Featured Artist: Lynda Kirby 

All North Hills Art Center instructors have the required PA clearances.

Instructor Biographies

Katie Botterman has earned her BFA in Studio Art from Ohio University, concentrating in ceramics. She also completed minors in Spanish and Art History, a certificate in Museum Studies, and explored a variety of mediums outside of ceramics; such as sculpture, printmaking, and photography. To see her work and learn more: katiebotterman.wixsite.com/website

George Broderick, Jr. has worked as a professional in comics since 1982. He’s written stories for DC and Marvel Comics and handled scripting and editing on the LOST IN SPACE and QUANTAM LEAP comics for Innovation Publishing.

Douglas Brown is a Pittsburgh native who attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. After pursuing a career as a package designer and free-lance artist for almost 40 years, he recently returned to the Pittsburgh area.  He is a signature member and past president of the Pennsylvania En Plein Air Society. For the past 20 years he has taught watercolors and shared his love of the beauty of colors with hundreds of students.

Ruthann Farinacci has a B.S. in Art Education from Edinboro University. She has experience teaching in the public schools, a challenge program at La Roche College, and over 15 years teaching at the North Hills Art Center specializing in pottery and weaving.  She is a Board Member at the NHAC and a member of the Three Rivers Fiber Focus.

Kim Freithaler has a B.F.A. in Painting from St. John’s University in New York City and has taught elementary level  art in the Manhattan public schools. She participates in area art shows and does portraits by commission.

Tara Hayes is a fine artist, painter, and occasional printmaker. She received her BFA in Studio Art and BS in Art Education from Miami University in Ohio. She was a 2018 Yeck College Artist Fellow at The Dayton Art Institute in Dayton, Ohio. Most recently, she received an MFA in 2D Fine Art from Massachusetts College of Art & Design in Boston. Her works involves themes of navigational play in urban spaces. She currently lives and works in Pittsburgh, PA. Her work can be found at tarahayes.net.

Marianne Hilke  Her early art education was begun in Pittsburgh at The Ivy School of Art and then continued at the Rhode Island School of Photography. Her most valuable instruction came while in Rome, Italy, where she studied art and developed a passion for painting.  She teaches all ages and passes along art skills to those who attend her classes. Marianne lives in western Pennsylvania and is affiliated with The Butler Institute of American Art, The Audubon of Pittsburgh, The Hoyt, St John's Episcopal Church and other organizations, in Pennsylvania, Ohio and California.

Bill Karaffa is a practicing Pittsburgh based artist who focuses on capturing the portrait/figure in many of his works. He is a current member of the Portrait Society of America. His work has been displayed in local and national juried exhibitions. Bill focuses on the classical approach to portraiture drawing and painting and has been successful in a variety of juried art exhibitions.

Stacy Koehler  has been making quilts and other fiber art for nearly 45 years. She’s taught these skills in shops, community centers, conferences, quilt shows, special needs schools and adult day programs. She is a firm believer in the idea that expressing oneself and influencing the nature of one’s environment through creative pursuits is a vital part if human development, regardless of skill, interest or depth of participation.  In other words: for everyone.  Stacy has been a certified quilt show judge since 2005 and is also qualified to judge Masterpiece quilts.  She serves on the board of the national judge’s organization and is in the process of developing that organization’s blog, The Quilt Judge’s Eye.

Jeanine Murch is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer specializing in art and hand lettering for children’s books, greeting cards, magazines, and advertising campaigns. With over a decade of past experience as an Art Director at Penguin Books and Simon & Schuster in New York City, she brings a unique integration of type and image to her work. She's thrilled to now be living back in her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and two small children.

Elise Neill graduated from the Ohio State University with an engineering degree. She is also certified to teach pre-Kindergarten to sixth grade. Elise has been a member of the North Hills Art Center for over 10 years.  She enjoys Girl Scouts with her daughters, playing in the North Pittsburgh Symphonic Band, and crafting with whatever materials are on hand.

Jeanne Perrier has focused on botanical illustration in colored pencil for the past 15 years. She earned a Second Level Certificate in Botanical Illustration from Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and has Participated in numerous exhibitions, most recently winning Best of Show at the Washington County Arts Council Gallery in Hagerstown, Maryland. She is Currently on faculty at the Oil Valley Center for the Arts, and at Phipps Conservatory in the Botanical Art and Illustration program. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, Allegheny Highlands Botanical Art Society, Colored Pencil Society of America, and Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.

Diane Pontoriero has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s of Art Education from Carlow University. She is certified to teach art K-12 and science 7-12. Diane has taught art to children from ages 4-14 in the school setting, and from preschool to adult at the North Hills Art Center. She enjoys creating with and teaching a wide range of art: fused glass, drawing, painting, fiber arts and pottery. Diane is currently the President of the NHAC Board of Directors and the Pottery Studio Supervisor. She has won awards at the Erie Festival of the Arts, NHAC Art Shows, Society for Contemporary Crafts and has her work featured at the Firebox Gallery in Carnegie.

Eva Pontoriero has a psychology degree from the University of Pittsburgh with a minor in studio arts. She works with autistic children and teaching art to children. She enjoys painting and ceramics.

Cynthia Young has studied in the US, England, and Japan.  She has an MFA from the University of Florida, an MA from IUP, and has studied ceramic engineering at Alfred University.  Her residencies include the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in Doylestown, PA; Mendocino Art Center in California; Watershed Center for Ceramic Art in Maine; International Workshop of Ceramic Art in Tokoname, Japan; and PCA artist in residence.  She has assisted many times at the Penland School of Craft and has taught at Westminster College, Point Park University, University of Florida, The Ellis School, Mendocino Art Center, PCA and various other city art centers.  She exhibits nationally and locally.  Cynthia has Art certification for grades K-12 and Math certification for grades 7-12.

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North Hills Art Center

3432 Babcock Blvd | Pittsburgh, PA 15237

(412) 364-3622 

info@northhillsartcenter.org


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