FACULTY Jill Markovitz is the founder and director of the Fairmount Art Center and a Philadelphia native. She holds a Masters of Fine Art from the University of Massachusetts and a BA in Art Education from the University of New Mexico. She has dedicated her career to art education, holds a K-12, PA teaching certification, and has taught art at every level from pre-school through university. Jill has established vibrant and diverse art programs in many settings bringing her commitment to current theory and best practices to students and teachers. Jill is an accomplished artist and has exhibited her large-format photographic work in exhibitions, nationally. Passionate about the cultivation of community through the arts, Jill led the development of the Fairmount Arts Crawl in 2004 and founded the Fairmount Arts Council in 2005. In 2007, Jill was honored with the Rising Star award from the American Red Cross which distinguishes women who demonstrate outstanding achievements and who positively impact their community. Stephanie Beck holds an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where she focused on works on paper and a BA of Highest Distinction in Art History from the University of Virginia. She is a recipient of the distinguished Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant and has worked in museum education and curatorial departments in various art museums for over seven years and has taught visual arts classes to ages. A practicing artist, Stephanie has exhibited her work in Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C. Abbien Crowley holds an MA in Art Therapy from Drexel University and a BS in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Fine Art and Art History from The University of Scranton. Abbien is a practicing art therapist and has provided therapeutic services to both adults and children throughout the Philadelphia area. Abbien leads FAC s early childhood art education program and has been a valuable and dynamic teacher, here, since 2006. Marie DesMarais comes to us with a Fine Art degree from Temple University's Tyler School of Art and she holds a Pennsylvania art education certification from Rosemont College. Marie is an experienced art teacher and sports coach working with children of all ages. She has exhibited her drawings, paintings, ceramics, and books arts, throughout Philadelphia. Tom Friel earned a BFA with honors from the University of the Arts. He has been a dedicated teacher at FAC since its inaugural year and has been teaching at organizations for over 6 years including the Mainline Art Center and Spiral Q Puppet Theater. Working with both kids and adults, he has taught printmaking, mixed media, bookbinding, painting, and more. He is a seasoned printmaker and has developed his own line of hand-printed, silk screened t-shirts called Tire Fire. He has interned with the Nexus Foundation and has exhibited throughout the Philadelphia area. Hanne Gradinger received her BA in Studio Art Ceramics at the University of Colorado and her MA in Art Education from New York University. She is an experienced art educator and has taught art classes in both museum and classroom settings including Penn Charter, St. Anne's Episcopal School, the Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia, the Collage Children's Museum in Boulder, Colorado, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, and the DreamYard A.C.T.I.O.N. Project in Bronx, New York. Dana Hanmer received her BFA from The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University and her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. She is an acclaimed artist, winning "Best of Show" at the Cambridge Art Association's annual juried show. Dana is an experienced art educator, teaching all ages at a host of institutions across the country. Joanna Herrero joins our staff to head up our Music and Movement program and has been teaching music in different capacities for ten years. She received a BA in music from Haverford College and a masters degree (expected in 2008) in music education from Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. A certified teacher, Joanna has taught in public and private schools, camps, community programs, and is an adjunct professor at Westminster College, teaching music education best practices to undergraduates. Her teaching draws from various approaches and methodologies and she is certified in Orff-Schulwerk and Music Together. Joanna s energetic and fun classes include singing/chanting, moving, instrument playing, creativity and improvisation. She is especially passionate about the possibilities available in community programs and is excited to be working with the children and families at the FAC. Sarah Horne is a graduate of the UArts, Fibers and Glass Department and has taken additional course work at Tyler School of Art, among others. She has received awards including a Kimmel Scholarship. She has taught for 2 years as a T.A. at UArts and worked with the International Opera Company of Philadelphia creating set designs and costumes. Sarah has her work in numerous private collections and also shows her jewelry work in Philadelphia. Stephanie Nolan is an early childhood music teacher with over 10 years of experience including parent/child settings at Sally's Music Circle. Additionally, she has taught/teaches at Montgomery Early Learning Center, BZBI Synagogue, the Phoebe Thorn School, and other enrichment programs throughout the area. Stephanie holds a BA in Dance & Literature from Goddard College and has additional training in early childhood music theory from The Settlement School of Music, along with voice training. Stephanie also brings her energetic and developmental teaching style to families through concerts and benefits and she is the founder of Stevie and the Bluescasters, a four piece, acoustic blues and R&B group that has been performing for 20 years from Philly to New York and is the headlining band for this years' Riverhead Blues Festival in New York. Maggie Robinson holds a degree from the University of Scranton in liberal studies with an emphasis on art and art history. She has worked for over 2 years with The Philadelphia Zoo in their educational department creating, managing, and teaching dynamic and creative programs to children of all ages. Additionally, she has taught art to children at Hope Horn Gallery in Scranton and worked as a camp counselor in Haverford, PA. Alexis Schaffer is fashion designer with a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design. She has worked in research, design, and creation for a number of companies including Rasta Imposta (kids costumes), Goodland Apparel (kids clothing), Andrew Sportswear (embroidery specialist), Michael Simon (women s sweaters) as well as interning at Anne Klein and House of Field in New York. In true Philly style, Alexis has created costumes for Mummers groups including a fancy brigade. Rachel Shusman, a Philly native, holds a BFA in Surface Pattern Design from Syracuse University. She worked in New York City as a textile designer and is currently working towards certification in Art Education certification at Moore College of Art and Design. Laura Lyn Stern is a ceramic tile and glass mosaic artist who has resided in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia for 10 years. Her company, Sculptural Designs, focuses on designing, producing and installing decorative wall surfaces and related products for the residential and commercial marketplace. Educated at Moore College of Art, Purdue University and LSU Baton Rouge, Laura has taught art throughout her adult years, to ages ranging from middle school through adult, in both academic and recreational environments. Fairmount Art Center 2501 Olive Street Philadelphia, PA 19130 215.765.ARTS info@fairmountartcenter.com       © Fairmount Art Center. All Rights Reserved.