 YMCA Arts Center Director | Instructor
Kids Painting, Clay Play, Art Camp
A native of Pittsburgh, Mary Jo holds a BA from Chatham College in Studio Art/Art History. In her 30 year career, she has been a painter, a retail display artist, a muralist, and an interior decorating consultant. For a few years she operated her own studio in Selinsgrove where she created custom painted furniture and canvases for clients from Pittsburgh to Selinsgrove to New York City. She became the Director of Arts & Humanities for the YMCA in 2002.
 Assistant Director | Instructor
Kids Drawing, Private Drawing, Pottery 101, Art Camp
A native of Milwaukee, Scott holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from University of Wisconsin. He also has a teaching certificate in Elementary Art Education. Before moving to Middleburg in 2002, Scott was the director of an artist’s co-op in Vermont, he spends his free time painting lively and sometimes disturbing canvases, raising heirloom chickens, and hiding from all cameras.
Instructor | Organic and Natural Products
Brenda Bachman is owner of A Bee's Wing, a home based internet business located in Snyder County, PA. She handcrafts a variety of Bath and Body products such as soaps, lotions, balms, salves, salts, body butters and scrubs using organic and natural ingredients. She also makes 100% Soy candles and 100 % Organic Soy Candles using organic essential oils.
Instructor | Guitarist
A journeyman guitarist, Scott's been in the music business for over 35 years. Besides lead guitar/slide guitar duties with State College based blues band BluesMoon, he performs regularly in the area with the local Sunbury classic rock band 'Jesse'. Getting his start in the '70's as a sound tech and roadie for the bands ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ and 'Telepath' he taught himself to play by watching what the guitar player did onstage and emulating it. Now a teacher himself at the Eclectica Gallery in Selinsgrove, he has 20-25 students at any one time. Scott also plays periodically with Frank Fedele's 'Orbisonia' Tribute show and Boomer Legends, and performs acoustic shows with Bryan Noaker in ‘Bryan & Scott’ and handles lead guitar duties for the local acoustic trio ‘Acoustic Blues’.
 Instructor | Glass Fused Jewelry, Adult Painting
In 1991, Pennsylvania native Til Chapman began painting in oils. She continues to “paint the light” in the footsteps of many impressionists who she studied with at the Cape Cod School of Art. Til also studies glass fusing and has journeyed to Hot Glass Horizons in Corning, NY annually to learn more and stay on the cutting edge of this exciting medium.
 Instructor | Color Theory, Theorem Painting
Cindy earned her certification as a stenciler and teacher through the rigorous cert. standards of The Stencil Artisans League, Inc., an international league of artists in the decorative arts field. She has 20 years of stenciling experience and has taught workshops for us in Theorem painting as well as color theory. Cindy lives in Danville and visits us regularly as a student of various drawing and painting classes.
 Instructor | Pre-School Art
A newcomer to the Sunbury area, Lori is a native of New York State. She lived and worked in the NY/NJ area as an elementary school teacher for many years. A multi-talented, multi-tasking mother of two, Lori brings considerable talent and experience to her classes at the arts center. Holding an MS in Teaching and a BS in Information Systems Management, she clearly can cover all the bases! Her belief in the value of art experiences for young children makes her well suited to head up our pre-school art programs.
 Instructor | Theatre Arts
A graduate of Susquehanna University with a degree in Theatre Arts, Rebekah tried to hide behind the member desk at the Y (where she does a great job!) but we discovered her secret! She has loads of experience in children’s theatre in the area and was just thinking of adding more to her plate ( which includes 3 little kids ) when she mentioned theatre classes to us. WE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE ...and offer our first ventures into performance art thanks to her!
Instructor | Quilting, Knitting, Basic Sewing
Beth is a native of Sunbury, attended Shikellamy schools and has had a life long passion for fabric. When she is not at her day job as Sunbury City Treasurer she is most likely sewing something, for someone, somewhere! She has made so many wedding dresses she claims she lost count. We count her as a valuable addition to the Arts Center. She was instrumental in helping to secure a grant for our sewing machines used by students. She is most patient with us as we continually get tied up in knots!
 Instructor | Portrait Drawing
A native of New York State, Ruth received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Syracuse University and has studied at the Art Students League. She has made her home in Selinsgrove for the last 35 years, where she has raised her family and continued to be an active presence in the local art scene. Working in pastel, pencil, charcoal, and watercolor, Ruth has created numerous commissioned portraits
of people in the community. She has traveled to study with Daniel Green, a world famous portrait artist. She can be seen regularly traversing the streets of Selinsgrove championing the rights of skateboarders at large!
Instructor | Wheel Thrown Pottery
Angela studied Pottery for the first time in college where she became “hooked on clay” and has been at it ever since. She taught at the Mechanicsburg Arts Center before moving to Selinsgrove a few years ago with her husband, Tony. The new mommy of Ryan Thomas, Angie is back at the wheel this fall if Ryan lets her! Calling herself “a production potter”, Ang throws a ball of clay into a pitcher faster than you can make the lemonade!
 Instructor | Watercolor Painting
After completing her BFA in Studio Art at Indiana University of PA, Theresa used her talents and expertise in Visual Communication and Design, as a graphic designer for the Hershey Medical Center, and later Newton Advertising. Her watercolor paintings are where she excels in the fine arts and she brings that talent to her students in Watercolor Classes at the Arts Center. She juggles the schedules of 3 active kids, volunteer work, and teaching …and still looks cool, calm and collected…most days!
 Instructor | Wheel Thrown Pottery
The artist is a 15 year resident of Northumberland. By day he is a guidance counselor at SUN Area Technical School. He devotes weekends to his pottery passion. He is a volunteer instructor for the YMCA Arts Center. He has been working with clay for over 18 years with a primary focus on wheel throwing. Geoff is part owner in a small ceramic teaching studio based in Amberson, Pennsylvania. Primary firing techniques involve electric, high-fired propane, Raku, and wood firing. Feed him wings and he’ll teach you all you want know about clay!
 Instructor | Fine Jewelry, Lapidary
A resident of Sunbury, Jim has been the goldsmith at John Dagle Jewelers for 34 years. He studied art at Edinboro University where he received his degree. Jim’s considerable talent spills over into all forms of art and he can often be found in the pottery studio where he is known as “our hairy potter.” Jim is a valuable asset to the arts center where he volunteers his time, talent and equipment to make our jewelry program fun and affordable. He hides his wings, but we all know he’s an angel!
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