as Ceramics Studio Manager at Running with Scissors and teaching at Portland Pottery. She holds a BFA in Ceramics from the Maine College of Art & Design and was the 2024-25 Salad Days Artist-in-Residence at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. With over a decade of experience in studio management, instruction, and creative entrepreneurship, her work has been exhibited across New England and beyond. Emily's functional and decorative ceramics are inspired by natural forms and community connection, and can be found in galleries, markets, and homes throughout the region. Follow Emily on Instagram and visit her Website.

Ian is an interdisciplinary artist born in Poughkeepsie, New York. In May 2020, they received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking with honors from Maine College of Art & Design. A gender non-conforming artist, Ian presents self-portraits that challenge social constructs surrounding identity. Each portrait is a ""Frankenstein"" of layered semiotics, including visual motifs of lived experiences both past and present. Ian was an artist in residence at the Stephen Pace House in Stonington, ME, in 2019. They also co-curated the annual Maine College of Art & Design Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis exhibition in 2020. In 2023 they were the first ""EMERGE Artist in Residence"" for printmaking at Running with Scissors Studios in Portland, Maine.

Success is having a dart board full of darts- even if you don't hit the bullseye. Failure is a part of the creative process! Risograph printing can be a very unforgiving medium- not every print is going to turn out awesome. Ian will teach students the history of Riso printing, then go into the list of operations the Riso can allow you to do. They will not teach you how to design their work, but how you can translate it through the Riso to achieve the perfect aesthetic. Ian is a cheerleader and energetic camp counselor when it comes to the learning process. They want students to feel safe, supported, and to have fun!

Follow Ian on Instagram.

Jean Wiecha paints landscapes, seascapes, and portraits, working mainly in watercolor, gouache, and oil. Her portrait practice is grounded in classical approaches to portrait painting, which she has adapted to her own style and interests. A former scientist and experienced university teacher, she enjoys working with students to foster curiosity and channel it into experimentation and confidence.

Jennifer Brou is an artist, designer and educator based in South Portland, Maine. Jennifer studied at the Glasgow School of Art and earned her BFA in Crafts, with a Minor in Photography, from Longwood University. Her multifaceted studio practice includes knitwear design, drawing, and photography. Jennifer currently teaches in the Foundation and Continuing Studies Programs at Maine College of Art & Design.

Jennifer's teaching style in Continuing Studies is open and flexible. Classes typically have a wide variety of skill levels. Jennifer works to tailor the experience to individual students and at the same time offer inspiration, support and encouragement.

Follow Jennifer on Instagram or visit her Website.

Jillian Impastato is an arts administrator, educator, and artist who has worked in museums and educational organizations in Maine, Massachusetts, and Norway (the country, not the town in Maine). She teaches workshops on professional development in the arts, slow looking with art and nature, and queer rural zine-making. Her art practice explores stickers-as-form, queer ruralism, deep attention, and secular spiritual care in museum settings.

Teaching Style:
Warm and energetic! I love being a sounding board for ideas and to connect my students to other artists, resources, and sources of inspiration.

Judy LaBrasca most recently had a solo exhibition of her artist books at the KCC'83 Book Arts Program at USM. She was one of the founders of the Illustration Department at Maine College of Art & Design and has taught illustration, drawing, picture books, and design in the BFA and Continuing Studies programs. Follow her on Instagram.

Julie Cunningham is an artist and ceramics teacher living in Portland. She has a BFA in ceramics from Maine College of Art and a BS from the University of New Hampshire. She is an adjunct faculty member at Maine College of Art, on the teaching staff at Portland Pottery, and has taught previously at the University of New England and Southern Maine Community College. Her teaching experience also includes children and adults through community and adult education programs. Time spent outdoors, while observing the changing hues, textures, and arrangements of nature, informs her work. Her pieces are comprised of earthenware clay, terra sigillata, and layered low-fire glazes. She primarily uses hand-building techniques to create her organic forms. Julie sells her work at Markings Gallery in Bath, The Center for Maine Craft, Portland Pottery, and the Southern Vermont Arts Center. https://juliecunningham.art

