Teachers
Penny Coffman
Penny is the 2012/2013 President of the Naperville Art League and has been an NAL Fine Art Center & Gallery board member and teacher at the art league for many years. She offers several open studio classes for teens and tweens and elementary school students. She is very highly regarded by her peers and students and has a lot of fun in the classroom with her creative art projects. Her talents and giving nature as an art instructor for the art league has been much appreciated. She offers open studio classes, drop in classes and a variety of children’s as well as adult workshops.
Angela Graefenhain
Lush, color-drenched fruit, checkered kings and queens, red horses and fanciful fish fill the mind and canvas of Naperville artist, Angela Graefenhain. Each piece shows unique attention to detail which often includes special effects such as, strips of painted canvas woven or hand-sewn into a piece, shaded areas to create subtle borders, or unexpected patterns to breathe color and life into the composition.
Growing up in Minneapolis, Angela began her passion for art as a child. She learned the art of Batik, a method of cloth dyeing and wax resist, as a young girl and has applied this early training to her art today. Although Angela mainly uses oil as her medium, her use of color and special effects categorizes her as a mixed media painter. “It gives me the freedom to use different materials in my work”, states the artist.
Angela studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison receiving a Bachelor of Art degree and later at Benedictine University, where she earned her Masters of Business Administration. Angela also attributes much of her art education to early opportunities for travel abroad. At sixteen, Angela lived with a family in Nice, France for 3 months; and at eighteen, her family moved to Seoul, Korea where they lived for a year seeing many culturally alive places in Asia. Her work shows these influences in the lively, pattern and color-rich subject matter.
Living with her husband, Fred, and four children in Naperville, Angela derives much inspiration from her family, her Italian heritage and the joy her family brings to her life.
I want to create happy paintings that make the viewer feel good”, Graefenhain says. Angela’s work was recently acquired for Edward Hospital’s permanent collection. The work is being displayed in the hospital’s Children’s Specialty Clinic.
Growing up in Minneapolis, Angela began her passion for art as a child. She learned the art of Batik, a method of cloth dyeing and wax resist, as a young girl and has applied this early training to her art today. Although Angela mainly uses oil as her medium, her use of color and special effects categorizes her as a mixed media painter. “It gives me the freedom to use different materials in my work”, states the artist.
Angela studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison receiving a Bachelor of Art degree and later at Benedictine University, where she earned her Masters of Business Administration. Angela also attributes much of her art education to early opportunities for travel abroad. At sixteen, Angela lived with a family in Nice, France for 3 months; and at eighteen, her family moved to Seoul, Korea where they lived for a year seeing many culturally alive places in Asia. Her work shows these influences in the lively, pattern and color-rich subject matter.
Living with her husband, Fred, and four children in Naperville, Angela derives much inspiration from her family, her Italian heritage and the joy her family brings to her life.
I want to create happy paintings that make the viewer feel good”, Graefenhain says. Angela’s work was recently acquired for Edward Hospital’s permanent collection. The work is being displayed in the hospital’s Children’s Specialty Clinic.
Laura Lein-Svencer
Laura Lein-Svencner, grew up in Downers Grove and resides in Darien Illinois; she graduated of Downers Grove North High School in 79'. Married with four grown children and a home full of loving creatures. She has continued with her personal studies in drawing, printmaking, sculpture, papermaking and collage. Seeking inspiration from one artist to another, Laura has pursued her love of paper. This steady pace of exploration has lead her to become a member of many local and international collage groups. She also co-founded the Midwest Collage Society which exhibits throughout the Midwest region. Currently Laura teaches her techniques of collage at LaGrange Art League, LaGrange IL and Naperville Art League, Naperville IL. Her collage work is represented by J2 Gallery, Chicago IL. and The Flying Pig, Algoma WI. During the summer months you will find her exhibiting in art fairs and teaching collage workshops all over the Midwest.
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Dianne Martia
Biocommunication Art from the University of Illinois. Over the years she has worked as a medical illustrator, graphic designer and computergraphics artist. Dianne is a mixed media artist who works primarily with acrylic and collage. She has won many awards and has exhibited internationally. She actively promotes art through teaching classes and workshops, giving demonstrations and curating art exhibitions, and she currently facilitates an art studio for adults with developmental challenges. Dianne is past president of the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild and founder of the Presidents Circle of local art guild leaders through the Alliance of Fine Art. |
Michelle LeBlanc
Michelle LeBlanc has been teaching art, music and creativity workshops since 1996. She enjoys mosaics, illustration, abstract art, comics, art journaling, photography and writing. In 2005, Michelle opened her own studio in order to conduct classes in world culture, art and music. She has now joined forces with the Naperville Art League coordinating their education program and offers classes in abstract art, creativity and mosaics. She also is an instructor at North Central College where she also earned her Bachelor of Art degree. Michelle attributes much of her love of art and expression to growing up in a multiracial family from Chicago where art and music seemed crossed all borders. She has found inspiration from travel coast to coast, abroad and through her visits and study of indigenous peoples’ cultures.
Tony Carnesecchi
Born in Chicago, IL, and moved to a suburb 30 miles west of Chicago, when I was 10 years old. Living in a large city such as Chicago, I never really got a chance to explore nature at that young age. When we moved to the suburbs, it was a whole new world, and many new experiences for me. I began to take notice of all the things around me, particularly nature!
Interested in art since childhood, I always loved to draw things. I was able to see something that peaked my interest, and drew it. Always encouraged by family members, I began to really love art.
