Our Partners & Instructors
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- Our Partners
Elefante Music
Elefante Music has been a family-owned business offering high-quality music and performing arts services since 1996. They provide instrument rentals and sales, private lessons, expert repairs, and fun, supportive theater classes and camps. With two locations and partnerships with dozens of local schools, Elefante Music is proud to serve the community and inspire the next generation of musicians and performers.
Elefante Music has partnered with us to deliver the following workshops on our roster: Instrument Repair & Maintenace, Music Pedagogy, Music Production, Team Building Through Theater, Theater & Musical Theater Techniques.
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- Our Workshop Leaders
Doreen Mulryan
Art & Technology, Traditional Arts
Doreen is a seasoned illustrator and designer with a unique flair and vibrant personality. A former roller derby jammer, she brings her playful sense of style and optimism to every creative project. With over 18 years of professional experience, Doreen has collaborated with renowned clients such as Disney, Hasbro, and Marvel. She’s also the author and illustrator of multiple children’s books, one of which earned a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Doreen now resides in New Jersey with her boyfriend, daughter, dog Rey, and two cats, Binky and Earl Grey. When she’s not immersed in her art, you’ll find her skiing, skating, or enjoying shopping trips with her daughter—usually adding to their growing collection of mugs and sweatshirts!
Julia Muench
Traditional Arts
…Looking and “seeing“ is an intentional act. My hope in the result of constructing these fiber based artworks, is that you as the perceiver, can also find a sense of rhythm, balance, and wonder…
Julia Muench
Julia Muench is a multidisciplinary, visionary artist and creator, based in Leonardo, New Jersey. Julia spent her youth growing up in the South Miami area, and has lived in Monmouth County since 2005. Her deep interest in the study of how nature works, and it’s protection, is a constant inspiration for her fiber artwork. Her lifelong study of world cultures, classical music and dance is also a strong influence on her creativity.
Julia has extensive experience teaching and working with the public for several decades, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, She started teaching, through the Monmouth Conservatory, which is now with the Count Basie Center for the Arts. She continues to teach and give interactive public art talks about sustainable fiber art for the environment, and the fabrics we use daily providing activities and interesting and lesser known fiber facts.
Her large textile work Chromatic Warrior was selected into the Noyes Museum’s Annual Mother Nature versus Human Nature exhibit in January of 2023. Julia creates her vibrant fiber pieces “constructions” in three layers, with embroidery, quilting, and hand sewn-beading, inside the top layer. Some of her larger pieces take up to several months to create. Much of her art work is in mixed media, using sustainable fabrics, such as hemp cloth and linen, repurposed fabrics, like denim, as well as glass beads, and wool yarn.
Katie Truk
Traditional Arts
Since receiving an acrylic tube of neon-colored knee highs in 1986, Katie Truk has been captivated by materials and color. Her experimentation with pantyhose as a medium began during her undergraduate years at Alfred University in 1995, blending their translucent quality with vibrant neon hues. After exploring various materials without success, Katie found her breakthrough in 1999 with old beach fencing, which inspired her iconic pantyhose and wire sculptures. Transitioning to teaching in 2001, she has shared her passion in classrooms, art centers, and beyond, fostering exploration and discussion across diverse audiences. Katie's artwork, characterized by ever-evolving sizes, colors, and textures in both wire and pantyhose, continues to captivate audiences in the tri-state area through its rich narratives and distinct personalities.
Lisa Flannery
Traditional Arts
Lisa Flannery started her career in Fashion as an apprentice to a couturier in Baltimore. Eager to learn more, she was accepted into the Fashion Institute of Technology, from where she graduated with honors. From there, she has worked steadily in the New York fashion industry for decades, for notable brands such as Veronica Beard, Elie Tahari, Kenneth Cole, Nautica and more. Her love of the process, from concept to production, has kept her involved in Design, Technical Design, Product Development and Production, sometimes working on small projects for herself and others, such as launching a capsule collection of Surfwear which was shown at Lincoln Center for New York Fashion Week in 2013. In addition, she is currently involved in refurbishing vintage pieces, redesigning existing items and creating original, one of a kind pieces, sometimes integrating painting and other crafts into her work.
