Teaching Artists

Meet our Teaching Artists

His music training began at Ohio University in Athens, OH where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance. During this time, he performed with the Ohio Valley Symphony, taught private lessons through the Athens Community Music School, and was selected to participate in the Sö Percussion Summer Institute at Princeton University. He is currently the Percussion Instructor and Steel Band Director at Carrollton High School and maintains a private lessons schedule of nearly forty students per week. This is Nicholas’ 2nd year as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

Her theatrical training includes a BS in Theatre from Northwestern University where she studied acting, creative drama and storytelling. She also earned her teaching licensure in Spanish from the University of Akron. Lindsay has worked for Magical Theatre Company, Malone University and Interacting, an audience-participatory theatre company based in Madrid, Spain. With Interacting, Lindsay toured Spain and Portugal developing and performing interactive theatre programs to teach English to students from pre-school to adult. Lindsay just completed her eighth Summer Reading library tour — performing at libraries across the state of Ohio and beyond. This is Lindsay’s second year serving as a teaching artist, however, she has been involved with Arts in Stark for many more years as both a grant recipient and performer at First Friday.

His musical training includes several areas of study brass, woodwind, double reed, and stringed instruments. In addition to serving as a private teacher in the Stark County area for 12 years, he has also performed as a solo artist or with ensembles for 16 years in various parts of the eastern United States. He just recently completed his first six song EP (extended play) under the band name Chemical Wonders. Patrick has been affiliated with ArtsinStark for six years.

Her sculpture/painting training includes a B.A in painting/drawing from Kent State University and an M.F.A in sculpture from Kent State University. She is currently working on a grant through the John S. Knight Foundation which is a mural, community based project titled “As a Community We Will Lift You”. Jennifer has been serving as a teaching artist for 5 years. This is Jennifer’s 1st year serving as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

She works as a university art instructor and currently resides in Cleveland. The inclusion of cloth can be traced throughout the history of Sarah’s work. Whether the central component or incorporated into mixed media work, it’s connection to life and the body provides endless inspiration and poetic association. After being introduced to hand-weaving by her mother, she developed a concentration in and passion for all things textile. Her current work often centers around concepts of memory, identity, and notions of “self.”

Her experience includes theatre coursework and numerous performances while attending Malone University. She received improvisational training in Cleveland at Cabaret Dada where she performed professionally for two years. Kaylene co-founded Canton’s professional improv comedy troupe, “Scared Scriptless,” with whom she performed with for over a decade. Kaylene has taught improv workshops for all ages. This is Kaylene’s 1st year serving as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

He provides live saxophone entertainment for various events across the United States. His musical training includes 5 years of full-time professional saxophone work and other live events collaborating with various artists. He has performed alongside or in some capacity with Joe Vitale Sr., former drummer of rock band The Eagles, as well as funky Leroy Harper Jr., former saxophonist from The James Brown Band, and Larry “Mud” Morganfield, also known as Muddy Waters Jr.. He has mentored and provided music lessons to youngsters ranging from elementary to college-age students for many years. He just recently organized and created a new band collaboration for a grand wedding celebration that took place at the famed Glenmoor Country Club Chapel. Rob Thompson has been serving as a teaching artist or has been affiliated with ArtsinStark as a musical entertainer for more than 8 years.

Not only appearing onstage, Taylor has found her passion behind the scenes teaching and impacting students’ lives though the arts. Taylor has also been seen on many local stages as well, recently as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and Belle in A Christmas Carol. Miss Taylor has been teaching for the last four years and various classes include Tiny Tot Theater, Kinderdrama, and various after school drama club programs. During the summer, Taylor has spent the last 3 years as a staff member for youth summer camp productions directed by Lisa Knight. Taylor also has been involved with the musical productions at St Paul’s. This fall, Taylor is thrilled to be teaching in the Holy Cross Academy Drama Club program at the Catholic schools in Stark County. When she’s not teaching, Taylor runs a “Princess Party” business and visits children’s parties and charitable events such as the “Snow Sisters”. Taylor enjoys sharing her love for the arts and meeting such incredibly talented and wonderful kids!

Her dance training includes a BFA in Dance Education from Kent State University. She has performed with local dance and theatre companies such as Living Fountain Dance Company, Rainbow Repertory, Kent State Stark Theatre, The Players Guild, Carnation City Players, and Young Christian Theatre Company. Stacie has co-directed and choreographed An Adaptation of THE WIZ, and Phat Albert for Community Arts Experience, Inc. She is the director and founder of Ordered Steps Dance Company as well as Dance Director/Instructor for EN-RICH-MENT, Inc. This is Stacie’s 3rd year serving as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

She has a Masters in Music Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and extensive training in therapeutic movement and multicultural dance. She has performed on clarinet with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles, including the Chicago Civic Orchestra, Canton and Akron Symphonies, and the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble. Kris has 35 years of experience facilitating music, movement and art in a wide variety of settings: in her private lesson studio, in the Bosnian war zone, Head Start, Rutland Vermont Mental Health, Family Disability Services in Malvern, and at various schools, churches, camps, nursing homes and retreats. She has extensive experience teaching arts integrated curriculum from pre-K through Grade 12. Kris frequently co-facilitates and performs with her guitarist husband Jeff. Together they especially enjoy leading family dances and providing musical accompaniment for theater productions, currently collaborating with the Courthouse Players in performances throughout NE Ohio and Washington DC of The Andersonville Trial. She also performs with the Venner Clarinet Ensemble. This is Kris’s 2nd year serving as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

She began writing at age 10 and her training in writing includes a BA and MA in English (with minors in Spanish and Education). She taught creative writing at The University of Findlay for decades and in the Ohio Arts Council Artists in Residency program since 1980. She has been a visiting artist in over 50 schools, universities, and public centers in Ohio and other states and countries. (Spanish is her second language.) She has just published her fifth collection of poetry, Prison Terms. She is currently leading a prison writing workshop for Oberlin Drama at Grafton and seeking a venue for her children’s musical, Talk to the Moon, as well as curating a National Poetry Month series for the Cuyahoga County Public Library, now in its a sixth year. Diane has been a teaching artist for over 40 years. This is Diane’s 1st year serving as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

Her training includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kent State University. Much of her commissioned art involves working with interior designers, architects and product designers to create architectural mosaic installations and mosaic products. She just recently completed a mid-century modern architectural installation for a private residence in San Gabriel, California. Dyanne has been teaching mosaics for 7 years and this is her 1st year serving as an ArtsinStark teaching artist.

The Hub is a studio/gallery hybrid located downtown. Tim has a degree in Communication Arts, is self-taught in the reverse glass spray painting technique, and has been teaching painting, drawing, and acting classes for children for the past 13 years. He has been affiliated with or serving as a teaching artist or ArtsinStark for the past 5 years.

Meet our Teaching Artists

Nicholas Kopko

Lindsay Bonilla

Patrick Masalko

Jen Jones

Sarah McMahon

Kaylene Williams

Rob Thompson

Taylor Marie Scott

Stacie L. Morgan

Kris Kiko-Cozy

Diane Kending

Dyanne Williams

Tim Carmany

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