After taking the standard high school classes, I entered the Navy, and became a Navy Medic during the years of 1970-1974. Interested in obtaining a degree after my tour of duty ended, I attended Triton Junior College, River Grove, Illinois in 1975, majoring in commercial art, while living in Chicago. Later, after moving to Streamwood, I transferred to Elgin Community College. After finishing two Associate degrees in Art and Business, I finished my schooling through Elmhurst College. I now am able to apply my Art & Business, by owning my own Studio in St. Charles, Il. I knew Art was my first love, and continued to practice it. I pursued art more diligently. Through the years, one thing lead to another, and I now own and operate a teaching art studio in St. Charles, Il., teaching adults and children. I love teaching art, it’s been 14 years now. It is most rewarding when you see the expression on a students face, after they complete a project. To take a person who has never painted before, and teach and help and encourage them to complete a project, is very gratifying. We have taught and do teach, many adult and children’s classes at my studio, as well as kids summer art camps, Spring Break kids workshops and Winter workshops, Birthday painting parties for both adults and children, Scout Badge art classes, etc. I have been teaching classes at Naperville Fine Art Center for 12 years now.
My love of art, nature, animals, and people, inspire me to paint, and to teach. The inspiration, to do what I do, comes from the fact that each new painting is a new challenge, and I approach them all differently. The fun thing is, I never stop learning. With each new painting, there is something new to learn, whether it’s new techniques, perspectives, or even mixing a new color I’ve never used before, there exists a learning process that never ends. I feel that when an artist thinks they know all there is to know, they may as well just stop painting, because they will become stagnant.
In my “Wings of Freedom” painting, I incorporated the two most powerful symbols of our nation. The US Flag, and the Bald Eagle. I had prints made of this painting, and there are prints at the White House, Pentagon, Ronald Reagan Library, Tony Blair, and James Lovell (Commander of Apollo 13), also have one. This is a painting I am most proud of, and I’m grateful for the fact that I can donate a portion of my profits from the sales of the prints to the Disabled American Veterans.
My website, www.tonyandfriendsartstudio.com, consists of all of the workshops we teach at my studio for a six month period at a time. All of the paintings I do, which are NOT workshop paintings, are not on my website at this time. I hope to someday be able to put my “for sale” paintings on a website.
It’s a great feeling to know that there are works of art, which I created, in other people’s homes and offices, and that I will leave a major part of myself behind. That those works of art have special meaning to those who have purchased them.
Lela Luetger
Lela has been an NAL Fine Art Center & Gallery board member, teacher and coordinator of the Holiday Show at the Naperville Art League for years. She offers classes in Needle Felting, Macrame and Landscape Felting. (more on Lela coming soon!)
Interested in art since childhood, I always loved to draw things. I was able to see something that peaked my interest, and drew it. Always encouraged by family members, I began to really love art.
After taking the standard high school classes, I entered the Navy, and became a Navy Medic during the years of 1970-1974. Interested in obtaining a degree after my tour of duty ended, I attended Triton Junior College, River Grove, Illinois in 1975, majoring in commercial art, while living in Chicago. Later, after moving to Streamwood, I transferred to Elgin Community College. After finishing two Associate degrees in Art and Business, I finished my schooling through Elmhurst College. I now am able to apply my Art & Business, by owning my own Studio in St. Charles, Il. I knew Art was my first love, and continued to practice it. I pursued art more diligently. Through the years, one thing lead to another, and I now own and operate a teaching art studio in St. Charles, Il., teaching adults and children. I love teaching art, it’s been 14 years now. It is most rewarding when you see the expression on a students face, after they complete a project. To take a person who has never painted before, and teach and help and encourage them to complete a project, is very gratifying. We have taught and do teach, many adult and children’s classes at my studio, as well as kids summer art camps, Spring Break kids workshops and Winter workshops, Birthday painting parties for both adults and children, Scout Badge art classes, etc. I have been teaching classes at Naperville Fine Art Center for 12 years now.
My love of art, nature, animals, and people, inspire me to paint, and to teach. The inspiration, to do what I do, comes from the fact that each new painting is a new challenge, and I approach them all differently. The fun thing is, I never stop learning. With each new painting, there is something new to learn, whether it’s new techniques, perspectives, or even mixing a new color I’ve never used before, there exists a learning process that never ends. I feel that when an artist thinks they know all there is to know, they may as well just stop painting, because they will become stagnant.
In my “Wings of Freedom” painting, I incorporated the two most powerful symbols of our nation. The US Flag, and the Bald Eagle. I had prints made of this painting, and there are prints at the White House, Pentagon, Ronald Reagan Library, Tony Blair, and James Lovell (Commander of Apollo 13), also have one. This is a painting I am most proud of, and I’m grateful for the fact that I can donate a portion of my profits from the sales of the prints to the Disabled American Veterans.
My website, www.tonyandfriendsartstudio.com, consists of all of the workshops we teach at my studio for a six month period at a time. All of the paintings I do, which are NOT workshop paintings, are not on my website at this time. I hope to someday be able to put my “for sale” paintings on a website.
It’s a great feeling to know that there are works of art, which I created, in other people’s homes and offices, and that I will leave a major part of myself behind. That those works of art have special meaning to those who have purchased them.
Lela Luetger
Lela has been an NAL Fine Art Center & Gallery board member, teacher and coordinator of the Holiday Show at the Naperville Art League for years. She offers classes in Needle Felting, Macrame and Landscape Felting. (more on Lela coming soon!)
