Instructor Profiles

 

 

 

Carol J Anderson, Ph.D.

Carol’s entire career has been helping others find their unique ways of learning and being. First as a

special education teacher, then teacher educator and later as dean of education in schools and

universities in Connecticut, Utah, Wyoming, Missouri and Minnesota.

After 30 years as an educator she left her career to follow the wisdom of her soul. Carol now resides

in rural Wisconsin and Minneapolis actively designing and living the Second Half of her Life.

Carol has worked extensively with Angeles Arrien Ph.D., cultural anthropologist and author of

The Second Half of Life: Opening the Eight Gates of Initiation and currently speaks, teaches and facilitates

workshops based on Arrien’s “Eight Gates” work. Carol also guides, coaches, and mentors others who are on the

same journey; the adventure of exploring what’s ahead in their Second Half of Life. - You can find Carol on facebook.

 

 

 

 

Deb Biechler, M.A. received her master’s degree in Education from Viterbo University

in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She co-facilitated the Central Wisconsin Writing Project at the

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for six years. Deb is an adjunct faculty member of

Viterbo University where she teaches courses on writing instruction.

Deb loves helping people discover their stories and voice through writing. Her workshops

are for people who want to experience writing as a form of play, as a means of discovery

and connection and as a powerful tool to create change.

 

 

 

 

Kay Brathol-Hostvet’s pastel and acrylic landscape paintings have been described as

“contemporary regionalism” and “emotive landscapes.” She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree

from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Studio Arts, with concentrations in painting and

drawing. She currently works from her studio in Madison, WI.

Kay Brathol-Hostvet’s work is in numerous private and corporate collections including the

University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, and Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

She is represented by Artisan Gallery, Paoli, Wisconsin and BNOX Gold & Iron and Fine Art.

Kay feels sharing ourselves with others is the greatest gift we can give. She enjoys teaching

classes for adults and young people. Kay understands that beginners are often fearful of

“mistakes,” judgment, and failure. Her classes are informative, interactive, non-judgmental,

and FUN! Kay respectfully guides students to develop their skills, challenging them to grow beyond their expectations.

With her passion and enthusiasm for art-making she encourages others to pursue their own “voice”.

To view more of Kay’s work, please visit: www.KayBratholHostvet.com an interactive sight, takes awhile to load.

 

 

 

 

Audrey Chowdhury, MS, ATR-BC, is a board certified art therapist who specializes in helping

you to reconnect with your creative spirit so that you can live with joy and fulfillment. She uses

fun and powerful techniques that everyone can do, such as the popular SoulCollage®, an intuitive

collage making process, and the Nine Modern Day Muses (as described by Jill Badonsky).

Audrey is certified to facilitate, SoulCollage® groups, Muse Groups, and Integrative Breathwork/

Soul Based Psychology (trained by Jacquelyn Small). She is also a Reiki Master and Teacher.

She presents workshops at her studio in Sturgeon Bay, WI as well as at Full Circle Retreat and

other locations. - Contact Audrey at: acsunprairie@aol.com for more information.

More about Audrey at: www.SoulCollage.com/process/facilitators.php (type in: WI, US)

 

 

 

 

Kathleen Grittner is proprietress of Full Circle Retreat, where surrounded by the beauty

and energy of nature, she continues her life-long exploration of the many art forms and

spiritual practices that inspire her. Kathleen earned a master’s degree in art therapy at

Vermont College, in Montpelier, Vermont after studying studio arts, philosophy, literature,

world religions and psychology at Mount Mary College, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For

several years Kathleen designed and printed textiles that have been exhibited nationally

and internationally.

In a relaxing environment free from judgment, competition, or the pressure of specific results, Kathleen leads 

workshops that invite you to liberate and experience your own creative nature. She shares her many influences and

the processes that she uses, inspiring you to develop your own unique way of inviting your inherent creativity to

come out and play. She integrates music, movement, meditation and writing into the art forms that she practices

and teaches. Her workshops emphasize experimentation, self-expression and art making as a way of listening to 

your own inner teacher.

