Faculty

Rebecca Bailey

Rebecca Bailey is a ceramic artist and art educator who earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics from the University of Indianapolis in 2024. Her studio practice includes both wheel throwing and hand building, with a focus on functional and sculptural work inspired by organic forms and natural textures. Through her teaching, Rebecca is committed to creating an encouraging studio environment where students can develop technical skills, build confidence, and explore their own creative voice through clay.

Nicole Bush

Bio coming soon!

Prashani Chandrasena

Bio coming soon!

Kären Childs Elder | BFA

Kären graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Toronto’s OCAD. Kären’s work is focused on landscape with a human element, as well as collage with miniature painting, sculpture and found objects, and is currently exhibiting at Shoreline Arts in Suttons Bay. She has found delight in teaching art to both children and adults for the last 29 years.

Steve Czapiewski

Steve Czapiewski is an art director and illustrator. His company, OOMM Studios has been part of the Detroit creative community since 1987, and provides design, illustration, print production, art direction, animation and many more services. His art has been featured in nine solo gallery exhibitions since 2015, and over 150 community and group shows since 2014!

Mary Dudek | BFA

Mary Dudek is a visual artist working in Metro-Detroit. While primarily a figure sculptor, her practice ranges from drawing, to painting, to ceramics, to metal. Her passion for her faith and awe of the human body fuels her work prompting her to create mostly liturgical art and representational figure sculpture. She studied drawing and sculpture at Studio Art Center International in Florence Italy and earned her BFA from the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art and Design. She teaches a variety of classes and workshops throughout the Metro-Detroit area and maintains her studio work and commissions.

Nicole Jendrusina | BFA

Nicole Jendrusina received her degree in Studio Art: Photography with a minor in Art History from Oakland University. Throughout her studies, she has worked in many different types of art media, but ultimately fell in love with the photographic process and the science behind it all.

Primarily working in portraiture, she is motivated by the ability to make her subjects feel confident with themselves when they see their resulting images. Her artistic work focuses on human nature and the way we experience emotion. Often, her work is inspired by music and her previous art studies and explorations.

Maggie Laycock

Bio coming soon!

Paige Leibold | BFA

Paige Lee is a Michigan based ceramic artist and art teacher with her background in sculpture. She found a passion for teaching pottery in Boston working under artists in the city and independently in Michigan. Paige obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2018 working with multiple mediums in her career including metal casting, wood carving and ceramics.

Shelley Malec Vitale | BFA

Shelley Malec Vitale graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Art Degree in Painting from Eastern Michigan University. In addition she has studied under some noted artists in Michigan at Wayne State University, College for Creative Studies and Henry Ford Community College. Active in the Detroit Art Community, she has shown throughout the country and is in private and corporate collections. She has worked at the Detroit Artists Market and CCS and was director at Romeo’s Starkweather Society. She began teaching at Paint Creek Center for the Arts in the early 1990’s… (read more).

Mars McCuiston

Mars McCuiston is an interdisciplinary artist, craftsperson, and educator based in Detroit, Michigan.They received their BFA from the College for Creative Studies in 2024, majoring in Studio Art and Craft with an emphasis on sculpture, fibers, and metalsmithing. Mars’ art practice explores stories of home, identity, and orientation, seeking to challenge preconceived notions of gender, expectations of bodies, and ideas of domesticity. Their work has been featured in exhibitions hosted by the Detroit Artists Market, MOCAD, and Fiber Club*. Mars recently completed the ProjectArt Teaching Residency, and has taught courses with College for Creative Studies, Cranbrook Art Museum, and the Detroit Public Library. They strive to create accessible and inclusive art education for all, strongly believing in the capacity for art and craft to build community, foster intersectionality, and inspire change.

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson is an animator, storyteller, and cartoonist from Michigan, currently working near Detroit, MI. His personal work is eclectic, though he prides himself on adaptability and uniqueness within his professional projects. Caleb is deeply invested in telling stories through his illustrations that appeal to the bizarre nature of the human condition, imperfections and all, and prides himself on working with both digital and traditional mediums.

Click here to see Caleb’s portfolio.

Ana Phillips

Bio coming soon!

Charles Pompilius | MFA

Charles Pompilius’ current work explores the origins and uniqueness of Western culture. He also paints portraits on commission, and has painted the official portraits of Governor Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Congressman Fred Upton, among other Michigan dignitaries. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Central Michigan University as well as a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa. Pompilius has taught painting at Wayne State University, College for Creative Studies, and Edinboro University. He is the recipient of a Pollack-Krasner Award as well as the Michigan Council for the Arts Creative Artist Grant. Charles is also an avid plein air painter.

David Prescott | BFA

David Prescott (Rochester Hills, MI) holds a Bachelor’s in Art from Wayne State University and works as a product designer for FCA. A talented artist in many mediums, David has participated and displayed his work in several exhibitions at PCCA. He currently teaches pen & ink and printmaking workshops here at Paint Creek Center for the Arts.

Brian Rubenacker

Bio coming soon!

Kris Schaedig | MFA

Kris Schaedig is a visual artist working primarily in the metro-Detroit area. She holds a B.F.A. in Painting and Drawing from Wayne State University, and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has been teaching at PCCA since 2010.

Anatoliy Shapiro | MFA

Originally from Russia, Anatoliy graduated with Honors from Leningrad Art Institute in 1970 with his MFA and has been teaching ever since. In 1985 he became a member of the Union of Russian Artists– in recognition of his participation in nation-wide juried exhibitions and artistic achievements.

Carolyn Shoemaker | BFA

Carolyn Shoemaker Artist, Designer and Visual Arts Instructor. Her love for art started at a very early age. She was encouraged by her high school art teacher to pursue a career in art. She studied at the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, MI where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree.

After college she was employed as a professional graphic designer at two major hospitals in the Detroit area. She has been a Visual Arts Instructor at Paint Creek Center for the Arts since 2017. This is where she discovered a new love, that is teaching. Seeing the progress of her students and their enthusiasm is so rewarding to her.

“This art journey so far has been so fulfilling and with the consistent support from my family, friends, students and colleagues, I have been able to continue to do what I love and share with all of you!”

Michelle Taffe

Bio coming soon!

Jennifer Teper | BFA

Jennifer Teper is a Metro Detroit based mixed media artist. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a minor in Fibers design from the College for Creative Studies. She has been featured in a collection of block prints that reside in the permanent archives of the DIA. Her work ranges from a variety of different mediums including painting, printmaking, embroidery and felting.

Amanda Trotto

Amanda Trotto is a visual artist and educator based in Metro Detroit. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with a specialization in drawing and painting from Oakland University and is currently pursuing her certification in art education.

Amanda’s creative practice spans a wide range of mediums, including illustration, ceramics, and jewelry making, in addition to her large-scale mural work throughout the Metro Detroit area. She believes art is an accessible and powerful form of expression, and she is passionate about helping others discover their own artistic voices.

Dedicated to both her craft and her students, Amanda sees teaching as an extension of her artistic journey. She holds the philosophy that everyone can find success through art, and she strives to foster creativity, confidence, and joy in every artistic experience.