Kim Bernard creates sculpture that is recycled, kinetic, interactive, public and involves the community. She creates installations upcycled out of trash and is currently focusing on transforming plastic waste into sculpture using her portable recycling machines. She shows her work nationally and has been invited to participate in many exhibits, some of which include the Portland Museum of Art, Currier Museum of Art, Fuller Craft Museum, Harvard University, Art Complex Museum and UNH Museum of Art. Her work has been reviewed in the Boston Globe, Art News and Art New England. Bernard is the recipient of the Artist Advancement Grant, Kindling Fund Grant, NEFA grant, 6 Maine Arts Commission Grants as well as funding from the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation. She was an artist-in-residence in the Physics Department at Harvard University and at the University of New England. She received her BFA from Parsons in 1987 and her MFA from Mass Art in 2010. Bernard mentors emerging artists individually and teaches professional development to artists nationally. www.kimbernard.com

Kim's teaching style is accessible, organized, interactive, organic, and engaging.

Link Rollins will receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing and Jewelry at Maine College of Art & Design in May 2027. Originally from Houston, TX, Rollins currently resides in Portland, ME.

A metalsmith and enamelist, his metal work incorporates illustrative storytelling through layering sheets of enameled copper–laser-etched to create three-dimensional paintings in glass. The work is soft and matte, creating a tactile finish of the enamel paired with the dark rough grooves of the lasered-lines.

Also a writer of bloody, toxic stories of obsessive queer love, Rollins’s lesbian characters become the creative influence of their enameled counterparts. As the narrator, Rollins is interested in how mutual interests and affections ultimately destroy each other.

Lyra Pirruccello-McClellan grew up in Rhode Island and their studio is currently based in Foster, RI. They fell in love with the magic of steel work after helping their uncle weld a broken tractor hitch. After studying at the Steel Yard in Providence, RI and with blacksmith Ian Eddy, they attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. They quickly abandoned their planned mechanical engineering major to double major in creative writing and studio art under the tutelage of Nestor Gil. They went on to teach elementary school science and pre-k education before attending Maine College of Art and Design for their Masters.

Maddie King is a French-American writer, filmmaker and archival producer based in Portland Maine. She has worked on Taking Venice, which premiered at DOC NYC in 2023 and the PBS American Masters documentary Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire (2025). Her first documentary short, Solnin, was featured in WMHT's TVFILM Season 10 and her second, Kazkar, screened at the Maine International Film Festival and the Portland Museum of Art. She has studied filmmaking at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at the Maine College of Art and Design and the John B. Moore Documentary Collaborative at Skidmore College, where she received her B.A.

Maggie Muth has a BFA in Painting (with a minor in drawing) from MECA, and a two-year certificate in Stitched Textiles from the Opus School of Textile Arts in the UK. She has been a life-long stitcher and has taught classes at Maine Fiber Arts, Port Fiber and Mayo Street Arts, the American Visionary Art Museum, Maine College of Art, as well as overseas. She is the Founder and Director of the open itinerant stitching space for all: #stitchHIVE Portland Maine. Learn more: www.instagram.com/stitchhive

See me speaking about my fave topic:
Heidi Parkes YouTube

Marguerite Lawler's education includes a BFA in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, and a MFA in Painting from the City University of New York. Her work is shown in both public and private collections. She is represented by the Elizabeth Moss Gallery in Falmouth. Follow Marguerite on Instagram or visit her Website.

Maria Frati is a 2D mixed media artist who adores working with color! She grew up in the woods of Maine and hails from a family of artists. She has exhibited in Seattle, Baltimore and Asheville and served as an Artist in Residence for the National Parks Foundation. She is also a member of the Speedball Professional Artists Network. Frati has a robust background in art education and holds a master's degree in art ed from the Maryland Institute College of Art.  Her work is currently represented by Elleyo in Boston. Instagram: mariafratiart

Teaching Style:

I'd describe myself as a supportive and warm instructor who supports individuals to follow their own personal lines of inquiry. I check in often with participants about what they want to learn and demonstrate relevant techniques and provide insight based on my own experiences and knowledge. Stylistically I see myself as a supporter vs a sage on a stage. I am always aware of group dynamics and cultivate a collaborative environment where there is an open exchange of thoughts and opinions!  

Matt Tanzi is an illustrator and practicing educator in Portland, Maine. After spending some time as a freelance animator, he rededicated himself to education and the empowerment of emerging artists. Visit Matt's Website.