In 2003, Kathleen opened Full Circle Retreat for those who wish to experience the powerful energy and joy that

comes from being in nature and creating in community.

 

 

 

 

Dennis Kern has worked and taught in the performing arts for over 30 years. His

students include: Chris Farley, Joan Cusack, Tod Hansen (an originator of The Onion

newspaper), and Brian Stack (writer for the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" show.

Dennis graduated from UW La Crosse in Wisconsin and the American Academy of Dramatic

Arts in New York City. He worked in the conservatory at “Second City” and completed workshop

training for “Play Back Theater” in Poughkeepsie, New York. Dennis co-founded the ARK

Improvisational Theatre in Madison, which produced, improvised and scripted works for

twelve years. He is currently working with the Improvisational troupe Missing Pa*ts" in La Crosse, Wisconsin".

More at: www.MyPlayfulSelf.com

 

 

 

 

Barb Kobe, is an artist specializing in doll making as visual metaphor. She is also an

Expressive Arts Coach, Group Facilitator, Teacher, and Curriculum Designer.

Barb began making dolls many years ago using roots from her garden. Her first dolls were a

means of exploring deeper parts of herself. By making these dolls, she was able to affirm

the life process, the joy and the pain, and let go of what needed release and move toward

transformation and healing. The threads that weave through Barb’s work are women's

issues of empowerment, spirituality and healing.

Barb is passionate about art and healing and believes that the act of doll making can take

the doll maker through a deep creative process that can bring unknown parts of oneself to

conscious awareness, and set change in motion. Spiritual rituals and healing symbols deepen this process.

Nature is a primary source of inspiration. In addition to fibers and clay, Barb often uses sticks, roots, and

other materials found in nature for doll making.

More about Barb at: www.BarbKobe.com

 

 

 

 

Lisa Moriarty, BA, CLF is a Labyrinth Designer and Certified Labyrinth Facilitator. She

creates sacred space for individuals, churches, groups and organizations as well as

conducting workshops, retreats and presentations on the history and use of labyrinths.

Lisa has a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and has trained with Rev. Lauren Artress

of Veriditas,Worldwide Labyrinth Project, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and Master

Labyrinth Maker Robert Ferré of Labyrinth Enterprises in St. Louis, MO. She is a board

member of The Labyrinth Society,an international organization and an active member

of the Minnesota Labyrinth Network.

Lisa creates unique labyrinth designs, including Circle of Peace™, a 7-circuit concentric circle

design that blends elements of the ancient classical and medieval or Chartres-like patterns with sacred geometric

principles. Another widely embraced design is the Dancing Woman™, a design inspired by the ancient Baltic Wheel

pattern and developed to represent triumph, celebration, compassion, joy and comfort.

To see these labyrinths designs and learn more about Lisa go to: www.PathsOfPeace.com

 

 

 

 

Tish Murphy has been rug hooking for 20 years and is well know in the rug hooking

community for her excellent work. Tish continues to teach workshops, design kits and

develop new, innovative projects that utilize rug hooking.

Her work has been featured in Rug Hooking magazine.

More about Tish at: www.TISHKITS.com

 

 

 

 

Ann Tristani

Becoming an oil painter is Ann’s response to a lifetime of exploring and appreciating creation.

After a childhood of romping in a ravine and climbing trees, a college career majoring in art and

biology, marriage and four children, it was at last time for Ann to paint! And so Ann painted

and painted and painted some more!

Over the years, Ann has studied with many nationally recognized oil painting Masters. She is

represented by several galleries throughout the Midwest and teaches ongoing oil painting

classes and workshops at the White Bear Center for the Arts where, “Slam in those darks!” is

a favorite phrase Ann hopes her students will come to understand and apply. She is a fun and

encouraging teacher who remembers what it’s like to be a beginning painter.