Lonnie Woods III
Practice/Theory/Pedagogy
Lonnie Woods III (he/him) is a multi-hyphenate educator, arts and higher education administrator, and curriculum consultant with over a decade of experience across secondary and postsecondary education, as well as the nonprofit arts and museum sectors. He specializes in professional development and career preparation, helping students build confidence in their ideas through fun, interactive, and approachable learning experiences. His work bridges the arts and education, supporting emerging creatives as they navigate the path from high school to college and into their careers, while strengthening the professional competencies of arts students. Lonnie has collaborated with institutions such as Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Pratt Institute, Maryland Institute College of the Arts (MICA), The Whitney Museum of American Art, and Carnegie Hall, and has taught at Columbia University, NYU, and CalArts. He has also contributed to initiatives with Create CA and the LA LGBT Center, advocating for equity and access in arts education.
Maribeth Woodford
Art & Technology
Maribeth Woodford is an award-winning AI artist and creator, redefining creativity through artificial intelligence. Named March 2024 Creator of the Month by AI/CCC and recognized as one of the Top 100 AI Creators on LinkedIn, Maribeth has made significant contributions to the field of AI art. Her work has been featured in prestigious exhibits, including JPEG FICTION at The Oculus, WTC, NYC, and the Charis Awards, where her fashion submission was displayed at the International Art Museum of America in San Francisco.
Her art was chosen to be displayed at Miami Swim Week at The Gates Hotel in South Beach (June 2025), the Portals of Nature Exhibition at Brooklyn Art Cave (May 2025), Memoir of the Human Body 2 in DUMBO, NYC, and GROWING TAKES TIME, an immersive participatory performance presented by Kinetics With Karley and Josh Sauceda of ARCHIV3, most recently (today)Â Oculus World Trade Center for Digital Visions through One Love Art.
She has spoken at the University of South Florida on how AI is enhancing creative industries and redefining artistic expression
Maribeth’s achievements also extend to publications, with features in the inaugural issues of SHE is AI Magazine and WOW World Magazine. Her creative journey has been marked by successful participation in HUG XYZ open calls, including Symbols of She: A Journey Through Feminine Symbolism, Root 2 Fruit, and AI Film 3: Art & Film Festival in Arizona.
In addition to her artistic accolades, Maribeth is the author of After the Layoff – My Love Affair with AI, a personal and transformative narrative of her journey into the world of AI following a corporate layoff. Currently, she serves as a New Student Advisor for the Secret AI Society, where she helps guide others in harnessing AI to bring their ideas to life.
Maribeth’s passion lies in inspiring others to embrace innovation and showing how AI can transform abstract concepts into visually stunning creations.
Rie Hasegawa
Traditional Arts
Rie Hasegawa was born in Tokyo, Japan. She received her B.F.A in architecture design from Musashino Art University in 1993. She worked as a painter for a stage company before moving to NYC in 2000. Rie’s works in a variety of print media including intaglio, relief print, lithograph and monoprint. Her prints have been locally and internationally exhibited over twenty five years. Rie’s work can be found in the collections of Yale University Art Gallery, New York Public Library, Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Harry Ransom Center, among others and various private collections. She has also been featured in multiple international newspapers and publications such as Carrier Pigeon Magazine and the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun. Rie currently works as a Master Printer and Workshop Technician at Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop and has taught various printmaking classes and workshops at New York Academy of Art, Women’s Studio Workshop and Whitney Museum among others. As a master printer she has collaborated on editions and provided technical assistance to over 80 artists. Artist collaborators include Zarina Hashmi and Alexandra Bell.
Tracy Coon
Traditional Arts, Art & Technology
Tracy Coon is a fine artist and printmaker specializing in stone lithography. Alongside her studio practice, she has built a career leading brand storytelling and digital strategy for global companies such as Philips Lighting (Signify), giving her a grounded understanding of how creativity and technology continually shape one another. Tracy has taught art and figure drawing workshops and hosts live life drawing sessions. She holds certifications in AI Prompt Engineering from NJIT and Digital Marketing from Rutgers Business School and consults on the responsible use of AI in creative and professional settings.