Michael Osborne is a podcast producer, host, and creative consultant whose independent shows have secured partnerships with leading media companies. In 2011 launched Generation Anthropocene during his PhD studies at Stanford, a collaboration that later included Smithsonian Magazine. He went on to develop Raw Data, a narrative podcast with PRX/PRI. In 2024 his show Famous & Gravy signed a deal with Wondery. Michael's production work has earned Webby and Signal Awards for shows including Famous & Gravy, Black Women of Amherst College, and Stanford's From Our Neurons to Yours. Through 14th Street Studios, he collaborates with independent creators, mission-driven organizations, and brands to develop original concepts across a wide range of formats and categories.

You can follow him by visiting his website.

Listen here.

Nora Hanlon is a photographer, bookworm, and grandma in training. Born in Vermont, raised in Connecticut, and currently living in Maine, she is getting closer to completing her Bingo card for living in all the New England states. Nora graduated with her BFA in Photography and a minor in Sustainable Ecosystems: Art & Design from Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D) in 2026. Hanlon has shown her work in The Amistad Center for Art & Culture in the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 49 Oak St. Gallery, The Windsor Art Center, and installed work on Fort Gorges. When not taking photographs, she can most often be found in her little pink rocking chair.

Olivia Boi is the owner and creator of Strong Moon Metals. A few years after graduating with her Bachelor of Fine Arts, she took an introduction to smithing class at Metalwerx in Waltham, MA and the rest was history. She started Strong Moon Metals December 2017 and hasn’t looked back ever since. Olivia creates jewelry at her home and metals studio in Maine. She teaches a 6 week intermediate metals course and has taught as a Senior Thesis Mentor to Sculpture Students at Montserrat College of Art. Olivia is inspired by archaic talismans, her Sardinian roots, using lost wax casting methods, sterling silver, brass, and beautifully cut stones. You can find more of her work in person at local shows around the Portland area.

Rachel Alvarez Flaherty earned a BFA in Metalsmithing and Jewelry from Maine College of Art & Design and a Postgraduate Certificate from the University of Central England at Birmingham. She has a studio in South Portland where she specializes in custom jewelry as well as lockets and rings in sterling silver, gold and mixed media. Rachel has been teaching in the Continuing Studies Program at MECA&D for over 20 years. Follow Rachel on Instagram or visit her Website.

I grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and studied studio art and art history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I show at Casco Bay artisans gallery and am a commercial painter during the week. Follow Rebecca on Instagram and visit her Website.

Shelby Goldsmith graduated from Maine College of Art & Design in 2014 with a BFA in Metalsmithing & Jewelry. Working from her home studio in Saco, she makes small-batch, one-of-a-kind, and custom jewelry that she sells at a multitude of craft shows, shops, and galleries.

Teaching style: 

Rigorous but fun! Self-directed learning is encouraged.

Tabitha Barnard is a photographer who grew up as the oldest of four sisters in rural Maine. She works primarily in analog color photography, exploring themes of femininity, religion, and ritual. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Maine College of Art in the Spring of 2016 and her Master's degree in Fine Art Photography from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the Spring of 2021. She has had work displayed in Aperture Gallery, Redhook Labs, Blue Raven Gallery, and a solo exhibition at Speedwell Projects. She was the recipient of the Burn Magazine grant and the Gomma Grant in 2018. In 2024, she curated an exhibition for the Glickman Library at the University of Southern Maine. She has had work published in Vogue US, The New York Times, Buzzfeed, and Unseen Magazine. In 2024, her first monograph, Dead Trees Speak to Me, was published through Wychelm Press.

Tabitha currently lives and works in Portland, Maine, teaching at Maine College of Art & Design and the University of Southern Maine.

Follow Tabitha on Instagram or visit her Website.

Zoe Hamblett works at Maine College of Art and Design as the Printmaking Studio Technician & Artist in Residence. Zoe graduated from Bennington College with a degree in Visual Arts and a concentration in Printmaking. They have worked on independent and collaborative printmaking projects in a large variety of printmaking mediums. In their personal printmaking work, they often work in screen printing, relief printing, and Lithography.
Teaching style:
When teaching printmaking, I focus on skills and techniques that empower students to understand how to make their own work. My goal is always to deliver information in the clearest way possible to open up creative possibilities for students and artists. Every process is made up of smaller building blocks and steps, so we start with the basics and build up from there.