More about Ann and to view her paintings, visit: www.AnnTristani.com

 

 

 

  

Lisa Schlingerman, MA in Human Development from St Mary’s College in Minneapolis,

Minnesota. Lisa is a Tai Chi instructor, artist, expressive art therapist, Reiki practitioner

and former Montessori teacher. Lisa has been an educator for 35 years, integrating the

philosophies of all the disciplines she has studied. Lisa believes that genuine

expression comes for the ability to describe the uniqueness of everyday experience.

Her integrated approach offers an environment that expands the potential for self-

expression. As an artist, Lisa creates in a spirit of self-discovery. For her, practicing

Tai Ji compliments her art making by sustaining the source of energy, connecting to the

patterns of nature and bringing to light images that truly express the body, heart and mind.

Lisa lives on the banks of the St Croix River and is a member of The Living Tao, Minnesota Art Therapy Association,

and Art Reach Alliance of the St Croix Valley. She is on the Board of St Croix River Association and is founder of

ARTSelf® a natural source of expression that reveals itself during the creative process.

More about Lisa at: www.TaiChiLisa.com

 

 

 

 

Fernando Senior is a learning strategist, educator, consultant, virtual faculty, photographer,

Zen student, husband, father, cook, guitar player and a lover of the creative process. For

twenty-five years he has captured the expertise of many individuals and organizations to

design learning solutions in higher education, industry, government and NGO's in the United

States, Mexico,Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.

Fernando was lay ordained in the Zen tradition by Joen Snyder O'Neal and Michael O'Neal,

guiding teachers of the Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Through his photography, Fernando has also supported several social causes, such as The Heart

Gallery, which exhibits portraits of children in search of adopting families and Smile Network

International, a global non-profit, humanitarian organization that provides life altering, reconstructive surgeries

to impoverished children and young adults in developing countries.

Now he shares his understanding of Zen psychology, photography and the creative process with this transformative

workshop. Fernando completed MFA courses and other photographic workshops while pursuing a MS in Instructional

Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology the University of Illinois

at Urbana-Champaign. He lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico with his wife Virginia (Tati) Ortiz and newborn baby.

More about Fernando at: www.TheMindfulEye.com/Fernando

 

 

 

 

Seeing the world as an artist since early childhood, Kathie Wheeler has drawn and painted

throughout her life. She was raised in the Chicago area and studied art at Eastern Illinois

University and the Academy of Art in Chicago.

Kathie was a freelance commercial and portrait artist in Chicago before moving to Vernon

County in 1995. She now lives on a small farm with her husband, son, and daughter and

continues to paint in her studio and plein air. For the past 12 years she has exhibited her work nationally

and continues to teach in the public and private schools, as well as adult classes.

More about Kathie at: www.KathieWheeler.com

 

 

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Past Instructors

 

Ken De Waard was raised in the Midwest. His love for the arts was apparent at an early age

and through encouragement and early training, he has built his life around the arts.

After receiving a B.A. with honors from Western Illinois University, Ken began working in a

commercial art studio in Chicago. He continued his studies at the American Academy of Art,

where he studied with nationally recognized watercolorist, Irving Shapiro. Upon Irving’s

recommendation Ken joined the acclaimed Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art in Chicago, where soon he began

studying with Scott Burdick. It is here that Ken adapted his direct and pure approach as well as his bravura brush

style, which he achieves by painting from life.

Strongly inspired by John Singer Sargent, Nicolai Fechin, Joaquin Sorolla and the Russian Impressionist, Ken finds

himself painting an array of traditional subject matter from everyday life. Ken’s paintings capture the fleeting effects

of light, wonderful color nuances and harmonies presented by nature and all of her beauty.

Ken currently lives with his wife and four young children in the inspiringly beautiful driftless area of southwest

Wisconsin. He continues to travel throughout the United States and Italy. Ken spends many a summer day painting

the Italian hillsides or the beautiful American vistas around him. Ken’s paintings have been exhibited nationally for

which he has received many awards. Several galleries throughout the United States represent his work.

For more information go to: www.KenDeWaard.com

 

 

 

 

Jaime Meyer earned a master’s degree in theology and the arts from United Seminary of the

Twin Cities, and has been studying shamanic ceremony for 25 years. He’s a graduate of Tom

Cowan’s two-year Celtic shamanic training. For six years he has lead a community of about

100 drummers in twice monthly gatherings that combine the ecstatic fun of drumming with

shamanic ceremony.

As a theatre artist he has had 20 plays produced in theatres in the Twin Cities and in various

cities around the USA. He co-founded the first theatre company for the Hmong Community

(refugees from the Vietnam War era) and ran it for ten years, co-creating eight plays that

were seen by over200,000 people in many cities. He’s a husband, father, gardener and guy with a day job.

More about Jaime at: www.DrummingTheSoulAwake.com

 

 

 

 

Ashley Marie Rajkovic is a graduate of Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin where

she received her BA in Art Education with high honors. Ashley enjoys working with many types

of media. Painting is her strongest passion. She excels in watercolor and also paints with

acrylic, oil and tempera.

Ashley began watercolor painting in high school where she was awarded a scholarship that

allowed her study painting and attend classes at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She

also competed in the Visual Arts Classic where she was awarded two silver medals at the

sectional and regional levels. She was one of two students in her graduating class recognized

for excellence in art and the recipient of a scholarship, which she used at Mount Mary College.

While at Mount Mary, Ashley was a four-time Layton Art Scholarship Recipient, an All American Collegiate Scholar

twice, and was recognized as one of the many Who’s Who Among American College Students. Ashley currently

teaches art full time and paints the beauty she finds all around her.

 

 

 

 

Steve Sklar is the leading performer and teacher of Khoomei, or Tuvan Throat-Singing

in the western hemisphere. He has mastered the traditional Tuvan techniques and has

developed unique methods for teaching throat-singing and the Tibetan low, chordal chant

voice. A longtime associate of the famed Tuvan ensemble Huun-Huur-Tu, Steve has developed

unique, fun, and safe techniques for learning the traditional Tuvan styles, Khoomei, Kargyraa,

and Sygyt. in which each singer sings 2-4 notes simultaneously.

Steve is the founder of the International Association for Harmonic Singing and runs a

throat-harmonic-overtone singing site: http:khoomei.com. He also performs with the

ensembles Big Sky as a guitarist, throat-singer, producer, and engineer; and the Overtone Orchestra as a

throat-singer, didgeridoo player, percussionist.

You can see videos and listen to audio recordings of Steve at his web site: http:khoomei.com

There is a Scientific American Article about Tuvan Throat Singing at: www.sciam.com/article

"Steve was more than generous with his time, his energy, and his unique expertise…Steve is part guru, part

music teacher and part Catskill comic, somehow he manages to engage all three of these aspects at once."

- Peter Pringle, Montreal Throat-Singing Festival

“Steve Sklar is the master of Tuvan throat voice techniques in the West." - Prof. Tran Quang Hai

Steve has also spent many years developing therapeutic energy techniques utilizing vocal harmonics, didgeridoo,

and Himalayan singing bowls for the purpose of healing. He teaches techniques for self-healing and techniques for

use sound in professional health/healing practices.

 

 

 

 

Jeanette Stevenson, CPCC, PLC, CM

I have a passion to show others their true potential so they may lead the lives they are meant

to live! My purpose in developing Point of You is to be able to work with others and empower

them to use their strengths (some of which they are not aware of yet) to move toward action in

their lives. The style of coaching I use is "co-active coaching", which means you come to

coaching naturally resourceful, creative and whole. You are not coming to coaching to be fixed -

but to begin to live by using the tools you already have within you.

More about Jeanette at: www.JeanetteStevenson.com and Point of View Life Coaching at: www.PointOfYou.biz